How has it been the past few days? We gave our staff a nice Christmas dinner treat at Harborview by the Bay after a toast in the office for a job well done the past few months. During the weekend, we were able to finally buy the curtains for my home office, the living room and entrance windows.  After a few days, we drove off to Baguio via Marcos Highway.  It is really so much easier now than decades ago thanks to the construction of the NLEX and SCTEX.  We bought a city map of Baguio and also a Luzon Atlas along the way at one of the rest stops.  My, these rest stop convenience stores at NLEX and SCTEX are really well stocked.  Almost everything you need is there!

We arrived before sundown in our hotel (weather was really cold for us now) and had our driver come home to his family by bus.  He will be back for us in a few days to drive us home.  Meanwhile , we spent our Christmas Dinner in the Other Hotel where we were supposed to stay but was fully booked (Manor) in decorated tents and an “ok” buffet with live orchestra playing next to us!  We were there together with our Dutch-Filipino business associates and their well behaved but very sleepy 6 kids.

The next few days was spent visiting our Dutch-Filipino business associate’s house on the West Side of Baguio and visiting places such as Mines View Park and also next to it (walking distance) was the Good Shepherd Convent where we bought the usual sweet pasalubong (goodies to take home) such as Peanut Brittle, Cashew Brittle for my father in law, Ube Jam and Strawberry Jam.  We also visited the ever so lively Burnham Park and ate afternoon “merienda” at the famous but unassuming Star Cafe which is actually a Chinese restaurant that dates back to 1976.  We also tried to find the  Silver Shop of St.Louis University but could not find it.  On Sunday, our driver arrived at around past 12 noon.  We then dropped by the Public Market to buy some vegetables.  We also stopped by a small store at Marcos Highway to buy brooms — both Tambo (indoor sweeper)  and the TingTing (for street sweeping).  Next time, I have to remind myself to just buy veggies from the stores along Marcos Highway instead of the Public Market.  It’s a lot less stressful to buy there.

There was aweful traffic from Rosario, Tarlac all the way to the exit of SCTEX so all in all it took as around 7 hours I think travel time.  Once we got to the first rest stop at NLEX I ran immediately to the ladies room.  After that we had our evening meal at Jollibee.  We arrived at around 9pm.

I went to the Greenhills Night Market one weekend and watched their famous Christmas On Display. But anyway, it is a remake of the Christmas display found in good old COD Department store back when I was a kid. I remember it vaguely though. Well, if you have not been there yet. I totally recommend seeing this 15++ minute presentation of the birth of Christ. (I am posting this video as soon as I find that card reader or camera cable. I hope you do come back at a later time to see this).

It was really well done I would say! However, be prepared to stand for that amount of time as seats are really few.

With regards to shopping, don’t expect a lot. There were fewer booths than expected but hey, across the street you could always continue your shopping escapade! The prices are pretty good though. They have like shirts for 100 pesos and toys for around 50 pesos. There’s also enough food booths for snacking and even a full dinner. That is, if you can find a good seat.

Later on I found out that this is only one of the many Night Markets all around the city.  There’s one also in Fort Bonifacio, another one called The Great Holiday Bazaar held on DEC 5-6 ,2009  (Saturday to Sunday) at the Rockwell Tent , Makati City, the Cubao Expo at Araneta Center Cubao Expo (formerly The Marikina Shoe Expo), Araneta Center, Cubao (it’s behind the old Rustan’s [which now houses the Automatic Supercenter as well as ACS Call Center], which is behind Shopwise, which is in front of the entrance of the Araneta Coliseum).  I am sure there will be at least one Night Market within a 10 kilometer range from where you live.