RetroTravel: Singapore

Surprising Singapore never stops to surprise its guest. And I was one of them when I had the opportunity to visit it on a very short overnight trip. One of the surprises was that I thought as one of the most progressive country in South East Asia region, you'll expect a lot of skyscrapers and all industry scene around but it was a "forest city" or shall I say a city in a forest. What I mean is that aside from high-rising buildings, the country is green! With so much ornamental plant landscapes and trees lining in cluster in every corner of the city, I would say Singapore is an eco-friendly country which I really admire.

The icomic landmark of Singapore - The Merlion.

Another one was there is a quite large no. of Indian ethnicity in Singapore. All I expect were Chinese descent but there are citizens already, immigrants and some were making a living in the country. It also surprises me that Singaporeans are fashionable people. They go in what is "in" in style and trend of clothes... making shopping in some of the places quites expensive. The trip was so short as it is not enough to enjoy the place. That's why I'm planning to go back there. It is on my list of the countries I want to visit again. Hopefully, my target is this year. I want to go back. It's a shame, but I haven't seen the famous Merlion!


Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, since independence it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries and sports the world's busiest port. Combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences and a tropical climate, with tasty food, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region.
Singapore is a small country on a small island, but with over four million people it's a fairly crowded city and in fact second only to Monaco as the world's most densely populated country. The center of the city — consisting roughly of Orchard Road, the Riverside and a chunk of Chinatown — is known in acronym-loving Singapore as the CBD (Central Business District).


Singapore is a microcosm of Asia, populated by Chinese, Malays, Indians and a large group of workers and expatriates from all across the globe. Singapore has a partly deserved reputation for sterile predictability that has earned it snickering descriptions like William Gibson's "Disneyland with the death penalty" or the "world's only shopping mall with a seat in the United Nations". Nevertheless, the Switzerland of Asia is for many a welcome respite from the poverty, chaos, and crime of much of the Asian mainland, and if you scratch below the squeaky clean surface you'll find more than meets the eye. Singaporean food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops offering cheap food from all parts of Asia, and shoppers can bust their baggage allowances in shopping meccas like Orchard Road and Suntec City. In recent years some societal restrictions have also loosened up, and now you can bungee jump and dance on bartops all night long, although alcohol is very pricey and chewing gum can only be bought from a pharmacy. Gambling casinos will be opening up in about 2009 as part of Singapore's new Fun and Entertainment drive, the aim being to double the number of tourists visiting and increasing the length of time they stay. (Wikitravel: Singapore)

Everything is Singapore Airlines at Changi Airport

It was in this Singapore trip that I was first able to see and use the NAIA Centennial Terminal 2. Philippine Airlines was solely operating in the terminal. And our flight was an early 7am flight to Changi Airport. NAIA Centennial Terminal 2 was spacious, modern and very clean. The atmosphere is so light as the exteriors and interiors were designed in white colors to give spacious and light feeling. On the other hand, Singapore's Changi Airport is one of the biggest airport I have seen. Interiors were decorated with orchids (which is their national flowere, specifically - Vanda Miss Joaquin) and ornamental plants. Arriving and departing passengers were mixed in flow as there are no seperate dividers for the flow. Recently, I heard they opened Terminal 3 of Changi. And base on pictures of what I saw, it is giving again a superb facility design.

We stay at the Ate Cita's residence, a Filipino immigrant and resident with a business in the country. We visited the shopping disctricts in Orchard Road. We take a look at its shopping malls around. There also quite many shops selling latests gadgets of cellphones and disk players. Some of the istalls are owned by Indians. Be ready to walk the mile long road of this shopping district as it can be tiring for a day to explore it. But Orchard Road is beautifully toured at night where all lights are lit up and people troop the streets.

Boat Quay.

City overview at night.

Those are just few places I have been in avery short trip. Anyway, below are the districts where most of the places of interests can be visited from Wikitravel: 
 * Riverside (Civil District) — Singapore's colonial core, with museums, statues and theaters, not to mention restaurants, bars and clubs.

