http://www.superwomom.net/2012/03/ilocos-sojourn-day-1-laoag.html - Day 1(Laoag)
At 9am, we're off to Vigan. Below is our itinerary.
IRENE'S NATIVE DELICACIES
We started our day with a stop on this miss-able delicacy place along the National Highway of Currimao. I say miss-able because you'll surely miss it if you're a newbie in the area. But the locals patronize it. There was no screaming signage, but vehicles already lined their parking area waiting for the next batch of newly baked tupig and bibingka (my taste buds were sending messages to my brain that it's cassava cake with cheese.). Tupig is a delicacy made with grated coconut and glutinous rice wrapped in banana leaves. Both tupig and bibingka were "baked" in a brick oven. I have tasted tupig and cassava cake before but these were worthy of round 2 and 3. Better tasting I must say.
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R ran away from the replica of Luna's Spoliarium hanging on the wall of the painter's birthplace in Badoc, Ilocos Norte. It was a reconstruction of the two-storey brick house where Juan Luna, probably the greatest Filipino painter, was born. Replicas of his foremost works were also on display. The poster bed used by Luna was at the master's bedroom. A small bedroom facing the azotea was the room shared by Luna and his brothers. Nothing really exciting but worth looking into for educational and historical purposes. R new Juan Luna as one of Rizal's friend. Seeing a real house where a hero lived made R felt that what she read on history books were real. Not bad for a 20 peso tour.
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I refer to the St. Augustine Parish Church (aka Bantay Church) as the red church and bell tower. Well, primarily because the oldest church in Ilocos is characteristically red and I haven't really seen any church as red as this one. The vista at the bell tower was great but the bell tower was "molested" by erring individuals who chose to vandalize it. It's sad when a national treasure such as this is wasted. Nonetheless, the spiral wood staircase beckoned. And the climb was worth it.
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Leona Florentino is a great Ilocano poetess. And I'm sure Cafe Leona was named after her. We were here for lunch. The restaurant has an inner and outer sections. We were seated at the outer section because the inner section was already full. I guess, they easily get full during meal times. Nothing fancy. Nothing flamboyant. Just your usual Ilocano dishes to curb hunger pangs.
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It looked like a zoo. Only you can experience the animals outside their cage. Well, some animals. We didn't do the whole round because of the heat but we got to enjoy what we were able to cover.
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It's a plant lover's paradise. Greens all around the place. There's a hammock where you can lounge around. Good thing there weren't many guests. We almost had the place to ourselves.
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We saw how the clay jars were made. We should have tried and made our hands dirty but KJ me decided otherwise. Well, my bad. I didn't ask the manong if we can try to do the jars ourselves. By the time I saw someone got her hands dirty, we're about to leave. It was a case of "too late!".
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Ok. I wouldn't say much. But the place looked pitiful. This house of Padre Jose Burgos, the Bur in the triumvirate Filipino priests GomBurZa who were all sentenced to die through garrote during the Spanish colonial times, needs to be kept and maintained in a manner that would remind every visitor that this house is a hero's house.
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The ancestral of former president Elpidio Quirino and her wife Alicia Syquia, gave us a glimpse of how the old rich of the colonial era lived their lives. The caretaker gave us a brief but entertaining history lesson while touring us around the mansion.
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Manong Kutchero brought us here because the Crisologo Museum was already closed. It was a children's museum, or so it claimed. Because we have kids, we were able to enjoy our short and unplanned trip. Having seen what we've seen and done what we've done... I feel that the place don't offer much, for guests to even consider going back.
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Original cobbled steps. With the sound of horse-drawn caritelas. I close my eyes and I can easily imagine the time of Maria Clara and Jose Ibarra. I was transported to an era I can only read on books. An era of baro't saya, of prayles, ilustrados and peninsulares. Minus the stores, it's beautiful. Truly one of a kind.
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EMPANADANG VIGAN
I have been dying to taste this. And they have chicken! And it did not disappoint. Best with sukang Iloko. Need I say more?
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Fast Forward...
http://www.superwomom.net/2012/07/ilocos-sojourn-day-3-pagudpud.html - Day 3 (Pagudpud)
http://www.superwomom.net/2012/07/ilocos-sojourn-day-4-laoag.html - Day 4 (Laoag)
http://www.superwomom.net/2012/07/ilocos-sojourn-day-5-laoag.html - Day 5 (Laoag)
Details in a Nutshell:
Irene's Native Delicacies
Brgy. 8, Pias Norte, Currimao, Ilocos Norte
(0907) 257-5593
(0907) 539-3705
Juan Luna Shrine
Badoc, Ilocos Norte
St. Augustine Church and Bell Tower
Bantay, Ilocos Sur
Cafe Leona
Mena Crisologo Street, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
(077) 722-2212
Baluarte ni Chavit
(077) 722-7186 Baluarte ni Chavit
Hidden Garden
http://hiddengardenvigan.com.ph/
Brgy. Bulala, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
(077) 722-1450
(0928) 965-9190
Pagburnayan
Brgy. Pagburnayan, Vigan City
Padre Burgos House
National Museum, Vigan Branch
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
(075) 554-2065
Syquia Mansion
Quirino Boulevard, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Buridek Museum
Mira Hills, 2700 Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
(0908) 883-7906
Calle Crisologo
also Mena Crisologo Street, Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
Empanadang Vigan
sold along Calle Crisologo
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