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I find it hard to write about Baguio, so maybe it’s best to treat each Baguio destination separately in each post, rather than one long continuous discussion. This post will serve as the anchor, the first among the series of posts about the City of Pines, the Summer Capital of the Philippines, or simply, Baguio City.

The best way to start the series, I believe, is first dropping by the Lourdes Grotto (perhaps I won’t tell you where it is, so you’ll be forced to buy a map of Baguio. You could find the map in gas stations on your way up. You’ll need the map to find your way around Baguio City in search for other tourist spots). The Grotto commemorates the numerous visions of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, France, by a girl named Bernadette Soubirous, also known as Bernadette of Lourdes.

The Lourdes Grotto in Baguio is perched on top of a hill, so you’ll have to walk up (and, unfortunately, down). How many steps? I tried to count the total number of steps, which I heard is more than 200, but I lost count as soon as I ran out of breath. Besides, the trip to the Grotto is not about counting the steps, but paying homage to the Virgin Mary and praying to your God, giving thanks for the safe trip and all the blessings you’ve received (and, yes, world peace, if you’re minded to add).

Why do I find it hard to write about Baguio in one continuous post? I’m really not sure. Maybe there’s so much to be written about Baguio, and a single post, no matter how long, would not do justice to the place. Maybe I’ve been there too many times, and they say that a place loses its grandeur if you’re there too long. Or maybe, just maybe, Baguio is meant to be experienced, rather than being written about.

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