The Beauty That Is Ilocos
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Let me take you back to my adventure a year ago in one of the places where the Philippine history lives forever: Ilocos.
It
was a group tour arranged by Viajero Gabrielle Travel and Tour, and I must
commend their staff (tour guide and driver) for being patient with us. After
all, it’s not every day that we got to visit this beautiful place.
We started our two-day tour in Calle Crisologo at five in the morning. How serene it was to finally set foot in a place which has one of the richest histories in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Calle Crisologo isn’t called as Vigan Heritage Village and be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for nothing. While the place itself might complete your visit, Ilocanos won’t let you leave without treats. You could buy here souvenirs (t-shirts, Ilocano made arts and crafts, antiques, etc.) and of course their Longganisa (Filipino version for chorizo or meat sausage), my all-time favourite! On the other hand, we bought their famous Bagnet (deep fried crispy pork) in the same place we watched the process of pottery. If the shopping made you crave for Ilocano dishes, worry not because the 500-meter long street offers a lot of dining options you can choose from. On our third day before going back to Manila, I remembered we ate at Abuelita’s – affordable and naimas.
We started our two-day tour in Calle Crisologo at five in the morning. How serene it was to finally set foot in a place which has one of the richest histories in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Calle Crisologo isn’t called as Vigan Heritage Village and be included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for nothing. While the place itself might complete your visit, Ilocanos won’t let you leave without treats. You could buy here souvenirs (t-shirts, Ilocano made arts and crafts, antiques, etc.) and of course their Longganisa (Filipino version for chorizo or meat sausage), my all-time favourite! On the other hand, we bought their famous Bagnet (deep fried crispy pork) in the same place we watched the process of pottery. If the shopping made you crave for Ilocano dishes, worry not because the 500-meter long street offers a lot of dining options you can choose from. On our third day before going back to Manila, I remembered we ate at Abuelita’s – affordable and naimas.
We proceed to Chavit's fortress. Baluarte is a home to various animals like ostrich, deer, duck,
and tiger. I have read that animals roam freely here, but it’s only the ostrich
that we saw roaming around with his long neck eager for selfies. God forbid
they let the tiger out of its cage! I’m afraid the ostrich will go wild after a
lot of photo encounters, so I let my feet wander to the dinosaurs. No harm, none
at all. ;)
We
went to a lot of churches, but I only remembered two: Bantay Church Bell Tower
(above) and Paoay Church (below). We went to Bell Tower and had to climb a
flight of stairs to reach the top of the belfry. While we turned frisky upon
seeing the glorious view that welcomed us, its past of being strategically used
to prepare for its enemies will always be hidden behind its walls. Paoay Church
is another Roman Catholic Church like the Bantay Church, but it was noted as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
Paoay
Sand Dunes popularized itself not only because of its iconic 4x4 ride and sand
boarding activities, but also because it is the home of the classic film,
Panday. I couldn’t describe how exhilarating our 4x4 ride was. I used to
remember how my friends promised to go to work early or called out the name of
each Saints just to spare them from the ride! Some of the slopes were too steep that left my stomach churning after every move. The sand boarding was equally
fun and worth every screams.
After
our nerve-wracking experience at La Paz, we paid visit to the Marcoses. We went
to the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum, and in their mansion known as Malacañang of
the North. After all the places we’ve visit, we were reminded that it’s time
for food. We dined at the famous La Preciosa in Laoag, and it didn’t
disappoint. I personally loved their carrot cake – I think all of us did! It’s
a residential Spanish home converted into a fine dining restaurant. You have a
choice to dine inside or outside, but since it just rained and we’re a big
group, we chose to have our dinner inside.
Our second day in Ilocos started with church visits before heading to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. We were still quite far to the lighthouse when we decided to just walk since there were a lot of tourists and vehicles near the spot. I used to watch horror documentaries and this one’s definitely included, but I wasn’t able to think about it when we were there, because how could I? The view from the lighthouse was so breath-taking, you won’t stop taking pictures and feel the serenity away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Our
next stop was my most awaited: Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. It is approximately three kilometres away
from the area where you’ll be off, so you need to walk for a couple of minutes before
you can appreciate its beauty within close proximity. You also have a choice to ride with a horse
to get you there, but mind you, it’s hot. I suggest you go there early in the
morning, but even us who did that weren’t saved from the scorching heat.
Nevertheless, it was worth it. J
I
already managed to spot a few windmills while we’re on our way to the rock
formation, but not when we arrived at Bangui Windmills that a dozen of them
greeted us. Just beautiful!
We
had a sumptuous lunch at Blue Lagoon. We were able to choose what we want over
a variety of live seafood before ordering them to be cooked, so you just
imagine the freshness! While waiting, we also got to munch on one of Ilocos’
famous delicacies, tupig!
I
loved the little tour guides in the main road to Bantay Abot Cave. They keenly
told us an overview about the cave and how it was used to be a shooting site
for numerous Philippine TV shows. I had a hard time climbing the cave because
my shoes were too slippery, but that didn’t stop me from my track. We also went
to Patapat Viaduct since it’s just near Bantay Abot Cave and dropped by at Paraiso ni Anton. The place looks like a
spring with stairs going to the altar. Our tour guide said that its water is
miraculous and can cure various kinds of diseases.
We
wrapped up the day with a quick dip at Saud Beach – well, they did. I just
roamed in the seashore and adored the tranquillity I felt that time.
P.S:
Days after we’re back in Manila, we found out that one of my friends is
pregnant! Imagine she rode the 4x4 and took sand boarding without even knowing
she already have her little blip! It just made our experience truly memorable. J
Have
you been to Ilocos? Share your experiences with me in the comments section. J
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