Philippines: We Love Vigan

From Cebu, we took a flight north to Manila, then another one to Laoag, taxied to the bus terminal, and long-distance-bused to Vigan. In the northwest coast of the Philippines, Vigan was originally settled by Chinese traders. Spanish conquistadors laid out the present day grid system with its squares in the 16th centuries. The few hundred historic buildings, a mix of Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino characteristics, mostly date to the 18th century and became the only group of historic structures to escape the devastation of WWII. Vigan used to be third to Manila and Cebu. Its subsequent decline inadvertently preserved many of the buildings. In 1999 Vigan became a UNESCO site. Today it's a favorite destination for many Filipinos, and we can say we enjoyed our visit. LOVE VIGAN!!!





Great view of Manila's Rizal Park on takeoff.


The northern mountains in Luzon range from 6000 to 8ooo feet in elevation. John had the window seat and caught a view of some rice terraces as we headed NORTH to Laoag.


Sun-Ling walks across the tarmac after we land in Laoag.


We "Fall in Line" at the Laoag bus terminal.


Shot from the bus ride SOUTH. We noticed that in this area, corn and rice are grown in adjoining fields - a new one for us.




Our hotel was located on pedestrian, cobbled, Calle Crisologo in the historic district.


Old and New - Caltex and Horse Carriage


Walking around on our first evening in town, we checked out the nightly music and light show at the Dancing Fountain in Plaza Salcedo. Impressive!






Plaza Salcedo during the day.


Our hotel at night.


Vigan has a small mall anchored by a Robinsons Supermarket.


Eating Vegetarian Empanadas, drenched in the best vinegar ever, at the Food Bazaar was a culinary experience to remember.








Crystal Ball Performer.


One day we demolished a feast-sized Halo-Halo Salo-Salo.


On our way back from the bus station we stopped in at the Public Market to buy some bananas and bibingka (a type of baked rice cake).




One evening we walked past the historic mansions near our hotel and across the river to the Bantay Watch Tower (4th below) and back.

Vigan: Longganisa Festival Street Dancing

We timed our visit to Vigan with the Longganisa (Sausage) Festival on Jan 22nd. Since I was down with stomach flu in the morning, we conveniently missed the sausage making demo. We did catch the longganisa-themed "street dancing" in the afternoon. I gathered all this started with the feast day of the town's patron saint, San Pablo on Jan 25th. The dances also honored San Pablo, who I seriously doubted would have appreciated the pork sausage.

Checkout this video (1st below) of a Street Dancing Rehearsal. Look closely and you'll see that the dancers are holding plates of sausages.






And the bands were also rehearsing in this video (1st below).




These elementary school kids were very adorable. See the San Pablo medallions around their necks.


The actual Vigan City Festival Street Dancing Competition.














There are ambulatory ice cream vendors at every special event in Vigan.

Philippines: Around Cebu

Cebu city is the second largest city in the Philippines. Mount Manunggal forms the background of the coastal city while Mactan Island is right across the Mactan Strait. Magegllan landed here in 1521. In fact he died in Cebu from injuries from battles with local troops. The much revered image of Santo Nino, the star of Sinulog, is said to have been brought to Cebu by Magellan. In addition, the Cross of Magellan is housed in a special octagonal coral stone pavilion just outside the Basilica. Pilgrims throw colorful candles onto its floor (3rd below). We finally made it into the still-busy adjacent Basilica del Santo Niño two days after the Grand Parade.







Otherwise old Cebu is as tired looking as Manilla and equally congested. There are signs of BRT construction. The branch of the National Museum housed in the old customs house is so spiffy that I almost wish they had spent the money on spiffing up the city rather than the museum. We both thought the Chinese porcelain artifacts of the "13th to 17th Century Shipwrecks and Maritime Trade" exhibit was super interesting. In addition there were paintings and photographs by local artists.
















Checkout two of the new shiny BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) stations in the background (1st below) and at right (2nd below)




The Osmena Fountain Circle was transformed into a food, lights, and entertainment bazaar with a 20-meter tall Christmas Tree for the Santo Nino festival.












There was a wholesale vegetable market near the National Museum.




Budget Rice + Vegetable(s) Plates are pretty common in the Philippines. We ordered (1st below) Tortang Talongs (Eggplant Omelettes) more than several times!!! And (2nd below) Rice + Tofu + Vegetable Plates were also filling us up.




Halo-Halo is the national icy cold dessert favorite. No wonder. It's perfect on a hot, muggy day.


Although grilled corn, and steamed corn vendors were easy to find, we did not try them. Out-of-focus pic below - whoops.


For our last night in Cebu we took a room in a hotel near the airport which had great views of the Mactan–Mandaue Bridge.




And our last meal in Cebu was at the nearby 'Ramen Stall by Cebu Wish' where we had....




Finally some 20th-Century Modern and Modernist buildings from Cebu. First the Cine Oriente.


Eden Theater and Cine.


Don Vicente Rallon Building


Our hotel was in the University District. The building next to us was a Business School.


Sterling Bank of Asia


This building reminds me of 20th-Century Kolkata architecture


And the rest....