san nicolas






San Nicolas is probably the next town after Laoag. The church front picture is a puzzle I put together using several photographs. Inside the church is we lit so I was still able to take pictures using natural light with the use of my trusty tripod. I was not as lucky when we got to Sarrat where the interior of the church is pitch black. Beside the church of San Nicolas is the market where my sister ordered her supply of bagnet and ilocano longganiza that we would hand carry back to Manila. all potos © 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved.

planting rice








One of the songs we were taught in grade 1 is "Planting Rice" my apologies if that is not the correct title. But I could not recall the lyrics anymore. Anyway on the way to Pagudpud, we saw endless green fields of rice with people being very busy working the farms. I also noticed that most of those working the fields were men with very few women working the land. Buddha said it was the second planting season. I told him that I have read that it is much better to let the land rest for a season before planting crops once again and using chemical fertilizers on the land.

Today I read an article in INQ7 talking about the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Ilocano workers who went to Hawaii to work the sugar fields over there. Most went there so that they could make enough money for their dowry. Others chose to live in Hawaii for good. It would not be surprising to find out that most of the ethnic Filipinos in Hawaii at present came from these Ilocano workers. The Manongs who went to Hawaii toiled the land for long hours while the sun is shining.

Ilocos is a very hard place. The land is difficult, the weather is harsh. Sometimes Ilocanos are called the Scots of the Philippines mostly because of their thrift and industry. But given the conditions they live in, they really did not have much choice otherwise their survival is at stake. Ironically, it was under President Marcos, an Ilocano that the country started to amass massive foreign debt for which the country does not have much to show for. all photos © 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved.

pagudpud the day before and after



As if nature was teasing us. On the single day we were spending in Pagudpud, rains was lashing the place. The wind was very strong. I was trying to get a closer shot of the rock with a hole yonder in the upper picture but the wind was quite strong and we had to flee to the safety in one of the huts near the beach. The next day, the sky was gloriously clear with the sun shining. The sky and the sea was blue. The white sands of Pagudpud was empty but for the women selling their sea shell crafts. I just consoled myself with the thought that as a photographer, I should be able to take pictures no matter what the weather for each situation offers great opportunities. all photos © 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved.

cathedral of st. paul, vigan, ilocos sur






Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of the exterior of the church with the exception of the girl eating ice cream. The light was quite harsh at noon time and we did not have time to come back later in the afternoon. However the interior of this cathedral is quite beautiful. The church manangs were very busy waxing the floor and they were in the process of completing the christmas decorations inside the cathedral. all photos © 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved.

more of laoag






Laoag is a small city. It is the capital city of Ilocos Norte so both the city hall and the provincial capitol are sharing the same plaza. Thankfully Laoag still retains a lot of its old charms. We are not yet seeing the mallification of this countryside. However according to Buddha, a major shopping mall is being planned near Laoag. Of course you can find Kentucky Fried Chicken, Jollibee, Max's in the city center. Our first night we had a great dinner at La Preciosa where we sampled typical Ilocano dishes. Afterall the whole point of visiting a place is also to sample the local cuisine. Ilocano food agrees with me because of its simple and spare home cooked food. They do not have the elaborate sarsas that is present in the Pampango food that was fiesta fare in my parents' home town. Of course there is bagnet which is the Ilocano version of the lechon kawali, which I can only now manage just to taste. But I feasted in pinakbet, dinengdeng and there was one heavenly dish that had a name that sounded like the vernacular name of the female sex organ said twice over. Oh, before I forget, we did pass by Marcos's home. The museum was closed indefinitely. They however had a small display of his pictures near his maosoleum. I had to surrender my camera to Buddha when we entered the maosoleum which automatically plays a dirge when the doors open. I commented to my sister that the body of Marcos looked very waxy. Later we were told that a lot of people suspect that what is being shown is made of wax. Perhaps this explains the sign outside which says " No cameras and hard objects allowed inside". The work of just one vandal will be enough to reveal the truth. As far as Marcos is concerned, there are still many potential vandals. The biggest hotel to stay in is still Fort Ilocandia near the Laoag airport. However you should try some of the smaller places. Balay ti Blas was a place that offers good value and is located within the city of Laoag itself. The breakfast alone makes the stay worth it because it is oversized and will fill even someone who has a huge appetite. When visiting the North, it is best to stay in Laoag because Vigan is just an hour and a half away. After all you do not need to spend days to see the old town. Around Laoag are interesting churches the most prominent of which is the church of Paoay. From Laoag you can drive north to go to Pagudpud or even onto Aparri or Claveria in Cagayan. I asked Buddha if there are boat trips from Aparri going to Basco Batanes. He said there is none. I am assuming that this has something to do with the rough waters in that part of the country.

all photos © 2005 daddywasabi, all rights reserved