vigan day tour

getting around vigan is easy. like most places in the philippines, tricycle also serves as the main means of transportation in vigan. i'm amused with how a tricycle comes in different forms across the country. this goes to show how filipinos can be ingenious!

well, aside from these tricycles, calesas or horse-drawn carriages are also aplenty completing vigan’s historical character. however, the calesa is mainly for tourists, exploring the small city while the locals usually get around by a tricycle.

in order to complete the historical feel of our tour, we opted to hire a calesa. we started our tour at 9 in the morning after we had our needed rest due to the weariness of the long travel.

Breakfast in Vigan

some say that one way to truly experience a different place is to taste its local food. what better place than the street-side eatery where most locals eat?

Gaizel's Carinderia

The only noteworthy food above

is the dinakdakan at the upper right.

It's the Ilocano version of sisig.

this came convenient for us since we were a stingy pack so to speak. our “mamang kutsero” (person who handles the calesa) recommended the eatery after we blatantly rejected his typical fast food suggestions. anyway, one thing i noticed in the eatery was that, most of the food were either pork or beef. i was kinda disappointed since i’m not really a sucker for meat.

vigan in retrospect

i don't want to do another food post even if i still have a few number of food posts in queue. well, those have to wait because this blog will soon be overwhelmed with food, giving away my apparent gluttonous behavior. and since my first out of town (out of cebu!) endeavour for this year is still three weeks away, i guess it's just timely for me to put some of my travel quests for my fleeting sanity into writing.

this isn't however, in chronological order but to whatever past travel that will come to mind. though, i won't promise that this will be a series of travel recollections because i know after some time, the laziness will get to me.

anyway, i will start with vigan!

☀just where is vigan?

Philippine Map from Google

Google map link is here.

quite obvious in the map, vigan city lines up along the western coast of northern luzon, facing the south china sea. vigan is a world heritage site and it is the capital of ilocos sur province. more of vigan in wiki. this is the farthest north i had been in the philippines defeating baguio in my list. i would however want batanes to be no. 1 in my list. ;)

sinulog 2011 casa verde

my last post for sinulog. i have to finish these installments right on time and catch up with the remaining sinulog feel in the air. just yesterday, the colorful sinulog banners that used to hang above cebu's main streets, were removed.

although this particular post isn't really about sinulog but on how we fend off ourselves from total breakdown, after we patiently stood for HOURS in order to revel on the sinulog grand parade.  we had no choice but to stand forever since aside from the damp sidewalks, we were also in constant battle for a limited standing space. 

we chose to join the throng of crowds along osmeña boulevard, instead of being contented to watch the parade near our home. to think that we only had to go outside our house and then, right in front of us would be the sinulog contingents. however, we liked to believe that most of them were tired, since they had just finally performed in abellana. so, all we could see in their faces were relief and the joy that it was finally over, marred unfortunately with exhaustion.

anyway, when dinnertime came, we eventually had to give in to our needed comfort, for the love of our stomachs and feet.

Casa Verde

Casa Verde Main Branch

Again, The Ribs!

my sister had been wanting casa verde ever since i told her about the sinful death by chocolate. aside from yogurt, she's also crazy about anything chocolate! so, casa verde was on her mind when we were deciding on where to eat and i also need to gratify myself with the ribs, once again.