Bangui Wind Farm (Ilocos Norte)

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Bangui Wind Farm

Bangui Wind Farm

From Pagupud, Melissa, Almira, Albert, Jandy and I again rejoined the others in our bus as we returned to Bangui for our much awaited visit to its Wind Farm, fascinating landmark of the town. From the highway, we could already espy these gorgeous giant fans.

Bangui Bay

Bangui Bay

The windmills, officially referred to as the NorthWind Bangui Bay Project, is the first “Wind Farm” in the Philippines and is considered to be the biggest in Southeast Asia. The site, a graceful arc reflecting the 9-km. long and 100 m. wide shoreline of Bangui Bay, create a fusion of technological and natural elegance. Bordering the West Philippine Sea, it has a windswept area of 5,281 sq. m. (56,840 sq. ft.).

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Its 20 units of 70-m. (230-ft.) high Vestas V82 1.65 MW wind turbine-generator units (WTGs), all arranged in a single row, were supplied NorthWind Power Development Corp, a Danish power firm.  Spaced 326 m. (1,070 ft.) apart, their three 41 m. (135 ft.) long, vertically-oriented rotor blades, on top of a 50 m. high tubular tower with a 6 m. diameter base, have a rotor diameter of 82 m. (269 ft.). The nacelle (casing), which encloses the generator, the gear box and the yaw mechanism (which turns the blades into the wind), is at the rear of the rotor blades.

A restaurant with viewing deck

A restaurant with viewing deck

The sight of the giant man-made wonders was astonishing and any picture with the windmills, whether near or far, is truly charming. You can come close to them, touch them to feel its vibration but you can’t hug them as they are just too big and wide. A must-try experience, there’s definitely no other place like it in the country. Locals even picnic under them and they could hear the whirring of the blades of these tall and imposing structures from above, all of them rotating in unison.   However, the picturesque beach in the area is not good for swimming as its waves are too strong.

The windmills as a backrop for photo shoots

The windmills as a backrop for photo shoots

Now a busy tourist spot, along the stretch are restaurants with viewing decks where you can eat and stalls selling souvenirs like windmill key chains, bags, T-shirts, ref magnets, miniature windmills and pen holders. Seaside horseback riding is also being offered here. You can also watch the spectacular sunset and ocean view while listening to crashing of the ocean waves. The best part o our visit here is that there are no entrance fees. You can shoot all you want. There are no restrooms though. Prepare yourself for the unrelenting winds that batter you from the open sea. There’s not much of an adventure there but it’s still worth visiting.

Souvenir shop

Souvenir shop

How To Get There From Laoag City, take a Cagayan-bound bus (a 1.5-hour trip) towards Burgos. After reaching Burgos, watch out for the directional marker on the left side of the road that leads to the Bangui Bay. Follow the dirt road leading to the bay. Some wind mills will already be visible from this point then make a right turn to the bay.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Museum (Burgos, Ilocos Norte)

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Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

After touring Bacarra Church, Melissa, Almira, Albert, Jandy and I again boarded our bus or the 33-km./40 min. drive to the century-old (first lit on March 30, 1892) Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, the most accessible of all the lighthouses in the island of Luzon and the highest elevated (the tower of the Cape Melville Lighthouse is the tallest at 90 ft/27 m.), still original and active Spanish era lighthouse in the country.

NHI Plaque

NHI Plaque

Last April 6, 2004, on our way to Bauang (La Union) from Pagudpud, my family and I dropped by to visit the lighthouse but wasn’t able to go in as it was then being rehabilitated. A few months after our visit, on August 13, 2004, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse was declared a National Historical Landmark and, on June 20, 2005, was also declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure. Recently, the lighthouse was used as the backdrop for the romantic scenes of Coco Martin and Julia Montes in ABS CBN’s  2012 teleserye “Walang Hanggan.”

View of Cape Bojeador and the West Philippine Sea

View of Cape Bojeador and the West Philippine Sea

In Brgy. Paayas in Burgos, a sign on the right side of the Maharlika Highway indicates the winding and narrow, two-lane concrete road that leads to the base of the lighthouse. From the base, we boarded two tricycles (PhP50/each way) that took us to the small parking lot where  there are stalls selling ice candy, canned soda, some finger foods and souvenirs (including a wooden craft replica of the lighthouse with a pen stand).

