ITOGON – Rainbow Resort

ITOGON – Rainbow Resort

By: Riza Mangapan & Roselyn Ba-on

We are deciding for an outing for HUMSS for us to have a memorable experience and so that we can have a reunion. But we can’t decide for a place to go and then finally we found our last resort which is located in Itogon and it is Rainbow resort because it is near and affordable .The weather on the day of our outing is not very pleasant because it is raining heavy but we still continued our trip. From Baguio to Itogon is one hour ride and it cost us 33.00 pesos each for the transportation. While we are on the ride, we can see a lot of things to view. When we already arrived in Rainbow Resort it is not raining instead it became good weather for swimming and upon looking at the entrance you can already feel the excitement. Before we enter, we must pay an entrance fee for P40.00  each person and a cottage for us to bond cost P 350.00.

When we already entered, we fixed our bags and some of the foods that are cooked in houses and the drinks that we bought outside. We cooked some of the foods in our house because cooking the foods in Rainbow Resort can consume our time and we bought drinks outside because the products they are selling is two times the regular price. Everyone knows what they are doing because the boys cleaned the fishes and started grilling while the girls are preparing fruits for snacks. A clean water is provided if someone wants to wash something and also a grilling place

Everything is set and we are very excited to swim, we jumped in the pool expecting that the water is too cold but it was not. The pool measures about 4 to 6 feet deep and it was safe because there is also a life guard beside the pool. We enjoyed swimming and we also played some water games and all of us joined.

When we are having fun, in the pool we heard a sound and everybody laughs knowing that we are all hungry. When it comes to food everybody is not a picky eater so we enjoyed eating using our bare hands.

You will also enjoy the relaxing air while you are taking pictures in some of their displays. There are also a hot spring and a steam bath where in you can relax if you are tired of swimming.  A shower is also provided outside for you to shower if the wash room is already full. Our Itogon escapade was “worth it” and enjoyable even though it is rain or shine.

The Beauty of Botanical Garden

BOTANICAL GARDEN

Botanical Garden is one of the most known parks in Baguio City for a long time. It is not a hard place to find if you are a newbie in Baguio. Just go straight to Leonard Wood Road or you can just hire a cab or ride a jeepney.

The famous landmark there is the main gate wherein you can see a sculpture. The sculpture portrays the cultures and beliefs of Igorot. You can also see old folk Igorots that wear the native attires of Cordilleran and they are willing to pose and take photos with you.

Botanical garden was also considered as a zoo. As a matter of fact it has a lot of names such as botanical and zoological garden, Imelda Park, Igorot village and Centennial Park. They named it Centennial Park because Baguio already reached its 100 years. However the people call it Botanical Garden.

Botanical Garden showcases a lot. You can see flowers, shrubs, pine trees, statues, sculptures, nipa huts and it has a lot of pathways.

It has also a mini tunnel and Pasalubong stalls that you can visit if you wish to buy things for your friends. It is a perfect place if you want to escape the usual noise that you hear in the city. It is an ideal place for soul searching and relaxation because it has a cool climate.

To all readers who want to visit Botanical Garden I suggest that you must go their during the summer season. You cannot enjoy if you go there during rainy season because it is in outdoor. The best thing to do is to check the weather forecast before going. Just visit www.PAGASABAGUIO.com for weather updates.

TIPS FOR TOURIST WHO WANT TO VISIT BOTANICAL GARDEN

·         Always bring jacket to avoid colds and cough

·         Bring water because it has along trail

·         The place don’t have paths for wheeled chairs

·         Wear comfortable shoes because the paths are tricky

The Best of Benguet

STRAWBERRY FARM

By: Batang Bagui0 (Jhonerhey Kalinggan)

       La Trinidad Benguet has a lot of tourist spot and one of the most famous tourist spot there is the Strawberry Farm. The Strawberry Farm is located in Betag, La Trinidad; actually it is not that far from Baguio city. When we go there, we took a ride on a jeepney just look for the jeepney that has the signboard La Trinidad, Buyagan or Camp Dangwa. If you don’t want too much hassle you can also hire for a taxi, however, the fare will be expensive.

      After almost 26 minutes, we reached the crossing of strawberry farm that is located in the last gate of Benguet State University. If you don’t know the last gate of BSU, you can just ask the drivers and they will tell it you. From the crossing we walked for almost 3 minutes until we reached the main part of the Strawberry Farm so I recommend that you must always bring water with you to avoid dehydration.

 The very first thing that we saw there was a really big farm wherein people are planting several kinds of plants like lettuce, cabbage, onion leeks and of course strawberries. We saw the farmers taking care of their plants which mean that is their main source of living.

On the other side of the road there are rows of stores that sell souvenirs like t-shirts, key chains and many more. They are also selling delicacies like strawberry jam, strawberry candy, strawberry wine and other products that are 100% Filipino made.

We also see paintings in one place there. Those paintings are for sale and they were made by Igorot artists. The main themes of the paintings are about nature, farm, and cultures of Cordilleras.

If you also want to stay there for at least one night to just feel the coldness of La Trinidad you can stay in a hotel which is new, the Strawberry Valley Hotel and Restaurant.

We also tasted the most famous ice cream in La Trinidad the strawberry ice cream. The taste is good and you can smell the aroma of strawberry while eating it. Although the price is more expensive you can say “it’s worth it”.