touring but not a tourist

I came back to Baguio (hometown) for a short holiday. A day before traveling back home, my friend, SJ, and I were chatting and the conversation went to

"Why don't you come with me to Baguio then?" (I asked)

"...I'll think about it."

A few minutes before she logged out, she sent me an SMS:  "I'm going to Baguio with you!"

So, I guess she obtained parents' permission and whatever.

The next day, we met up and took the bus to Baguio. Before falling asleep, she turned to me and said:

"I want to experience Baguio in a different way -- not the normal tourist's thing."

Her statement reminded me of myself whenever I travel. I don't ever want the normal stuff that people do on tours. I want to experience it the way locals do. I guess not everyone is into the drop-by-tourist-site-and-take-lots-of-pictures-then-leave. :) That's not so bad but straying from the usual path leads you to discovering new treasures -- this doesn't just apply to traveling.

So, we arrived in Baguio 3:30AM on Halloween and we were greeted by the cold air of the morning. We took a cab home and buried ourselves under thick blankets until nine in the morning. My auntie told me she was going to the market, so I shook SJ awake so we could go with my auntie.

BAGUIO MARKET AT ~9AM

In my checklist, these are things that should be experienced when in Baguio...

1.  HAVE COFFEE WHILE WATCHING THE SUNRISE.

2.  VISIT THE MARKET! -- Try looking through the ukay-ukay too.

3.  GO OUT AND SEE BURNHAM IN THE MORNING (full of activity).

4.  HAVE A MEAL IN JACK's/50's DINER/SIZZLING PLATE.

5.  HAVE COFFEE WHILE WATCHING THE SUNSET.

6.  FIND A HIGH PLACE WHERE YOU CAN WATCH THE LIGHTS OF THE CITY AT NIGHT -- SM is good enough. :)

7.  GATHER AROUND A FIRE WHILE TELLING STORIES.

8.  TRY TAKING A BATH WITHOUT HEATING THE WATER (hahaha -- even I don't put up with the pure cold water :P).

well, the next two are just optional...

9.  If you like 'partying', visit the bars, etc.

10.  For Catholics (or interested tourists) go to Baguio Cathedral. It is a landmark of the city, after all.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

:>

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**photos are shot by SJ, edited by me**

 

Nail Enlightenment

I've admitted it before but I sure will admit it again:

I am a late bloomer.

I dunno if I can still call myself that. I've always been a fashion advocate since I was in Grade 4 (when I realized I loved everything that had to do with fashion)... BUT! At that time, I didn't know the science of it.

Get it?

Like in photography... I may love it but years ago, I wouldn't know how to produce the type of pictures that I admire.

[As of now, I'm still learning stuff on both. :P]

...but this is what I mean with nails too. 

I admired people who put an effort on their nails but I never wanted them on myself. Why? I was weird that way. I liked dresses and stuff but you'd never be able to make me wear one.

I am still weird like that. Hahaha.

The only nail stuff I owned exactly a year ago (OCTOBER 2009) was a cheap purple and blue polish I bought from the supermaket and a Caronia clear top coat.

Two months later, my collection started growing...

These are the cheaper ones of the collection... and the three on the left side are the first nailstuff I owned. I later bought two more (again, from the supermarket) -- the brown and the red.

I hated wearing polish though, coz they chipped and cracked especially when I was careless of what I did. I did cleaning and laundry with these cheap polishes so I hated painting my nails coz after a day or two (if I was lucky), I would have to take it off coz it looked like sh*t. Hahaha.

Since I wasn't a fan, I was reluctant of buying more expensive nail polishes but I gave in once and decided to try.

I first bought the Elianto Navy.

A really dark blue ~ almost black (something random: reminds me of my elementary school uniform :P). With the Caronia clear as the top coat, I discovered it didn't chip and crack as easily as the cheap ones I got from the supermarket.

15PHP (~0.3$) vs. 99PHP (~2$)

That's the price difference. :P

I learned splurging a little is worth it. Hahaha. :P I bought more of the not so cheap ones   and loved coloring my nails. I figured it would last longer if I used a more expensive clear top coat too... so I bought this:

Well, I proved that thought right... My nails didn't chip for a week. :)

When I'm too busy to bother myself with my nails, it could last more than a week without chipping but with the normal polish fading.

But that's bad, :P

My mother's favorite lady who does her nails told me not to leave polish more than 5-7 days. You have to take it off and re-do (if you really like a certain color/design).

If you're on a tight budget but still want longer-lasting nail colors: you may buy cheaper nail colors but make sure to splurge a little on the top coat. The clear top coat will prevent the cheaper nail polish from chipping. :)

Well, my collection didn't stop growing there...

but I don't have pics of it now... so maybe, next time :)

I have to get back to studying. :P