Roofdeck View, Rosewood Pointe, Taguig

Outside Fort Bonifacio Global City (FBGC) in Taguig City, Metro Manila, there are rising residential and commercial areas across C5 road. Among these areas is Rosewood Pointe. My two clubmates in our Rotary Club of Taguig Fort Bonifacio (RI D3830), Mike Michener and girlfriend Patty, live there.

Last April, our club held a planning workshop for the coming term of PE Regie Necio, succeed outgoing President Meann de Leon, at the penthouse of Rosewood, Ivory Tower. Nice place.

It is a restaurant at the penthouse of the building. Nice view of the surrounding residential and commercial areas.

Ok, these are the two towers of Rosewood Pointe. Ivory tower is on the left. Mike and Patty live on the other tower on the right. Not from my camera phone, I got this from the web.

One of the roads going to Taguig City proper, passing by the condo.

The skyscrapers at the background are among the buildings of Makati and FBGC.

Old and new residential condos, towards C5 road.

Old, medium-rise condo buildings next to Rosewood. My sister in law lives in one of these buildings.

Thanks Mike and Patty, for the visit to the building. Mike and Patty have also hosted us in the past for some club and family swimming and recreation at their nice village.

Kennon Road Going to Baguio

There are three roads to go to Baguio. Coming from Manila by car, the shorter and more scenic route is via Kennon Road. The second option is via Marcos Highway, but this is longer, about 20 kilomters farther. The third is via Naguilian Road, for vehicles coming from Ilocos. Kennon Road is narrower compared to Marcos highway. Thus, only cars and vans are allowed to use it. Buses and big trucks take Marcos highway.

I took this photo on our ascent to Baguio last May 16, 2014. Beautiful waterfalls. During the rainy season and "ber" months, the water should be huge and strong.

This and succeeding photos I took on our descent last May 18, 2014. I was driving at a relaxing speed, I just signed the cars following me to go ahead and overtake when there are no on-coming vehicles on the other lane.

Big trees, wide forested area. But this is the dipterocarp forest area, lower than Baguio, which has pine forest.

In the mid to late 90s, when I was an active road cyclist, me and some friends at our Neopolitan Cycling Club in Fairview, QC, would go up to Baguio to watch the Marlboro Tour stages in Baguio, and the lap on Kennon Road is always the most punishing for the riders.

Most part of Kennon road now has a shoulder, meaning wider road. But there are still portions that are narrow and undergoing re-blocking and repairs.

Many hills and mountains, mostly well-forested.

If one is not rushing to go back to Manila, I advice that drivers would descend slow, stop at some areas and take photos, enjoy the clean air.

This river has little or no water on its bed. But when the rainy season comes, this river can be rampaging with huge volume of flash flood.

Beautiful Baguio, beautiful Kennon road.
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See also:
Baguio-La Union, December 24, 2004
North Philippines, Feb. 2002 (part 2), November 20, 2005
Sagada-Banaue, December 23, 2005
Elle and Bien at Camp John Hay, Baguio City, June 29, 2014

Elle and Bien at Camp John Hay, Baguio City

Last May 16-18, 2014, I brought my family to Baguio City, a famous mountain city (average elevation about 4,500 feet above sea level). We stayed at a friend's ancestral house, see Veloso Ancestral House, Baguio City.  Camp John Hay, a former American military R&R area, is the most beautiful resort to visit. It is big, open to the public for free.

The two girls naturally insisted that they ride a horse. It's P250 per horse for 30 minutes ride. There are guides who rein the horse so they won't run.

John Hay is famous for its big and wide forested area. So many pine trees, fresh air. The two girls enjoyed their ride of course.

A pathway for the horses and visitors.

Bien Mary imagined that she is Rafunzel in one of the Barbie movies.

While Elle Marie imagined that she is another pony-riding cartoon character.

I walked along with the girls, following them and taking their photos. It's nice taking this path.

Nice, cool John Hay.

The girls said they want to go back there again. Sure, in another long weekend  or summer vacation.
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See also:
Elle Marie and Bien Mary, Part 3, August 21, 2013
Elle Marie is 7, Bien Mary is 3, October 06, 2013
Bien Mary's Moving up Day, April 05, 2014

Veloso Ancestral House, Baguio City

Last May 16-18, 2014, I brought my family to Baguio City. We stayed at the house of a friend from Congress Mountaineers, Uly Veloso. It's called an "ancestral house" because they inherited it from Uly's grandparents (or even one generation earlier) and Uly has a child now, the 4th or 5th generation in the family. It's an old but beautiful house with a nice and beautiful location.

It's on Aurora Hill, has a good view of portions of Baguio City proper.

The road below the front yard.

Uly's mother, Eunice Veloso, is the only one living there. She's a nice, warm and friendly lady. I met her last January this year after our group, Congress Mountaineers, descended from Mt. Pulag. We stayed overnight at Uly's house for a belated fellowship as we did not have the chance to have even a modest party in Mt. Pulag. It was freezingly cold.

It was my wife's birthday too, on our 3rd and last day in Baguio. These two photos taken before we left the house and descended back to Manila. The two girls enjoyed briefly playing with their Lola Eunice.