Valerie Caulin - freelance writer » Ilocos Norte

Where have you been in 2009?

admin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 03:13:52 +0000

Revamping this site to feature destinations and travel in general as much as possible, I looked back for this year in terms of where I have set foot in. Turns out that I have traveled so much this year! Yipee! Take the fact that my son has become older that I can leave him for a night or two for some “me time” traveling. Likewise, he is bigger to bring along to further destinations.

I excluded Roxas City and the rest of Capiz province as well as Kalibo and Aklan since we always go there. So here are the places that I have been too this year:

1. Zamboanga del Norte

Dakak

I have been to Mindanao a thousand times ( my mom is from Lanao del Norte), it is still a path unknown to me. And to visit and explore the peaceful Zamboanga del Norte was amazing. We’ve been to Dakak ( I just love it), Dipolog and Dapitan. I love the unspoiled scenery of Zamboanga.

2. Misamis Occidental

Aki having fun with the monkey in Cotta

My husband hails from Ozamiz City and we visited their place during the Holy Week. I have been to Ozamiz City before I even met him and last Holy Week, we went to different places in the province like Jimenez with their old church and passed different municipalities along the way.

It was my first time to see real dolphins..haha!

For my baby who loves the water so much ( just like me), we visited the Misamis Occidental Aquamarine Park (MOAP) in the town of Sinabacan which is just 25 minutes away from Ozamiz City. I found this blog which has complete information about MOAP. Click here!

3. Guimaras

Alubijod, Guimaras

Oh, the romantic and tranquil island of Guimaras. I visited the island once again this year with my high school barkadas last June. And an interesting fact that one of the women I admire, Daphne Osena-Paez worked and lived in Guimaras for a year. We stayed in Villa Igang Resort and visited Guisi Beach, Guisi Lighthouse and Ruins, Trappist Monastery, etc..

4. Cebu

Aki swimming with his cousin, Boodie in Shangrila Mactan

Should I include this? I’m from Cebu and of course, Iloilo is just an hour away by plane. But this year is different since I came home many times, 4 times to be exact. Even as a local of Cebu it was my first time to visit Shangrila Mactan, the Parola in Lilo-an and the Museum of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Cebu.

5. Manila

"Can I feed them Ma?"

Manila as the capital city serves as the stoppver for many our trips and sometimes we stay for one night to check out this vibrant city. When we went to Mindanao last Holy Week, we treated our son to the Manila Ocean Park but it was not as impressive since we came from MOAP where we really touched sea animals in their own habitant.

When my husband went to Ilocos, we stayed for one night in Manila before going home. And a creepy thing happened, my husband saw a vision of a child burning in pain while we slept in our hotel room. Creepy! I won’t share what hotel it was..I don’t want to ruin their business..haha!

6. Ilocos Norte and Sur

Where is Simon Ibarra?

Our Ilocos trip was the best for this year. I have been dreaming of Ilocos in years and if I remember it right, I once said that I will marry the man that will take me to Ilocos. haha!

There was a storm, Santi hitting Luzon when we went there with some flights cancelled but we conquered them all and had a wonderful time in Ilocos. When we were in Vigan, we missed our son so much that we didn’t have much fun as we should have.

7. Boracay

ahh..unwind and relax..

I have been to Boracay six times and I shouldn’t put this on my list since I can always go here if I wanted to. But nevertheless, I include this since we spent our special Christmas day in Boracay and it turned out to be the best Boracay trip I ever had. Lessons learned- stay in Station 1 and avoid avoid the peak season during summer.

There is my list. How about you? Where were you in 2009?

Northbound to Ilocos Norte

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:25:55 +0000

Ilocos Norte Provincial Capitol

Ilocos Norte is the perfect place for those seeking unique adventures as well as heritage tours for their holidays. With its picturesque coasts, well-preserved structures and awesome modern wonders – Ilocos Norte should be one of the destinations that you shouldn’t miss.

I have written 15 posts for the last mont about Ilocos Norte- that is how interesting this place is with many captivating sights to drop by. I have written this post to sort of give you a summary and quick links to those posts which are very helpful if you are planning to visit the province of Ilocos Norte.

Getting there

The fastest way to Ilocos Norte is taking an hour flight from Manila to the Laoag International Airport. If you want to save money, you can take a 12-hour bus trip from Metro Manila. We preferred to take the bus to see different provinces and views along the way like La Union and Tarlac. We took the Farinas bus going to Batac City where we began our trip and going back to Manila, we took the Partras bus in Vigan City.

