vigan has always been our first destination before we went home to ilocos sur. this is where we experienced a lot of things from riding a calesa to pottery making to ancient old spanish structures i dont know back then has a great say in our history. as a child vigan to me is dancing fountain, bricks old churches, calesa ride, different foreigner eyes, candle lightning, picture taking, juan luna, empanada, bagnet, sticky rice cakes or bibingka, ice cream sticks, tita lina and longganisa.
growing old i had come to realize this place is heaven. this place is love. and getting here along with tita lina at my age now is one whole incredible adventure i will treasure until my lasts breathe.
plaza salcedo excites me at night because of its dancing fountains and empanada at the corner. with no other thoughts this was been our rendezvous back then. my cousins used to tell me to wait for them at the plaza. never thought that in this site gabriela silang was executed and had a great impact in our historical past.
the rizal monument had always been my favorite spot
the front yard of the cathedral faces off the monument of dr. jose rizal. it was always been this gorgeous spot back then. the only difference now are the arrangement, paints and good park improvements.
the st paul's cathedral is one of the oldest church in the philippines and when in vigan this is where we used to pray to "apo".
the baluarte is where apo chavit lives. i call this place bahay ni apo. this is where i used to yelled back his parrot "mas pangit ka!" of all the words in the world!
going inside apo chavit house would mean kissing his hands and glorious foods and aside from riding a pony and catching butterflies a pose with the dinosaurs is one of the many things i enjoyed the most.
the illumination of the t-rex and his big big teeth reminds me that dino do brush their teeth.
back then i cant even touch the t-rex teeth. i used to looked up on him and stone him when i want too. not much that afraid back then but this is the coolest zoo in heaven for me and i can freely do the pose with all the dinosaurs while they soar their necks to heavens.
there are a lot of beautiful things to see and do while inside baluarte but considering the outside temperature of ilocos i only prepare to visit places of which i wont consume much of my energy. i love the zoo!
i love watching tigers and birds and have pictures with the snakes. this spot is the best since the shadows of the acaccia tree gives enough shades for me. i love visiting the rows of cages with lions, bengal tigers, peacocks, civet cats, iguanas, pythons and other reptiles and talking birds.
a lot of tourist usually take pictures here and so do i! the line is long too.
the yellow submarine is one of the many highlights and a must-see for every visitors.
shopping for goodies are best done here. i get to buy a lot of blankets and painted colored shirts. i bought too a lot of bagnets! all for affordable prizes.
tita lina and i get to enjoy the calesa ride. we roam around the streets of vigan and visit all its attractions and mansions of yester-years.
our first stop is the bantay church and the bell tower. tita lina and i pray inside this beautiful church. here you will write all things you want for yourself and that of your family and friends then light a candle and be generous enough for all the blessings you got for the years.
this is bantay bell tower and its a few steps away from me but i dont feel like going there with the heat of the sun.
tita lina and i work on with our camera tricks and just got lucky enough to shot more.
i promise tita lina that on my next visit we will climb that tower but for now we just enjoy all the photoshots.
a little amount was paid too to shot some of this.
so nice that we actually did these.
no worries for the sun since its summer and everyone love it!
i do wonder too how far can these horse go with me and tita lina under the heat of the sun. i feel sorry for the horse too but i did pay extra because every steps the horse made is awesome to me.
the horse take us to the hidden garden. i fall asleep going here because the horse run so slow that i asked tita lina if we can rent a car instead.
at the entrance we were offered with a welcome drink. the passage way is full with flower pot.
the hidden garden is new to me and it is very nice and people here are all polite.
i see green everywhere.
the place is so clean and fresh. the restroom is cool!
walking to their pathway is an oases surrounded by green pink yellow blue environment.
this place hid all the bonsai trees in the world.
the hidden garden is free of entrance fee. polite guide will walk you around and explain everything to you.
different varieties of indoor plants can be bought here at a very affordable price.
tita lina and i get to taste the sisig bagnet and grilled malaga fish. the taste is awesome!
the calesa brought us to calle crisologo where we one can see a lot of old spanish houses.
i love all the wood works and craftsmanship here. its amazing!
the busy street is full of people of different colors and of different language too.
lucky enough to get the chance to rest here at this daylight.
houses here are simple but lovely subjects ready for picture-perfect shots with their roofs of red tiles, thick walls, huge doors and stair cases leading to rooms of high ceilings and sliding capiz shell windows.
i love the windows!
tita lina and i consume a lot of cold waters while walking the streets of vigan.
i wonder how on earth they do such craftsmanship.
tita lina's friend works here and we get to see hello too ;)
like many other tourist tita lina and i get to taste the calle ice cream sticks and it taste good.
tita lina and i continue to explore calle crisologo walking to and from until we run out of energy to walk.
the furniture shop of which tita lina had brought a lot of items invite us in to rest.
i bet back then people lived prosperously in this district.
it feels great to go back to this Vigan mestizo district which is filled with Spanish-style houses and eating ice cream sticks.
the vigan trip wont be complete if you cant taste the vigan's famous empanada at the empanadahan. it tastes the same even for five years of not coming back here.
we get to explore the whole of the capitol too.
tita lina and i went to her home at ramboanga road. she lives alone there but shes really happy.
we went to the vineyard and harvest some of the ripe grapes. i wasnt able to try to make wine this time because its getting dark when we arrived at uncle waldo's place. i really love the taste of the green grapes.
not everybody are allowed to visit the vineyard and you cant just come here just like that but i did.
it could have been so nice but how i wish that mom and lao come with me and experience picking green grapes.
it is highly praised for its architectural design and marvelous engineering. it connects the town of Santa and Bantay. It crosses the Abra River. It truly offers a scenic view. However, it is no longer used.
so i get to enjoy my moments here.
a lot of tourist love to take a pose here.
i love the weather and the wind! so windy!
i thank god for all the wonderful experience i have. my vigan trip will end today and i have to go back to inang in candon city.
i am very much thankful and proud for some take a lifetime just to be here and experience the best things i have. though it doesnt show i am just lucky to have been connected by blood to the rulers of ilocos and i pretty love it.
the bridges and the roads are one of the many great accomplishments my very own bloodlines had decided to build with. and how i wish that i have the same infrastructures back home.
these view is also great during sunset but right now i cant stay that long because im moving back to my papa's place in candon.
i had not try ziplines this time but i will on my next visits.
20 Tons is great and i cant find 20 Tons bridge back home.
tita lina took me to basug elementary school where she teaches english and math.
i love her colorful room.
books here are all new.
i love how well she decorated her classroom. informative and child friendly.
some of the goodies tita lina received from her students.
Maging Mabait or be kind are one of the many words you can find posted in her walls.
be polite always reminds her students to be one and that applies to me too.
take it from the word itself naragsak nga isasangbay!
truly life is amazing and all things in life are beautiful. i want you all to come and visit vigan and experience all the amazing things i have tell you here. money cant really give you enough happiness. go travel when you still afford and can.
now i have age and experiencing all this i have come to realized that vigan is far from being just a waiting place for my cousins, dancing fountains, bricks old churches, calesa ride, different foreigner eyes, candle lightning, picture taking, juan luna, empanada, bagnet, sticky rice cakes or bibingka, ice cream sticks, tita lina and longanisa. vigan itself is a wonder, a sacred rich heritage site and vigan is to be proud of.
i thank god for tita lina. for teaching me that some things arent always the way it is used to be. until my next trip to this New Seven Wonder Cities of the World!
