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. 

  

Pagburnayan Factory

This is located at the corner of Liberation Boulevard and Gomez St. My DH and I visited the Pagburnayan factory but it was raining so hard that day that it kind of dampened the tour. We have not met the owner of the pottery Mr. Fidel Go but his staff were very accomodating and friendly. They gave us a tour inside the factory and walked us through the process of making the clay jars and it was really very interesting. When I was young, we used to have some clay pots in the house that were used for cooking rice. We also had a clay stove and we used some firewood that we gathered in the forest to cook our food. I also remember my late mom using a clay jar whenever she makes "tapuey", an Igorot wine that is used for special occassions. The tapuey is red rice that is cooked and fermented in clay jars until it becomes wine. I never really gave any thought on how these things were made until we visited the pottery in Vigan. Now, I have a better appreciation of these things that I used to take for granted. 

  

HOW TO SELL YOUR OWN POTTERYWanting to sell pottery on the side? How to start? We, along with Fidel Go, advise you to chart the following for a successful crack at the trendy and gritty business of pots.

1. Where to begin? We advise you to ship some test items to friends to see how they hold up. Perfect your product first before shipping a real order. Have good looking boxes and packing materials even at craft shows. Look for a good supplier for boxes and packing materials. Look at the post office website and see if their free boxes will work for you. Also, download their software and use a debit card to print postage. Start by arranging the pickups online.

2. Do you need a legal business name? Yes and no. Your real name can be your business name. If you pick a business name, you will have to get a bank account with that name, because people will want to write checks. It doesn’t cost anything. If you register with BIR, just ask for a tax ID number. When processing requests, we recommend Paypal to process your credit card orders. They have a debit card you can use, so you can buy postage as soon as the customer pays.

3. Where can you feature your pots and jars? You can set up a booth at home thew way it would look at a presentation in a craft fair. If you want to take it to another level, take a picture of it and send it to organizers of fairs. Join trade fairs, for this is a perfect avenue to gain clients. Get the names of shows from newspapers or websites. Use their search tool to find craft fairs. Remember the craft fairs will start advertising for crafter about 2 months in advance.

4. Other marketing strategies? Some start with a freebie site, like geocities.com. When profits start coming in, upgrade to a paid site. You can pick a template and then just plug your content in.

( Source: Agribusinessweek.com)

Crisologo Museum

The Crisologo Museum is found on Liberation Boulevard and Reyes Street. It houses the memorabilia and other prized possessions of the late Congressman Floro S. Crisologo, the uncle of Mr. Chavit Singson who owns the famous Baluarte in Ilocus Sur. The late Floro S. Crisologo was shot in the head while he was attending the 4: o'clock mass inside the St. Augustine Church on October 18, 1970. His murder is still unsolved to this day. His wife who was then the Governor at that time has decided that they will not seek revenge. Instead, to honor his memory, they turned their home into a museum to so that the crime will not be forgotten. In the center of the library which is located on the ground floor of the museum, a glass box containing the bloodied clothes that the late governor was wearing are on display. The late Floro S. Crisologo was known as the man who was responsible for making landmark legislation that benefited his countrymen up to this day such as the laws behind the creation of the first University in Northern Philippines and the establishment of the Social Security System.  

In the 1970's , there was political turmoil in the whole country. Shootings and political intimidation were rampant at that time. People who were fed up with the government joined the NPA and there was dissatisfaction and unrest among the people who felt oppressed by the rich people. One co-worker who is from Ilocos told me at one time that people from their place are passionate about their political candidates. The people defend their "pet" candidates against the rival candidates and their supporters to the extent of severing ties with old time friends and even close family members who dare to go against them. They will not hesitate to kill people like they kill chickens for no apparent reason. People get killed everyday and there was fear in the hearts of the community. It was a time of political dynasties and warlordism with goons and guns that made the place a dangerous place to live at that time. Living there then was like living in "The wild-wild west". However, that was all in the past now. This time, the place is a peaceful and pleasant place to visit. Since the place has been declared under UNESCO as a Heritage City, it is now a booming tourist destination with its rich history dating back to the Spanish era.

Old Churches and Belfry in Vigan

My DH and I went visiting old churches in Vigan after we checked in at the Aniceto Mansion. The St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral also known as Vigan Cathedral is facing the Plaza Salcedo and on the side is Plaza Burgos. This is a big imposing baroque style architecture with its thick buttresses on the sides to protect it from earthquakes and typhoons. The bell tower or the belfry was built a few meters away from the church to keep it safe should the church come down during an earthquake. The original church was built on this same site in 1574 on orders of Juan De Salcedo, the conquistador and founder of Vigan. The chapel made out of wood and thatch material was damaged in the earthquakes of 1619 and 1627. Another was built in 1641 and this became a church. When the seat of the diocese of the Nueva Segovia in Cagayan was transferred to Vigan in 1758, this elevated the status of the church and it became a cathedral. In 1786, Governor Jose de Basco ordered another structure to replace the existing church. With the coming of the Augustinian friars in 1790, the cornerstone of the new church was laid. The church was finally completed in 1800.

The St. Paul Cathedral is on the left side of this Belfry.

The old and the new. McDonald's Restaurant is just beside this Belfry.

