Driving to Baguio at Midnight

[yebo]

^sad but true. kaya nga malamang our trip last november is our last na punta na namin sa baguio. canceled na din yung plan namin na bumili ng 2 bedroom condo/townhouse dun. we were just choosing na lang kung condo or townhouse since almost same ang price and good location naman pareho, magdo-down na sana ako this month. but during our trip last november we just got bored and dismayed. you keep on hoping things will get better but they don't.

[CVT]

I can agree with you to some extent, bros.

Our family used to visit Baguio City twice a year on the average since 12-15 years ago,- in May and in January, except the past 1.5 years.

A lot of things have changed, most especially the volume of vehicles, and the resulting pollution.

But I think the Baguio magic is still there.

17.9K:cupid2:

[vinj]

Going back
Baguio - Palispis - McArthur - SCTEX - NLEX

How was the construction works at Mc Arthur (particularly yung Tarlac area)? Marami pa rin?

[IMm29]

I went to baguio last weekend. brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Cold. I took Kenon road. Lots of single lane portions but manageable as there were peoplemanaging the signalling. Maybe 5 hours from QC. Easy drive but i had a driver hehehe. Bring a GPS in baguio. Saved us a lot of time finding places (i.e. the BenCab museum, Hill Station, strawberry fields, etc). Going up from tarlac we followed the signs for Alternate route( you make a right at the junction instead of a left at the end of the sctex).. Zero traffic and a different serene view of a quiet countryside. But i would never take that route at night. Coming back to Manila, we took the normal Tarlac route. Was okay because they widened the roads though there were still lots of cars parked in the outermost lane.

Having said that, i must say Baguio and La trinidad are extremely polluted. Sad. Really sad. The smoke belching is really bad and the place looks filthy and cramped. No more trees. The only nice place left was John Hay.

What car did you take, EQAddict? The Carnival? Thanks for the most recent update. Borrowing a GPS with updated provincial maps. Also, the wife printed out that Awesome Baguio map. Hopefully these'll be enough for me to get them around.

[IMm29]

I can agree with you to some extent, bros.

Our family used to visit Baguio City twice a year on the average since 12-15 years ago,- in May and in January, except the past 1.5 years.

A lot of things have changed, most especially the volume of vehicles, and the resulting pollution.

But I think the Baguio magic is still there.

17.9K:cupid2:

*CVT and *yebo,
Hopefully somehow they can keep Baguio and La Trinidad from getting even more polluted. Tsk tsk! Para naman I don't go back to it every 14 years lang. Hahaha!

[testament11]

How was the construction works at Mc Arthur (particularly yung Tarlac area)? Marami pa rin?

Oo madami pa rin pero manageable naman. I think sa may Gerona ata yun, passable na yun shoulder lane na supposed to be, doon ang mga tricycle o motor dadaan.

What amazes me is yung construction ng TPLEX. Sana matapos yun within this year para yun papuntang Baguio eh mas mapapadali.

[vinj]

^sad but true. kaya nga malamang our trip last november is our last na punta na namin sa baguio. canceled na din yung plan namin na bumili ng 2 bedroom condo/townhouse dun. we were just choosing na lang kung condo or townhouse since almost same ang price and good location naman pareho, magdo-down na sana ako this month. but during our trip last november we just got bored and dismayed. you keep on hoping things will get better but they don't.

If you grew up going to Baguio before and experienced John Hay when it was still an R&R facility, you'll really be disappointed with how it's turned out to be, today. IMO, if you still like going up there for the cool air and to unwind for a few days, several times in a year or so, it would be more feasible to consider a club share at Baguio Country Club so you don't worry about upkeep on the house, and the place is still quiet and relaxing as long as you avoid going up during Holy Week and after Christmas. CJH Manor/Suites is still okay and quiet as well it seems... kung downtown Baguio sobrang ingay and polluted na. You have to drive out to be able to smell the pine as it was before.

Oo madami pa rin pero manageable naman. I think sa may Gerona ata yun, passable na yun shoulder lane na supposed to be, doon ang mga tricycle o motor dadaan.

What amazes me is yung construction ng TPLEX. Sana matapos yun within this year para yun papuntang Baguio eh mas mapapadali.

Ahoks... basta walang baku-bako and i know where to expect the repairs, i'll be okay as i'm heading up at night.

[Chikselog]

If you grew up going to Baguio before and experienced John Hay when it was still an R&R facility, you'll really be disappointed with how it's turned out to be, today. IMO, if you still like going up there for the cool air and to unwind for a few days, several times in a year or so, it would be more feasible to consider a club share at Baguio Country Club so you don't worry about upkeep on the house, and the place is still quiet and relaxing as long as you avoid going up during Holy Week and after Christmas. CJH Manor/Suites is still okay and quiet as well it seems... kung downtown Baguio sobrang ingay and polluted na. You have to drive out to be able to smell the pine as it was before.



