We were mesmerized by the beauty of Calle Crisologo last night and before we bid goodbye to Vigan, we went back today to see this prime tourist attraction in broad daylight. It was another surreal feeling to see the cobbled pathway with less crowd compared to the other night. As the continuation of our Ilocos escapade, we will visit today Paoay Church, Plaza del Norte, and the Malacañang of the North.
the imposing Paoay Church with the massive buttresses
Can’t hide my excitement while we were on our way to Bangui Windmills, the prominent trademark of Ilocos Norte. I was here five years ago with my former colleagues, awed and astonished looking at the swirling giants stood firmly like a military army protecting its base. Now I am back with my family and our favorite travel buddies, Froi, Marie, and Abu.
The group
From Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, we now proceeded to the most anticipated part of our Ilocos Norte adventure, into Kapurpurawan Rock Formation. This is not included in my former company outing in 2010 because the road leading to this stunning rock formation was rough and bumpy, not accessible yet to visit. But now, there’s a lot of development done. The reason why I was so thrilled to see Kapurpurawan this Lenten Season.
the iconic head
Coming from Malacanang of the North, we headed to Cape Bojeador Lighthouse. Also known as Burgos Lighthouse, this cultural heritage structure is located on top of a hill called Vigia de Nagpartian Hill in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. The 66-foot-tall (20 m) octagonal stone tower overlooks Cape Bojeador and the scenic West Philippine Sea.
Painted white
There are two main reasons why Vigan, also known as the Heritage City is so fascinating to visit. First, it is the only UNESCO World Heritage City in the Philippines. And second, it was officially declared as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities last December of 2014. I felt so proud!
the famed Calle Crisologo nearing midnight…
Sky Fun is the amusement park inside the Sky Ranch complex in Tagaytay City. This was opened in March 2013 and is one of the emerging projects of SM Land. The first time I heard about Sky Fun there were only a few rides to enjoy with. Now there are twelve with the newest Jump N Play, Zipline, and Horseback riding. Instead of soaking on clear blue waters and basking in the sun this Lenten Season, we veered ourselves into a fun ride in Sky Ranch. Good-bye momentarily to wet and wild adventure.
the Riding Loop and the Sky Eye at night
I was amazed when I saw pictures of Puting Buhangin in Pagbilao Grande Island in Quezon. When my family rejected the idea of going back to Baguio for a Holy Week vacation, I showed them pictures of this island. Beaming with excitement, they all voted for a Quezon family beach getaway.
Puting Buhangin is radiantly beautiful from afar
After a two-day adventure in our hometown in Albay, we’re off to Sorsogon, which is located at the southernmost part of Luzon. We’ve been to different places but we never chance to visit our neighboring province. Lately, I had this ardent desire to explore Sorsogon and finally, it was set this Lenten Holiday. We will visit Bulusan Lake in Bulusan and we will stay overnight at Rizal Beach in Gubat for water fun.
Welcome to Sorsogon, “The Land of the Whale Sharks!”
Bulusan Lake also known as “Switzerland of the Orient” lies at the heart of Bulusan Volcano National Park. It is a protected rainforest and wildlife sanctuary located in Barangay San Roque. Its center attraction is Mt. Bulusan which is one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines. The lake has two mountain peaks, the Sharp Peak and Mt. Hormahan and in between is Lake Aguingay.
Panagbenga Festival or swimming in a beach resort? “Swimming!” Pao chose the latter eagerly. Our son is not a finicky lad, he doesn’t care if it’s a black or white sand beach as long as we are all together in a family getaway, that would be it. And so for his 14th birthday, we will go back to Villa Sulit in Baryo Hugom in Laiya, San Juan, Batangas. Cheap resort but with clear water and breathtaking view.
Stepping atop this awesome big rock will bring you closer to nature and this is the reason why we went back to Villa Sulit
