A Memorable Sojourn in Vigan

Vigan is one of the most notable places not only in the Philippines, but also in the world. I’m just fortunate that I was able to tour the place before leaving the country. This world heritage town has many interesting spots to offer to visitors. The food is great too.

To Vigan Plaza Hotel

From Laoag, we rode on a bus, which takes about 2 hours to reach Vigan. If i remember it correctly, the fare was around PHP 120.00. It was already dark when we reached Vigan, good thing I have already booked a place to stay, the Vigan Plaza Hotel. This hotel is worth mentioning as it offers great hospitality to people who visit Vigan. You can actually check out this hotel on Google.

We were very hungry, so we chose to dine at the hotel’s bistro. That makes the hotel really convenient for travelers like us, as we didn't have to go to another bistro or restaurant just to dine. We had bagnet for dinner. For those who don’t know what bagnet is, it’s actually the Ilocano version of the popular lechon kawali. It was served with bagoong, although we didn’t think that mixing it with lechon kawali was a good idea.

Funny-sounding Dishes


There were two dishes which really had me and Bob grinning. Those were “poque poque” and “pipian”. You probably don’t understand why these names are funny if you’re not from the Philippines. Bob, on the other hand, couldn't seem to say poque poque right. He mistakenly said “pok pok,” a Pinoy slang term for a female prostitute, which had the waiters chortling.

poque poque

Anyway, poque poque is actually a tasty dish popular in Laoag and Vigan. It’s made of eggplant, scrambled eggs, garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Pipian is another popular dish that’s made of chicken and ground rice. This is originally a Mexican delicacy, but a lot of people say the Vigan version tastes better. We also had kilawin, which I think is a side dish that’s popular all over the country. However, there are regional versions of this dish. I guess the one in Vigan deserves to be checked out.

A Walk Along Calle Crisologo

We couldn't spend the night without taking a leisurely walk along Calle Crisologo. The Vigan Plaza Hotel is actually along this classic street, which retains the Spanish Era ambiance. This street is a major tourist attraction not just in Vigan, but in the whole country as well.  Calle Crisologo is lined with handicraft shops. If you’re lucky, you could get souvenirs at reasonable prices.

Crisologo Museum – Getting a Glimpse of the Past


The following day, we had our breakfast at the hotel, then we walked to the Crisologo Museum. The Crisologo Museum is also known as the Vigan House National Historical Institute Branch. This used to be home to Floro S. Crisologo, a statesman. Now, it serves as a museum that displays family memorabilia as well as historical artifacts. The descendants of Floro S. Crisologo, together with the National Historical Institute, continue to manage the museum. The museum is open Mondays through Saturdays from 9am to 5pm.

Various artifacts caught our attention. One was the Crisologo car where the pregnant Governor Carmeling Crisologo, wife of Floro Crisologo, was ambushed in 1961. She survived the incident. However, 9 years later, her husband was killed in a church. The child Carmeling was rearing at that time, was named Bullet Crisologo.

The wooden fridge was interesting. I keep wondering how a wooden fridge actually works.

There was also a box that was filled with shattered fragments of a bombshell that fell 18 feet behind the Co Maintenance Office on February. Several parts of the building actually have holes due to the explosion.
The house looks really old, but is well maintained to remain sturdy. Heirloom furnishing could be seen in different rooms, and there are old portraits and photographs. There are a lot of people who haven’t heard of the Crisologo family. The visit to their ancestral domicile provides a peek of how these people used to live.

Getting a Peek Inside Villa Angela

We left the museum and proceeded with our walking tour. While we were walking, we noticed Villa Angela. It was actually one of the few places that we were contemplating to stay, so we decided to check it out.Villa Angela Heritage House is another legacy house in Vigan. The mansion was built in 1859, and now it has become a place where travelers can stay. It stands within a two-thousand-square-meter lot and is one good example of a Vigan heritage house. It has a rich collection of historical objects and memorabilia.

When we went to Villa Angela, there was no one there, and the place sort of picked an eerie ambiance. The living room looked clean and the furniture was in order. The wooden floor was sleek, and the walls were well maintained. Furnishings included a classic table and rocking chairs. The place might have been home to music-lovers as there was an old harp alongside a piano.

From the outside, the house bestows a classic Spanish Era look, just like the Crisologo Mansion. Both mansions have shown signs of weathering, despite maintenance efforts. We saw various houses which share the same external features—brick walls and Capiz shell windows.

