For people who'll be flocking to Baguio City during the Holy Week (when even SM Baguio is open during the time), here's updated information and pictures of one of the hot spring resorts in Asin, Tuba, Benguet for your information.

Tutubi went to Asin, in an unplanned trip thus unarmed with information on details except his usual adventurous heart to explore places beyond the usual tourist spots, he was able to do ocular inspection of Palm Grove Spring and Mountain Resort where he was able to take photos of the swimming pools of the resort facility.

There are two primary Asin hot spring resorts: Palm Grove Spring and Mountain Resort and River View. The former is more modern in look while the latter is more of the nature type in accommodations and general resort appearance.

Palm Grove Hot Springs and Mountain Resort Photos of swimming pools (Olympus 1050SW camera):

one of Palm Grove Resort's swimming pool closed for cleaning

the main swimming pool of Palm Grove Resort

Palm Grove Resort Entrance Fee: P100/head
They have cottage rentals for daytrips and overnight accommodations available. please call Palm Grove Resort's contact numbers for the current room rates, function hall rentals for events (parties, weddings et al), promos, massage, spa, jacuzzi prices and costs and other inquiries. As of posting time, no official website still.

Palm Grove Hot Springs and Mountain Resort
Address: Asin, Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet
Telephone Number: (to be updated once Tutubi finds the brochure)

No reviews of Palm Grove resort for Tutubi merely visited the place in a very limited time, he took very few pictures and went ahead to look for a place to eat (it's around 12nn when arrived there). No information on restaurant menu prices.

Other Asin Hot Spring Resorts in the area include Riverview Waterpark (not River View Resort) which is the first one you'll see on the road. There are about two other Asin Hot Spring Resorts but not as noticeable as the mentioned two.

Riverview Waterpark
Asin Hot Spring
Nangalisan, Tuba, Benguet
Contact Number: 09189388071
Email address: info@riverview-waterpark.com


How to get to Hot Spring Resorts in Asin, Tuba, Benguet:

Commuting to Asin hotsprings is easy though it's about an hour from Baguio City proper. To get there by public transport, look for jeepneys going to Asin Hotsprings near Baguio Public Market (upper palengke) (Note: jeepneys with signboard Asin Road do not go there, probably near Km. 6 only. Kilometer zero marker in Baguio is near Burnham Park, and there's a reference for the original Kilometer Zero marker from Rizal Park in Manila for reference). The jeepney will make the return trip to Baguio Plaza near public hotspring swimming pool. Jeepney Fare: P22.00

Driving directions to Asin Hot Spring Resorts, Tuba, Benguet:

For those with their own cars and vehicles, you just need to find Asin Road all the way to the your target hotspring resorts in Asin (tip: you may follow Asin Road jeeps until you see the resort billboards). You will pass by Bencab Museum, at least two steel bridges, kilometers of zigzag roads and two tunnels (that locals call "tatlong araw at dalawang gabi" pertaining to the three days and 2 nights when entering and leaving the access tunnels to the town of Tuba. Travel time is less than an hour and about 16 kilometers from Baguio Plaza.

If you have your own GPS, you may contact Tutubi for the GPX tracklogs and waypoints of his trip, one of his first foray into GPS mapping with his shiny new Garmin Nuvi 1300 :P

Labels: Benguet, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region, Resorts

Posted in celebration of Baguio City's 100th year anniversary as a chartered city last September 9, 2009.

Walking distance from The Manor Hotel and inside the Historic core of Camp John Hay is the charming Bell house, the original vacation home of the Commanding General of the Philippines. It was named after General J. Franklin Bell who's credited for transforming Camp John Hay into a major military resort.

Bell House, historic vacation home, surrounded by a nice manicured garden and pine trees at Camp John Hay Historical Core



The seal of Camp John Hay, used to be displayed at the main gate, marking more than 100 years of existence from 1903

The Bell House of today currently serves as a museum of American colonial architecture and lifestyle. A portrait of John Milton Hay is displayed in the living room, complete with a fireplace, while the walls narrate Camp John Hay history through various images.


the dining room displaying lifestyle of American commanding general

At one corner of the vacation home stands a totem pole with descriptive plaque that states:

"Carved by Ernesto Dul-ang, a succession of historical figures during the first half of the 20th century form a totem pole that once looked out on top of Scout Hill

Admiral George Dewey led the Battle of Manila Bay

General Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Republic of the Philippines

President William Howard Taft was the first governor-general of the Philippines and later Secretary of War took a great interest in the development of Baguio City and Camp John Hay

Secretary John Milton Hay was secretary of state when the Philippines became a colony of the United States. He died as the construction of the camp named in his honor went into full gear.

