Northern Luzon Escapade

Date: March 24 - 27, 2005
Destination: Vigan, Pagudpud, Laoag
Accomplices: Allan, Ron and Xian

Vigan

Vigan, 408km (253mi) from Manila, is the best preserved Spanish town in the Philippines; the architecture is similar to Intramuros in Manila. It was founded by Juan de Salcedo May 20, 1571 and became a city three years later. The town's name was changed to Ciudad Fernandina. In 1630, the town' s old name, Vigan, was revived. It was the center of the Ilocos region since the 17th century. In 1762, the famous Silang revolt began in Vigan. Today, Vigan is a quiet town with very few activities after 20:00.

Source: Vigan
http://www.cockatoo.com/english/philippines/
philippines_islands_northwest_luzon14.htm

Vigan brings images of antiquated houses, cobbled narrow streets, calesas and friendly faces peering out of large windows; a place where "time stood still".

Pictures: In front of Cafe Leona -- a visit in Vigan is not complete without stopping by Cafe Leona. Try their pinakbet, longganisa, bagnet and dinengdeng.

Calesas -- one of the means to go from point A to point B in Vigan, probably the best, too. The rent is by the hour and the calesa driver/guide usually has an 'itenirary' so that your cruise around town will already hit most of the 'touristy' spots. We were able to request our guide to go to the Pottery Shop and even to stay at one place more than what's allotted so that we can take more pictures.

Foodie! - the kiosks at Plaza Burgos offer sinanglao, arroz caldo, miki, empanada and okoy. Of course, after wolfing down empanadas and okoy, we weren't able to resist buying dirty ice cream as well.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/vigansite


Bantay Church and Bantay Belfry

San Augustine Church and Bell Tower – one of the oldest churches of Ilocos Sur, it was built in 1590 with Fr. Montoya, as the first parish priest. The Augustinian friars named it after St. Augustine, the Patron Saint. The church was damaged during the World War II but was reconstructed in 1950. The restored facade is of neo-gothic design mixed with pseudo-Romanesque materials and elements. Its grandiose design afforded a reminiscent of the old Spanish architecture using indigenous materials, which are of bricks and slime. According to great ancestors, fishermen found the image of Our Lady of Charity placed in a wooden box floating in Bantaoay river and when the news broke, people from other towns and Provinces came to take the image but could not be moved and only people from Bantay were able to carry the miraculous image. It became the sanctuary of Our Lady of Charity on January 12, 1956, when the most Reverend Msgr. Vagnozzi, the Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, crowned the miraculous image as the Patroness of Ilocandia. The picturesque bellfry sits on a hilltop (atop the Calvario Hill) overlooking a vivid green vast of pastureland and the mountain view of the Province of Abra. It was used as a watchtower for invading enemy forces during World Wars I and II. Evidently, the Bantay Church and bell tower are the monumental witnesses to various atrocities, uprisings and staged revolts.

Source: Municipality of Bantay
http: www.bantay.gov.ph/index.php?id1=7

The burnay-making in Vigan was introduced by early Chinese immigrants. The west side of Vigan is abundant in grade A clay used in jar and pottery- making in nearby barangays/villages. The jar-making trade was passed on from generation to generation of Chinese mestizos and eventually naturales (natives). Burnay is use for storing drinking water, salt, basi wine, tagapulot (brown sugar), and Ilocano's favorite bagoong. The arrival of plastic containers is killing the industry. A sub-product of burnay called gibak (clay tiles) are used as salt beds in salt-making industry found in Las Pinas, Laguna and Dasul, Pangasinan.

Source: http://members.fortunecity.com/amorsfx/burnay.html