Life is the sum of experiences that we encounter as go through life. Day to day to struggles and triumphs are experienced by all of the world's creatures. As human beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have freedom to choose how to react. Every decision that we make leads us down another road. We will never come to exactly the same crossroads. Every decision the we make has significance. The tiniest choice that is made reverberates throughout the entire universe.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Vigan- Laoag-Pagudpod Roadtrip Series I Day 1 (Part II)


Known as Vigan House, Crisologo House, Mansion , and the Vigan National Museum Branch.


We arrived at the museum roughly 9:30am. It's about 10 - 20 mins. from the Pagburnayan. 

Upon entering, I noticed an old woman who uses a small megaphone. She's the one who gives a brief history of Crisologo family and their contribution to the country . She is the caretaker and she also instructs visitors where to go next in the mansion.
She said, "meron po tayo donation box malapit sa pintuan, donation lang po...", which is fine to all of us.

THE TOUR INSIDE THE CRISOLOGO MUSEUM and UNDERSTAND THE HISTORY
  
Floro S. Crisologo was the patriarch of the clan and a congressman known for being responsible for landmark legislation that only benefited his constituents but the whole country as well. He was responsible for the SSS, Social Security System.  

Oh, alam niyo na saan galing ang mga S.S.S niyo ha pero yun nga, dahil sa galing niya marami ang naiingget. Kaya nuong 1970 while he was inside the St. Paul’s Cathedral, Congressman Crisologo was shot in the head by a still unidentified gunman :(


FIRST FLOOR 
It has library,  an anitique calesa, numerous news clippings and newspaper. There are also an old car, family pictures, certificates and et cetera.





SECOND FLOOR
You can see some of the parts of the mansion.


Bedroom


Kitchen



 The Living room


 An old jewelry box

A classic type writer

Various memorabilia of the late Congressman Crisologo 


You will see the evidence that the mansion is maintained. Although all of the stuffs here are old enough to dubbed as vintage.

Dining area

 It is interesting to know that before he was killed, the congressman was in the process of having a bill approved to abolish the death penalty because he believed that death was not the solution to stopping crime.

 LEAVING CRISOLOGO MANSION, HELLO CALLE CRISOLOGO

The most anticipated part of the tour was visiting the Heritage Village. It is considered the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. In November 1999, it was placed on the World Heritage List commemorating its cultural significance. Heritage Village was considered a UNESCO Heritage Site to preserve the cultural past of the Ilocandia region.  



En route to Heritage Village, we were advised that our service was not allowed to pass through the street. Only calesa will do (a horse driven carriage). So we had more time to enjoy the whole village while walking.......


Ang daming ancestral house!
Kapag andito ka, do not let the chance to taste their unique "EMPANADA" na kulay orange with matching suka (vinegar).



I love how the community and the local government preserved this part of Vigan. 

I also like the feeling like in spanish era. Kaya nga nag dress ako noh para sa lugar lang na to! Gusto ko ma feel ang panahon dati. Makaluma and yet very historical. Gusto ko yung feel na naglalakad while wearing a fashionable hat (kaso yung hat na hiniram ko lang sa tita ko naiwan ko pa dito). hmp!

Feeling turista talaga with matching turo turo kung "how much is this and how much is that", charot, hehehe. Nagkalat kasi ang samut -saring souvenir shops dito.


It was really worth visit for.

Our last stop before going to Laoag is the Bantay Bell Tower, located at Brgy Bantay in Vigan. One of the most fame churches in Ilocos Sur is the Bantay Church also known as St. Augustine Church near the famous Bell Tower which is perched up in the hill. 

Bell Tower was used as a watch tower during the Spanish colonial period. "Bantay" is an Ilocano word for both "guard" and "mountain."






Super inet nga lang. You have to bear with that burning fire and heat of the sun! Katanghaliang tapat ba naman when we go up in the tower. 

The stairs were quite narrow, old and very fragile. Very windy and the view made it worthwhile. 




Wala na kong masabe sa ganda ng first day exp. namin.. What more pa yung mga susunod! hehe.. yabang lang. 

Kahit gutom na kami that time, we still felt like full while going around at the diff. historical places in Ilocos Sur. I was in awe for a moment and then felt very very satisfied all of a sudden......


