THE CHURCH OF STA. LUCIA, ILOCOS SUR

The Facade Of The Church.....




Statue Of The Risen Christ.....




Church Interiors.....





Centuries Old Bricks.....





From The Choir Loft....




The Altar.....




I Wish I Have An UWA Lens.....




Baptismal Chamber.....




The Big Dome.....




The Bell Tower.....




Pana-panahon.....




The club decided to go on a photo trip this summer. The obvious choice was to visit the provinces of Northern Luzon. I jumped on the opportunity to go with them, since it is rather difficult, logistics wise to go to a place of interest and shoot without your own ride. Secondly, the fact that we are all shooters is a plus, I don't have to worry of other people getting bored while I take photos. Thirdly, the fact that the people who shall be going to the trip are no strangers to me just increases the level of expectation, of this trip going to be an enjoyable one. I was asked to do the itinerary, being someone whose roots are from Ilocoslovakia.

We left Quezon City at 11 pm of April 9, 2010; as me and members of the club started our journey to explore Northern Luzon.

Personally, I have not been to places extremely up north, particularly in Pagudpud and Cape Bojeador. Nor have I seen the viaduct. Last November, I decided to take a close look of the Bangui Wind Farm on my own, out of curiosity. If ever, this will be my second trip to the wind farm then.

The driver of the van that we rented started to get sleepy after driving all through the night. Apparently, he came straight from work and only had an hours rest before he sat behind the steering wheel of the van. I didn't want to stop in a place that was dark and unfamiliar to me. The Shell gas station which my cousin uses as his stop whenever he drives a private vehicle during night travels for a power nap in Rosario, La Union has been bypassed a few hours ago. I then suggested to park at the parking lot of the church in my hometown of Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur.

The thing about itineraries is that it just acts as a guide for a structured travel. It does not mean that one has to follow it strictly. Rather, one must be flexible enough to alter the guide, as the situation may call for.

Stopping over at Sta. Lucia was NOT in the itinerary itself but the situation called for it. Initially, the plan was to be at the Quirino Bridge in Santa, Ilocos Sur at the break of dawn for that early morning landscape photography. But I started to worry about the driver hence the stopover. It is the place I am most familiar with.

The daily early morning mass had just started when we arrived. I asked the group to be inconspicuous with their movements around the church so us not to disturb those inside.

The group also had a rare chance to meet one of my aunts as she came out of the church after the early morning mass and I asked her about obtaining permission to shoot. Eventually, the parish priest saw our camera wielding team and gave his permission for us to roam freely and shoot after we talked. He even asked someone to open the lights in the altar while we took photographs. My profound gratitude to him for allowing us to shoot as my friends did find the church unique and beautiful.

So we took photographs while the driver slept. It made me realize that there were nooks and crannies of the church that I have never been to. It was my first time to climb the old and dilapidated stairs and shoot from above the choir loft. It was also the first time for me to see the small room were the sacrament of baptism is performed.

We could have stayed longer but the driver had awaken from his nap, ready to drive and to continue our journey. The others agreed to move on as most of us started to feel hunger pangs. Thank God for Jollibee! c",)