Lourdes Grotto: 250+ steps before you reach the top!

In this photo: Me and my friend Miera (she is my only schoolmate/friend in high school who also studied on UP Baguio)

Lourdes Grotto is located along Naguillan Road and it's just about 10-15 minutes from the center of Baguio City (if you go there by taxi). At the top of the grotto is a shrine of the Lady of Lourdes which is a preferred pilgrimage site especially every Holy Week. Many people go here to pray and normally they light up candles. So this photo was taken on January 2010 and this was my second time to go there. We were with three of our former high school teachers who went there for the "21st YMCA National Assembly of High School Students and 14th YMCA High School Club Adviser's Seminar". It's like we became their tour guides and this was just one of the places we visited.

The first time I went there was also with Miera and his roommates who subsequently became my close friends. We counted all the steps up to the top and as I remember...... it was more than 250!!! There are many souvenir shops in the proximity of the place.

TIPS:

• If you want to go to the top but you don't want to climb more than 250 steps, there is actually a road that will take you almost to the top so just tell the taxi driver to take you at the end where vehicles are still allowed to enter. Then it will just be a few steps to the top!
  
• If you're planning to light up a candle, there are candles available at the top and they are cheaper than the ones sold by the vendors. Just be sure to insert your payment on the donation box beside it since no one is actually looking after the candles (but God is looking after you!).