I have no work today which I am not aware about until late last night so I had to make a plan of some sort where to go and what to do before the rain starts. That means heading out early.
Fist stop, breakfast.
Beggang Resto Grill
This is located in Burnham Park staking rink. This is one of the restaurants that serve the best food in town. What better way to start your day than with great food.
We tend to end up ordering the same thing which is pinakbet (mixed vegetable dish). Sometimes we add any meat dish that we prefer at that time and/or fish.
I tried their pancake for today and I loved it! There used to be another cafe that I loved their pancake but they did not serve that when they changed management and eventually the cafe closed.
Baguio Museum
!steemitworldmap 16.407019 lat 120.598452 long Baguio Museum d3scr
The last time I have been here was two decades ago or more. The original building was not like this. It was destroyed during the devastating 1990 earthquake that hit Luzon. The design of the building now is inspired by the Ifugao tradition house. According to the commemorative plate this was designed by Arch. Ignacio Estipona.
The museum exhibits different provinces in the Cordilleras. There were Ifugao, Mountain Province, Abra, etc. culture.
Sharing with you photos that I took that my camera was willing to take.
Below are samples of colorful traditional clothes of some Mountain Province folks. Ba-ag or G string are for men and tapis is for women. The design changes from place to place. These woven clothes can also be used for decorations. It also displays different accessories for men and women.
Wood sculptures depicting life in the mountains are displayed all throughout the museum.
Gongs, shields, spears and other accessories are also showcased. The shields and spears were used during the olden days when tribal wars were still practiced. Gongs are still used today for canaos. Canao is a traditional dance performed in celebration and other events and when there is death in the family. Bags (sangi or pasiking), baskets, fish traps and other containers made of rattan and bamboo were displayed at the bottom.
Accessories can be made from tooth and bones of animals, beads and other stones.
One of the main attraction here is the mummy. Mummification was a process that was practiced by our ancestors. It is hard to take a photo of it because no flash is allowed and light is reflecting in the glass enclosure. I do not know if you can you can recognize it.
The practice then for the dead was that it was seated upward, positioning it and tying it securely. I am not sure if it is still practiced today. The last time I was made aware of it was when one of our grandfathers died. I was about 14 or 15 then. My sister recounted her experience to me. After the rituals were done, the dead was then buried. There were no other accounts of this being practiced that I have known of.
Old photos of Baguio City were displayed at the third floor.
This is a mirror near the restroom. I like how the mirror was cut in an odd shape as the frame is. Or is it the other way around? It also reflects a place where you can take photos making you look like wearing the traditional costumes of one of the tribes of the Cordilleras. This is also just beside the museum shop where you can buy items such as necklaces, purse, and other accessories. This is located at the basement of the museum, the same area where the works of Ciano Umok are displayed. However, the shop was closed at that time. I only saw two personnel during that time. The top floor has no display even which is disappointing.
The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Entrance fee for adults costs PHP40.00, college students PHP20.00, high school PHP15.00 and elementary PHP10.00.
General Emilio Aguinaldo Museum
Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo was the first president of the Philippine Republic which was established in 1899. He is a Katipunero who fought against the Spanish, putting an end to the Spanish years of oppression and colonization.
During his exile to Hong Kong in 1897, he acquired ammunition from the Japanese and at the same time made plans with the Americans to attack the Spanish. US navy forces sailed to the Philippines and engaged a war with the Spanish in 1898 known as the Battle of Manila Bay. One of the reasons that America agreed to the deal with Aguinaldo is that major Spanish forces were in Asia and by weakening the forces there they can then take control of Cuba which is under Spain at that time. A deal was made between Spain and America and Spain sold the Philippines for $20 million. This deal was done unbeknownst to Aguinaldo. See Treaty of Paris and Mock Battle of Manila.
He also led the Philippines-American War but was captured in Palanan, Isabela ending his presidency.
He died in 1964 of a heart attack at Veterans Memorial Medical Center. He was 94.
This is a more than a life like statue of him located within the property.
The property was dedicated to Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo's life as a Katipunero and the first president of Republic of the Philippines. This was through the initiative of his youngest daughter, Cristina Suntay.
Different kinds of flowering plants decorates the property. What struck me the most were the rosemary bushes around lined one side of the building. Flags were displayed not only in front of the building but also in the city because it was Flag Day yesterday. On the photo collage above, the right photo shows the oldest trash bins that I know which are made of cement. These are placed around the city and the parks until they were replaced with metal bins.
The Boy General, Gregorio del Pilar, is the youngest general during the Philippine-American War. He is known for his last stand at Tirad Pass which went on for two years before he was shot. He would not have died and the Battle of Tirad Pass may have not been lost if he was not betrayed. This was his flag when he served in the fight against the Spanish. He was 24 when he died.
This flag was just one of the many flags used by the Katipuneros during the revolution. The top part is black and the bottom part is red. It takes three men to carry this flag. The white triangle is drawn with the sun at the center and stars in every corner. The sun and stars have faces drawn in them. Evidence of bullet shots and blood can be seen in this flag.
The highlight of the museum is the original flag that was waved in Kawit, Cavite during the proclamation of the Philippine republic. This was made of cotton and silk. The flag is 120 years old and is in cased in a net to hold it together. It is kept in a room where a certain temperature has to be maintained.
It is impossible to take a photo of it because flash is not allowed so as to prevent the deterioration of the flag further. It needs to be kept in a dark room. There were still speculations surrounding this flag whether it was really the original flag. However, this is the flag found under his pillow when he died. This is also the same flag that he always brought with him. This flag was designed by Gen. Aguinaldo depicting freedom (white triangle), honor (blue), bravery and resilience (red), and respect (sun in the middle). The eight rays of the sun symbolizes the provinces who joined in the revolution. The three stars (one in each corner of the white triangle) symbolizes the islands of the Philippines - Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The flag is almost threadbare and it is said to last for another 10 years before it totally turns to dust. You can check online clearer pictures of the flag.
You can visit the interactive museum from 10:00 to 4:00 Wednesdays to Sundays at Aguinaldo Park, Happy Glen Loop, Barangay Salud Mitra, Baguio City. The fee is PHP125.00.
READ & BREW
To end our museum tour, we relaxed at Read & Brew. This is located in Porta Vaga just across Baguio Cathedral. What I like about this place is how breezy it is and how bright and pleasant it is. Books lined one side of the cafe. You are free to read any of those if you like. They have free wifi and you can charge your gadgets as well.
We ordered our drinks and cake. The carrot cake is one of the best carrot cakes I have ever tasted. The texture and taste of it is just perfect. It is not too sweet which is right to my taste. The salted caramel cheesecake although not too sweet either is too creamy and thick in consistency.
Notice the book "Memoirs of the Revolution." That is the book I bought in the Aguinaldo Museum. Some of his memoirs have not been published yet and probably may never will be. This is because of the differences in political beliefs which is hindering the publication.
What I like about this cafe is that they a promo now to build their library. For 2-3 books you donate, you get free drink of any kind or size. For 4-5 books, you get free meal. For 7 and more, you get free meal and drink. How cool is that? Bring 7 books every mealtime and you can eat for free!
This ends our walk for today. Join me next time.
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