http://www.superwomom.net/2012/03/ilocos-sojourn-day-1-laoag.html - Day 1 (Laoag)
http://www.superwomom.net/2012/03/ilocos-sojourn-day-2-vigan.html - Day 2 (Vigan)
http://www.superwomom.net/2012/07/ilocos-sojourn-day-3-pagudpud.html - Day 3 (Pagudpud)
From Saud Beach, we head back to Laoag for another round of sightseeing. This was how our day unfolded.
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Our van driver drove us to a dragon fruit farm in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Apparently, the dragon fruit is a cactus. I didn't know that. We were told that the owner, Ms. Edita Dacuycuy, started to plant dragon fruits when she saw how it made wonders to the constipation problems of her daughter, who's suffering from cerebral palsy. Now her REFMAD Farms is the first organic dragon fruit plantation in northern Philippines. We've bought some of their products and our favorite is the dragon fruit ice cream.
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We thought we wanted to see how salt is made. We shouldn't have allowed our curiosity to get the best of us. Nothing great. Just some heaps of salt and not very sanitary facilities. Definitely skippable.
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In this lowly panaderia in Pasuquin, we were able to experience a simple looking but very crunchy and tasty toasted bread. Sadly, we didn't buy enough.
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For lunch, we went to Dawang's Place. This carinderia in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte was famous. Nothing fancy, very spartan. Table and benches. You order, they deliver on your table. You eat, then pay and move out because people are waiting for tables. We went here for lunch and we had - kilawen (which to me is papaitan), dinengdeng (I think), grilled pork with fresh tomatoes. Since I don't eat pork and beef, my consolation was the dinengdeng. I asked if they have any chicken or fish dish, to which the lady's answer was a head-action, meaning none.
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Everything Marcos. Living and dead. The Mausoleum was the highlight of our visit here. Eerie music playing the background, Marcos-looking wax (or is it really him?) in a glass encasement. I don't think it can get any weirder or creepier.
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Bricks and coral rocks. I'm not sure if I imagine it right but for corals to be fished out from the sea to build a structure this massive is like the pyramids of Egypt to the Hebrews, in a lesser magnitude. But I must say, the church facade was glorious.
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No trip would be complete without the pasalubongs. Our driver stopped at a pasalubong center which I honestly don't know where. We bought taro chips and chichacorn. We're happy with our chichacorns but hoped that we bought more of the taro chips.
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A grand picture of the affluent lifestyle of the Marcoses. Built near the pristine Paoay church, this used-to-be palatial residence of the former first family was turned into a museum after their reign.
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We need to take a "break." So we chose the perfect place - a 5-star deluxe hotel. Since we couldn't afford to stay here and we're not willing to bring our meager pocket money to the casino, we just took some photos.
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Anywhere you look... Sand, sand, and more sand. It felt like a desert country. I imagine Panday being surrounded by black-clad, action-hungry, avid Lizardo followers.
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The rooms were quite small. But it's clean, comfortable and affordable. With free breakfast too. And it's convenient. Right next to a Jollibee. Walking distance to everything.
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One of the more famous restaurants in Ilocos. It was fully packed. Luckily, we were able to find a table. We had poqui-poqui (tortang talong with tomatoes and onions), chicken pepian (chicken kare-kare Ilocano style), okoy and crispy dinuguan. Poqui-poqui, won the best-loved La Preciosa dish of the night.
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http://www.superwomom.net/2012/07/ilocos-sojourn-day-5-laoag.html - Day 5 (Laoag)
Details in a Nutshell:
Dragon Fruit Farm
REFMAD Farm
Paayas, Burgos, Ilocos Norte
(0929) 275-7940
Salt Making in Pasuquin
Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte
Pasuquin Bakery
Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte
(077) 775-0198
Dawang's Place
San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte
Marcos Museum and Mausoleum
Brgy.10 - N Lacub,
Batac, Ilocos Norte
Paoay Church
Paoay, Ilocos Norte
Malacanang of the North
Paoay, Ilocos Norte
Fort Ilocandia
http://www.fortilocandia.com.ph/
Barangay 37, Calayab, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
(077) 670-9101
(0922) 850-5482
La Paz Sand Dunes
Barangay La Paz, Ilocos Norte (near Laoag City)
Isabel Suites
http://www.isabelsuites.net/
Barangay 11, Gen. Segundo Avenue, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
(077) 770-4998
(0918) 903-5181
La Preciosa
http://lapreciosa-ilocos.com/content/ilocosnorte.php
Rizal St., Laoag City, Ilocos
Norte
(077) 773-1162 / (077) 773-2159
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