* Orchard Road — Miles and miles of shopping malls. Bugis and Kampong Glam — Bugis and Kampong Glam are Singapore's old Malay district, now largely taken over by shopping.
* Chinatown — The area originally designated for Chinese settlement by Raffles, now a Cantonese enclave in predominantly Hokkien Singapore.
* Little India — A piece of India to the north of the city core.
* Balestier, Newton, Novena and Toa Payoh — Budget accommodations and Burmese temples within striking distance of the center.
* North and West — The northern and western parts of the island, also known as Woodlands and Jurong respectively, form Singapore's residential and industrial hinterlands.
* East Coast — The largely residential eastern part of the island contains Changi Airport, miles and miles of beach, and many famous eateries. Also consists of Geylang Serai, the true home of Singapore's Malays.
* Sentosa — A separate island developed into a resort, Sentosa is the closest that Singapore gets to Disneyland.

Sentosa is one of the places that interests me. It was developed into a popular island resort complete with beaches (artificially-made), hotels, restaurants and bars to specially cater to tourists. It is also where a famous oceanarium Underwater World located. What I also like is that all transportation in Sentosa (except taxis) are free. But basic admission to the island costs $3 per person. Other admissions charges to other places are not included. Sentosa, which means peace and tranquillity in Malay, is visited by some five million people a year. Attractions include a two-kilometre long sheltered beach, Fort Siloso, two golf courses and two five-star hotels, and the upcoming Resort Worlds at Sentosa, featuring the new theme park Universal Studios Singapore to open at 2010. I have read that some places are quite pricey but this will definitely be part of my itinerary when I visit Singapore again. More info here... Click and these too. 

I am also fascinated with the Merlion - Singapore's symbolic icon. Too bad i haven't seen the Merlion ladmark, so definitely it will be in my itinerary on my next visit. The Merlion is an imaginary creature with the head of a lion and the body of a fish. Its name combines "mer" meaning the sea and "lion". The fish body comes from Singapore's ancient name back when it was a fishing village — Temasek — meaning "sea town" in Javanese. The lion head represents Singapore's original name — Singapura — meaning "lion city" in Sanskrit and Malay. There's a statue one in Merlion Park near the Singapore CBD and one in Sentosa. It has also been featured in many souvenir items. More info here.

Singapore is one of the most cosmopolitan city in the world. It is one of the most prosperous country today too as it has a progressive economy. I think it is also one of the most livable place in the world. They have reliable systematic mass transportation like Mass Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit that covers most points of interest to visitor so getting around is easy. Plus Singaporeans are mostly fluent in English so it is easy to get acquainted with them. And because it is a "forest city" expect clean air to breathe and less pollution in this cosmopolitan city of Asia.

Sentosa Island.

Siloso Beach - an artificial beach in Sentosa Island.

There are rapid developments in Singapore's tourism. Casinos are legalized and up-scale resorts, water theme parks, concept stores and hotels are building up for Resorts World at Sentosa which will also feature Universal Studios (a first in the region to open in 2010). Marina Bay are also in the works to feature casinos, gardens and parks cater to especially to the growing tourism industry of the country. When all attractions completed it is expected to boost tourism growth and expects to visit by millions of tourists including me! 

With all this interesting developments and new attractions in Singapore, then I can't wait to explore it again. Learn more about the surprising Singapore see Uniquely Singapore.

 

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RetroTravel: Singapore is my travel recollection to Singapore last November 10-11, 2000 and is part of my RetroTravel series where I share my old travel trips in the past during pre-digital picture era of my travels. Some photos are from flickr.com and credited to the following: ktelontour, piratheepan and sutanto.

RetroTravel: Cebu

Destinations for Summer 2009 is endless. One of the worthy destinations to see, feel, taste and experience is Cebu! The "Queen City of the South" offers numerous sights and places to discover for a perfect summer retreat. My visits to Cebu was so limited. It was a one day short visit. I mean, we hop on the plane on the first dawn flight to Cebu and returns on the same day on the last evening flight. So one day is not enough. I didn't get to see much of the places of interest in Cebu so I wish to go back soon and explore it again.

