Sunday, August 31, 2014

Ilocos Tour

We were fortunate enough to travel as a group in Ilocos.  Though everyone is on a budget about this trip, we enjoyed it anyway.  Our first stop, Sta. Maria Cathedral Church.

about to climb the 85-steps stairs

the boys ...


Sta. Maria Church (Asunta Parish) is a national landmark that was used as a fortress during the 1896 Revolution.  It is located in Ilocos Sur.  It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO on December 11, 1993.  Its patroness is Our Lady of Assumption or Nuestra Señora.  During the Spanish era, the church also functioned as a citadel.

It was built in around 1765 by the Augustinians.  The church is nestled on top of a hill and may be reached by climbing 85 steps of granite rock that was imported from China.  The thick buttresses on each side functions as protection from earthquakes.  The architecture of the church is Baroque inspired.

Second Stop... Batac






Batac is a city in the province of Ilocos Norte.  It is located in the northwest corner of the island of Luzon, about 11 kilometers (6.8 mi) from the eastern shores of the South China Sea.  The municipalities of Banna, Currimao, Paoay, Pinili, Sarrat, Marcos and San Nicolas form its boundaries.

Batac is known as the "Home of Great Leaders", as it is the hometown of many significant figues in the history of the Philippines.  Among them is the former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos.

The Marcos Museum and Mausoleum lies in the heart of the city.  The Mausoleum is where the glass-entombed, preserved corpse of the former president can be found.  The Museum holds the memorabilia of the late President, from his stint in the Armed Forces down his presidency


Our third stop ... Paoay Church




Paoay Church (St. Augustine Church) is a historical church located in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.  During the Philippine Revolution in 1898, its coral stone bell tower was used by the Katipuneros as an observation post.  Paoay Church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. 

Construction of Paoay Church was started by the Augustinian friars in 1694.  It was completed in 1894 led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo and was re-dedicated in 1894.
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Paoay_Church 
with officemates and friends =)



In front of Paoay Church is Herencia Cafe.  They are serving this very unique pizza flavor, the pinakbet (pakbet) flavor.  Imagine a pizza with amapalaya, talong and sitaw.... sarappppp!!!


After Paoay, we proceeded to Laoag City...


ayan na ang mowdel!

pa side side lang =)



with dabarkadz
Fort Ilocandia is the only 5-star hotel resort in the northern Philippines with over 77 hectares of land amidst gentle sand dunes and pine forests with a two kilometer sandy beach facing South China Sea.  It is located at Laoag City and only ten-minute drive from Laoag domestic airport.

Check out their promo packages that starts with Php4,300.  Click here.

Visit their official webpage at http://www.fortilocandia.com.ph.







We spent the night at Cabugao.  The best known place to stay in this place is the Cabugao Beach Resort.  For room rates check their official website at http://cabugaobeachresort.weebly.com/rates.html



Before going home, we visited The Heritage at Vigan, Ilocos Sur...

inside the Vigan Cathedral




with ninang Pau


On December 2, 1999, the City of Vigan, the capital city of Ilocos Sur, was inscribed in the prestigious UNESCO's World Heritage List of Sites and Monuments of 630 cultural and natural properties of exceptional universal value.  UNESCO described the city as "a best preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia with its architectural reflecting the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines and from China with those of Europe to create a unique culture and townscapre without parallel anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.

my one and only princess, Janelle



Souvenir Shop in Vigan

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Vigan City :Baluarte ni Chavit Singson



Baluarte is located in Vigan, 408 kilometers north of Manila.  It is only 10 minutes drive from the Heritage. It is a 80-hectare rolling terrains, hills and mountain sides and the most famous zoo in North Luzon.  

The best thing about Baluarte is that the ADMISSION and RIDES are absolutely FREE!!!  It is owned by Governor Chavit Singson and sometimes called as his "Fortress". He actually built the place as a gift to the people of Vigan.  Bringing food and using the picnic areas within the area are allowed.  There are also enough comfort rooms located at the entrance of the zoo. It opens at 7 AM and closes at 6 PM everyday

the greeters of the zoo

ostrich within your reach
little ponies

a free trip around Baluarte




Baluarte started off as a rest house in 1991 with celebrity friends like Fernando Poe Jr. as regular visitor spending long weekends. The place has already considerable numbers of domestic animals like monkeys, chickens, large lizards (bayawak) and rare bird species, right inside the Baluarte forest, these rare bird species are found only in there. Governor Chavit, loves nature and exhibits passion for animals. Baluarte setting is that place where he can enjoy peace and quiet and away from the demands of a busy life and urban living. As a political leader of Ilocos Sur, people searched for him continuously.

So the rest house cannot anymore accommodate people and friends who also enjoy the place, that was, when he decided to slowly construct Baluarte. He first constructed the main house and seeing the beauty of the next, he abandoned the old main house, made it the guest house, and constructed a multi level house on a hilltop that magnifies the fantastic view of Vigan City that stretches all the way to the South China Sea.


Janelle's crying because her slipper slipped... not because of the tigers =)



There are a total of 9 tigers in Baluarte with shows everyday. We were not able to see them because we are in a hurry going home.  Gov. Chavit must be very very rich thinking how huge the place is, how plenty the animals he owns and maintains, how plenty the buildings are.... and they are offering everything for free!!! He really is rich.


with dabarkadz

the cute camel photobomber, hahaha =)



Baluarte is in the state of further improving their facilities for both the animals and the visitors.  They are planning to implement the open zoo concept wherein animals will be kept in a more sizable enclosures to give them more space to roam around.

Don't forget to visit the place while it is still free... I guess it will forever be free =)

Visit Baluarte's official webpage at http://www.chavitsingson.net/baluarte/general-info.html
Bantog Backpackers 2016. Powered by Blogger.