Vigan

We arrived in Vigan at around 3 to 4 pm. We strolled and shopped around the Heritage Village, tried some local ice cream and empanada, and took some pictures. Afterwards, we went straight to Chavit Singson's Balwarte - it is like an open zoo which showcases the animals that were hunted by Chavit himself. A newly added feature was called the African Safari which is more like a museum, with preserved animal bodies and busts of the hunted animals.  I just find the busts and animal skins creepy and at the same time, awful.

Some pics;

Peacock

preserved buffalo and lion, arranged as if the lion is attacking the buffalo

preserved zebra bust

Tiger skin

Second stop: Paoay

Paoay lake x sand dunes

Paoay has become a tourist destination not only because of the beautiful Paoay lake, but also because of the sand dunes. The sand dunes in Paoay is where the famous movies, Himala and Ang Panday (FPJ) were filmed. (Parokya ni Edgar performed in a concert, dubbed as #Himala2015, at the sand dunes the night before, the stage and the VIP lounge was being disassembled when we went.) It is at the sand dunes where the adventurous and thrill seekers go to complete the Ilocos trip.

We actually didn't know this place. We just watched Drew and someone else in the show Motorcycle Diaries, where they featured the sand dunes. Original plan was just to rent an ATV and just spend the time driving around, But upon reaching the place, we hardly seen anyone driving an ATV, but instead, family and barkada groups rent a 4x4 jeep to experience the roller-coaster like ride on the sand. So, instead of just one or two people enjoying, all five of us experienced the thrill instead.

Even though we were all under the scorching summer heat, still we can't feel how intense the heat was because of the cool sea breeze from the South China Sea. Hardly anyone is swimming though. I doubt swimming is allowed.

Below is the first part of the sand dunes adventure. It is recorded in 4k but for some reasons, youtube only renders 1080p.



Third stop: The Marcoses

Malacañang of the  North and the Marcos Musoleum

The Ilocos Norte is the hometown of the former president Marcos, and their family is still ruling the province until now. It is not impossible then that there will be museums here and there to showcase the lavish life they had during their rule.

Two places - the Malacañang of the North in Paoay and the Marcos Mausoleum in Batac.

The Malacañang of the North is not included in the itinerary. We just saw the signs along the way going to the sand dunes. After the sand dunes, we decided to drop by since it is nearby. The Malacañang of the North is a gift of former first lady Imelda Marcos to her president husband Ferdinand Marcos. This is where the former president held office while staying in his hometown. The house is very well ventilated and overlooking the Paoay lake on the master's bedroom. It has several rooms, including a large office on the ground floor and a modest library on the second floor.

After lunch, we went to the Marcos Mausoleum in Batac. I have very much wanted to see the body of the late president to confirm whether it is real or wax, and hoping for a selfie opportunity. (I know, that sounds creepy! But that'd be the creepiest souvenir I could ever have. xD). The mausoleum is built in the front yard of the Marcos ancestral house. The ancestral house now serves as a museum where Ferdinand Marcos' history, from childhood to presidency, to his family's flee to Guam, and eventually, death, is relayed through his personal things.

Some stuff which caught my interest are:

Mickey mouse money which was used during the Japanese colony in WW II (It was dubbed such as it doesn't have any value and was just thrown away on streets)

Some of the name plates used by Ferdinand Marcos before his presidency

Included in the museum is a display of the clothes Imelda wore and how she was told to have served as a fashion icon that time. I just love how pretty this coat is. ♥

Fourth stop: Burgos

Burgos lighthouse x Burgos wind farm

We were only supposed to visit the Burgos lighthouse, and the Kapurpurawan rock formation, then go to Bangui to see the eco-friendly windmills, not knowing that the additional windmills were actually in Burgos. We didn't bother going downhill to get "close" to the rock formations due to the crowd. We were able to see the rock formations by the view deck anyway, and I wasn't that wowed with it, so didn't bother taking a selfie or a pic as a souvenir.

All in all, it was a nice trip. It may be a bit late for summer, but at least longer that what we had last year.

I can't wait for the next trip this year! ✈