FARMER’S DAUGHTER RESTAURANT

Updated article is migrated to this link:

https://diytrip.travel.blog/2016/08/18/farmers-daughter-restaurant/

Location:	Tam-awan, Longlong, Baguio City, Philippines (just beside the entrance of Tam-awan Village).
Dining Hours:	8:00AM-8:00PM (Mondays to Saturdays); 8:00AM to 3:00PM on Sundays.
Contacts:	0998 510 7257 (Piluden); 0915 630 0002 (Adelaine); (074) 661 4384; https://www.facebook.com/farmersdaughterofficial/ (Official FB Page)
How To Get There:	Just hail a cab along the Central Business District of Baguio; do not forget to tell the driver that it is just beside the Tam-awan Village entrance.

Eating at Farmer’s Daughter Restaurant would always give me that authentic, homey, Cordilleran feeling. Recently opened, it is already getting special place in the tummies of locals and highland visitors and making exemplary ratings among online cuisine and travel sites.

Tripadvisor costumers rated it as “EXCELLENT!”

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You might be wondering why a restaurant has found a place in this non-cuisine travel blog. Well, it could easily be justified that it is probably the only restaurant in Baguio City that exclusively offers pure authentic Cordilleran dishes in a rustic, homey, traditional environment. There are no non-Cordilleran dishes in their menu; a Cordilleran diner would likely notice that the dishes are of Ibaloi cuisine. Some of their offerings are featured below.

Gallery

This table appendage confounds diners of its purpose; been there myself (LOL). Oh, I won’t divulge the secret behind this seemingly nonsensical portion of this certain table. Ask them when you get there and you will learn a bit about the Cordilleran architecture.

Ba-o

Coconut shells are traditionally used by Cordillerans in many ways. One of its use is seen in their dining table as soup bowls. An advantage of this over its plastic, ceramic, or metal counterpart is that when you hold it you will never get burned when the content is hot.

Pinuneg

You should not miss this “bloody, yummy” Pinuneg when you order. A more popular cousin of this dish throughout the archipelago is the pork blood stew [dinuguan]. Unlike the dinuguan, pinuneg [blood sausage] ingredients are stuffed inside a cleaned large intestine of a pig, a technique also being practiced in Europe and many parts of the world.

Tongsoy

To those who have never tried eating a raw watercress as a salad, this is a good place to try. The fresh watercress salad they offer is seasoned with herbs and spices.

Pising Tan Kinuday

It’s not you’re your typical lowland ginataang gabi, it is boiled taro stalks and leaves with bits of smoked pork meat.

Pak-pako

Its fresh edible fern tops salad, one of my favourite!

Kinuday

Kinuday is basically an Ibaloi etag (smoked meat) devoid of salt when processing. In a traditional Cordilleran home, wat-wat (large meat portions given during cañao) are usually pierced with an iron (bamboo or wood are also used), smoked above the traditional cooking fireplace for weeks to months.

There are more delicacies they offer such as Dinakdakan, Kindot Jen Bangus, ampalaya salad, Shanghai Kinuday lumpia, paytoy, and pita among others. Most of the prices are below Php100.00, thus, it is pocket friendly. With its cheap prices, you get to taste unique Cordilleran delicacy in a homey, rustic environment. By the way, like in a western home, they use non-fat fresh milk in their brewed coffee.

MARYKNOLL ECOLOGICAL SANCTUARY

MARYKNOLL ECOLOGICAL SANCTUARY

Last updated:

03 August 2016

Updated article is migrated on this link:

https://diytrip.travel.blog/2016/07/29/maryknoll-ecological-sanctuary/

Location:	25 North Santo Tomas Road, Campo Sioco, Baguio City, Philippines.
Contact Details:	Website: http://www.maryknollecosanctuary.org/index.php
	Email: mesbaguio@gmail.com;
	Tel. No.: +63 74 424 5745;
	CP No.: +63 915 655 5745
Registration Fee:	Php50.00.
Business Hours:	8:30AM to 4:30PM (Cosmic Journey closed on Mondays)
How to Get There:	·         Take a Campo Sioco jeep at the Igorot Park ·         Take a taxi. ·         For private car, drive to Marcos Highway, then take a right turn to North Santo Tomas Road

Description

Revisiting the Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary had been a nostalgic moment to me as it had been a venue to several self-awareness activities with my students when I was working as a clinical nurse instructor. The stonehenge, the native huts, and concrete benches had been mute witnesses to some of my students’ priceless smiles as they recounted their best life experiences as well as tearful accounting of their struggles and how they coped with it. It is basically the perfect place when you want to unwind, find the inner peace in yourself, or  discover the balance in your stressful life.