Ahoks... basta walang baku-bako and i know where to expect the repairs, i'll be okay as i'm heading up at night.

Ingat lang sir vinj noong paakyat kami at madilim pa around 5am, may isang part ng Mcarthur bandang Tarlac yata, yung shoulder lane kala mo sementado na lahat sabay may isang part pa pala na hindi pa gawa, yung puro bato at buhangin pa. This was 2nd week of December pa, though, so di ko alam baka ginawa na nila. Was running 60kph nung biglang bumulaga sakin yun, wala man lang traffic cones or any barrier. Ayun medyo napatalon yung kotse, luckily I managed to hit the brakes the last second before the car fell, medyo napabagal ko ng konti takbo ko.

[lowslowbenz]

I think the Baguio magic is still there.

17.9K:cupid2:

Ahem, ano kayang "magic" yan? ..

^ Agree on what Primo said above. Since the 80's, our summer vacation spot is Baguio. The place has really deteriorated thru the years, no doubt about that.

Ito pa isa .... the seemingly endless re-routing of traffic! This year, traffic flows like this, next year traffic flows opposite of last year's! Too confusing, kaya kung minsan I get lost.

[Hanren]

I went to baguio last weekend. brrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Cold. I took Kenon road. Lots of single lane portions but manageable as there were peoplemanaging the signalling. Maybe 5 hours from QC. Easy drive but i had a driver hehehe. Bring a GPS in baguio. Saved us a lot of time finding places (i.e. the BenCab museum, Hill Station, strawberry fields, etc). Going up from tarlac we followed the signs for Alternate route( you make a right at the junction instead of a left at the end of the sctex).. Zero traffic and a different serene view of a quiet countryside. But i would never take that route at night. Coming back to Manila, we took the normal Tarlac route. Was okay because they widened the roads though there were still lots of cars parked in the outermost lane.

Having said that, i must say Baguio and La trinidad are extremely polluted. Sad. Really sad. The smoke belching is really bad and the place looks filthy and cramped. No more trees. The only nice place left was John Hay.

The only places that i know are heavily polluted are the central business district areas. Saan ba hindi polluted sa Pilpinas? Its sad that you've already concluded Baguio to be filthy place and cramped place. Perhaps you could try to stay here a little longer and perhaps even, visit other places. Sana di ka naman nagconclude kaagad.

[yebo]

The only places that i know are heavily polluted are the central business district areas. Saan ba hindi polluted sa Pilpinas? Its sad that you've already concluded Baguio to be filthy place and cramped place. Perhaps you could try to stay here a little longer and perhaps even, visit other places. Sana di ka naman nagconclude kaagad.

the botanical gardens used to be called imelda park. i first saw it 30 years ago (1982), immaculately manicured lawns, flowers in bloom, VERY CLEAN. now it is just one neglected place trying hard to be a tourist attraction. dami pang garbage.

mines view park used to be a PARK. now it is one big tiangge. over commercialized na, wala ka na maikutan. i remember it when it was a park with benches to sit on and just while the time away, enjoying the mist touching your face as clouds pass by. ngayon wala na mga clouds, usok ng nagiihaw ng mais at pusit ang dadapo sa pisngi mo. wala na din maupuan kasi puro tindahan na. e pare-pareho din naman ang tinitinda, yun at yun din naman. dapat dun e alisin yung mga tindahan at ibalik sa dati yung park.

burnham? dati yung lawn area e bermuda grass. ngayon, carabao grass yung 40%, yung 60% bare earth. dati puno ng flowers yung mga flower boxes saka paligid ng burnham. ngayon konti na lang. dati yung kainan dun sa may jeepney terminal maayos. ngayon, jeepney terminal na talaga siya. oo may kaninan pa din pero di ka na maka-park ng sasakyan mo dun. kakatigil mo pa lang lalapitan ka ng off-duty policeman na nagsa-sideline na maton, mababawasan kasi ang tong na kinokolekta nya sa mga jeepney driver dun kung kukunin mo yung parking slot ng jeep.

wright park, in fairness mas maayos siya nung november 2012 kesa nung january 2012. nadagdagan ng flowers, at sa wakas napalitan yata yung water ng pool (or was it because of the rain?) may malinis na CR (dati kasi palapit ka pa lang uurong na yung wiwi mo sa baho nung CR dun, ngayon maayos na).

john hay. enjoy mga bata sa zip line. something new.

the only thing that seems to have remained constant through the years is the lourdes grotto. e kasi private property haha! bawal ang vendors sa taas, hangang dun lang sila sa 1st turn. good!

session road. dami na nabago, it is not the old session road anymore. overpriced place to eat unless you are going for chow king or jollibee. wala na yung mga old restaurants.

