Leaving Manila at past 9pm, we arrived in Vigan City at 6 am
and it’s raining. We then had breakfast at McDonalds near the Plaza and the Cathedral
to start up our adventure of the day.
The City of Vigan (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Bigan; Tagalog: Vīgân; is a 5th class city in the province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. It is the capital of the Province of Ilocos Sur. The city is located on the western coast of the large island of Luzon, facing the South China Sea.
It is a World Heritage Site in that it is one of the few Hispanic towns left in the Philippines, and is well known for its cobblestone streets, and a unique architecture that fuses Philippine and Oriental building designs and construction, with colonial European architecture. (Wikipedia)
☛ BALUARTE
Baluarte is 80 hectares of gently rolling terrains,
hills and mountain sides, the structures of facilities and amenities,
its phases of construction is in its best possible realistic and natural
habitat for good and sound animal care. (http://chavitsingson.net/baluarte/general-info.html)
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| @ the receiving area of the mansion |
Baluarte is owned by Gov. Chavit Singson.
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| w/ our tour guide bambi |
During our trip we had a chance to visit the Mansion in the
compound and had an encounter with the animals. We have our animal tour guide
Bambi, the reindeer in Baluarte. (he always follow us up to the mansion)
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| @ the 2nd floor |
We haven’t really had the chance to roam around because of
the rain but we already enjoyed our awesome experience with the Tiger though it’s
scary. (thank God the tiger is in good mood!) J
Entrance fee: none (just sign up in the logbook)
☛ POTTERY MAKING
Vigan is known with Pottery, so we’ve visited one of the pottery
shops in the city. You can actually witness how the pots were made. Patience,
effort and artistry are needed when making one. Pots are kept dry for weeks or
more depending on the size, design and the weather.
Souvenir shops are also just around….
Entrance fee: none
☛ CRISOLOGO MUSEUM
The Crisologo Museum or Vigan House National Historical Institute Branch
is a Philippine Museum located in the town of Vigan in the province of
Ilocos Sur. The museum consists of the preserved ancestral home of
statesman Floro S. Crisologo and houses the family’s memorabilia and
private collection of religious figures as well as some permanent
exhibits that have to do with Northern Luzon’s history, ethnography,
archaeology, and natural history. The museum continues to be managed by
the Crisologo family, a political clan, along with the National Historical Institute under the auspices of the National Museum of the Philippines.
It is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Saturday. It is also
known as Vigan House, Crisologo House and Memorabilia, and the Vigan
National Museum Branch. (Wikipilipinas)
There’s a lot of museum in Vigan. Vigan is definitely rich
in Filipino culture.
Crisologo Family is one of the families who lead Vigan for
how many years. They have started and made Vigan what it is today.
What you see in the museum are preserve pictures of the
family, their vintage cars and the museum is used to be their home from
wayback.
☛ CALLE CRISOLOGO
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| Jump shot of the day! |
Calle Crisologo is the very well-known street in the City. Awarded
by the Unesco as one of the world heritage. When you’re in Calle Crisologo it
feels like you were in the Old Philippines. The old buildings and mansions were
well preserved and the architectural is still intact.
Calle Crisologo is a closed street for vehicles. Only the “kalesa”
is allowed to enter the streets. From the first point to the end are souvenir
shops. There are also antique boutiques and museum and restaurants in the
street.
☛ CAFÉ LEONA
Café Leona is a local restaurant in Calle Crisologo. This is
one of the best resto in town which serves local delicacies.
Try the bestseller bagnet!ä
☛ SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH AND BELL TOWER
Our last stop before heading to ilocos Norte.
The Bantay bell tower is one of the best tourist spot in Vigan. It is situated on top of a hill and on its side is the San Agustin Parich Church.
