PasyaLAn: Bauer Daffodil Gardens

By: Yong Chavez

www.FilipinOnline.com

If you're in the Los Angeles area and have some free time this week, go to the Bauer Daffodil Gardens in Ranch Springs. It's about an hour-and-a-half away from Los Angeles but in terms of tranquility, it might as well be a different planet.

After 40 years of offering visits to their gorgeous mountainside garden, the Bauers are closing the place to the public on April 12.

My family drove up there yesterday and I swear, until now, I can still smell the flowers. The place is so peaceful and pretty. We saw several kababayans there and we were greeted back with a hearty "Mabuti!" when we said "Kumusta!" to every Tagalog-speaking visitor we encountered.

Parking and admission is free. The highway going up the mountains is curlier than Cheez Curls so if you get dizzy easily, be warned. Here's the address to St Anne's Church where you will park: 30480 Fredalba Road Running Springs, CA 92382. Hours are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.

[photo credits: Flowers/A Visitor at the Garden by Janine Chavez]