For the third time in my first six months here, I boarded the bus to Sagada again. CATW held a young women's camp for university students as a training on gender issues. This time however, we took the route through Baguio instead of Banaue. The route is a few hours longer, but there are some gorgeous views and the road isn't as rough. Along the way, the bus stopped at different towns and women would swarm the buses selling their wares. How's that for service? You just reach your hand out the window, deposit a few coins and get soft drinks, coconut juice, snacks or even vegetables for the evening dinner.
I don't have any pictures of the actual camp, but the topics discussed were quite sensitive and I'd like to leave that more to memory. If you have any questions about it, I'd be happy to tell you in person.
The choice of venue for the camp could not have been more perfect. Although it was really cold in the morning, I think everyone benefited from the clean air of this little sleepy town. It's quite idyllic and perfect for those who need a little time away to think.
I stayed at the Sagada Homestay, which was a little walk away from the rest of the town, but well worth it. I had a balcony that afforded me a beautiful view of the mist that crept in the morning and the millions of stars that came out in the evening. The only negative part was that it was so dark I needed a flashlight to walk home and there were dogs that ran around and barked at me. It was definitely a test in courage.
After Sagada, I decided to have a daytrip in Baguio and fortunately for me, Ryan has a flexible schedule and was able to join me in my adventure. We started the morning with breakfast at Cafe by the Ruins, one of my most favorite restaurants ever. As its name suggests, it's built next to some ruins, but it has a character all its own. There's a section with natural lighting and some traditional art. I had some hot chocolate for breakfast and some delicious french toast with pure honey. I love the entire menu of the place, and if I had some extra time, I would have sampled all the food there.
Most of the day was spent at the ukay-ukay (thrift store). If you've never been there, it's absolutely amazing! Baguio is theoretically the strawberry capital of the philippines, but it should really be called the Ukay Ukay capitol.
I wish I'd taken pictures of it, but i was too busy bargain hunting for cheap clothes. Lately, I've been really dreading any sort of shopping because Manila malls suck out your soul little by little. I'd only be able to spend ten minutes in a shoe store before I go absolutely nuts. In any case, we spent the whole day poring through ugly weird clothes to find some gems. I spent a lot of money, but it was kind of ok because I was able to refresh my wardrobe without breaking my budget, and also finding clothes that were more my style.
During our shopping break, Ryan took me to Eat My Gulay/VOCAS. It quickly became one of my favorite places in the Philippines. We had to walk up four flights of stairs, through dark hallways, but when we got to the restaurant, it was like crawling out of the rabbit hole into Wonderland. The restaurant is built at the top floor of the building and the ceiling is a giant skylight. There are three levels and all sorts of eclectic furniture, art and handicrafts. Sort of reminded me of when I used to dream of living in a treehouse.
Above left: Ryan playing with his new G9 camera. I suspect the only reason he agreed on this trip was to practice his photo skills.
Above right: Me soaking up the skyline of Baguio. It's quite polluted and busy outside, but from within the haven of the restaurant i didn't mind so much.
All in all the weekend was quite stressful. Gender issues always take an emotional toll, especially in the context of trafficking, rape and other violence against women. I'm really glad to have some time to myself to relax before getting back to my research. It's nice to know there are some beautiful things in this world.
After the Aliwan Festival, Ryan invited some of us to accompany him to the Eco Park Dam for some photo ops. I really liked the place, but it seemed difficult to get there without a car. I remember when I was living in Fairview and I'd see it on the maps, but I never actually went there. Oh well, that's just another hidden gem in the city right? Roy, Jason and I piled into Ryan's car and went on a little detour. Found this sign that was quite amusing. We got into the park at around 4, after picking up some picniking food after the rain stopped. 
Lots of picturesque scenery like the fishing pond and flower hill. Apparently it's a favorite for many wedding pictures, so we decided to model some out. Romantic at all? 
