Dear Ataboy,

        We woke up real early Friday morning, kasi, first come first served ang seating sa tourist bus namin. We got off the cab just as the bus was parking, so we got good seats. Malinaw kausap lahat ng tao, kaya we were able to leave at 6:20 am  instead of the appointed time of 6:30 am.

         With my travel pillow and blindfold, tulog ako most of the way.

        Na-trafffic naman kami sa Tarlac, so it was already past 11 am when we reached the NFA Binalonan office, where we took lunch at their canteen. Ang sarap ng dinengdeng with saluyot, labong and bulaklak ng kalabasa, with authentic na bagoong Pangasinan, siempre!
        Naku naman, ang mga iba na ayaw ng gulay ay pumunta pa sa Shakey's in the neighboring town, and used up over an hour for their lunch.
        We left Binalonan at 1 pm. Nag-jingle stop sa Agoo. Isa lang ang CR ng gas station, unisex pa.
        We took the Naguilian Road. Inabutan ng malakas na ulan sa daan. Zero visibility. Ninerbiyos ang mga kasamang Nanay, nangamutla. Someone even suggested na tumigil daw muna sa daan. Mas delikado. Hindi naman ako natakot, seasoned ang  mga drivers sa NFA.
        When they started opening the bus windows to take in the cool air, nag-bonnet na ako and sweater. Mahirap na, katatapos pa lang yata sa bronchitis!
        We were at the NFA office at past 4 pm, and missed the manager by a few minutes, so no more courtesy call. Proceeded to the NFA Staffhouse in Loakan.
        May isa pang room sa cottage, sabi ng boss ko. Ojie and I took it.
        The staff and their families stayed in the staffhouse, ward accommodation.
 We walked out the building, past the warehouse, and went up the hill on the side to the cottage. Hay, hingal! Ang tarik ng pag-akyat, hindi ko na binilang kung ilang steps. But I rested at every landing. Hindi na uli ako bababa for the day, I declared once I reached the top. Medyo umaambon, baka madulas pa ako sa pine needles!
        The cottage has two levels. We occupied the top level, with two bedrooms, a T/B with hot shower, a receiving room, and a kitchen complete with cooking utensils and gas stove. You can walk out to a small veranda from both bedrooms. The bedroom occupied by the boss and her two kids had one matrimonial bed and a sofa bed. The one we occupied had two twin beds. The curtains are mint-green.
        Ojie just changed into raingear, then went out for a walk. I changed into warmer clothing and got to bed. Ang sarap!
        The boss and her kids unpacked, then went downtown with the bus and everybody else. They brought the keys to the cottage.
        Ojie was back in an hour, with kanin and ulam (pinapaitan and pinakbet), and bread, corned beef, and fresh eggs for breakfast daw.
        We ate an early supper (ang sarap!), then slept at 6:30 pm. With bonnet and socks and thick blankets, ni hindi namin namalayan ang pagdating ng boss.
        Nagising kami at midnight. Nag-snack ng baon naming instant oats. Tulog uli.
        At 6 am, kumakatok na si Boss. I had to go out for breakfast with her. Nakaluto na siya ng corned beef. Nakapag-boil na ng tubig sa kettle.Nag-instant oats uli ako.
        8 am daw ang usapan na pag-alis ng bus to PMA. Hindi ako sasama, matutulog na lang muna ako dito, sabi ko. Wala daw definite itinerary, except na sa gabi ay magluluto at mag-ge-get-together sa staffhouse.
        May morning visitors kami.The staff, curious about our cottage accommodations, went up to visit and inspect the place.
         And off they went to PMA. Tinapos namin ang almusal, and off we went to my sister's place in Pacdal. One jeepney ride to downtown, another jeepney ride to Pacdal, and we were there. Plenty of  Angel's trumpet vines  along the way.
        Kuwentuhan till lunch. We had tinolang manok with freshly picked sayote and tops from their garden. Saka katuray salad. Ayos!
        Then we went out. Downtown sa SM (Segunda-Mano, it is a thriving industry).Patay ang retail trade ng Baguio! Then sa mall for Ojie to check out the bowling alley. Then to Teahouse for fruit pie. And spaghetti for my niece, mami for Ojie, palabok for me. And empanada pa for take-out. Ang tatakaw, sabi siguro ng waitress. Teahouse is an institution. Everything taste good!
        Balik sa Pacdal. Sakay ng pa-Mines View. Lakad to Good Shepherd.
        Pumila sa ube jam si Ojie at ang sister ko. Kami ng niece ko ay pumunta sa viewing deck. It has a view of the Mines View Park and beyond, and you can look down to a garden with everlasting plants and grass. We spent time guessing which cloud formation shadows which mountain  peak. The weather was cool and perfect!
        Picture taking sa viewing deck, saka sa statue ng Good Shepherd. Admire sa mga mums, white and lavander. More Angel's Trumpet, anthuriums.
        Balik sa bahay. Merienda. Cinnamon swirl bread from Good Shepherd, with home-made peanut butter.
        Curl up. Watch TV. More kuwentuhan. We did not hurry. I am sure they cancelled the indoor activity and extended the lakwatsa.
        Sure enough, locked out of the cottage pa kami when we got there at 7:30 pm. Wala pa ang aming tourist bus.
        We sat down at the reception room of the staffhouse and waited. They arrived at 8 pm.
        Miss Ana, may inuman tayo, sabi ng staff. Hindi na lang muna ako aakyat sa cottage, dahil pag naka-akyat na ako, hindi na ninyo ako mapabababa uli. Ojie went up to borrow the keys from the boss.
        Inuman was actually kuwentuhan on what they did throughout the day, plus some laments on their hintayan blues. (May laging nahuhuli sa usapang departure time.)
We munched on carrots, tomatoes, green peppers and Baguio lettuce. And potato chips. They had Fundador but I begged off, and managed to leave just before they started on the drinks.
        Back to the cottage at 10 pm. Did some packing, kasi 7 am ang departure the next day. Uninterrupted  sleep till the boss knocked at 5 am.

