Calle Crisologo, Mestizo District

We were just goofing off on the cobble stone streets of Heritage Village after visiting the tourist attractions in the city. There was even a program at the Salcedo Plaza one night with some Korean nationals that were doing the presentation. My DH said that the best time to take pictures of the street is when it is desserted. We had an early morning breakfast at McDonalds and true enough, there were not that many people out yet so I was able to take some pics of the clear streets. Then as soon as we finished eating breakfast, we heard music coming from the church. It was coming from a marching band and then a hearse on a horse-drawn cart followed behind. There was a funeral and the people coming out of the church were following the hearse. That was a sad thing to witness very early in the morning. It's also an eye opener that we must live our lives to the fullest so there will be no regrets later in life  because as the saying goes " ...it is sooner than you think...."

We enjoyed walking through the cobblestone streets of Calle Crisologo and going through all the shops that are lining up the streets looking for  souvenirs that we could take home. We were transported back in time to another era just looking at the old Spanish-style heritage houses and the Filipino-Chinese houses with their architectural design. We marveled at the way that the people built these houses with very thick walls, wide stairways, high ceilings and most specially the capiz-shell windows with sliding wood panel doors beneath them. We were informed that these panel doors were created with a dual function in mind. First of course if for added ventilation specially during the hot summer days. Secondly, these movevable panels are opened during parades. This allows the people inside the house including young children to be able to watch the parade in full view.  We really admire the architecture of these old houses and the intricate workmanship that the people did on their crafts, be it iron grills or wood works. People then took pride in what they do, they made real works of art that the new generation could emulate. Thanks to UNESCO and for the people of Vigan in preserving this place as a Heritage City. Mabuhay Kayo.

Baluarte ni Singson

These are pictures that we took during our visit to the Baluarte ni Singson. This is a very big place of sprawling hills and open fields that is owned by Governer Chavit Singson. It's just a wonderful place to spend a day tour and they do not collect any entrance fee at all, it's all free. It has been said that this is Chavit Singson's gift to the people of Vigan. The people were also given a space at the entrance of the mini-zoo where they conduct their livelihood businesses selling pasalubongs to tourists. Near the entrance of the building are some tame macaw birds that could be hand-feed. They also have miniature horses that draws a cart for those who are interested for a ride. It's wonderful just watching the Albino deers and ostriches grazing together on the green fields. The spotted deer has a fenced field of its own that is located near the Yellow Submarine.  Schools that are giving educational tours should bring the children to this place. This is also a must- see for tourists both foreign and locals. It is a good tourist attraction in Vigan Ilocus Sur aside from the Heritage streets and houses that are listed in UNESCO. There are many other kinds of animals in this mini-zoo and I did some search on the internet about some of these animals that we've seen in this Baluarte.

Bengal Tigers: Fast Facts

Type:

Mammal

Diet:

Carnivore

Average life span in the wild:

8 to 10 years

Size:

Head and body, 5 to 6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m); tail, 2 to 3 ft (0.6 to 0.9 m)

Weight:

240 to 500 lbs (109 to 227 kg)

Protection status:

Endangered

Did you know?

A tiger's roar can be heard as far as 2 mi (3 km) away.

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Ostriches: Fast Facts

Type:

Bird

Diet:

Omnivore

Average life span in the wild:

30 to 40 years

Size:

7 to 9 ft (2.1 to 2.7 m)

Weight:

220 to 350 lbs (100 to 160 kg)

Group name:

Herd

Did you know?

The ostrich has the largest eye of any land animal. Its eye measures almost 2 in (5 cm) across.

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

 

 

Iguana: Fast Facts

Type:

Reptile

Diet:

Herbivore

Average life span in the wild:

20 years

Size:

6.6 ft (2 m)

Weight:

11 lbs (5 kg)

Did you know?

In Central America, where iguana meat is frequently consumed, iguanas are referred to as "bamboo chicken" or "chicken of the trees."

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Source: National Geographics



Leona Florentino House and Statue

The Provincial Tourism Information Office and the Cafe Leona are both housed in this building. This is the ancestral home of one of the most respected literary figure Leona Florentino (1849-1884), a Filipina poetess. Visitors will also see a statue of Leona Florentino in a small park across this 1797 house. It was placed there to give recognition to the first Filipina poet who achieved international attention. In 1887, her works were exhibited in Exposicion General de Filipinas in Madrid and in 1889 in the Exposition Internationale in Paris. Among her early poems in Ilokano were the Naangawan a Kablaaw ( A Jolly Birthday Greeting) and Nalpay a Namnama ( Blasted Hope). Her works helped to elevate the intellectual status of women in the Philippines.

