Blogs from Ilocos, Philippines, Asia - page 3

As I recall it, we strode to the North without fear of facing the cruel typhoon Undoy. May it be face to face with the typhoon's rage, we didn't blink an eye.We just thought of getting there and have fun! Getting to Laoag from Olongapo city is quite hard. So, to make our trip worthwhile and justify the title conquering the North, we first set our foot to Baguio city which is 8 hours away by bus. Phew, what a long trip that was. From Baguio, we took our time to stroll around session road since it is at its best during the night, showering the glimmering light which make it more like a Christmas place. And then, we took the Partas Bus, night trip. It is utmost 5-hour trip. Which led us to Laoag at ... read more

A decision to head up further north, off to the beaches of Pagudpud. billed as the Boracay of the north, sounds appealing so since I am in the neighborhood I may as well check it out. It is also famous on the surfing circuit for the huge waves it gets at certain times of the year. I only have to wait half hour at the Partas bus station before a Laoag bound bus showed up, only thing is it is full and we have to stand in the aisle for awhile. The trip took about an hour 1/2, the bus fare is only 121 pesos barely $3! and it's an A/C bus. I asked around at the bus terminal how to get to the minibus stations for Pagudpud. i was told I need to take a ... read more

My Town Bangui is the second to the last town of Ilocos Norte, approximately 65 kms north of Laoag, before the town of Pagudpud. Bangui has been left out of the Tourist map for the last decade due to non promotion of the town and it's sceneries. I am making this blog to start promoting our town and get it back in the tourist map of Ilocos Norte. For people who have not been to Bangui, let me make a quick description or picture of the place. The town is bounded on the northern, eastern and southern part by mountains and on the west by the China sea. One can travel to Bangui from Laoag by bus or jitney. The ride usually takes 1 1/2 hour to 2 hours. The fare is 50 pesos. Our town ... read more

Pagudpud - Vigan Trip Feb 29 - Mar 2 A week before our second monthsary she accidentally blurted out the secret destination. A supposed to be surprise vacation to Pagudpud that she had been keeping from me for the longest time, was no longer a surprise. But what we both didn’t realize are the tons of surprises ahead of us that will surely take our breath away. Going to Pagudpud An almost 12-hour bus ride from Manila . It was on a Thursday when our bus left at 9:30pm and arrived at Pagudpud past 7am the following day. I can’t remember how many stopovers our trip had. But the last one would be at Marsha’s Delicacies, a delicacy store known for its luscious pudding. Upon arrival, Kuya Lenzer, our tour guide, was already waiting in the ... read more

On our journey to reach Vigan, we travelled via Baguio. We interrupted our journey by purchasing a Buko pie from one of the many bus vendors that hop on and off continously. Buko pie turned out to be similar to an apple-tart. I was a little bit disappointed but surprisingly Amy with the lesser sweeter tooth enjoyed the pie. Our stopover was brief, but Baguio left an impression. The town reminded me of a ski resort in Italy. There were lots of pretty little bistros and parks to chill out in. Our jackets were no longer needed as the temperature was a little warmer than Banuae. Our accommodation was a little peculiar in design for Asia. The hotels decor was in the style of an English country house with high ceilings and faded furniture. It gave ... read more