My job entails a lot travelling within our region (region vIII) and nationwide. one of them is to baguio city-we call the place "summer capital of the philippines," because of its cold climate during summer months. although, i visited baguio, in 1983, after i graduated in high school, i felt excited seeing baguio again after 20 plus years. i cannot wait to compare baguio then and and now (may 2007). baguio is still cold but not that cold back then. i said to myself, is this the effect of global warming? baguio has grown - big buildings, golf courses, widening of roads, and people still flocked to this place.
we went to the usual tourists haunts - the Grotto of Lourdes (our hotel was just a stone throw away), Burnham park (the boats and the bikes are still there), the strawbery fields (i had a blast eating fresh strawberries) and numerous souvenir shops.we also visited flower farms, where all the colors of roses are growing. these flowere were so beautiful that it hurts to picked them knowing that they will just wilt in the end. we went to hanger market and tried to locate my relatives, unfortunately, we were on the wrong side of the market and pressed for time. mornings in baguio aren't that cold anymore, but the evening, brrr! its really cold.
i had a blast when i was able to bring the fresh strawberries home! strawberries wilt in warm climate. my co-workers were telling me that it will rot by the time i'll reached tacloban city (my home). but i'm so determined to let my kids see, feel and eat fresh strawberries, i did my best to try. i bought one-kilo of the fruit. we travelled at night(its cold), we rode in aircon bus(i put my fruit infront of the aircon). arriving in manila, we rode aircon taxi to the airport. the airport was freezing cold and so was the plane. but arriving in tacloban, the sun was in his glory. my husband was laughing because i was covering my basket of fruit, with my body. upon reaching home, i feel vindicated when my kids appreciate all my efforts and said that they enjoyed the strawberry sherbet.