Day 1

When everyone’s sleeping in the comforts of their homes or partying at two in the morning, I was on board a bus that would take 30 people to the north of the Philippines.

For the second time around, I’m joining the Lakbay Norte, a media familiarization tour headed by the North Philippines Visitors Bureau, which aims to promote tourism.

After five hours of sleep in the freezing cold bus of Victory  Liner, I stretched out my arms and legs. It’s breakfast time at S.O.U.L. (Spice of Urban Life) Cafe in Rosario, La Union.

The hot choco partnered with daing na bangus, rice, and green egg omelet topped with pesto spoiled my taste buds.

The day started right with a good meal.

First stop in the itinerary was Tam-awan Village in Baguio City.It has somehow changed since I first visited the ‘Garden in the Sky’ back in 2008. When Typhoon Pepeng struck the north in 2009, part of the garden village eroded.

But then again, the community of artists in Baguio helped rebuild the area.

The Tam-awan Village gives every visitor a glimpse of the lives in the Mountain Province portrayed through art pieces and cultural shows.
Without having to trek and sweat, you can see real huts used by the natives. The famous hut in Tam-awan is the Dukligan, which is called the Fertility Hut. With the name, you would know why it gained popularity.

After visiting the Tam-awan Village, we headed to Asin Road in Brgy. Tadiangan, Tuba, a neighbor of Baguio City.

Drizzles began to pour when we arrived at BenCab Museum. The National Artist for Visual Arts Ben Cabrera welcomed us.

BenCab’s museum, which opened in February 2010, features most of his works in the artistic arena. Aside from BenCab’s works, sculptures from his artist friends can also be found in the museum.

Outside the museum is a mini-garden which looks picturesque if only it wasn’t foggy.

We called it a day when we checked in at the Mediterranean-inspired Hotel Elizabeth in Gibraltar St, where we’ll be recharging for tomorrow’s action-packed trip.