The sweltering weather didn’t get in the way of our seemingly endless walk to see various sights in Vigan. But we stopped by Max’s Restaurant and helped ourselves to Halo-Halo, a popular Pinoy dessert that is a mixture of crushed ice, beans and fruits, and milk served in a bowl.

Cathedral of Vigan


After Bob’s haircut at David’s Salon, we headed to the Cathedral of Vigan, a church built in 1641. As it was built in the 1600s, it depicts the baroque-style architecture. This church was destroyed by two earthquakes, one in 1619 and another in 1627. In 1739, the church was also consumed by fire. The construction of the current cathedral took place from 1790 to 1800. It actually became a cathedral when the seat of the Diocese of Nueva Segovia was transferred to Vigan from Cagayan. The front of Vigan Cathedral is picturesque. The interior is even more magnificent. I don’t have the architectural faculties to describe the marvelous interior of the cathedral. Near the cathedral is a famous bell tower, which stands 25 meters high.

Arzobispado Palacio de Nueva Segovia


The Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia covers Ilocos Sur. Vigan City is where the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia is. It was erected in 1595 in the city of Nueva Segovia, now known as Lal-lo, Cagayan. It was, however, transferred to Vigan in 1758 after the request of Bishop Juan de la Fuente Yepes. We were not allowed to take pictures inside, so we just took pictures of the exterior.

St. Augustine Parish Church


The calesa is a popular form of transportation in Vigan. One can ride on a calesa for 150 pesos an hour. We rode on one in our way to St. Augustine Parish Church, which is one of the oldest churches in Ilocos Sur. The church is not in Vigan actually but in Bantay, a nearby municipality. This was named after the patron saint of the Augustinian friars. The church was destroyed during the Second World War but was reconstructed in 1950.

Also known as Bantay Church, it is one of the most beautiful churches in the country. I guess I share the same opinion as most other visitors. We didn’t miss the chance to get to the bell tower, which stands on the highest point in town. The top of the belfry gives a picturesque view of the town of Bantay, although the open windows may trigger nausea in some people.

A Taste of Vigan Empanada


A trip to Vigan wouldn’t be complete without having a serving of the popular Vigan Empanada, which is ubiquitous in Vigan. The empanada may be sold by vendors who also sell Vigan Ukoy, which is another delicacy that is actually made of small shrimps mixed with beaten egg, spring onions, and rice flour fried to become tasty, crispy food. We just helped ourselves.

A Moment at the Syquia Mansion


The following day, after seeing some of the gift shops in Calle Crisologo, we decided it was time to go back to Syquia Mansion. The first time we went there, it was closed. The calesa driver told us to ring the doorbell so the caretaker inside the mansion could let us in.

For those who know little about Philippine History, Vigan is the birthplace of Elpidio Quirino, the 6th president of the Philippines. Portraits of the late former president and of the members of the Syquia family fill the walls of the mansion.

The Syquia Mansion was actually owned by Doňa Alicia Quirino, the wife of former President Quirino. The ancestor of Doňa Quirino was Sy Kia, a Chinese man who prospered through trade. His portrait which shows him in traditional Chinese robes could be seen in the old mansion. Sy Kia later became Syquia as the descendants took on the Spanish version of the surname.

Just like all the other historical mansions in Vigan, Syquia Mansion holds memories of Hispanic custom once lived by the Filipinos. The mansion gave us a glimpse of the elegance and class once enjoyed within its walls.
The mansion can be found by walking along Crisologo Street to Gordion Inn. Once you find the two-floor mansion in blue and cream painting in the corner of Quirino Boulevard, you should know that you’re looking at the famous Syquia Mansion.

This current Quirino family still lives in the house, and they have used modern furniture in the kitchen and dining room.

Various antique displays can be seen inside the mansion, and these came from different parts of the world. On the other hand, there are paintings by Fernando Amorsolo as well as a huge replica of Spolarium, Juan Luna’s masterpiece. You can get inside the mansion for free, but donations are accepted.

Arce Mansion


As we wanted to really get the colonial feel while in Vigan, we stopped by another Hispanic mansion. We are talking about a lavish mansion where you can experience what it is like to dine during the colonial period.
We were taken to the costume room, where there are various garbs, so one can choose to wear any of the costumes for the various classes of citizens during the Spanish regime. There were garbs for an indio, an ilustrado, a gobernadorcillo, or a monk. I just wondered how women a long time ago were able to endure the uncomfortably warm clothes. You can dine and wear the outfits, but 2 days reservation is required, so we opted to just rent the costumes and have some pictures taken.

