Day 1 - Friday, April 3

I pick up the vehicle to be used for the business trip from the agency and proceed to Quezon City to fetch my subject. While I could have gas up first before picking them up, the fuel budget is with the guests so they need to accompany me to the gas station. We gas up at Timog Shell Station for 45.76 liters at P1595.65. It was exactly 11 o'clock in the evening when we left. We initially covered a 79 miles (126 kms.) trip when we stopped by in Cabanatuan City to buy supplies in a Mercury Drug 24-hr. convenience store. While my guests bought a lot of foods for our travel, I had to specifically buy a few cans of Bacchus, an energy drink proven to keep me awake for days.

Our first destination was Echague in Isabela Province. Leaving Cabanatuan City at 2:08am, and passing by places towns like Bayombong, Solano, Santiago City, we arrived Echague at 6:30 in the morning. That gave us a trip of 222 miles (356 kms.) from Manila.

Day 2 - Saturday, April 4

We proceed directly to Isabela State University for my guests' first business meeting. The host served us breakfast into which I was asked to join. After eating, I had to go out to take a nap inside our pick up truck. The power of the energy drink that I drunk the previous night was overwhelming I couldn't get myself into taking a rest. When I got bored, I took out my camera and decided to take photo around the university belt. I didn't want to go further so I can watch our truck. I ended up taking macro shots of flowers in a garden nearby.

Our lunch was at Remy's Restaurant in Alicia, Isabela. That's the signage of the restaurant and that's our truck to the left. We were served bulalo and pinakbet.

After that sumptuous meal, we had to proceed to Tuguegarao. We left at exactly 1 o'clock in the afternoon. Along the way, we ran short of fuel so we gas up again at Seaoil in Cabagan. During the refill, I took out my camera and was able to do street photography in a short while. Interestingly enough, I got two photos that fit to a provincial-life theme - a tricycle and a kuliglig (please see respective photos below). Just a few click in my camera and the fuel tank was already full. I put back my camera at the back of the truck and paid to the cashier 1,560 pesos for 43.3 liter of diesel. Along the way to Cagayan Valley, it was raining and the wind was also very strong. The weather condition put my driving in a tight situation. I couldn't make it very slow because we have timetable to beat. We need to be in Tuguegarao by 4 o'clock in the afternoon. From the original speed of 87 mph(140 kph), we had to slow down to 62 mph (100 kph).

(Street photography in Cabagan when we had to break to gas up. Please click the thumbnail to see bigger dimension of these photographs)

We still was able to make it at 3:43pm. My guests were not late with their appointment. We covered a total of 108 miles (174 kms.) trip from Echague to Tuguegarao.

The business meeting was concluded in the evening.

For our dinner, we went to City Seafoods Grill and Kambingan Restaurant just a hundred meters away from Tuguegarao City. I figured it is one of the best seafoods restaurant in town after I had tasted their food. The only drawback I took notice is the foul-odor of the supplied water in the lavatory that I found out myself when I had to brush my teeth afterwards. It simply means the water is not from NAWASA.

After the dinner, we left Tuguegarao going to Laoag at exactly 7:30 in the evening. I wished the travel could be in the daytime so I could see Pagudgod ang other road delights that were not present when I came to the place some twelve years ago. Anyway, I had to concentrate in driving. That's where I was getting paid at.

Earlier, I inquired from a few locals for the duration of our Tuguegarao - Laoag travel and I was told that our estimated arrival time could be 5 o'clock.in the morning. We were moving in an average speed of 62 mph (100 kph) that I missed to see the road sign pointing the way to Ilocos Norte. I lost my way and arrived in Aparri. I realized my error and had to turn back to find the right direction. After 30 minutes of wandering, I checked my map and found out we were back to the right track.

Unmindful of the towns that I passed by, I just floored the gas while cautiously negotiating unfamiliar curves. There are steep ascent and steep descent as well. The road was very dark. Aside from local tricycles and jeepneys plying for their fixed destinations around town we passed by, there were only occasional delivery trucks traversing the same direction as we were. Yet they were moving slowly so I had to get passed ahead of them. There was also a VX Land Cruiser trying to cope with us but was lost in our trail after a few minutes. To be sure I won't be lost again, I was just making sure I am keeping track with Maharlika Highway.