Accommodation

Laoag City which is the capital of the province has plenty of accommodation choices while in Ilocos Norte. Based on our travel, I can only suggest two accommodations in Ilocos Northe which I have stayed and visited as well.

Balay da Blas Pensionne House

Fort Ilocandia Resort and Casino

Sights and Attractions

Marcos Mausoleum

Paoay Church

Malacanang of the North

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation

Marcos Museum in Sarrat

Dining

Ilocano Culinary Feast

So enjoy and have a thrilling time exploring Ilocos Norte!

Balay da Blas

admin — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 02:41:05 +0000

We stayed in Balay da Blas Pensionne House while in Ilocos Norte and it was the best accommodation we had given the affordable rate they have. I learned about Balay da Blas in one of the forums online and real people really gives the best advice.

This pension house is also popular among backpackers and often mentioned in many travel magazines. What I like about Balay da Blas is the “homey” ambiance and it is very roomy. All rooms are suite rooms with spacious living rooms, private galley and a bedroom. One room can accommodate up to 4 people for a rate as low as 1,900. Travelers choose this accommodate for true value for their money and it located in the heart of Laoag City.

I love the rooms in Balay da Blas and aside for its affordable rate I love the idea of really having a second home. Since I was traveling with my husband, the suite was really spacious for us. Unlike the usual rooms that we had in our previous travels which are only consist of a bedroom, a TV and some cabinets..they tend to be crowded.

But Balay da Blas is very refreshing. Not to mention that in the bedroom there is a very of a small garden courtesy of its sliding glass doors. I love it when the first thing I saw when I woke up the next day was the fresh green hue of the hanging plants in that small indoor garden.

Breakfast was served al-fresco in their small and romantic yard. The area is small and quiant with some of the antqiue collections of Sam, the owner on display. Sam also owns Samramsam Cafe which is just a few meters away from the pension house.

To sum up, for value and comfort- stay in Balay da Blas Pension House in Laoag City!

For more information like rates, visit their website. Click here!

Batac City

admin — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:29:46 +0000

Batac City was our first stop before heading to Laoag City and other destinations in Ilocos Norte. You can’t pass the center of this city if you travel from Manila to Laoag. Instead, we stopped at one intersection then rode a tricyle; the other way was heading to Paoay.

Aglipayan Church of Batac City

This city is known as the “Land of Leaders” with many prominent Filipino leaders hailing from this city. The founder of the Philippine Independent Church, Msgr. Gregorio Aglipay is from the city. Just beside Jollibee, is the first Aglipayan church and not far is the shrine of Aglipay where his body is laid to rest.

Aglipay Shrine

Msgr. Gregorio Aglipay - founder of the Philippine Independent Church

Philippine president Fidel V. Ramos who is a distant cousin of Marcos traces his ancestry to this city.

Marcos Ancestral House in Batac

Of course, Batac City is famous for the mausoleum of Ferdinand Marcos found in one of the family’s ancestral houses. Though born in Sarrat, Ferdinand’s father is from Batac and together with his family they moved to Batac from Sarrat when Ferdinand was eight.

His mausoleum and the ancestral house are just a few meters away from the parish church of Batac. Adjacent to Jollibee (sorry this fastfood chain is really unofficial landmark in the Philippines) is also a small photo museum of Marcos but it was close when we were there.

A glimpse of the house's interior

The ancestral house is also very big and also pretty impressive. I don’t know if its open during regular days since it also served as the office of Imee Marcos ( Ferdinand’s daughter) as a congresswoman and also of Bongbong Marcos when he was a congressman in the district.

The President at work..

There is also a museum inside the property showcasing the achievements of Marcos as a leader particularly as a president. One interesting photo is the wedding photo of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.

Aside from these sights, Batac City is famous for their local delicacy, empanada which is fried dough stuffed with egg, Ilocano longganisa, vegetables and other ingredients.

Laoag City

admin — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:11:42 +0000

The city of Laoag is the called the “Sunshine City” for many reasons. The word “laoag” means, “light” in Ilocano and in Ilocos Norte, it seldom rains bringing sunshine almost all year round.

Laoag is the capital city of Ilocos Norte and considered by many travelers as the real Gateway to the North. As the capital, it is the province’s center for trade and commerce with tourism as one of its major industries. Still, the city has that laidback lifestyle with kalesas still roaming the city streets.

Located in the northen part of Luzon and 10 hours away from Manila, the city welcomes its visitors to its rich and vibrant heritage. The fastest way to get to Laoag is by plane from Manila which only takes a few hours.

