Baguio Cathedral

Today's Ash Wednesday, by the way, so I thought I'd write about one of the religious structures Baguio City is famous for - The Baguio Cathedral.

This church is probably one of the oldest structures here in Baguio City, being built in the 1920's although historical records show that the sanctity of the place was known far earlier among the Ibalois and the first missionaries to come here (wikipedia). It took years before the actual church was built, but the beauty and grandeur of the church was well worth the time and effort put in.

I am not a regular church goer, but I do go there every once in a while with my girlfriend (especially when her parents come up from Ilocos). It was in one of these visits that I noticed why this church is considered to be one of the most beautiful landmarks of Baguio City, and justifiably why it has graced over the front page of local postcards.

The outside architecture of the Cathedral is like many other churches, with towering twin spires that can be seen easily from different points in the city. It's rose colored facade is so simple but offers great contrast with the crimson roof. An arc at the stair entrance welcomes every visitor and tourist, which then opens to a wide tiled ground that serves as an extension for people to stay whenever the inside is full. Several structures like the statue of the holy family and a fountain dedicated to Our Lady of Atonement stands to greet every soul seeking to enter.

 

The majesty of the church is not only observed from the outside, since the interior of the church is equally (if not more) appealing and solemn. The altar is adorned with statues, as well as intricate wood patterns seen in traditional churches. Every wall of the church is adorned with ornate stained glass windows depicting the stories of the Holy family and other saints.

An small area outside the Cathedral Church which houses the different statues of saints allows visitors to light candles and pray. Many people even drop letters, wishes and prayers in the glass cases hoping that they would be heard.

The Cathedral is an embodiment of religious beauty, and a place where those seeking refuge and quiet rest can go to...hmm, how much closer can you get to God than here in this sanctuary up in the highlands? : )

As today is Ash Wednesday, here is something the priest said this morning:

"It doesn't matter if you're rich or poor, powerful or not, because when the time comes for us to die, we are all equal...from dust we came, unto dust we shall all return...be humble...let no one think highly of himself or herself..."

Panagbenga 2013 Schedule of Activities

..just thought I'd share this...

I know this is a bit late, considering that it's already the second week of the month long Flower Festival here in Baguio City.

However, the best events (Session Road in Bloom, Grand Float Parade, etc.) are usually scheduled at the later parts of the month, so for those of you who are wondering what's up this last 2 weeks of the Panagbenga Festival, here is the scheduled events and activities.

The Landscaping Contest is now open in Burnham Park by the way, and here are some of the displays.

Sizzling Plate: Ready to Sizzle?

There are many places to eat here in Baguio City, and one of my favorites is Sizzling Plate. There are presently 3 branches: one in Carino Street, another in Session Road, and another in SM mall.

Aside from the menu, one of the things that attract me to this place is the country-style architecture of the restaurant, which is suitable for a place where majority of the native population grew up listening to folk, rock, and country music.

The outside walls are designed in faux wood and stone tiles. Inside, one will see the interior walls lined with natural panels of yellow pine wood, with dark, sinuous lines and wood grains varnished to a wonderful shine, while the wooden chairs and tables are reminiscent of a simple and quaint country home. On a personal note, the Carino branch seems to me to have the best set up, complete with old posters (some Spanish) in glass frames and a shaded veranda for diners who prefer to eat outside.

Photo Credit

Of course, you're not here simply to look at the building, eh?

So on to the menu.

DISCLAIMER: Each of us were blessed with a unique personality, and with equally unique taste buds - so don't just take my word about the food - go taste them yourself. In addition, I took the pictures using my cellphone, so I'm really sorry about the picture quality.

Like many others, one of the very first things that I look at when dining in a restaurant are the prices - and you'll be happy to note that the most expensive meal they have here is the Australian Porterhouse priced at Php 283. The prices in their menu starts from Php 150 without drinks. Sodas and beer are priced at Php 35 and Php 50, respectively. So you can basically have a nice date here for more or less Php 500.

When you're seated, waiters will immediately come and set the table for you - paper mats, spoons and forks and knives and the menu. After you're done choosing and ordering, they will bring you warm "Soup of the Day" for appetizer, which in our case was mushroom soup.

This is not the first time we dined here, and basically tasted most of the food in the menu. This time though, I decided to order my all time favorite dish here, the "Grilled Double Pork Chop" while my fiance ordered "Salisbury Steak."

Salisbury Steak

Grilled Double Pork Chop

After that very heavy meal, we had a desert of sansrival cake. There are other deserts there that you can try like their lengua de gato and others. You can also take home an order of one whole of their sansrival cake for Php 400 - Php 500.

So if you're planning to eat here with your family and friends or spend Valentines Day with your special someone here, here are some things that you need to be aware of.

1. All three branches (Carino, Session, SM) are almost always full during lunch and dinner, so will have to either come earlier. In our case, we prefer going at 1 pm for a late lunch, when the place is relatively quiet and calm.

2. There is ample parking space in Carino and SM, but you may have a hard time looking for a place to park your car in Session.

3. Food takes about 15-20 minutes to arrive, but the waiter will be serving soup immediately anyway, so you won't feel the long wait.

4. If you are going to order sansrival for dessert, be sure to tell the waiter to serve it after you've had your meal, otherwise, they will serve it immediately and it will melt while you're chomping on your steak.

Well, that's it for now.