Ocean Drivin' in Ilocos
Trip Start
Oct 22, 2010
1
47
50
Trip End
Sep 01, 2011
Laoag, Luzon, Philippines
Saturday, July 23, 2011
We landed in Laoag in the province of Ilocos Norte, birthplace of Ferdinand Marcos. The Marcos' seemingly brought a lot of wealth back to the province during the dictatorship, as it's one of the nicest and more modern places I've visited here. The Marcos family is still very popular here, if nowhere else in the world, and they have elected former first lady Imelda Representative, son BongBong a Senator, and daughter Imee Governor of the province.
We went to the Mausoleum, and saw a formalin-preserved Ferdinand Marcos laid out. It didn't look real. It was definitely creepy though. We grabbed a couple bags of garlic chichacorn, and hopped in the van to drive south to Paoay, and the St. Augustin Church.
The church is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and my first glimpse as we approached left no question why. It dominates. Some call it "Earthquake Baroque"...a mix of Gothic, Baroque, Chinese and Javanese influences. A huge bell tower stands apart from the main building should it fall in earthquakes (it hasn't). Buttresses not only support the structure, but have stairs to climb the church roof to escape typhoon floods.
We drove south along the ocean into Ilocos Sur province, and the colonial town of Vigan. We walked the cobblestone streets rather than riding a horse-drawn calesa. Like almost any other Spanish colonial town it follows the cathedral and plaza model, and we watched kids play in Plaza Burgos while munching on Vigan's famous empanadas.
The next morning, we started out at Malacanang Norte, the summer home of the Marcos', counting "Oro, Plata, Mata" up the stairs to Imelda's opulent dressing room. North to Pagudpud, we stopped at Cape Bojeador Lighthouse for an amazing view of the ocean below, and continued past massive windmills that generate energy and income for Ilocos Norte.
We finally arrived at Pagudpud, and gloriously wasted an afternoon at the beautiful empty beach on the far tip of Luzon. Afternoon hours drifted away as we chilled in a nipa hut with Pale Pilsen, a bag of ice, and pulutan peanuts...
...we drove back as evening came, watching the sun drop into the ocean. One last look, as our plane climbed into an impossibly red sky.
Comments
How cool!! I really think I would like to to visit the northern Philippines, and take Nico too, of course! You guys take care, ~A
That sunset looks awesome
Erik and Dei--is the longannisa similar to Portugal's linguica sausage (pork-fatty and lean blended w/garlic and red pepper paste)? Dick loves spicy sausage and I'm always looking for something new to us. Nice travelog and pics
Hi Christine! Yes, it's the same origin as linguica (longganisa was Spanish, linguica Portuguese). Though most varieties here aren't overly spicy. You will be able find longganisa at several places there in Seattle...there are several Filipino stores in the south end. See you guys soon!