The courtyard

The courtyard with cistern in the middle

Service building

Service building

Upon arrival, we climbed a flight of concrete stairs to the perimeter wall.  Here, we had a good view of the rough and rocky Cape Bojeador coastline and the whitecaps of the West Philippine Sea. We then proceeded to the courtyard where the service buildings and the cistern are located.

T-shaped stairway

T-shaped stairway

The main pavilion

The main pavilion

An elegant T-shaped stairway then lead us up the verandah of the main pavilion, with its 3 apartments, 2 offices, capiz and louvered window panes and decorative iron grilles, where a hallway took us to the foot of the covered stairs that that lead to the entrance of the  20 m. (66-ft.) high octagonal stone tower.

Albert, Almira, Melissa an Jandy at the veranda of main pavilion

Albert, Almira, Melissa an Jandy at the veranda of main pavilion

This was as far as we could go as no visitors were allowed to go up, via a steep spiral metal staircase (not recommended or senior citizens), to the lantern room (now a modern electric lamp powered by solar panels) on top. Only a certain number of people are allowed in the tower at a time and access to the viewing gallery (surrounded with decorative iron grille work) depends on the outside wind condition.  As it was Holy Week, it was closed to visitors.

The lighthouse tower

The lighthouse tower

One place we had access to was the small, newly restored Cape Bojeador Lighthouse Museum.  Housed in the pavilion at the foot of the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, the rooms lining the hallway used to be shut but, since its inauguration last November 21, 2015, it is now open to the public. At the time of our visit, the rooms were sparsely decorated with low wooden furniture, including four-poster beds by the windows.

The author at one of the apartments

The author at one of the apartments

One room was filled with items that were once used to run the lighthouse (the original kerosene lamp, batteries, a part of the original first order Fresnel lens, etc.), perhaps the most striking in the area, plus samples of original brick work and old photos.

The lighthouse museum

The lighthouse museum

Original kerosene lamp

Original kerosene lamp

We also dropped by the Paru de Kabo Bojeador, the new tourist center which has stalls selling souvenirs and a safe resting area on what had previously been a construction road. The pavilion has also been transformed into lodging for people seeking basic accommodation (except for shared cooking facilities and water from the cistern, no other amenities are provided).

Original brick work

Original brick work

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse: Vigia de Nagpartian Hill, Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Admission: PhP40 for adults and PhP30 for children aged 7-12 years old.

Onse Reef Off Road & Sandboarding Adventure (Paoay, Ilocos Norte)

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Paoay sand dunes

Paoay sand dunes

One of the highlights of our Holy Week sojourn in Ilocos Norte was our Onse Reef Off Road & Sandboarding Adventure.  From Pamulinawen Hotel, Jandy, Melissa, Almira, Albert and I had to take a 17-km./25-min. jeepney ride to Paoay town proper.  From there, we all boarded a tricycle for the 20-min. drive to the sand dunes. As we neared the dunes, Albert and I had to alight as the tricycle had a hard time climbing up a dune. Upon arrival, we met up with Mr. Jake A. Texon, the Operations Manager.

Onse Reef

Onse Reef Off Road & Sandboarding  Adventure

Ilocos Norte is the only place across the Southeast Asian region where one can find a desert environment. Technically known as the “Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes,” it spans four Ilocos Norte towns. In 1993, due to its superlative natural beauty, geological uniqueness and scientific relevance, the sand dunes have been declared as a National Geological Monument (NGM) in the Philippines (other NGM sites include  the Hundred Islands National Park off  the coast of Pangasinan, the Taal Lake and Volcano Protected Landscape in Batangas, and the Chocolate Hills in the island of Bohol). The dunes have been used as the setting for the desert scenes in for Mel Gibson’s “Mad Max” (1979), Tom Cruise’s “Born on the Fourth of July” (1989) and local blockbuster flicks such as Nora Aunor’s “Himala” (1982), the “Ang Panday” series and “Temptation Island” (2011).

