When I first visited Mirador Hill in October 2020 just when the city was starting to loosen up with Covid restrictions, it was still known to most as the Mirador Jesuit Villa and Retreat House. At that time, there were already plans to create a bamboo forest and an eco-park surrounding this haven of tranquility.

After the war in 1945, Jesuits from other parts of Asia went here to study because Jesuit teachers would often stay here during the summer. The current retreat house — the third one built by the Jesuits in the City of Pines — was designed by Gines Rivera, the same architect who designed the Administration Building of Ateneo de Manila, in 1952.

In 1876, Don Manuel Scheidnagel, the governor politico-militar of Benguet, gave the hill its current name, El Mirador, after the Spanish word for "lookout" or "vantage point," because of the breathtaking view it provided of Lingayen Gulf, La Union, and the South China Sea from its peak. Fr. Miguel Roces, rector of Manila's Ateneo Municipal, proposed establishing a sanatorium for Jesuits in the province of Benguet in 1890. For Jesuits, the cooler weather in the highlands was seen to be a panacea to the energy-sapping humidity of Manila.

Idyllic Place for Meditation

We were told that Mirador is frequently used by the Jesuits for their annual retreats and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) held their discussions here a few times, as well as hosting random individuals seeking to rediscover their spirituality.

Walking across the grounds brought up memories of a high school retreat I had undertaken. The exact location of our Baguio retreat house has eluded my memory to this day. What I recall are the parallels between that and Mirador, particularly the sense of seclusion despite being located in a densely populated city.

There's a beautiful view of the Benguet mountains from the common area, as well as a tiny chapel, private prayer rooms, and a variety of rooms to choose from for sleeping and relaxing. I can see people coming here to enjoy the peacefulness of nature and the pleasant temperature.

If you do decide to venture out of Mirador Retreat House, you'll still find plenty of beautiful natural areas in which to immerse yourself in silent contemplation and really embrace your spirituality.

Mirador Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park

Fast forward to December 2021 and I’m back again in Baguio City, this time with my friend Missy. On our second day we made sure of going to Mirador Hill since I am curious to see how the Heritage and Eco-Spirituality Park compliments the historic Retreat House.

Worried that the swarm of tourists snapping Instagram images on the newly manicured bamboo forest would intrude to the hilltop’s serene vibe, I eventually felt that it wasn’t the case.

First, the park spreads 5 hectares divided into different sections and attractions, thus providing a place for anyone to be alone in silence and prayer.

At first, the decision to landscape a bamboo grove and construct a Torii gate, which is a traditional Japanese gateway emblem, seemed odd to me. Now that I learned what it symbolizes is related to the history of Mirador Hill, I can't help but appreciate its existence there—and also because it makes for a striking photographic subject foregrounding the sweeping views of the mountains.

Facing the direction towards the Lingayen Gulf, the Torii gate, a fixture in Shinto shrines in Japan, symbolizes the transitioning of energies from ordinary to a sacred space. A fitting spiritual belief considering Baguio and Japan is intertwined by the horrible events of World War II.

The bell that hangs on the Torii gate itself was from an unexploded bomb meant to kill Japanese soldiers who took refuge within the walls of the Jesuit’s Monastery near the end of the war.

“From the mundane suffering of the war to a sacred place of miracle and humanity”, as if the Torii gate is meant to convey.

While the presence of tourists may make the once secluded Mirador Hill feel like any other Baguio landmarks, the Zen mood that has existed for so long on this hilltop spot of seclusion persists. Most especially to the ones who appreciate time with nature as moment well spent, will surely want to go back, for a lengthy reflection time perhaps. Count me as among those who would want my Mirador Hill experience to be more than just a walk in the park.

"Forward! Remember that from these monuments yonder 40 centuries look down upon you", Napoleon Bonaparte declared to his troops as they gear up for the Battle of the Pyramids on July 1798. Indeed, the history of the great pyramids dates back to one of Earth's ancient civilizations. This fact made my experience of being there feel more surreal in real life. I recall staring at the pyramids with wide eyes while standing immobile, engrossed in a spectacular now kind of moment. There is no better way to cap our Holy Land trip than a chance to see the Great Pyramid of Giza up close.

I'll have to go back to my youth to find out when my fascination with the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt began. It was probably our geography class's display of images of landmarks throughout the world that captivated me and turned my wanderlust switch on. It was also during this time that I learned about the Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal in India and Petra in Jordan.

