Baguio Blues
The week has been choc-full of meeting after meeting. It was great to get away from it all by going to Baguio.
Or was it? Though the outskirts of Baguio still had the cool, fresh mountain air and the pine trees, downtown Baguio is smoggy and polluted and congested. So many people are living here now, and the Koreans aren't helping things by migrating here. Still, it was great to hang out at the places we love, like Volante and Omaygulay.
I am glad that Y and Macri got along very well, and I wish I could just stay at the hotel room with Y all day, but Baguio calls!
After buying pasalubong and whatnot, we hung out at Omaygulay most of the time. They had a Mandala exhibit, and there was even a live Mandala performance. It was great to see Malaya again, and to see how much her son, Kalipay, has grown up.
Halfway during the trip, something came up with Macri so she went back to Manila with Yul. I stayed with Malaya in their house.
Kabu's lola, Mrs. Virgina de Guia, was the first woman mayor in the Philippines, and in Asia. In her youth, she was strong-willed and spirited, but also very industrious. She has a lot of properties in Baguio, four of which are houses in the Kitma neighborhood. They have been trying to sell them, but sadly there haven't been any buyers yet, so Kabu and Malaya and Kalipay started living in one of the houses, the smallest one. Which is still pretty big. I am very happy for my friend, who has a very happy and fulfilling life here. It made me rethink my life decisions, and wonder whether I should start investing as well.
Anyway, it was with heavy heart that I bid them farewell the next day, to descend back to Manila's underbelly. How dramatic, haha.
Or was it? Though the outskirts of Baguio still had the cool, fresh mountain air and the pine trees, downtown Baguio is smoggy and polluted and congested. So many people are living here now, and the Koreans aren't helping things by migrating here. Still, it was great to hang out at the places we love, like Volante and Omaygulay.
I am glad that Y and Macri got along very well, and I wish I could just stay at the hotel room with Y all day, but Baguio calls!
After buying pasalubong and whatnot, we hung out at Omaygulay most of the time. They had a Mandala exhibit, and there was even a live Mandala performance. It was great to see Malaya again, and to see how much her son, Kalipay, has grown up.
Halfway during the trip, something came up with Macri so she went back to Manila with Yul. I stayed with Malaya in their house.
Kabu's lola, Mrs. Virgina de Guia, was the first woman mayor in the Philippines, and in Asia. In her youth, she was strong-willed and spirited, but also very industrious. She has a lot of properties in Baguio, four of which are houses in the Kitma neighborhood. They have been trying to sell them, but sadly there haven't been any buyers yet, so Kabu and Malaya and Kalipay started living in one of the houses, the smallest one. Which is still pretty big. I am very happy for my friend, who has a very happy and fulfilling life here. It made me rethink my life decisions, and wonder whether I should start investing as well.
Anyway, it was with heavy heart that I bid them farewell the next day, to descend back to Manila's underbelly. How dramatic, haha.