A walk down history lane
Calle Mena Crisologo in Vigan
Ilocos has so much to offer in terms of Heritage sites. Numerous old churches, well preserved spanish houses and mansions. We didn’t manage to visit all the spots in our IT but what we were able to visit was enough to satisfy our lust for travel. Also leaving enough reasons to return and visit our missed spots.
Spanish house facade
Since there’s too much photos and infos here, I’ll just tackle them them individually in the coming days (or weeks). First off is the Calle Mena Crisologo in Vigan. Unlike Intramuros which was continually battered during the war, Vigan was spared and more than 180 of it’s houses and landmarks are well preserved, also thanks to UNESCO for declaring the whole city as a heritage site.
Old ilocano items and furnitures align the street of Crisologo
Walking down the cobblestone streets of Vigan is quite a treat for the senses. Indeed, if not for the other foreign tourist walking around, it would have been a perfect warp zone to the past. And since it’s after christmas, there were parols hanging on the streets. The houses were impressively preserved as evident by its rich facade. I’m always fond of windows. Every window has this distinctive characters and the spanish houses here has a lot of them. Also aligned on the streets are numerous Ilocano furnitures from basic banches to impressive calesa inspired designs, wooden scultures and those wooden machineries they use to cultivate their “Basi”, a fermented wine.
DOT certified calesa
Crisologo street is closed to regular flow of traffic, and only DOT certified calesas operate here. I must commend DOT for their efforts here and their office is quite helpful and accomodating. Calesas cost around Php 150 per hour, which I think is fair enough to go around Vigan.
Cafe Leona, located in the historical house of Leona Florentina
If you find yourself hungry after walking the stretch of Crisologo, visit the historical house of Leona Florentino, the first Filipina Poetess to gain international recognition, and mother to a local hero Isabelo delos Reyes. The house is now home to DOT’s Tourism office and alongside is Cafe Leona, where they serve “Wood fired pizza” and the local cuisines like bagnet, langonisa. Do try their sizzling vegetables, one of the best I have tasted.
The street at night.
At night, Crisologo Street doesn’t loose it’s charm. Its old styled lamps light up the streets exuding a warm ambience reminiscent of the past. It’s cobblestone streets are highlighted and the shadows emphasize the old architecture of the houses as well the exposed bricks on the walls. Indeed, Vigan deserves its reputation of having it’s old charm.
Tags: Heritage, Ilocos Sur, Structures, UNESCO, Vigan
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Sunday, January 1st, 2006 at 1:12 pm 
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January 2nd, 2006 at 3:49 pm
The farthest north I’ve been is Baguio.
Anyway, I’ve linked with your *astig* photo blog. Thanks for visiting
January 2nd, 2006 at 5:14 pm
di ko pa napupuntahan ang vigan! isa yan sa gusto kong puntahan at picturan…
ganda!
January 3rd, 2006 at 9:37 pm
classic na classic talaga ang vigan, lovely night shots! the best din yung bibingka nila, nalimutan ko kung anong tawag pero yung flat at bilog na maliliit
maligayang bagong taon nga pala sa yo! keep the great photos coming
January 5th, 2006 at 7:24 am
I saw Vigan in 1984. It was just like going back in time during the spanish period. I wanted live there and still want to.
January 5th, 2006 at 10:12 am
OMG! i was there when you took these pictures. and i mean, THERE. that photo of cafe leona, with the kalbo guy and the girl by the door? i was right in the next table, eating sushi with friends. that was the night jericho and heart rode around the plaza on a bicycle, and a wedding entourage went down heritage village.
January 5th, 2006 at 11:33 am
Hey Ginny! Yeah I think I saw you guys out there scond table from the door. We were supposed to sit on the table by the door but I can smell the horse pee beside so we went in. Hahaha! Small world!
We saw Heart Evangelista and Jericho Rosales in Cape Bojeador lighthouse doing a shoot 2 days later. I didn’t even know I was standing beside Jericho since I’m busy shooting the lighthouse, hehehe.
January 5th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
suplado talaga yang si ferdz hahahah!!! nilagpasan lang si Jericho…
January 6th, 2006 at 12:50 pm
di pa ako nakapunta sa vigan, maganda pala doon! medyo hawig ng kaunti sa intramuros pero tama ka iba ang history ng vigan sa intramuros. kailan kaya ako makakadalaw vigan?
January 7th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Great pictures of Vigan ! I visited this city a few years ago.
It is good that UNESCO declared the whole city a heritage site. Even if many houses are well preserved there is still a lot of work ahead. Many houses could use a new coat of paint and some (extensive) renovations. It would be a shame to loose those houses because funds are lacking.
October 11th, 2006 at 11:04 pm
[...] Hoi An, also called Faifo is one of UNESCO’s Heritage sites in Vietnam. This old riverside town also called the “Venice of Asia” used to be a major international trading port during the 16th and 17th century. Now this small town is known for its numerous tailor shops, art centers and well preserved blend of local and foreign architecture. Hoi An is somewhat the counterpart of our historical Vigan in the Philippines. [...]
February 25th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
awww. i miss vigan. im a true blue ilocana and basically grew up along the side streets of vigan.;( im a u.p student and im making a paper on Vigan City! ur website has been of great help:)
October 15th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Me and my family are planning to take a vacation in Vigan theis coming summer of 2008. I love Philippine History and Culture and the Heritage as well kaya gustong-gusto knog makarating ng Vigan.
Can you giove me some tips…specially affordable inns or lodging houses or hotels where we can stay as we visit there? yong affordable lang. Salamat
November 15th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
pwede bang tulongan nyo ako kung paano ko maipapalit ang pagkamaterialistic ng mga pinoy sa patriotism?
January 10th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
i like your blog. astig pinoy!