Jaunt Ilocos

I only had two weeks to prepare for the exhibit in Laoag. Somehow, in the middle of an already hectic schedule, I was able to find time to frantically select the images that was printed and mounted. After getting everything ready and packed for the plane ride, a Signal 3 typhoon made a stop over Manila on the day of my departure. I called the airport to check if the flights have been canceled but the person who answered seem unaware that there was even a storm. There is really nothing much that a disappointed photographer can do, except to sit in Starbucks, sip a double short mocha, and toy around with Dreamweaver. Fortunately, the storm died down by mid-day and headed off for Taiwan. I flew on a very rough flight with the "fasten seat belts" sign staying on the whole time. The cabin crew never had the chance to do their work, but they were kind enough to distribute small packs of wafers a few minutes before we landed.




(From top to bottom) Paoay Lake; The Cathedral of St. William;
Calesa in Vigan.

I did not really get to see much of Laoag, but then again, according to popular opinion, there is really nothing much to see in Laoag. After mounting my prints along the walls of the conference hall, I spent the rest of the day listening to several speakers evangelizing about the benefits of sports tourism to the local economy, and talked about the fine art of hosting sports events. I met tour operators and local government staff from various provinces, and even had quick reunions with several people that I met during my travels. It was very interesting day, and despite getting only three hours of sleep the the night before, I was able to remain energetic the rest of the day, with the help of several cups of strong local coffee.

The next day, all the delegates were given a tour of the neighboring towns of Batac, Paoay, and Vigan. It was a typical whirlwind trip with 10-20 minute stops on relevant locations. The best part of the journey was our compelling and energetic tour guide, Pepito Alvarez, a prominent figure in local business and politics, who kept us entertained with history, gossip, anecdotes, song numbers and a load of dirty jokes. If you ever come to Ilocos, I really suggest you look him up. I don't think my trip would have been so memorable without him. (Sorry, I was not able to take his phone number, but everyone in Laoag seems to know this fellow, so it won't be hard to find him.)



(From top to bottom) Night market; empanada stand in Laoag.

There may not be a lot of things do in Laoag, but there are certainly a lot of things to eat. This region is known for salty dishes, such as pinakbet and binagongan, that are among the staples on the dining tables of most Filipino households. Among the specialties is the empanada, a mixture of papaya shavings, longanisa and eggs, wrapped in a sheet of flour, and deep fried until it becomes a crispy shell. One piece is large enough for a meal, but I think I ate more than a dozen during the four days that I was there. It's definitely one of the reasons why I would go back to Laoag again.





The Emapanada that's worth going back for.