At 12:30 midnight, I realized I was already in the middle of a town. The highway is gone so I got confused. I pulled over and checked my map. It stated we were already in Laoag. While I remember thirty minutes back, I had read a sign saying Laoag City is just 75 kms. (read: 46 miles) away. I get down to inquire and found ourselves parked in front of the Ilocos Norte Capitol. I couldn't be wrong!

 

I climbed down from the truck, made a few stretches and decided to take a night shot around the capitol building. I wanted to get my SLR which was on the truck bed but untying the canvas would take much time and effort. So I used my ever-handy Sony Ericsson K750i. I am always amazed at how excellent my 2.0 megapixel mobile phone camera in taking quick yet decent photos. Sometimes it takes good photos more than my 6.3 megapixel digital rebel SLR can do. Please click the thumbnail above and a bigger photo with great clarity in details will be revealed.

After taking photos of the capitol and a few more stretches, I continued driving to Fort Ilocandia for our accommodation. That gave us a total run of 227 miles (365 kms.) trip from Tuguegarao in an unexpected five-hour time span only. I was glad for our short break at Fort Ilocandia. I haven't had taken my shower since Friday night.
 

Day 3 - Sunday, April 5

I couldn't get myself to sleep because of too much intake of energy drink. Very early in the morning, my guests proceed to an appointed breakfast meeting. I got the chance to roam around the vicinity and take photos along the beach and Fort Ilocandia itself. I was about to take a shot with the Fort Ilocandia in a centered perspective when suddenly my phone rang. We were about to leave.

My guests wanted to go to church so we went back to Laoag city proper. While I parked outside the cathedral waiting for the guests, I chanced upon St. William's Cathedral's bell tower. This bell tower is massive and solid, and at 45 meters high it is known as the tallest bell tower in the Philippines. It is called the "Sinking Bell Tower" as it sinks about an inch each year, because of its weight and and its foundation (it was built on sand). In fact, it has sunk so deep and its entrance is half-buried that you now would have to stoop to enter when previously a man on horseback could ride through its entrance with absolute ease. The bell tower is situated 85 meters away from the church - a rare position among the Spanish church structures.



This is the marker that I had photographed right there. I preferred posting a bigger photo of the marker instead of the photo of the bell tower because the photo of the bell tower looks like a crap. While I couldn't get the right perspective in taking photo of the structure, there were also lots of electrical wirings messing up overhead, I just took a few shots for my own for posterity reason.
There are several Laoag tourist attractions that can be visited based on this webpage: http://www.ilocostimes.com/laoag-city/l_tourism.htm. I wish I had the convenience of time visiting them all.

From Laoag City, we proceed to Paoay and made a short stop in a viewers' deck to where we can view the Paoay Lake and the "Balay Ti Amianan" from afar. Malacanang of the North, as Balay Ti Amianan is called, is the White House of the Marcos Family in Northern Luzon, and is one of the 29 summer residences that the President has built during his reign.
This imposing structure was patterned after the ancestral homes in Vigan, so the Ilocanos call it "Balay Ti Amianan." It has been turned into a museum that houses more of the late President's memorabilia. This two-storey building sits on a five-hectare property and was designed for entertaining large crowds. It has grand living rooms on both floors, and seven spacious bedrooms including the two master bedrooms of the First Couple - Ferdinand and Imelda. It also has an expansive terrace, and beautiful garden with a magnificent view of the Paoay Lake. It opened its doors in 1977 and immediately became the center of Philippine high society and one of the trendiest scenes in Asia. The First Family and their guests sailed and water skied on the Paoay Lake. And they chipped and putted 18 holes on the President's private golf course. It was here where the Marcos family welcomed the cream of the Philippine and international society who attended Irene Marcos' wedding in 1983.