An Escapade in Baluarte

The next stop was a popular destination for visitors in Vigan. Baluarte is about 80 hectares vast, an expanse of rolling hills where facilities are built to cater to visitors. Development of the attraction continues. The best thing about Baluarte is there is no entrance fee—because it’s Governor Chavit Singson’s gift to the people of Vigan. In fact, the free spaces can be used by interested residents for livelihood programs.

We had the chance to tour the place riding on a small horse-driven carriage. There were dinosaur statues in the place, but what caught my attention was the tamed tigers. Bob warned me not to go near any of them because they are not completely harmless. People can interact with the animals at the zoo. Some of the animals are the crested serpent eagle, Siberian Bengal tiger, green iguana, sugar glider, binturong, albino Burmese python, and eastern bearded dragon.

Padre Jose Burgos Museum


Our last stop before leaving Vigan was the Padre Burgos Museum. One of the three martyr priests executed in 1872 left something for the modern people to see. The ancestral house of Father Burgos is today’s Burgos Museum. But the house was not inherently his because it was owned by Don Juan Gonzales and Doña Florentina Gascon, his grandparents. The funds to maintain the structure were meager, but the house remains and still entertains visitors, like us, who want to get a peek of history.

The museum contains the memorabilia of the martyr priest as well as notable artifacts and records. We also found antique collections, which are common in all colonial house museums in Vigan. There are relief sculptures of saints, too. Historical events are represented in dioramas, displayed with the hall of fame for the important Ilocano people, including heroes and achievers.

All the heritage mansions really made our trip to Vigan worthwhile. It was awe-inspiring to see historical figures preserved for this generation to see. This sojourn will surely be fondly remembered. And we left with souvenirs, too!

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Pictures From My Laoag City Trip

Laoag is "Marcos country" in the Philippines. If you are looking for a place to satisfy your visual and gastronomical cravings, Laoag is a great place to visit. Scheduling a one day visit on this beautiful city would be more than enough to see the sights that you have to see and taste the food that you must try. My favorite thing about this place are the old structures that has been preserved for people to enjoy today.

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A Trip to the Land of the Marcoses - Laoag City

While in the process of planning our trip to Laoag, Vigan and Pagudpud, I was a little bit confused as to which place we should visit first, mainly because I also did not have any idea how the places are located strategically. The only information I had was that Laoag to Vigan is about an hour and a half, while Laoag to Pagudpud is around 2 hours.

Since we will be flying from Manila to Laoag, our itinerary involved going around Laoag first before going to Vigan. The day we were scheduled to head to Laoag, we still do not have a hotel in mind as our place to stay while there. So we tried contacting Balay da Blas, the place that was recommended to us by tour guide Carlos Celdran. We Googled for his website and found their phone number in the website.

I called at around lunch time and Sammy, the owner of the place, was the one who answered my call. We arranged for a hotel pick up. Sammy told us they will be charging P500 for that. Fine with us as we will be arriving at almost 7pm so it is safer, as we have no idea what to expect when we arrive there.

Our plane trip to Laoag was a bit scary as it was a small plane  (only 2 seats on each side), but thankfully we arrived safe. When we arrived at the airport, Bob grabbed a trolley while waiting for our baggage. What surprised me was as we were about to go out of the airport, we were flagged down by a lady in a counter and was asking for a fee of the trolley. So I reacted. Of course I was reacting as there was no marker where the trolleys were situated that they were for rent. However, she was kind enough to point to us some trolleys hidden in another corner which are for free. The trolley that the passengers would easily notice and pull out happens to be owned by an airport cooperative that is why they are asking for a fee. Bob and I decided to just leave the trolley and hand carry our baggage. By the way, we also grabbed a map from the DOT counter at the airport. The driver was already outside of the airport waiting for us. He carried our baggage as we followed him to the parked van. As we hopped inside, Sammy greeted us. Sammy is the owner of Balay da Blas. He was very pleasant and friendly.

After placing our belongings inside our room, we asked Sammy if he can suggest a place to have dinner. It was a Sunday night by the way. Sammy suggested to try Saramsam (a place which he also happens to own) and was also just 1-2 mins away by trike. The trikes in Ilocos are not too pleasing to ride on as they are just way too small. Something that the government should fix since the place is a tourist destination.

