The Cool Baguio Weather

Along with half of Metro Manila, we trooped to Baguio last January to enjoy the pleasant weather. It was a spur of the moment decision, meaning everything was decided on, planned and booked in a week.

Another spur of the moment, but a well-worth it investment: a nice Canon G15! Small but packs a punch. I happily took all our Baguio photos with this and my amateur eye says I've made (and read all over the internet) the right decision!


We made the trip at 11 pm on a Deluxe bus to Baguio from Pasay and reached the Baguio Terminal around 5 pm on a very cold early morning (we heard it was 9 degrees that day)!




After a brief cab ride, we were welcomed by the warmth of Citylight Hotel, our home for 3 days. It's perched on top of a hill (aren't all places in Baguio do?) so we can just easily walk from the hotel to Session Road at night.

My sleep deprived self had to double check if I was seeing a bear at a hotel lobby. Turned out, it was the Front Desk officer with a really cute hat.

My son sweats like crazy. Nobody believes it when we say that when we leave the house for a simple trip to the mall, I bring at least 2 extra shirts for him. When we are out the whole day, we bring at least 6. Not to mention the countless pamunas for his back. So it has been my dream to dress him (and me!) in cool spring- season clothes.

So, that makes this Baguio trip a dream come true! Our OOTDs were documented and we tried to be as colorful as possible.

I have to commend Citylight's breakfast.Very good selection and they offer something different in the two days we were there.

Had 2nd and 3rd servings of their pancakes

Fueling up for the long day ahead

The hotel is also very near the Cathedral.




Picture-picture at the lobby before our entourage left the hotel.

Not wanting to waste a second, we hailed a cab to Mines View Park.Cab drivers are mostly nice and more importantly, give the proper change to passengers. I wish Manila drivers will be like that, too.

I don't know if it's just me looking through the eyes of my son, but Baguio is more beautiful, cleaner and greener this time.




Maybe because we were there early, or it must be the weather but I honestly couldn't believe Mines View Park can be this peaceful.

Of course, don't leave Mines View without a  pic by this distractingly pink-haired horse. They smell, but they look so photogenic.




After my fill of pictures, and going around the stalls, we rode a jeep to our next destination: The Mansion. Aside from the facade, there is really nothing much to do or see here so I made this little boy pose and pose for my new camera.

We hopped on another jeep to take us to Wright Park.

 


 "This is Instagram-worthy" (per the taho vendor). Looks nice but only has one measly strawberry--not cool!

I really, really love the woven cloth and want to purchase rolls to be crafted into shorts and other chic stuff. I do believe in promoting local products and artisans. Here's us making the most of our costume-rental.

Through the kindness of strangers, we got to have a group shot. I volunteered to take their group picture in return.

There are several nice spots where you can rest and enjoy the cool January breeze.

 Just across is the Botanical Gardens. I will take my old photos out of the baul and edit this entry with my photo on this spot taken when I was around Jared's age. Now, that will be a cool throwback!

After 4 attractions in one morning, we were famished by lunchtime. I trolled blogs for days to check the best places to eat in Baguio so I don't know why we ended up eating at Gerry's Grill at SM Baguio for lunch on our first day. =)

to be continued

Money Making Schemes of a Five Year Old

An ad is effective if my son keeps on singing the tune, or asking us to buy something. He is at the age when he's starting to get vulnerable and falling into advertising traps.

But this series of Sulit ads are something different! It made my son into an instant entrepreneur!

Take for example:

To Mateo (his 6 month old cousin): "If you keep crying, I will see you on Sulit."

or

"Dad, are you using this guitar? Can I sell it on Sulit?

or

"Daddy, you keep on watching TV. Sige, I will sell the TV on Sulit."

And the latest:

Jared busy typing on Tati's phone:  "Tati, how do you spell telescope".

Tati peeks into the phone.

Jared apparently took a photo of his old, red play telescope and is trying to upload it on Sulit.


Then this:


The note clipped to the picture says: Go buy lego painting P40


This he displayed at the gate.

To daddy, see my son is an entrepreneur. Sure, he learned internet shopping earlier (" I already placed it in your (Amazon) cart, Mom" ), but he's now into selling!

How a small family celebrates New Year

When 2014 rolled in (yes, this post is a quarter late), it was just the three of us at home. My sister and her family and mama had lunch in the house.

So, how does a family of 3 celebrate?

I get to tell them what to wear. You know boys will just throw anything on for most part so this one is a plus for me. Red it is for New Year! And as their queen, I'm in the traditional polka dots. This is the pre-selfie pod days. =)

I get a nice foot massage while waiting for the clock to strike 12.




I didn't have to cook up a storm. Here's our New Year spread. Acck, hopefully, it won't be any indication of how rich or prosperous we will be this year.

 

If we were asleep, won't matter but this year is the first year the boy is awake at 12. Thank you to neighbors and those in nearby villages for treating us to nice fireworks displays that got oohhhs and ahhhhss from the first timer.

 

Cheers to Y2014 ( what was left of it, anyway)!

6th Birthday Celebration: Around Singapore Day 2, Universal Studios

Woke up bright and early for our Universal Studios trip. While packing for this trip, my goal was to have color-coordinated outfits each day while we were on vacation. The dad has other plans though but see me in my all-time favorite color orange (the easy-breezy dress was so right for the ultra hot temp), the boy in his hint-of orange print shirt and the dad, well, in his usual earthy colors.

It's a bit of a challenge to do it I realized because our son goes through about 6 outfit changes each day. So difficult to be color coordinated so I will content myself with this.

We were supposed to just ride the buses going to Sentosa but while eating at breakfast at Vivo City Mall, I mentioned the word cable car and the boy immediately said he wanted to ride one. Thank you, Grandma for the treat! It was a fun (and for the semi altophobic me) and unnerving few minutes.

The boy and his dad though were completely goofing around. Hence, these series of some of my fave shots during the trip. As a side note, these two boys don't know how to smile for the camera so I am thanksful I got to capture how happy they were with the experience.

Me, looking constipated here because I am trying to make as little movement as possible so as not to sway the cable car more.

After alighting from the cable car, we followed the path to take us to the bus stations to our destination for the day: Universal Studios!

picture perfect pathways

 

 

Getting his coin souvenir from this machine you need to hand crank.

And what visit will be complete without a picture by this revolving ball.

Hirap to get a shot when a million other people wanted their picture by this place, too

Then, off we explored Universal the whole day.

He was a little bit scared here, I think. This man played up his part and really looked fierce.

"Mom, I thought dinosaurs are extinct?"

 

 

 

 

 It was really a fun, fun day here!