Blogs from Ilocos, Philippines, Asia

Heading north from Vigan, we went to the bus station to catch a bus to Laoag. The first bus was full. The next bus standing room only. This is high season. We got on the second bus and stood, but not for long. Someone who was getting off in 5km gave up his seats to us. There are some very nice people. Actually, everybody is really nice. I'm confident saying that Filipinos are the nicest people in the world. I've not been everywhere and met everybody, but I will be hard pressed to find nicer people. Our experiences in the Philippines so far will be the measuring stick for nice people, and the rest of the world doesn't stand much of a chance... The bus slowly emptied as we moved north and soon everyone had a ... read more

So,..... yesterday, after 7hrs and 7000 km on a plane followed by 7 days sitting around in a small room watching downloaded videos, we're on the move. Spent most of the day in the car travelng North along the MacArthur highway from Tagaytay to Illocos and a small historical town called Vigan. I thought it might be worth seeing after seeing a feature on in back home on a cooking show (Island Feast). Any travel blog or travelouge will tell you it's an old Spanish Town with cobbled streets and Spanish Architecture. Turns out it's only one street, but WHAT A STREET!!! At the risk of sounding just a little cliched, it's a little like walking through a time warp - except for the foreign tourists, souvenir vendors, cameras and motorised traffic crossing at every intersection. ... read more

We rode the local bus lines in Manila to go to Laoag. The trip from Manila to Laoag is around 9 - 11 hours. I've always wanted to have a trip to Ilocos because I wanted to see the Windmills at Bangui. I said to myself..as long as I get to see windmills..my trip to the northern part of the Philippines will be already complete... As the trip goes on...I realized that there's other interesting things and places in Ilocos... ...you can go to the beaches of Pagudpud.. ...see the different delicacies and specialties in Vigan... and also the ancestral houses.. ...try to experience Pottery making ...Sandboarding in Paoay Sand Dunes ...see the beautiful church in Paoay.. ...see the animals in Baluarte Visit http://www.ilocostours.com/ for more information on Ilocos tours It was a nice way to ... read more

We’ve been in the Philippines for just over a fortnight but haven’t yet sampled much local food. Tonight’s the night. We place our orders—adobo for me, some juicy-sounding ribs for Duncan, and a starter of eggs in a garlic and chili sauce (for my benefit—I’ve got a cold). We rehash our day as we wait for our food. A horse and cart ride around the city to see the sights: a giant gingerbread church and its belltower; a pottery factory on the outskirts of town; and, just as a happenstance, a lunchtime exodus of teenagers pouring out of the high school. At dusk, we strolled up Calle Crisologo, the beautifully preserved street with stone paving and colonial-era architecture that earns Vigan its UNESCO world heritage status. Our starter arrives and I dig in, carving up one ... read more

Laoag City and Paoay in Ilocos Norte... read more