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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Vigan on My Mind

A visit to Vigan will always be a part of my Ilocos trip. There are always tiny corners to explore and so many things to do in this heritage city. Dubbed as Unesco’s World Heritage City, Vigan “represents a fusion of Asian building design and construction with European colonial architecture and planning” (World Heritage Center, UNESCO). 


Calle Crisologo is the touristiest spot in Vigan. People flock there to take touristy photos and shop for souvenirs. While at it, take advantage of the opportunity to have your shots taken. You can also shop ‘til drop with goods made in Ilocos such as blankets, pillow cases, rags, etc.


Vigan is famous for longganisa, bagnet, empanada among many others so do not miss an Ilocano gastronomic experience on the street or in restaurants. The heat in Ilocos like in Manila is too hot to handle during April-May that you might be screaming for ice cream. And Vigan will not fail you. Dirty ice cream peddlers are sprawling like mushrooms everywhere.   


If you are touring with kids, a visit to Baluarte Zoo is highly recommended. The zoo was founded by Gov. Chavit Singson. It showcases tigers, lions, birds, and ponies, crocodiles and horses among others. Let your kids experience the free pony ride, it is enjoyable. The zoo is open for all and is free of charge but it closes at 5 PM so better go there early.


So you are already going home and still cannot think of a good pasalubong? Fret not. The famous Marsha’s Delicacies is at the nearby town Bantay. Try to grab delicacies at Marsha’s, you can never go wrong with food.


Some things you might want to squeeze in on your next Vigan trip:


Book at Hotel Luna.

Dine at Café Leona.

Go to the Hidden Garden and eat halo-halo.

Ride the calesa.

Pottery making!

Visit Padre Jose Burgos Museum.

Visit Quirino’s Syquia mansion.

Visit Bell Tower in the nearby town of Bantay. Take a look of the White and Red Cathedrals.


Oh, Vigan, you never run out of beauty!




Saturday, May 3, 2014

Backpacking Burot Beach

I learned about Burot beach from travel blogs while browsing the net to plan for a quick beach trip for our family. Since Batangas was the best bet at that time, I tried to get away from the usual beach destinations in the area.  I opted for a more secluded place and a less crowded option so I chose the road less traveled, thus, the Burot beach.

Although the blogs made it clear that visiting Burot beach is a backpacking experience, I still pushed through since I thought the place would be worth it. But surprise, surprise!

We survived backpacking for uhmmm 3 hours. But everything happened in a flash. After we got in at our destination, we pitched in our tent immediately, cooked our lunch quickly, dipped in the water a bit, changed our clothes as fast as we can and left the place in a jiffy.

Personally, the place did not make up for the hours of travel (4-5 hours), transportation expense (2,000 gas & toll), food (2,000 lunch and dinner), and entrance fee (390; 65 x 6 per head excluding the driver and 2 kids).  Unless, you opt for an overnight stay, you will not enjoy the place.
Stay overnight and stargaze. It is romantic that way.

Burot beach in Calatagan, Batangas is owned by SM Group of Companies. It is a private beach but it is open to public for a fee. It is not yet developed so if you plan to go there expect an ultimate backpacking moment.

The road going to the beach from the highway of Calatagan is a bit rough and dusty. Bring a car or better yet a Service Utility Vehicle (SUV). There are no cottages available around so bring your own tent. The bathrooms and toilets are all filthy. The view of the blue green sea is good, though. The water is calm.

A trip to Burot beach is recommended for hardcore backpackers, but if you are not, it would be better to stick to more popular beach resorts in the area.

The experience hit me hard and made me realize that backpacking is really not my thing. Which is good. Hah.

The beach
The clear waters


Rocks
Happy kid under the sun
Tents for set up