In February 2016, Baby’s sisters, Ma. Caridad ‘Charito’ Sutton, from England and Ma. Cecilia ‘Cecille’ from California came to the Philippines. Her brother from Davao City, Isidro ‘Jojo’ Ahorro also joined us. We stayed at the Mountain Lodge at # 27 Leonard Wood Rd. This is the old vacation house of my aunty Margarita “Tina” Araneta Singh, which her daughter, Karmir Singh McCann developed and expanded into a family Hotel. It is now managed by her granddaughter, Jennine McCann Chan. My family of four stayed in the old master’s bedroom, while my - in - laws stayed in the old girls’ rooms. Just across the road is the white Laperal ghost house at # 14 Leonard Wood Rd.
After Baby had her triple bypass in August 2017, and, especially, after she became bed bound, peg fed and oxygen dependent on May 15, 2022, I no longer expected to visit and see Baguio again. Since we discovered her kidney disease in 2007, I have never spent a night away from Baby. Since 2007, we have been on overnight stays only once to Baguio City and twice to Tagaytay City.
We had a Thursday veranda merienda and a Good Friday Japanese lunch at the BCC. On Holy Thursday evening, we had an exotic private home dinner at 113 Wagner Café. On Good Friday evening we celebrated Cuchie’s 54th birthday at the house with a home order of pasta, pizza and chicken.
On Saturday, we went to Mt. Camisong Forest Park and Events in Sitio Paday, Itogon, Benguet. We took the Ambuklao Road in the northeast direction. We passed by the Alphaland Baguio Mountain Lodges which has been mentioned in the Flood Control Ghost Projects Scam.
It is a 10 hectare (25 acres) eco park and is in the Lower Agno Watershed Forest Reserve. It opened on February 1, 2025. It has free shuttle service from Pacdal, Baguio City. It features the ‘Alapaap’ glass walkway, ‘Kahilom’ hiking trails, nature bathing, 4 x 4 off-roading, camping and several restaurants including a food court. We ate a delicious lunch on a view deck that overlooks valleys and mountains.
Our biggest disappointment of our four - day vacation was the Good Shepherd souvenir shop. It was closed from Thursday to Saturday. My other disappointment was that I had a bucket list of things to do, see and visit but I failed to do most of it. We never stepped on Session Rd., Burnham Park, Baguio City market or Mines View Park. We mainly stayed in the southwest part and never crossed over to the northeast part of the city. We failed to show my grandchildren most of the old places that we used to enjoy in earlier and younger years and days.
Hope this was not the last time for me to enjoy with my family in the City of Pines!
#WeTakeAStand #OpinYon #OpinYonNews