Baguio Again : Quick Vacation

It's been about 4-5 years since I've been to Baguio and I've missed the cool weather. So last November on my birthday month, I decided to have a quick visit to that (literal) cool city in the North. With me was my not-so-little sis, Katheryn and friend, Ana.

We went via bus using Victory Liner. Opted to get the deluxe which was a non-stop bus from Manila to Baguio. Ticket cost was P750 one way. You can read about my experience here.

Aside from having less seats, the bus has a toilet on board 

May libre pang snacks!

We left from their Pasay terminal at 1:15am and arrived around 5:30am in Baguio. It was really quick because we went through NLEX-SCTEX then TPLEX until Urdaneta, Pangasinan to Marcos Highway. After arriving at the terminal, we took a taxi to the hotel.

Le Monet is located inside the Camp John Hay compound. It's a cheaper alternative than The Manor but you still get the same vibe. Plenty of trees around, walking distance to The Manor and just a quick 5-10 min taxi ride away from the city center but still far enough that you really feel you're in the province. You can read my review of the hotel here.

Every room has a balcony, no air-con but has ceiling fan

We booked directly at their website and availed of their Mastercard promo for P5350/night for 2 (sneaked in sis) including buffet breakfast. In Agoda they have a cheaper rate but personally I'm a bit hesitant using that site. Anyway, personal preference.

Wahoo! First Day of Vacation 

Since we arrive so early for check-in, we just dropped off our bags with the reception and headed off to Baguio Cathedral to say a little prayer. 

Then to Session road for breakfast. My friend, Jason, said that Vizco's had the best strawberry shortcake. Since I really really (really!) wanted one, we waited for the restaurant to open at 7am. Read what we ordered here.

Stalking the restaurant at 6:45am

success!

Then off to Mines View Park. Since it was a Thursday and very early, not many people were around which was perfect.

First order of business - eating strawberry taho
Good

This reminds me of that Strawberry sundae that McDo used to make. The one with the big chunks of strawberry? Ka-miss. Anyway, the taho we bought had some strawberry syrup but alas, no strawberry bits :(

relax mode on

going down 

Big St Bernard dog. Would you believe she is only 6 mos old? 

different herbs 

sis enjoying the breeze

I believe the Mines View Park now is better. They put on ramps and walkways which makes it safer to go to the viewing site. The stores, unlike before where you had to fight your way through, is now on the side and better organized.

Since Good Sheppard is just down the road, we went and bought our pasalubong.

image from www.cityofpines.com

image from www.goodsheperdsisters.org.ph

Personally, my favorite is the Hermits; cookies with nuts and fruits. Seriously delicious and addictive.

After putting our heavy pasalubong (14 containers of Snowballs, Hermits, Ube Jam and whatnot) to our hotel we  went to have lunch at the original Don Henrico's restaurant at Session Road. Tbh, the food wasn't that great anymore.

Cesar salad - the vegetables was fresh but the dressing
was too salty and thick

spicy pasta was a bit bland but there were plenty of shrimps

all-time-favorite of my sis - buffalo chicken - so she was in heaven

After lunch we decided to head back to the hotel, check in and relax. Unfortunately, cable was out the whole day until the next day. Le Monet is lucky that I was hell bent on having a stress-free weekend or I would have gone beast mode on them - no joke.

For dinner, we went to Cafe by the Ruins Dua. This was the one at upper Session Road which has more space than their original restaurant in front of the City Hall. Read about our experience with the place here.

view from the top

One of the best shrimp dish I've tasted.

Back to our hotel we decided to take advantage of the cool breeze by the balcony and had some bonding/drinking time.

little chilly

drink courtesy of my friend, G

Mojos, nuts, Tequila, sushi (another sis fave) 

Yes! Second Day

We had our buffet breakfast at the hotel. After which we decided to walk around Camp John Hay. Love the pine trees all around and the Manor and the Mile-Hi center was just up the road. The air was chilly and so perfect.

Less than a kilometer away from the hotel is a small garden restaurant Choco-Late de Batirol. Since we were still so full on breakfast, we just hanged around and had some hot choco and snacks. Full review here.

quaint

along the road inside Camp John Hay near  gate 2 

hot choco for a chilly day

Since sis has never visited The Manor, we decided to drop by and visit the gardens.

If I'm not mistaken access to the garden may be limited to the guests and those dining in. Or maybe not. But just to make sure, we had some desserts at their lobby area.

Strawberry and ube ice cream with Strawberry cheesecake

Pretty design but the cheesecake was just okay

Desserts at the lobby is actually affordable given the place; ice cream was about P120 while the cheesecake was about P160.

From the Manor, we took a taxi to the Central Market in Baguio for what else? More pasalubong shopping :)

image from www.tripadvisor.com

Would you believe that some items (like shawls, jackets, etc) in the market is more expensive than the ones in Mines View Park? Tourist trap alert! Haggle lang ang katapat. Going back to the hotel from the Market was a bit difficult though since the taxis going by were usually occupied. Plus there were a lot of people also trying to get taxis. Used a Grab to get one and even then we had to wait for about 10 minutes.