The desert-like terrain

The desert-like terrain

The sand dunes of Ilocos Norte, a one of a kind “extreme adventure” destination in the Philippines, is also ideal for 4 x 4 rides, similar to dune bashing in the Emirate of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (a booming tourist attraction in the Middle East), and sandboarding. Dune bashing has the feeling and excitement of riding a roller coaster because of the up and down route of the off-road vehicle through the very high and very steep terrain and mountain-like features of the dunes.

A lone tree

A lone tree

The Paoay Sand Dunes, 88 hectares of wide expanse of sand, has the vast sandy characteristics of the Dubai desert (though the sand there is considerably pure because it doesn’t have particles like twigs, barks, stones and leaves), making it suitable for dune bashing and sand boarding.  However, the vehicles used in Dubai (such asToyota Land Cruisers) have roofs while the jeeps in Paoay are open-air and only have a single roll bar.

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In 2011, during our Lakbay Norte Media Tour, we tried the dune bashing and sandboarding at La Paz in Laoag City.  However, it is widely accepted that Paoay boasts the best terrains there are to find in the sand dunes complex and, recently, an outdoor group discovered an area in the village of Bacsil that is a good addition to the options present for sand dunes safaris.  This I wanted to find out.

The West Philippine Sea

The West Philippine Sea

How do the sand dunes of Paoay differ from earlier established commercial areas in the sand dunes complex? For one, it was only recently discovered so its terrain is as pristine as they can get plus not many tourists have visited the place. Also, the combination of wide sandy plains, clusters of closely-formed dunes, several oases and outlying vegetation plus a good view of the coast towards the West Philippine Sea, and the height of its dunes (some at 70 m. high) will surely not disappoint anyone visiting Bacsil. Aside from Onse Reef Off Road & Sandboarding Adventure, there are two other registered 4 x 4 operators at the Paoay sand dunes – Suba Sand Dunes and Culili Point Sand Dunes Double-Extreme-Adventure.

The staging area

The staging area

Onse Reef Off Road & Sandboarding Adventure, according to Jake, was established on October 28, 2014 as a 15 member club whose members pitch in their time, talent and treasure to build the place. It has 21 4 x 4 units – five locally-manufactured Wrangler-type jeeps, 14 Toyota Land Cruisers and two modified Toyota Surfs, all diesel-powered and tuned for dune bashing by being equipped with large tires (underinflated to 10 psi) and heavy duty suspension systems.  Conversions usually cost PhP400,000 per unit.

Some of Onse Reef's 4 x 4s

Some of Onse Reef’s 4 x 4s

All units are manned by 25 drivers and 40 guides (who also teach sandboarding). The drivers and guides have to strictly adhere with safety nets for their passengers who are standing in open jeepney vehicles. Drivers also stay on existing tracks and areas, and do not create new ones in the limited vegetation, so they are caring for the area. For the site to become globally competitive, without disturbing the natural ascent, descent and curbs of the place, the trails were designed in consultation with expert adventure builders in the U.S.A., with names such as the “Snake Pit,” the “Devils Ride,” the “Blind Drop,” the “Triple Fall,” the “Roller Coaster,” etc.

Wrangler-type jeep

A Wrangler-type jeep

We tried out the dune bashing first. We hopped on the back of our blue Toyota Land Cruiser and, in a standing position (you can also do it seated but it is less fun), were asked to hold on tight to the roll bar. No seat belts, harness or head gear at all. Our 4 X 4 ride was more thrilling and enjoyable than any roller coaster ride I have ever experienced and we all felt a different kind of rush as we watched the road from above and screamed for our lives during the times when we felt like the vehicle would topple over.

Boarding our Toyota Land Cruiser

Boarding our Toyota Land Cruiser

You must have strong grip to prevent being thrown out, plus a strong heart to last the trip.  The drive on bumpy routes and very steep 45 degree angle downward slopes were very exciting. The driver knew how to give us an adrenaline rush. We soon learned how to move with the vehicle, especially on high deep hills and side-winding curves. It’s literally like riding a wild horse and surely an experience I’d be glad to do again.

On our way ......

On our way ……

We made a stopover on top of the dunes for some photo shoots. As we arrived during the long arid dry season, the dunes before us were barren and brown, with only wild grasses, shrubs and some sturdy trees. The beautiful, late afternoon sunset here, along the crimson skyline, is also said to be indescribable.  We also learned that offshore is Onse Reef, a 12-hectare-protected marine sanctuary and a beautiful diving site located within the territory of Barangays Bacsil, Mumulaan and Nagbacalan.