We had our first breakfast of the famous Vigan langgonisa at the Café Leona. Their longganisa came in small pork sausage links with finely chopped garlic and vinegar as dipping sauce and it really tasted very good. We decided to try going there again at supper time and we were surprised to see that the place was packed to the max with lots of tourists, both foreigners and locals. One group saw us standing by the doorway looking for an empty seat and they stood up and offered their table to us since they were done eating anyway. We thanked them of course but that's what we call Ilokano hospitality at its best.   

Syquia Mansion

 

This is a picture of Syquia Mansion, the home of the Second President of the Third Repulic of the Philippines. It is located at Quirino Boulevard cor. Salcedo Street, Vigan, Ilocos Sur. When we visited the place, the caretaker asked us not to take pictures. I could not remember the reason for that but when I asked my DH, the explanation was that the quality of the things inside the house might be damaged which is also the reason why we were asked not to touch anything, just look and see only. The caretaker was very accomodating and he did walk us through all the rooms while explaining everything in the room. He said that in the old days, the Chinese people who came to live in this place could not do business unless they were married to a Filipino citizen. He also showed us the peeping holes where they could see a visitor in the living room and if they were ready to see them, they were allowed to come upstairs. He was very informative about the history of the place and we found it so interesting.   

ELPIDIO QUIRINO Second President, Third Republic of the Philippines
Birthdate: November 16, 1890
Died: February 28, 1956
Term: April 17, 1948- November 10, 1953
Political leader and second president of the Independence Republic of the Philippines.

"The Syquia Mansion which houses President Qurino’s extensive memorabilia is actually owned by his wife, Dona Alicia Quirino. Her ancestor was a Chinese who made his fortune in the robust trading in Vigan. Sy Kia’s pride in his Asian heritage can be seen by visitors to the Syquia mansion where they can view a portrait of him with his braided long hair and traditional Chinese robes. His descendants adopted the hispanized Syquia surname later on."

Source: vigan website

Playa De Oro Resort

Our next stop after visiting the Hidden Garden is the Playa De Oro Resort of Barangay Mindoro which is 5 kilometers away from the center of the city and it is owned and operated by the city government.  Their rate is actually half the price to that of the other accomodations that are in the Heritage center. The only drawback is that it is kinda far from the center so unless you have your own private car with you, it is an ideal place to stay. The option is to make a contract deal with someone who will pick you up from the resort at a certain time and bring you back when you are ready to leave. We enjoyed the scenery while riding in our horse-drawn kalesa but it was somewhat chilly because of the rain. We wanted to go down to the beach but it was very windy that day. In fact, my DH and I had to hold on to each other so we don't get blown away by the strong wind while our guide took some pictures of us. Coming back towards the city, we passed by several modern and beautiful houses along the way. These people living near the beach are really lucky to have the best of both worlds, the old and the new. 

The Hidden Garden

After visiting the Fil-Spanish Friendship Park at Mira Hills, we proceeded to the Hidden Garden. It's a private property that was beautifully landscaped by its owner who does this as a profession and this was opened to the public. My DH and I both love plants and we just loved walking around the garden, admiring everything in sight. They used a lot of natural indigenous materials in building the place. It's a must-see for all visitors, it is located on the outskirts of the city but it's all worth the trip specially if you ride a kalesa. They have a bar where one can order some snacks. There are several sitting areas with wooden benches and tables that were strategically scattered around to give the guests a good view of the garden. The place can really accomodate several groups of people all at the same time and each group will have their own private table. They also sell potted plants for those who are interested in bringing home some. It would be nice though if you have a private car so you can load up on all the things that you'd like to bring home with you.

Fil-Spanish Friendship Park

After visiting the Pagburnayan Factory, our guide took us to the Fil-Spanish Friendship Park. By this time, the rain has subsided and we were able to walk up to the top of Mira Hill where this picture was taken. There is a big water reservoir at the top of the hill that supplies the water in the city since the American colonization . This is a nature park with lots of trees around the area and a  a swimming pool at the bottom of the hill. There were some students in the pool doing their swimming lessons when we visited the place. It's really a good place to have a picnic and just commune with nature. We should have brought a packed lunch with us but then again it was not the right time because of the rains. The panoramic view at the top is fantastic as we can see the surrounding barangays.