Searching for Baguio (part 1)

As a kid, I remember Baguio to be THE vacation spot.  The city of pines.  It only took us 4 hours to go up by Kennon road.  And while I don't think the roads were done or were in any better condition, there were much less cars on the road.  Oh the excitement I felt when we had the last pit stop at that round restaurant at the junction of Rosario.  Up Kennon, it was a must to stop at the Lion's head.  With open windows, the cool breeze on my face eased any car sickness i felt.  And I smelled the trees.  It was the scent of vacation!

It was ages before we went back up especially after the 1990 earthquake.  But, after John Hay's Manor was put up, life came back to Baguio City, and we started going up the mountain again. We saw so much change in the last 3 visits - 2001, 2003 and 2005.  But this trip (april 2008), I realized sadly, Baguio has lost its charm.

These past few trips, we used the more reliable Marcos Highway going up, albeit about 30 minutes longer.  Not a lot of trees or forest-y smells but it was wider and less steep.  I've always enjoyed seeing the Marcos head.  It was always something to point out - "can you imagine he carved his face on the mountain??!!!" It was a testament to his vanity and narcissism, an excellent conversation piece. And in the previous 3 trips, I would see less and less of it.  This trip, I reached Baguio without seeing it at all! They knocked it out of the mountain.  While I have no love for the former president, i do feel they  blew up a piece of history. 

Marcos Head ala Mount Rushmore courtesy of bbc news

Marcos Highway

We booked ourselves at a reasonably priced 5 year old hotel (we found on the internet) on the highway, 2 minutes before the rotonda - Summer Place Hotel.   With their 50% off promo it was very reasonable. A junior suite for 3 nights was only P5250, with 2 queen sized beds and a very spacious bathroom, it accomodated us well - 3 adults and 2 kids.  It wasn't the Shangri-La but it was clean, homey and very spacious.  The staff was friendly and helpful and the location was accessible.

From the hotel we had a view of a part of the city.  Yes, some greenery but alot of roofs.  Gray G.I. sheets interspersed with the foliage.

Baguio seemed to be more crowded and traffic seemed to be more knotted.  Gone are the days when you can reach the other side of the city in just 10 to 15 minutes.  Now everything had a line.  And the flyover! Yes, a flyover from marcos highway to Maharlika road (i think), bypassing the rotonda where Petron and Pancake house are.  Man, is this still Baguio?  Ah, the price of progress.  Shortly after the flyover is SM City Baguio just where Pines Hotel used to be.  

It was a monstrosity!  I'm a (somewhat) patron of SM but really... Baguio City?  

Next: Searching for Baguio - Part 2 - Touristy Things to see and do

Godiva Ice Cream

Milk Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (HK$39)

First tasted Godiva Ice cream in NY (1999) and somehow, it got stuck in my head as the best (so far) (dark) chocolate ice cream. So when I saw the Godiva counter at Sogo selling small (ay, so tiny!) cups of ice cream, I just had to have it.

There were only 3 flavors: Classic Milk Chocolate, Ivory Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Chip and Milk Chocolate with Dark Chocolate Chip - so i picked the one with most chocolate - Milk chocolate w/ dark chocolate chip. It did not disappoint...smooth, creamy, strong milk chocolate-y flavor (not watered down).

I tried to imagine this ice cream in dark chocolate... hmmm yum. Wishful thinking....

Hong Kong Eats (part 4)

I like to try new things and discover great finds when I travel.  And ofcourse I like to indulge.  Might as well after all the effort and money spent to get there, no?

After losing my companions and wandering around the Peak for 15 minutes, the need to treat myself to something special was strong.  Erase some of that stress.

I saw it from afar.  Hmmm, Gino's gelato.  Wondering who Gino was (was chinese named Gino?), I scanned the choices and ended up with Chocolate. Ofcourse, what else.

Hmmm.  HK$29 pricy for a scoop of ice cream.  But it was dark, creamy and not so sweet.  Not bad. not bad at all.  Godiva ofcourse was better, richer, tastier.  But Gino's Chocolate ice cream was far better than any of the ones here in Manila.

On the last day, I decided to check out Royce' in Lane Crawford.  A friend mentioned the chocolate dipped potato chips were good.  A box of that was HK$70 so i decided against it.  But I couldn't resist the Nama Chocolate.

The young sales lady was very accomodating.  She made us try the bitter chocolate with VSOP and the milk chocolate with champagne.  Naturally, bitter was a winner.  It's like a rectangular truffle.
 

Inside the well wrapped box was a tray of 25 rectangular pieces.

One rectangle is about 1 x 3/4 inch in size, dusted with bitter cocoa powder.  The box comes with its own yellow plastic cutting tool.

The sales lady warned us that it must be refrigerated.  She included a small packet of ice and said this will keep it cold for 3-4 hours.  Yikes, it was still 3 - 4 hours before we go to the airport and another 3 - 4 before we ride the plane... But, the weather was cool and i really wanted them.  The ice pack worked like a charm.  they arrived here intact. 

No wonder, such instructions to keep it cold.  It really melts in your hand.  High quality chocolates have a high level of cocoa butter giving it a lower temperature threshold making it melt easier.  Delicious.  Close your eyes and savor the brandy flavoured bittersweet chocolate melting in your mouth. 

How amusing that my last meal in Hong Kong would be the most miserable.  Early dinner at the airport was at CAN-TEEN (again! they're everywhere!) on the 2nd floor.  I ordered pork chop noodle soup  (something like it) and a bowl of noodles arrived.  I asked the waiter twice if it was pork.  Yes yes yes.  Looked like beef, tasted like beef.  Meat was hard as a rock! and the soup was so salty!  It was the most miserable "porkchop" I ever had.  Then the waiter comes with the porkchop noodles  - so what was i eating?  beef noodle soup my brother ordered.  Only consolation - porkchop noodles was just as bad.

 

Miserable beef mami