Stopover for photo shoot

Stopover for photo shoot

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After our 4 x 4 ride, the others tried sandboarding, an insane sport which, though so much harder than surfing and a little easier than wakeboarding and skiing, was still worth trying. All you need here is body balancing. You need to squat in order to balance and properly surf. Each tried to keep their balance on the stretch of roughly 10 to 15 m. run with the board still on their feet.  The board is geared up with oil to make it glide smoothly over the sand but still they tumbled. Good thing the sand is soft, with no rocks.

Jandy getting ready to surf

Jandy getting ready to surf

However, falling from the sand boards would get lots of sand in your pants. Only Melissa made a successful run while seated on the board. Though you would tumble down at first, you’ll get the hang of it after two or more tries. You will have to walk up the slope every time you surf down and the hard part is just climbing up the sand hill again as it does get very tiring.

Albert bends to balance himself

Albert bends to balance himself

A very nice place to test your nerves, don’t leave Paoay without trying dune bashing and sandboarding! It’s both exhilarating and scary and good for adrenalin junkies. It also gives you the authentic feeling of being in the Middle East as you do not have to travel to Dubai just to experience this. The drivers and the guides all make sure that you get a thrilling ride going up and down the sand dunes. It’s absolutely fun. At the staging area, there is a store that sells snacks, halo-halo and souvenirs.

Melissa makes it down the hill on her butt.....

Melissa makes it down the hill on her butt…..

It is best to try dune bashing when the sun’s not too punishing. As they operate as early as 5 AM, you can try out dune bashing either very early in the morning or late in the afternoon (to also view the nice sunset) as the really fierce heat of the noontime sun can burn your skin. Don’t go there between 10 AM and 4 PM. Bring bottled water with you, as it does get dry and tiring, bring sunblock lotion, a small towel plus wear sunglasses, rubber shoes (because the sand is hot) and a hat that won’t blow off.  Also make sure to have extra clothes and be prepared to get dirty. For those who want to take videos, better use a small camera that you can attach to its stand and hold it in front of you, since it will be hard to hold on to the big cameras while your ride is going down fast.

L-R: Melissa, Jandy, Albert and Almira

L-R: Melissa, Jandy, Albert and Almira

The 4 x 4 ride and sandboarding is not for the faint hearted, anxious, nervous, pregnant, the newly operated, have high blood pressure, fractures, epilepsy or heart disease. Only children 10 years old and above are allowed at the back of the vehicle.  Participants have to sign a waiver.  Peak season is summer, weekends and December.   Rates: PhP1,500 for a 30- minute ride and PhP2,500 for a 1- hr. ride. Maximum number of people is 5.

Posing with Jake A. Texon (in light blue shirt)

Posing with Jake A. Texon (in light blue shirt)

Onse Reef Offroad & Sandboarding Adventure: Brgy. 23, Bacsil, 2902 Paoay, Ilocos Norte. Mobile numbers: (0919) 650-4633 (Smart), (0917) 503-9543 (Globe), (0921) 738-0616 (Smart) and  (0999) 710-2779 (Globe). Email: Paoay.sandunes@yahoo.com. . Website: www.onsereef.com. Open daily, 5 AM – 7 PM.

Taoid: A Museum of the Cordilleras in Ilocos Norte (Laoag City)

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Taoid: A Museum of the Cordilleras in Ilocos Norte

Taoid: A Museum of the Cordilleras in Ilocos Norte

Inaugurated last November 17, 2015, the Taoid Museum is located a stone’s throw away from the Laoag Provincial Capitol. The museum showcases a Pre-Colonial side of Ilocandia and the province’s Cordilleran roots.

Mga Sagisag ng Pagka-Lalake at Pagka-Babae (Symbols of the Masculine and Feminine)

Mga Sagisag ng Pagka-Lalake at Pagka-Babae (Symbols of the Masculine and Feminine)

Pamumuno at Karangyaan (Leadership and Wealth)

Pamumuno at Karangyaan (Leadership and Wealth)

A tribute to the indigenous people in the municipalities of Nueva Era, Dumalneg, Carasi and Adams, it focuses on the ancient trade relations that Ilocanos had with the different tribes from the Cordilleras, whose culture and belief systems share many similarities.

