5 New Things I learned about Baguio last summer

When I was a kid, we made annual trips to Baguio during summer to visit my lolo (grandfather) and lola (step-grandmother).  In between summers, sometimes I would also accompany my dad to visit my lolo on his birthday - those are the rare times when my parents would allow me to be absent in class for personal reasons.  Shhh....

When both my grandparents passed away, we stopped visiting Baguio. I think I've only visited Baguio thrice since then for various reasons like one was just a stop over on our way to Sagada, another time was to visit a high school friend who relocated there and the most recent, was to attend an anniversary celebration.

Because I've been to Baguio so many times as a kid, I've taken the place for granted. So last summer when we went to Baguio,  I decided to look at old familiar places with a fresh set of eyes.

Here are 5 new things I learned about Baguio:

1. Why is the statue along Kennon Road a lion?  When I was a kid, the lion statue is my cue that we're almost there so once I see it, I don't go back to sleep anymore. Haha...

I've passed by this statue multiple times already and I'm sure when I was a kid, I've asked my parents why is there a lion statue in the zigzag road but I can't remember the answer.   The answer is  - once upon a time, the mayor of Baguio was a Lions Club member.  The lion statue is a project of the club members to imprint the club's symbol.  Sorry to disappoint that it's not because of a lion sighting in Baguio or some Lion King legend.  :)

Lion statue along Kennon Road 

2.  Why is it called Mines View Park?  When I was a kid, my recollection of Mines View Park is to throw coins at the mountain ridge and there were kids below who would pick them up.  Nowadays,  I think the main attraction there is having your photo taken with Saint Bernard dogs wearing shades.  Haha....  But anyway, why is it even called Mines View Park?  In the early 20th century, Baguio was an American mining town.  The view that you see from the deck are Benguet's gold and copper mines and the Cordillera mountains.

Mines View Park

3.  Why is it called Wright Park?  It's named after an American Governor General named Luke Wright.  Although I heard that kids call it by a similar sounding name - "Ride Park"! 😂  Hahaha...  

When I was a kid, I was scared to ride a horse alone.  Biking at Burnham Park was more fun for me.  It gave me adrenaline rush.  Yes, biking at Burnham Park was my definition of adrenaline rush when I was a kid.  😂  

When I quickly dropped by Wright Park while waiting for our orders at a nearby restaurant, I was so shocked to see horses with pink-dyed mane that they look like My Little Ponies! The kids are fascinated but I think the horses look sad.   😢

I saw taho vendors selling strawberry and ube-flavored taho at Wright Park. Couldn't decide which flavor to get so I tried both. Yum! :)

4.  Everlasting flowers are also known as Immortelle or Strawflowers in Europe and Everlasting or Paper Daisy in Australia.    When I was kid, I was fascinated with these flowers coz I loved to get flowers from our garden to put in our altar but the next day, I always get sad when I see the flowers have wilted.  When I learned about Everlasting during our visits to Baguio, I couldn't believe that there are flowers that don't wilt.  Yes, I literally thought they last forever because of their name until I got a garland for our altar and realized it's more like a few months.  Haha...   

5.  Become more positive after visiting the Cemetery of Negativism.   I don't recall having ever visited the Cemetery of Negativism in Camp John Hay but I stumbled upon it while I was googling on what other places to see in Baguio.  

The Cemetery of Negativism is part of the Camp John Hay Core Tour which also includes the Bell house - the residence of Major General James Franklin Bell, the American who's mostly responsible for the structures in Camp John Hay.

The Bell House, Bell Amphitheatre and Portrait of John Milton Hay 

So what's with the Cemetery of Negativism?  It was established by an American general named John Hightower in the early 1980s for the army to bury their negative thoughts, emotions and attitudes.

Hightower's message is:

“Negativism is man’s greatest self imposed infliction, his most limiting factor, his heaviest burden.   No more for here is buried the world’s negativism for all time. Those who rest here have died not in vain – but for you a stern reminder. As you leave this hill remember that the rest of your life. Be More Positive. Have a good day!  Treat today like it's your last though it's the first of the rest." 

Lost Cemetery of Negativism

Here are the wittiest epitaphs that I saw in the Cemetery of Negativism - 

Did you notice what's not right about it? :)

I hope reading through the epitaphs brought some positivity in your way.  And I also hope you learned something new about all these familiar sights n Baguio which we usually take for granted. :)