Panagbenga: Baguio Flower Festival - Grand Float Parade

First Part: Baguio City - The City of Pines

Second Part:  Baguio City | La Trinidad, Benguet

The Panagbenga Festival is Baguio City’s annual Festival that is being held during the month of February and extending through the first week of March. Panagbenga in the local language means a season of blooming, because it is during this month that the flowers from Benguet are in their season of Blooming. The month-long celebration of the Panagbenga is highlighted by the Grand Street parade and the Grand float parade which is likened to California’s Tournament of Roses Parade or simply, the Rose Parade. (http://lakbaybaguio.com/)

Of course, before we planned this trip I did some research on the event schedule since this is a month-long celebration, baka wala na kami abutan pag punta namin :) It was actually the 17th year of the Panagbenga Festival. The parade starts from the top of Session Road, (near Hill Station) and ends in the Athletic Bowl

As usual, we were kinda late to have a good spot along Session Road so we decided to just go straight to the Athletic Bowl. Btw, there were 25 floats, the first 3 were non-competing floats and the rest are competing.

view from our place

With Paul and Sandee

We actually had a super good spot pero the best ang init!

 Baguio City Officials

 There comes Alma Moreno na ang ganda ganda!

 Korean deligates

The end of the procession of the VIPs marked the start of our suffering!! Napakainit na nga, nakakainis pa yung mga officials na mga 30 minutes yata nagspeech EACH. Lahat ng tao naiinip na, others from the balcony suddenly shouted and clapped their hands for that person to feel that there's a need stop his speech and continue with the parade. Take note: sa balcony, nakaupo ang mga tao at wala sa arawan. Paano pa kaya kami?

 First float is with a super cute Angry Birds theme from the City of Baguio government

 Star Wars theme from Baguio Country Club

 The bongga Dragon float of SM Baguio

University of Baguio Drum and Lyre Band

Awesome Men-in-Black inspired outfits

 There were some cosplayers

The suffering does not end after all those speeches! Every after 4 floats, there would be a performance from some drum and lyre bands and some dance groups which makes our waiting doubled!

 TV5 float

 Mang Inasal

 GMA's My Beloved float with Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera

 Nestea

The replica of the Nestea container in the back part of the float is one of my favorites!

 Seafood Island

 AMA Baguio

 Manila North Tollways Corp. float!
This is my favorite! Ang galing may mga kalsada at sasakyan pa! :))

 Float from Batangas with the Taal Volcano and a Balisong

 Kaspersky, an anti virus company

 Scouts Royale Brotherhood

 Nescafé / Nestle 

 Glamorouso from Urdaneta City, Pangasinan

 ABS - CBN's It's Showtime

Sayang! Bumaba na ang mga host bago dumaan sa amin.

 M Lhiullier with Ms. Earth 2011 title holders

 Aegis - Call Center

Villar Foundation's Waterlily Project from Las Piñas

Smart

Of course, Globe

and another float from Globe

Department of Tourism float with Mark Lapid

Lastly, Casino

Due to boredom and exhaustion from the heat of the sun, we left the arena immediately after the last float. It was past lunch time already. 

We had lunch and had some rest in the transient house then tour in the afternoon.

PINK SISTERS' CONVENT

Yangco Road, Baguio City

MINES VIEW PARK 

This is already my second time in the park. Nothing's really different except the number of people! Di man lang makapagpicture, ginawang tambayan nung iba.

GOOD SHEPHERD 

It is better to buy Good Shepherd products here. Of course, it's a lot cheaper that those being sold outside. And that time, ang haba ng pila! As in!

It's just a repeat of the tour in my first day. We went to Wright Park then to The Mansion again. I got bored so I decided to buy a Strawberry Taho! Infairness, masarap!! 

