AUTHENTIC BEING. The Philippines is still a beautiful country. Baguio is only 7 hours away from Manila and I can breathe fresh air everywhere except when a polluting jeepney or a public smoker passes by, sometimes instigated by some kind of evil force to do so. Yet I am happy to be here in Baguio, spending my birthday and feeling light and breezy.

Forget politics, forget election cheaters, forget political dogmatists. Hah! I am here to recharge my batteries. I wish I could also turn off my cellphone and keep my watch but I can't. They are part of my body system already.

Mines View Park is about 15 minutes away from or within the city is still beautiful despite the commercialism of the area. There are many stores with Ilocano and Kankanaey vendors (not wearing their traditional costumes, mind you) selling Baguio-made handicrafts like woodcarvings, knitted ponchos, and the like. I bought the dreamcatcher. I love this although it is adopted from the Native Americans. There is something mysterious in its shape -- round and with spider-web designs inside, and with feathers as decor around. I will give it to my grandchild to keep under her pillow so she can dream beautiful dreams.

Then I also bought strawberry wine to drink in my room as I write or fix my primer. Sweet, I presume it is going to be sweet, but it's okay. I love anything native. I used to keep wine at home and drink it every night after a hard walking day in MetroManila. But I developed some kidney problem so I had to stop it.

Also I took pictures of the foggy valleys with the mountains receding into the background and the colorful flowers by the wayside. The latter are not found in Manila because they grow only in cold climate. Perhaps the Fil-Ams, once they take a vacation, can bring home some to California and other States to grow to remind them of Baguio everyday.

This morning when my bus arrived from Manila, I walked around and found the Igorot stairs outside of that famous restaurant, Barrio Fiesta, I think. Four Igorot women sculptures (human size) are seated on the staircase pulling lice from each other's head in succession. How funny. There is something quaint about Igorot humour. I did not like though the gory men sculptures carrying a decapitated head, and another a pig. Eeky. I am sure the Igorots no longer do that -- headhunting?

Some would say that is the primitive side of the ethnic tribes but there is a way of showing the past of a people -- not necessarily drawing to the idea by creating 15 feet tall sculptures. Yes, an artist can present his or her own interpretation of realities and come out distorting present value systems of the ethnic tribes and could be hewing closely to respect of human rights already.

One thing I wished I had experienced -- hearing ethnic instruments and music being played at Mines View Park and all over the city, if only to remind me that I am already in another place, not the busy, crazy and sooty MetroManila. I told the driver, Ely, that they could provide authentic musicians and performers there so that they could also earn every hour for 15 minutes. Then they could also hire students who might have need for allowance. There is nothing like feeling, acting and being authentic.

Anyway, here is more to finding beautiful spots in the Philippines.