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Baguio
Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay, former campsite for rest-and-recreation activities of American military personnel is now popular golfing destination, the camp is being transformed into a world-class resort, a Baguio’s biggest pine tree conservation area. With its newly refurbished 18-hole golf course rivals that of the Country Club which has pretty garden-patched cottages surrounding its fairways. Mansion House, the official summer residence of Philippine presidents. That also serves as museum of presidential memorabilia. It also offers tourists with great photo opportunities with its rectangular reflecting pool along a tree-lined walkway. Parallel to Mansion House, is Wright Park where neophyte riders can trot around an oval track guided by trainers who lead horses with a hand-held leash. At the Mines View Park, tourists can have a panoramic view of the old mines of Benguet. At the park entrance is a flea market for souvenir items. The city landmark, Baguio Cathedral located at the upper part of the city that gives the scenic view of the city. Another pilgrimage site is the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes which sits on top of Dominican Hill. Devotees prefer to climb the 252-step ascent than drive through a winding road to reach the shrine. Bell Church holds a religious service of mixed Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian and Christian dogmas but tourists come here to have their fortunes told. Philippine Military Academy, located on an elevated pine-forested ground is the the country’s foremost military learning institution. Its Saturday Morning Parade in Review by cadets in full regalia never fails to attract visitors. Within campus vicinity is a Military Museum. A cultural haven established by noted Baguio artist BenCab, Tam-awan Village recreates a typical ethnic village in the Cordilleras with authentic tribal homes uprooted from their original locations and re-set on similar terrain. There is also an art gallery-cum-coffee shop. Getting
There
Baguio can be reached by land and air travel from Manila, the country's main international gateway. Travel time by land from Manila is approximately 7 hours. The buses, which leave on scheduled runs, do stopovers at designated points along the route for refreshments and other necessities. By air, flights are scheduled 4x-a-week from Manila to Baguio, with less than an hour of travel time.
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