03 December 2015

A birthday up north


Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur
2015 November 19-22

One of the perks of being a government employee is that I get to know in advance the merits of holiday declarations. I'm just grateful that our office didn't have major tasking during the recently concluded APEC Summit (unlike some in the Department), so the Ilocos get-away that Gabriel and I planned for the past few months pushed through.

We originally planned to have a DIY tour with just the two of us, to celebrate my 25th birthday. But we thought the better of it and just opted for a package tour and invited our friends. At first, we thought not many would be interested to join us, but as the date approached, our group got bigger and we ended up filling the van with 13 people from my (and Gabriel's) different social circles. Hehe. 

I honestly thought that it was a good decision to have friends with us. Their personalities, despite coming from different backgrounds, melded so well. There were no awkwardness at all, everyone was game for the adventures (and the photo ops), and it felt like my different sets of friends knew each other since long ago.

Day 1

Our first day, straight from the eight-hour journey by land, was filled to the brim Ilocos landmarks and tourist spots. It was during the first day that we visited a handful of churches, witnessed traditional pottery, walked under the sweltering heat, tasted Vigan longganisa (but not hot choco hehe), strolled along the famous cobblestone street of Calle Crisologo, made to wait for an hour for our lunch at a famous restaurant there, wandered around Baluarte in search of the tiger Aiba Masaki took care of when he came to the country many many years ago, visited Marcos landmarks, enjoyed the rough road ride atop a 4x4 and tried sandboarding immediately after. It as a packed day, indeed. And I felt relieved that after all those activities, we didn't encounter untoward incident (save for Marifel's injury hehe) nor any foul weather.

San Agustin Church and the Bantay Bell Tower



 Atop the Bantay Bell Tower
© Bam Sun

PAS Ilocos Chapter. Haha.

Hidden Garden Restaurant in Vigan


Someone's not happy with her breakfast at Hidden Garden. Haha.

A National Folk Artist at work, at Ruby's Pagburnayan in Vigan


© Toto


Turistang-turista! :))

Calle Crisologo, finally! :D


Dooooorrrr!
© Toto


© Claire


Mother and dowter. :))







Very very danger tiger at Singson's Baluarte

In Batac, the Marcos Museum was closed because of power interruption. It was actually funny how none of us were really disappointed about not seeing yet another Marcos estate, let alone the remains of the late president. Our tour guide wanted so much to take a photo of us outside, but we were like, "Nah, that's okay. We're not really Marcos fans." I know, it's kinda dismissive towards history to say that, but really, I believed then that there were more things to see and that another glorification of the Marcoses wouldn't be much of a loss.

Speaking of history, I asked the history major boyfriend how come Ilocos managed to keep (most) of its Hispanic architecture, while most of the provinces in the country didn't. According to him, aside from the strong grip of religion in the province, the residents had managed to establish a thriving economy on tobacco. Joining the revolt would have meant the disruption of their income-cutting ties with Spain-so they didn't.

Not far from the Presidential Museum was the Immaculate Concepcion Church. I asked our guide, who isn't Catholic, if I could drop by there and say a prayer. Inside, there were portraits of St. Josemaria Escriva De Balaguer, Patron Saint of the Ordinary. I whispered to Gabriel, "There. I found my patron saint." Actual thing he said as I was taking this photo:
"You have them for friends. So what's that about being an ordinary person?"
Point taken. :p

We traveled some more to Paoay, where we visited the (another) San Agustin Church, famous for its large buttresses. For me, the most distinct feature of the churches we visited was the presence of pulpits. I felt like I was transported back to the height of the Spaniards' rule, the new paint replaced by the gray-brown tint of adobe, and a prayle was standing atop that pulpit preaching to the masses.



San Agustin Parish in Paoay remains to be one of Ilocos' iconic churches.

Paoay Church's Bell Tower

 
©Bam

Malacañang of the North, the Marcos residence in Ilocos turned museum.
©  Bam

No One must know the tyrant's abode... :))

No One must blend well with the surroundings. :))

No One must take photos in a clearing. :))

I envy the Marcoses of yore, if only for this view.

Aaaand... we're off to our 4x4 adventure!
© Bam Sun

Desert renegades. :))

My phone's plastic pouch creating an instant bloom filter. :))

Saaaaand! And sunset!