I got this for Php10 but it's really for Php15

We had a night trip on our way back home. Babalik ako! Promise! Dami ko pa gusto puntahan and above all, gustong gusto ko ang weather! See you soon, Baguio!! :D

And I wanna thank lahat ng nakasama at nakilala ko because of this trip! Next year ulit! Hehe. :)

Chinx♥

Baguio City | La Trinidad, Benguet

First part: Baguio City - The City of Pines

Since Ivan and Elka went back to Manila on the latter part of our first day, there was a sudden change of plan. Sandee, another friend of ours who we will just meet in Baguio (on our original plan) became my new companion! Actually, not only her. But her entire group! Salamat po sa pagkupkop sa akin. :))

Photo with Kuya Gerald, Ate Camille and Jiggz before I left their place

Thanks for accommodating us/me!! Sagada tayoooo! Hihi.

And before anything else... DI KAMI NAKAPANUOD NG STREET DANCE PARADE. SAYANG!! HUHU. :((((

Met Sandee and went straight to the transient house they rented. Since may itinerary na kami ni Jiggz for that day, we asked them to join us and they did!

BELL CHURCH
This Taoist Church is still part of Baguio City leading to La Trinidad, Benguet. Many says that it really looked like another Taoist Temple in Cebu. In fact, we saw a lady who chose not to go up and have some tour. We asked her why and she told us "ganyan din yung sa Cebu e." Anyway, the place is super nice! Para akong naligaw somewhere in China. I should have appreciated it more kung konti lang yung tao. Kuya Ge and Ate Camille also joined us in Bell Church. Thank youuu!!

 Top view. 

Ganda di ba??

STRAWBERRY FARM
La Trinidad, Benguet

Since we're already in the boundary of Baguio City and La Trinidad, we proceeded to the strawberry farm. One jeepney ride only! It was actually a good decision to go to the Bell Church first because pagkalabas ko ng strawberry farm, ang dami ko nang dala! Di ko maeenjoy yung Bell Church kung dala ko lahat yun. Of course, except na lang kung may sasakyan kayo. :)

 Nakakapikon na si Jolibee! Promise! Ang daming welcome signages na present siya.

Plus, pagnaglalakad kami downtown, parang may Jolibee kada kanto? Or paulit-ulit lang yung nakikita ko?

Search ko kung ilang Jolibee meron sa Baguio! Hehe.

 Saw wag-wagan stuffs on our way to the farm.

 Had some Strawberry Ice Cream. Yum yum. :)

 Of course, pasalubong! There are also many stores around.

Mas mura YATA (di ako nagtanong) dito ang mga strawberry products compare sa Baguio. Dapat lang di ba?

 Yay! Fresh Strawberries!!
Php180 per kilo (pre-packed by the vendors)

You also have the option to pick the strawberries yourself and pay for your harvest afterwards but for a higher price, Php300 per kilo with free basket.

Strawberries na super konti na lang. 

Yung lalaki na nakasalubong namin, wala pang half nung basket yung napitas.

 Lettuce

3 for Php100

Dahil sayo dumami ang bitbitin ko! :))

 Broccoli

Forgot the name :)

 Buti na lang pwede magpicture! :)

With Sandee babyyy.

 With Jiggz.

Nawawala mata ko. :( :))

GOOD TASTE CAFÉ AND RESTAURANT

8-9 Lapu-Lapu St. Baguio City

After the Strawberry farm, we immediately went back to Baguio to have our late lunch. Jiggz suggested Good Taste and 50s Diner but we end up eating at Good Taste since we can order here group meals.

 Buttered Chicken

Lechon Kawali

We are all in all 14 in the group but the 4 of us decided to have separate order from the others. We ordered these and the fried rice (good for 6 and then added another order of good for 3) GUTOM?? Hehe. Their servings were super generous and not pricey at all.

Went to the market afterwards. Other pasalubongs are cheaper there compare to Mines View Park and other places. 

The three of us again.

Mine and Sandee's room in the transient house :)

Next Post: Grand Float Parade!! (third day)

Chinx ♥