William Cameron Forbes was a governor-general of the Philippines who is credited with the development of Baguio City

President Theodore Roosevelt signed the order that designated 535 acres as the military reservation that became Camp John Hay

Major General Franklin Bell was commander of the Philippines department and designer of Italian Garden as well as Bell House and Amphitheater

Lt. Col. Lyman W. Kennon oversaw the completion of the road that facilitated the construction and development of Baguio City and Camp John Hay

Mayor James Halsema was the last American Mayor of Baguio City

General Douglas McArthur was the famous liberator of the Philippines during World War II"

Near the historic Bell house is the Bell Amphitheater, a favorite venue for weddings, debuts, parties and other events.



The Bell House and Amphitheater are not just tourist attractions in Baguio City but also has historical and heritage significance that should be preserved for posterity.

Interesting Places near Bell House and inside Camp John Hay:
The Manor Hotel
Cemetery of Negativity

How to get there:
The best way to get there is via a taxi from Baguio CBD/Session Road as public transportation (jeepneys) don't enter the former military camp (unless you love to do lots of walking)

Labels: Baguio City, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region, History, Museums

Strawberries are one of the most popular Baguio pasalubong besides ube jam from Good Shepherds and peanut brittle. One of the more popular "things to do in Baguio" is picking strawberries at the Strawberry Farm in Baguio's neighboring town of La Trinidad.

Tutubi wanted to visit the farm again after so many years but due to the grueling schedule of the convention, he begged off at the last minute and decided to wake up late than join the free trip to the farm offered by a convention sponsor.

fresh strawberries at a roadside stall

Just before going back to Manila, Tutubi and his friends stopped by a stall near Kennon road selling fresh strawberries at PhP100.00. Tutubi just bought a kilo and selected not so ripe ones since it's not for immediate consumption plus the danger of "beaten black and blue" strawberries due to travel from Baguio to Manila. He also hand-carried the strawberries instead of stuffing them in his bags to avoid damage.

After just a few minutes in Manila, the strawberries were consumed in no time at all!

---
Notes:

If Baguio celebrates the Panagbenga Festival in February, Benguet has the Adivay Festival scheduled in October annually.

If you still want to try the "strawberry fields forever" experience in La Trinidad, Benguet, don't be surprised that the price of strawberries there is double the price of the the prevailing market cost-- you're actually paying for the experience and not the actual strawberries. As usual for your information, here's Tutubi's guide on how to get to the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad, Benguet:

Commute to La Trinidad from From Baguio City: board jeepneys going to La Trinidad on Gen. Luna near the University of Baguio. Request the driver to drop you off at the Strawberry Farm. You need to cross the road plus a little flexing of your leg muscles to get to the Strawberry farm for your strawberry picking "adventure."

Driving Directions to La Trinidad From Baguio: From Session Road, head towards Magsaysay Road where you'll pass by Bell Church and La Trinidad welcome arch. The strawberry farm is about six kilometers from the welcome arch and look for street signs to the farm to turn left. At the entrance of the farm are the usual stalls, souvenir shops and hawkers selling their wares and mostly "strawberry-powered" delicacies.

Notes:
The common strawberry varieties grown in Benguet are the Sweet Charlie from Argentina, the Festival and Camarosa from California in the United States, and the Toyonaka and Haronoka from Japan. Organic planting method also use predator mites to help eliminate spider mites, a major pest that destroys strawberry flowers and leaves.

Related Post:
Cemetery of Negativism
Directions to Baguio

Labels: Baguio City, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region, Pasalubong

Probably the most luxurious hotel in the City of Pines, The Manor at Camp John Hay high up in Baguio City was the home of Tutubi for 4D/3N but mostly spent attending a recent convention leaving no time for him to explore more of Baguio's other charming attractions.

Tutubi left Manila around 8am and passed by NLEX, SCTEx then the winding snake-like Kennon road to reach Baguio in less than 5 hours where the cozy room of The Manor welcomed him.

the cozy, inviting room where Tutubi slept for three nights all by for himself

the refreshing view outside the room with a garden suitable for events and garden weddings with a man-made waterfall's gushing sound for a relaxing ambiance

down in the garden with the veranda in view

CAP-John Hay Trade Center, the venue of Tutubi's conference

Review of The Manor, Camp John Jay:

Rooms: very cozy with a good view. Tutubi requested for a garden view that's why he has that view of the place. There's no bathtub, something Tutubi looks forward to in a plush hotel where he loves to spend time on.

Food Prices: to give you an idea how much it is to eat at Camp John Hay, the menu has salads priced from PhP200 - 400; soups at PhP150 - 200; pasta PhP414 (in servings good for 2 people); desserts at PhP150-207; Set Filipino breakfast costs PhP250 - 380 while buffet breakfast costs PhP550/person if it's not included in your room accommodations cost.