We were supposed to go to the Technohub just near our hotel but it was raining and we didn't want to be hassled. So just settled for the Japanese buffet dinner at Le Monet. Read about our experience here.

Another favorite of sis - teka, sino ba ang may birthday?! 

Final Day - Separation Anxiety

My crazy friend Ana was up at 6am arranging her bag and pasalubongs. Call it being manang or the way we are oriented in our line of work (always on time and be prepared) but I couldn't resist and started packing my bags as well. Had our breakfast. Lolled around afterwards on our made up bed before leaving for the terminal.

It was raining when we left Baguio. Seems apt - #emotepamore. Lol.

One of the best quick vacation I had. We had no specific itinerary, did not go to many places but we were able to relax, had good food and really enjoyed each others' company. Baguio, I.will.be.back.

team Baguio FTW!

Tips:

1. Always buy your return ticket beforehand or buy it as soon as you arrive to be assured of a seat on your return trip.
2. Check out prices for souvenirs or goods in different places. The market does not always have the best bargain.
3. Read up on places to visit or food to eat at a particular place. You would have a more memorable experience, trust me.

Choco-Late De Batirol : A Nice Place to Hang Around in Baguio

It's not the first time I've been to Choco-Late de Batirol. I've already visited this place with my friend Tina around 5 years ago. Back then it used to be this little place in the woods with 3 or 4 tables.  The waitress would actually prepare the concoction at your table using the old fashioned batirol.

A batirol is a small pot used for cooking chocolate drink, shaped like an urn, with a stirring rod that can be rotated using your palms. 

exhibit A (image from google) 

Anyway, I went back again last November and some things have changed but they're still this little hole in the wall .. (well, garden) ... inside Camp John Hay.

you've arrived!

The place is located inside CJH near gate 2. It's a a little bit of walk (about 5-10 minutes) from the Manor but we didn't mind since we were enjoying the cool breeze. Also, there were some signs to guide you. 

entrance

you can dine outside at the garden...

or inside but still enjoy the breeze

Aside from hot chocolates, the place offers Filipino food and snacks. Since we just had this heavy buffet breakfast at Le Monet, we opted to limit ourselves to some hot drinks and snacks.

menu

Ana ordered Champorado Con Tuyo. The tuyo was thankfully not too salty. The champorado was thick, chocolatey, a bit bitter and good for 1-2. Ana really liked it but tbh, was never really fond of the whole tuyo-champorado combination.  Good though. 

Champorado Con Tuyo - P110

Hailing from Paranaque, we have really good suman but I'm always curious about suman in other places.  So I ordered Suman sa Lihia. It came with 2 pieces of suman topped with grated coconut and moscavado sugar. The suman itself tasted a little "watery" and not as firm (siksik) as I would have liked. Not sure if it is because of the rice they used or how it was prepared. The sugar and coconut on top was good but plain sugar would have worked as well. 

Suman Sa Lihia - P95

The Turon De Langka was good; soft bananas, crunchy wrapper with enough sugar to get a good caramelization. Langka was bit on the skimpy side.

Turon de Langka - P90

Of course you don't go to a chocolate drink shop without trying one. So I ordered their best seller the Traditional Blend. They serve the hot chocolate at our table already prepared unlike before when they do the final mixing of the batirol at the table. Too bad :( 

Okay, I was a bit disappointed. I know that by mixing it traditionally you shouldn't expect it to be as smooth as the ones you buy at the grocery but it still felt too grainy and the taste too watery. I had to add sugar which with the right chocolate drink, you wouldn't have to do. 

Traditional Blend - P90

www.chocolatedebatirol.com

Final Verdict

Its a nice place to hang because it's really lovely to just sit down amidst the pine trees and relax. The food and drink, though, was not that good and a bit expensive. Come for the ambiance. 

Chocolate de Batirol - Baguio Branch
Igorot Park
Camp John Hay
Baguio City 2600

0917-877-1427 or
0917-877-1428
or email us at: chocolatedebatirol@yahoo.com

Balai Sa San Juan - Quietest Resort in Batangas

What I wished for was a quiet birthday and I got exactly that. My birthday was the 3rd week of November but by the end of October, I was still not sure where to go. At first, I was hoping to go to La Luz (where I spent a previous birthday) but when I called them, they said they were fully booked (damn my procrastination!).  So I browsed through the internet and found  Balai Sa San Juan instead.

Balai Sa San Juan is located just a couple of minutes away from the town proper in San Juan. Going there is an adventure in itself since you have to follow their direction to a T. Luckily for us, the resort has given us very specific directions.  

.... turn left at the sign that says "Hangover"

A word of warning, though, the road going there can be rough and isolated. The last few kms were unpaved  and I could just imagine that if it was raining that time, we could have easily been stuck in mud.

