Apr 17, 2011

LAKBAY NORTE Part 1 : VIGAN

Finally had the time to sit down and share my Lakbay Norte chronicles, this blog needs a lot of updating =)  Anyway just some personal info before I begin, let me say I'm a full bloodied Ilocana, both my parents were from La Union, born there as well but were raised here in Manila, the reason I'm not fluent with the dialect plus the fact that my cousins would just laugh at me when I try to say a line but you can't sell me out, I can understand fairly well =) When I was in high school my summer vacation would always be spent in Agoo.... first crush, first puppy love, sayawan, harana .... it was really memorable to say the least. Those were the days, now its very seldom that I visit anymore. And I've never gotten pass La Union, so this is my first time to go further north.

Since we're flying Cebu Pacific, our first stop was Laoag. I planned a very tight itinerary with the limited time we had to cover Vigan, Laoag and Pagudpud. Arrived Laoag at night around 8pm and spotted Borgy Manotoc at the airport and he gladly obliged for this shot. Well, Ilocos is synonymous to the Marcoses.


From the airport, there's a blue jeep waiting for passengers to take you to your destination, for 50 pesos per passenger we asked to be brought to the Partas bus terminal. We are heading south to Vigan to spend the night there. I want to experience Vigan at night and it didn't disappoint. It was lovely, melancholic and full of history and a bit creepy, all the elements that would make me feel excited. At 10pm, we were walking at the famous cobbled-stone street, Calle Crisologo.

VIGAN

Calle Crisologo at Night

We stayed at Grandpas Inn, this place has a lot of character, full of antiques and serve a very delicious and authentic Ilocano breakfast.

Calesa room of Grandpas Inn



Our lights were kept on the whole night, kinda afraid of the dark in this kind of a setting. By 4am we're already up, showered and wait till there's little light outside. Traveled on foot to check the heritage village, first stop is the Vigan Cathedral.




There's an ongoing mass so I said a prayer and made a wish, that's how it is for my every first time church visit. It works =)





At Plaza Salcedo, we were waiting for the empanadaan to open and its taking ages, oooh next time! Our time is of the essence!


No museums are open this early and no pasalubong shops, so we head back to Grandpas Inn to have our breakfast. Along the way, saw some interesting sites and just took a snap shot.

That's the monument of Leona Florentino, a famous Ilocana poet, satirist and playwright during the Spanish regime.

 some healthy buffs jogging in the early morning ....


Kusina Felicitas of Grandpas Inn

.... and this yummy breakfast is what I've been waiting for, the Vigan longganisa is to die for =)

We had to hurry up and finish our breakfast so we still have time to go to the palengke, the only place we're its available at this time and buy some for pasalubong ... I'm just sad that Bagnet is not yet available, they're still cooking it, tsk, tsk!

Bye Grandpas Inn, bye Vigan ... it was such a short stint, I'll be back for more .... we just need to keep track of time so by 8am we were already heading to Partas terminal on our way to Laoag and then Pagudpud ... that's 4 hrs travel!

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