Cebu is one of the provinces of the Philippines. It is located to the east of Negros island; to the west of Leyte, and Bohol islands. It is located on both sides by the straits of Bohol (between Cebu, anlong narrow island stretching 225 kilometers (140 miles) from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighboring smaller islands, that includes Mactan Island, Bantayd Bohol), and Tañon (between Cebu, and Negros). Cebu is a an, Malapascua, Olango, and the Camotes Islands. Of the hundreds of small islands some are uninhabited which make them popular with tourists.

Cebu City is the capital city of Cebu in the Philippines, and is the second most significant metropolitan center in the Philippine Islands. The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu, and is the first Spanish settlement in the Philippines. Cebu is the Philippines' main domestic shipping port, and is home to more than 80% of the country's domestic shipping companies. Cebu also holds the second largest international flights in the Philippine Islands, and is a significant center of commerce, trade, and industry in the Visayas, and Mindanao region. According to the 2007 Philippine census, the city has a population of 798,809 people. Cebu City is the center of a metropolitan area called Metro Cebu, which includes the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Talisay, Naga. Metro Cebu has a total population of about 2 million people.

Honestly, because of the very short trip in Cebu we even don't have souvenir photos of visitng the place. The places we have been were the Taoist Chinese Temple, SM Mall (where we bought boxes and boxes of Dried Mangoes), Marcelo Fernan Bridge and Mandaue City Public Market for danggits! ^^

Here are the other places to visit within the Cebu City area:
The Basilica of Santo Niño, also called Basilica del Santo Niño, Basílica Minore del Santo Niño and formerly known as the San Agustin Church prior to its elevation as a Basilica Minore, is a 16th century church in the heart of Cebu City, Philippines. It is purportedly built on the exact spot where the image of the Santo Niño, a sculpture depicting Jesus as a black Holy Child, was found by Spanish conquistadors in 1565 preserved in a burned wooden box which was left behind during the 1521 Magellan expedition.

Fort San Pedro (Fuerza de San Pedro) - a military defence structure, built by Spanish and indigenous Cebuano labourers under the command of Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi and the Spanish Government in Cebu. It is located in the area now called Plaza Indepedencia, in the Pier Area of Cebu City, Philippines.

The Lapu-Lapu shrine - a 20-meter bronze statue in Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines, erected in honor of Rajah Lapu-Lapu, a native chieftain who defeated Spanish soldiers, and Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan on 1521.

Magellan's Cross - a Christian cross planted by Portuguese and Spanish explorers as ordered by Ferdinand Magellan upon arriving in Cebu in the Philippines on April 21, 1521. This cross is housed in a small chapel next to the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño on Magallanes Street (Magallanes being the Spanish name of Magellan), just in front of the city hall of Cebu City. Magellan's Cross is a symbol of Cebu City and the chapel's image can be found in its city seal. It is also seen as the symbol of Roman Catholicism and a tourist attraction in the Philippines.

The Magellan shrine - a large memorial tower erected in honor of the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The spot is believed to be the area were Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan on 1521, Philippines. The monument measures 30 metres high and it is located in the place of Punta Engaño, Mactan Island, Cebu.

Marcelo Fernan Bridge - an extradosed cable-stayed bridge located in Metro Cebu, Cebu in the Philippines. It spans across Mactan Channel connecting Cebu Island to Mactan Island.

Built in 1972, the Cebu Taoist Temple is located in Beverly Hills Subdivision in Cebu City. The temple was built by Cebu's substantial Chinese community. With an elevation of 300 meters above sea level, the temple is a towering, multi-tiered, multi-hued attraction accessible by three separate winding routes. There is nothing much to do in the temple. One could enjoy moving around the temple in an hour. The entrance to the temple is a replica of the Great Wall of China. The temple includes a chapel, a library, a souvenir shop and a wishing well. The spacious balconies offer a scenic view of the downtown Cebu. Also noteworthy is the giant dragon statue.

