Traveling to the northen edge of Luzon - Pagudpod



Appreciating beauty and calm of the then unfrequented Blue Lagoon in Pagudpod


It was on a long weekend of May 2007 when our stoked traveler and his officemates decided to take a trip up north to Ilocos.


Unfortunately for our travelers, though it was a long weekend, the company they worked for didn’t allow a large group of senior employees to be on leave all at the same time (company operated 24/7). Everyone had to come up with their own little alibi to get on this trip.

This was the first time our stoked traveler will be riding a plane (Yes, a little late for someone who loves to travel). As soon as he arrived in Laoag Airport, he couldn’t help but take videos and photos of the Cebu pacific plane and the local airport. While documenting the trip, he and his groups chanced upon a familiar sight – Mojofly.



with Luigi, vocalist of Mojofly



From laoag, our group of travelers took an almost 2 hour jeepney ride further up to Saud beach, Pagudpod where they booked their accommodations at Polaris Inn. Everyone was tired and dizzy by the time they arrived. They took a quick stroll down Saud beach for some ocean breeze but to their dismay, the beach was a letdown as there were sargassums (seaweeds) scattered on shore. The beach wasn’t worthy of a swim so they decided to head back at the inn for some rest and relaxation.

See all that seaweed??

This tour isn’t for those looking for night life fun and loud music. Pagudpod is very laid-back section of Ilocos. Silence wasn’t normally a problem for our stoked traveler – or so he thought. He was pretty much introverted back in those days and didn’t think that too much ‘peace’ in Saud beach was going to be an issue for him. Sure he was with fun travel companions but the lack of booze and the customary videoke just made the story-telling among friends a little too tiring.

As for the weather, Ilocos (particularly Vigan) is generally hotter than most parts in the Philippines. Our stoked traveler remembers the humid feeling even though they were already prepared for it by wearing loose fitting clothes, sandos and flip flops. Because of the weather, it is recommended to always bring a bottle of water or any form of refreshment to satisfy the thirst while touring to save some bucks. It is ok to spend on local refreshments too but just careful not to upset your stomach with too much variety.

Vacation on a budget (was eating canned goods and noodles) was the unplanned theme of this travel. On day 3 our traveler was fed up with always minding the meal budget. He was willing to take the 45-minute tricycle ride down to the nearest market to buy some real food. Fortunately for him, he saw locals flocking over the freshly caught seafood from local fishermen on Saud Beach. He bought some fish for Sinigang and had them cooked over at the inn (which was more expensive than what it cost to buy the fish). Everyone enjoyed it though; after all they don’t often get to eat freshly caught seafood back in urban Manila.

Fresh catch of the day sold just outside Polaris Inn's beach

This looked good and it tasted even better in 'sinigang'

The group rented a van to take them from Saud Beach to tourist spots across Ilocos Norte down to Vigan, Ilocos Sur and back to Saud Beach, Pagudpod, and Ilocos Norte. Our stoked traveler forgot the order of these trips so here’s an unordered list instead:

·         Bangui Windmill was one of the highlights of this travel. They were really big and unearthly (if you grew up in a city). They kind of reminded our stoked traveler of the Ultraman series. The wind was really strong (imagine being next to gigantic electric fans) and deafening. Other than admiring the magnificence of these structures, there is nothing much to do within the area. It is great to experience and behold but a 15-minute side trip to this area is enough especially if you are on tight tour itinerary. There is a café (Kangkang Windmill Café) built within the area now though so it may be worth checking out as well if you want to experience the magnificence a little longer.

Man's ingeuinity is really amazing (when put to good use)

Doing that peace sign on photos was still the 'in' pose back then

·         Cape Bojeador Lighthouse (aka Burgos Lighthouse) is one of those olden tourist spots during the trip. The midday sun was out by the time our group of travelers arrived in this pit stop. There was this uneasy feeling because of the heat but they proceeded to wander inside the lighthouse and onto the top most lantern room section where the beacon was located. The welcoming garden view is overlooking Cape Bojeador (thus the name) and South China Sea. After over a century, this lighthouse is one of the remaining operational lighthouses in the country.

Our stoked traveler's Nokia N93 got some pretty decent stills during this trip

·         Malacañang of the North used to be where Marcos’ stationed himself while in Ilocos to govern the country back during his presidency. Our stoked traveler has never seen or been to Malacañang in Mendiola so he can’t really compare the two. There was a fee of twenty pesos (P20.00) to enter this tour stop but it was fair considering there were people keeping the place together as a historical landmark. It keeps bystanders away from ruining the beauty of the palace as well.

The group just had to take this photo on the same table were official gatherings were held

·    Paoay church is one of the oldest churches in the country. He has seen this church in several photos back when he was still studying. Seeing it in real life is something else. Though they weren’t allowed to get inside (they were told that this church was already dilapidated and may collapse anytime), the view from outside was splendid enough. The architecture of this church is stands apart from the regular Catholic churches in the country. They just enjoyed the view with some refreshing treats sold within the area (halo-halo, dirty ice cream, mangang hilaw etc) while pondering how a sturdy looking structure can be said to collapse ‘anytime’.

