Pandoraspace

I was rather peeved when I saw this picture posted on my sister’s blog. This was a photo taken by my beloved grandfather of the Baguio Day parade sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The first thing that came to mind when I saw it was why my sister was given a copy of this photo while I was not. Anyway, I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation for this. But, being me, my knee jerk reaction is – THIS IS UNFAIR, MOM!

Having gotten over my short outburst of temper, I am extremely pleased to post this picture on my blog (albeit belatedly) as it gives me yet another opportunity to write about Baguio and its people.

On 1 September 1909, Baguio became a chartered city. Each year thereafter, the people of Baguio celebrate Baguio Day. I do not know when the Baguio Day parades began, but certainly, Baguio Day was celebrated even during “Liberation” (right after World War II) as evidenced by the photo. In the photo, you see a band marching down Session Road (or at least I think this is Session Road).  Baguio appears to be less cluttered then and it seemed like life was simple.

Last 1 September 2009, Baguio celebrated its 100^th year of “cityhood” and a grand parade was held on that day. It is sad that my grandparents did not live to see the parade on this occasion. I am sure they would have been as delighted as children to be part of the fanfare.  Perhaps they would have also seen many people who they knew.  I would have probably had a great time at any Baguio Day parade but the sad thing is, I do not recall having attended any Baguio Day parade ever. Shocking isn’t it?

While I missed the Baguio Day parade again this year, I console myself by the fact that I have not forgotten what a wonderful place Baguio had been while I was growing up.

What happened to John Hay?

After World War II, my grandfather worked at John Hay, which was then being operated as a United States Base. It was off limits to non-base employees for a long time. Luckily, John Hay was opened to the public at the time I was old enough to walk and I spent many wonderful years exploring all that John Hay had to offer.

For some reason, my grandparents would take me to the ice-cream parlor in Scout Hill when the rains were strong and it was very cold. We would eat base ice cream, which only came in four flavors – chocolate chip, cherry-vanilla, vanilla and chocolate. The ice cream was always rock hard and it would take me a long time to finish. On good weather days, my grandparents would take me to the bakery. My grandparents were fans of the loaf bread and pie. The peach pie looked like an empanada that had the non-crusty dough, which absorbed some of the sweet sauce from the peaches, cinnamon, sugar and other things on the filling. It was soooo good. If anyone knows how I can get this peach pie, I’ll give you a prize.

My mom taught me how to roller-skate in the skating rink in Scout Hill. My dad taught me how to play mini golf in course in Scout Hill. My sister and I would also bounce on the trampoline in Scout Hill. We would have picnics and play soccer and baseball with family and friends in Scout Hill. As teenagers, my friends and I would play bowling and pool in Mile High and eat the pizza.

I miss the old John Hay, which is so different from how it is now.