Hagabi (prestige lounging bench)

Hagabi (prestige lounging bench)

A coffin

A coffin with lizard design on lid

The two-story museum was inspired, conceptualized, put together and curated by Mr. Floy Quintos, a nationally renowned director and screenwriter, and designed by Ohm David, resident technical director of Dulaang Unibersidad ng Pilipinas.

Balog (trophy carabao skull)

Balog (trophy carabao skull)

Iugao bulul

Iugao bulul (rice god)

It is divided into seven sections – “In the Home in the Village,” “In the Fields,” “Symbols of the Masculine and the Feminine,” “Leadership and Wealth,” “Warfare, Headhunting and Vengeance,” “One with the Ancestors in Healing and in Death” and “A Continuance.”

Bontoc house detail (probably a hanger)

Bontoc house detail (probably a hanger)

Ifugao Percussion Instruments

Ifugao percussion instruments

The glassed-in displays of authentic Ifugao ethnographic and historical items are on loan, many of which are from avid collectors like Gov. Imee Marcos. Visitors can also touch and inspect some artifacts, a feature that parents with inquisitive school-aged kids will appreciate.

Bontoc flat dish for meat

Bontoc flat dish for meat

Baskets for gathering snails

Baskets for gathering snails

Hinagit (trophy skull plaque)

Hinagit (trophy skull plaque)

Among the items on display are a tudoh, an Ifugao cursing object used only by accomplished shamans.   Considered one of the most potent of vengeance rite paraphernalia, it uses a crocodile skull, a small wooden bulul figure and hawk’s wings lashed to a woven fiber plaque.

Tudoh (Ifugao cursing object)

Tudoh (Ifugao cursing object)

The Wake of Malakai

The Wake of Malakai

There’s also a life-size reproduction of “The Wake of Malakai,” a leader of the Tingguian tribe.  Above the figures is a display of blankets, wrap-around skirts and loincloths that indicate the great wealth of the deceased.  It also wards off evil spirits that would have to count each thread of the textiles displayed before they could harm the deceased or his family.

Ifugao porcelain wine jar with woven cover

Ifugao porcelain wine jar with woven cover

Ilongot machetes

Ilongot machetes

Also on display are baskets, weapons (spears, shields, Kalinga and Bontoc head axes, Ilongot machetes, etc.), bululs (rice gods), wine jars, padao (territory markers), a balog (trophy carabao skull), a hinagit (trophy skull plaque), a granary door and a hagabi (prestige lounging bench).

Padao (territory marker)

Padao (territory marker)

Sagawsaw (wooden substitute head)

Sagawsaw (wooden substitute head)

Walking through the museum, visitors get to form a fuller, more vibrant image of the connection shared between these geographical neighbors—one that exists up to this day.

Our guide Ken, Albert, Almira and Melissa

Provincial Tourism Office staff Ken with museum visitors Albert, Almira and Melissa Tinonas

Taoid Museum: Tabacalera Lifestyle Center, Gen. Luna cor. Llanes Sts., 2900 Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Admission: PhP40 for adults and PhP30 for children aged 7-12 years old. Open daily, 8 AM – 5 PM.

Museo Ilocos Norte (Laoag City)

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Museo Ilocos Norte

Museo Ilocos Norte

Also called the Laoag Museum and Gameng (an Iloco word meaning “treasure”), this impressive an snazzy lifestyle museum, managed by Gameng Foundation Inc., is located beside the city hall and a block away from the city plaza.

Museo Ilocos Norte (2)

One of the better ethnographic museums in the country, it is housed in the restored former Spanish-era Camarin de Tobacco de la Tabacaler or tobacco storage house which was erected in 1878. Opened last December 31, 1999 by Gov. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., it replaced the Ilocandia Museum of Traditional Culture which dates back to 1977.

Museo Ilocos Norte (1)

At one corner of the museum is a 75 cm. excavation done by the National Museum on February 2004 exposing the different floor levels of the building.