[nelany]

the botanical gardens used to be called imelda park. i first saw it 30 years ago (1982), immaculately manicured lawns, flowers in bloom, VERY CLEAN. now it is just one neglected place trying hard to be a tourist attraction. dami pang garbage.

mines view park used to be a PARK. now it is one big tiangge. over commercialized na, wala ka na maikutan. i remember it when it was a park with benches to sit on and just while the time away, enjoying the mist touching your face as clouds pass by. ngayon wala na mga clouds, usok ng nagiihaw ng mais at pusit ang dadapo sa pisngi mo. wala na din maupuan kasi puro tindahan na. e pare-pareho din naman ang tinitinda, yun at yun din naman. dapat dun e alisin yung mga tindahan at ibalik sa dati yung park.

burnham? dati yung lawn area e bermuda grass. ngayon, carabao grass yung 40%, yung 60% bare earth. dati puno ng flowers yung mga flower boxes saka paligid ng burnham. ngayon konti na lang. dati yung kainan dun sa may jeepney terminal maayos. ngayon, jeepney terminal na talaga siya. oo may kaninan pa din pero di ka na maka-park ng sasakyan mo dun. kakatigil mo pa lang lalapitan ka ng off-duty policeman na nagsa-sideline na maton, mababawasan kasi ang tong na kinokolekta nya sa mga jeepney driver dun kung kukunin mo yung parking slot ng jeep.

write park, in fairness mas maayos siya nung november 2012 kesa nung january 2012. nadagdagan ng flowers, at sa wakas napalitan yata yung water ng pool (or was it because of the rain?) may malinis na CR (dati kasi palapit ka pa lang uurong na yung wiwi mo sa baho nung CR dun, ngayon maayos na).

john hay. enjoy mga bata sa zip line. something new.

the only thing that seems to have remain constant through the years is the lourdes grotto. e kasi private property haha! bawal ang vendors sa taas, hangang dun lang sila sa 1st turn. good!

session road. dami na nabago, it is not the old session road anymore. overpriced place to eat unless you are going for chow king or jollibee. wala na yung mga old restaurants.

Well said. Parang nasa Maynila kana pala! Hehehe

[CoDer]

Madumi na ang baguio at over populated na. Palagi namin yang pinag-uusapan nga mga acquaintance ko sa Baguio pag umaakyat ako. Long gone are the days na panay green ang makikita mo sa gilid ng bundok. Ngayon?!? sus inang kupo.

[testament11]

At yun lamig sa Baguio ay hindi na kagaya ng naramdaman ko nung una kong punta 10 years ago...

[lowslowbenz]

^^^ agree!

[IMm29]

*testament,
Didn't Baguio get record low temperatures 2 years ago? Anyhow, I do get your point.

As a kid of the 80s, my last Baguio trip was the summer before the quake. I recall Baguio being very green with fresh air and not much traffic. Then again, I could be mistaken since I might have only concentrated on the things kids would be concerned about. Let's see how it is in about 30 hours from now.

[CVT]

At yun lamig sa Baguio ay hindi na kagaya ng naramdaman ko nung una kong punta 10 years ago...

Malamig pa rin sa Baguio, bros.

When we were there 2 years ago(Jan 2011),- paglabas mo sa bahay sa umaga (around 5AM-6AM) at medyo papasikat pa lang ang araw,- you breathe out,- kita mong may "usok".... Cool!

17.9K:cupid2:

[holdencaulfield]

2 times palang ako napunta ng baguio. sayang lang panahon ko!
yung kilala kong ungas esem lang ang babagsakan.

[CVT]

2 times palang ako napunta ng baguio. sayang lang panahon ko!
yung kilala kong ungas esem lang ang babagsakan.

Bro.,- vng*s nga iyang kakilala mo sa Baguio City....

Ibig mong sabihin,- hindi ka niya dinala sa mga "famous kambingan" doon?.... :naughty2:

You certainly missed "Baguio's magic", bro....

17.9K:cupid2:

[Pipefish]

I've been to Baguio five times, once as a kid and four times in the past two years, but did not go there for the city itself; rather, as a jump-off to Mt. Pulag National Park. All by bus.

Would you guys advise a rookie driver like me to drive to Baguio? The farthest I've driven to is Lucena. I've also been on a road trip to Anilao and San Antonio, Zambales.

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