Lakad Pilipinas

Call us overtly commercialized consumers but we’ll never let a visit at the country’s summer capital pass without having our caffeine fix at the McDonald’s of coffeehouses, Starbucks Coffee.  [See my previous visit here]

But make no mistake, the Starbucks branch at Camp John Hay is far from the usual ones we see in the metro. Nestled against soaring pine trees, it is housed in clapboard light-green bungalow reminiscent of the quaint American houses that probably once populated this camp.

The familiar coziness of Starbucks’ coffee houses presents itself as one passes through its doors. One can almost fell the strong coffee smell mingling with stories being passed around by friends lounging on the café’s soft sofas. Now if only the fireplace in the middle of the room was lit, it would have been perfect.

There is absolutely no need for airconditioning here and Baguio’s eternally cool weather compliments one’s simmering coffee completely.

Our favorite spot is at the porch. From here, one can see the pines in all their glory, hear the caws of the shiny black crows clearly, and watch the ant-like golfers walking off the lush greens of the golf courses far off the horizon.

I’m not sure how late this café closes but I imagine it would be wonderful to have coffee here after sundown. Now, I just had my next Baguio goal; on our next visit I will personally find out how good it would be to sip coffee as Baguio’s sky darkens to starlight.

Starbucks Coffee Camp John Hay
Cottage 661 Camp John Hay
Baguio City
(074) 446-4933