National Museum archaeological excavation

National Museum archaeological excavation

This museum is divided into 15 main sections, each one narrating an aspect of the province’s history. The items are arranged by themes such as ‘The Land (Iti Tak-Dang),” “The Sea (Ti Baybay/Taaw),” ‘The Highland (Kabanbantayan Ken Tanap),” “The Farm (Ti Talon),” “The Market (Ti Tiendaan),” and “The Town (Ti Ili).”

The Highland (Kabanbantayan Ken Tanap)

The Highland (Kabanbantayan Ken Tanap)

The Market (Ti Tiendaan)

The Market (Ti Tiendaan)

The Sea (Ti BaybayTaaw)

The Sea (Ti BaybayTaaw)

The Town (Ti Ili)

The Town (Ti Ili)

The Laud (West) Gallery displays a dap-ayan (meeting place)  while the Daya (East) hallway describes the beginnings of Ilocos Norte.

Dap-Ayan

Dap-Ayan

Ulnas ken karison (carabao-drawn sled and wagon)

Ulnas ken karison (carabao-drawn sled and wagon)

At the Abatagan (South) end of the museum stands a replica of a typical, two-storey, fully-furnished bahay na bato (stone house, Ti Daan nga Balay) whose façade is based on the Lazo Residence in Bacarra.

Dining area

Dining area

Sala (Living Area)

Sala (Living Area)

Bedroom

Bedroom

Kitchen

Kitchen

Weaving loom

Weaving loom

Also on display are properly labeled samples of abel iloko and musical instruments such as the pito (bamboo flute), kulkulutong (bamboo zither), the ludag (log drum) and tangguyob (carabao horn).

Musical instruments

Musical instruments

Teatro

Teatro

A teatro (theater) for small groups has, behind the curtains, a monitor for a 15-minute video showing the musical traditions of the province.

Pugon

Pugon

The museum’s West Gallery displays a typical pugon made with bamboo slats, mud, dried leaves and carabao dung. Derived from the Spanish word fogon meaning “furnace,” it is a structure where tobacco leaves are flue-cured.

Traditional Ilocano Clothing

Traditional Ilocano Clothing

A calesa

A calesa

Also on display are a large collection of Ilocano, Igorot and Itneg traditional clothing; weapons; accessories, household utensils, calesas, ceremonial objects, an alang (Itneg house) and small furniture of the ethnic tribes of Northern Luzon.  One room is dedicated to the late Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos.

An alang (Isneg House)

An alang (Isneg House)

Ferdinand E. Marcos Exhibit

Ferdinand E. Marcos Exhibit

There is also a museum gift shop (Museo Sarusar Shop) selling travel guide books and the very best Ilocos Norte souvenirs (ref magnets, key chains, pottery, bags, baskets, shellcraft, woo carvings, etc.) and  popular food products such as cornik and basi. Outside the museum is a dapil (sugar mill).

Museo Sarusar Shop

Museo Sarusar Shop

Ilocano food products

Ilocano food and souvenir products

A useful brochure in English comes with the ticket and everything is also well labeled in English. The visit is best done clockwise.

Dapil (Sugar Mill)

Dapil (Sugar Mill)

Museo Ilocos Norte: cor. Gen. A. Luna St.  and Don Vicente Llanes Ave., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 9 AM to 5 PM, and Sundays, 10 AM – 5 PM.  Tel: (077) 770-4587. Website: www.museoilocosnorte.com.   Admission: PhP50.

Abolition of Tobacco Monopoly Monument (Laoag City, Ilocos Norte)

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Abolition of Tobacco Monopoly Monument

This obelisk of clay and brick was erected on November 28,1882 by alcalde mayor (provincial governor) Don Jose Moreno Lacalle as a gesture of thanksgiving to King Alfonso XIII of Spain for abolishing the hated tobacco monopoly, during the incumbency of Gov. Fernando Primo de Rivera, in accordance with a royal decree issued on June 5, 1881.

NHI Plaque

The tobacco monopoly,  established by Gov. Jose Basco y Vargas by virtue of the royal decree of February 9, 1780, aimed to bring in large profits for the government and make the Philippines the leading tobacco producer of the world.

However, it oppressed the Ilocano farmers and landowners as no one could raise or sell a single leaf of tobacco without first having permission from the government.    The suppression of the monopoly was completed in 1884 and tobacco remains to be a major cash crop in the province.

