Days 5-8: Trip up to Baguio & Spa!

Woo! I just had a super fun last few days. Baguio was so awesome!

The day before we left, we just hung around, resting, getting ready, and the like. The next morning, we left at 4 am! We stopped once for breakfast at Jollibee then got to Baguio around 10 am. On the way, we drove past all sorts of towns and fields. It was such an amazing sight, with mountains in the background and green rice fields right next to the road. *sigh*.. Anyway, we stayed at Camp John Hay, in this really nice multi-level townhouse. It has three bedrooms, plus we brought a tent, for all the family! There were about 20 or more all together, I think? After unpacking and eating, we drove to the Lourdes Grotto, where there are about 400 steps of stairs leading up to a little grotto of Our Lady of Fatima. If you walk up all the steps, you can make a prayer or wish, and because you've walked up all the stairs, it will come true! After walking up the steps, we went to Burnham Park and some of the family went rowboating. They came back and were all laughing because they had almost tipped over! We went back to Camp John Hay to eat and go to bed.

The next day, we woke up and some of the family went outside to warm up by playing hopskotch and jump-rope. It was really cold up in the mountains.. really different from how it feels back down here in Valenzuela. We walked to breakfast at this little buffet of rice, egg, and meat on the campsite. After, we drove to where all the shops are at the top of this mountain area. There were tons of little vendors selling everything from beanies to.. BARREL MEN! I bought some, plus some other gs for people. :) I bought myself a shirt and Tita Min (Mark's aunt) bought me this black scarf. All of the family is so giving here! I can't seem to thank them enough. We also took some pictures of the view. It was so pretty! You could see all sorts of houses and buildings built on the side of the mountain. Everywhere you go in Baguio, there are all sorts of trees and just, GREEN. Plus, the air quality wasn't as bad up there.. haha! After that, we made a stop at The Good Shepherd to buy some dessert treats and jams. I bought a couple things for my parents to try when I get back. Later in the day, a few of the cousins and I went to horseback riding. I took Miguel, Ate Justine's son, riding with me. It was his first horse ride and he was SO excited! He loved Rainbow (the horse) and kept petting him while riding. :) Super cute. After dinner, we went back to the house and played charades and other games for cash prizes! We played girls versus boys.. and we won 300 pesos! :)

On the last day in Baguio, we woke up early and had breakfast and packed. In Camp John Hay, they have this Butterfly Sanctuary. The guy who runs the place picks up butterflies and puts them on you. I got some pictures with them! He put them on my face one time.. it tickled so much haha. Mark got one on his nose! lol The little kids liked seeing the butterflies and made sure to be verryyy still when the butterflies were placed on them. On the way home, we made two stops for pictures. One at the Police Station.. they have a really nice view of the "famous zigzag road". The second was this huge lion head! And that finishes the trip to Baguio!!

Today, I was asked to help make turron, which is like a banana fritter. I helped wrap the bananas in the flour wrapper. I have a picture, but I haven't loaded it yet.. I'll put it up later! They were fried after we finished and we had it for dessert after lunch. :) Masarap!

In the afternoon, we went to... THE SPA! When Mark's mom comes home, she said she loves to get pampered. So we're made a trip to the spa. Mark and I tried the volcanic rock massage. It was soooo good. They put hot rocks all over your back and under your legs and even between your toes! I kept laughing when they were massaging my feet. We're going to try and go again, to try another massage maybe or a facial. Can't wait!

Miss you all!
<3 Erin