Date: AUG 31 - SEP 01, 2013
The city of Vigan in Ilocos Sur is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it seemed like I traveled back to the Spanish
colonial period when I managed to set foot on this charming old city. The
remains of the past are very evident in every corner of the city – from the
cobblestone laid roads to the old houses that lined up Calle Crisologo. Good
thing that the locals managed to preserve the beauty of their city and Vigan is
genuinely something we Filipinos can be proud of.
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| The world famous Calle Crisologo in Vigan |
DAY 4
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| Welcome to Vigan! |
It was already dark when we reached
Vigan, and the first thing we did was to look for a hotel where we can stay for
a night that’s near the city center. I remembered what my officemate
recommended – he told me to stay at Green R Hotel because it is conveniently
located in the city center. We walked away from the bus terminal and found the
hotel right in front of the city market.
We chose a room suitable for four
persons that cost P1350 per night, which was cheap – because divide it by four
and I only have to pay P337.50. After we placed our things inside, we changed
our clothes and went outside to eat dinner.
Tricycles were the primary form of
transport around the city. We rode one from the hotel going to Calle Crisologo,
and we began walking around. The place is quiet, and the bright street lights
illuminate the area. I’ve also seen a few tourists who were walking that time.
We saw Max’s Restaurant when we reached Plaza Leona; however, the guard told us
that they were already closed. Good thing that there was another restaurant
just across the street which was still open that time – Café Leona.
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| An old building from the outside but a hip night club on the inside |
I ordered tapa with rice that evening,
and when we finished eating, we headed directly to Legacy Bar and enjoyed the
night. The entrance only cost P60 (a single drink included), and there were
lots of people inside. The old vibe of the city suddenly changed as laser beams
shoot up into the club’s ceiling, and loud music began to play. That moment was
awesome!
I am not really into parties, so I
chose to stay at our table and just began browsing the internet, while my
friends went straight to the dance floor and dance like crazy! Time passed
quickly as we enjoyed the night and went back to the hotel later on.
DAY 5
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| "Calesa" is the main form of transport in Calle Crisologo |
After waking up, I saw my friends
eating their breakfast. I didn’t realize that they ordered breakfast while I
was still sleeping. After I ate, I went outside and headed to the market to buy
pasalubong. I purchased bagnet, longganisa, and cornic at a very reasonable
price, and managed to buy cheap souvenir shirts, bags, wallets, and cell phone
pouches.
I went back to the hotel after I got
my souvenirs and started packing my clothes because we would have to check out
at 12:00 noon. We left all of our things at the hotel’s front desk and started
to roam around the city once again. Calle Crisologo was the first thing on
our list. We went there during the day, and the vibe was very different from
what we saw last night. There were lots of tourists in every corner of the
street. There were also horse driven carriages or what we call calesas, and a
sign that prohibits motorized vehicles from entering Calle Crisologo. There
were also souvenir shops located on the first floor of the antique houses.
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| Cafe Leona facade |
Lunch came, and we went back to Plaza
Leona to eat. I loved their food here because aside from being affordable, they
also serve in big servings. After eating lunch, we hopped into a tricycle
parked nearby and asked the driver to take us to Baluarte.
Baluarte was just a few minutes drive
from the city center, and it only cost P15/person if you will be riding a
tricycle going there. Several tigers and a bright red macaw would greet you at
the entrance gate, and everything else inside the park (except for the photo
with the tigers) is FREE. Tamed animals were free to roam inside the park -
ostriches, horses, and deer included.
A carriage being pulled by miniature
horses was the first activity that tourists can participate in. The carriage
took us to two camels who were seeking some rest under a big, shady tree. It
was my first time seeing a camel, and I was able to touch them! After visiting
the camels, the carriage brought us to the Baluarte sign, where giant dinosaur
sculptures can also be found. From there on, the carriages left us and went back
to the entrance.
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| Giant dinosaurs inside the park |
Not far from the Baluarte sign was a
hall where animal shows were being held. We checked out what was going on, and
what we saw was an animal trainer who was carrying a giant albino python around
his arms. He gave everyone a chance to hold the snake, and so my turn came. The
snake felt like a giant, cold rubber wrapped around my neck. He also let us
touch the Bearcat, but it was so shy and just hid behind his back.
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| It felt like cold rubber |
After the show, my friends and I
decided to walk further and what we saw were free roaming miniature horses
grazing and a herd of reindeer enclosed in a huge cage. As we walk further, we
realized that the edge of the park would take us back near the entrance. We decided to leave the park and went
back to the city center. There were lots of vendors outside who were offering
souvenirs and pasalubong, but I just ignored them since I already purchased
mine earlier. We rode another tricycle that took us to Plaza Burgos, where lots
of stalls selling empanadas can be found. I ordered a special empanada for P30
(regular cost P15), and that tasted good! Partner it with a cold soft drink or
gulaman, and you’ll get yourself one delicious merienda.
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| Plaza Burgos |
Vigan Cathedral was the next site we
visited as well as the plaza in front of the church – Plaza Salcedo. We went to
the Ilocos Provincial Capitol too which is right in front of the plaza. After
the tour, we rode another tricycle and asked to be dropped off at the hotel to
get our things. The bus terminal is located near the
hotel, and before entering the bus, I bought a box of Vigan Royal Bibingka for
only P155.
It was already dark when the
bus left, and I slept all throughout the journey. I initially thought that we
would be arriving at Manila early in the morning, but it didn’t happen. The bus
had an issue in Tarlac, and we had to get off the vehicle. This was my second
time to set foot in Tarlac, and after 2 hours, the replacement bus came. We managed to get back to Manila safe,
and I would never forget this trip around the Ilocandia because the places I
only get to see in the books before were already seen in real life. Ilocandia
has a different charm, and you would wish to go back. J
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