Please also read: Part I of this road trip series.. Vigan-Laoag-Pagudpod-roadtrip-series (Part I)

Read More

Friday, May 11, 2012

Happy Mother's Mama! You are the only one....


Dear Mama,

Hindi ko alam panu uumpisahan ang drama.Chos!

Hindi ko rin alam kailan pa yung last letter naming tatlo sayo. I can’t even remember, the occasion either. Pero alam ko at hindi ko malilimutan na araw mo today.  Siyempre HAPPY MOTHER’s DAY Mama!

 Pag sumasapit ang ganitong okasyon sa Pinas, lam ko hindi namin pinapalagpas na I greet ka o si Papa ng HMD o HFD. Kahit simpleng bati lang, halik lang o may kasama pang regalo. Hindi namin nalilimutan. Gift? hehe..

Meron akong pinapakinggan sa radio tuwing umaga. At nung Thursday lang, about sa Mommies ang topic nila. Hindi ko mapigilang ngumiti mag-isa dahil sa mga quotable quotes na mula sa mga ina na nakakatawa at hindi ko rin mapigilan na maging emotional while I was listening to the DJ’s who were reading a hundreds of very good entries about moms. Pero meron akong na realized while listening, Ma, naiiba ka sa kanila. Bakit?

I can still remember yung naikwento mo samin dati na habang pinagbubuntis mo pa kami, ipanalangin mo na maging malusog kami at magaganda! Hehehe at nangyari naman! Kitang kita ang mga ebidensiya at ang ibinunga ng kahilingang iyon! Pero anu naman ang panama naming tatlo sayo..
1. Ikaw na nang manganak ay nanatiling makinis at walang mababakas na kamot ni papa, este kamot tanda ng pagbubuntis. Samantalang kami. Never mind! Hehe..


2. Ikaw na, nanatiling kikay kaya sayo kami kumukuha ng mga damit at kikay stuff!  Lalo na ko. Ikaw na, 24/7 na nagtatrabaho, {kayo ni papa} at walang day off sa pag-aalaga at pag gabay samin hanggang ngayon! 


3.    Ikaw na, kung magalit daig pa si Hitler! At ikaw kung minsan ay bumabanat eh daig pa ang karneng makunat. Ang corny… hehe. 



4.  Ikaw na nagpapayo samin na, pag ang lalaki, maitim ang gilagid, SALBAHE. Hehe.. para saken ata to eh.

Mama and Tita..

5. Ikaw, yung tipong laging may sinasabing good qualities ng isang pagkain. Oh, kainin niyo to.. maganda to sa balat. Oh ito kainin niyo to masustansiya, at kainin niyo to nakakagaling nang gantong sakit. Ikaw lang ang ina na laging may trivia sa pagkain, kakapanuod ba ito ng TV tuwing umaga? Hehe.. Very helpful ma! Aprub! {Daming alam!}

Papa and Mama

6. Ikaw, yung tipong pag nag a- out of town tayo, naninigaw kapag nakikita mo na kaming pumupunta sa malalim na parte ng pool o dagat, remember sa Maquinit Hot Spring in Coron? Hehe.. Malalaki na kami ha, super worried pa rin siya! At kontodo sigaw kahit may mga tao.

7. Ikaw na nagre-remind na bawasan ko ang pagkain ng kanin dahil bumobodyok na ang tiyan ko pero tuwang tuwa ka naman, kapag nakikita mong sarap na sarap kami sa luto ni papa! At nakakalimang sandok kami! Hahaha!

Sa walang kahilig hilig sa jumpshots!


8. kaw, na laging binibida si papa, kapag nanunuod tayo ng TV. Let’s say may lalaking kamukha ni papa. Mag jojoke kame. Sasabihin naming para si papa lang pero ikaw lagi kang may sasabihin o laging may way na I build up si papa. You always raise papa’s good attributes like, “eh si papa naman maganda ang mukha kahit maiitim..kasi tamad mag eskinol eh! And so on and so forth”. Mabait naman si papa.. Masipag si papa! 

@ Bukidnon

9. Ikaw na hindi napapagod na magmahal sa aming tatlo pati kay papa! Sa pagmamahal, sa pang unawa, sa pag asikaso at pag nagkakatampuhan tayo, ikaw yung tipong although you are sensitive, minsan nagkakatampuhan tayo, hindi mo pa rin kami sinusukuan! At yun ang isa sa lalong nagpapatatag sa ating lahat!

