Take the aircon bus to Baguio and then a metered FX-Taxi that will bring you to Shilan, a quiet sitio of La Trinidad, Benguet. Shilan is exactly 11 kilometers from Baguio City via La Trinidad Valley-Halsema Highway. It has a higher elevation, 4 degrees cooler and, cleaner air at any one time than Baguio.
Upon reaching your destination, a bed and breakfast inn, nestled on the hill ( the only one in the place) will usher you to a magnificent view of the Cordillera Mountains and vegetable, strawberry, cut flower farms on the valley. Hoops! Hold it! Don’t be trigger happy! Keep those cameras holstered! Not yet! This is the time when get to meet your host, discuss the activity plan, menu and other concerns during your stay over three cups of home grown Arabica coffee that comes with a unique breakfast with an AAHH!!. While you are at it, you cannot help but notice with your photographic eye that the mountain colors change hues every hour, exciting you as to what filter, WB, exposure programs to use. On top of that, you notice the colorful small birds challenging you to take a shot as they don’t stay in one position longer than two seconds. A rare occasion for your under utilized expensive zoom lens. After breakfast and orientations, you are advised to take a nap and prepare for the shoot out. At 3pm set your tripod by the window, mount your camera lock and load! Ambush positions! You are about the witness the greatest show on earth that happens uniquely everyday, “The Clouds, The Sunset, And the Valley”. Fire at will! Fire during the golden hours until complete darkness blankets the valley. Tommorow it will present another show same time, same place and be better prepared.
The next day, you will be tempted to take your coffee and at the break of dawn. This is because in the morning of your life you shall look to the sunrise as it hits the mountains and the question you shall ask , “Did I fill my sd card with love that will last my whole life thru?” And the birds like tender babies in your hands playing catch me by the tree. I hope you can take it, cuz it can’t take long to capture it and will never have that moment again! Oh No! (my apologies to Richard Harris).
As discussed and agreed, Mackoy will guide you trekking to the mountain forest reservation. You will wear a good traction shoes, prefereably not so old because it has the tendency to break on the sole. You will not handle or carry anything except your camera so don’t have to pay it when you break it. Mackoy and company will carry all the supplies necessary for you to have lunch at the peak of the mountain picnic style under the pine trees. As you go along, you get to pick and eat wild ferns, cherry tomatoes, blueberries depending on the season. When you reached the peak don’t forget to ask the name of the mountain because the other one across the horizon is the famous Mt. Pulag. You are expected to be back at the inn at 3pm to have another round with the Greatest Show on Earth. They said they had
a guest who stayed the whole month of March taking pictures of the sunset.
Another place to visit is the Shilan Waterfalls. Its more or less 2 hours hike on the mountain trail. REFLECTIONS would be a good theme of your photoshots as you will be lead to quiet brooks with rocks in the size of a Volkswagen. A fine time to use bracketing and HDR photography. A less difficult hike is down the valley where you get to see different farms, meet the farmers and a water spring used for drinking and irrigation. Visit also the La Trinidad Trading Post and shoot vegetables in bulk and other human interest market scene for your stock photos.
You can stay there for a week or a month without hurting your wallet especially if you come in group and has a salary scale of call center agent. Ideal for team building too.!
On the way home, it is suggested that you leave early in the morning for the bus terminal. Buy tickets for the early evening trip. Leave your baggage and do the usual Baguio tour. Mines view, Wright, Mansion and Burnham Parks. Go to Market and eat a hearty meal at SM Baguio. Then back to terminal few minutes before your trip sked.
Contact the Inn owner and she will organize everything for you from your arrival to departure. Her e mail address is flamejoy9@yahoo.com
