My very first summer getaway for the year, and a celebratory travel with friends for surviving college was a tour in the North.
College friends and I celebrated our newly-acquired bachelor's degree in Ilocos. And it was one hell of a celebration. For starters, we did not get on a plane to get there. Yes, we traveled by land, people! That was the longest drive of my entire human existence: thirteen hours. I know, some would say, driving to Pagudpud would not take that long. But we only had one driver, and lots of stopovers. It's cool though because Pagudpud was breathtaking. Despite the unbearable heat, and my sore ass (because of sitting far too long), the beach was so worth it. I also tried snorkeling for the first time. It was really scary. Every time I look underwater with my goggles on, I felt like the sea would eat me alive. But fear took the back seat after realizing the beautiful creatures underwater. There was not much, though (I was expecting more). It was still a fun, unforgettable experience.
We also went to a cave about fifteen to twenty-minute boat ride away from the island. We decided to go because 1) we are humans who enjoy boat rides; 2) and we wanted adventure. Sadly, it turned out to be a pretty reckless decision. The rocks were too slippery, and most of us were only wearing flip flops. The walk to the actual cave was also quite scary because of the amount of seaweeds covering the area. It felt like the seaweeds were grappling our feet and legs as we walk through the knee-deep water. We kind of regret that part.
After an overnight stay at the beach, our official tour day began. First on the list was The Bangui Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte. It was even more beautiful in person. I bought a lot of fridge magnets, and bracelets as souvenirs there for family and friends.
We also got to see Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. Oh, beauty never ends.
It would not be a legitimate Ilocos getaway without having to visit the Great Ancestral Mansion of the Marcos. The mansion turned museum displayed lots of memorabilia of Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda. A few walks away from the mansion was the mausoleum which housed the remains of the late president.
We also went to see Bantay Church and its bell tower. And for the first time, I also got to visit a zoo (it's another funny story, let's get to that some other time). Baluarte was filled with people. But, we definitely enjoyed our time there.
We then headed to Vigan. After we settled our room for the night, we went to roam the city. The place was really beautiful under the moonlit sky, and the orange and yellow lights. 'To visit Vigan', one thing off my bucket list.
The next morning, we started walking around town again: to sight-see and to buy lots of stuff. We also visited the Crisologo Museum. I felt like I could actually live in Vigan. Everything looked so unreal. Every corner, every house, every wall made consistent of old, rich and beautiful architecture. It (literally) felt like going back in time (without the colonizers and all that). The place was simply otherworldly.
The Ilocos tour went by too fast. Despite the four-day vacation, we only got to see the beauty of Ilocos for two days and a half because of the long travel time. Nonetheless, I was still grateful for this whole trip. Such a fun, memorable experience.
PHOTOS: Sony A300, Nikon D5000
College friends and I celebrated our newly-acquired bachelor's degree in Ilocos. And it was one hell of a celebration. For starters, we did not get on a plane to get there. Yes, we traveled by land, people! That was the longest drive of my entire human existence: thirteen hours. I know, some would say, driving to Pagudpud would not take that long. But we only had one driver, and lots of stopovers. It's cool though because Pagudpud was breathtaking. Despite the unbearable heat, and my sore ass (because of sitting far too long), the beach was so worth it. I also tried snorkeling for the first time. It was really scary. Every time I look underwater with my goggles on, I felt like the sea would eat me alive. But fear took the back seat after realizing the beautiful creatures underwater. There was not much, though (I was expecting more). It was still a fun, unforgettable experience.
We also went to a cave about fifteen to twenty-minute boat ride away from the island. We decided to go because 1) we are humans who enjoy boat rides; 2) and we wanted adventure. Sadly, it turned out to be a pretty reckless decision. The rocks were too slippery, and most of us were only wearing flip flops. The walk to the actual cave was also quite scary because of the amount of seaweeds covering the area. It felt like the seaweeds were grappling our feet and legs as we walk through the knee-deep water. We kind of regret that part.
After an overnight stay at the beach, our official tour day began. First on the list was The Bangui Wind Farm in Ilocos Norte. It was even more beautiful in person. I bought a lot of fridge magnets, and bracelets as souvenirs there for family and friends.
We also got to see Cape Bojeador Lighthouse and the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. Oh, beauty never ends.
It would not be a legitimate Ilocos getaway without having to visit the Great Ancestral Mansion of the Marcos. The mansion turned museum displayed lots of memorabilia of Ferdinand Marcos and his wife Imelda. A few walks away from the mansion was the mausoleum which housed the remains of the late president.
We also went to see Bantay Church and its bell tower. And for the first time, I also got to visit a zoo (it's another funny story, let's get to that some other time). Baluarte was filled with people. But, we definitely enjoyed our time there.
We then headed to Vigan. After we settled our room for the night, we went to roam the city. The place was really beautiful under the moonlit sky, and the orange and yellow lights. 'To visit Vigan', one thing off my bucket list.
The next morning, we started walking around town again: to sight-see and to buy lots of stuff. We also visited the Crisologo Museum. I felt like I could actually live in Vigan. Everything looked so unreal. Every corner, every house, every wall made consistent of old, rich and beautiful architecture. It (literally) felt like going back in time (without the colonizers and all that). The place was simply otherworldly.
The Ilocos tour went by too fast. Despite the four-day vacation, we only got to see the beauty of Ilocos for two days and a half because of the long travel time. Nonetheless, I was still grateful for this whole trip. Such a fun, memorable experience.
PHOTOS: Sony A300, Nikon D5000
