Session Road, as busy as it has ever been
Posted on | Wednesday, 15 June 2011 | No Comments
Session Road is the main thoroughfare of the city and the center of Baguio's commercial establishment. This is where you will find department stores, banks, movie houses, and bazaars. There are also some hotels, bakeries, restaurants, newspaper stands, bookstores, boutiques, cafes, and studios along Session Road.
Local residents, students in the different schools and universities in the city and visitors alike spend most of their free time just going up and down Session Road. It is a place to go window shopping, looking at people, or just taking a leisurely walk during a cool and quite afternoon or evening. Visitors should take note that residents of Baguio City are predominantly Catholics and when the Angelus (a Catholic devotion in honor of Annunciation and Incarnation) is supposed to be recited in the evening at 6:00 o'clock, a loud continuous siren is heard all over the city to remind everyone about it.
At Angelus time, all vehicles come to a full stop, even in the middle of the road. Similarly, pedestrians also stop and bow their heads in prayer and then greet each other "good evening" at the end of the siren. This custom is probably only unique in Baguio City and not similarly observed in other parts of the country.
Category:
Travel
Burnham Park
Burnham Park is centered around a man-made lake located at the heart of the city. It was named after the city's planner, Daniel Burnham. The park is a favorite place of local residents and visitors alike. There are different facilities for recreation and relaxation that are available in the park. You can row a boat, have a picnic, attend an outdoor concert, watch a football game, go biking, or just take a leisurely stroll around the park.
At the southern end of the park is a circular skating rink where skates can be rented. There are also tennis and basketball courts, a few restaurants, outdoor kiosks, a children's playground, and an orchidarium where various kinds of plants, trees and flowers are sold. Chairs and benches are distributed around the park for those who just want to sit down and relax.
The football field at the eastern side of the park is sometimes used for parades, carnivals, concerts, political rallys, and for display booths during special events and activities. On certain Sundays and some special occasions, cadets of the Philippine Military Academy perform a parade and review or a silent drill exhibition at the field. Just after the big earthquake that hit the city in 1990, many of its residents fled their homes for fear of aftershocks and temporarily set camp in this field.
Burnham Park is an ideal place for taking photographs and a visitor should bring along a camera when going to the park. If in case you forget to bring a camera during your visit, there are commercial photographers in the park who can take your pictures. Pictures are usually delivered to you within just a few hours. It is best to determine and agree on the fee for the services of the photographer and the cost of the photographs before committing yourself to one.
Category:
Travel
Tam-awan Village-Showcase of living culture
The Tam-Awan Village is found in the northwestern part of the city. To find the village, proceed to Bokawkan Road which is behind Camp Allen, turn left at Ferguzon Road which leads to the Easter Weaving Room, and then right to Tacay Road which is an uphill climb. Upon reaching the top of the hill, take a right turn and this road will bring you to Tam-Awan Village. If you proceed further on, the road will take you to the town of La Trinidad.
As a former resident of Baguio, I didn't know about the Tam-Awan Village 'till my visit sometime in 1999. A friend of mine was kind enough to show me the place which I really appreciated. Seeing the Igorot huts reminded me a lot of a trip I took to Bontoc Province some decades back where I saw a number of Igorot homes in the different villages I visited. There are a number of Igorot huts within the village which will allow you to see how the homes of the mountain people really look like. You do get a chance to climb up the wooden ladder and see what is inside each hut. This will give you a chance to feel what it is like to be living in one of these huts. Since these huts were set up on different locations on a hillside, visitors have to climb up the steep pathways to go from one hut to another. For a lowlander who is not accustomed to Baguio's high elevation, it does get to be quite an exhilarating experience to visit the Tam-Awan village. One will surely find a need to rest at each hut just to catch a breathe before climbing further up.
If you do manage to climb up to the hut located at the highest point in the village, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view of the low-lying areas of La Union Province and also the Gulf of Lingayen which lie due west of Baguio. To be able to do this, be sure to time your ascent before the afternoon fog comes in, otherwise the scenic view will not be visible and all that you will see is the thick fog and the nearby pine tress.
The village has a main hut which serves as a store and an information office for visitors. There are a few native handicraft items that are sold aside from some books and publications about the Igorot people, their culture and traditions. You can also order a hot cup of native coffee which gets to be a welcome treat after completing a tour of the entire village, especially on a cold and rainy day.
Category:
Travel