Ilocos Revisited

Warning: Looong entry ahead.

I’m back! Arrived yesterday morning from Ilocos, after leaving Vigan a little after 9pm. I was able to sleep soundly at the bus, compared to the first night (more on this later) but I guess the two-day trip failed to reset my body clock as I found myself in dreamland again… my bed was simply irresistible. :D

Watch out Ilocos, here we come! Woohoo!
As mentioned, this’ll be my second trip to Ilocos and with Betsy (the cam) in tow, I’m really excited to go on this trip… again, my favorite formula : travel + photos + Lem = happiness. :)

I’ve been standing here, waiting for the bus
on a Saturday, with laundry on my back…
-- Waiting for the Bus, Eraserheads

^ That’s Friday and still clean laundry for me. As Lem and I were waiting at the Oblation for our ride as well as our friends, Gerry (the Hum prof) and Au (his wife), it started to rain. And rain hard it did. We had to take cover behind the columns at Quezon Hall as there were strong winds coming from the west. We were there around 7:40pm; the bus was set to leave at 8 but we left UP an hour after we arrived as we still had to wait for a student… who never showed up. :P

We got the best seats in the bus – behind the driver – with bigger leg room, good view of the road (the driver in me likes to see where I’m going) and close to the TV and speakers. The driver failed to bring the TV’s remote, so we were watching ‘The Fighting Temptations’ in black and white. It reminded me of the old movies I used to watch after lunch at channel 9. :)

The bus had to stop over at UP Pampanga; we had to pick up another group, the class of Gerry’s sis at Pi Sigma. As the group was boarding the bus, we saw some vaklush get in with a wine bottle and a half-full wine glass at hand. *jaw drops* Wine on a field trip?! We later found out that that person, Ryan, is a friend/fellow teacher of the Pampanga teacher. Talk about setting a good example, tsk tsk.

Hey Jay, nabugbog ka na naman daw kahapon.
Hey Jay, ba’t kasi pumunta ka pa sa lugar na yon?
Alam mo naming, galit sila sa tulad mo…
-- Hey Jay, Eraserheads

Hey Ryan, galit ako sa tulad mo. >:| Don’t get me wrong, I am no gay-hater. I just hate this gay person. He was sooo fucking (forgive my French) inconsiderate and kept yakking all the way from Pampanga to La Union while most of us in the first group were trying to sleep! Buti sana kung yung katabi lang niya ang kausap niya, but no, bumabangka siya sa buong grupo. When you keep hearing his mega loud voice and boisterous laughter from the back of the bus, how can one get a good night’s sleep then? Damn him, err, her!



My Ilocos Tavelogue
We arrived at our first stop, the Sta. Maria Church, a centuries-old structure built atop a hill. The church has also been declared as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was still dark outside, but Lem and I stepped off the bus anyway to take pictures and wait for the others to wake up. We were like TAR contestants, waiting outside for the ‘gates’ to open, hehe.


The Sta. maria church at dawn

We then proceeded to Vigan for breakfast while stopping over by the Abra River, to take photos of the Quirino Bridge. We freshened up and had tapsilog with sukang Iloco at Gordion Inn, a few blocks away the famed Crisologo St. in Vigan. We would be exploring Crisologo the next day so we went to the burnayan and Burgos residence turned museum first. We also stopped by Chavit Singson’s house and mini zoo.


Burnay waiting to be baked


Lamp at the Burgos residence

We had a buffet lunch at La Preciosa, in Laoag, a few blocks away from the Provincial Capitol and checked in at La Eliana Hotel just across the street. We saw La Oropesa… joke :P Is she from Laoag? Hehe Anyway, we were to spend the afternoon in Paoay, so we took advantage of the siesta break and slept first. Around 3pm, we stopped by Museo Ilocos Norte and while others were busy looking at the exhibits, Lem and I were busy photographing the rubber duckies we brought along. [We have this Travel Duckie project, similar to the gnome photos at the movie, Amelie and Ilocos is their first location shoot. :D]


The travel duckies posing in front of the Museo Ilocos exhibit

Afterwards, we went to Balay Ti Amianan (Malacañang of the North), the first family’s home which overlooks the Paoay Lake, the Paoay Church (another UNESCO site) and the sand dunes by Suba Beach. I was looking forward to taking shots of the Paoay church but was worried of the distracting foreground (people milling around). Fortunately, most of the tour group had stayed at the side of the church eating Ilocos empanada. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t being cooperative. It had been raining on and off, and dark clouds were looming above. Oh well, you can’t get the best of both worlds. :P


photo of Paoay Church shot from the bus

Have you watched Panday or Temptation Island? They were both shot at the sand dunes of Suba. Seven years ago, the sand dunes were exactly what they’re called. Now, they aren’t that sandy anymore as vegetation has cropped up in the dunes. Bummer. Likewise, there was no sunset, since the horizon was covered with nimbus clouds. Plus, on our way back to Laoag, I’ve been getting bad texts from friends and family in Manila watching the UP-DLSU game. Sigh, sigh, sigh. (Naalala ko tuloy si makulit re: Boracay – Happy thoughts, happy thoughts. :D)


The Suba sand dunes at sunset


Sunset at Suba Beach... where's the sun? :P

After dinner, again at La Preciosa’s, we opted to stay in the hotel and catch more zzz’s than go out to explore the city (been there, done that before *lol*). We were told that Fort Ilocandia has changed management already and it’s now strict on allowing non-guests to enter its premises, so scrap that plan of going there. Besides, we’re to go to Blue Lagoon, near Pagudpud the next day and we need to get up early.

Come Sunday morning, we learned that the trip to Pagudpud was cancelled due to the weather. Kainis talaga. :P Anyway, the first stop for the day is the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, built in the 19th century. It is said to be the tallest lighthouse in the country, and yes, it still works.


The Cape Bojeador lighthouse

Next stop is Sta. Monica church (Sarrat church) or more popularly known as the church wherein Irene Marcos and Greggy Araneta were wed. I wanted to photograph the road going to Sarrat, where President Marcos had ordered Acacia trees be planted by the road to welcome the wedding guests, but with the eyesores (the Motortrade ads posted on the tree trunks), it’s not worth it.

We went back to Laoag for our last meal at La Preciosa. The food there is sumptuous. :) We then traveled to the Marcos Mausoleum in Batac and saw Marcos in the flesh, err wax hehe, how creepy. We weren’t able to go in the Balay Ti Ili, the Marcos’ ancestral house located beside the mausoleum as it was closed.

Our last stop before going back to polluted Manila is the historic town of Vigan. We arrived there around 4pm, and were greeted by rain. While people were taking cover from the rain inside the shops along Crisologo St., I was clicking away outside, taking advantage of the deserted street. :D Anyway, is it just the weather or has Vigan lost its impact? :s But then it might be because I’ve been there already; no more ooohs and aaahs for me… except when I saw McDonalds at the plaza. *grin*


Deserted Crisologo Street


after the rain has gone


Vigan plaza at dusk

We had our dinner outdoors at Café Leona, situated along Crisologo and after which, started the long journey back home (sweet home).

(More photos at my photos.ph gallery.)