Pandoraspace

Hyatt Terraces

Hyatt Terraces Hotel in Baguio ceased operations completely on 16 July 1990.  On that day, a terrible earthquake hit Baguio and Hyatt collapsed.  I know three people who died in Hyatt during the earthquake - two friends of my parents and a former teacher.  Other than this tragic memory, all my other memories of Hyatt were good ones.

Perhaps my best memories of Hyatt were the Easter Egg Hunts. On several occasions, my parents took my sister, cousins who spent the Holy Week in Baguio and I to Hyatt for the Easter Egg Hunts.  I remember that, before each hunt, the ground floor of Hyatt would have on display the bunnies and chicks that would be given as prizes.  The pastry shop would also be selling huge chocolate eggs.  To build our excitement, my parents would take us there to see the bunnies and chicks and to buy us some chocolate eggs.  I have never won the egg hunt.  I usually go home with some consolation prizes and a few chicks.  My younger sister, on the other hand, would always win the grand prize of the egg hunt (but that was because someone would always help her hunt for the eggs).  The grand prize was usually a bunny and cash.  For several years, we housed the bunnies my sister won in my grandparents’ house and my grandmother would always complain that the bunnies ate her plants.

If there was a time in my life I would not hesitate re-living, it would be those Easter Egg Hunts at Hyatt.

Photo by: Lito Tesoro