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Published: August 8th 2007
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Well the leg is much improved so today I bit the bullet and hit the road although it was tempting to lay around another day, so I farewelled the Gecko that lives in my shower, medicated my self and prepared to leave. I had the hotels Aussie breakfast before I left which was not very Aussie and then loaded myself and my stuff into a trike after fending of the dudes trying to sell me Viagra one last time.
The trikes are like sidecars accept the passenger part is like a bubble you crawl inside, it is really hard to see out so you end up taking your life in your hands every time you use one, but unfortunately there is no other choice. This trip went smoothly and I was sitting in the Dau bus station after 15 minutes, where I met a guy named Billy he is a customs Officer and works at Subic Bay, he moved to San Fernando (La Union) after his house was destroyed by the Pinatubo erruption, his description of the erruption, earthquakes and tidal waves was facinating, it was nice to have someone to chat with until he hopped off in his home
Me in a Calesa
You can still see a few wounds on my leg town.
A couple of hours later as the sun was setting I arrived here in Vigan and checked into a place called Grandpa's Inn it is a really beautiful old hotel, all wooden floor boards and staircases, my room is cute and I think Ruthy would like it.
I slept well enough although its damn hot here and the fan wasnt really up to the job, still I like my room. I was up around 6am and had breakfast which was rice an egg and a few beef strips, wasnt bad at all.
Then set off to explore the town, I visited everything on the map that looked the least bit interesting, the Mestivo is definately that, the problem though is the traffic, motorbikes are bloody everywhere and the air is thick with pollution, I think the mornings are the hottest time of the day as the clouds come in the afternoons and reduce the temperature a little it then rains in the evenings.
I attended Catholic mass at the St Pauls Cathedral this morning it was an interesting sight, hundreds of people burning candals and singing, many of them children, the churches at home are
pretty much empty now days. Yesterday Billy told me the numbers of worshipers are way down on what they once were, hard to see how that could be on today's evidence.
Just took a Calesa ride costs less than $4 for 1 hour and takes in a few places I was unaware of, such as the bell tower and the 1691 church (dont know its name), my legs were suprising wobbly by the time I got down from the bell tower, it was much more stable than that swaying minaret I climbed in Iran which was a blessing.
Well that is just about it for Vigan, I am heading back to the hotel soon to watch more Cable TV and to take it easy, I plan to leave early tomorrow for Bagiuo (about 5 hrs) and then Bontoc, Batad etc, it will be much cooler in the mountains and I am keen to see the rice terraces.
Hope everyone is well and thanks for your messages, Jon you rock to bud.
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mikel
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yayyy
good to hear your trip is looking up. hope you have the chance to go to palawan, puerto balera, bohol, boracay. if you must pick one, i"d say go to paradise. el nido in palawan.