We arrived at Saramsam and ate a late dinner. We ordered Insarabasab, Ylocano Longganisa, Okoy (more flour than shrimp), Pinakbet Pizza, and Iced tea with wild basil. We also had Chocolate Fondue but instead of the usual strawberry and other fruits, we had banana and camote to dip into the chocolate. A very heavy dinner for two :)

Insarabasab

Pinakbet Pizza

Banana Fondue

The following day, we woke up early and had breakfast at Balay da Blas. I had Bangus and fried egg with rice while Bob had the Vigan Longganisa (he fell in love with it!) and friend egg with rice.


After eating breakfast, we asked Sammy if there was a way we could rent a trike to take us to the places we wanted to see and we also showed him the list that we have. He helped us look for a trike and we rented it for P900.

Our first stop was the Museo Ilocos Norte. Good thing that it was open that day, as it was a Provincial holiday. Inside the museum, you can see a collection of items used for farming, weaving and fishing during the old days. They also have a boutique where one could buy pasalubongs. A piece of warning though, do not buy from the museum as they are very expensive. Especially if you still have plans to go to Vigan and Pagudpud afterwards. I was disappointed to find out that a bracelet I bought from the museum for P250 can be purchased for only P100 somewhere in Pagudpud and Vigan.

Our next stop was the Sinking Bell Tower of Laoag. You cannot get inside this bell tower that was built back in 1612.

After taking a few pictures, we proceeded to the Church of Laoag. Went inside and took some pictures outside, then we started heading to Paoay.

It took about 30 minutes for us to reach Paoay. By the time we arrived at Herencia Cafe in Paoay to have our lunch, my butt was numb from the bumpy ride and my face was numb from the blowing of the wind. For ladies with long hair, I advise you tie your hair or wear a bandana. It took me several minutes to untangle my hair! Huhuhu...

We can see the beautiful Paoay Church while we were at Herencia Cafe, but we decided to have lunch first before looking inside the Church. Herencia Cafe is known of their Pinakbet Pizza, so even if we already tasted a Pinakbet Pizza, we just had to try their version and compare. True enough you cannot deny their pizza is the best! You cannot even taste the veggies on top of it. You also have the option to use chilli sauce or the bagoong sauce.

Herencia Cafe's version of Pinakbet Pizza

He ate the last piece!

We also tried their Poque poque. It is an eggplant recipe with onions, tomatoes and egg. After eating that hearty lunch with our trike driver, we rode the trike again and proceeded to Paoay Church.

Bad timing though, as a funeral march was going inside as we arrived. I had to take pictures of the church interior quickly before the hearse enters the compound. I was just amazed at the very huge buttresses that were on the sides of the church structure.

They also have the bell tower which is still very much functioning. I had to pause and think before attempting to go up. The stairs were made of very old wood, steep and of course I am afraid of heights! The person in charge of the bell tower was kind enough to assist us as we got up and kept reminding us to hold on to the hand rails while going up.

When we got to the top, the view was just amazing! We saw their very old 15th century bell that weighs 5000kls! As we went down, I asked Bob to go down first and wait for me after a few steps. I was just glad to go down safe, and it was there when the bell tower caretaker revealed to me I just went up and down 95 steep steps of stairs! OMG! He was laughing at me and told me he did not want to tell me as I was still about to go up coz I might get scared and decide against going up.

Our next stop was the residence of the Marcoses in Batac. It was also where you can see the body of the late President Ferdinand Marcos said to be preserved in their air conditioned family mausoleum. Picture taking is not allowed inside and you can only view for a few minutes. I had to stare curiously to see if this was for real or just a wax replica of the late president. From what I have seen, I can say it is more of wax than the real one. I saw 2 pictures in the Internet and I just don't know how they got pictures but here are the links: http://cdn.wn.com/ph/img/50/54/4a383ff5805dfec823af5452ae10-grande.jpg and http://lisawallerrogers.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/imelda-kisses-coffin-of-ferdinand-marcos.jpg?w=300&h=227

Next stop is the Malacañang of the North. While on the way, the trike driver stopped at a view deck of the legendary Paoay Lake.

According to the transcript that is written in the view deck, the place used to be a village but there was constant rivalry among its villagers and they were punished, hence the village sank and it is now what you call the Paoay Lake.

