TRAVELOGUE: VIGAN CITY, ILOCOS SUR (Part 1)

Just sharing my travels I loved the most.

This happens last year when my father came home from abroad.

He usually come hope in August-November. 

Last year, 2013, he came home in May and it is a perfect time for a vacation.

We all decided to go and discover the beauty of ILOCOS, PHILIPIINES.

I do love traveling but before going out of the country I really do want to discover PHILIPPINE's beauty.

First Stop: VIGAN CITY

What is about Vigan City that capture my eyes?

Here's some information about Vigan's history:

"Vigan is an island, which used to be detached from the mainland by three rivers - the great Abra River, the Mestizo River and the Govantes River. It is unique among the Philippine towns because it is the country’s most extensive and only surviving historic city that dates back to the 16th century Spanish colonial period.

Vigan was an important coastal trading post in pre-colonial times. Long before the Spanish galleons, Chinese junks sailing from the South China Sea came to Isla de Bigan through the Mestizo River that surrounded the island. On board were sea-faring merchants that came to barter exotic goods from Asian kingdoms in exchange for gold, beeswax and other mountain products brought down by natives from the Cordilleras. Immigrants, mostly Chinese, settled in Vigan, intermarried with the natives and started the multi-cultural bloodline of the Bigueños."

 source: Vigan City Official Website

After long hours of driving, sleeping, and chatting.

We reached ILOCOS SUR!

Vigan is a nice place. When you step here you can see its history easily.

The ruins and remains of Spanish colonial is restored.

You can see that Vigan is a busy place.

Lots of tourist come here and enjoy the views.

When we arrived at Vigan, we don't know where to go or what place to stay.

We are all too excited for this trip and forgot to search and book a room for hotels.

And it's summer, all of the hotels are full and accommodated.

So with the help of my phone's GPS, we just take a tour first in the whole area of Vigan.
(GPS is really useful.)

We stopped in some of comfy and affordable hotels.

I love the ambiance of a country style hotel.

I don't know I just feel home with that ambiance.

With so many turns, stop overs, sight seeing and travel.

We ended up staying at EL JULIANA HOTEL.

El Juliana Hotel

Liberation Blvd, Vigan City, Philippines ‎

+63 77 722 2994 ‎

The hotel is affordable and they got a pool.
The interior of the hotel is quite catchy because it gives you the feeling of being in prehistoric times.
What I love the most is the old piano.
We tried playing it and the music is still great.

El Juliana is a comfy place and near the most famous street in Vigan.

The MEZTIZO DISTRICT.

CALLE CRISOLOGO:
MESTIZO DISTRICT

Mestizo District is one of the major attraction in the city of Vigan.

It is a four blocks of cobblestone streets lined with heritage houses of the families of the Filipino-Chinese traders who rose to prominence during that time of vigorous trading in abel cloth, indigo, gold, tobacco and other goods that were transported to Vigan from all over the North. 

This district is closed for vehicles due to the preservation of the place.

It is filled with Spanish-style houses. The houses are simple and gives you a perfect picture.

It assembles thick wooden walls, huge doors, high ceilings, and capiz shells windows.

A walk through the district is really breath-taking and enjoying.

You can find lots of stores or shops for souvenir's and Vigan's finest delicacies.

I really love the vintage times.
Look at that creative signs and walls.
It really tells us a story.

Kalesa riding is also famous here in Vigan.

You can tour different attractions in Vigan by riding the kalesa.

It is fun seriously!

Taking pictures with the "kalesa". The horse looks tired.
Left to right: Nicole (cousin), me, and my sisters; Charlene & Alyssa

This door is really huge and I think it's heavy. It's great for photoshooting right?

 Can I take this home? You can spot lots of furniture like this outside the shops in Calle Crisologo.
You can sit and take pictures.

Calle Crisologo is much better in night time.

The lights in this streets are all light up and extremely gorgeous!

I appreciated it more in night time.

What are you waiting for ?

Vigan is really a pride of Ilocos.

Check out for the part 2 of my Vigan adventure on my next post :)