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Hindi na lang ako maliligo, para hindi magmadali. Importante lang naman ang maka-uu. Na hindi puedeng madaliin. Na-accomplish naman.

Finalized the packing of things.

Bababa na ang boss. Ipinaki-settle ko na lang ang aming bill. Gave her the keys.

Bumangon na si Ojie. Nag-boil ng water, nagluto ng instant oats at soft-boiled eggs.

Pumanhik uli ang staff. Nag-picture taking sa cottage. Naki-CR.
At nag-offer na magbaba ng iba naming things, thank you!
Nakasakay na raw sila sa bus! Sus!
E di binitbit na lang namin ang oats pababa! Kami na nga lang pala ang hinihintay.
 

We took off at 6:50 am. Sa bus na nag-almusal nung oats.

Marcos Highway ang dinaanan. At some point, may mga clouds pa below us. Ang ganda ng morning scenery!

Nandoon pa rin si Marcos sa mountainside. Sinilip na lang sa bintana. Di na kami tumigil doon.

We were in Manaoag at 9:30 am. Nag-park ang tourist bus. Usapan, 11 am ang alis.

Lakad to the church. Ang daming tao! Ang daming tinda! Patupat, tupig, puto-puti at kutchinta, bukayo in different forms, duhat, siniguelas, mangga. Busog na busog ang mga mata sa kulay at flavor ng mga pagkain.

Sa gilid ng simbahan dumaan para makalapit sa Lady of Manaoag. Naalala ko ang mga excursions nung bata pa, isinasama ako ng Impo ko sa pilgrimage dito, ipinupunas ang panyo sa imahen, tapos ipinupunas sa akin.

From the church, lumakad towards the market para mag-lunch. Sus, panay continental fare (adobo, menudo, pancit, chopsuey) ang nakita. Ayaw!
Gumawi sa munisipyo. Ayun, may karinderia. Pasok, tingin sa mga kaldero ng ulam. Pinakbet, saka sinigang na tilapia with katuray. Ayos! We were not able to resist the halo-halo, too, later.

May nag-greet sa amin ng Good Morning! An Englishman from Yorkshire, on his second bottle of beer. Siempre, naki-converse kami. Resident na pala ng Manaoag for five years na. Barkada nung isang English priest. He helps out in the design of the church gardens. Seems his cancer was cured. Bininyagan daw siya dun sa Manaoag. Miracle siguro.

