The fireplace is an iconic symbol of Baguio where spending a night in a log cabin with your sweetheart watching the wood crackling in the frolicking flame and drinking a bottle of sparkling red wine will definitely provide more than enough warmth to last the whole night through. It's not everyday that one gets to experience a cozy fireplace in the privacy of your room so our Baguio vacation is an adventure worth sharing with you.
The road trip was a challenging adventure although I have driven up and down to Baguio on several occasions but this is the first time I would be driving my trusty Toyota Vios up the summer capital of the Philippines. We decided to take the Marcos Highway route instead of Kennon road because of the gradual incline during the climb, but we will be taking the scenic Kennon Road route when going downhill. Entering La Union marks the beginning of the trip uphill.
There were many interesting scenes during the uphill climb. One of these is the Rotary International Wheel. They never fail to get your attention on the countless contributions of this renowned charitable institution and the help it had extended to our fellow countrymen in need.
We passed by Realeza and their log cabin homes. It was still far off from Baguio so staying in this place will not give you that summer capital ambiance. But it gave an interesting view of the Ilocos countryside.
We were actually looking for the Marcos bust in the overlooking spot but did no find it. It was a huge face monument of the infamous dictator overlooking the Ilocos countryside creating an eerie feeling of a god looking over his dominion. Researching on it revealed that it was blown up by dynamite either by the New People's Army or a tribal group that suffered oppression and displacement by the Marcos regime. At the present, the most commanding view of the overlooking spot is the huge Jollibee sign that can be seen for miles around.
We finally arrived in Mountain Lodge, a rustic log cabin along Leonard Wood St. The location is pretty near the other sites in Baguio. It is just behind the sprawling Teacher's Camp, and all other sites are all within striking distance from the lodge such as Burnham Park, Mines View Park, The Mansion, Wright Park, SM Baguio and even the bus stations are pretty near the lodge.
When looking at the place from the parking lot, the lodge had already seen its glory days in the past and probably one of the vacation places frequented by Americans and foreigners alike. Judging from the location, this is not a place for the budget traveler during those days.
But today, with its old, rustic appearance and the mediocre maintenance it had received through the years without any signs of apparent upgrade of its facilities, it is pretty well within any traveler's budget. Anyway, never judge the book by its cover because when we entered the reception area, we were greeted by a rustic but comfortable American-inspired living room with a fireplace as its centerpiece. A circular foyer adds up to the elegance of the living room as one drinks tea or coffee while reading a book or newspaper and enjoying the scenery of pine trees and small buildings partly cladded by mountain vegetation as seen from the bay windows
The old wooden planks of the floor is the testament of its glorious past complemented with large pebble rocks adorning the wall of the fireplace while a old piano resting in the corner completes the picture perfect portrait. The rest of the furnitures are pretty antiquated but cozy and surely this place is for those who prefer the authentic country-style vacation rather than the ritzy hotels which are all so contemporary and modern that anyone who had not visited Baguio in the 70's is not really missing this beautiful place because they have never witnessed Baguio in all its glory during those times.
But today, with its old, rustic appearance and the mediocre maintenance it had received through the years without any signs of apparent upgrade of its facilities, it is pretty well within any traveler's budget. Anyway, never judge the book by its cover because when we entered the reception area, we were greeted by a rustic but comfortable American-inspired living room with a fireplace as its centerpiece. A circular foyer adds up to the elegance of the living room as one drinks tea or coffee while reading a book or newspaper and enjoying the scenery of pine trees and small buildings partly cladded by mountain vegetation as seen from the bay windows
The old wooden planks of the floor is the testament of its glorious past complemented with large pebble rocks adorning the wall of the fireplace while a old piano resting in the corner completes the picture perfect portrait. The rest of the furnitures are pretty antiquated but cozy and surely this place is for those who prefer the authentic country-style vacation rather than the ritzy hotels which are all so contemporary and modern that anyone who had not visited Baguio in the 70's is not really missing this beautiful place because they have never witnessed Baguio in all its glory during those times.
The dining area is also a sight to see and Malen never let the moment passed by without posing amidst the wooden chairs and tables adorning the area. They serve meals throughout the day but we did not order here to avoid being frustrated in the event that the food sucks. Instead, we just bought food outside and ate in the luxury and privacy of our room. On certain occasions we ate out in the restaurants around Baguio and the restos in SM Baguio as well.
