Baguio City, City of God

There's no real way to describe the place from where I am blogging.

First, I am in Baguio City [BAH-gee-yoh], Philippines. About 5 hours (oftentimes more, depending on weather) North of Manila, and the hometown of my mom. I traveled Thursday and will depart tomorrow, Monday afternoon. Baguio is, by far, THE most breathtaking place I have ever been. When I came up on a bus, I saw a sign that said, "Welcome to the City of God."

City of God, indeed.

This is what you need to know about why I have labeled this place the most spectacular place on earth:
1) It's a city IN the mountains, which means you have
a. cooler temps (think San Francisco)
b. air that, literally, smells sweet
c. slower pace of life
d. less expensive living
e. smaller city feel, everything's 15 minutes away

2) It's my mother's hometown, which means I have
a. met my mother's side of the family who I had never seen face to face
b. visited my Lolo's (Tagalog for "grandfather") burial spot where I have never been; a grandfather I never met
c. visited the houses where my mother grew up
d. bawled like a big baby at places mentioned in a-c

My cousin Renzie has won in the Cousin Olympics, my fictitious race to determine who is the greatest cousin to me, including both the Factora and the Fernandez sides of my family. Here is why Lorenzo Fernandez wins:

1) He picked me up from the bus terminal (huge points when you're the first person you relieves you from a bus terminal)
2) He's an opthamologist who specializes in Awesomeness and does more generous and near free eye surgeries for the poor than is humanly possible
3) He drove me all around this grand city and kept bringing me to places he knew I would love (aka art galleries and craft stores)
4) He and I just met roughly 48 hours ago and I feel like he is my long lost twin brother who knew I would love Bulalo with vegetables (hot soup)
5) He showed me ancient pictures of my mother when she was still single and sporting short skirts and boots. He threw his arm around me, "You probably didn't know this, but your mom was a hottie." I can't believe that I'm writing this, but when I saw her photos...dear Lord, it's true: MY MOTHER WAS HOT.
6) He's got a sense of humor like mine: harmless but dry, teasing without malice, often without overkill
.....
and last but not least
7) He freaking gave me an eye exam to fit me for new freaking glasses that are freaking red (something I've always wanted) and I freaking hugged him till he nearly turned blue

When we parted today, I hugged him and my arms seemed to lock together. I couldn't let him go. Meeting and loving family is a blessing, but is difficult when you know that they are, literally, halfway across the world. I am so proud of all of my cousins and am so proud to have the blood of these amazing folks who are doing such incredible work and refuse to be anything but humble about their accomplishments.

Baguio brought me home. I feel more at home here than any place in the Philippines. I got it all wrong before: I should have come here for weeks and visited other places for four days. I could spend lifetimes in this city. It's that beautiful.

The City of God. The City of my mother.

My cup runneth over.