Today, besides being a Marcos museum, the Malacanang of the North serves as a beautiful and romantic setting for weddings. During these special occasions, Balay Ti Amianan once again comes alive and glows with splendor. (Got this complete Malacanang of the North information from here)
 

Next stop was St. Augustine Church (most popularly known as "Paoay Church"), built in 1694 commissioned by the Augustinian friars led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo. The Church was completed in 1710 and rededicated in 1896. Considered as the most outstanding variant of the "earthquake Baroque", Paoay Church was built of baked bricks, coral rocks, salbot (tree sap) and lumber, and has 24 carved buttresses. The lower part of the facade was made of stuccoed brick while the upper facade is made of coral blocks. Local materials were said to be made of mixing sand , lime, sugarcane juice and then boiling the mixture with mangeao (salbot) leaves, leather and rice straw for two nights. Its belltower, which is detached from its main building, is made of coral stone and was used by the Katipuneros as an observation post in 1896 and again by Filipino soldiers during World War II. Earthquakes damaged portions of the church in 1865 and 1885. In an excavation conducted inside the church in 2000, a prehistoric human skeleton and fragmented ceramics were discovered and are now on display at the National Museum. The Paoay Church was declared a national treasure by then President Ferdinand Marcos. Now included in UNESCO's World Heritage List, Paoay Church had revealed several structural decays after centuries of exposure to the elements and will soon undergo restoration under the auspices of UNESCO. (Paoay Church information was taken from this link: http://www.geocities.com/mnd97/religious.html).

From Paoay, we proceed to Batac to see the Marcos Mansion or "Balay Ti Ili". The Marcoses ancestral house has been turned into a museum that displays the memorabilia of the late President's 20-year reign, as well as his service in the Philippine army during World War II.
Among the exhibits are dozens of life-size statues of Marcos in various outfits, all the car license plates he used since he joined the public sector as a Congressman, and the letters he wrote to the Filipino people while he was in exile in Hawaii.

His body lies in a refrigerated glass case in the adjacent mausoleum.

Since there was a public notice stated against taking photos, so I obliged. I noticed other tourists were stubborn enough to be taking photos despite of the prohibition notice.

From Batac, we drove to Vigan City. It was already lunch time when we arrived there. The guests wanted to eat Ilocano delicacies so we went to a local eatery just beside the plaza. After lunch, the guests wanted to buy souvenirs so they roamed around together with their interpreter. I also roamed around and take photos at Calle Crisologo. After that, I went back to the truck. Our important things were only placed in the truck bed covered with canvas so it is really not that safe for the truck to be left behind. I didn't care much anyway about going around. After all, I was also here last year. Reading the trip meter, I have just found out we already covered a total distance of 621 miles (999 kms.) trip from Manila to Vigan. Another 41.14 liters of diesel (P1480.00) was loaded before leaving Vigan. We left the place at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

  
Topmost photos: The place where we ate in Vigan. and that's the interpreter posed for a photo at Calle Crisologo. Middle photos: Souvenirs. Last two photos: Calle Crisologo

Our next destination was the CSI Mall in San Fernando City, La Union. Along the way, we were alerted of typhoon Chedeng. Then we encountered heavy downpour. The road was getting difficult to negotiate so I slowed down a little bit. The guests were getting worried that they might not be able to catch up an appointment in Manila before midnight. Just before entering San Fernando City, we pass by Urbiztondo in San Juan, the surfing capital of the North and Tito Tom's "stomping ground". I also passed by my friend Tito Tom's house. If only I was alone, I could have drop by and say "Hi" to him and family. Well, the rain was getting stronger that we needed to be in CSI so we could use men's room and sip hot soup. We stayed inside the mall and waited for the rain to stop. The rain indeed had stopped, and not knowing it was only temporary, we started to head our way back to Manila. Then the rain came back. We were moving very slowly along with slow-moving vehicles. It was getting dark and the road condition is terribly bad. It was as if we're already in the middle of a storm. I suddenly wish I was not paid to drive those guests but instead enjoy the host of Tito Tom in his warm abode and clicking the mouse to surf MIP.

With the road so slippery and only seven meters visibility ahead, road hazard is inevitable. That was why we decided to made an abrupt stop in one small town called Aringay. We decided to eat our dinner there though it was still too early. Again, the guests wanted to eat local delicacy so that was what we ordered. Tinulang native chicken, sinugbang bangus and kilawin na bangus, that as far as I can remember. While waiting for our order to be served, I took time to check my camera kept along with other things on the truck bed. I had the impression that water had penetrated the canvas and soaked all the things.

