Last February 19, at around 6:50pm, I was on a city bus in EDSA on the way to the UP campus, running late for the 7pm call time at the Palma Hall steps. There was not much I could do to make public transport faster so I called up my friend, Cris to let them know I was on my way. This would be my very first field trip as a student of the Department of Geography, well, unless I get to Palma Hall too late. Fortunately, I was able to make it, thanks to the bus company which wasn’t on time either.
Our first stop for the trip was the city of Laoag, the capital of Ilocos Norte. We were all amused by the Oblation-like monument in front of the provincial Capitol. But more historic and symbolic than that monument was the Sinking Bell Tower at the Cathedral of the Diocese of Laoag. After our breakfast at a nearby fast-food, our convoy of two busses and a van were on its way to the historic Burgos Lighthouse in Cape Bojeador in the town of Burgos. The lighthouse, still operational to date, is one of the oldest in Asia and is the highest lighthouse (sea-level elevation) in the Philippines. So I expected a really old, shanty structure with a simple light mechanism – but it was not. Actually it stood very majestically facing the South China Sea, which, of course, meant the view up there was spectacular, and it was. We were able to get to the top of the lighthouse, getting a good look at the bulb. And it wasn’t what I expected either. After a dizzying climb at the structure’s spiral staircase, the view up there was great and the light mechanism looked very interesting and unique.
The Paoay Church and Sarrat Churches are both centuries old. The Paoay or St. Augustine Church was dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993 while the St. Monica Churhh in Sarrat is the largest Church in the Ilocos Region. Beside the Sarrat Church was a peculiar museum. It housed some odd things like the rope used to hang the GOMBURZA.
Our next destination was a place where local films like “Panday” or “Ibong Adarna” were shot. The Paoay sand dunes are a feature unique in this part of the Philippines – the very reasons why some particular scenes from movies were taken here. After visiting the dessert-like terrain, we were on our way to the last thing on out itinerary – the Heritage town of Vigan.
The saying “save the best for last” may apply with our itinerary, as my experience seeing Vigan was just unforgettable. The colorful history of Ilocandia is reflected by the complexity of Vigan – an oxymoron of the past and the present. That commenced my trip to the Ilocos Region, and I sure am glad I embarked on this wonderful experience with my friends and instructors from the University of the Philippines, a proof that UP life goes beyond the realms of the UP campus.
