Our second trip to Baguio for the year was without a doubt, the most memorable one I've had so far, which is why I can't wait to share all the stories and pictures I have for you guys! My parents and I decided to push ourselves to new heights and explore places we haven't been to, and were able to bond and rediscover ourselves in the process. Truly the perfect example of hitting two birds with one stone, if I may add!
October 31
Now, I'm going to spare you the agonizingly boring details (e.g. where we stayed, what I wore, what we ate, etc) and get down to the exciting highlights instead. My parents thankfully gave in to my request to explore the hidden parts of Camp John Hay, where less well known tourist spots such as The Lost Cemetery of Negativism and The Bell House are located.
The Lost Cemetery of Negativism is a wide patch of land where negative vibes represented by distorted or abnormally drawn animals are buried. I first saw this on a travel website a few days before we headed off to the North, and immediately loved the idea of going around such an unusual place. I loved the feeling of solitude that the place seemed to radiate, and how I was able to reflect on the words written on the tombstones.
Statements such as "Why didn't I?" and "You have to or else." are things I often hear from myself, and as I was roaming around and taking pictures, I managed to make a pledge to myself: to metaphorically bury my past self, that had been filled with pessimistic thoughts and loaded with an arsenal of snarky remarks, six feet under the ground and start anew, to be a better version of myself in the best ways I can. (I'm not going to expound on this now. This topic's worthy of its own blog post.)
On the other hand, The Bell House was the former residence of an American general and his family. I can say that it is the most brilliant form of American architecture I've seen to date. I wasn't sure if I was allowed to take pictures inside the house itself, considering the fact that every piece of furniture there had a sign stuck to it that read: "No sitting / touching / playing / etc.", although I was able to hold a mini-photo shoot with my parents in the Bell House garden, which was full of every kind of species of the most beautiful plants and flowers.
November 1
The highlight of this particular day was when I stopped by Wright Park to go on my first horseback ride. I was able to make four rounds with the strongest horse I've ever seen (and I say this, since it was able to carry me after I ate nearly five servings of rice that day), with a guide trailing not very far behind.
Based on the pictures, you could tell that I was absolutely horrified throughout the whole experience. I had this constant fear of falling over even if I was holding on to the reins so tightly it left marks on my palm, and I couldn't help but scream every time the horse moved just a little bit faster. My reactions were quite humiliating, considering the fact that riding beside me was a little boy going at amazing speeds without uttering a single word.
Overall, it was an exhilarating experience. I was able to conquer yet another fear of mine by screaming my lungs out and probably disturbing every onlooker watching me on a horse. I hope that by the next time I come for a visit, I can command my own horse without the help of a guide and go faster than ten miles per hour.
Hopefully, I'll be gutsier by the next time we're in the City of Pines, so I can finally try ziplining across Camp John Hay. But for now, that's about it! Unless you want me to go off in tangents about how I also tried filling up yet another page in my scrapbook, or how I finally started watching Teen Wolf (and stopped after the first episode because of Spongebob Squarepants). I'll be back with so many new blog post ideas, and I can't wait to blabber about them all to you guys.
Veni vidi vici
Adios
Angel x