Leaving Manila in the earlymorning, we took the North Expressway which was a breeze – no traffic and great highways – and reached Luisita, Tarlac, in an hour and a half. The home town of the late president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, the family has a beautiful ancestral home and “hacienda”, part of which was converted into a high-end subdivision – Las Haciendas de Luisita – which boasts of tree-lined avenues and an exclusive golf club. We opted to have a pancake breakfast in the “Village Square” and we were delighted to see a little colorful goat cart taking children for a ride. So unique!
UNIQUE GOAT CART
Then it was off to Baguio – a 3 hour stretch of leisurely driving through the countryside towns and rice fields and up the mountains. The zig zag roads and the breathtaking views are really a site to behold. Baguio was so much a part of my childhood. Dubbed the summer capital of the Philippines because of it’s beautifully cool mountain weather and pine forests, it was the most popular vacation destination for the Manila folk in the 1950s up to the early 1990s. Many Manilans, to escape the summer heat, would take the children and family up as soon as school was out to spend the rest of the summer in the cool weather. Most families had summer residences in the city and frequented the exclusive “members only” Baguio Country Club.
FAMOUS BAGUIO COUNTRY CLUB VERANDAH
The children would go horseback riding, roller skating, boating and mini cardriving (at Burnham Park), while the men played golf at the Club, and the women did their shopping at the market for silver,antiques and fresh vegetables. Camp John Hay was as American recreational facility and had a magnificent golf course and typical American restaurants and commissary. Now in the 21st century, Baguio City, being the capital of the Mountain Province, is a very busy and crowded metropolis. The Country Club and John Hay (now privately owned) are still great destinations for golf and family vacations and the silver and craft markets are a draw card – if one can brave the traffic.
WITH CARLO & JO LOPEZ
We stayed overnight at the Country Club and were joined by a young couple who had just come in from the United States and were vacationing in Baguio – Carlo and Jo Lopez. They had a lot of fun golfing, drinking and dining out at the many diverse night spots in the city. One of the highlights of their tour was the Bencab museum. Ben Cabrera, a national artist from the province – whose museum is a wonderful collection of artwork from various well-known artists, artifacts and antiques of the indigenous mountain tribes, and a beautiful garden with old ancestral Igorot huts and rice terraces, is a popular visitors sight. His quaint restaurant serves authentic local delicacies. We had a fabulous gourmet dinner at Le Chef at The Manor – a 5-star hotel in John Hay - with master chef Billy King. It was a superb dining experience with the awesome view of the gardens in the open air dining room.
KAHUNA BEACH RESORT IN LA UNION
The next day we were on the road again - this time up north to the Ilocos Region. We left Baguio and headed down the mountains to the beach area of La Union and stopped by a great resort – Kahuna Beach. The cottages and cabanas were really top class and was a nice relaxing stop-over before heading out on the long drive to Vigan. Even the dark sand beach and the surf had a special charm to it and it is a destination for surfers – with the Billabong group from Australia working in partnership with Kahuna.
CALESA IN HISTORIC VIGAN
In another couple of hours we were in Vigan – the heritage listed historical village, which is the oldest and the only surviving Spanish/Filipino city in the Far East. It boasts of the Cathedral, the Archbishops Palace and the various homes dating back 400 years. The horsedrawn carriages – calesas – wend their way thru the cobble stone streets with the old houses selling artifacts and various local gifts and wares. The Syquia Mansion gives us a glimpse of the lifestyle of the era.
CANDLELIGHT DINNER AT SITIO REMEDIOS
After quite a tiring day, we headed off to Sitio Remedios in Currimao, Ilocos Norte, for 2 nights. The Sitio is so perfect – with Filipino Spanish inspired cottages and beautiful gardens by the South China Sea. The service, hospitality and warmth of the staff were everything one could ask for and the food was delicious. The place is so peaceful – especially in the early morning – that you feel entirely relaxed and worry-free. It was quite hard wresting yourself away from that tranquility to go on with the tour. But on we went to visit the other amazing sites of Ilocos Norte.
Surely the highlight of the region is the 16th century church and bell tower in Paoay – San Agustin Cathedral – the oldest and most beautiful church in the country. The bell tower is truly amazing with the original huge bronze bells – 4 of them – brought in by the Agustinian friars, and the stone walls made of sea coral taken from the China Sea 5 kilometers away. Malacanan of the North – where the Marcoses have their residence is not to be missed. We went on to Batac to visit the Marcos Museum and ancestral home and checked out the pottery making that is famous in the region. On the way up to Laoag, we saw the 16th century lighthouse built by the Spaniards – a beacon for their navy – which is still used by the Coast Guard. - and the Museum of Ilocos Norte which depicts the lifestyle and produce of the region. We drove further up north to visit the beaches of Pagudpud and then it was back to Sitio Remedios for a much needed rest and another fabulous dinner – served by candlelight.
HISTORIC BELL TOWER
The next day we left for the long 10 hour drive to Manila – tiring but worth it. It was a memorable experience and one that allowed us to experience and appreciate what the North of the Philippines has to offer.
PAGUDPUD BEACH