Going to Market in Baguio City

Baguio City-the Summer Capital of the Philippines. It is the only metropolis in the province of Benguet, and the only city in the country where the temperature remains cold even during summer months. But one rainy day, when the streets were slippery, the ditches were overflowing with muddy water, and the sidewalks and overpasses were filled with pedestrians trying to get shelter from the rain, we went around Baguio. The street traffic was jammed and so was the parade of people. Inching our way and clutching our jackets because of the cold, we finally found the small entrance to the Baguio City Public Market.

The market on Hilltop Street is a welcoming sight that refreshed us from the bleakness of the gray clouds hanging over the city. The verbal exchange among the vendors and buyers, too, are as lively and colorful as their freshest vegetables. The place depicts diversity in its produce and products, all depicting the culture and abundance of the province.

First stop would be the silver jewelry displays. Baguio City is also known to be the center of genuine silver jewelry at very reasonable prices. Aside from this, the marked price can still be discounted to as much as 30 percent, if one knows how to haggle. We got an intricately designed, 1" heart pendant at P140, from its original price of P180. Aside from silver jewelry, accessories made of plastic, ceramic, stone, glass, and native materials can truly excite the fashion conscious.

Of course, native woven bags and shawls abound, as well as some cheap imported clothing. Souvenir shirts with Baguio City prints and home decors are also good buys. The name of the game though is still haggling. Another trademark product of the Pine City is the walis pamaypay, the native broom, which is sought after for its quality. It has been imitated all over the country but never equaled. A Baguio broom user told us that for daily home use, a Baguio broom could last for more than a year!

We also found some of Baguio's freshest fruits and vegetables priced way below than its counterparts in Manila or in any other major city. Lettuce and cauliflower moves at P50/kilo! There are humongous red, green, and yellow bell peppers, sprightly green onions, tawny carrots, crisp cucumbers, and those delicious beets! This is the freshest salad bar we're ever seen! Add to this are those fresh culinary herbs that are either hard to find or are pretty expensive in gourmet stores, such as chives, parsley, basil, mint, and rosemary, among others. Bunches of garlic braided by its stalks that hang over the place are enough to scare our native aswangs out of the market. There are also blueberries in abundance, but we were told that they are a little expensive at P120/kilo, as it is out of season. In its season, blueberries only sell for P100/kilo. How can Benguet be so blessed with a soil so rich and a climate so conducive that can grow all wonderful fruits and vegetables in abundance!

Although Baguio is the strawberry center of the country, during our visit, these luscious berries were already out of season. We visited the lair of strawberry king Nap Villegas in La Trinidad Valley, but the strawberries were mere shrubs, remnants of the last harvest. Villegas said that he was able to sell the berries a few days earlier at its market high, P180/kilo. And indeed, even during off-season, strawberries still turned the aisles of the Baguio City Market red. At the market, however, it was already P200-P220/kilo, but still tourists still bought even just a kilo of two for a taste of these succulent berries, either by itself or dusted with powdered sugar or dipped in sweetened thick cream. From January to April, when strawberry harvest is plentiful, a kilo sells for P50 only. If you plan to bring fresh strawberries for the folks back home where you came from, find the ones that are not yet so ripe and find out how to effectively preserve them till you reach your turf. Strawberries get spoiled easily. The strawberries that we bought in the morning, after traveling most of the night, were already shedding its natural juices by the time we reached Manila early the next morning.

Despite the shortage of newly picked fruits, the abundance of bottled preserves more than compensates for it. Prices range from three to five bottles per P100, depending on the size, for the sandwich spreads. For desserts that contain whole strawberries, they cost about P50 to P150 per jar. The more expensive brand, it was explained, uses only freshly harvested strawberries in their preserves, while others utilize those that were returned after a day at the fruit stalls.

Another wonderful thing inside the market is the wonderful aroma of fried eatables, like fishballs, kikiam, squid balls, and guess what, day-old chicks! Yes, day-old chicks are skewered three to a stick, deep-fried to a crisp, and dipped in homemade vinaigrette for taste. We had to sample this treat as from where we came from we are familiar with only 45-day-old dressed chickens and our specialty, the chicken inasal of Bacolod. The nearest to these things that we've tasted is balut. The day-old chicks would have tasted better though, if they were marinated beforehand.

Before going out, we bought some garlands of dried everlasting flowers for a friend back home, as well as some fresh roses to liven up our damp hotel room.

The Baguio City Public Market is the one-stop-shop that shouldn't be missed by travelers to this mountain metropolis, aside from of course, the picture-perfect spots. The market is not only a place to do your shopping but also to be immersed in the local culture. Bring plastic bags or baskets during your visit. But if you forgot to bring your own, baskets, bayongs, and plastic sacks are also available, not to mention the little kids selling plastic bags. Half a day around the market is a good time for it is best not to rush with purchases as sometimes, there are stalls that offer better finds at even better prices as you go further inside. And don't forget, bargain!