DID I SAY RAIN ??? 

Well, here we are in Baguio! DID I SAY RAIN !!! Oh yeah, we definately have rain.

RAIN...RAIN...RAIN...and it just keeps coming down...down...down!!!

It is usually bright and sunny in the morning...then around noon the clouds start forming and by about 2:00 or 3:00 it is raining like this. This is a picture just outside the office on the deck.  Lovely chairs and all but they are 

usually wet.  Don’t get me wrong,  we really are enjoying the time we have here, but really, it RAINS!

Let me tell you about our shopping adventures.  There is only one Mall in Baguio.  It contains stores similar to the 

U.S.  but not so many.  They have several clothes shops---all for about size 0 because that is how small most of the Filipino women are.  (jealous--of course!)  Then their is the ACE Hardware store.  Just like in Vancouver it has all kinds of things.  Then there is SM  THE STORE!  It is similar to Penny’s or Macy’s.  Clothes, shoes, kitchen products, candy, purses, bedding, etc.

Then there is SM Food.  That is were we shop for groceries. (that ane road side fruits and veggies)  There is only one other food store that I am aware of, Holiday Market where they have more foreign (that’s U.S.) foods, but you have to be carefull to check the expiration dates on things.  

That and movie theaters on the top floor of the mall along with electronics (they have an Apple Store) about compleats the mall. Now I’m used to an indoor mall or 

something like Jantzen Beach Mall.  Well here is a picture of SM Mall.....what do you think???  It’s mostly indoor, except the center area is just covered with the white tent-like thing.  When it rains people suddenly appear with giant squeegies and mops to keep the water out.  If the wind starts blowing it just adds to the fun.

  Here is the SM Mall

One more interesting thing about Baguio is the number of taxi’s.  There are literally hundreds anlong with Jeepney’s and cars.  Most people take taxi’s and jeepney’s to get around.  So at the mall there are always lines of people waiting for the next taxi.  They just keep lining up and taking on passengers with shopping bags, groceries, and what not. (I’m glad we have a car)

Here is a shot of some of the traffic here.  This is light traffic!!

There are about 300,000 people in Baguio.

Here are some views from the top of the SM Mall:  

  Baguio is also known as the “City in the Clouds”

Here is the Pink Cathedral

In the distance you can see the red roofs of the Mission Home and Office.  Our apartment is behind the concrete partially contructed building.  The other building in the back is a hotel.

Well, thats about it for now. I finally figured the picture stuff out. Yea!!!