When we arrived at the Malacañang of the North, we were not allowed to enter as it was a holiday and they were close. Bummer!!!! We begged the guards because this will be our only chance to see the place, but they did not give us the chance.

Since we were not allowed entrance to the Malacañang of the North, we proceeded to Sarrat to see the Marcos Museum (the house where Ferdinand Marcos was born). An old guy, the caretaker of the house greeted us. He showed us around and toured us to the room where the Donya Josefa gave birth to Ferdinand Marcos.

As he was touring us around, he started mentioning things like he needs budget for the maintenance of the house and stuff. My instinct tells me he was asking for money indirectly. Don’t get me wrong, I know most of the places we have been to are asking for donations for the maintenance of the place and there is nothing wrong with that. It’s just that this guy is talking to us in order to convince us to give it while we were still sightseeing. Not a pleasing thing to do to the tourists especially that I am with a foreigner. We still gave him some donation though.

Next stop is the Sta. Monica Church. It was the church where Irene, one of the daughters of Ferdinand Marcos, got married.

Aside from that, it is in Sta. Monica Church compound where you can see the Strangulation room and a torture chamber.

This is where the Filipinos who were charge of subversion were brought during the Spanish colonization. What amazed me the most was that part of the church compound where the caretaker asked me to stand on one corner facing the brick wall as Bob stood on the other end also facing the brick wall. He asked Bob to whisper to the wall and asked me if I could hear what Bob was saying. OMG! We communicated while whispering thru the brick wall! Apparently these were used by the friars to spy on their visitors so they can hear them talking even if they were meters away.

After Sta. Monica Church, it was time to go back to Balay da Blas and get our things and head to the bus station to catch a ride to Vigan!

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Pictures From My Manila Trip

Don't get me wrong if I have mixed feelings for Manila. Well they have the biggest malls in the country and their airport caters to a lot of domestic and international flights, theres a lot of job opportunities for job seekers since most big companies have offices in Manila, and things are cheaper except for the food. However, you cannot discount the fact that living in this overly populated city is not that ideal.

The traffic, pollution, high cost of living and expensive price for food are among the few things that I hate when I am in Manila. Here in our city, you can go to places and just park for free. In Manila, wherever you go it is difficult to park and you have to pay for a parking fee. Nothing is free!

Despite my love-hate feelings for Manila, I still keep coming back every now and then. Either for a Manila tour or just a stopover to my next vacation destination.

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Manila - Should I Hate You or Love You?

I have been to Manila several times already but I still do not have the courage to commute by myself. When in Manila, you can either ride a Jeepney (minimum fare is P7), taxi (with a flag down rate of P30 but be very careful as most drivers will tell you can we please add P50 because of the heavy traffic – duh! It is not the fault of the passenger that there is traffic on the streets so why charge them an additional P50.. the thing is.. while they are driving you to your destination, they will keep on expressing dismay about the traffic.. breath deeply and keep making a deep “SIGH” sound), LRT and MRT (fare depends on your destination, the cheapest I think is P12).

When I went to Manila with my family, we stayed in the North Philippine Union Mission of 7th day Adventist compound. The thing is, one cannot stay here if you do not know of somebody from the place. They do not accept just anyone since their Church members live in the compound. This place is conveniently located as it is just a jeepney ride away (P7 fare only) from the Mall of Asia and walking distance to the nearest LRT station. Being located in Pasay City, it is also not that far from the airport.

Another place that I have stayed in was in Marikina. I travelled with my friend and her family when we stayed there. Not really an ideal place to stay in terms of travel time. Not bad though as we were given a free place to stay by a very kind couple – Tito Nestor and Tita Mameng.

Last August, I had the opportunity to travel alone (I mean from Davao to Manila) but someone was waiting for me at Ysabelle Garden Hotel. I had to ride the yellow taxi from the airport going to the hotel. A piece of warning though, these taxis are affiliated with the airport but they charge higher than regular taxis. Flag down rate is P70 and if I am not mistaken P4 for every drop of their meter. It is less risky though, especially for travellers like me who are not familiar with Manila and travelling alone. They say the hotel is 15 minutes away from the airport but unfortunately it took me more than 30 minutes to reach the hotel because of the traffic and I paid P250 to the taxi. Good news though as the hotel now offers free airport pick up. Cheapest room rate is at P1250.

