On a normal day I would be displeased dragging my body out of bed at 4 am especially after sleeping soundly in the Manor at Camp John Hay. Not this particular morning though. The reason being the destination we’re going would give me an opportunity to literally and figuratively pause and smell the flowers. Being able to travel for the first time since the March 2020 lockdown, the trip to Northern Blossom Farm in Atok, Benguet opens a door to rekindling my love affair with traveling — with precious moments of introspection to boot — in the company of the great outdoors.

Home to a magnificent set of picturesque highland countryside, the region of the Cordillera features an abundance of wonders. From its cool weather all year long to its majestic set of nature, fascinating culture and mouth-watering local cuisine, an all too familiar feature of the region is gaining much needed attention today. These are the fruit and vegetable farms of Benguet and Mountain Province. 

Fresh from binge watching “The Haunting of Bly Manor” a week prior, its understandable why I initially likened the feel of the Manor Hotel to the haunted series’ mansion. Take out the strange ghostly apparition and you’ll see a charming property laden with fancy landscaping and fascinating architectural patterns.

Waking up to a rainy and foggy morning had me entertaining the idea of staying in until lunch curled up on my bed. Appealing the thought may be, the chance to see another UNESCO World Heritage Site reigned over and proved to be enough of a motivation to make me stand up, stretch my hands and face the window announcing to myself “Good Morning Vietnam”