Here are some interesting sights to see in Laoag City…

Sinking Bell Tower

I hope they can clear this out in the future...

The main landmark of the city is it’s bell tower which sinks one inch per year. And if you look closer, its doors are really too low and a little dropped to the ground. At night, there are little lights in the tower that makes it very romantic.

Regarding those power lines, there is a proposed plan to clear out the neighboring areas of the bell tower. I hope they can do this asap.

Tobacco Monopoly Monument

Sorry for this pic, it didn't take the top end of the monument

Due to its land condition, Ilocos cultivates tobacco and was badly used my Spanish authorities. Until now, tobacco is still grown in the province. This monument which is in the heart of the city and a few blocks from the Sinking Bell Towers, reminds how the Ilocanos rebelled against the Spaniards when they were abused.

During the Tobacco monopoly, natives were given quota on how much tobacco they should plant and harvest. And they can only sell their crop to the Spanish government leaving nothing for their own consumption. Along with other crops like the basi, a local wine, the Ilocanos revolted agaisnt the colonizers.

Ilocos Norte Museum

A Spanish edifice turned museum

It’s hard to miss the Ilocos Norte Museum, it is just a stone throw away from the capitol and other government offices. It has one of the best collections in for a local museum with each exhibitions properly organized. The museum also used to be a building for tobacco trade.

Laoag City Hall

Throwing those banners and air conditioners away, you will mistook this for an ancestral house

The city hall of Laoag is an old and impressive structure. It is the complete opposite of other citiy halls in the Philippines that are so plain and shabby. I really find their city hall grand and elegant. What do you think?

St. William’s Cathedral

The facade of St. William's Cathedral

On the right side of the city’s rotunda behind McDonald’s is the Cathedral of St. William. This cathedral which looks rather new is actually a 17th century structure. The cathedral bears the Italian Renaissance style of architecture.

For more information about Laoag City like transportation, dining and accommodation, visit the city’s official site. Click here!

Ilocano Culinary Feast

admin — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 00:15:18 +0000

Traveling is null if you will not treat yourself with the local cuisine of your destination for dining local dishes is the best way to savor a certain place. Ilocos is also noted for their culinary treasures and I was excited for this new gastronomic indulgence that we will have for our trip to Ilocos Norte and Sur.

During my research, I only learned about the special Ilokano pinakbet and bagnet since most of the food are not just unfamiliar but hard to pronounce. Luckily, in Saramsam Cafe where we had our lunch, their menu includes descriptions of the local dishes like what a “dinagdakan” is.

Saramsam Restaurant

For our first lunch in Ilocos, we chose Saramsam Cafe in Rizal Street of Loaog City. It was convenient for us since it is just a few meters away from where we stayed and it is under one management. I liked the ambiance of the cafe, it is casual, cozy and artistic. Aside from dishes, the cafe also sells items that travelers can bring back home. If only I wasn’t pregnant, I would have bought Basi wine.

Saramsam interior

For the locals, the place has the best pasta dishes in town but for travelers like us, it is a great stop for wonderful food in Ilocos.Of course, we ordered bagnet, dinagdakan, pinakbet and sinang-lao. I’m not sure about if it was really dinagdakan that we had, just correct me if I’m wrong.

Is this dinagdakan?

Ilocano Pinakbet

The first thing, I noticed about their pinakbet is that is very “green”. Yeah, green. For us in the Visayas or even in Mindanao, we add a lot of squash in our pinakbet. The one we had in Ilocos, there is squash is totally absent but in Vigan, I saw one slice of squash. Dan, our guide said that there are many variants for pinakbet in Ilocos but they rarely use squash.

The pinakbet was really good and it was quite different from the one I often cook for my family. I’m not a fan of okra but I ate in in Ilocos. I was very intrigued with how they cooked it that I have to check it in YouTube. And there, I learned the trick from Bongbong Marcos who cooked the Ilocano pakbet in Lucy and Wilma’s show, “A Sweet Life”.

Bagnet with KBL

Of course, my most awaited bagnet which is a deep fried pork belly. It was not as fatty for me compared to other deep fried pork dishes like lechon kawali. And I like the sauce known as KBL was superb; short for Kamatis, Bagoong and Lasong ( young onion).

