UNPLANNED BAGUIO ESCAPADE

Got a text message on a Tuesday morning, saying I am invited over for a trip in Baguio the next day. I wasn't feeling well because of dizziness and headache due to my heavy menstruation but I said yes anyway. That Wednesday morning, I had to finish off household chores so I can have time for a nap before my 1pm appointment. At 1:30 pm, I was at Diversion Road and waited for Elma and Connie. A white Mitsubishi montero with plate number EMR 1 came to fetch me. A new lady and a driver was with my friends. We were introduced to one another. Michael Torres was driving with Aprily, a High school batchmate Eduardo Palaroan's sister were my newfound friends. Travelled to Baguio while eating tupig. Dropped by a fruit stand at Burgos before we pushed through with our travel. Arrived at Elma's place in Bakakeng before 4pm. I had dizzy spells. I lied down the bed at the master's bedroom then visited Connie's mom-in-law to give her pasalubongs. After 15minutes, Elma came and was the one driving. Went to SM, bought some appliances and groceries and went back to Bakakeng, this time with Jeanette and partner in their black mustang and Elmer with Charles and Erning in their blue Toyota Corolla. We spent an hour with Korean barbecue then decided to visit Azalea Residences for dinner. Dinner was a 7/10 at Tradisyon Resto. Filipino foods like crispy pata, sinigang na baboy, pinakbet, white rice, and karekare were served. Elma and Jeanette were drinking frozen margarita, the men with beer and me with my coke in can. It was clean fun. Charles was very accomodating. We spent sometime talking and Ernie spending most of his time taking pictures. At 9:30pm, Michael went back to Bakakeng and took Elma's bag. She decided to leave instead to spending another day there. Thursday is set for Michael to drive to Manila for Elma's kid. At 10:15pm, we're on our way back to La Union. It was a 10-hour drive and fun. I thank Elma for remembering me with gigs like this. I felt blessed to have friends who also are my angels.

22-HOUR GETAWAY (The Narrative)

Fetched by a black Mitsubishi adventure 30 minutes past 5pm at the Diversion Road where I waited for almost half an hour, the Morante family, fresh from office work, in their jackets were all ready for an evening of fun and get together with common friends. Travelled for almost 2 hours to the city of pines and arrived in a private place where 5 other friends were waiting and busy barbecuing some Korean pork for our Korean barbecue night. A kind looking woman in her early 60's, well dressed and looks very prim and proper with another woman in her early 40's greeted me at the door. Proceeded to the veranda where I found other two female girlfriends drinking coffee and munching on Korean dried squid. That dried squid was one of the best I tasted! Was it Connie's choice? Surely, it tasted awesome! I was later informed that the old woman was Connie's mother-in-law (who lives nearby) and the other woman was the homeowner's close friend, who happened to be my sister Annabelle's batchmate in high school. We were later introduced formally and needless to say, we "clicked" on ourfirst meeting.

It was 16 degrees in Baguio City. Cold but not too cold, yet it's the coldest in the Philippines at this time of the year and we're ready for it! With light jackets on, we all helped prepare dinner. Sinigang na bisugo, Korean pork, fried shrimp with lots of fruits and white rice satisfied our tummies past 9pm Friday night. We were constantly conversing all throughout. Mommy Belen, with her grandson left just after dinner while we were left behind ready for jamming time. While the boys decided to sit down at the veranda, the girls sat down at the bar area near the kitchen. Two female helpers were busy washing the dishes and doing other stuff. Wasted no time, a bottle of vodka plus a red colored juice was mixed in a pitcher with lots of ice in it. Connie knew I don't drink wines and liquors so they bought for me lots of Del Monte fruit juices of different flavors. And the drinking and story telling began. A container of beer nuts was opened for pulutan, slices of bananas, apples, cucumber, oranges and fresh, crispy lettuce were also served. Pork Korean barbecue with garden salad dressing with Korean red paste (no idea what the paste is called) wrapped in fresh lettuce was also in the table. Sudden burst of loud laughters and few minutes of serious conversations filled the 3rd floor of the 3-story building near midnight. Foreign movie on blu ray was being played on the 54" flat screen TV and the volume has to be turned down so we could hear the littlest detail of our conversations. When it was past midnight, some of us felt sleepy so a game of truth and consequence was initiated by our host. Details of our lives, high school and childhood memories, past and present relationships, business and career, family and our hopes for the future were discussed in funny and serious manner. Another bottle of Tanduay margarita was opened. Connie made frozen margarita for the girls, me still switching between pineaple and orange juices. A kilo of seedless grapes was again opened and we had it finished in no time. We all had a blast that night! With our heavy eyes and bloated tummies at 4am, we unanimously decided to call it a day! Nope, I was the only one with bloated tummy. I was told that I should have taken a sip of vodka or frozen margarita to, at least neutralize those foods I took in.

Slept at 4am but woke up at 6:30am for a morning walk. Walking and/or jogging in Baguio City is very different compared to San Fernando La Union. Roads there have steep slopes and I honestly had a hard time catching up because of my low hemoglobin.Good thing I brought my digital cam so I could document our activities. After an hour of walking, we decided to go back. Dropped by at Connie's mom-in-law just few meters from our private abode. Checked on fresh sayote leaves at their backyard and took some for our breakfast. 

Breakfast table was filled with tinapa, slices of tomatoes, corned beef, eggs and garlic fried rice. Those young sayote leaves were boiled and were dashed with bagoong and tomatoes. It was almost 10am. Then suddenly, we were invited over at Manor Hotel in Camp John Hay for sight seeing and picture taking. After 2 hours, we found ourselves dining in at Shakey's restaurant near Le Monet Hotel. A cut of Manager's choice pan pizza and a small cup of coca cola filled my full stomach. I decided to bring home my share of mojos potatoes and chicken. Our host was very hospitable, she won't let us starve! Such a blessing to have her indeed. Last stop was Manor hotel. We took time to take selfies there before proceeded to brimg our host back home. It was 1:30pm when we traversed Naguilian Road going back to San Fernando La Union. Sleepy, had 15 minutes nap along the way and arrived safely home at exactly 3:30pm. 

That 22-hour getaway was an eye opener. I relearned lessons on humility, of hard work, of appreciating little things in life, of having faith in God, of the importance of true friendship, of relationships, of family and the significance of laughter despite hardships and trials. To friends who made that 22-hour getaway a wonderful memory, may we all be blessed with the good desires of our hearts! Kudos to Elma, Connie, Monette, Cesar and Marge! You bet, we missed you, Elmer and Genny!