Food was ok, though not really outstanding except the salads with very fresh greens with vinaigrette with a a little sweet hint that Tutubi loved. Fresh strawberries, in season, were also served but quickly emptied from their trays.

Service was fast with staff courteous. One very helpful lady was Des, the convention manager, for her accommodating kindness but Tutubi found out she resigned and due to transfer to hotel near NAIA Terminal 3.

Other facilities inside Camp John Hay include a junior golf course (if you want a full golf course, there's Baguio Country Club nearby), the Camp John Hay Historic Core with the Cemetery of Negativism, Bell Amphitheater, Bell House, Art Park, Mini Camp John Hay, and a Butterfly Sanctuary (entrance fee of PhP40.00 but stupid opening time of 10am when most butterflies are getting ready to sleep)

Tip: If you're looking for cheap package and discounts, book at The Manor during the lean months of July to September for 40% discount on published rates.

For room rates, reservations and other inquiries, visit The Manor Camp John Hay's official website.

How to get to Camp John Hay:

Commuting to Camp John Hay is easy with jeepneys going to Mines View Park pass by the gate but requires some walking to get to the hotel. The best way still is to flag a taxi in Baguio city center. It's mostly accessible from Kennon Road then turn right on Loakan Road.

Related Posts:
Driving Directions to Baguio
Flights to Baguio
Cemetery of Negativism
Bell Church: Taoist Temple in Baguio
Panagbenga Flower Festival

Labels: Baguio City, Benguet, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region, Hotels, Hotels and Resorts

One of Baguio's newest and unknown attractions, near Benguet's capital town La Trinidad and just a short jeepney ride away from the City of Pines lies Bell Church, a Taoist temple.

Bell church looks so much like typical Chinese temples (like the Taoist Temple in Cebu) but it's location is hidden by lush garden surrounding it. Red color dominates the landscaping with dragons even at the gates.

A building inside the temple houses a queer fusion of Chinese images with familiar Catholic symbols. Incense sticks and saying your prayers as well as consulting Chinese people of your luck is available.

picture of Bell Church courtesy of Novie and Gheng taken with Nokia Cellphone

How to get to Bell Church:

Commute to Bell Church is easy, just board a jeepney bound for La Trinidad at Baguio Plaza and alight in front of the place. There's no entrance fee at Bell Church, donations are welcome as admission prices. You are free to take picture of the place, photography and video taking allowed except for commercial purposes. please get in touch with Bell Church for rates and other inquiries by visiting their official website or calling contact number.


Related Posts:
Driving Directions to Baguio
The Manor Camp John Hay
Flights to Baguio
Cemetery of Negativism
Panagbenga Flower Festival

Labels: Baguio City, Benguet, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region, Temples

A typical situation faced by people planning to trip with Filipino friends: many will confirm they will come with you but one by one, will opt not to join you as the day nears...

results of the unplanned tour of Baguio Panagbenga/Flower Festival and the "miracles" that happened:

1. at Victory Liner terminal on EDSA,Cubao, there were too many people waiting in line and chance passengers at that since it's also a long weekend besides the popular festival. I decided to queue at the long line even if a sign said there are no more tickets available. When I was near the ticketing window, a man inquired about returning his tickets for he can't make it. At this instance, I offered to buy his tickets to which he acquiesced at the original price, without the opportunistic jacking up of prices, he must be an angel sent to us since he didn't overprice us for his priced tickets.

2. Arrived in Baguio early in the morning, we proceeded to Burnham Park to meet a friend of Novie who'll join us but still there's one problem-- we don't have a place to rest our weary heads for the night since this was really unexpected to materialize. Texted some of our friends and fortunately one was able to refer us to a friend who offered her rooms just outside downtown for such a cheap price.


3. Since the place was quite far, we needed to ride a jeep or taxi to get back to Session Road. Since the street parade's about to start, heavy traffic already built up, we can't find a jeep nor taxi. After waiting for a while, I tried to signal my hitchhiker's thumb to an oncoming truck to which the driver, surprisingly, allowed us to board his vehicle to take us into the center of action.

the three times an angel helped us! :P

anyway, we did catch the festival parade with a few stars,using Gheng's and Novie's Nokia cellphones with camera.

Baguio Panagbenga Flower Festival Tips:

Book your rooms well in advance as well as round trip bus tickets. Prefer rooms near Session Road so that you can walk. Traffic's so bad your car will be next to useless when the parade starts. Get your cams ready, click away!

How to get to Baguio City:

Commute via Victory Liner with station in Cubao, Quezon City for a trip of about 6 to 8 hours.

Driving Directions to Baguio



Related Posts:

The Manor Camp John Hay
Flights to Baguio
Cemetery of Negativism
Bell Church: Taoist Temple in Baguio
Panagbenga Flower Festival

Labels: Baguio City, Benguet, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region, Festivals