When we arrived at the place, it was huge - about several hectares. Unfortunately, the main reception/club house was located a looong way from the parking lot and we had to walk on under a very hot sun. Thankfully, one of the resort employees helped us carry our bags.The clubhouse as well as the cottages we either on a palaisadan (fish pond) or near one. 

clubhouse /main reception area - view from the parking lot

walkway to our cottage

After registering at the clubhouse, we walked through a sturdy walkway (we peeked underneath and it showed concrete reinforcement) to go where the cottages were located.  However, going to our cottage itself can be a little bit of a balancing act since you need to go up and down stairs made out of bamboo. 

Our cottage

The rooms were simple and basic; 2 double side bed, aircon, bathroom and sliding doors to the deck. Most of the cottages had a deck where you can relax but we were lucky that ours were over one of the palaisdaan and had an unobstructive view. No TV, though, which is a shame. The afternoon was so hot with no breeze at all so we put the aircon on high, opened the sliding doors, turned on the wall electric fan (thank you) inside the room so that some air would drift over the deck. 

double bed

deck with a couple of chairs 

view from the deck

Did I mention that the resort was quiet?  I think we were one of only 2 groups visiting the resort. 

Soon it was time for lunch and we walked again to the clubhouse (where all meals are served). The meals were pre-paid and included in the resort charge, like so many of the resorts in Batangas. We didn’t mind since we didn’t like cooking anyway. The food was simple but very good (healthy too, mind you) - served buffet style. 

 

ready for lunch!

Pininyahan na chicken

fried bananas in brown sugar - just the right blend of sweetness and softness 

fried tilapia - wonder if they get this from their palaisdaan? 

chopsuey

even evileeny liked it

After lunch, we decided to go to the beach which was a couple of steps away from the clubhouse. There were several nipa huts for the use of the guests. The beach was basically deserted but we really didn’t feel like swimming. The breeze was amazing, though – almost lulled me to sleep. I was thinking it was a shame that we didn’t bring any board games to pass the time since it was too hot to swim and too early to drink ;p 

beach view from one of the nipa huts

Found a group of dikya (jellyfish) on the shore - makes you think twice about swimming

After a quick nap at our cottage, it was dinnertime at the clubhouse.

soup, porkchop, grilled fish, vegetable

Again, the food was not high end. It was simple but tasted good and we had plenty. Of course, the main event of this little out-of-town romp was the drinking.

tequila, chips, dips, beef jerky

The resort had a corkage fee for every bottle (yes, including softdrinks) so we hid our illegal tequila bottle in our bag until nightfall. Unfortunately, I misjudged my friends’ ability to drink and we soon found ourselves with an empty bottle.

We wanted to order beer at the clubhouse but there was no phone. My friend, Tina wanted to go walk over there but we weren’t sure if walking up and down through narrow walkways on top of the palaisdaan would be safe. We couldn’t find a resort employee wandering around and so we just toasted to my *bleep* birthday and called it a night. 

The next morning, we walked around the resort before breakfast. 

pre-breakfast snacks. healthy, no?

hot, piping, pandesal

beach in the morning

little stone church

'deserted' island where the church and yoga house was located

funny sign

no frills pool beside the clubhouse

Soon it was time to go. Although the resort felt too quiet at times, I had a great time thanks mostly to the friends I was with. I did wished for a stress free, relaxing weekend :) 

PLUS:

·    

•      Place was affordable – accommodation was P3900 (3 pax) plus P950 per pax for the meal package (lunch, dinner, breakfast).  Although I felt that P950 was a little bit high for the kind of food given but since it is eat-all-you can, I guess it's okay.
• 
  
•     There were no hidden charges – I hate it when resorts charges you for ‘extras’ such as use of nipa huts, parking, etc. 
• 
  
•      The food was simple but very good (tasty). I enjoyed the home style food and eventhough we were the only other group, the food was enough for all. All meals had about 2-3 viands and includes unlimited coffee, hot tea (lipton, I think) and juice. Extra orders such as softdrinks and beers are reasonably priced (beer cost P45). 
• 
  
•      Place was quiet. If you want relaxation, I think this would be a good place. I could just picture someone staying here to finish an article/book or even studying for a board exam. The place had a zen feeling to it.
• 
  
•     The staff were very accommodating and friendly. They were attentive to our needs and tried their best to help us. Bonus points for the person who helped us with our bags but did not expect us to tip him- although we did feel guilty afterwards since he lugged 4 heavy bags by himself.
• 
  
• MINUS:
• 
  
• ·   There are limited things you can do in this place. Since there is no TV, all you can do is either nap or go to the beach, which wasn't so great either.  You'd have to come up with ways to entertain you and your friends.
• 
  
• ·   The food is limited. If you don’t like the food, there is nothing you can do much about it since the place is pretty isolated from the town center. Also, you’ve  paid for the food beforehand. 
• 
  
• ·   There's no phone inside the cottage. If you need to ask or request something from the resort, you have to walk all the way to the clubhouse. Not good if it’s already dark since the pathway going to the clubhouse is unpaved. 
• 
  
•      The road going into the resort is a little rough. So be prepared for a little bit of a bumpy ride in the last few kms. 
• 
  
• BUDGET-METER : Not Bad.  Accommodation P1300 (P3900/3), meal package P950, gas and toll P500 (P1500/3) = P2,750/person