Welcome to Breakthroughs in Life!
To each is his own way of looking at and appreciating things, if not feeling dismayed about whatever happened why things turned out so differently from what they were expected to be some years back.
Although I hail from the southern island of Mindanao and grew up in my home City of Gensan, Baguio City has always been a dream place to visit since my younger days. Well, my dream came true for the first time in December 1971, when Ernie Fernandez, a friend from Urdaneta, Pangasinan, invited me for a week's tour. And then again in 1990, just some few weeks before that devastating earthquake rocked Baguio and brought her down on her knees in July 16 that same year, me and my wife, Lynn, went up to the Pine City for a kind of "Honeymoon Refresher".
Some few days ago (Oct.12-14, 2008), me, my wife and kids went up again to Baguio for a family weekend breather. Thanks to the sponsorship and courtesy of our benefactors, Drex and Larah.
During this visit, however, I found many things around look so differently, they made me feel dismayed somehow. To me, the verdant cover of Baguio's surrounding hills which looked virgin and prestine 37 years ago is now out of sight. The ever beauty of her natural topography is gone. Instead, residential units of all sizes - small, medium, large - cropped up at random filling the slope from base to hillside and all the way up to mountain top. I wonder if the dreams and visions of Baguio's pioneering settlers and developers who made a wonderful beginning and succeeded in claiming the City to become the Summer Capital of the Philippines feel happier and fulfilled seeing the City as she is now.
Despite those dismal features, the segments of the City that kept Baguio's tradition as a unique and ideal destination for tourists as well as vacationers stand still. Camp John Hay is still there. The PMA Compound as well as other amenities in the suburb are kept and preserved.
You may ask, "Is Baguio City still a dream place to visit?". Oh, sure yes! I love Baguio's 24/7 cool and soothing climate. And best of all, I love the hospitable people like Oscar "Charo" who made our 2-day stay in his well-kept and fully-loaded Inn real safe, secure, and comfortable. After all, it's the hospitality of the people in a place that makes it homely.
Friends, take a break! Go and visit the Pine City and get refreshed and better still recharged.
Happy holiday!
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