 October 17, 2005 Monday
Baguio
After a sumptuous ihaw dinner at the Salpicao area with the UP Mountaineers, I broke off from the group to head off to Sagada. Unfortunately, there were no night trips. A friend was able to provide lodging in a
condo conveniently located beside Burnham Park. That saved the night for me.
Breakfast
I couldn't have enough of a good thing. For breakfast, I went back to the Salpicao area and had
seaweed salad and anchovies. I'm hard pressed to remember the last time I had breakfast this indulging.
Public Market
I would have taken the first bus out of Baguio but its
market scene was far too tempting to pass off. Fresh veggies are always in abundance. The
mussels were screaming
"Moules Marinieres".
While venturing deeper into the narrower alleys, I chanced upon a vendor preparing pinikpikan chicken. The chicken is patted with a stick until it dies, then its feathers are plucked off and the
meat is seared. In another area, I saw how they prepared my favorite -
market-style peanut butter (none of those processed brands for me).
I would have stayed longer but I wanted to arrive Sagada with a bit of sunshine left. I left Baguio haunted by the same sentiment I harbored in my last visit. The place is perfect...if only they can put air pollution in check.
Halsema Highway
The ride along the notorious Halsema Highway is long,
picturesque but nerve-racking. It reaches the highest elevation of any road in the country along narrow roads with barely inches from the ridge.
With the 6-hour ride, the
Morning Star Restaurant is a refreshing stop-over. Some claim they serve the best balut. I tried it, this time mindful of its taste and texture. Verdict? No better than your everyday balut! This is also the place to get
passion fruit. The
seeds can be annoying at first, but the subtle fragrance makes me want to have more.
I reached Sagada shortly before 7 pm. It was already dark.
--- TheLoneRider
 Choy Calunsod
(7 Nov 2005) Astig!! Saya!! Kipidap!!
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