Just as picturesque in real life as in post cards.
The architecture is one of a kind amongst Filipino churches

·         Fort Ilocandia was one of the more popular destinations. Unfortunately our group was merely sightseeing and Fort Ilocandia isn’t the best spot for it. Sure that place looks good. It is a resort & casino after all. Most visitors there who have business other than taking photos are out of our group’s league. They weren’t even allowed in because they were wearing walking shorts and slippers (darn!). After a few stills, the group headed back to their van to continue their journey across Ilocos.

·         Sinking Bell Tower is said to be sinking because it is so heavy and was built on sandy foundations which are too soft to hold the structure. One has to practically stoop to fit in the vaulted entrance. It was said that in the olden times, one could enter while riding a horse. This historic spot isn’t really something easily noticed. It is just within the city. The surrounding structures and the annoying cables hanging out from electronic posts diminish ones appreciation of this landmark.

·         Baluarte Open Zoo was where the group decided to a stop for lunch. It wasn’t the best place then for lunch as the food choices from the local carinderias weren’t mouth-watering at all. Still they settled to dig in for some tummy filler. Baluarte, owned by Chavit Singson, is an interactive zoo where one can ride, pet and view animal shows unlike other zoos in Manila. Interestingly for our stoked traveler, his former officemate is a Singson-relative. A funny thing happened to our stoked traveler on this pit stop. One of the locals selling sago’t gulaman and halo halo recognized him from a TV drama he had a cameo role for some time.

·         Calle Crisologo in Vigan took our group of travelers back in the 16^th century Spanish era. It is so impressively preserved that walking the streets is like stepping back in Philippine history. The only form of transport is Kalesas (horse-drawn carriages). For only P150, two persons can take a ride around Vigan and onto nearby tourist destinations. For those bigger in size, it is suggested to take two Kalesas for a leisurely tour. There are also lots of shops selling souvenirs and local products in Vigan. It is recommended to take the time to enjoy this stop of the tour as this is pretty much the core of what an Ilocos Sur tour is going to be. The best way to document ones trip to this street is with sepia style photos or videos that adds the antiquated effect (got to do this next time)

The antique houses were still well preserved

Our stoked traveler and his friends (Ron & Chantal) in Calle Crisologo

It's the small details that matter

·         Marcos Museum and Mausoleum is where Marcos memorabilia are displayed. It was also once where glass-entombed corpse of the late president is supposed to be kept. The museum was about to close and our group of travelers had to make quick rounds of the site to snap a few photos. They didn’t get to see Marcos corpse so it was a big disappointed. On their way out of the vicinity they bought some Tinubong (sticky rice dessert snack stuck inside a hollow bamboo). Our stoked traveler also had a few kariokas (deep-fried coconut rice balls with brown sugar glaze).

Marcos-like?

Imeldific!
A painting of the then First Lady of the Republic ofthe Philippines

·         Patapat Viaduct is one those road side trips that is worth checking out. Our stoked traveler remembers wishing he already had his DSLR camera with him during the time of this adventure. It had a picturesque view of the ocean and the crashing waves. The breeze was also very refreshing and inviting that it makes you want to take a few minutes to take in the feeling to make the memory last longer.

A quick stop over along the road for a photo op

·         Blue Lagoon was probably one of the best beaches our stoked traveler has seen by then. It was obvious why it was called ‘Blue’; the water was really a sight to behold. He has never seen waters with an almost aquamarine hue. Not sure why it was called a ‘Lagoon’ when it is actually part of the ocean and had really really strong waves. Perhaps the locals named it as such from the old movie ‘Blue Lagoon’. In his recent travel to Baler, someone agreed with him that this beach in Pagudpod deserves some surfers' attention too!

Running shot! It was so much fun taking these

This kid kept the group company at Blue Lagoon

Yes, those were the Meteor Garden days

Blue Lagoon is the Boracay of the North

There were other side trips like that nice waterfall and a place with of lots rocks and waves which he forgot the names of. Nonetheless, this travel up north was well worth it except that next time he knows better to choose a nicer inn to stay at and spend more time in select places than rush off from one site to another.

Recently our stoked traveler also learns from a fellow traveler that Ilocos is also a gastronomic destination. He has got to get back one day to taste these treats. He also looks forward to experience the places he missed on his last visit especially the roads less travelled and La Paz Sand Dunes.

Travel tips:

• Buy bagnet and vigan longganisa from local markets not tourist sites. Our traveler was told that those sold near tourist spots are the modified version of these authentic Ilocano dishes.
• Take the Kalesa ride in Vigan, it is well-worth it.
• Choose the right inn/hotel. It can be very boring at night without alternative forms of night time entertainment the silence can be very defeaning
• Wear comfortable clothes suited for humid weather
• Spend time on select areas. It is nice to see them all but unless you are planning on a second visit anytime soon just go to select places of your interest