However, my companion and I did not stay at Ysabelle Garden Hotel (but we checked in again to their hotel overnight when we returned from Laoag and had a flight back to Davao the following day). I just went there to pick him up and we rode a taxi again going to Hotel H2O. The hotel is located inside the Manila Ocean Park. As you get inside the Manila Ocean Park, there is a door in the left that leads you to an elevator. You get inside the elevator and proceed to the 3rd floor where their front desk is located. Their rooms are either overlooking the Manila Bay or with a big Aquarium in the wall. We chose the Aqua Room. Very magnificent view of the fishes swimming in a huge aquarium. For your privacy or if you do not want to be disturb in the morning the moment they turn on the lights of the aquarium, you can lower the remote control powered curtain.



Since the rooms are secured by a card key, we often noticed it takes time for the room to cool up every time we go back to our hotel room. To solve this problem, we asked for a spare card. That way the card that powers the electricity inside the room stays in the card key slot and the air conditioner is not turned off as we get out of our room. The hallway of the hotel is carpeted with very colourful round bubbles and I can see there are CCTV cameras conveniently located along the hallway plus the room has a mini safe where you can place your valuables. They provide you with a bath robe, towel, shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, lotion, toothbrush, toothpaste, and a comb too! The mini ref also has water and softdrinks in can, along with 1 pack of peanut and a pack of chips. It’s complimentary and you have to take it out every day. They will not replenish supplies if they see the food and drinks remains untouched. Wifi is also good, but you have to ask for a password every 24 hrs. Each password works only for one PC, so we had to ask for 2 passwords as we both have our own laptops.

We got a complimentary pass to the Manila Ocean park for staying at the hotel. There has been a lot of changes since my first visit in March 2009. They also have the jellyfish section, but you will have to pay separately for that (P150). We also got into the fish spa, where we got our feet nibbled upon by a so called doctor fish. Careful if you are very ticklish. I really tickles a lot!!! Especially on the sole of your foot. What I did was let my sole touch the tiles rather than give a chance for the fishes to nibble on them and giggle endlessly.



Another thing we did in Manila was to avail of the tours of Mr. Carlos Celdran. We joined the Intramuros and Livin La Vida Imelda tour. Interesting to learn a little about the history of Manila and about the Marcoses too since my companion and I were heading to Ilocos the following day. It was interesting to know that Imelda was not the first wife of Ferdinand Marcos. Aha! A fact I learned only thru the tour with Carlos Celdran. It was my first time to enter the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Such a unique building.. lots of things that I would have wanted to take pictures of, unfortunately cameras are not allowed inside and had to be deposited as you come inside (silly though as they allow cellphones inside and most cellphones now have cameras).



Since the Intramuros tour ends at around 12nn, we decided to take a walk to Fort Santiago first before having our lunch. After paying the entrance fee, I was surprised to see a guy pop up in front of me and say “hi! I will be your tour guide today.. I am certified by the department of tourism (showing his ID).. and I will take you to a tour inside Fort Santiago.. blah blah blah..” Then I asked.. “is this for free” to which he replied “No mam, you will have to pay a fee (if Im not mistaken it was P1k)” to which I immediately responded “oh ok.. no thanks we will go around by ourselves”. In Fort Santiago you will be able to see the places used by the soldiers during the war. The places where they took shelter, the dungeons where they were imprisoned, the cell where Dr. Jose Rizal was jailed, some Rizal memorabilia’s, a view of the Pasig River, among others.



When the Living La Vida Imelda tour ended at the PICC, heavy rain was pouring and we had no idea we were going for dinner so we asked for a recommendation from Carlos Celdran. He highly recommended Cafe Adriatico and even gave us a free ride to the restaurant. He instructed his driver to drop him off his place first and to take us to Cafe Adriatico. He was also the one who recommended to us a place to stay in Laoag and gave us a free Map of Manila.



Manila is such a big place... lots of things to do.. places to see.. the only thing I wish was there was no traffic... It does take a lot of toll on your body to be travelling for several minutes or even hours before reaching your destination. The moment you reach your destination you will be too tired to do the things you wanted to do in the first place. I’m just glad Davao is still not so urbanized like Manila.

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Important Things to Consider For Your Travel

If you want to take a vacation, the first thing that you need to decide on is the place that you want to go to. You may pick a place that is just a few hours away from your city or you may prefer a place that is miles and miles away. Whatever you decide on, you need to have a strategic plan to make sure you enjoy your vacation. Most of us are too preoccupied with work that taking a vacation may be something very difficult to fit into our schedule. When we can finally squeeze in a few days for our vacation, then we must make sure all those days are utilized well, and most importantly, filled with fun!