We hired a young man with his kalesa to take us on a tour to visit one of the oldest surviving churches in Vigan. This is St. Augustine Church which was built in 1590 and the Bantay Belfry which sits on top of a hill was built in 1591. The church was partly damaged during WW11 so it was reconstructed in 1950. On the grounds of the church is a statue of Our Lady of Charity, the patron saint of Nueva Segovia who is said to have watched over the city for many centuries. My DH and I climbed the wide stone stairs leading to the Belfry tower and we took turns taking pictures of ourselves for posterity and then he decided that he wants to go inside the tower. I was game at first but as we climbed higher and higher on the circular stairway of the tower, my fear for height got the better of me and my knees started shaking. It was really a hilarious situation. I just stood there clinging on a wooden post and I could not take another step forward because I was too nervous. I was only 4 steps short to the top and in spite of my DH coaching, I still could not make it. I just kept on laughing hysterically at myself and nothing my DH could say would make me climb the last 4 steps to get to the top. So I just stood where I was clinging for my dear life and I urged my DH to go ahead and he made it to the top. I was still able to get a good view of the entire area from where I was standing and it was really a beautiful sight to see. I wish that more people will visit this heritage city.

Front view of St. Augustine Church

Our Lady of Charity, the Patron Saint of Nueva Segovia. It is just on the side of St. Augustine Church.

Side view of St. Augustine Church taken from the hill or Bantay. 



The Belfry of St. Augustine Church

Aniceto Mansion

Aniceto Mansion

This is the reception area at the lobby of Aniceto Mansion. The two arched doorways at the back leads to the dining room area.

In one corner of the dining room area is a deep well where one can actually draw water but people have been using this as a wishing well.

I like the arched doorways with the french doors in the dining room area of Aniceto Mansion. 

Each table has four low-ceiling arched doorways with thick columns that encloses each area. This makes one dining table like a private dining area.

My DH just goofing off on the wide stairways like a young boy.

A tall grandfather clock in the hallway leading to our bedroom.

It was so hot even at night so we kept the air con running all night through. 

We moved out of the Vigan Heritage Mansion after spending only one night with them. We wanted to experience staying in another mansion which is why we went to Aniceto Mansion the next day. This mansion was built in 1840 and was owned by  Leona Florentino's father. The mansion used to be the residence of Don Mena Crisologo, a political and literary figure at that time. The wealthy Spaniards who were more prominent in their status in life had their homes much nearer to the plaza and the church while the less prominent families were located much further from the center of the plaza. The ownership of this mansion is now with the Aniceto family who restored the place and maintained its old-world charm. This mansion is next to the Vigan Plaza Hotel and is much nearer to the Plaza Burgos, Plaza Salcedo and the St. Paul Cathedral.  

The ceiling in the bedrooms are high but the room itself is somewhat narrow. The bed is pushes against the wall and at the back of the bed is a wide wooden french windows with white curtains as you can see in the last picture. Just beside the chair near the bed is a door that leads to a small veranda at the back overlooking an open courtyard below with some trees and other plants which is really nice. It's just that the veranda is too narrow like maybe two feet wide only. My DH likes to smoke outside at night so this small veranda was really perfect for us.  At the foot of the bed is a 3-feet tall tv stand with the tv of course. Inside this tv stand is where guests can keep their things. Behind the tv is the bathroom with hot and cold showers. They had a friendly staff but they seemed to be short with manpower at that time because we had to ask for the bathroom stuff before they brought these things to us. What we liked best in the place is the restaurant with its very cozy set-up.

Vigan Heritage Mansion





This is about our short stay in Vigan Ilocus Sur when we went to visit the place for the first time. We stayed for one night at the Vigan Heritage Mansion. It is located at the corner of Liberation Boulevard and Crisologo Street. The end of the cobble stone pavement of Crisologo Street is just a few steps across from the mansion. My DH made a real good job in making our itinerary for this trip which is why we did not waste too much time figuring out where to go when we got there. We arrived at the mansion late in the evening and most of the shops along the streets were just getting ready to close for the night. We had a corner bedroom with air conditioning and a television. What really surprised us is the modern hot and cold shower in the bathroom. This is a 118-year old house built in  1885 and was home to the late three-term governor of Ilocus Sur, Governor Pedro Singson.  His daughter Julie Singson Manahan restored the place to its full grandeur and and at the same time, installed modern amenities for travellers. So, we got to experience living in a 19th century old house with all the modern amenities in it which was one of our goals in this trip anyway. We liked our bedroom but the only drawback was that we could not open the windows as they seem to have been nailed together. We thought that maybe it's for security purposes that they had the capiz windows tightly closed because the bedrooms are facing the street below. We liked listening to the clip-clopping sounds of the horses drawing the kalesas whenever they would pass by the mansion but other than that, the place was very quiet. We talked about  the people that lived in this place during the Spanish era and what life must have been like then for them because of cultural differences. Nothing beats the imagination of course and these heritage places are living testimony of the past.  The mansion by the way has a view deck at the rooftop with a bar on the side and one could get a good view of the whole heritage city. We liked the sitting area inside the nipa huts. It's a fantastic place to hang out and just enjoy the scenery.   Below are some of the pictures we've taken of the place, hope you enjoy the pics.

Frontage of Vigan Heritage Mansion

Side View of Vigan Heritage Mansion

Wide capiz windows in the living room of Vigan Heritage Mansion 

Dark wood furnitures in the living room of Vigan Heritage Mansion.

Beautiful capiz shell windows in the bedroom but the windows were nailed together so we could not open them.

A bar on the side and a picnic/sitting area at the rooftop of  Vigan Heritage Mansion.

The view deck at the rooftop of Vigan Heritage Mansion overlooking the Heritage City.