PANAGBENGA 2010- BAGUIO

The city of Baguio is touted as the summer capital of the Philippines. It is located in the Benguet region of North Luzon; about 7 hours drive from Manila. Known for its cool climate, Baguio is indeed a nice getaway for those living in South Luzon which has a purely tropical weather.
Penagbenga, the annual flower festival of Philippines is held every year in Baguio throughout the month of February. People throng there from all parts of the island nation. We too decided to get a feel of the flower festival and took a trip to the country’s summer getaway.
To save time, we took an overnight journey from Manila on 5th March and reached Baguio on the morning of the 6th. It also happened to be the second last day of the festival. One of the AIM students from Baguio had made arrangements of our stay there. From the bus terminal, we headed for the Girls’ Scouts guest house where we were to put up. The lady who manages the guest house was a friendly person and saw to it that we are comfortable.
The climate of Baguio brought to mind the cool weather of Shillong! Having had a sleepless night journey, we decided to take a nap before exploring the place. It was just 7 in the morning and so the three of us dozed off in no time. By 9am, we were up and ready to take on Baguio. The SM mall was just a 5 minute walk away & we headed for it to have breakfast. Tourists were all over the place. The ambience was really festive. In front of SM, there stood a huge tiger made from flowers. Other floral floats lined up on the side of the Session Road. It was the main hub of Baguio city.
‘Session Road in Bloom’ read the signboards all over the city. That actually referred to the lines of make shift shops on Session road selling local products from various parts of Philippines. Since it was quite sunny, we decided to explore the shops in the evening. Taking a cab, we moved on to see the other tourist spots around Baguio.
The Mansion, the Presidential palace, was an impressive structure. In front were lined up a number of vintage cars – mostly mini cars like that of Mr. Bean’s! On the opposite side of the Mansion was the Wright Park. There people could wear tribal dress of the mountain province & take photos. We joined in too. Interestingly, the dress was quite similar to our Naga costumes!!
Our next destination was the Mines View Park. It was the site of ancient gold mines and one gets a breathtaking view of Baguio from there. Very much like Laitkor Peak in upper Shillong. There were souvenir shops lining up the steps of the park. Baguio t-shirts, strawberry jams, peanut butter & brittles etc. were selling like hot cakes.
The cab driver insisted that we visit the weaving factory of Baguio. So we arrived at the Easter Weaving Room which also had a big showroom besides the actual factory in the basement area. Beautiful hand woven items lay displayed but it was too pricey. I got a couple of coaster sets for some MDM friends as souvenirs from Baguio. As it was almost 2pm, we asked the driver to drop us at SM mall. There we took a quick lunch & headed back to the guest house for an afternoon siesta. The weather was too tempting to avoid that!
In the evening, the weather cooled down a lot and we made our way to Session road. A fashion show was in progress and the crowd was unbelievable. One could easily get lost in that sea of tourists. The shops seemed endless as we walked down the road. It was indeed a good chance to buy items produced in different parts of the Philippines. Since it was the last day of the festival, the shop owners were selling things at give away prices. The famous Baguio brooms, hand woven products, Benguet coffee, various edible goods (cashew & peanut brittles, jams & preserves, coco jelly, choco flakes), honey, fresh fruit – you name it, you found it there! Having strolled all the way to the other end of Session road, we decided that it would be wise to take dinner before it gets too late. So back to SM & dinner at Chowking. Some contest for ladies was going on outside the mall & there was quite a lot of noise. We walked back to the guest house around 10 o’clock.
On the morning of the 7th, we dressed up for the day and rushed to SM for breakfast. We had asked the cab driver who took us around the previous day to meet us at 9. Gulping down coffee & pancakes at Mac Donald’s, we walked back to the guest house to find the driver already there. He suggested that we see the strawberry farm at La Trinidad. So we drove off to the farm through heavy traffic. Almost 45 minutes later we were in La Trinidad. The farm was full with tourists who had a nice time plucking fresh strawberries! We joined in and Raheel really enjoyed it. Having bought some strawberries, I checked out the small souvenir shops that lined up the street.
Next we headed for PMA which took us almost an hour. The campus was a huge one and we were lucky enough to watch cadets performing the regular drills. It was surprising that so many tourists were allowed inside the campus. We walked about the place, took photos and then drove back to Baguio city. It was already 1pm and we had to catch a bus to Manila at 3.30. We left the cab near Session Road and looked for a restaurant to take lunch. The place was crowded like the previous day. Having eaten at Andok’s, we rushed back to pack our bags and get to the bus terminal in time.
The bus departed on time and then it was a tiring 7 hours journey back home. While Mifu managed to watch two movies that were played in the bus, Raheel & I tried to sleep as much as possible! Baguio during the flower festival is indeed worth a visit…

Up in the Air!

