Restless in Baguio
By tryxiness
@tryxiness (4544)
Philippines
October 19, 2009 11:05am CST
I was in Baguio before Pepeng went to spread it rage to the region.
I was there for a training. When our training finally ended, all the roads were closed, and we were sort of trap. I was supposed to leave on a saturday (October 10), but because of the damages Pepeng has caused, a number of major roads going out of Baguio were closed.
So, I sent messages to a friend who lives there, and I transferred to a place near her home. That particular saturday, we then went to La Trinidad. In La Tranidad, a number of families were killed because of landslide. It turned out that a number of microfinance clients were victims of the landslides.
I saw a whole family died in the incident, and this made me a lot sad while I was in Baguio. It made me want to be home, and made me miss my family more. My heart bled for the one year old who also died with the other family members, this made me want to hug my nephews.
Came Sunday, and a number of the training participants were able to leave Baguio via Kennon Road. Well, most of the participants are from Cabanatuan, and I felt like joining them would only make my life more complicated because I need to decipher where to pass since most of the places in Region 1 were flooded.
So, to cope with the anxiety I was feeling, I spent most of the time looking for a lovely place to eat in Session Road. I was craving for pasta. I went to Swiss Baker and asked if there were pasta there, Rose referred me to Viscoz. Viscoz's specialty was the paella pasta. It was superb, but quite oily. 
The following day, I went to another pasta house, Volantre (I think). The place was nice. The pasta was great too. On my last supper in Baguio, I went to Swiss Baker. I knew that Swiss Baker has been an important landmark, so I had a couple of their pan de suelo and coffee.
I told the Swiss Baker girls that they have been nice to me and that Baguio is a lovely place but I was missing my family already, and being "alone" in Baguio has not been psychologically comforting to me.
I promise to go back there with my loved ones.
So, it was tuesday last week, that I finally headed home.
I will visit Baguio soon.
The following day, I went to another pasta house, Volantre (I think). The place was nice. The pasta was great too. On my last supper in Baguio, I went to Swiss Baker. I knew that Swiss Baker has been an important landmark, so I had a couple of their pan de suelo and coffee.
I told the Swiss Baker girls that they have been nice to me and that Baguio is a lovely place but I was missing my family already, and being "alone" in Baguio has not been psychologically comforting to me.
I promise to go back there with my loved ones.
So, it was tuesday last week, that I finally headed home.
I will visit Baguio soon.3 people like this
8 responses
@tatazbrush (126)
• Indonesia
19 Oct 09
wow nice place, by the way what is cabanatuan?
1 person likes this
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
20 Oct 09
welcome to the wonderful world of mylot tata, sorry for butting in but cabanatuan is a city in Nueva Ecija. it is also up north. press the link to enlighten you more about cabanatuan. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabanatuan_City
1 person likes this
@aseretdd (13729)
• Philippines
21 Oct 09
I so envy you... if that happened to me... i would have been ecstatic... because i love Baguio... and there are times when i wish i live there... but of course that is if i am living in a perfect world... it is nice that you took advantage of the situation to be aware of what really happened there because of the typhoon... and enjoyed the sights and food on the side...
@rsa101 (40976)
• Philippines
20 Oct 09
What an experience you have there. Seeing all those things is really depressing more especially since you are there all alone. But despite that it seems you've been in good hands and you were well accepted by the people there. I think the hospitality that the people there is still there despite the problem they are encountering. I am glad you came back perfectly alright though you've witness some horrible things happening there you yourself seems pretty well okay.
@robert19ph (4577)
• Philippines
20 Oct 09
hello tryxiness,
good to know that despite of what you experienced in baguio because of the bad weather, you still have a good time and that you will bring your family soon.
that is the problem here in baguio for once the kennon, marcos and naguillian road were closed due to landslide and the like the city is already isolated. and there is no way in going down and goind up via land travel. good thing it did not take that long openning a road so the food, oil and other important commodities can be transported asap. for baguio was already in shortage of food and gasoline when the three roads were still closed. in fact some of the oil company were already closed and even some of the fast food chain and restaurant for they don't have supply anymore. groceries were always full for people decided to eat canned goods instead of baguio vegetables for it's so expensive.
indeed, a lot of families were affected by the typhoon. and some of them lose their families and properties. may they recover soon physically,emotioanlly and spiritually.
1 person likes this
@se7enthbird (8307)
• Philippines
20 Oct 09
i can say that i felt restless too when ondoy hit our city badly. i am from marikina and we felt trap also in a way. after the flood subside it left the city with up to knee high mud. with no electricity and no cell signal it was very scary. no communications, no market to buy food even the grocery are filled with mud water. lucky you for you still have food to eat and still have place to go around too. i felt sorry for those people who are badly hit by pepeng on the northern part and lets pray that the next typhoon will just be passing by just like a rainy day.
@dekada80 (388)
• Philippines
20 Oct 09
That was a sad experience you had on a very nice place like Baguio, I myself was deeply saddens by the news I keep on seeing on the tv regarding the tragedies that happens in la trinidad and baguio, I always visit Baguio and stays a week during my every stay at this Beautiful city and learning what happened really feels me sad. I just hope this is again a wake up call not only to the proper authorities but also to each everyone of us that something must be really done in order for these tragedies not to happen again.
1 person likes this
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
19 Oct 09
I also felt sad when I saw in the news how Baguio was affected by typhoon Pepeng. The city has become my adoptive/adopted province since I grew up mostly in Manila and have no real province that I can really relate to. The last time I was there was in 2007, before we found out that my mother was sick with cancer. I have tried so many times to bring her to Baguio, but she feels that she cannot tolerate the five hour trip.
I have very good memories of Baguio, and I am even proud to have a picture of the view from the Cathedral before it was transformed into a parking lot. I have heard that because of the recent damages to roads going there by the typhoon, there are some activities that have been canceled. This I think, will bring greater damage in terms of revenue for the city.
I do hope to visit Baguio again. And I hope that my chance to visit comes soon.
1 person likes this
@jaiho2009 (39140)
• Philippines
19 Oct 09
Hello friend,
I shared same feelings with you,but it is the otherwise.
I was here in Manila with my kids,and all my siblings were in Baguio "my hometown".
A week ago before typhoon "pepeng" hit Baguio,typhoon "ondoy" flooded metro manila that makes my family in Baguio so much worried about us.With the grace of our Lord,we are all fine.
Then,Wednesday my sister made a call...saying how scared she is,i was really worried by that time too.
I can't even sleep monitoring all tv news station for latest reports.
Thursday morning i was not able to made calls to Baguio anymore,or i may say,my family's mobile phone were gone low bat that i cannot access to anyone.
I really wanted to cry,but,i have to be strong and my kids were even asking about our love ones in Baguio.
Friday,God knows i wish to fly there in Baguio to know my family's condition and thanks God,i was able to call my brother who lives at the PMA,and he say's they were all fine.Only that,he can't visit our sister and father who lives near ALPHAVILLE becoz the road is impassable due to landslides.
I was never worried and scared when typhoon ondoy hits manila..but when typhoon pepeng hit Baguio..i really feel depressed.It was really a good insight...i will often visit my loved ones in Baguio very soon.(we use to spent our vacation there during December and summer)
Now,i was thinking to stay longer with them...life's really uncertain..we never knew what tomorrow may brings.
