Tam-awan Village (Baguio-Benguet October 2012)

Baguio-Benguet October 2012

3. Tam-awan Village


Just a few minutes away from Bell Church in Pinsao Village, we went to Tam-awan Village. There's a man-made trail you can follow. Along the way you can see huts, anitos and art installations within nature.

The trail was not that well-kept but at the end of the trail you come in a cafe with artwork. A museum with local artists' collections.

Entrance for children is Php20.00. For students and seniors is Php30.00 and for adults is Php50.00.

 

Entrance to Tam-awan Village.

 

 



 

A giant multicolored crocodile you'll find in the entrance.

 

 

 

Stone anitos along the trail.

 

 

 

These are bones hanging over the bridge.

 

 

 

Wooden sculpture on the other side of the bridge.

 

 

 

The gentlemen up the mountain. Hats off to Jerome for making it thru!

 

 

Lots of local flora to keep the trail pretty.

 

Bell Church (Baguio-Benguet October 2012)

Baguio-Benguet October 2012

2. Bell Church

Everyone was tired from the trip to Balatoc Mines so we all agreed for a nap after lunch. We bought pasalubong at Mines View before our siesta so that we still have time to stroll around tomorrow.

 

The Bell Church sign in their lawn.

 

 

We reached the Bell Church around 4:00PM. The inner gardens were already closed by this time. It's only open on the weekend and every Saturday it's open between 8:00AM-4:00PM. Nonetheless, we still had a good time taking in the view of the temple.

 

It looked like we were in China.
 

 

 

 

We weren't able to view the smaller gazebos.



 

 

Lotus flower in the temple's octagon pond.

 

 

 

We're taking in the beautiful scenery.

 

 

 Some kids are practicing kung fu in the other side of the courtyard.

 

 

 

The Bell of the Temple

 

 

It is free to visit the Bell Church. Open from 8:00AM-5:00PM everyday take the time to visit this hidden momument of the Baguio-Benguet border.

Lunch at Little John's, Camp John Hay (Baguio-Benguet 2012)

Baguio-Benguet October 2012

After a longer travel back to Baguio from Balatoc Mines, we took a taxi to Camp John Hay Mile Hi Center. We checked a few outlet shops and found out that SNR and Duty Free have better prices.

Finally, we settled on Little John's in one of the center stalls.

Our group in Little John's waiting for lunch to be served.

 

 



 

Another foodie moment for the both of us.

 

Behind us are artwork made out of crayons and the paper placemats from our table.

 

 

Little John's famous Baby Back Ribs

 

 

Our Baby Back Ribs for only Php155.00. Before end of lunch service, the ribs were all sold.

 

 

Check their reasonably priced menu.



Balatoc Mines Tour (Baguio-Benguet 2012)

Baguio-Benguet October 2012

1. Exploring Balatoc Mines

We freshen up in less than an hours I've advised my friends that it will be warmer when we go to Balatoc Mines in Benguet. Most of us were in shorts.

From Baguio down to Benguet took 30 mins travel via taxi and it's a long and winding road. Taxi fare was Php500.00 and we split it evenly between the 5 of us. That's Php100.00 each,

Note to self: Ask the taxi to wait for us so that we don't have to wait for the next vacant jeepney to take us back to Baguio. We went to Balatoc Mines on a weekend and most of the locals are travelling also.

We arrived earlier in Benguet Corporation's Balatoc Mines around 8:00AM Saturday morning. As the first group there, the musuem was opened to us and we were provided hard hats and boots.

 

The tour fee is Php250.00 per adult and Php150.00 per child.

 

 

That's Presley, me, Jerome and Ma-anne with the Benguet Corporation's homage to the miners.

 

We had a guide for the whole tour. We were given a walkthru on the history of the mines and the equipment they are still using.

 



 

Our guide, I looked at her ID but I forgot her name. Sorry, Ate.

 

We were walking towards the tunnel along train tracks.

 

Miners spends hours in their holes so a worker would be pushing the toilet car in their aside areas.

 

Fool's gold

 

Jayson and I inside the Vegas Tunnel of Balatoc Mines
 

 

 

Inside the mine

I was able to hold a working diamond drill. The machine was noisy but it was not that hard to do. The vibration from the machine is light. I had the assistance of the best miner of Balatoc mines by my side when I tried it.

We saw a big anaconda which is the miner's wind blower and like the diamond drill it created a loud sound.

This is the head of the "anaconda"

 

 





 

 

The boys holding on to the dynamite that is going to explode in a few moments.

 

The tour includes us experiencing a dynamite blast with the half stick of dynamite of the miner's is going to ignite. It was something I will never forget. It was over quickly but we were amazed with power of the blast.

 

 

 

The tunnel is filling up with smoke from the blast. We had to go out the way we came in.

 

 

Our group's photo after the tour.

 

Each of us was given our certificates proving we've completed the Balatoc Mines Tour.

 

 

It took us 40 minutes to almost an hour to get in a vacant jeepney. So if you're going to the mines in a taxi, ask kindly if your driver can wait for you.

 

The Balatoc Mines Tour concluded after an hour. Overall, we had fun with this activity.

 



Baguio-Benguet October 2012

Baguio is one of the most accessible vacation spots especially when it's summer. I made my first trip up there almost 4 years ago. My friend Mae took to me to the usual places. This time around I wanted our experience to be different. My friends and I had visited the usual parks and gardens on our first or second or third trip so I wanted it to be a new experience. We can still visit the parks and gardens after we see other sights.

After hours of research, I've narrowed down 3 must-go places I wanted us to visit.

I've picked Balatoc Mines, Bell Church and Tam-awan Village.

We left on the 11:55PM  bus Friday night via Victory Liner and with the road contruction on some areas we managed to reached Baguio City around 6:00AM.

Since we slept for most of the time, we were all hungry after the bus ride. We walked around Upper Session Road from the Victory Liner Terminal and found an open Bulalohan.

Just outside the terminal's exit are taho vendors selling strawberry taho. Of course, I can't resist and tried it for Php15.00.

Taho with strawberry preserves

Bulalo and rice for Php60.00

 

 

A2 Ragged Hill Bulalohan

 

 

Our breakfast was simple. The bulalo was so-so, enough to fill our grumbling bellies. We headed to our transient house in front of Mines View Condominium.