I had been watching the ads of the Philippine International Hot Air Balloon fiesta on local TV channels. It was scheduled to be held from 11 to 14 February ’10. The clips on TV were quite tempting & made me wonder if Mifu could spare time from his hectic schedule to visit Clark, the venue of the event. The airfield at Clark was the former American airbase. The place was a 2 & half hour drive from Makati.
Luckily, the class coordinator of MDM, Lyndon, decided to visit Clark for the balloon fiesta. So Mifu planned that we go with him as he knew the place well. Another lady working at AIM joined us for the trip. On the morning of 13th Feb, we met Lyndon at the lobby of AIM at 10.30. We took a cab to the Victory Liner bus terminal at Pasay. The buses ply to different places from Manila every half hour. We boarded a bus to Pampanga at around 11.30.
By 1.15pm, we were at Pampanga. I bought a burger for Raheel at the bus terminal as we weren’t sure about food at the venue. Next we took a 10 minute tricycle ride to the jeepney stand of Clark. A crowded jeepney drove us to the International airport complex of Clark.
The ambience outside the airfield was a festive one. The entry fee was a reasonable 150 pesos. Once we walked in through the crowded main gate, we got the real feel of the event. On one side of the field, fighter jets, army helicopters, combat jeeps, micro light aircrafts and even a few tanks were put on display for public. Raheel was very excited to see all the army stuff! We saw people getting into the tanks and we decided to try it too. Though I and Raheel did climb on to a tank, it was quite cramped inside with hardly enough space to move!
Soon a loudspeaker blared about the start of balloon bursting competition. We moved ahead to a spot from where we could a better view of the event. Interestingly many locals had set up portable tents all over the field. The place looked more like a huge picnic ground!!
The balloon bursting show was fun. The light aircrafts were used for this and most of the pilots could hit their targets. Next was the civilian sky diving event. Since it was quite an expensive affair, only a few foreigners participated in it. The hot air balloons were supposed to appear only at 5.30 in the evening and so we decided to explore the place for the time being. There were stalls selling everything from souvenirs to t-shirts to kites, etc. The sky looked brilliant as people flew kites of various colors and shapes. We discovered a KFC stall and took a quick lunch.
Having taken a full round of the field, we moved back to our original spot to witness the ultra light & micro light aircraft formations. The dare devil formations in the air delighted all. Next in line was the aerobatic show. Planes going topsy-turvy in the sky were fun to watch!
I was surprised to see Capt. Joy Roa moving about the airfield. I had seen him on Philippine TV a few times where he anchors an Asian travel show. Being a veteran pilot, Roa was an active organizer of the balloon fiesta. He was busy giving instructions to the pilots of the hot air balloons. As evening gradually approached, a colorful group of tribal dancers appeared on the ground. Capt. Roa announced that the hot air balloons were about to follow shortly. The local troupe of dancers was, in fact, escorting the pilots who had come from different countries. A few paragliders meanwhile moved about above us. Soon big jeeps pulled in the balloons as the people cheered. However, Roa announced that due to very high speed of wind, the balloons may not be able to float up. This dampened our spirits but we still waited & watched. The pilots were trying their best to inflate the balloons. Finally, after almost half an hour, one balloon was fully inflated and everyone cheered again. Camera flashes went on in frenzy as people captured the sight. Soon another balloon came up and then a few more! Capt. Roa said that we were lucky that the balloons could at least be inflated. A blue balloon with red hearts came up, reminding all about Valentine’s Day which incidentally falls on the next day!
Though the wind obstructed the balloons from actually rising up, yet the pilots’ efforts to inflate them for the enthusiastic spectators delighted all. As for us, it was indeed an experience to cherish….