The rain was on and off so the least idea I could suggest is for us to continue traveling. Unlike Filipinos, my guests are afraid of traveling in unfavorable weather condition. They were asking me to bring them home alive while at the same time, pressuring me to be in Manila before midnight. Aringay is still 327 miles (526 kms.) to Manila.

We left Aringay at 7:00 o'clock in the evening. The once friendly road was made treacherous by the approaching storm with flood and fallen trees that scattered along the way. I had to sharpen my eyes and reactivate my quick reflexes to avoid those potential road hazards. My martial arts training was a good training for me to develop quick reflexes. Quick reflexes proved to be very useful even in driving.

We arrived Manila at exactly 11:00 o'clock in the evening. Thanks for the truck's top speed of 87 mph (140 kph.) The guests were very happy I had beaten their deadline. They expressed so much gratitude for my driving them the whole time swiftly yet safely. Overall, it was a total distance of 883 miles (1421 kilometers)traveled from Manila to Northern Luzon and back to Manila in a span of 52 hours only.

Good News, Bad News

The Good News

After I came back from the Northern Luzon trip, I was called up by the company I formerly worked with to do a temporary project for the forthcoming Asia Foods Expo (AFEX) 2007 that will be held in World Trade Center in Pasay City this September. So, I probably would be working until the end of September or first week of October. So now, at least I have something to do.

The digital photography book that Manong Ken had lent to MIP members came to my hands since last week. So now, at least there's something new to be learned.

I'll be on another travel photography trip to Iloilo this coming September.

Bad News

I'm presently 15 kilograms overweight from my ideal 63 kilograms body weight.

The typhoons that visited the country one after another. Unfortunately, the other one is my namesake.

• Typhoon ‘Chedeng’ heads for China; ‘Dodong’ approaches (08/08/2007)
• ‘Chedeng,’ ‘Dodong’ up water levels slightly in Angat Dam (08/09/2007)
• Bagyong 'Chedeng' at 'Dodong' nag-iwan ng 2 patay, 7 sugatan (08/09/2007)

And now, it's the typhoon Egay about to wreak havoc in the partially devastated areas caused by previous typhoons.

After I was called up by the company I formerly worked with, I also had to go back to the condo unit where I formerly stay. It was time for me to check for my important things that I had leave there to be kept by the ladies who occupied my condo. To my dismay, we found out all of my things which was neatly placed inside a cartoon box were all eaten by termites. The discovery was very horrible and devastating. The most expensive things that I had so far are lost in a wink of an eye. Most notable are the following: CorelDraw books and Photoshop books that I had bought for thousand of pesos way back in the mid-1990s (that was before the advent of CD-ROM tutorials); English books; a few collection of magazine including Reader's Digest, a series of issues of vintage 1975 National Geographic that I had bought from a garage sale, and a photography book; collections of audio cassettes; even my mini-disc player was not spared by the termites; and the users manual and device drivers of all the gadgets that I'm presently using.

My things were supposedly just placed where the girls could see and check it everyday especially if they're cleaning the place. So, it was unlikely for them not to discover that termites had already penetrated my box (and a few of their things as well). While I would want to blame those girls for what had become of my things, I still opted not to do so. That will only sour up our relationship yet it will not bring those precious things back. "Don't cry over spilled milk," just a few of my favorite quote.

Good thing most of my things had already been distributed to Mae Ann and my girlfriend for safekeeping, so my later digital photography books, including the Steve McCurry South Southeast book that was a gift to me and my girlfriend was spared. As my friends Jennie Dy and bughaw.com puts it, "If God closes one window, He would surely open another for me" Things happen for a reason, that's my consolation.

By the way, a friend had informed me about a girl named Gloria Strauss who needs our prayer so badly. She is presently suffering from cancer and presently in an induced coma. More details can be found from this link: http://gloriastrauss.stphilomenaschool.com/

Please, let's offer our prayers for her...

Technorati Tag: Northern Luzon, Isabela, Echague, Tuguegarao, Laoag, Paoay, Marcos, Vigan, Sinking Bell Tower, Batac, Marcos Mansion, San Fernando La Union, typhoon, bagyo, Isabel State University, Fort Ilocandia, prayer