One of the best memories I had in Cebu is strolling down the Mandaue Public Market for "Danggit" - Cebu's famous dried fish delicacy. It is a salted dried fish and can be pricey as it is one of the most sought-after products in Cebu both by locals and tourists. It is best enjoyed eating it in breakfast with vinegar as the best condiment. I also like the one they call "Tapa", it is also from dried fishes but dried marinated in tapa syrup that's why is gives a sweet taste. Going to Cebu is not complete without bringing home another most sought-after Cebuano product - Dried Mangoes! I never miss to buy those. And we buy in boxes not in pieces! I love its sweet chewy taste. It is good for snacks, dessert or even for a merienda! Various mango-made products also comes in various variety products in Cebu. There are also Mango sticks (which I also like), Mango Nectar (for juices), Mango balls (soft ball-shaped candies), and Mangorind (combines with Tamarind). Dried fruit products in Cebu also comes in jackfruit, pineapple and papaya. But mango is the famous dried fruit being sold. On the brand which I can recommend... Philippine Brand and 7D are the best!

Cebu's best treats... Danggit.

...and Dried Mangoes.

I just recently read from various travel guide books and websites that Cebu boasts a number of white sand beaches. If I am given a chance to visit the province again, I am targeting to see its white beaches which I had never seen during my short trip. I want to see particularly the most photographed beaches in the islands of Bantayan, Camotes and Malapascua. Mactan Island itself where the airport is located boast a number of resorts with white sand beaches like Maribago Beach Resort (on the picture). It also offers diving sites for lovers of diving activity. Mactan, the "diving mecca of the south" and a coral island where deluxe beach resorts are located. Mactan island lies a few kilometers to the southeast of Cebu Island, Cebu Philippines. Mactan island is part of the Cebu Province and divided into Lapu-Lapu City and the municipality of Cordova. The island is connected to Cebu by the two bridges one of which is the Marcelo Fernan Bridge (Mactan II Bridge).

The three islands of Bantayan, Camotes and Malapascua are located of the main island of Cebu province. It can be reach via sea transportation from town ports nearest to these islands. Bantayan Island is located just north of Cebu islands. It is one of Cebu's best-kept secrets. The island has three municipalities, namely: Santa Fe, Bantayan (proper), and Madridejos. It is in Santa Fe town where you can find most of the beautiful beaches in the island. One popular beach there is the Kota Beach. The beach main attraction is it's white sands. From Cebu City you need to take a bus to Hagnaya wharf. It is about 110 kilometers from Cebu City. It will take two to three hours travel time to get to Hagnaya wharf depending on the traffic situation. From Hagnaya, take a ferry to cross the 18 km to Bantayan. You arrive in Santa Fe, from where you can walk to the beach.

Kota Beach, Santa Fe, Bantayan Island.

Kota Beach in Bantayan Island.

Camotes Islands is located east of Cebu and west of Leyte . Camotes Island is made up of three main sub-islands and divided into four municipalities. This four capital towns are Pilar, Poro, San Francisco and Tudela. Camotes Island's photography is hilly. The highest point of the island is 386 meters above sea level. It's climate is characterized by distinct dry season. Access to the island is by boat. There are daily boats from mainland Cebu to Camotes Island. A number of tourist resorts have been established, catering to both domestic and international visitors. These include Santiago Bay Garden & Resort, Mangodlong Rock Resort and Greenlake Park.

Malapascua is a tiny island, only about 2.5 kilometers long and 1km wide, located across a shallow strait from the northernmost tip of mainland Cebu island. The island is covered by the insular barangay of Logon (part of the Daanbantayan municipality), with eight hamlets. The island was first known for its wide white sand beach, known as Bounty Beach; it has become known for its beautiful coral gardens and excellent dive spots nearby, including Monad Shoal, an underwater plateau where thresher sharks and manta rays can be sighted on a regular basis. To date, this is the only place in the world where divers can reliably sight thresher sharks.The first image Malapascua offers will stay with you for a long time: an exceedingly beautiful pristine stretch of white sand, crystal clear waters bordered by coconut trees and a dozen of scattered native style resorts. Malapascua is known to the locals as Logon and this vision of secret beach is whimsically named Bounty beach. It lays 8km off the north of Cebu, has a community of about 4000 inhabitants. A walk or a tour unto the whole Island will take you about 3 hours. Malapascua, a term that literally means "Unfortunate Christmas," is a paradise where time stands still. The island is blessed with white sand beaches and crystal clear waters. The west coast is especially ideal for swimming and snorkeling. It takes about three hours by land from Cebu City to reach the island, which lies at the northern tip of Cebu and west of Leyte.

