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Baguio Panagbenga Festival 2012: The Parade!

Wednesday, February 29, 2012


'Panagbenga Festival' (English: Flower Festival) is a month-long annual flower festival occurring in Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines.[1] The term is of Malayo-Polynesian origin, meaning "season of blooming".[1] The festival, held during the month of February, was created as a tribute to the city's flowers and as a way to rise up from the devastation of the 1990 Luzon earthquake.[2] The festival includes floats that are decorated with flowers unlike those used in Pasadena's Rose Parade. The festival also includes street dancing, presented by dancers clad in flower-inspired costumes, that is inspired by the Bendian, an Ibaloi dance of celebration that came from the Cordillera region.[3] (Wikipedia)
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Although we went home late (past our curfew! ;D) the night before the festival and became pretend-groupies (lol) of Sponge Cola in their Baguio gig... We set our alarms super early so we can all prepare for the highlight of this trip: The Panagbenga Parade!

Nakakatawa, the night before, nag uunahan pa kami na "Ako una maliligo a!" "Next ako!" But when our alarm went off ng 4:30am (Ava's phone)...walang gustong bumangon! Napilitan nalang ako since gising nadin, and nilamig lang naman ng bongga while trying to figure out the weird heater system of Villa Edita! ;P Tinakot ko pa sarili ko, ang dilim and lamig pa kasi!


Ready for the Flower Festival!
Red Bowler Hat - Bugis, Singapore
Blue Floral Shirt - Department Store
Gold Necklace - Robinsons Department Store
Patrol Shorts - Herbench
Purple Flats - Landmark
Brown Sling Bag - Vintage


We found ourselves sa dead-end when we reached the kanto of Session Road, bawal na ang vehicles so we decided to walk!


Pax's relative in Baguio texted her na they already set up their latags as early as 5am! Para maganda ang view during the parade!


Nung malapit na kami sa PLDT office (we will watch the parade from their roof deck), streets slowly filled up. And I noticed that throughout the festivities, kahit madaming tao, they never removed their jackets dahil malamig! :)


...WOW! Full house nadin pala sa other side!!!!


Braved the crowd ng inaantok pa! Someone even spilled Coke sa shoes ko! :P Good thing we will watch sa roof deck, kundi chaos! Thank you PLDT!


Finally reached PLDT building, and had breakfast first!


At around 8am, we went up the roof deck and picked our spots!
Then the band started marching! Bentang benta ang Moves Like Jagger this year, mga 10x pinatugtog! Hehe!

Korean invasion!



The Angry Birds craze! Siguro next year Temple Run float naman, lol.


One of my favorites: Star Wars float!



Woot! Darth Vader in da house! :D


Can you spot Queen Amidala and an Ewok? :D


Super detailed floats like SM's dragon mesmerized the festival-goers!


Check out the details!!!! PANALO!

Media invasion! Top networks in our country had their own floats during the parade!

TV5's float:


GMA 7's My Beloved float, featuring celebrity couple Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera:







THERE goes a little wave!


I love IT'S SHOWTIME float! The crowd went wild!

They were playing the Showtime theme song, while the artistas in the float were wildly waving and singing...along with the huge Baguio crowd! :D Yan ang festive float!

Spotted Ryan Bang, Kuya Kim, Jong Hilario, Kit Kat, and even Jugs and Teddy!




AYUN! Si Vice Ganda!!!


I love his energy! Vice Ganda waved here and there, smiling to the crowd while singing along their show's theme!



Aegis float:

The final float with a moon and sun from DOT!


Pax and Ava! They got the best view, perhaps? :)



During the whole parade, we were able to update our FB and Twitter accounts (and my Instagram! :)) fast via PLDT WiFi! We were given pins like this every 30 minutes, kaya sorry naman if I flooded your time lines with pictures of the interesting floats! :D Haha! Alam nyo naman ang blogger pag nabigyan ng free unli internet! ;)

WiFi Zone is the premium WiFi service powered by PLDT that lets you enjoy the strongest connections even outside your home. Now in over 3, 500 areas, there's no need to ask for pins every time, so that's minus the hassle. All you need is one WiFi ID (username and password). I think it's also an affordable offer, just add P150 for unlimited WiFi for myDSL subscribers, or P300 for landline subscribers on top of your monthly service fee. Eto nga ata yung pinipilit sa akin ng dad ko na kunin na service, haha!


Bloggers Pax, Tracy, and Calvin taking pictures of the parade:


PLDT WiFi Zone covered the whole Session Road, Burnham Park, and Mines View Park during the whole Panagbenga Festival! They also did this during the Sinulog in Cebu, which I find really cool. Conquering the different festivals all-over the country, I feel that PLDT WiFi in a way helps support our tourism since more people can update their families and friends all over the world with the lovely pictures and happenings in our country.

I wonder where they will be heading to next?

