VIGAN AT CHRISTMAS TIME.....

Vigan Cathedral At Christmas.....






With The Belfry.....






The Bellfry.....






A Closer View.....






Shopping For Souvenirs.....






Hoping For A Calesa Ride.....






Hagdanan Na Walang Tahanan.....






When I bade my relatives goodbye during my last trip, I went to Vigan to buy some Vigan longganisa to take home to eat. I also decided to buy a whole box of special bibingka as well. I do not have a photo of the longganisa since it was wrap frozen and the bibingka was polished off as soon as I arrived home. Obviously, this is where I boarded the bus heading for Manila.

I haven't seen Vigan at Christmas time. I know from past visits that Crisologo Street is a well lighted area. I became curious if the houses on this well known street have the usual Christmas decors just like any other house and shops during this time. And I wanted to see the contrast, old Spanish houses with Christmas lights blinking or even the presence of a lighted parol outside the premises.

I was disappointed that the shops were bare with the said decorations when I got there. In fact, the only sign that it was still Christmas was the presence of a decorated Christmas tree in front of Vigan Cathedral and a parol on the belfry. I guess I expected to much from this trip. Or perhaps the shopkeepers decided to remove their decors after the New Year.

I think the only way to find out is to return to Vigan next Christmas time (December) and scout the place once again.

A MOMENT IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD.....

My Grandchild, Showing Off Her Independence.....


















Sometime last January, I went to Sta. Lucia to pay my relatives a visit and perform certain tasks required of me like paying the yearly land tax of the rice farm and selling the palay harvested to rice traders. After doing these, I always go back to Manila immediately.

Life here in the province is not what it used to be when I was a child. My generation has grown up. A few have even passed away. The kids of yesterday are now the adults of the present while those who were there to guide us are slowly disappearing one by one.

Gone were the days when we used to play basketball at the cemented court at the town plaza across the municipal hall. Gone were the days when we would sit down and do our bit of classifying tobacco leaves in order to earn some money for the summer. Gone were the days when you have all your cousins around and engage in conversations that range from the trivial and mundane to the serious and life altering.

I watched my grandchild (oh yes, I still am young but I now have lots of apos) as she enjoyed her bath. Will I still be around as this child reaches her teens?

I NEVER THOUGHT I'D MISS THIS.....

The fun thing about New Year's Eve is watching the sky for the fireworks display that takes place before the clock strikes 12 midnight of January 1. But nowadays, firecrackers and fireworks are getting more expensive that one buyer of such things has to ponder deeply if money spent to buy these "pyrotechnic entertainers" is worthwhile. And with the DOH campaign to avoid firecrackers to prevent bodily harm and that gas leak in Makati that can certainly turn into a huge fireball of catastrophic proportions prompting the city government to issue a strict warning not to use firecrackers in their area, I am now hearing myself say, I miss watching a fireworks display.

There was a time in the past when me and my friends from NAYON Photographer's Club braved the throng of people and proceeded to Esplanade to watch the World Pyro Olympics and shoot fireworks to our hearts' delight! And the last time we went there, we actually placed ourselves on top of those huge boulders along the break waters of Manila Bay, since the thick concrete barriers have been occupied by people who arrived ahead of us. I also recall about a time when I had to walk quite far just to be able to get a bus as I head home to Las Pinas. This started my ritual of never again try to get a ride at MOA during a very busy night like this and just head towards Plaza Lawton.

A lot has happened with this event. For one thing, we were privy with what happened behind the supposed misunderstanding between the organizers of the Pyro Olympics and SM Management. Whatever the controversy was, it made the organizers transfer the pyro olympics venue to around the area in the Fort, in Taguig and also made SM organize a similar event which SM now is a sponsor of.

If ever another event similar to the World Pyro Olympics is held here in the future, who knows, I might blow the dust off my tripod and proceed towards wherever the location for this event will be and shoot fireworks once again!

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE - PAOAY CHURCH.....

St. Augustine Church of Paoay, Ilocos Norte.....






Temples of Angkor Wat?






From Another Angle.....





Visitors Inside The Church.....






The Restaurant Across The Church.....






Pinakbet Pizza Anyone?






I Suggest You Improve Your Service.....






Feel The Heat.....






I haven't been to Paoay Church or St. Augustine Church of Paoay in a long time. And the last time I was here, I didn't have a camera with me hence I failed to take pictures of the church. And I just tagged along with my cousins who where suppose to be going to Laoag to do an errand.

The church was the second in our itinerary for the day. But we had to eat first since we have not eaten breakfast yet. A restaurant which was just across the street was the only place to eat. However, service was slow that we could not wait that much longer anymore and were famished. We ended up eating at a turo-turo which had some cooked viands left. Me? I was happy to have chicharon with kamatis, bagoong, lasona as my lunch.

The weather became extremely hot that I developed headaches as the day wore on. By the time we were at Fort Ilocandia, I just had to take a nap inside the van while the rest of the gang went to the Malacanan of the North, which was actually the summer house of the Marcoses during their reign.



The New Bridge.....






The Historic One.....






Excuse Me, Bless.....






A Study Of Light and Shadow Series.....





















Planning a Shot.....






A Jump Shot.....







It is actually the day when we have to return to Manila. And one of the things we missed shooting was the Quirino Bridge which connects the town of Santa to Vigan. I was impressed with the way we tried to catch up the time as the driver literally stepped on the gas and the van flew by. We momentarily stopped by Vigan to buy pasalubong and to eat Vigan empanada. We were way ahead of schedule of catching the sunset at the bridge.

IN AND AROUND STA. MONICA CHURCH, SARRAT, ILOCOS NORTE AND OTHERS....

The Church Of Sta. Monica In Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.....






The Altar In Different Views.....









Statue of Sta. Monica.....






Detailed Interior.....















Open Sesame!






The Belfry.....






One Of The Stations Of The Cross.....






The Parish Museum And Convent Ruins.....





















The Real Adobe Up, Close And Personal.....






The Edralin House Of Ferdinand.....






On the third day of our trip we went to Sarrat, Ilocos Norte. Compared to other towns which features a well known church, one can say that this was off the tourist track. For one thing, Sarrat is not a town close to the national highway like for example Sta. Lucia, where the church can be seen from the national road instantaneously. I am not so sure if this church happens to be the largest in the whole of Ilocos Norte but its massive structures can make this church lay its claim to being one.

One can not mention the church of Sta. Monica without mentioning the name of the late former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos immediately after it. Marcos was born here in Sarrat. And during his term as president, his daughter, Irene Marcos was married to Greggy Araneta in a very ostentatious and grandiose wedding ceremony. Imagine a red carpet that stretched for kilometers and there was even a talk of opening up a private airstrip for guests to use when arriving for the wedding. How ironic that two months after the wedding,on August 7, an earthquake of intensity 7.6 affected Ilocos Norte and destroyed the altar and belfry of the church.

A huge hotel like building was erected and served as the guesthouse for those who attended the wedding of the former presidential daughter. Nowadays, the building has been transformed into the municipal town hall which houses the offices of the local government.