VP 2019-03 PBB BIG 4 DIGITAL

VP
TRAVEL
FLOWERS BLOOM IN BAGUIO CITY:
THE MAGIC OF
PINE CITY
by LORD HARVEY MONTEROSO
T
he great thing about travelling is the sense of escape. For that amount of
time you sit on a car, van, bus, plane, or boat, the world opens up to you.
In my case, I sat on a van with 11 other strangers going to the farthest I’ve
been to Luzon — Baguio City.
For me, travelling makes me feel nostalgic and liberated. The first time I’ve
heard of Baguio, aside from learning about it in school, was from my mom.
She was in the army, so the City of Pines was somewhere she frequented. As
a soldier, she got reassigned to other infantry divisions. This gave her a lot of
friends and a more clearer view of life. How cool can it be to be anyone you
can be and anywhere you want to be?
Her stories about the city amazed me—cold enough to wear sweaters even in
the morning and to see your breath turn white right before you eyes. As a kid
who didn’t get to go out much, knowing about Baguio sparked a desire to see
it and more of my country. Although it took me 26 years to get there, at least
I made it.
Baguio City is everything I imagined it would be. The moment I stepped out of
the van, the chill hit my exposed areas like a five-wheeler truck. And I loved it.
It was 4 in the morning, so the whole city was this huge fridge. And as a firsttime
tourist, I spared no time. I took a day tour so that was the only free time I
got before the Panagbenga parade started. With my hoodie, scarf, and camera
in tow, I ventured the unknown. Cold climate, whomst?
Sea of People
Even the crowd that gathered at Session Road was very chill. Maybe that
article I’ve read about people living in places with colder climates were less
temperamental than those who lived in warmer climates was actually true.
I wasn’t able to finish the whole parade, however, what I saw was enough to
satisfy me. The way the people cheered and laughed was contagious. The
smiles the performers gave when they swayed and danced were things I won’t
forget.
They were mostly kids, maybe in high school. Having experienced field demos
back in elementary, I definitely knew how tiring practices were. That was the
culmination of their sweat and tears. More than ever, how the Panagbenga
Grand Float Parade became successful was partly because of their efforts.
The Parade of Flowers
Unlike other tours, the main attraction came first. As early as 5AM, people
have already started herded into groups around the city. The Panagbenga
Grand Float Parade was one of the three parades I’ve actually been to. One
being from my hometown’s Higalaay Festival and the other being Bukidnon’s
Kaamulan Festival. Never had much experience with parades, but what made
Panagbenga special was that I felt more immersed. And the siksikan was
bearable because of the cold.
I was able to take some snaps before the parade started. The people were
actually quite friendly. Maybe it was the camera I was holding, or maybe
because they were naturally tourist-friendly. But they posed whenever I pointed
the lens at them.
Something Green at the City's Heart
Baguio City is undeniably Philippines’ summer capital. Aside from the mall
and occasional souvenir shop, a couple of decent parks strive among its
developing facade. In Baguio, it’s best of both worlds. You can grab a bite from
that fastfood chain, chill at a cafe, or party it our at some bar. You can also run
around or sit with friends on the grass among the flowers during anytime of the
day.
I kept hearing Burnham Park from conversations with friends. I also got to see
it on the news or from the setting of a telenovela. You have no idea about the
chills I got when I walked through the archway going inside the park. Maybe
because it was my first time or maybe I haven’t seen enough parks. The kid
inside me wanted to run around. I stopped myself because a) I was alone, b) the
park was packed with people, and c) the kid in me has outgrown himself.
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