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Saturday, August 23, 2003
Revisit
By RUBY G. LIM
FLOWERS.... strawberries... ethnic art in Baguio ... log cabin in the highlands of Tagaytay ... lunch at Antonio’s... it didn’t sound like the usual cosmopolitan vacation. But thanks to Sars and the travel bug, we drew up a plan to revisit Baguio and Tagaytay with several elementary and high school friends, since foreign travel was ruled out. We chose these places because majority of us had not been there for over 20 years. Herbert Cang said he had never set foot at all in Baguio or Tagaytay so he was asked to tag along, our only male escort.
Pulling our resources together, Aida Padilla, EVP of Philippine National Bank quickly got hold of Manor House at Camp John Hay. I was able to touch base immediately with Marietta Cuenco Cuyegkeng, through the modern technology of a cellular phone, who said she was joining our impromptu tour and that we were most welcome to stay at her log cabin at the Tagaytay highlands.
At a chance meeting with Lino Libron of Circle Transport, Aida got hold of a 20-seater coach with driver at a discounted price.
Visit Philippines was an adventure full of pleasant surprises. For one, the stops along the expressway were of international standards. Gas stations featured air-conditioned restrooms, a grocery mart, coffee shops, fastfood chains like Starbucks, Jollibee, Mcdonald’s, Cinnabon, to ensure conveniences for land travel.
After a comfortable two-hour drive, we reached the highlands of Tagaytay. Winding through the Woodlands, rows of log cabins lining the landscaped hillsides provided a breathtaking view. We felt we were in the woods of California or Seattle.
As we approached 9 Maple Drive, our hostess and long-time school chum Marietta was waiting for us together with Marissa Borromeo Diego, another batch mate from Assumption College. The air was cool and refreshingly clean. Upon entering the house, we were greeted by the fragrant smell of cedar wood. The interior of the house was beautifully finished with articles from Marietta and Tony’s frequent sojourns; a kangaroo rug from Australia, a carpet from Turkey, a collection of antique pistols from India and Europe, furniture from Davao, hand-woven wall hangings from Baguio a fascinating collection of wooden art which reflected the couple’s sense of adventure and discriminating taste.
Our short two-day stay found us at “Recuerdo’s Crafts” where Ninette Garcia, Jean Teves and Diana Ledesma found beautiful antique furniture and wooden pieces reasonably priced and impossible to resist. The shop owner happily agreed to ship out the purchases to Cebu. Restaurant hopping was a high priority as evidenced by our reed thin figures and so we soon found ourselves at “Leslies” which looked down on scenic Taal Lake. Next we got on our coaster and tackled the narrow road leading to the popular “Antonio’s” which accepts guests only on “reservation”.
Since we were early, we viewed the gardens landscaped with blooming flowers, ponds, lanterns. Describing the gardens and restaurant would be an injustice. To see is to appreciate and be imbued by its beauty and ambiance. The food was a gourmet’s delight. I never appreciated steak and leafy green salad before. After tasting Antonio’s salad, freshly picked from its vegetable garden mixed with raspberry vinaigrette and its T-bone steak grilled to perfection, my penchant for Chinese food took a backseat. “Antonio’s” was a culinary experience worth every peso.
Manor House
Baguio city was unrecognizable. It seemed to have a vitality of its own. The Manor House at Camp John Hay was luxuriously comfortable and we were treated to a delightful two-bedroom suite overlooking its well cared for gardens and waterfalls. Food was excellent. Session Road was jampacked with people. Mines View Park was a shopper’s paradise. Anita San Jose, Rebecca Albano and Nellie Antigua went bargain hunting for shawls, silver jewelry, and blankets. Narda’s was a happy discovery and gave us discounts on place mats, wall hangings. Diana and Marietta found beautiful pieces of unique camagong furniture shaped from thick slabs of wood. After practically buying up the whole store, we were treated to delicious arroz caldo and chicken mami by Narda Capulong herself.
Meeting Ben Cab
Visiting Baguio would not be complete without a trip to “Cafe by the Ruins”, which was re-built as a “tambayan” for artists and friends. Formerly a residence of the former governor of Benguet, except for a wall and gazebo, it was destroyed and obliterated in 1944 by American forces in pursuit of the retreating Japanese Imperial Army. The highlight of our trip was a visit to the house of one of our country’s acclaimed artists, Ben Cabrera, popularly known as Ben Cab, who created the baffling street woman “Sabel”.
Not knowing what to expect from a renowned artist, Ben Cab was a complete surprise. His residence was perched on a hill and he brought us to his lofty studio flattered by natural sunlight filtering in through windowpanes and a high ceiling. Clusters of photographs of his family and friends adorned one wall, but what caught one’s eye immediately were the Ben Cab canvasses and paintings hanging on one side of the house, with a few still to be completed. Tubes of paint and brushes were lying around. It was exhilarating to realize that we were actually seeing art in the making! Ben Cab toured us around his pad, showing us his rare collection of wooden sculptures of gods. He brought us to his Bonsai garden and walking to the back of his house, we found ourselves in a Japanese-inspired garden complete with cascading waterfalls and a guesthouse. It exuded tranquility and order, a perfect place for creating masterpieces.
To top off the visit, the artist asked us to pose for pictures and it felt great to be standing beside him with his paintings as backdrop. Behind the fame and a creative mind was a warm person, friendly, unassuming and amazingly hospitable ... indeed, one of God’s masterpieces.
Parting ways in Manila, we pledged to visit another destination next year. It was a great escape for a few days and we realized there was yet so much to see ... Vigan ... Palawan ... Boracay.... Mayon Volcano.... Bohol.
Wow Philippines... its God’s beautiful gift to the Filipino people. |
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