Sidewalk Empanada

When we finished our tour at 8pm, we went to the town of San Nicholas, just outside Laoag City for empanada. The town of Batac is more famous for this delicacy but the empanada in San Nicholas was fine. The emapanada that I grew up with was rather small with those intricate shell-like dough stuffed with ground pork, pickles and raisins. In Ilocos, it was big! Really big that I failed to finish it.

Forgive me for this picture..haha!

The empanada in Ilocos is stuffed with longganisa, egg and other ingredients. For 30 pesos each, you can have your dinner. In that small side walk eatery we also had their all-lean meat pork barbeque with Ilocano vinegar. Now, I’m drooling…their vinegar is simply the best.

Again, I’m not a fan of condiments for my food contrary to most Filipinos who would dip their food in soy sauce, vinegar or their combination. Ilocano vinegar is sweet which caught my fancy, if only we were not travel by air I would have bought one year supply of Ilocano vinegar.

Breakfast in Balay da Blas

Aside from bagnet, empanada and pinakbet, Ilocos is famous for their longganisa. And when I woke up the next day I was excited for my breakfast of Ilocano longganisa. When it was served in Balay da Blas where we stayed, I was a little disappointed for it didn’t look so palateable to me. And I begged for forgiveness when I tasted it ….love it! It was not fatty and no coloring or artificial flavoring. Dip it in their vinegar and you can taste heaven.

Vigan longganisa is also popular and we bought two kilos from Leona’s Cafe. Sadly, the longganisa is made to be dipped in Ilocano vinegar. When we arrived home, it was not as delightful as it was in Ilocos but we all love it anyway.

Leona's Cafe in Vigan

There are many Ilocano dishes that we should ought to try and we will when we return like their crispy dinuguan. Till nex time Ilocandia!

Marcos Museum in Sarrat

admin — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:04:53 +0000

We headed off to Sarrat to visit Sta. Monica Church but along the way, we spotted a Marcos Museums and we didn’t hesitate to stop and check it out. In Ilocos Norte, there are many Marcos Museum and this is just one of them.

This museum which opens everyday from 8am till 5pm is just along the highway and it is easy to spot. This museum is the ancestral house of the Edralin, which is Ferdinand Marcos’s maternal side of the family.

Family portrait of the Marcos family

The president was born and lived here until they moved to Batac City when he was eight years old. His parents, Mariano and Josefa Edralin Marcos were all schoolteachers. The house is a traditional bahay na bato, a 2-storey structure with the ground floor for storage while the upper level is reserved for living quarters.

The old kitchen

There are many items on display some taken from the Malacanang Palace Museum as well as from the Malacanang of the North in Paoay. There are many old photographs of the family as well as documents and furniture.

The president with his nanny

Surveying and studying all the things you see in the Marcos Museum, you will learn that Ferdinand Marcos who was named after the Spanish king Ferdinand VII came from a well to do family. And it is not something new that he entered politics for his ancestors were already serving in politics and active in many revolutions.

Dona Joesfa and the president's youngest sister who is the grandmother of actor-host Paolo Bediones

The caretaker who also acts as a curator

The caretaker was very friendly and explains everything on display and what he knows about the Edralin-Marcos family. Renovated by Imelda Marcos for her husband’s 60th birthday, it was left abandoned during the fall of the Marcos Family.

Now, the Marcos Museum in Sarrat is one of the attractions in Ilocos Norte.

Sarrat Church

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:03:34 +0000

After we had our hearty breakfast of Ilocano longganisa dipped in their native vinegar (now I’m drooling) in Balay da Blas where we stayed, we headed to the quite town of Sarrat which a few kilometers from the city proper of Laoag City. There are two main attractions in this town – The Edralin-Marcos Museum and the Sarrat Church.

Sta. Monica Parish Church and Bell Tower

Sta. Monica Parish Church or simply Sarrat Church is one of the most popular destinations in Ilocos Norte not just for its heritage and cultural significance but it was this same church that one of the most lavish weddings in the country happened. It was in June 11, 1983 that then presidential daughter Irene Marcos wed a member of the scion clan of the Aranetas, Greggy Araneta.

The wedding was one of the ways that the Marcoses showed their indulgence as they built the Laoag Airport and the Fort Ilocandia Resort and Casino just for the wedding. The sleepy town was transformed into a bustling village during the Marcos-Araneta Nuptials that many people compared it to the royal wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. And it doesn’t end there, for the church was badly damaged when a 7.6 intensity earthquake hit Sarrat which some say was a premonition of the inevitable downfall of the Marcos regime.

