Strolling Around in the City of Pines

by lakwatserong tatay

It is really nice to walk around in Baguio, specially if youre staying in city because you could stroll around. See some of there parks, go buy some pasalubongs on their public market and even go shopping on their ukay-ukay stores. There are two places where you could buy some second hand things, first is near in the burnham park and second one is on sessions road. Our group decided to buy some pasalubongs the day before some of my cotrippers gonna leave. It was a sunny day, but of course your in Baguio, so it is quite cold...hehehehe...Before heading to Baguio Central Market, our group had a chance to pass by Rizal Park. Ukay-ukay outlets located near Burnham Park and afterwards we reached Baguio Central Market.

Rizal Park @ Baguio City

Rizal Park lies adjacent to City Hall, Baguio, and features a memorial obelisk in honor of the hero of the Philippines, Dr. José P. Rizal (1861-96).

The park is quite small with a number of garden beds with flowers and shrubs. Previously, the park also had a water pool with many water lilies. On the obelisk is a bas relief of the head of Dr. Rizal and an inscription that reads as follows:

DR. JOSE P. RIZAL
"Never was the human sentiment of patriotism magified and elevated to such heights as in the story of this obscure man of the belittled Malay race."

Constructed by the people of the City of Baguio and friends.
December 30, 1957.

Dr. Rizal was a medical doctor, a novelist, a linguist and a political theorist, who lived during the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He argued that Spanish rule was oppressive and that the Philippines should be become independent. Although he believed in change through non-violence, the Spanish put him on trial for rebellion and sedition, and executed him on December 30, 1896.

Rizal's dedication and sacrifice served as an inspiration for Filipinos to fight for the independence of their country.

Monument of Dr. Jose P. Rizal

After passing by Rizal Park, our headed to Baguio City Market, but before getting to the market. Our group had the chance to pass by one of the most known place in Baguio. The Ukay-ukay stores.

Some of the Ukay-ukay outlets

After few minutes of walking, we reach the Baguio City Market. Although this is just an ordinary public market where one can find all the best produce and products of the Cordilleras in the Philippines. But at the same time it is probably the only market in the Philippines deemed a top visitor attraction at the same time, familiar to most Filipinos -- even those who are residents of other cities and towns, and can be considered as one of the town's Tourist spots...

Located in the heart of the city, the market is at the base of he Session road on Magsaysay Avenue, near Burnham Park. Adjacent to it is Maharlika Livelihood Center that complements the market with boutiques and other specialty shops, money changers, antique and furniture shops, beauty parlors and other shops. A side entrance to Maharlika can be accessed via the city market's dry goods section.

Baguio City Market

Trippers @ Baguio City Market

Like what i have tell you, i do consider this market as a tourist spot in Baguio, because of its uniqueness and unusual features that other markets could not have. Here is a reason that i have read in one article that i really like. Because of 4 C's, Clean, Cool, Cheap & Complete. Because of it's environment free feeling, it is located in the coldest part of our country, the place where you could find best bargains and it is almost complete.

The butterfly that i'm telling....

This city market has a wet goods section selling fresh and processed meats plus fish and seafood from the lowland provinces. It has an industrial area selling plastics, styrofoam, nets and canvas. Near it is the section where fresh roasted coffee beans are sold. The central area offers fruits and vegetables together with baskets, brooms, bags and other woven products on one side and edible goodies and blankets on the other side. In an alley behind it is the 'black market' selling imported products from shampoos to comforters. Near the Abanao Road exit is the section for flowers and plants where you can buy cut-flowers, have an arrangement made.

But it's the dry goods section the locals call Marbay that tourists just love! Here you can find a wide variety of the handicrafts and souvenir items that Baguio and the Philippines are famous for. From the barrelman, to the oversized wooden spoons and rosaries, and so much more. So the next time you visit Baguio, this place must be in your list....what do you think...

Welcome Signage of Burnham Park

The next and final stop of our walk tour around Baguio is one of the most known parks of Baguio. The Burnham Park, and personally considered the busiest park that i know so far....hehehe...

Monument of Daniel Hudson Burnham

Because it is located at the most valuable piece of Baguio real estate and is free for the enjoyment of visitors and residents alike. The 'mother of all parks' in the Summer Capital of the Philippines, all other developments like the city's commercial center Session Road, majestic Baguio Cathedral, Baguio's City Hall, and the hugely popular Baguio City Market were built around Burnham Park. It may be accessed from any one of the following roads: Harrison , Kisad Road, Governor Pack and Magsaysay Roads.

This park was designed and named after premier American architect and urban planner, Daniel Hudson Burnham, who also designed the original plan for Baguio City. Burnham Park remains, to this day, one of the Philippines' most well known and best-loved parks.

The park retains much of Daniel Burnham's original design and layout a century ago, with a few features added, in true Filipino fashion, to make it a vibrant center of activity for everyone to enjoy.

Photo opps @ Burnham Lake

In visiting this park, you a wide range of areas tha you could choose from because Burnham Park has 12 cluster areas: the man-made lake with rowboats for hire that folks refer to as the Burnham Lagoon, the Children's Playground, the Skating Rink, the Rose Garden, the Orchidarium, Igorot Garden, Melvin Jones Grandstand, the Athletic Bowl, a Picnic Grove, the Japanese Peace Tower, Pine Trees of the World and Sunshine Park. So where do you want to start....hehehe...



Photo opps again....

This park was originally intended to serve as a much-needed green park, to provide a bustling city with a peaceful environment with wide open green spaces, Burnham Park under Filipino administration is now more of an amusement park with boating, bicycle and skating areas, sports and gaming areas, plus a few eateries. So if it is your first time to visit Baguio, this is one of the many places that must visit by your group.


Lakwatserong Tatay with other Trippers in Burnham Park

Our group had a great weekend, specially the first timers that visited Baguio, because of having the opportunity to visit most of the tourist spots that you could find in the City of Pines. All of us departed Baguio with smiles, happy memories and so many souvenir pics. Yours truly added a sidetrip of this trip. Aside from visiting Baguio, i got the chance to go to Our Lady of Manaoag, Pangasinan.