A Baguio Day: Dawn Exercise, a Temple, Then a Sea of Clouds

Baguio starts its mornings early — surprisingly early. Walking around the city at 4 or 5 AM, the sight was locals already out doing zumba, kickboxing, and tai chi before sunrise, a scene that didn't match any preconceived image of a slow morning in the mountains. The day moved from there to Bell Church, a Taoist temple with a view stretching over the whole city, before heading further out to the strawberry farms on the outskirts. A stop at the local market followed, picking up a jar of strawberry jam along the way, then a food stop in a small village called Atok before continuing on toward the night's destination. That destination was Goatcliff, the campsite for the night, where the clouds didn't just surround camp but passed directly through it — an atmosphere topped off with a pink-orange sunset. Despite the tropical image most people carry of the Philippines, a jacket turned out to be necessary up there. The night wrapped up around a fire with the camping crew, playing games as the sky went dark.