Going up and down in them twice a day should definitely count as a free and quick weight loss program. Paulie is the only one brave enough to traverse those twice a day. I don’t have enough breath for it, unfortunately. And it’s not as if I need any losing weight.

One of the places that is always on the itinerary of people who visit Baguio is the SM (ShoeMart) Mall. Eight hectares big, this branch of SM is one-of-a-kind because it has no air-conditioning. And why would you need it when the breeze inside is colder than that given off by regular mall air-conditioning? Plus the viewing deck, which is one of the favorite photo-op spots of tourists, has an amazing, well, view. If you’re used to seeing tons of buildings on an everyday basis, then the view from the deck would be a much welcome change.

You’d do well to bring your Vélo électrique (electric bicycle) though, as the walk from lower Session Road to SM is not for the faint of heart. I’m sure you will crave for a fûts full of water after the long walk. But of course, there’s always the taxi option (flag-down rate is only Php25 or $.50, after all). We went there the other day to buy a new headset (Svet chewed off the old one) at CD-R King (cheapest computer accessories shop in SM) and to check if the 16MP web camera is available already (it’s always out-of-stock every time we go there because it only costs Php580 or roughly $13). I noticed CCTV cameras for sale at a cheap price on their shelves used for vidéosurveillance, but I don’t know about the quality since I’ve never purchased one before.

Anyways, there’s another summer attraction at SM now, and it’s the WOW balls, which allows you to Walk On Water (thus the acronym WOW) by going inside a giant inflatable sphere. We haven’t tried it yet, but we will, now that mom is here. You have to pay Php50 ($1.5) for fifteen minutes of crazy water walking. I don’t know if Svet will be allowed, though. This looks fun! I just hope that there’s enough breathable air volume inside. Imagine dying because of a WOW ball. Sheesh.

The business has been here for a long, long time. Even before SM, Tiong San was already here to serve the needs of Baguio residents. I hope the establishment will exist for as long as we live here. I don’t think Baguio will be Baguio without Tiong San stores.

Last year was great, but I heard that they are limiting the stalls this year (only 290 stalls compared to last year’s 400+), and with stricter regulations, at that. Nonetheless, I think it will still be worth visiting, if only to feel the festive atmosphere. The fair will be like a trade show, minus the trade show flooring, as it will be held at Burnham Park. Anyway, I don’t think tourists will care for fancy trade show carpet much, what with the plethora of goodies that are available for sale at said week-long activity.

I think we can expect to see a lot of food stalls with logo canopy screaming delicious and diet-ruining treats, as well as local handmade products perfect for taking home as souvenirs. Of course, established businesses here will still get their fair share of tourist patronage, so their logo mats are far from accumulating dust with lack of customers. In fact, with the Panagbenga festival attracting more and more people from all parts of the country (and the world!), Baguio will be one busy city all February long.