AIM - A Melting Pot of Asian Cultures...

23rd and 24th of February 2010 marked the International Flag Raising Day and the International Cultural Nite at AIM. Early in the morning of 23rd, Mifu & Raheel went to AIM to witness the flag raising ceremony. Student representing nearly 15 countries participated. Donned in their traditional best, the flag bearers looked dignified and proud to represent their respective nations.
A band played the national anthems of each country as the flags were being hoisted. Since most of Mifu’s classmates were from various Asian countries besides the Philippines, Raheel got a chance to take photos with them in their traditional attires!
On the evening of 24th Feb, the Zen Garden at AIM wore a different look. A brightly lit up stage welcomes all for the International Cultural Nite. We reached the venue at around 6.15pm and found the last minute preparations going on the stage. Some boys in martial arts uniform moved about near the stage rehearsing their steps & Raheel was excited to see them.
The anchors for the evening were an Indian named Pritish & a Filipino girl, Kat. Both of them are MBA students and smoothly conducted the show without any hitch. In a quick welcome address, one of the professors humorously said that no one should expect cancellation of classes on the next day!
The show finally kicked off with a Judo demonstration by some students from a martial arts academy. Next came a Taekwondo demo by an AIM student. He delighted the gathering with some impressive kicks.
Once the martial arts segment was over, it was time for the Indian segment of the evening. Amidst applause & whistles (majority of AIM’s students are Indians) two sisters doing their MBA took their places on the stage for a classical dance performance. They did a Kathak recital from the movie ‘Taal’. Then followed a dance medley from Bollywood movies, old & new. The Indian students did quite a good job as they grooved to the popular filmy numbers! A Marathi folk dance as well a Bhangra dance added to the festive mood. A couple of wannabe singers belted out few Hindi songs while we helped ourselves to dinner. The Indian segment closed with a performance on A.R. Rehman’s Vande Mataram. The Indians at AIM did an impressive job indeed.
Next in line was Indonesia. There was a graceful dance recital by two MBA students which was followed songs by another two Indonesians. The anchor announced that a Pakistani item follow soon. All eyes fixed on the stage as Hafeez, Mifu’s classmate from Peshawar, moved forward. He sang a Pashtun folk song and soon most of the people were dancing to it! The MDM batch cheered Hafeez throughout since he is the only student from Pakistan. A Vietnamese song followed next and the singer was dressed in a gorgeous costume.
The Filipino segment began with one student in traditional Igorot costume sang a local number. Then entered a colorful troupe of Filipino dancers and musicians. The tribal dances that were performed resembled the Naga & Mizo dances of NE India! The musicians played melodious Spanish tunes while the female dancers in beautiful costumes moved gracefully. We got a chance to experience the diverse culture within the Philippines through the various dance performances.
Much to everyone’s surprise, the finale of the evening turned out to a fashion show! The first student-model was an Indian with a well toned body carrying a bamboo torch and wearing a silk dhoti and a silk stole. He was followed by a train of other models dressed in traditional costumes. All posed elegantly on stage and looked very much professional! After the traditional round, came the western wear. It was quite impressive as well. A stylish way to conclude the cultural nite indeed.
The event was memorable for all the students at AIM, I guess. The evening of 24th Feb brought alive the amazing cultural diversity of Asia under a single roof.

Hen. Pio del Pilar School...

