Finally we're at the main destination of my Ilocos trip - Vigan! This UNESCO World Heritage Site has been a favourite destination for both locals and foreigners for years, and with good reason!
Honestly, a lot of time that I spent in Vigan was at night since we were busy exploring Ilocos Norte during the day. I managed to get a few interesting shots of a few iconic spots we visited during the day however, and surely you'll see just how Vigan really pulls you back in time while still being modern.
Small details like these are always a plus! You could actually bike around the city but we didn't get a chance to. :( Hopefully next time!
We stayed at Hotel Felicidad which was beautiful! They really went all out with the Spanish-style houses that used to be popular during the colonization. Everything was so clean and well-maintained. 100% would recommend this!
A carriage or locally known as karwahe. Not sure if this is actually in use or if its just for display. Either way, it was very pretty! There were lots of carriages around the city as well, drawn by horses!
Again, little details! I wish Manila had street signs this pretty as well!
Next stop - a small weaving shop! They still used looms here which I found quite fascinating! I was always horrible at any form of sewing or knitting in elementary and high school, so seeing how much work and intricacy is required to operate these looms blew my mind.
We got a lot of things from this shop, ranging from blankets, to placemats, and even a backpack! It's nice to be able to support these small businesses as the proceeds go directly to them instead of say, a huge corporation.
Next we had our lunch at Hidden Garden, which is famous for a huge collection of a wide variety of plants, as well as...
...my favourite empanada! I kid you not when I say I would make the trip up north for these alone. Unlike the Paoay variety, this one is lighter in colour and is eaten with just the local vinegar. I must say I prefer these, but I'd be happy to eat either! I think I ate 2 and a half of these? Not enough! I need more!
I'm not sure if I mentioned, but after Ilocos we made our way up to Baguio via Naguilian Road. It has much more spectacular views than the usual Kennon and Marcos (which I think I've memorized after passing so many times) but alas, fog!
The eerie vibe is still quite cool, isn't it? Looks like something out of a horror movie. If I searched for some ghost stories, I'm sure I'd find many.
One more post to go! Next week features the main destination of Vigan - Calle Crisologo!
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