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Going loco over Ilocos

I first visited Ilocos in 2014, as part of the Northern Luzon tour. Four years later, I came back to immerse in Ilocano culture and its amazing places. But I can only spend there for two days. Although two days may be short, my family, relatives and I enjoyed there despite the scorching heat of the sun.


We started our first day by having a stop to the surfing capital of the north - La Union. My mom's former co-worker and a longtime friend lived there. We decided to pass by her house to have an honest conversation while eating breakfast. We took a short visit to the bay walk near the Thunderbird Resort to see the majestic sunrise.


We reached Ilocos Sur before lunch. We opted to visit the Bantay Watch Tower to take a few snapshots before we headed to Hidden Garden Restaurant for lunch. We enjoyed the sumptuous meal while immersing in a peaceful ambiance. We took a short rest at Hotel Collado while watching It's Showtime on TV.

It was late afternoon when we got to Baluarte. We strolled for a few minutes and saw some animals there. We took tons of pictures before we grabbed some sugarcane juice.



We moved on to the world-famous Calle Crisologo, and it was a perfect time to have another stroll. We did not miss a chance to try the Ilocos empanada paired with special Ilocano vinegar. Oh, what a way to end our first day!




Another day, another province to be visited. We had a special breakfast consists of Ilocos longganisa, paired with sunny-side-up and garlic rice. Then we headed on to Ilocos Norte. We passed by the Luna Museum for a quick educational refresher.


Aside from the mini-educational tour, we passed by two more famous destinations  - Paoay Church and Malakanyang Ti Amianan (Malacanang of the North). The latter had been the longtime home of the Marcos Family. The pictures, pieces of furniture, clothes, books, and other mementos are well-preserved.



One more stop before heading back to the south - the Paoay Sand Dunes. This place became a huge hit, thanks to the late Ishmael Bernal's masterpiece Himala (Miracle). Unfortunately, we did not stay there for a long time because of the scorching heat, as well as the rates on ATVs and 4x4s are too expensive, plus not all the Santos Clan members are thrill-seekers. To cut a long story short, we opted to go sightseeing instead.

We bought some souvenirs along the way and had dinner in Pangasinan. Although we did not visit all the tourist destinations in Ilocos, we still enjoyed the trip because we had the opportunity to bond with one another.

Historical cultures. Authentic and delicious cuisines. Picture-perfect places. The Ilocos region has so much to offer. Two days may be too short, but this trip is a fun and an extraordinary experience.





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