Abolition of Tobacco Monopoly Monument: A. Bonifacio St., Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

How to Get There: The monument is located at the foot of Marcos Bridge, over the Laoag River.

Ang Museo Ni San Juan Nepomuceno (San Juan, Batangas)

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Ang Museo Ni San Juan Nepomuceno

Ang Museo Ni San Juan Nepomuceno

This church museum, inaugurated last October 2, 2015, is located at the second floor of the old parish convent built in 1894 by Recollect Father Celestino Yoldi.

The museum interior

The museum interior

The convent's grand stairway

The convent’s grand stairway

Prominently displayed here are a collection of images of saints (St. Mary Magdalene, St. Veronica, St. Martha, St. Salome, St. Peter, St. John the Evangelist, etc.) as well as statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Virgin of Sorrows, the Pieta, Christ Entry into Jerusalem, the Crowning of Thorns and the Risen Christ.

Collection of images of saints

Collection of images of saints

It also houses a collection of old church artifacts, episcopal paraphernalia, ecclesiastical vestments (chasubles, stoles, etc.), , altar silver utensils (censer & boat, chalices, altar candle sticks, etc.), altar balusters, nails used in the construction of the old convent as well as pews and benches, and others.

Collection of old church artifacts

Collection of old church artifacts

Vestments

Vestments of priests

There’s also a collection of photos of the town’s church, old ancestral houses, assigned priests (under the Oblates of St. Joseph) and the town’s tourist attractions.

Church of St. John Nepomucene (San Juan, Batangas)

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Church of St. John Nepomucene (10)

First built with bamboo and thatch in 1843 in San Juan de Bocboc (now called Brgy. Pinagbayanan), it was rebuilt in stone in 1855 by Fr. Damaso Mojica but was destroyed by floods in 1883.

The Church of St. John Nepomucene

The Church of St. John Nepomucene

In 1894, the church and convent was transferred to its present site by Recollect Fr. Celestino Yoldi. Fr. Bernardo Pena made some notable repairs on the church and convent between 1922 and 1925.  Between 1928 and 1935, a bell tower was added by Fr. Domingo Carceller.

Plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (NHI)

Plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (NHI)

Fr. Carceller also built the baptistery in the first floor of the bell tower.  Fr. Inocencio Pena repaired the convent from 1958 to 1959.  In 1959, Fr. Daniel Ayucar renovated the sacristy and widened the presbytery in order to accommodate five new altars.

Church of St. John Nepomucene (6) - Copy

The church’s two-level pseudo-Baroque façade, divided into three horizontal levels, has a semicircular arched main entrance fronted by a porte cochere (a later addition).  It is flanked by square pilasters on rectangular pedestals, dividing the façade into three vertical parts, and pedimented semicircular arched windows.

The church interior

The church interior

Church of St. John Nepomucene (11)

The second level has a rose window flanked by two smaller circular windows.  Above the circular windows is an arch cornice. The undulating pediment, which forms as the third level, is given emphasis by the curvilinear lines of the side walls. Its statued niche, also flanked by square piers, relieves the plain wall of the second level while its circular window relieves the plainness of the tympanum.

The church's bell tower

The church’s bell tower

The square bell tower, on the church’s right, designed in the High Renaissance style, has cantons at its corners and semicircular arched windows (pedimented at the lower level).   Its uppermost level is octagonal in plan and is topped by a spire.

Spiral stairs leading to choir loft

Spiral stairs leading to choir loft

Church of St. John Nepomucene (4)

Church of St. John Nepomucene: Tel: (043) 575–3118 and (043) 575-3994. Feast of St. John Nepomucene: May 16.

How to Get There: San Juan is located 119 kilometers (a 3-hr. drive) from Manila and 43 kilometers from Batangas City.

Church of St. James the Apostle (Ibaan, Batangas)

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Church of St. James the Apostle

Church of St. James the Apostle

The town’s church and convent was first built in May 1817 by Fr. Barcelona, with Don Eustacio Macatangay provided the finishing touches on the church. The first lines for the current church, with its cruciform plan, were drawn by Arch. Luciano Oliver and its founding stones were laid down, in 1853, by Fr. Manuel Diez Gonzales, O.S.A. In 1869, Fr. Bruno Laredo, O.S.A., completed the facade and roofing.  The twin towers were started in 1865 by Fr. Laredo and completed in 1876 by Fr. Vicente Maril (who also rebuilt the façade).  Damaged during the July 18, 1880 earthquake, it was repaired from 1891 to 1896 by Fr. Francisco Alvarez.