Before being led to our room, Malen also took the opportunity to have a traditional pose in the iconic symbol of a cold place in the Philippines, the fireplace. We're very sentimental people and if a fireplace doesn't strike you as a thing-to-experience in Baguio then probably you'd be better off in a cold damp bed in a sleazy hotel beating the cold with a thick blanket and a beer or whisky to warmth up your night.
The hallway leading to the room is a narrow corridor with various mountain province artifacts adorning the wall and a collection of paintings and artworks depicting the lives of the people in this mountain province of Benguet. Viewing the antiques all around the lodge can give you an eerie feeling of the presence of ghosts in this old place because of the fact that this place has indeed a history that is unknown to us.
When we finally entered our room, we were greeted by a cozy wide spacious abode with a sofa set TV and an exciting fireplace, anticipating a romantic evening ahead. It had a rather small but clean bathroom equipped with hot and cold shower. A small dresser lay in the corner so overall the bedroom was a complete room.
The queen size bed is truly comfortable with no creaking sound even as you roll all over it. We slept comfortably through the night with no airconditioning and electric fan running, only the fireplace and the crackling of wood can be heard.
After unpacking and settling in our room, we decided to go outside for a stroll and buy some souvenir items. Driving in Baguio is very scenic because of many spectacular views all around. It wouldn't be difficult to find a spot to get an overlooking view of a part of the city since the entire city is a sprawling area of rolling terrain dotted with anthropogenic structures all around.
We also took the opportunity to have a stroll in the many parks dotted with countless pine trees where one could have the feeling of being in another country. The moment was truly magical indeed which can be read from Malen's expression of a happy moment!
One of the places that we always visit is the Mountain Maid Training Center where you can buy authentic Bagiuo pasalubong food items such as Ube, Strawberry Jam, Peanut Brittle and other food stuffs with the original label of "Good Sheperd". There are many vendors around the city selling items of the same label so you have to be very careful in scrutinizing before buying so as not to be disappointed in the end.
We also took the time to visit the Mines View Park which is the most frequented place in the city. The first time I visited this place was in 1970 where you could really still see the places where mining of gold are still being held in the numerous tunnels dotting the mountainside. Now all you can see are houses and not a single mine shaft in sight. Such are the times.
Baguio is still indeed the Mecca of vegetables - both the exotic and common types. You can really buy these vegetables for a cheaper price but there are actually other places that these items can be bought for so much cheaper and even in bulk amounts.
There was this funny moment when I told Malen I saw a store selling mango fries. Malen was surprised on what I said but I insisted that it's true. I really thought that they fried the mango and sold it as fries but when we came to to store we found out that they were just merely mango strips where the mango were sliced like french fries but were never really fried at all. What a bummer! Malen was laughing her heart off after realizing the bummer!
Before returning to the Mountain Lodge, we took the opportunity for a photo op atop a tall building overlooking the Baguio countryside. It is this kind of moment that one realizes that life is short and we should enjoy every moment and minute of it with the one you love and with the one who cares for you and loves you the most as well.
It was late in the afternoon when we returned to the Mountain Lodge and the sight of the bed was enough to soothe our aching legs after strolling the summer capital. Since it was getting colder as the night creeps in, it was about time we fire up the fireplace.
When the fire was already alive and crackling, we had dinner by the fireplace and finally capped the night with sparkling red wine.
The romantic moments that followed were for us to cherish in the privacy of our minds and for all eternity to remember when moments like this comes to mind.
As the last drop of wine is consumed and the flames slowly die down in the cold night, we settled in for night tired but truly happy thinking that the next day will be another great day indeed!
As we finally settled our bill, we had a last glimpse of the lodge and a quick browse of the memorabilia rack for us to remember. We bid adieu to the Mountain Lodge and promise we will return again to enjoy its fireplace once more.
We took the Kennon Road route on the way home for a more scenic drive which really excited Malen because of the numerous hazards we encounter along the way. Actually I was also a bit scared because it started to rain and water was falling over the roof of the car as it cascaded along the face of the cliff overhanging the road.
Well, that's it folks! For a couple where both of us are afflicted with an ailment of which the future is an ocean of uncertainties, the opportunity to spend a romantic fireplace evening is one for a bucket list adventure. It may be something that is not possible or unexciting for some but for us, it is one of the most cherished moments of our lives. We try to live our lives to the fullest and thank the Lord for giving us every moment we spent together.
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