Philippine Travels # 4: Oh, the places you can go! (3)

Oh, Vigan.

 

Or, because I am so smitten by this province… oh, Ilocos.

 

Ilocos is another province in the Philippines and is divided into two: Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte, mostly because they’re on top of the other. It’s the home of the famous empanada (it varies wherever in the world you are, but Ilocos empanadas are sinfully deep fried and ridiculously good. This means two things, mostly, that the empanadas in Ilocos are unhealthy; but also, that they are addictive).

 

Now, Vigan is a city in Ilocos Sur famous worldwide because of its aged beauty. With its preserved buildings and roads, you’d think time froze in Vigan when everyone else ushered in the world of technology. This, of course, isn’t a bad thing at all.

 

After Vigan, we went off again (this was the first time in the trip that our backsides experienced discomfort), and – 6 hours later, arrived in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte.

 

While everyone else used the karaoke (we’d much sooner drink poison than admit it – at least I will – but give us a microphone and some music and we’re pretty much set for the entire night), Jeric and I set out and jogged, making this the first time in a while that any one of us did an effort to be healthy.

The next day, we spent the entire day getting burnt to a crisp because we spent the next 2 days and night at Playa resort, where we pampered ourselves rotten. I, personally, had a full-body massage (and writing about it makes me want one now, I should probably book one a session…). (More) photos to ensue!

 

We spent the rest of the night playing billiards, table tennis, and all kinds of card games.

 

The next day, we travelled further north and found ourselves in Paoay.

 

(Photos by Natassia Austra and myself. Halfway through the trip, my phone got busted – it fell as I was climbing a wall that surrounded this lighthouse, I probably shouldn’t be doing that…)