The kids were looking forward to some R & R for the long weekend (a six day respite from school brought about by a series of National Holidays). That was not to be the case as the country was ravaged by a nasty typhoon. All our out of town plans were thrown out the window and was instead replaced by ennui and a two day power outage.
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| boredom and a 2 day blackout at its finest |
We initially set out to get a room at the Baguio Country Club, but due to the volume of people who came up for the long weekend as well as the Baguio residents escaping the power outages in their homes, the place was fully booked. We were all dressed up and our overnight bags packed, but had nowhere to go.
Luckily, we were given a chance to relax and unwind overnight in a spacious, yet cozy townhouse within the city. For those who aren't in the know, we're from the Summer Capital of the Philippines, which is Baguio City. A tourist destination to most, we've called it home for almost four decades.
Phee, the younger kids and I decided to play tourist for a day in a city that was, though ravaged by a storm, filled with weekenders.
We started off with our diabolical scheme to become posers (mwahaha) with a short drive to Camp 7, (10 minutes from the city proper). Nestled in a residential area, we deposited ourselves in a spacious townhouse ( owned by a wonderful Baguio-based couple), located within the Marcons Suites Compound. Not all of its townhouses are for rent, but this particular unit is.Renting this unit is a breeze. But first, let me tell you a bit about this place (as quoted loosely from its website:)
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| this room's got a little balcony too |
This wonderful piece of real estate has 2100 square feet of living area. 5 levels high, it can sleep around 8-12 adults max and has separate quarters and a bathroom for 2 drivers.
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| driver's / maid's quarters |
All 3 of its bathrooms have basic bathroom provisions (soap, shampoo, toilet paper and a complete assortment of towels) in them and have hot and cold showers as well.
The kitchen has a complete assortment of tableware, flatware, kitchenware and cookware, an electric 4 burner range oven, hot and cold water dispenser (mineral water included), an oven toaster, a microwave oven, a rice cooker, a coffee maker and a refrigerator. Just rummage through the cupboards and drawers. You'll certainly find what you're looking for, and if not, a sari-sari store (a miniaturized convenience store) is right across the street. There are two dining tables as well, and running hot and cold water at the sink.
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| the living room |
The place is also near enough for fast food delivery service. A list of restaurants and their corresponding phone numbers can be found at the kitchen. Worried about the storm complicating the delivery system, we opted to buy some snackage at the Camp John Hay Commissary (the essentials, junkfood and soda lol) and some grub (burgers, burritos and a cheese steak sandwich and fries) for dinner at the Army Navy restaurant (also at John Hay).
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| the kitchen |
Spending a night at the townhouse made us realize that not staying at a hotel or resort wasn't at all bad and has allowed us to consider renting an apartment instead of booking a hotel room when we fly off to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in November.
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| MAX and I at the master's bedroom |
For those who want a great place to stay in while visiting Baguio, this may just be the place for you. It may not exactly be home, but given a few minutes in it's tastefully decorated interiors, you just might think that it is. Oh, and when you make a booking to this delightful place, don't forget to tell them you saw it on The Mediocre Wanderer (just so they know how much we appreciated our stay there).
From TMW, may your wanderings be better than ours.
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