@ Coron, Palawan
10. Ikaw, na kahit takot na takot eh sumasama samin sa iba naming mga trip. Keri boom boom mo ang mga gala namin at adventure tulad ng E.K, Water Rafting, Ziplining, Snorkeling, Trekking, at even Pagsakay sa Ferris Wheel where we all know you really scared of…

Hehe, I told you..

Ma, don't wori. We're okay though..


11. Last but not the least, ikaw at si papa na nagpalaki samin, nagpamulat samin ng simpleng pamumuhay. Kayo na nagpamulat samin sa iisang tunay na religion! Dahil dito, mas lumaki kaming maayos, although hindi perfect daughters but we know that you are proud of us!  Proud kayo dahil proud kayo sa sarili niyo na kayo ang nagpalaki sa amin! 


Salamat sa lahat ng mga bagay na to. Napakaraming dapat ipagpasalamat!!! 

Salamat dahil hindi ka gaya ng iba na namamalo ng sobra sobra nuon. Bongga lang ang panenermon hehe. At hindi ka rin yung tipong nagpaparusa like paluluhurin kami sa asin o sa bubog. O kahit patatayuin kami ng matagal hawak habang ang ref at eletric fan ay nasa magkabilang kamay! hehehe at even we did not experienced to be grounded! 

At higit sa lahat mas proud kaming tatlong magkakapatid, dahil other people treat us special not becoz, obviously, magaganda kami, lol kundi dahil alam nila anak niyo kami. Salamat you raised us the way you wanted. Salamat, sa pagpapalaki niyo samin ng mahusay! Sa mga naabot namin sa pag- aaral, hanggang ngayon ay ikaw at si papa ang dahilan! Sa success at sa pleasant attitudes na meron kami, sa inyo namin yun nakita ni papa!  


Kayo ang idol at tinitingala namin! Gusto namin pagtanda namin, mapalaki din namin ang aming mga anak as proud as you are tulad na pagpapalaki niyo sa amin!
Ma, kulang ang mga salitang to, alam namin. Pero alam naming sa ganitong paraan mapapasaya ka namin nang tagos sa puso! More than a million material things in life, more than words to say we would like you to know that we really really appreciate everything you’ve done for all of us at mahal na mahal ka namin lahat!


We LOVE you Mama!!




Read More

Monday, May 7, 2012

Vigan-Laoag-Pagudpod Roadtrip Series I Day 1 (Part 1)

Cobblestone streets, unique landscape, oriental building designs and ancestral houses are some of the amusing setting in VIGAN, the capital of the province of Ilocos Sur.  

We arrived at Vigan @ exactly 12:30am. It was the longest road trip I've ever experienced with cousins.  We were 9 plus the 2 drivers who drove all the way from Manila up North of the country. Tataya ko lahat ng sweldo ko, pustahan lahat kami namaga at nangapal ang pwet sa kakaupo oh! Sinong hinde?!

We left Manila around 5pm {Friday} and reached Vigan {Saturday}. We did not book for any room or hotel coz originally, we planned to just sleep at the service then upon sunrise, we will go directly exploring VIGAN's tourist spots.

So, some just agreed to sleep at the van  while four of us chose to sleep inside the church in BALUARTE NI CHAVIT, with other tourists also. {Mahirap sa van, nakabaluktot, pero mas mahirap ata sa loob ng simbahan kasi ang kasama mo ay mga taong malakas pa humilik kay Harry, the Tiger! hehe}!!!!

Saan kami naligo? Ahm, next question please oh. KAW NAMAN! Hahaha.....

Welcome to my hacienda

Aside from the photo op, everyone can interact with different animals. You can actually feed animals, petting them, ride the "tiburin", a small horse-drawn carriage, you can watch an animal show or simply visit the Butterfly Garden. 

Dahil maaga pa, hindi pa nila ina-allow na palabasin si HARRY. At 10am pa daw siya pede mahawakan at pwede magpa- picture. So, pinicturan na lang namin siya while at his cage... Artista! Daig pa si Chavit!

Harry, harry, Yellow kaba? Dilaw kasi ng mga pangil mo eh. GRRRR!


Baluarte is 80 hectares of gently rolling terrains, hills and mountain sides, the structures of facilities and amenities, its phases of construction is in its best possible realistic and natural habitat for good and sound animal care.

