#Wednesdaywalk that #Makesmesmile 2,255 meters above sea level

Welcome to Northern Blossoms Flower Farm Located in Atok, Benguet, Philippines. Atok is a municipality located in the province of Benguet, known for its cool climate, lush landscapes, and vibrant flower farms. Situated at an elevation of over 7,000 feet above sea level, Atok offers a serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. The town is a haven for nature lovers, offering picturesque views of rolling hills, pine forests, and majestic mountains.

The Northern Blossoms Flower Farm is
One of the highlights of Atok, a charming destination that attracts visitors from far and wide. Spanning over hectares of land, the farm is a kaleidoscope of colors, boasting a wide variety of flowers including roses, snapdragons or antirrhinum, cabbage roses, delphinium or dolphin flowers, calendula's, among others.
Visitors can wander through the fields, taking in the beauty of nature and capturing stunning photos against the backdrop of blooming flowers.

Last week was a long weekend because of the Holy Week observance in our country. The holidays started from Holy Thursday to Easter Sunday, perfect time for a vacation.
Since our son is studying college high above the mountains in Baguio city, well known as the City of Pines and the summer capital of the Philippines for a lot of people visit this place to escape the scorching heat of summer in the lowlands. The heat index in our city last week reached to forty-two degrees Fahrenheit. Hot, right?!🥵🥵
Wednesday evening hubby and I left our city, we arrived early in the morning of Thursday. It was truly a breath of fresh air, the cool cold morning breeze was utter happiness for me. Hubby and I enjoyed our early morning hike from the bus station going to my son's apartment. We did not use our pickup truck because the last time we travelled here we almost run head on a big bus because my husband was not that familiar with the zig zag road of Marcos Highway yet. He was going to do an overtake on two big dump trucks, thinking that there were only two because that's what we only see so he used the turbo going up but then there was another dump truck a third one which was just around the bend, a blind curve coming towards us was a bus!! Oh man! That really scared the hell out of me! I was sleepy during that time but was shaken off by that experience!! It wasn't our first time though going there on self drive but last year October was different. Hubby and I were already tired that day for we had a swimming outing the whole day just before we headed to Baguio that evening.
Because of that frightening experience, I told my husband we better ride the bus atleast he can rest, we can sleep while travelling. The journey took us seven hours though but if it's a self drive we usually were able to reach the city for four to five hours.
We just roamed around the city Thursday to Friday observing the Holy week celebration because there were no bus ride going to Atok, Benguet last Friday, Good Friday.
Then Saturday, very early in the morning, around 4:20am we were already on the road.

Not a soul on the road, just us. We were in a hurry so we can catch the 5:30am scheduled bus ride but thirty minutes before the bus leaves they will issue the tickets so we should be early or else we will be left behind and the next ride will be eight o'clock.

It will take two hours going to Northern Blossoms. Google says one and a half excluding traffic. Since the roads are not that wide and has lots of zigzags so you can't really drive that fast. There are even parts where you have to give way for the oncoming vehicles because the roads are very narrow with both sides on a cliff, so safety is top priority. You can't run like the wind going up.

While we were on the bus, love was overflowing, the secret to a happy marriage is be in love all the time. For twenty-eight years now hubby and I still hold hands! Awwww! hahahaha!
Hard to let go! He was afraid I might fly!😄😄😍 I kept on admiring the mountain Views, kept saying Wow! Wow! Wow! 😍😄 I can't really contain myself seeing the awesome beauty and wonder of nature around me. I am so in love with life!!♥️

Then witnessed this beautiful sunrise!! Isn't that gorgeous!! Life is super amazing! I kept saying my prayer of gratitude silently while having tears of Joy. Thanking God for this wonderful opportunity to be able to see his goodness, to be wrapped with his endless and bounteous love running after me with my family!😇

Around 6:12am the sun was already a bit high up. The driver of our bus, wasn't wearing any sun glasses good thing he was not blinded by the rays, well probably because it wasn't that hot yet and I forgot we were high up the mountains the cool air, unlimited AC helps dissipate the heat of the sun but if we were on the plains it's the opposite.☺️

We arrived at the farm around eight o'clock. We went directly to their ticket booth so we can avoid long queues for there were several vehicles already in the parking lot inside and outside the Highway. Foot traffic is beginning to become heavy. We paid Two hundred fifty pesos each around $5 per person then we paid another fifty pesos or $1 for the environmental fee. So we paid a total of three hundred pesos each. After getting our tickets we proceeded to their restaurant to grab some food to eat for you can't roam around the farm with an empty stomach plus we were up so early the three of us were hungry already, we needed some energy, some boost!

We all ordered their skinless longganiza.
It is made with pork, garlic, brown sugar, black pepper, coarse salt, and vinegar. It can be prepared with or without the casing. It is typically dyed orange or red with achuete seeds. But this is their original recipe and it did taste good plus it has some fresh vegetables on the side with some special vinaigrette dressing. It's chilly so we all ordered hot cocoa, divine!!

After our delicious meal we then entered the farm, upon your ingress you need to show your tickets. The first thing you will see are the rows of succulents, All so very pretty and very healthy. Unfortunately I was not able to snap some photos because I was so excited I thought I had my phone with me but it was inside my son's backpack who was already far from me. Good thing my son was able to snap some interesting succulents on his phone.

There were a lot of people already so I have to squeeze my way going to them. Caught up with them on the second level of the farm going to the hydrangeas, to the dolphin flowers.

Then we saw the cabbage roses, lots of them. I didn't know these were edible for this is my first time seeing this plant. They were so gorgeously planted In rows.

Just before the cabbage roses were the calendula's which are a variety of the marigolds.

What truly sets Atok apart is its mesmerizing sea of clouds, which often envelops the landscape in a mystical haze. Rising early in the morning, visitors can witness the magical moment when the clouds descend upon the valleys, creating an otherworldly atmosphere. As the sun rises, the sea of clouds takes on a golden hue, casting a warm glow over the mountains and valleys below. We were so happy we were able to see few traces of the sea of clouds, Probably if we have arrived earlier we would have seen this magical phenomenon.

The place is massive, they also have two viewing decks on both the far ends of the farm. You just have to wait for your turn because there are queues specially going inside the green houses where the snapdragons are.

After the tour as a complimentary they offer unlimited Benguet coffee with their very delicious home baked bread. We stayed their just until lunch time.

Here are some tips if you wish to visit this picturesque place:

-Plan your visit during the dry season (November to April) for the best chance of experiencing the sea of clouds.
-Dress warmly as temperatures can be cool, especially in the early morning and late evening.
-Don't forget your camera to capture the stunning landscapes and vibrant
flowers.
-Take time to explore the surrounding area, including nearby attractions such as the Sakura Park and the Benguet-Ifugao-Mountain Province-Kalinga-Apayao (BIMPKA) Highway View Deck which we missed but will probably check these on our next visit going to Sagada.
-If you're taking the bus be sure to be early so you won't miss the schedule. First trip is at 3am then second is 5:30am there are schedules in between the last is around 6:30pm.
-Do not visit the farm on a Sunday because they are closed. Outside food in their restaurant is not allowed you have to pay a corkage fee.

For my closing, in conclusion,
Atok Benguet's Northern Blossoms Flower Farm offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the beauty of nature and experience the magic of the sea of clouds. Whether you're a flower enthusiast, a photography enthusiast, or simply seeking a peaceful retreat, Atok has something to offer for everyone. So pack your bags, and embark on an unforgettable adventure to this enchanting destination in the heart of the Cordillera Mountains.

Hope you had fun looking through our photos. Thanks for dropping by.
See you on my next travel blog.