The Maryknoll Ecological Sanctuary, a green museum, is located in the City of Pines just a few minute drive away from the hustle and bustle of the central business district. The green museum offers a two-hour Cosmic Journey among its several programs. The Cosmic Journey walks you to 14 stations depicting natural history along its easy trail.

Following the trail gives you a serene feeling that “challenges us to reassess our role and relationship with the Universe, and to refashion our way of life in conformity with nature” (Cosmic Journey, n.d.). This had been the biggest factor why this venue is good for self-awareness activities.

Reminders:

• Follow the trail as indicated by the map given by the security guard.
•  Do not pick flowers.
• Do not vandalize any of the art forms along the trail.
• Be guided by the Leave No Trace mantra.

Gallery

After securing a ticket, the security guard will direct you to the start of the journey.

Follow the stairs going up to the right, the left merges with the end of the journey.

You will not be lost as you will be guided by arrows, rails, and caricatures along the trail.

One of the ruins during the 1990s earthquake.

A good place to sit, relax, or even meditate. However, there are even better places along the trail.

Obviously, another building ruin.

The Hermitage near the ruins.

The first station.

“The universe came into being 13.7 billion years ago.”

Near the first station is a bell inscribed with “We are the Earth, the people, plants and animals, breath of the forest and flow of the sea.”

“I pledge allegiance to the Earth and to the flora, fauna and human life that it supports, one planet, indivisible, safe air, water and soil, economic justice equal rights and peace for all.”

Unfortunately, the concrete chairs arranged in a circular manner is located near a private building. I remember sitting and talking with my students before on those concrete chairs. I just cannot reconcile with my memory if the building was there before.

Another station.

“Planet Earth emerges 5 billion years ago.”

A depiction of the Stonehenge is the center of the second station.

One of the stonehenges. Don’t climb it just to have a selfie.

This is also located in the Stonehenge area serving as a gate or entry way.

Another place for chitchat though could only accommodate a few.

Another station.

“The oceans are the birthplace for life 3 ½ years ago. “

Adorned with shells, the min-pool at the center gives connection to the station. I remember burning papers inscribed with my students’ bitter memories here, a symbolic act of letting the bitterness of those memories go as we go on in our life.

The sanctuary is a haven covered with pine trees and Chinese bamboo. During my revisit, the bamboos and grasses are abundant awaiting for pruning and mowing.

The side rails guides you to the next station. You might as well enjoy the plants along the way.

Another station.

“Dinosaurs on the scene 235 million years ago.”

Unfortunately, the art depiction on this station is on maintenance during my revisit. Anyway, it shows dinosaur eggs and a hatchling.

Another station.

“The mammals arrive 220 million years ago.”

Well, though we are mammals humans are not yet here, I think.

Another station.

“The birds take flight 150 years ago.”

A nest made out of pine needles.

Another station.

“Flowers spread on the earth 130 million years ago.”

A flower at the center of the circular stone bench depicting the station.

Another station.

Here we are!

“The primates come forth 65 million years ago.”

Charles Darwin versus the Bible, huh?

Another station.

“Early humans lives in caves 50,000 years ago.”

Depiction of the Tabon cave.

A note inside the “cave.”

Yeah, yeah, that is the exit from the cave. Don’t worry, you don’t need to crawl or slide like in real caves.

Lo, the bridge! I have seen a few of my extraordinarily brave students cower in this bridge.

From this vantage, you cannot see the full stretch of the bridge because of its upward curve.

Another station.

“The village period 10,000 years ago.”

A traditional Cordilleran village had been used to depict the flourishing of villages.

A closer look at one of the depiction of the native huts.

It’s not typical in a native hut but it’s an artwork I must say.

The campsite is near the traditional village.

The campsite as seen from a high vantage point.

A path leading to the next station. There is a comfort room to the left of the path (not shown in photo).

Another station.

“The earth gives sweet water.”

A well depicting the station’s theme.

Another station

“The emergence of the Earth’s religious traditions.”

A bulol depicting the station’s theme.

At this point, there are still few remaining station and artworks depicting each station’s theme. However, I was already engaged in a conversation with visitors like me in the sanctuary, thus I was not able to take images. This, I guess, is a cue that you need to visit the sanctuary to see the remaining artworks, the gallery [no images shown], take a coffee at Mollies Café, or you might try the other programs being offered.

REFERENCES:

Cosmic Journey. (n.d.). Retrieved July 28, 2016 from http://www.maryknollecosanctuary.org/index.php/2014-09-24-08-23-02/2014-08-22-10-55-13