Baluarte is open to the public and admission is FREE
  
It is actually Governor Chavit's gift to the people of Vigan where residents are accorded free use of spaces for their livelihood programs. 



Entrance

After an hour of walking and picturan, we decided to hop to our next destination, the Calle Crisologo! Kaso, mukang naligaw kami ng onti palabas. Tiempo naman malapit lang at nadaanan namin ang Hidden Garden {w/c supposed to be our last stop}.

Before we embark to this roadtrip, I've read some of the relevant blogpost about Vigan specifically about this place. Some of them, would tell like "you can do nothing on here" or the place is for photo op only. Malamang mali na naman ko ng pagbasa. Tsk..tsk.. Kasi hindi iyon ang naabutan namin eh.. Well, I'll just leave it for you guys to judge.  





{Refreshments}
on - the - go.

Oh, did I introduce this guys to you? That's kuya Edwin and Kuya Jericho, our drivers slash tour guide na rin. While sipping cup of coffee.
Wala ata kaming pinalagpas na sulok ng garden na to.. Lahat may project kami
Hidden Garden is approx. 10mins from Baluarte Ni Chavit. 

Upon exploring the beauty of the garden, I have acquired some learning {Me ganon?!}. The garden has its beauty and charm to attract more guests. It has collections of wide array of plants, flowers, crafts and souvenirs too. At first, aakalain mong garden lang, with huge spots to take pictures on. Pero hindi pala. 

We're about to continue through the pathway when someone yelled, wala na jan. Tapus na. And so we continue to other side instead and we found this nipa restaurant which serves coffee {ng Benguet, sabi nila}, chocolate, Fresh fruit shakes/ juices and Empanada {na ayon sa pagkakarinig ko sa waiter ay not available that time}. 



We ordered coffee and fruitshakes that time. But due to overwhelmed visitors, some of us decided to take it out na lang dahil sa tagal. {Nainip lang}.

Nagiisa lang si kuya who takes order of fruitshake and at the same time siya din ang gumagawa. O diba. multi-tasking si kuya. Hampered! But I heard, they cater the best of Vigan delicacies here. Hindi na nga lang kami kumain. Wala sa itinerary. Charot, La lang budget! lol

Nevertheless, the Hidden Garden is not anymore hidden, it is now WELL-KNOWN and a MUST- SEE rural escape.
Refreshing, relaxing, and very rustic feeling. Lahat ng word which starts with "R". GO!  

Dagdag kayo ng tao ha.. peace :p







POT and more POT and more POTS........ 

We are on the last {first half} part of this post entry. 
This time we went to Pagburnayan, place in Vigan where you can locate a Jar Making factory.


The Ilocano jar called “burnay,” used for storing the local vinegar, local wine “basi,” and “bagoong” and as a decorative ware, is produced in factories using the pre-historic method in the southwestern end of Liberation Avenue in Vigan.

 
Nung una, nagdadalawang isip pa kami kung yung napuntahan namin eh Pagburnayan. As I recall, parang walang malinaw na signage aside from medyo matao. 

Mavic had a chance to make a simple pot on her own.. hehe. A good experience with audience pa ha. Super laugh kami kasi ang kulet niya. Ang ingay! 

Mavic: uh..uh! Hala, nasisira na, kuya! (Kuya, binasa muli at hinulma ang korteng putik}!
Audience: Sige lang, ayusin mo lang... 


 

Mavic: {Tuloy pa rin ang pag- ikot, pag kalikot sa putik ng biglang!
Pak! Actually ito daw talaga ang ang gusto niya ma achieved! Hahaha.. POT-AY!

Ganitong itsura.. ang AYOS naman pala eh ng finish product! 


At bago tayo matapos ito ang pinaka malufet na sculpture/ masterpiece na nakita ko while in first day in Vigan!
*wag madumi isip*

Guys, dahan -dahan lang. 
I share ko lang.. 
Wholesome naman ko since day 1, right. 

TO REMIND YOU, for the record THIS IS A MASTERPIECE! 

From Hidden Garden and Pagburnayan artistry 










FIN.

Website:  BALUARTE NI CHAVIT SINGSON 
Website: HIDDEN GARDEN
Read More
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Popular Posts♥

mitcHOT Spots. Powered by Blogger.

© ♥Round-Tripinay♥, AllRightsReserved.

Designed by ScreenWritersArena