GQNPC Road Trip Leg 3: The dormitory

July 17, 2010.

The PMA tour was cut short because we had to check in at the Baguio-Benguet Community Credit Cooperative dormitory (Thanks for the recommendation, Kuya Jun!). 

The dorm is located at the corner of Cooperative Street and Assumption Road. It is close to St. Louis University and the University of Baguio. In fact, Assumption Road is, to me, a close version of Los Banos' very own Grove along Lopez Avenue. There were a lot of small shops lining the inclined road. I bet that the place becomes really crowded on schooldays. However, since we got there on a Saturday, and the weather was not cooperating, there were only a few people walking along the road.

The lodging area is situated on the third floor; what a perfect way to stretch the muscles after a long drive: walk three flights of stairs in high altitude! The climb up to the dorm warmed me up enough, and I didn't need to layer up the rest of the day. Finally, we reached the girls' bedroom... it was huge! And since there were rows and rows of beds, I couldn't help but think that I must have entered Ian Wright's Lonely Planet. Fe and I could pose as backpackers, like Justine Shapiro or Megan McCormick, that day. Hehehe!

Warm blankets and fluffy pillows greeted us (and what a welcome sight, after seven hours sitting in the coaster)! The most important thing, and Fe was quick to check it, was if heated water was available for showers. And it was!! With that, I could rest easy... I didn't have to run up and down the stairs to warm up in the morning.

So we went to inspect the boys' room. It's a whole lot smaller. BUT, the view was spectacular! I think the window overlooks the buildings along Magsaysay Avenue, the road leading up to La Trinidad Valley. There's a Chinese temple (I wanted to see it, but wasn't able to) and a whole lot of houses one on top of the other... literal mountains of houses... just like the in San Francisco. Both cities are so crowded, but Baguio's houses are more closely clustered together, I think. 

The fog gently rolled onto the mountainside, slowly hiding the view from us. That's one of the things I like about Baguio... the fog.

With all the comforts of home within my reach (and the only thing I missed was the telly), the best thing about the BBCCC dorm was the room rate. It was so cheap! Sleeping in Baguio City does not need to be expensive. 

For the budget tourist, this is just so perfect!