Mines View Park, a gigantic tourist trap

Baguio, summer capital of the country. Where temperatures, even during summer is still a pleasant cool, a good place to escape to from hot and humid Manila. However, that’s what also many Filipinos have in mind and the upland city can get too crowded.

I really haven’t experienced one gigantic tourist trap, where stall upon stall of souvenir shops lining up the road. Where the flux of people coming and going can be shocking or where compare credit cards is not a good thing to do as it might get lost in the crowd. And all because of the supposed beauty of the scenery.

The place? It is considered the most visited park in Baguio City and Mines View Park is really one gigantic tourist trap. Of course, the view is, uhm, okay. Not as spectacular as I was expecting with views of this part of the Cordilleras with one mountain nearer the viewdeck has housing creeping in. And one has to jostle for elbow room as almost people are all posing and toting cameras.

I’ve seen more spectacular scenery than what this park has to offer. But as a consolation though, its quite a sight to behold, I mean, the throng of people. Tourists posing on horses with pink manes, or that huge dog, the St. Bernard, which is quite popular with the visitors. IF you’re still not sated, you can always ask those g-stringed guys in Igorot attire to stand by your side for a pose.