Island hopping is also ideal when visiting Cebu. Aside from exploring its white sand beaches one can also enjoy its eco-tourism destinations like Olango Island Wildlife Santuary (features the largest concentration of migratory birds found so far in the country and serves as a refueling station as well as wintering ground for the birds ) and Nalusuan Island and Marine Santuary (famous for astounding presence of marine life and is a superb area for different Olango Reef, Cordova, Cebu aqua sports activities).

Cebu is also famous because of Sinulog Festival (Cebu's largest, and most popular festival). It is celebrated every third Sunday of January. The feast is in honor of the holy image Señor Santo Niño de Cebú (Mister Holy Child of Cebu). Fiesta Señor (Festival Mister), as it widely known in Cebu, is the most celebrated among Cebu's festivities where people converge along the route of a grand solemn procession and partake in the gaiety amidst a mardigras parade immersed in vibrant colors, and the constant drums of the festival. Recently, the festival has been promoted as a tourist attraction, with a contest featuring contingents from various parts of the country. The Sinulog Contest is usually held in the Cebu City Sports Complex.

Cebu has been progressively growing in the last five years. It is has been home of the different industries and economies. It gained worldwide attention not only because of its tourist desinations, class A hotel amenities, commerce and product exports but also of capability of hosting various international conferences. Cebu has been in the limelight recently for hosting the 12th ASEAN Summit with Cebu International Convention Center built specifically for it. It also boast various shopping malls to shop not only luxury goods but also unique Cebuano products that are truly world-class. It has numerous business centers and economic zone for companies both local and foreign, both outsourcing and manufacturing. With all these features, Cebu has truly become a metropolitan but still ingrained with culture, beauty and vision.

I wish to return there soon and explore those beautiful places I have never been to. And I also can't wait to taste those sweet dried mangoes again! 


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RetroTravel: Cebu is part of my RetroTravel series in which I recall all my past travel experiences in the past during the pre-digital picture era of my travels. My recalls in this Cebu trips happened last January 30 and March 13, 1999.  

All information are credited to Tours Cebu, Wikitravel: Malapascua and Wikipedia: Cebu City. All photos are from flickr.com and credited to the following: ian ong, cynee, edgar ediza, robbie diongzon, roro fernandez, che romero, black lobo, edward tang, storm crypt, sonic07 and wanderlusting muse.

RetroTravel: Baguio

Baguio is definitely a cool place to stay especially in this heat wave of summer. I have visited Baguio when I attended a religious seminar with my mom and sister for 3 days in the summer of 1997. Honestly, I have never 100% attended the whole program of the seminar as in between the sessions we sneaked for visiting the tourist places of Baguio. (How naughty we are ^_^)

Baguio is a city on the Cordillera mountain range in the middle of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. Due to its cool mountain weather, Baguio is considered the "summer capital of the Philippines". Because of its many pine trees it is also called the "City of Pines".

From Cavite there are direct aircon buses that operate to Baguio city so transportation is easy. We leave at 4am. It was still dark when we leave Cavite. I am quite excited at that time as it was my first road trip to another place. It was a long bus journey. I think it was roughly 5 to 7 hours on the road before we reach Baguio. There stops at Tarlac and Pampanga along the trip. As we near Baguio, I won't forget the zigzag road as we travel on the mountain side roads. It was quite scary because of the steep cliffs beside you as you look at the window while the bus direction goes on the zigzag direction because of the road.

We arrive at the Venus Park Hotel at around past 11am - perfect time for registration and continue onwards for a buffet lunch. The hotel was near Burnharm Park, I think walking distance only. It was crowded at the lobby because of the registration. We share the room with collegues from the seminar. It think it was triple sharing room but we are 6 person occupying it.

Baguio is an ideal place to have a vacation when its summer. The cool atmosphere makes up for the heat of summer sun. Plus the nature sceneries and flowery parks of the place gives a relaxing and calming feeling. You would also appreciate culture of Mountain Province and Benguet as Igorots or natives flocks the market and parks in their traditional clothes (especially who wores the red and yellow knitted fabric that the native is noticeable for).

