Baguio - Panoramic, originally uploaded by jsigharas.
We arrived to Baguio's bus depot at 7 am. The bus ride was bumpy, and therefore left me in a half-asleep/half-awake state for the entire trip. I'm absolutely exhausted and jaded from big city life and looking forward to some peaceful times in the mountainous region of Benguet. Baguio City (pop. 250,000 plus) is at an altitude of approximately 1500 meters (5100 ft) and set in a moist tropical pine forest. The terrain is diverse and hilly and reminds me a little of where I grew up in Asheville, NC, except dryer and more polluted. The environment is so different from what I'm accustomed to in the Philippines as it is known more for its tropical island/beach climate. It also is significantly cooler here compared to muggy Manila. From what I've seen it seems like you can catch an amazing view from almost any point.
Alex and I will be staying in the municipality of La Trinidad, on top of Narda's weaving factory. Our pad is great. It's basically the size of a small apartment with 1 master and 1 guest bedroom. We just finished touring the weaving factory that's below us and met with Narda and Wilson Capuyan, directors of the Winaca Foundation. Great conversation and inspiring ideas have left us antsy. Stay tuned!