The church's Neo-Classical facade

The church’s Neo-Classical facade

The church’s simple Neo-Classical facade has a recently-attached front portico, wooden doors with geometrical carvings and round Ionic columns mounted on rectangular pedestals.  The triangular pediment, with its rose window, is flanked by two square “abortive” belfries.  The choir loft is indicated by arched openings with a floreated wreath below it.

Church of St. James the Apostle (3)

Church of St. James the Greater: Provincial Road, Poblacion. Tel: (043) 311–1251. Feast of St. James the Greater: December 30.

How to Get There: Ibaan is located 96.3 kilometers (a two-hour drive) from Manila an 13.4 kilometers (a 30-minute drive) from Batangas City.

CYC Beach (Coron, Palawan)

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CYC Beach

CYC Beach

After lunch at Atwayan Beach, we again boarded our boat and proceeded on to our next destination – CYC Island, a part of the Coron Island Ultimate Tour we availed of from Asia Gran View Hotel.  From our boat, we had to alight into the waist-high and clear waters of the sea and walk, a little way, to the island’s beach.

Approching CYC Island

Approching CYC Island

Guests are advised to put on booties and be extra careful walking as there are rocks under the water and they may injure their feet.  Although there were other tourists already there, the beach was not too crowded.

Cheska, Kyle and Jandy land on the beach

Cheska, Kyle and Jandy land on the beach

CYC, short for Coron Youth Club, is the only free beach in the area.  Other beaches charge a PhP100 entrance fee (Coron’s islands are jokingly called the “Hundred Islands”). The island’s beach sand is white (though not as white as Banol’s and the other beaches in Coron) and its surrounding waters are crystal clear.

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Kyle playing in the sand

There were also some rock formations and beautiful mangrove trees located all over the island but guests are discouraged to go there by the guides due to the possible presence of stonefish partly hidden in the sand. There are also sea urchins and sea snakes (locally known as walo-walo).

Some of the mangroves surrounding the island

Some of the mangroves surrounding the island

Being a public beach, I expected the beach to be dirty but, surprisingly, it was clean. Its long, shallow sand approach makes it ideal for kids to swim in and its water temperature is perfectly lukewarm.  The sea breeze adds to the memorable experience.  Two dogs were serenely watching us as Kyle played with the sand.

The island's two resident dogs

The island’s two resident dogs

The dogs were said to have come from the opposite island, swimming back and forth before the day ends. The monkey who used to live here is already dead.  The wide beach has a division as part of its white sand was said to have been illegally quarried by a politician for his private beach, thus deforming the island’s beach.

View of the main island from CYC Beach

View of the main island from CYC Beach

The island has no cottages but the area is suitable for camping (just bring your own tent, food and water). Go there when it’s off season so you can get the most out of it. If you love snorkeling, you will love this beach as well.

A tangle of mangrove roots

A tangle of mangrove roots

There’s not much sea life in the shallows, with just a few sporadic clown fishes, but there’s some very good snorkeling farther off, in deeper water, to a coral forest on the reef to the east of this pretty beach. Here, you will find beautiful colorful coral walls and much sea life.  If you’re a non-diver, you can have your Discover Scuba Skills Test here.

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CYC Beach, great for a swim and relaxation, is still good for a 30-minute to 1-hour stay even if you are not into snorkeling or camping.

The author at CYC Beach

The author at CYC Beach

Asia Grand View Hotel: Governor’s Ave., Jolo, Brgy. 5, Coron, Palawan.  Tel:(+632) 788-3385. Mobile number: (0999) 881-7848. E-mail: gsd@asiagrandview.com. Manila sales office: Unit 504, Richmonde Plaza, 21 San Miguel Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City.  Tel: (+632) 695-3078 and 531-8380.  Mobile number: (0917) 550-7373 to 75 Fax: (+632) 695-3078.  E-mail: info@asiagrandview.com. Website: www.asiagrandview.com.