vigan, ilocos sur














Vigan prides itself of one of the oldest preserved towns in the Philippines. I think, the prewar Intramuros would have been much more magnificent, only it did not survive the bombing during the war of liberation of Manila in WWII. The streets of Vigan are lined with old adobe houses in varying stages of repair or disrepair. The main street is lined with shops selling handicrafts and faux antiques. However, for a small place, there does not seem to be a lot of market segmentation. After a while of walking around, I started feeling that all I am seeing are more of the same thing. There is also the matter of the persistent calesa driver who kept of following me even if I told him that I am not interested in taking his fare. Not that I mind but the smell of horse shit was starting to get the better of me. On the whole where the old house are maintained, the architecture is still very interesting. The houses are tall. Perhaps they have the entrecuelo that is commonly found in houses in the 19th century. My sister and I even visited on of the well preserved houses complete with the old furnishings they had. These houses did not have living rooms but had ballrooms! There were anterooms, formal dining rooms, azoteas etc.

Life goes on for the residents of the town, most are oblivious of the tourist moving from shop to shop. I even spotted a group playing mah jong. However I was wondering if they had a quorum because there were only three of them playing. I saw an old pump where a little girl was trying to get some water to clean her face with. It seems that she got dirty with playing in the street and her mother told her to clean up. I was smiling as best as I could but it seems that I scared the poor child when I was trying to take her picture. Perhaps it is not the old buildings that makes Vigan interesting but the fascinating people that are still choosing to live there and make their living.

all pictures © 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved.

tricycles







Aside from the jeepneys, you know that you are in the Philippines if you see tricycles going around. Thailand has tuk tuks and their mororcys, Vietnam has their cyclos and in Indonesia you have their becak. I like the term my mother used to call these contraptions, she used to call them motor calesas when I was still very young. Later on she adapted the more popular term for this mode of transport. It takes you anywhere you want to go. Sometimes you even get to share the ride with other people. Best of all it is less smelly than the real calesas specially if you find the smell of gasoline more tolerable.

Merry Christmas everyone!

all photos© 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved.