yeyeahye: the one with agyamanak

Ito ang naaalala kong paulit ulit kong sinasabi - agyaman ak.

Ganito kasi yan. Kahit sinabi ko nung nakaraan na summer is mine - nakatali pa rin ako sa maraming bagay dito sa bahay. Kaya naman isang araw bigla ko na lang nasabi sa sarili ko - I need some fresh air.

Makalipas ang ilang bbms at pananahimik, with my backpack and a box of krispy kreme doughnuts...

Yes, up north...

I took the 11pm bus. Sakto Vigan ang last stop. But I can always take the Laoag bus and they will just drop me off in Vigan.

I decided to take the night trip so I can make the most out of my days in Vigan. Living in Baguio for 4 years in college - nasanay na rin na pagdilat ng mga mata ay nasa Norte na. So, it takes 7 hours to VIgan kung gabi magbabyahe but it will take around 10 - 11 hours for an excruciating day trip. O diba, sayang ang oras sa umaga?

Hello Vigan!

Wehnong gagawin ko naman sa Vigan? At bakit sa Vigan?

Like I said, I just need some fresh air. I want to go where I can not smell "Manila" for a few days. Mas madali sana kung pupunta na lang ako sa mga probinsya ng mga mame and daddy (Atimonan, Quezon and San Juan, Batangas that is) pero marami lang drama (oh don't let me start with the relatives) kaya naisip ko sa ibang lugar na lang. I thought of Los Banos, since it would be nice if I will learn more about where I get my master's degree but I I don't want to bother my friends there and I will be having that chance naman this coming sem.

I can not afford to travel to a new place. I can not even afford to stay in Tagaytay overnight. Kaya naman I decided to go somewhere where I have friends who will and can adopt me for a couple of days. Well, there's Baguio of course but I plan to go there this June after Myleen's wedding so I erased that one on my list. Cebu where my housemate Bujoy's working and Palawan where my college friend Macky is living. Airfare palang talong talo na ako sa kanila. I should have gotten a promo rate if ever I plan to fly to these places. and then there's Vigan. Fare is cheaper (as of this time) and I have a friend there!

Sinong nasa Vigan? Si Chona. My housemate for 3 years when I was studying in Baguio. Isa sya sa mga palaisip kong kaibigan and I like that about her. Well, that's what being friends are all about - you understand each other. So I sent her a bbm and said she would be glad to accommodate me sa kanyang simpleng balay.

Fast forward to Wednesday, May 23 around 7am. Sinundo na ako ni Chona, in her pajamas, sa Vigan Terminal. Ayos ayos ng konti and by 1030am ata, together with another college friend Chie, we're off to Ilocos Norte.

Short background. Chie and Chona work for pharmaceutical companies as medical representatives. Nakakatuwa lang na parehas na silang nakabase sa Vigan! Ha!

Chona driving, Chie as my tour guide.

I was surprised actually na meron silang ginawang itinerary para sa pagpunta ko ng Ilocos kahit na ang balak ko lang talaga ay tumambay at magpaka-Ilocano for 3 days sa Vigan. Hindi ko inasahan na makakarating ulit ako ng Ilocos Norte! So this is a huge bonus!!!

Dalawang oras lang dapat ang byahe papunta Batac mula Vigan kaso may mga hindi inaasahang road fixtures kaya natagalan. Partida, where on a private car - papano pa kaya kung nagbus kami? Mas matagal pa..

And we also had car trouble.. hehe..

Chona! Si Cheenie hinihila L

Dahil past 1pm na nakarating ng Batac, kumain muna ng tanghalian..

For lunch? Bagnet of course! @Ralph's in Batac

Masarap ang bagnet kasama ang softdrinks. Oh yes, walang diet diet!!

Chie, my sosyal na tour guide - major in History yan kaya bongga ang lecture sa tourist spots!
Chona, the mabangis na driver! Pwede ilaban sa mga driver ng provincial bus. Peace Cho! J

Sunod ang Marcos Mausoleum. Hindi pa namin nakikita ni Cho ang dating presidente kaya sinamantala namin ang pagkakataon habang nasa Batac at hindi pa nagsasara ang Mausoleum. Yun nga lang, hindi pwede ang picture taking sa loob ng himlayan ni Sir Macoy kaya..

ito na lang ang ebidensya ko na nakapunta ako.. nyahahaha

Seriously, medyo natakot ako habang nasa loob. Sabi ng iba, wax na lang daw yun ng dating presidente, sabi naman ng iba syang tunay ang nakahiga doon. Parehas kaming naloka ni Cho dahil pakiramdam namin parang humihinga ang dating presidente! as in! or yung ambiance lang ang may dahilan ng ganung feeling? Anyway...

Marami kaming hindi na pinuntahan nung nasa Ilocos Norte kami - Sand Dunes (since hindi naman namin bet ang magpadausdos sa buhangin worth 1500php), Malacanang of the North, Paoay Lake, Sinking Bell Tower at iba't ibang simbahan sa probinsya dahil karamihan naman ay napuntahan na namin nung nag-field trip kami nung 2001. Pero ito ang hindi namin pinalagpas...

Paoay Church

Seryoso, kulang ang picture na ito para bigyang hustisya ang view na ito. Grabe! Nakapunta na rin ako dito dati pero gandang ganda parin talaga ako sa kanya. Nakakagaan ng loob! Aminin mo, hindi lahat ng simbahan sa Pilipinas ganito kaganda ang tayo tapos ang background nya! Galing!

In front of Paoay church is the Herencia de Paoay. Actually, another reason why we went to Paoay was because we heard that Mario Maurer (yes that Thai actor) and Erich Gonzales was doing their scenes in Paoay.

Sunny in Herencia

Sabi nila, kinuha daw ang cafe na ito as part of the movie. So mega papicture nman kami para maka-relate once ipalabas ang pelikula! Nyahaha. #fangirllang

Pagkatapos ang maraming kulitan at kwentuhan, syempre matagal na rin simula nang huli ko silang makita, nagpunta na kami ng...

Hello Laoag!

Trying hard lang photo na ito! Bakit ba, hindi naman ako prof na photog kaya may pagka-rustic (rustic?! Chos!) kuno ang mga shots. Para hindi rin ma-rip off ng ibang tao. nyahahaha.

Ilocos Norte Capitol

Ito na! Naloka lang ako kasi ang tawag sa kanya – Robinson’s Ilocos Norte.

As in probinsya ang extension name hindi katulad ng Robinson’s galleria, or SM Valenzuela, or SM Baguio.. As in Robinson’s Ilocos Norte. Reason behind that (daw) is they can not call it Robinson’s Laoag dahil hindi sa lupa ng Laoag nakatayo ang mall. I think they decided not to call it Robinson’s San Nicolas (yun ata ung name ng baranggay/bayan) since it will not ring a bell hence they gave it the glittering generality that it is the Robinson’s Ilocos Norte. Naks!

Akalain mong dayo pa ako ng Ilocos Norte para manood ng Men in Black 3! Partida, hindi pa sya showing sa Manila nung umalis ako kaya bongga lang na nauna ko syang napanood sa Ilocos!

Bago ang movie experience, we had dinner first at…

Papa Pau's Diner - JP Rizal Cor DM Castro Sts, Laoag City

Nothing ‘tourist’-y about the place. I love the local vibe. Tipong catering to locals talaga. Nakakita pa nga ng mga kakilala sa trabaho sina Chona. Living like a local lang ang peg ko sa bawat travel J

Adobo Boodle, My Boodle Plate, Chichacorn and Iced Tea, La Preciosa Carrot Cake

My goodness.. that Carrot Cake! Heavenly! Chona made it a point to share this with me as she knows I am a cake eater by heart. The cake was simple but definitely hits the spot! Yun nga lang, hindi keri na makapag-uwi sa Manila.. L