In 3 days of stay you can visit the beautiful spots in Baguio but if you were in a seminar like us, time is limited because going around must be manage along with the time of seminar programs we have to attend. We end up skipping some of the seminars just to see the places of Baguio.

Burnham Park

Strawberry Farm

We first visited the Mines View Park and then the famous Burnham Park which has a romantic atmosphere in lake boating perfect for lovers. I also like the colorful flower gardens of the park along with the pine trees surrounding the park. It makes you feel so relax and longing for a romance.

Mines View Park is a park located within the city limits of Baguio City, Benguet, is a popular tourist attraction where tourists can shop, explore and view the scenery. An abandoned mine, used by early Ibaloi/Igorot peoples, is viewed from the said tourist spot.

Mines View Park gives visitor a wonderful view of mountain ranges surrounding the Benguet area. Tourists troop here not only because of the breathtaking view of the mountains overlooking on a high cliff but also for souvenir items that you can shop around. Most commodities are native products of Baguio like strawberry jams and wines, peanut brittle delicacies, wooven articles like bookmarks and wristbands and woodcarvings. Stone formations around the park are ideal shot for souvenir photos.

Burnham Park is an urban park located at the heart of the City of Baguio, in the Philippines. It was named after the American architect and urban planner, Daniel Hudson Burnham who laid the plans for the city. Several stretch of roads around the park lead to Camp John Hay, a former recreational base of the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines. It is a scenic park overlooking Mount Kabuyao, the tallest mountain in the Baguio region. The park features a man-made lake situated at the center where tourists can enjoy boating with rented boats. At the southern part of the park, a skating rink was constructed.

We have never visited the following spots in Baguio, but these places are worthy to see while staying in Baguio.

Camp John Hay - the former R&R facility for American military personnel during the American occupation. Was turned over to the Philippine Government in 1991. Now under the auspices of the Bases Conversion & Development Authority (BCDA), Camp John Hay is now a sort of country club complete with an 18-hole golf course, horseback riding, camping and many more. A condotel has also been in operation since 2001.

Session Road is the main thoroughfare of Baguio City and is the main hub of what is called the Baguio Central Business District. Located at the city center, it is actually divided into two parts: Lower Session Road and Upper Session Road.

Picking strawberries at Strawberry Farm

We visited the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto where there is a 100 stairways step leading to the shrine of the Virgin Mary image. At the bottom of the grotto are souvenir shops where you can buy various Baguio souvenirs and food delicacies. Tourists flock the place for the Virgin Mary pilgrimage and prayer as well as for the cool waether of the mountain side area.

We also visited the Strawberry Farm. It is located outside of the city near the border... Here, you can buy cheap prices of strawberries in a whole basket. I am happy to see this place. Strawberry is one of my favorite fruit. I am looking for it whenever I travel to countries where it is widely grown like US and Korea. Especially those bright red and big ones, I crave for it. Anyway, the farm was so wide with numerous line up of strawberries cultivated for harvest. We are so excited that we take a souvenir photo of picking strawberries. The difference with the local strawberry in Baguio is that it is smaller in size compared to those in US. But the sweetness of the fruit is still there. We end the tour by buying strawberry jams and two baskets of strawberries.

Mines View Park

Baguio is also known for Panagbenga Festival a month-long annual flower festival occurring in Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines. The term is of Malayo-Polynesian origin, meaning "season of blooming". The festival, held during the month of February, was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake. The festival includes floats that are decorated with flowers unlike those used in Pasadena's Rose Parade. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes, that is inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera region. Aside from economic boosts from tourism, the festival also helped the younger generation of indigenous people to rediscover their culture's old traditions. The indigenous people was first wary with government-led tourism because of the threat that they will interfere or change their communities' rituals.

Travel tips to the summer capital of the Philippines? See Wikitravel: Baguio

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RetroTravel: Baguio is part of my RetroTravel series in which I recall my old and past trips in pre-digital picture era of my travel experiences but memories of it is still vivid and enjoyable. My trip to Baguio dates back in April 10-12, 1997. Photo credits from flickr.com by perspective engineer, ian ong, lanclav and verongski.