I want to share with you a few things that you must take into consideration when you plan for your travel:

1. Choose your companions – Unless you are a loner, you would prefer to have companions to share your trip with. You may want to bring your family with you, friends or your office mates. Selecting your companions for a trip will also depend on what place you may want to go. You have to make sure that the companions you choose will enjoy the trip and will appreciate the place.

2. Plan ahead – Planning ahead gives you time to schedule a leave from work, and also time to set aside some savings for your trip. This includes coming up with a date where you plan to go on a vacation. When choosing a date, it is best to have the weekends or some holidays which may result to long weekends. This helps minimize your days of absence from work.

3. Getting there – If you choose a place that is hours away from the city that you are in, you may consider riding a bus or renting a van. Try to ask around for prices and compute if you can save up taking a bus or renting a van. For places where you will need to ride a plane, it is best to book your ticket months ahead. Airline companies usually have promotional seat sales and tickets booked months ahead helps you save up for the cost of your travel. However, you need to remember that if due to unavoidable circumstances, your trip will not push thru or you have a change in dates, you may need to spend more when re-booking your promo fares.

4. A Place to stay – Your place to stay will depend on your preferences. Some people cannot live without wifi, so they prefer hotels that give them free wifi. As for me, I look for a place that is cheap, clean and secured. I prefer a cheap one, because it will only be used for sleeping. I do not plan to go on a trip and just lock myself up in a hotel room for hours. Clean, because you will be sleeping on those beds and using their towels. So you have to make sure they are properly washed and cleaned. Security is one requirement that I definitely prioritize. You will need to leave some of your belongings in the hotel and you would want to make sure that it is safe to leave them there.

5. Places and sites to see – Since you will only be staying for a few days, might as well plan the sites you want to see. Research on the must see places and how to get there. It is important that you read about what you will be expecting to see or experience if you should go to that place. We all have our personal preferences and what might be pleasant and exciting for some travelers might not be as pleasant and exciting for you. Once you have listed the places you want to go to, plan which days you want to go to these sites. Make sure you visit Museums and other government run institutions on a weekday, they are closed on weekends.

6. Travel Light – As much as possible, bring light clothing. I love travelling light. It saves me from paying for my baggage fee and from carrying around a heavy baggage. Would you believe that my clothes for a 10-day travel would fit into a normal sized backpack? I bring shorts, skirts, shirts, dresses, and leggings. Remember that you won’t need to bring a towel if you checked-in a hotel, as the towels will be provided for you.

7. First Aid – Try to bring basic medicines that you may need. Paracetamol for headache and medicine for diarrhea should your tummy react negatively to any food you might eat during your trip.

8. Get a Map – You can get a map to help you get around the city. This will also guard you against drivers who may want to fool you by charging too much. Maps provide you an idea of how far the places you want to go are from each other. Find the city tourism office desk in the airport or locate it in the city you will be visiting by searching for details ahead on the Internet. Maps are usually given for free by the city tourism offices.

9. Lost? Ask for Directions – I know it isn’t really a good idea to ask for directions as it gives people the idea that you are either a tourist or you are lost. However, it would save you time if you ask for directions. When asking for directions, make sure you ask from reliable people. You can try to ask inside an establishment or ask security guards. Also, make sure you do not ask directions only from one person. The trick is to make sure you are being given the right directions. Ask three different people. If they provide you with the same instructions, then you are sure that is the direction to the place you are looking for. If you get different instructions, then continue to ask more people.

10. Bring home some souvenirs – Souvenirs reminds you of the places that you have visited. You can get a shirt or some items which are unique to the places that you have visited. Do not be too impulsive when buying shirts or other items. Remember that the first vendor you see is not the only person selling the goods you might like. You may regret seeing the same item being sold by another vendor someplace else for a cheaper price.

Planning for a vacation can also be tiring if you are the one in charge to book the tickets, book the hotel, research for the places to see, etc. So you won’t cram, look for hotels and research for the sites a month ahead. This gives you enough time to read and learn about the place that you are about to see. Do your research during your free time and stop when you get tired.. there is always the next day. During your vacation - forget about work, forget about your problems and most of all ENJOY YOUR TRIP!

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