BAGUIO'S HIDDEN GEMS: KIDLAT'S WONDERFUL WARREN. A SECRET GALLERY AND TALES OF ATOK

Every time I visit Baguio, there are new gems to uncover and more stories to deepen my appreciation of this Cordillera wonderland.

- VICKY VELOSO-BARRERA

Baguio's most visited landmarks are hard to miss—just follow the traffic to Mines View and Good Shepherd, both on Gibraltar Road; Burnham Park and SM Baguio. Almost everyone has memories of horseback riding at Wright Park, where steep but picturesque steps take you up to the artificial "lake" in front of the Mansion.

While there are obvious favorites, there are gems hidden off the well-travelled paths that will turn your visit into an adventure.

It took us less than four hours to drive up on Christmas Day, and we counted eight waterfalls and four steel bridges on Kennon Road. By arriving at five in the afternoon at Lemons and Olives on Outlook Drive, we avoided the long queue and enjoyed a trio of frozen yogurt desserts in addition to the grilled lamb chops and seafood we always order.

The next day, we left at seven in the morning to drive through a scenic route of blue mountains, clouds and pine forests to get to Atok, best known for its flower farms. You will never tire of visiting the Northern Blossom farm because the flowers vary from season to season and so does the arrangement of the trail. I never leave without pots of herbs or succulents, strawberries and veggies grown right in this municipality.

But we gained a deeper appreciation of Atok's place in the Cordilleras when we revisited the next farm, Haight's Place because Susan, the great granddaughter of founder Raymond Guy Haight, regaled us with her family's history as we waited for our yummy lunch.

Raymond Haight was a US soldier who arrived in the Philippines during the American occupation. Diagnosed with tuberculosis, his doctors told him to find an elevated area with cold temperatures in order to get well. He found his future home, his bride and his cure in chilly Atok.