The town of Sarrat is important for the Marcos family since the president, Ferdinand Marcos was born in this town before they moved to Batac when he was eight. Fabian Ver who was also very active during the Marcos regime was from Sarrat. One of the guesthouses of Marcos is in Sarat which was abandoned for many years and now a government office.

Sarrat Church Bell Tower

Setting aside Marcos- Araneta weddings, Sta. Monica Church is no doubt a very lovely structure of Neo-classical and Baroque features. Its bell tower which was severely damaged during the earthquake is now fully restored. The façade of Sarrat Church is not intricate but is made of baked red bricks with some jars used as ornament. The church also faces a river in which during summer, huts were built for families along with balikbayans to have some nice picnic along the riverbank.

The river across the Church which also a preserved naure park.

The simple interior of the church

The interior of the church is also very simple, not a hint of glamor from the wedding that happened more than two decades ago. No tall pillar or sculptures inside, maybe the ornaments were all ravaged by the past earthquakes that the church succumbed to in the past.

Parish museum

Another structure that lies just next to the church is its Museum. It’s hard to miss this building for yet again, made of red baked bricks which always attract my attention. We missed the chance to visit the museum since it was a Sunday when we went there. I have read in one blog that the museum was once a trial court during the Spanish era.

Patapat Viaduct

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:25:19 +0000

Touring Pagudpud usually means heading north to the famous Patapat Viaduct that was first constructed to answer landslide problems in the area. And now it is also one of the tourist attractions in Ilocos Norte.

Viaducts are bridges built along coastal areas and in the case of Patapat Viaduct, it faces the breathtaking Pasaleng Bay and winds along the tall mountains of Northern Luzon. This viaduct also connects Ilocos Norte to the province of Cagayan. When we were there, big buses from and bound for Cagayan were passing by.

I don’t know how long the viaduct is but what I have known is that it is the fourth longest bridge in the country. Don’t expect to spend many hours in Patapat unless you want to take a lot of photos especially of the open sea. It felt a little bit scary on the road with big buses passing along and big waves splashing underneath the viaduct.

Funny experience!

I don’t know if others have experienced what we had, Dan, who was touring us in Ilocos Norte gave a funny trivia as we were heading to Patapat Viaduct. He said that since it is closer to Batanes and Taiwan itself, you can get radio signals from Taiwan while in Patapat at night.

And since, we were there at 5:30 or 6pm maybe, we tried it. And indeed! We were listening to Chinese speaking folks in various radio stations – four to be exact! I was funny and felt like we were spying the Taiwanese.

If you’re there, try this funny “spying” game..:-)

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:54:26 +0000

As we left Bangui Wind Farm, the golden sun was almost there and we were rushing to go to the next town – Pagudpud. See, when in Ilocos allocate at least 3 days for you to have full control of your time. No time to grudge and we headed off to this famous beach destination in northern Luzon.

When we were in Pagudpud, it was an accomplishment for me. For I am at the northwestern tip of Ilocos and of mainland Luzon. I have reached that far! Wipeeee!

From Laoag City, it is 2 hours by bus and since we went there by car, travel time is lesser than that. If you are from Manila, there are buses that travel straight to Pagudpud if you wish to stop here first.

Saud Beach, Pagudpud. The sand is not as white as it should be since we were there during the Golden hour.

At first, I thought that Pagudpud is a surfing beach though it still can be when the winds are strong but when we arrived, it is a pristine beach. Many people call it as the “Boracay of the North” due to long stretch of white sand. True, the sand was white but of course, not as powdery as that of Boracay. Still, it is a remarkable white-sand beach in the amidst the typical Ilocano coast characterized by rocky and dark-sandy beaches.

One of resorts in Saud Beach

Pagudpud is actually composed of two beaches – the Saud and the “Blue Lagoon”. The Saud beach is more accessible and has more facilities compared to the Blue Lagoon. The two beaches do not stretch like Boracay but it reminds of of Dakak – cove with tall mountains and cliffs. One travel writer named Pagudpud as one of the best beaches in Asia but I don’t know specifically which beach he was pertaining to.

The Blue Lagoon is quite far from the main road and twenty minutes from Saud Beach. I love the rock formations along the way and it was such a misfortune that it was already dark when we arrived there. Still, you can see that it such a pristine beach and I was resenting that we don’t have much time.

Blue Lagoon is less commercialized that Saud Beach and it is located in the Maira-Ira Point. It reminds of Guisi Beach in Guimaras for its serenity and tranquility. I just hope they can halt the commercialization in the area.

For photos of Blue Lagoon, I found a nice blog. Click here.