Once you arrive at Vigan you will have plenty of option to do. First grab something to eat first, I am in a tour package that is why my options on this travel are limited but I suggest you explore all your options because this City is packed with lots of restaurants and fast food joints which are built with Spanish inspired architecture.
A horse drawn calash, one mode of transportation introduced by Spanish colonisers, and was initially reserved for only nobles and high-ranking civic officials. Your visit in Vigan is not complete if you will not ride their Calesa and visit Cale Crisologo. They also have Spanish themed tricycle if you are afraid of getting on a horse hehehe!
Padre Burgos House
The stop of the kalesa is the ancestral house and birthplace of priest patriot Fr. Jose Burgos. Known as Padre Burgos House, it is one of the notable historic structures of Vigan, the capital of the province of Ilocos Sur.
Pagburnayan (Pottery)
Pagburnayan is on of the tourist destination that you must visit in Vigan, they exhibit the traditional way of making pot by using clay and bare hands. You can also give it a try to make one of your own, it looks easy when they are the one doing it but it is very difficult for newbies hehehe!
Calle Crisologo
Is a World Heritage Site, one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines where its structures remained intact, and is well known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture. Because of this, Vigan City was officially recognized as one of the new 7 Wonders Cities together with Beirut, Doha, Durban, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and La Paz. When you visit this street you will have the feeling like you are back in the Spanish era. Food in this area is a must try especially the avocado ice cream, bagnet(crispy fried pork), longganisa(sausage) and empanada.
After Vigan tour we went to Batac City to visit some historical places like the FEMPC. This is the ancestral home of the family of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in his hometown at Batac City, Ilocos Norte. The house is now used as a museum for the personal mementos and the memorabilia of President Marcos and as well as some members of his family during his whole political life from Ilocos Norte Representative, Senator and his whole presidency. Also, within this building is the mausoleum of President Marcos himself. Returned from exile in Hawaii 1992, his family refused to bury him until the State grants him a state funeral fit for a “military hero” and a former president. Strictly no photography inside the mausoleum of Marcos, I suggest you follow the rules here if you don't want to get in any trouble. The museum is privately owned, and a 20 pesos entrance is to be paid before entering the building.
Outside the Center you will see vendors of cold treats like ice cream and fruit juices, try them the flavor is good and unusual like avocado and dragon fruit.
Sta. Monica Church
Commonly known as the Sarrat Church, is a Catholic parish church in the poblacion of the town of Sarrat. There is a rumor that the face of the the saint which is on top of the church is based on the face of Imelda Marcos that is why I took out my zoom lens and took a photo of it.
Besides this church is a convent that gave us creepy experiences, the story goes like this. First I don't believe in ghost that is why I want to see one so I can relate to their stories but this experience gave me goosebumps. After visiting this place we went back to our hotel and relax, while I was hanging out with my friends a group of students approached us and said they captured creepy images on the convent of this church. When they showed us their camera the images of different faces of ages and gender images gave us goosebumps, but still I am skeptical and told them that maybe it is because they are using a low resolution camera there are factors to consider like resolution, pixels, light and etc. I told them "I will check my DSLR and if I saw something it means that there is a big possibility that it is true" since I took some photos of the convent as well. I went back to my hotel room and checked the photos I took from Sta. Monica Church and when I saw this photo it gave me cold feet.
Paoay Church
The Saint Agustin Church also known as Paoay Church is one of the famous church in Ilocos, this is the Roman Catholic parish church of the municipality of Paoay, Ilocos Norte in the Philippines. Completed in 1710, the church is famous for its distinct architecture highlighted by the enormous buttresses on the sides and back of the building. It is declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the Philippine government in 1973 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines in 1993. Its walls are made of large coral stones on the lower part and bricks at the upper levels.
Outside Paoay Church is the birth place of Pakbet pizza a Filipino inspired pizza topped with veggies.
Marcos Museum and Mausoleum
The museum shows memorabilia of the late president, from his stint in the armed forces down to his presidency. You will see how the Marcos' lived their lives during their regime. The house is situated in a quiet area with a great view of the lake.
Bangui Windmills
A wind farm in Bangui, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. The wind farm uses 20 units wind turbines, arranged on a single row stretching along a nine-kilometer shoreline off Bangui Bay, facing the West Philippine Sea. You will see some small stores along the shores that sell souvenirs. There is a pastry called Tinudok on one of the stores along the beach shore, I suggest you try this it is really delicious.
Baluarte
A must-see attraction in Vigan. It has a mini zoo with animals from other countries and others endemic to the Philippines. It is a private collection of Mr. Chavit Singson, a well-loved son of Ilocos and well-known to most Filipinos who follow the Philippine political scene. You can ride the pony, walk around the park, visit the butterfly sanctuary and take a picture with the friendly Bengal Tiger.
Souvenirs
Shopping for souvenirs is easy if you know how to bargain, always get the best deal and the best quality. If you are looking for souvenirs in Ilocos best to take home some Ilocano food like Longanisa(sausage), Bagnet or some native deserts.
Ilocos is a historical province that offers a wide variety of Filipino delicacies, perfect for travelers on a budget looking for new experiences and adventure.
See you on my next boarding pass!
No comments:
Post a Comment