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Baguio & Banaue

Towards the turn of the 20th century, the American city planner Daniel Burnham carved on a valley in the upland Cordillera region of northern Luzon a summer recreational center, the city of Baguio.
With its nippy climate and pleasant mountain scenery, Baguio is a favored destination among artists, honeymooners and others looking for a cool retreat. It is also a faith healing haven and a university town.

Also nestled within the Central Cordillera mountain range is the postcard-pretty town of Banaue.

Banaue's claim to fame are the rice terraces - part of the 20,000 hectares of engineering marvel that also span the towns of Hungduan, Mayoyao and Kiangan. The terraces were built more than 2,000 years ago by the Ifugao tribe, using only their bare hands and crude implements.

Inscribed in the World Heritage List, this "8th Wonder of the World" serves as a living testament to man's genius at turning a rugged and forbidding terrain into a continuing source of sustenance.

Baguio and Banaue are anchor tourist destinations and part of the 7,000 times more islands that make up the Philippine archipelago.

One of the cleanest and greenest cities in the country, Baguio is made for sightseeing. And for strolls and boat rides and gentle trots around the park. And for golf. Kennon Road, completed in 1905, opened Baguio to tourism. The zigzagging path previews the scenic highlights of the city. Along the 32-kilometer highway are the Bridal Veil and Colorado waterfalls.

Synonymous with Baguio is Burnham Park. Located in the heart of the city, the park's features include a man-made lagoon ideal for boat rides, a skating rink, an athletic field and stadium, basketball and tennis courts, a biking zone, tree-and-flower lined promenades, and a plant market.

A popular golfing destination, the city takes pride in its Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay. What used to be the rest-and-recreation base of American military personnel, the Camp is being transformed into a world-class resort and is also Baguio's biggest pine tree conservation area. Its newly refurbished 18-hole golf course rivals that of the Country Club which has pretty garden-patched cottages surrounding its fairways.

Ornate iron gates open to the Mansion House, the official summer residence of Philippine presidents. It offers tourists with great photo opportunities with its rectangular reflecting pool along a tree-lined walkway. It also houses a museum of presidential memorabilia. Near the Mansion House is Wright Park where neophyte riders can trot around an oval track guided by trainers who lead horses with a hand-held leash. At the Mines View Park, tourists can have a panoramic view of the old mines of Benguet. At the park entrance is a flea market for souvenir items.

Sitting on top of a hill in Upper Session Road is the twin-spire Baguio Cathedral, a city landmark. Another pilgrimage site is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes which sits on top of Dominican Hill. Devotees prefer to climb the 252-step ascent than drive through a winding road to reach the shrine. Bell Church holds a religious service of mixed Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and Christian dogmas but tourists come here to have their fortunes told.

Located on an elevated pine-forested ground is the Philippine Military Academy, the country's foremost military learning institution. Its Saturday morning Parade in Review by cadets in full regalia never fails to attract visitors. Also within campus is a Military Museum.

A cultural haven established by noted Baguio artist BenCab, Tam-awan Village recreates a typical ethnic village in the Cordilleras with authentic tribal homes uprooted from their original locations and re-set on similar terrain. There is also an art gallery-cum-coffee shop.

Banaue of Painterly Dreams

Because of its high altitude, Banaue is often described as "where land merges with the clouds to meet the heavens" with the rice terraces as "the stairway to the sky."

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