Holiday Round Up (part 2)

Day two ng aming Ilocos adventure. We went to Vigan to visit some relatives. We left at around 5 in the morning para mabilis ang byahe. It took us more than one hour to reach Vigan pero ayus lang dahil saya ng road trip. We passed by Santa Maria and visited their famous Baroque church, the La Asuncion de la Ñuestra Señora Church which is sited on the crest of a solitary hill. Truly a magnificent and world class church worth keeping.

Arrived at Vigan past 7. Breakfast prepared by one of my dad’s cousins. Syempre the authentic Vigan Longganisa, Bagnet and the Ilocano Dinuguan. Thanks Tita Leng. My great grand parent’s ancestral house is still there, beautiful and magnificent as ever. Its one of the reasons why I am proud of my Ilocano blood. Feeling ko kasi naging part ako ng nakaraan ng Vigan though it really didn’t happen that way. Medyo eerie parin yung bahay dahil sa naglalakihang mga photos ng mga ancestors ko pero so far wala pa naman akong nararamdamang kakaiba. Knowing that our ancestral house is well taken care of, malamang panatag na rin ang loob ng mga namayapa kong mga ninuno kaya wala naman ghost sightings or paramdam.

Able to meet a lot of relatives again. Its really nice to rekindle family ties and talk about the good old days. Hindi ko man natandaan lahat ng pangalan ng mga pinsan ko to the nth level, I will still be proud to be one of their relatives and one of their own.

Sa dami ng kamag anak, inabot na kami ng lunch. Syempre, Ilocano recipes at its best and finest – Papaitan, Igado, Dinakdakan and Pinakbet.

We spent the rest of the afternoon touring the Vigan proper. Crisologo, San Pablo and Burgos Museums and the Syquia Mansion. We also visited the St. Paul Cathedral or the Vigan Cathedral, Arsobispado Nueva Segovia and the famous Calle Crisologo.

Merienda syempre sa Empanadaan lang. Vigan’s empanada and okay are still my favorites. Authentic Vigan taste lalo na pag sinawsaw sa sukang Ilocano with ilocano sibuyas. Yummy!

Laging nagsusumbong si Cairo sa akin kasi every store na pasukan ng mga mommy ko may binibili sila. We ended up with tons of pasalubong.

We have to go back to Tagudin after dinner kasi may sayawan daw at babang luksa ng kapatid ng tita ko kinabukasan.

Day Three, we went to Tagudin market. Since Sunday, market day nila. Daming pwede bilhin from veggies to dried fishes to meats and traditional Ilocano kakanin like tupig and bibingka. We also toured the church and its vicinity since katabi lang naman ng palengke. Andun pa rin yung sundial na until now ginagamit pa rin. Interesting way of life. Basta there’s something unique talaga sa pamumuhay ng mga nasa province. I’m not sure kung makakatagal ako ng ganun but few days of stay there a year ay sapat na para obserbahan at ma appreciate ang bucolic and surreal life nila.

We headed straight to Bangar, La Union. Bibili kami ng mga kumot, punda at kung ano ano pang pwedeng magawa sa Ilocano weaving. Its good to know na buhay pa ang ganung industry despite the modernization.Yung mga gadgets kasi nilang ginagamit ay yung sinauna pa rin and they still make those pieces the traditional way.Great!

Non-stop lutuan pag uwi namin. We have to feed a whole barangay. Babang luksa nga kaya may salu-salo. My tita prepared Menudo, Pansit, Dinuguan, Chicken Pastel, Kilawin and Beef Kaldereta. Nakakatuwa kasi ang daming tao. Parang fiesta. Halos lahat ng tao puntahan. Sarap kumakain kasama nila. Even my dad didn’t miss that part.

Nanghuli kami (sila pala) ng isda, crablets at hipon sa ilog nearby nung hapon. Game si daddy, naki lublob, naki hila ng lambat at naki huli ng laman-ilog. Crispy crablet and ginataang hipon ang ulam namin nung gabi. Mom served as the photographer, Leroy, Belle, Cairo and I ay naligo sa ilog at sa dagat. Nag balsa din kami. I took some pictures of the Farola lighthouse (I’ll post it some other time).Weee!

After dinner balik Vigan kami. Dami pa kasing hindi napupuntahan at mga kamag anak na hindi na me meet. Pagod pero ayus lang. Minsan lang kasi mangyari at magkaron ng ganung opportunity.

Last day, 4th day. Pagkatapos pumunta ng cemetery to visit dead relatives and ancestors pumunta kami sa Baluarte, owned by Chavit Singson. Malaki yung place pero hindi pa ayos lahat. May mga constructions pa rin, siguro in two years time, maayos na yun. Syempre naaliw si Cairo at ang mommy ko dahil animal lovers sila.

After that pinuntahan din naming yung ibang mga dapat bisitahin sa Vigan. Mira Hills, Damili Village, Pagburnayan (Mom bought few pieces of jars and pots), the Kankanen makers at Brgy. San Jose (sarap kakanins) and the equally famous Simbaan a Bassit (bassit is Ilocano word of small. We also went to the nearby town, Bantay and went to the Bantay church.

Bags packed by 10 PM and we headed home to Manila. Great trip!

Ewan ko pero kahit yearly ako nagpupunta ng Ilocos (minsan twice a year), hindi pa rin nagbabago yung tingin ko sa province. Mangha at gandang ganda pa rin ako sa lugar na yon. Hindi man ganun ka progresibo yung buhay, ma a appreciate mo par in dahil sa ka simplihan. Masarap na paminsan-minsan ay bumabalik ako sa lugar kung saan ay mga tradisyonal na gawain pa rin na patuloy na ginawa at pinapasa sa mga nakababatang henerasyon.

Masarap kasi fresh air, malapit sa dagat, tahimik, masarap mag muni-muni at mag balik tanaw sa nakaraan. Eto yung lugar na kahit less than 5 hours lang yung tulog mo ay hindi mo mararamdamang puyat ka kasi kakaiba yung surroundings, parang kawalan mo pag nagising ka ng tanghali kasi ma mi miss mo yung sunrise habang naglalakad sa baybayin ng dagat. Yung makita mo yung mga alon, yung maliliit na crabs na gumagawa ng bahay sa buhangin, yung makita mo yung mga tao na tulong tulong sa paghatak ng lambat ng mga mangingisda at makita mo yung biyaya ng dagat.

Kakaiba.


Last part tomorrow.