BEFORE


AFTER


My very first Panagbenga Festival experience wouldn't be this FUN without this great company! :)


I wonder what festival I'll be experiencing next!
Where will you be heading to this summer, and would want PLDT to set-up their WiFi zone din? :)
Benta siguro kung whole stretch of Boracay, from Station 1 to 3, naka PLDT WiFi! :D

Baguio Day 1: On Early Call Time, Food Trips, and Sponge Cola Gig

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

I'm actually excited that it's another day to blog about ze Baguio experience with PLDT Wifi (I know, OA, hehe), I wanted to post everything na yesterday when I got home and woke up after a short siesta  (excited? lol), but I had to control myself in the fear of flooding your timeline, gushing over this awesomesauce vacation--which is a FIRST TRIP with my blogger sisters! Hindi pa nga kami nagssleep over kahit sa Manila, so imagine kung gaano ako ka excited for this!


Anyway, Baguio was also the perfect place for outfit shots! Alamnyoyan, hindi ako masyado maoutfit posts, but who can resist a few snaps kung ganito naman ang view? :D


Navy Blue Sweater with Floral Peter Pan Collar - Penshoppe
Red Shorts na nilamig ako - Landmark
Silver Flats - Katies -- foldable, great for pack-light trips!
Brown Sling Bag - Vintage
Men's Watch - Timex

I love this cutesy collar detail with my new Penshoppe top... Floral, very Panagbenga! Lol.

First day kwentos...

Since our call time in SM North Edsa's Mcdo ay napakaagang 4am, I decided to pack my bags earlier and sleptover at Pax's apartment in Cubao. 

I slept like a baby, while Pax still worked the whole night sa isa sa kaniyang one million online jobs (at nanuod pa daw siya ng PBB, hehe). Kaya plakda siya and si Mich on our early morning road trip to the City of Pines, hehe..


Seatmates


Yeheees sa pic ano! Ako na paparazzi! Hehe!


I woke up hours later, after hearing the people in front of us opening their windows and feeling the cold breeze indicating na wala na nga kami sa Manila!



Seeing families na naguunahan magpapicture sa rebulto made me miss trips like this with my Crazy Gonzales:


Baguio Angels Super Disco Club, yo! ;D


We decided to grab lunch first before heading to our hotel (alam na kung ano ang priority! hehe)

Fruit vendors in front of the famous Cafe by the Ruins!


Kagigising lang: Me, Aisa Ipac, Tracy Ayson, and Ava Te!



With our new friends! Blogger Calvin Lo and wife Tia, and Ms. Arianne and Ms. Odie:

What we had:
Panalo ang bread! I am not into breads, but ang sarap nitooo (must be the cheese!)





Of course, I had my caffeine intake:

Yummy vegetarian pasta:

Lumpia!



Back in our van


Finally, our home for the weekend: Villa Edita!



Orientation first! :)


Learned more about PLDT Wifi Zone, so of course take advantage ako and uploaded several pictures through my Instagram even while I'm on the road! :) Ang dami lang comments ni Mom and ng mga kapatid ko, lol, but at least updated sila sa happenings ko! :)


...Then chill-mode for the rest of the day. :)


Santa? Chos.


Headed out for some Baguio strolling (no choice din at super traffic because of the festival! ;D)


Love this pic! The colorful bloggers in Baguio! ;) Feeling SATC, local version. Hehe:


Ok, hingal na si Carrie Bradshaw, lol:


Taho break! They have strawberry sauce for the taho! :D


Yummy hot taho! Lalo na ang lamig kasi!


Our first Baguio sunset :)



Hindi nagtatapos ang kainan sa taho! I had corn...

More street foodies!


Dinner in Zola, Session Road (yup, walang katapusan ang kainan dito! :))





The whole gang!


Then off to SM Baguio with the girls! Adventure nito, parang high school uli ako ang daming kalokohan! ;D


Starbucks break before heading to a Sponge Cola gig, which entailed a loooong walk!


Ended our first night in Baguio with Sponge Cola overload, ang saya ko! :)

Yael!!! <3 Super benta sa akin ang mga hirit, haha! And binati niya si Tracy from the stage! :D


They sang our all-time faves: Di Na Mababawi, Tuliro, Crazy for You (classic!), Bitiw, and of course, ang last song: JEEPNEY! Oh college memories! :)

Naalala ko ang mga gabi-hing! Nakahiga sa ilalim ng kalawakan!


With Sponge Cola's Gosh Dilay! He composed Tuliro and Di Na Mababawi, to name a few!

Fun night!!! Dahil maaga ang gising for the Panagbenga parade, we didn't drink kahit gapatak na alcohol! :D Sus! Kaya naman pala e! ;) Haha!



Thanks to Tracy, Ms. PR kid, we met the band!!!! AKKK!!!! Fan girl na kung fan girl, and wala nadin akong pake kahit epic fail tong pic nato (ako pa ang naputol, haha)!


CRAZY NIGHT!



I remembered during our long (and oa cold) walks, I told Pax na parang more than a day na tayo dito a! First day down, and this Baguio trip is already one for the books! I love the weather, I LOVE the food, I love the crazy antics I had in SM (secret na naming 4 yun! haha), and the fact that I don't feel oa in my outfit just because I'm with people who also don't care about stares, and would wear glittered pumps or heart-printed stockings while trekking Session Road. Just because. And idagdag pa, mameet mo ba naman ang Sponge Cola at makikanta ng Jeepney with them!!! Akkk!!! Other than that, I got to know more about Pax, Tracy and Ava during our heart-to-heart talks, and the fact that they're easy to be with and you don't have to put up an act when you're around them. Which is a cool thing and which is why I just love travelling with friends. <3