The pyramids stood out from the rest because they were built by some of the oldest civilizations known to man. Even as a child, I was fascinated by how humans constructed the pyramids. *cue for Alien theories*

There’s no better way to bookend the best travel writing assignment I’ve had so far, than a trip to Cairo to see the pyramids up close. We were still inside our bus when I caught sight of the three pyramids. The hairs on my arms stood up instantly, and a rush of excitement surged through my body. can't believe I'm finally getting closer to seeing these incredible landmarks of the planet.

As soon as we got out of our bus and bought our tickets, I separated from our group and just made a mad dash to the pyramids. Appearing bigger as I come closer. My eyes was drawn to the large slobs of stones stacked on top of each other. Glistening in the sun's rays, I see sparkle from every direction. A dreamlike moment has just become real.

Also known as the Giza Necropolis, the Giza Pyramid complex is where the Great Pyramid of Giza stands along with two other smaller pyramids: The Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. The Giza, aside from the biggest, is also the oldest being constructed between 2580-2560 BC. It remains as the only surviving Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

As if sensing my jubilation, our guide asked me to do a jump shot in front of the pyramids. Not wanting to take much of his time, I jumped four or five times and to his credit, he captured me in fine form mid-air.

That photo—which garnered 800 plus likes on my Facebook—is framed and displayed inside my room. It now serves as a lasting reminder of that great moment when I accomplished a lifelong dream of seeing the Giza Pyramids.

We spent at least an hour just walking around the complex. While some from my group ventured out to find a shade to rest, I regaled at the sweltering shower of the sun by remaining closer to the pyramids. I figured, I’d spent almost a lifetime waiting for this chance, so I may as well milk every second of it by being near as possible to these monuments that “look down upon me”.

As I saw our guide from afar mentioning for us to board our bus, I ran back to the outer walls. I rub my hands on some of the stones as if trying to imprint some of the history of the Pyramid of Giza on myself. I also realized that it was the fitting thing to do, as if stamping my journey that began when I was touching the glossy pages of travel magazines to finally seeing and even feeling the pyramids with my bare hands.

A feast of a brunch consisting of mouth-watering Tausug and Sama delicacies on a floating cottage, followed by a beachfront banquet with curacha crabs and other fresh seafood catch, made for one memorable first day in Basilan. It goes without saying that I expected our lunch the next day would be equally fulfilling - and it indeed was.

However, before our monstrous appetite dealt with the lunch situation that day, we first need to journey to a city that still carries a long-standing misconception — no thanks to the infamous events that dominated headlines more than 20 years ago; Lamitan City.

Up until several years ago, I was one of those who harbored safety apprehension about traveling to Basilan, particularly Lamitan City. Thankfully, I was exposed to a circle of travelers where a good number have visited Basilan (including my ex-Girlfriend who went alone there in 2011). As I read and listened to their accounts, it became clear that Basilan as a whole is no different from other places in the Philippines.

As developments started happening in the early 2010s when the whole island became connected by a diversion road, local economies flourished and the youths who was once a favorite target of insurgent group's recruitment program, found other better things to do namely; attend school or go to work.

Following that make-over, the rich culture of Basilan — upstaged by the headlines of Government battles with terrorist groups — slowly emerged into the consciousness of us outsiders.

Traditions widely known and practiced in the province — such as Yakan weaving — soon became an object of fascination and interest among travelers. Other than that, nature sights like Malamawi Beach became a favorite among avid travelers. Among those great outdoor gems of Basilan is Bulingan Falls.

We arrived at Bulingan Falls the night after torrential rains lashed the forests of the province. Consequently, murky-colored water flowed through the wide cascade of the waterfall. The tour officer who was with our group was so apologetic because of that. She tells us in Tagalog that “If only it hadn't rained last night, the water would have been much clearer today”.

Murky waters it may be, Bulingan Falls still appear majestic enough for me to be captivated by it. Upon close scrutiny (aka me sitting on a slab or rock staring at the waterfalls and contemplating life), I noticed its magnificent nature-chiseled walls as if a sculpture meticulously shaped it. Its sculpted appearance reminded me of Pongour Waterfalls in Da Lat, Vietnam.

On a hot summer day, I would have opted to swim. On this day though, I preferred to just ogle and listen to the sounds of the streaming waters of Bulingan Falls. That and dealing with another delicious lunch situation that involves buttered large shrimps dipped in sweet and spicy sauce, fish in pineapple express — as i call it, Tiyulah Itum (braised meat in black soup), chicken curry, garlic fried giant crabs, and a savory dish of mashed vegetables with meat served inside a Squash (Kalabasa).

