Nothing beats the sumptuous feeling we got when me and my wife walked together at Camp John Hay and saw and experienced a display of nature in its coolest way. It's a rare experience in the summer capital of the Philippines.
The Bell House of Camp John Hay. Named after General Franklin Bell, commanding general of the Philippines at the time of PH-USA. Used to be a vacation house before but now, it's one of the main stops of the camp that features historical mementos.
The secret garden of Camp John Hay boasts its flora and fauna in a gelid atmosphere. One of the best places in the camp where families may fellowship with each other while strolling around.
Camp John Hay is home to thousands of trees if not millions. It comprises pine trees, a lot of coffee plants, and bamboo culms.
Its land mass is around 213 hectares, perfect for holding recreational involving nature. Activities like cable adventures, hiking, firing, horseback riding, and many more are what the camp makes more enjoyable.
The weather here is so predictable. Most of the time, it rains, and humidity is always low so you always get the most shivering breeze. I got some intimate time with my wife when no one can interrupt.
The Bell Amphitheater, another work of the commanding general. It's just a few steps from the Bell House and is surrounded by flowers. It's amazing to know how this place survives during the Japanese inquisition.
The European-inspired theater is now commonly used for events like wedding photoshoots, concerts, parties, and some public events. Here's a perfect photo of the entirety of the theater.
Another interesting place of the camp is its History Trail which displays the Camp John Hay's history in frames and notes. While walking around, we discover how this camp evolve from time immemorial, and how it is discovered and protected.
As we were heading towards the exit of the camp, we passed by the last part we wanted to unveil, it's the Cemetery of Negativism. It is a cemetery where someone buries their negativities in life. Grave names there were very inspiring.
Took me some time to write my first Wednesday walk, but here's what I am so excited to share.
It was a rainy Wednesday of August 24 this year when my wife told me that we were heading out to our last destination in Baguio. We took the risk of getting soaked while walking around the big Camp John Hay.
I honestly forgot that that day was my birthday and only then my wife reminded me when we arrived at the place. She said it was part of the trip(she handles our itineraries) and sort of part of the gift I am about to receive at the end of the day.
Camp John Hay was indeed one of the pride of Baguio when it comes to tourist magnets. It highlights how beautiful nature is in a cold setting and especially in a tropical country like the Philippines where biodiversity is somehow damaged and immature.
We were lucky to have that experience exclusively because as far as I remember, there were no other tourists around that time when we were there. Aside from the rain that hinders the crowd to roll down the area, it was during the weekdays when we paid a visit so there were not many people around. In addition to the cold breeze and rain droplets from pine trees, we felt the calming vibe throughout the whole camp.
On the lower part of the camp stands the Manor, an old-fashioned restaurant best fit for a dinner date. But we already had our schedule set for the day and we were soaked in wet.
Overall, it was an amazing experience together with my wife. We highly recommend Baguio City to our friends and loved ones and we will surely make a second visit soon!
All photos were taken by the author.