It was a very interesting conversation. He was surprised that we knew about Harrods and the Lake District (postcards from Ataboy). One place he would like to see is Batanes. Me, too!

When he learned that we came from Baguio, he said that he found Baguio too cold one time (this from an Englishman!). He is seriously looking for a vacation place there daw, but the country club where he plays ten pin bowling and tennis and has a pool is not selling shares anymore.

Bitin pa ang usapan, but we had to go back to the bus. I gave him my business card.

May nagpaluto ng palabok, so we were delayed by a few minutes.

Made one stop for McDonald's takeout at noontime.

Another jingle stop in Tarlac.

We were at the office before 4 pm. Bumaba na ang karamihan.

Kami, sa City Hall na bumaba. Gagarahe ang bus namin sa motorpool sa Visayas Ave.

Sangkatutak ang tao sa City Hall, kasi nandoon ang reliquary ni St. Therese.
Ilang hakbang pa lang, may humawak sa kamay ko. Si Teret de Villa, friend ni Miss Cruz, former principal of UPIS. Kumustahan. Kagagaling lang niya kay St Therese.

Pagdating sa bahay, higa.  Ang init!

Hindi na makabangon kahit  for St. Therese. Nadinig ko pa ang mga fireworks to send her off, pero nakatulog na ako nang di naghapunan.

Woke up very early Monday. Hindi puedeng mag-absent, at ni hindi puedeng ma-late, kasi pagtatalaga ng bagong pamunuan ng Lupon sa flag ceremony at 8 am.

May mga hindi nakapasok sa mga nag-Baguio.
 
 
 
 

naku, Urbs, ang saya naman ng trip ninyo.  Ano ang hitsura ng Baguio--maganda
na uli?  Ano ba ito, para bang educational tour ninyo?  and do you do it
every year?  ilan kayong nagpunta?  O, sige, inaabangan ko ang susunod na
kabanata.
 

. . .

      Yong kuwento mo sa Baguio feel na feel ko. Alam mo ba madalas akong pumunta doon para lang humilatra,
magbasa, at kumain. Kung minsan hindi na ako lumalabas at nagbibihis ng pajama.
 
 

Subject: RE: Buong Kuwento :Baguio Revisited
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 2000

Dear Ana,
   Read your Baguio trek story. I felt like I was there too! Makes me want
to see that place again as it had been a long time. That Englishman who
wants to see Batanes has a very good reason for doing so. Yorkshire,
where he comes from, bears, believe it or not, a similarity to Batanes in
that it is a high place near the sea and very windy all year round. Batanes
is the place to get away from it all if you love solitude, the sea and the
rough weather that has shaped the character of the people living there.

Thank you for the lovely story,

Cesar

Hi Ana

Your trip sounded like lots of fun. And all that nice food! Ako'y naglaway.
Yes, I just shake my head sometimes at people who prefer plastic
conveyor-belt food to the genuine one.

Is that Ibyang now living in Baguio or is that another sister? I remember
meeting your other sister (not Luz of course as she is in the States) but I
think I met her only once as I can't remember her name.

Summer nga pala sa Pilipinas ngayon ano. Enjoy the fiestas and the summer
trips!

O sige,
Lulu

Hi!
 I enjoyed this narration about a trip to Baguio from the official
 kuwentista  of our high school class. Thought you might enjoy it, too.
 She's a character. She's the glue that keeps us together.
 Espie

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Just want to add that I also enjoyed this kuwento, felt Ana's exhaustion
climbing up to her cottage, her wanting just to sleep, almost tasted the
native foods, etc. I'm impressed with this gal after reading her
biodata-she's very smart, and yet seems so easy to get along with, fun and
warm. She told me that "a friend of Espie's is a friend of Ana's".

- - - - - - - -
 
Just to let you know may fan ka na in the person of my BA classmate, Gie
Molina-Stemler. Kilala rin niya sina Debbie, Amy Ilog, Ruthie Boy, etc.
Thanks for the Baguio Revisited account. Talagang 'feel na feel'  namin
ang experiences na ini-share mo.
Warmest regards from Ed,
Pots