Vigan 101

your favorite internet blogger tandem has launched yet another voyage this year and for their 2013 opener, they’ve decided to journey up north once again to experience the magic of historical Vigan for the very first time!

The 10 hr journey to Vigan, Ilocos Sur……

10 hrs inside the bus ain’t an easy thing but for the spirit of fun and adventure, these 2 nut heads didn’t mind the day long journey despite their busy work schedules. Frank for example ends his work shift at 7am. He went straight to the bus terminal to meet Mae for their 9am trip!

To go to Vigan, it’s best if you ride the Partas bus along Aurora Blvd in Cubao. The regular air-con bus fare costs P675 while the deluxe costs P725. They don’t accept advanced reservations so be sure to be at the terminal early!

they reached La Union by sunset and saw this spectacular view…

They left Manila around 8am and arrived 11hours after!

they checked-in at the Gordion Hotel which is considered as one of the most respected in Vigan. It currently has a total of 21 rooms and has been in business since the 1950s!

They were warmly welcomed by the staff who attended to their every need! Mariel, who was in charge of the Front Desk made sure the two were well taken cared of. She even gave them a map of Vigan and a lot of tips and suggestions on where to go. Gordion Hotel provides great customer service and both Frank and Mae were very pleased!

The two were really tired and famished after being in the bus the whole day so they’ve decided to have dinner at the Gordion Hotel and tried some of their traditional Ilocano best sellers! They had Igado and Pinakbet!

Gordion Hotel’s Pinakbet: super healthy with a powerhouse of flavors!

the larger than life staircase at the Gordion Hotel was surely eye catching!

they decided to stay at the Junior suite

it had a queen sized bed, a living area, tv, dresser and mini-ref. It was furnished with antique furniture to give you that very Filipino-Spanish traditional feel! It felt like stepping into another era!

the bathroom was quite spacious and had a very reliable heater!

after the 2 settled their things, they’ve decided to take a late night stroll along the famous Calle Crisologo before calling it a day!

Calle Crisologo: the ultimate place in Vigan!

it was a very quite and enchanting night and the 2 enjoyed taking night shots as they walked long the cobblestoned street.

Since the street lights were yellow, the whole ambiance felt very vintage as if they were inside a sepia photograph

festive yet very peaceful. Unlike in other cities, Vigan is one of the very few places where you can safely roam the streets at night!

at the end of Calle Crisologo, they found the only opened establishment which happens to also be one of the most popular dining places in Vigan… Cafe Leona!

the two decided to each have a glass of wine and a serving of Vigan longanisa before heading back to the hotel.

They always look forward to drinking wine together and look for nice quiet cozy places to chill while they talk about the day’s happenings. It was another tiring trip, but it was worth it! They knew that tomorrow was gonna be a big day for them!

Frank and Mae woke up quite early the next day and before touring the city, they’ve decided to have breakfast at Gordion Hotel‘s Garden by the Ruins!

Frank had Vigan Longanisa

Mae on the other hand ordered Gourmet Tuyo

Aside from the Garden by the Ruins, guests may also relax and chill at the Cafe Alhambra

Gordion Hotel by day. The only colorfully painted Hotel in Vigan. Impossible for people to miss it!

the 2 decided to tour the city in style… and the best way to experience historical Vigan is to ride the Kalesa! For only 150/hr, you can visit around 8 popular spots and you also get an instant tour guide! The tour usually lasts for 3 hours so prepare around P450 for the tour.

They were fortunate to meet the very friendly Robin and his 3-old horse named Jessa.

For their 1st stop, Robin took them to the Bantay Bell Tower

It looked so majestic and enchanting! The place looked soooo dreamy!

Next stop was the Vigan Museum which was also the birth place of Father Jose Burgos, one of the 3 priests of GOMBURZA

entrance fee: P20

the two definitely enjoyed looking at all the historical icons and antiques…

Frank acting silly as usual

they were mesmerized by the antique kitchenwares and dinnerwares

They always look forward in trying out and learning new things with each travel experience.

When in Vigan, you never should miss visiting the Paburnayan or the place where people make clay pots

Frank seriously working on his pot

Mae doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty for the sake of experience

another must see attraction in Vigan would be the Baluarte– a local zoo owned by Gov. Chavit Singson. No entrance fee!

as you enter the Baluarte, be sure to get a cool cup of sugarcane calamansi juice for P40

Frank with his refreshing Sugarcane Calamansi juice

Here you can meet a lot of wild animals! Fortunately, the tiger in the photo seemed to be very full that it didn’t bother eating our annoying writer at the back

The Baluarte also has this relaxing butterfly sanctuary filled with butterflies flying all around!

Frank being one with nature. Mae was so envious!

Their last stop was at the Hidden Garden where both enjoyed more flora and fauna and had another unforgettable food trip!

The Hidden Garden was such a relaxing place, people should never miss it!

here you can buy export quality pots to take back home

they found a very delightful dining spot inside the Hidden Garden

they found these Asian tables and decided to settle there for lunch…

the people of Vigan pride themselves of their local delicacies and their trade mark Vigan Empanada should be enjoyed a lot!

they ordered 2 of the most celebrated dishes in Vigan.. the Bagnet and Poqui-poqui!

Poqui -Poqui is a popular Ilocano dish made from egg and eggplant. It may not be the best looking dish but definitely one of the tastiest!

double-fried ultra crispy pork specialty of the Ilocanos… the ever mouthwatering Bagnet!

Literally a heart stopper!

After a short siesta , the two once again went to the famous Calle Crisologo to buy pasalubong and try another popular delicacy while the sun was still up. Best time to visit according to the locals would be around 5pm onwards!

and so the two did their thing….

after a few minutes, they stopped by one of the makers of the best when in comes to Vigan Empanada – Irene’s!

Irene wasn’t really there that day but good thing her mom was there and told them about their business.

The two learned that Irene’s family had been making Vigan Empanada for decades now…

Mae was able to take quick shots as their empanadas were prepared

Nothing beats having authentic Vigan Empanada along Calle Crisologo! Completes the whole experience!

each Vigan empanada costs around P35

Irene’s own recipe was definitely meatier and richer than the others! No wonder they”re soooo popular!

never go home without these….

Night time came and they just couldn’t resist the wonderful night ambiance at the Garden by the Ruins at Gordion Hotel.

The Gordion Hotel is probably one of the most romantic places you can find in Vigan!

one of the most romantic spots in Vigan..

Dinengdeng with seafood: It was way different than the usual for it had a very light “consome” style soup

Gordion Hotel‘s Bagnet was truly crispilicious!! Their homemade Ilocano Vinegar tasted the best!

Gordion Hotel‘s own version of Bagnet – thinly sliced crispy pork bites! Frank and Mae just couldn’t get enough of it!

Too bad they had to wake up really early to catch the earliest bus bound back to Manila. It was really hard for them to leave such a lovely place and their Junior Suite at Gordion Hotel was just soooo cozy they wished they could sleep more….

But of course, they both know that they will definitely be back soon to discover more about historical Vigan! It was truly a great way to start the year and they are looking forward to more trips in the coming days!

They brought home with them lots of goodies, new tales to tell , captivating photos to show and a whole bunch of experiences and memories to cherish….. as always, they came back never the same

The world is really a big classroom and like them, we should all be courageous enough to get out there to educated and learn not only about what’s out there, but to discover and understand more about ourselves.

No matter how busy our lives may be, may we all find the time to get out of our comforts zones, conquer new places and experience how it is to truly LIVE!