Even while I was getting ready for my trip to Manila, Mifu had been contemplating about enrolling Raheel in a school there. Luckily, one of Mifu’s MDM classmates has some connections at the Makati DepEd (Education Department) and she helped us. She recommended an elementary school where it was possible to enroll Raheel.
I brought all the necessary certificates of Raheel from Guwahati. Just before the Christmas break, we visited the Pio Del Pilar School to meet the Principal. The ride took us nearly 10 to 15 minutes by a jeepney. It was quite convenient and the jeepney stops right in front of the school! No problem with the communication, I thought.
The Principal, Dr. Leticia Rosales gave us a warm reception. She showed keen interest in enrolling Raheel as a guest pupil in the kindergarten section of her school. Since Christmas was round the corner, Dr. Rosales asked us to meet her in the first week of January when the school would re-open after the holidays. She suggested that an approval letter from the Makati DepEd would make things more official. So the next day, Mifu accompanied his classmate Ms. Dals to get an approval from the secretary of Education for the enrollment of Raheel in a local school.
Classes at Pio Del Pilar resumed on 4th Jan 2010. We reached school around 11.45 and went to see the Principal. She called one of her Kindergarten teacher Ms. Luciano. Raheel is to be accommodated in her class as a guest pupil. At 12.30pm, the afternoon session began and all of us walked to Raheel’s new class. There were about 20 children between 5 – 6 years. The Principal explained to the kids that they would have a new friend from India in the class.
Raheel said a shy’ hello’ to his new classmates and they replied “hi Raheel” in chorus. We came out of the room while Ms. Luciano began to sing some rhymes to the children. Though we didn’t eat our lunch before leaving for school, I had packed tiffin for Raheel just to be on the safe side. And it worked! Both Mifu & I roamed about within the school premises, exploring the surrounding. What struck us was that despite being a government run school, each classroom had an AC. The building is a four storied one with an assembly area on the ground floor, equipped with announcement room and everything. Raheel’s class is on the ground floor. Moreover, meals (soups, macaroni or noodles), dry snack & fruit juices make rounds in all the rooms daily. Students can buy these at subsidized rates.
The Principal’s office surprised us. It is quite luxurious so to speak. Plush sofas with satin cushions, a huge dining table and expensive decorative pieces adorned the room! Impressive indeed!! We wondered about the dilapidated situation of govt. schools of Axom. Lessons to be learnt from here. Another interesting thing is that the teachers have different colored uniforms for the six days of the week! That made teaching more fun, I guess.
So began Raheel’s new learning experience in the Philippines.

Fireworks bring in 2010!!

On the last day of 2009, we decided to visit the Chinatown of Manila. The place is known as Binondo and is almost 45 minutes drive from Makati. The Chisti family also accompanied us. On reaching Binondo, the first thing which struck us was the crowded street! Leaving the cab, we walked through the narrow lanes of Chinatown. There were many shops that lined up on the pavement of Ongpi Street selling Chinese toys, electronic goods & feng shui items. The bigger shops sold beautiful Chinese crockery, towels, blankets, etc. The prices were quite high though and so I dropped the idea of shopping!
Our next stop was the old church dedicated to the first Philippine saint, Lorenzo Ruiz. It was a massive structure with beautiful paintings adorning the domed ceiling. There was even a wedding in progress when we went inside.
We headed for a restaurant as it was already lunch hour. I ordered Pancit Canton (noodles) with beef satay while Mifu opted for Beef ampalaya with rice. When we enquired about ampalaya, the waitress informed that it’s a green vegetable. Mifu looked awful when his dish was finally served. It turned out to be a preparation of beef in ampalaya (bitter gourd or karela) gravy!! So I had to share my pancit canton with Mifu since he detested karela. When I tasted it, it wasn’t all that bad.
After lunch, we drove down to the Manila Zoo as the kids were showing signs of boredom in Chinatown. Interestingly, there weren’t too many animals there. An elephant, a couple of huge pythons, some colorful macaws, monkeys and different species of birds were all that made up Manila zoo! The kids enjoyed the play area more than watching the few animals while we sipped coffee near the artificial lake at the zoo. By 6 o’clock, we rode a jeepney back home. We already had a plan to meet the Chistis for dinner at their place.
Having enjoyed a hearty meal, not to forget the ready- to- eat turkey which Zahid ka had bought, all of us took a walk towards the Greenbelt complex to find out if any special New Year programme was on. To our surprise, the place looked deserted except for a few young people loitering about. Mifu suggested that we go back to our building as we were told that there would be fireworks at midnight. The Chistis came along as well & all of us moved up to the terrace garden on the 30th floor! Many people living in our building were already at the terrace waiting for the firework display. And what a sight it was. Simply brilliant! The Manila sky lit up with amazing displays of crackling firework exactly as the clock struck 12 & it went on for almost an hour. People on the terrace cheered and greeted each other. Later we came back to our unit and Mifu logged on Skype to wish folks in Guwahati.. Though this New Year eve was a different experience, yet we did miss the family get together, Ma’s pulao and the bonfire back home!!