#candid :)))
© Toto 


Chasing sunsets
© Claire

#AryaLakwatsera goes to... Dorne? :))


Actually easier than it looks. Sandboarding is fun! :)

When your travel mates have the eye for artistic photo shoots and all that stuff, and are fans of things cheeseballs, you get sunset couple photos. Haha.

Grinning because it was kinda silly in a kilig way. :))

♥
© Bam Sun

© Toto


Day 2 

We definitely had way fewer destinations for our second day, although that didn't mean we weren't pressed for time because there was so much to see. We passed by the scenic Patapat Viaduct, dropped by Paraiso ni Anton (renowned for the supposed healing water of its spring), trekked to Kabigan Falls, and finally saw the sea up close at Blue Lagoon.

 Photo op kung photo op! Haha.
© Bam

Patapat Viaduct

© Bam


Sa Paraiso ni Anton! :))

 Para sa batang deprived sa skrambol–ice crumble? ice scramble?–noong kabataan n'ya. :p
(Also: Masarap ang skrambol sa Ilocos. Merong may gulaman, merong may ube, merong may sago!)
© Toto



#AryaLakwatsera at Kabigan Falls



 Teambuilding talaga namin 'to eh. :))
© Mimi

 © Toto

Lumpiang pansit after a mild, but quite tiring trek.



And now, the beach~ :D
 © Bam

Us five were the only ones who persisted in "swimming" despite the slight drizzle and the huge waves. :))
 © Mimi

 © Mimi

 
 © Bam

Sushi Go! while waiting for lunch.

 
(I look weird. Haha.)
© Bam

Napasayaw ata sila sa sarap ng Chicken Ati
© Bam


Day 3

Our third day was incidentally also my birthday. Hehe. Apparently, Gabriel and some people in the group were looking for a cake the previous night but couldn't find any. As I was about to sit for breakfast the next morning, my friends from the office sprung up and gave me this impromptu birthday cake (assembled from their sari-sari store, este baon hahaha), but not before their todo-acting patay-malisya front act. :))

My cute surprise birthday cake from my lovely colleagues!

We were down to a few last stops that morning, so off we went to the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. We were only allowed in the vicinity of the gate and not inside the tower because there was an event, so we just took pictures and made the most out of the beautiful view. From there, we went to the Kapurpurawan White Rock Formation, with the Bangui Windmills in sight. Some in the group dropped by Pasuquin for asin at sukang Iloko for pasalubong. Afterwards, we headed back to Vigan for our late lunch at the famous Irene's Empanadahan.

© Bam

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse was closed when we got there, due to an event. :(

Swamps and marshes? Arya traverses the Neck :)) (i.e. the footpath to the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation)

*cue Circle of Life*

Trying to be witty. :))

Conquistadores daw. Haha.

And then the donya appears. :))



Arya + Bagnet

It was also a lucky day because as Gabriel and I were wandering around Vigan that afternoon, after surveying the schedule at the bus terminal, we chanced upon the 5PM Mass at the Vigan Cathedral. And so we attended the Mass together (so far from the usual churches we visit). I had the chance to say my thanks for the blessings I have received, and to ask for continued guidance for me and my loved ones.

For dinner, we decided to go a little fancy and dressed up. Gabriel and I walked around the beautiful Calle Crisologo at night, listened to live acoustic performance, strolled the street some more, and then grabbed a couple of drinks. It was such an idyllic night.

Only then did I realize that it was my birthday, that the whole trip was for my birthday. 

It went out of my mind during the tour, of course, because there were many of us in the group and we had so much to do. But the serenity and the romantic feel of the night of the 21st made my entry into the second quarter of my life special, especially because I spent it with the person who did all that he could to make the day truly exceptional, different from the way I stumble upon celebrate my previous birthdays. :)

Birthday dinner; birthday selfie

Birthday nightcap

This Old World charm: Not such a bad sight to end the night :)

Early the next morning, we had a hearty breakfast at the hotel and then we strolled again along Calle Crisologo for souvenirs. It was such a nice holiday, to have spent with people special to me, not to mention an apt celebration of a milestone for me–welcoming me, perhaps, into more years of exploration and adventures, as well as deeper appreciation of beauty and friendship and life and love.

True, my Ilocos trip was tourist-y more than immersive or culturally enriching. But it was spent with friends with whom I overcame fatigue and discomfort that came with traveling, friends I took wonderful photos as keepsakes with, friends I discovered new things with, friends I shared many a good hearty laughs with. It was a really fun birthday adventure up north.