Since we came here to explore the region’s Hilom (Wellness), Habi (Weaving) and Halal (Cuisine), I dealt with our lunch situation at Bulingan Falls by slowly savoring every bite while listening to the soundtrack of nature nearby. Lamitan City isn’t bad after all — in fact, it’s up there among the best provinces to explore in the Philippines.

I woke up to the cold January weather of Rishikesh caught in between wanting to stay snuggled under my blanket or start my exploration early. Half-dazed, I forced myself to saunter across the room feeling the iciness of the bathroom floor hurrying to find comfort from a hot shower. Fully awake, I plotted my day thinking about a myriad of things do: try a new dish, go temple hopping, feed some monkeys, hang out by the Ganges, find a charming a café or rent a motorbike.

However, the lure of laying eyes on a place that has caught my fascination since I started reading about the Beatles, reigned more on me. First things first, I told myself. Imma kick-start my almost weeklong stay in Rishikesh by visiting what remains of the ashram that embellished Paul, John, Ringo and George—with a little help from their friends—mystical motivation to achieve creative high penning staggering 48 songs, most of which ended up on their double album "White Album".

None of life's strings can last. None can be truer than the state of the Beatles’ ashram today. Known then as the International Academy of Meditation founded by Indian guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the ashram today is a picture of scattered ruins of mural-painted walls overrun by overgrown bush.

Maharishi, who first met the Beatles in 1967 and later became their spiritual advisor, invited the group in the winter of ‘68 to study his devised Transcendental Meditation technique. The Beatles joined by their respective wives, along with Scottish singer Donovan, actress Mia Farrow, her sister and Beach Boys' Mike Love, studied the guru's meditation method from February until a falling out with Maharishi among the circle culminated in the group’s series of departures from India in April—with John Lennon and George Harrison being the two last to leave.

The band's brief stay at the ashram provided the group with a creative rejuvenation delivering them their most productive period of songwriting. Lennon credited his experience in Rishikesh for writing some of his most miserable and best songs. "We wrote about thirty new songs between us," Lennon said. "Paul must have done about a dozen. George says he's got six, and I wrote fifteen. And look what meditation did for Ringo – after all this time he wrote his first song."

As fleeting as it was the Beatles’ time in Rishikesh, it remains as one of the most talked-about and integral part of the band’s story analogous to their foremost overseas trip to Hamburg, Germany in 1960 and their first visit to America in 1964.

The trip to India and the band’s episode in Rishikesh is also seen as a symbolic curtain drop on the group’s monumental history as this was the last time the fabulous four musicians traveled together. After the Maharishi stopped operating the ashram in the 1970's and the lease on the land expired in 1981, it undergone years of neglect letting mother nature took over. In 2015, the ashram was reopened to the public as part of Rishikesh heritage structures trail.

Dressed aptly for a 14 °C beautiful morning, I stepped out the into the streets of Rishikesh among yogis, backpackers like me, locals on motorcycles and tuk-tuks, sadhus adorned in saffron robes, moseying cows and—upon crossing Lakshman Jhula bridge—mischievous monkeys.

Walking over footpaths parallel to the sacred Ganges River, I consulted my Google Map and upon thinking that the ashram doesn't look too far away—a miscalculation that had me walking at least 11 kilometers—I decided to just keep on walking. I passed by temples filled with morning worshippers chanting and Ghats dotted with religious bathers as occasionally, a red and blue kayak filled with tourists on a river kayaking tour slices through the Ganges.

Through small alleys flanked by bazaar booths on both side, I resisted stopping on a quaint cafe or food joint serving thali meals as I really want to start my day in search of Zen inside the Beatles' ashram. Despite a slow walk, I reached the gates of the ashram half an hour before it opens. The guard tells me "You are too early my friend, you can sit first and wait for opening"

Today, the ashram is where you can find a riot of arresting street art dominating its peeled-off walls, that was part of mural essays created by street artists forming the 'Beatles Ashram Mural Project' which was founded in 2012. Aside from the mural paintings, lyrical lines such as "with every mistake we must surely be learning" from a George Harrison-penned song, can be read scribbled on random walls.

Spread over 14 acres of forested land now concealing a legacy of 1960s transcendental meditation and spiritual counterculture, the ashram reveals a once fabled place where a community once thrived all in search of nirvana on Earth.

When the gates finally opened, I was the first guest to be let inside. It would take another half an hour before I saw other guests trickled in. By that time, I had made my way through the grounds of the ashram. With weary feet, I sat on the front steps of the Beatles’ old dormitory where George used to practice his sitar every morning. Sensing hunger but with my sense of wonder satisfied, I hummed aloud to myself, “And when the brokenhearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be”