flip'n travels

Being that we are backpackers, it always follows that we travel on a budget. Our plane tickets carefully booked, our hostels painfully scrutinized, and our daily allowance tightly budgeted. It is also an art of backpacking to find the most affordable places to eat in. We also consider the cultural requisites like flavor, tradition and the old school way of cooking it.

In most cases, we end up being seen in the streets and hawker stalls getting down and dirty. Hawker stalls can be found all over Asia, and the Philippines got a good version of it too. Although Filipino street food are irreplaceable, its nearest and most accessible incarnation would be the food court of SM Malls.

SM Sta. Mesa got a pocket full of stores with treats from different regions of the country. It is indeed a one stop traditional Filipino food expo. We were invited to try out what the food center has to offer.

Lugaw – know generally all over the Philippines as the local version of Chinese congee. It is so easy to make, just by combining the broth, rice, ginger, scallions, some other spices and chicken or beef then VOILA! You have the staple snack of the social class A to E. Lugaw ni Juan is the newest member of the chain of food stalls in SM. Sta. Mesa, their version got strips of ox tripe that made it really unique and special.

Lechon de Cebu – Lechon or roasted suckling pig is a popular star of Filipino celebrations like Fiesta, birthday, wedding, baptismal and the list goes on. As a celebratory dish in the southern city Cebu, it is luciously cooked with juicy meat and crispy thin outer skin. Just make sure it is served hot and crunchy.

Empanada - unlike the mexican empanada, Ilocanos’ version is fried, not baked. The northern colonial towns of the Ilocos region boasts a menu of treats that are uniquely Ilocano. Empanada is one of the most popular among them. Balay Ilocos (Ilocano House) serves those traditional cuisine showcasing the flavors of the north.

Sisig - this is one kapampangan’s pride, known as the kitchen of central Luzon, the Province of Pampanga started a pulutan culture. This dish is made from parts of pig’s head and liver, usually seasoned with kalamansi and chili peppers. It is indeed and undoubtedly the most popular beer match across the country. Where else to try it? But from the kitchen who invented it…

FACT: Lucia Cunanan of Angeles City has been credited with inventing sisig. The Philippine Department of Tourism has acknowledged that her “Aling Lucing’s” restaurant had established Angeles City as the “Sisig Capital of the Philippines” in 1974.

The dish is said to have originated from locals residents who bought unused pig heads from the commissaries of Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga. Pig heads were purchased cheap since they were not used in preparing meals for the U.S.Air Force personnel stationed there.

Pancit Malabon -The ingredients clearly represent the origin of the dish. Situated with the northern fishing ports of Manila, Malabon is the drop-off point of fresh bounties from the South China Sea. Pancit Malabon is a type of pancit, or stir-fried noodle dish. It has a yellow-orange color due to a sauce that includes patis (fish sauce) and crab fat. Its toppings draw heavily from the fresh seafood that is available in the area and may include fresh shrimp, squid, oysters, and hard-boiled duck or hen eggs, as well as pork.

Kakanin (Rice cakes) – There’s a myriad of documented preparation of this traditional snack/desert. Philippines being covered with vast rice paddies, the crop comes really handy to our pre-colonial ancestors. And with recipes passed from generation to generation we are still enjoying the old original and traditional taste and texture.

Who would’ve thought we can experience a good historical and cultural culinary tour inside the Philippines most popular shopping center? Our visit with SM City Sta. Mesa became a sampler of what Filipino kitchen has to offer.

The relaunching of SM City Sta. Mesa Food Court showed an impressive recovery from the wrath of typhoon Ondoy last year. The new festive look and Wifi enabled food park is cheerfully serving the universities and communities of Sta. Mesa in Manila.

We would also like to thank Jolibee SM Sta. Mesa, Pizza Hut SM Sta. Mesa, Island Gas, ASC Marketing, Inihaw Express, Kusina ni Gracia, Baliwag Express and Mr. Maynard Bulosan for showing us what they have for the budget conscious foodies like us.

“… Pairs of MALE Elephants will be released to the forest of America. There is hope that they will grow in number…”
~King of Siam (Yul Bryner, The King and I 1956)

The day started with a half-baked excitement. We pretty much wasted more than two hours looking for the money changer that would accept our Peso bills. After 140 Baht on the cab meter, several kilometers of Bangkok sprinting action and litters of juicing fat squeezing out our pores, we couldn’t help but pacify the plea of our intestinal parasites, so we settled with a 7-Eleven brunch. To our surprise, the iced coffee tastes better than most non-Starbucks lattes, and the spicy chicken floss sandwich is no less palatable than those of Bread Talk’s—not bad for a 100 Baht meal. We’re not sure if it was a subconscious compensation because we were (at that point) technically broke; or it was really that good. It became our refuge for the entire three days of Thai shenanigan.

Walking around Bangkok was definitely not a walk in the park for us, as we had difficulties going to places simply because road signs are all in Thai and not a lot of people can speak English. In some cases we got shooed even before we even got the chance to say Sawasdee Ka/Krup. So, get used to the classic rejection “No English!”

When I think of Thailand, the first thing that comes in to my mind would be the temples. And yes there’s a fair share of temples in Bangkok and it’s not an outlandish experience if you stumble with one of them while walking around the city. In our case we came across Wat Intharawihan, Wat Mahathat Yuwaratrangsarit, Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. I know it’s a mouthful, the official names are even longer, even a spelling bee wiz will get an epistaxis (READ: Nose bleed).

If it’s not for the monks, Thai signage, temples, tuktuk’s and the endemic sightings of the King’s pictures, we would feel that we are in the Philippines. The weather and people are so much like of what we have back home. We even, at times, accidentally call the street vendors “Ate” and the drivers “Manong.”

TIP: Tuktuk ride costs between 50-150 baht depending on the destination. But you can have the ride for free. Try to negotiate with the driver to bring you to affiliated commercial establishments (Jewelry stores, textile shops, souvenir outlets and the likes) they get a fuel vouchers for every tourist that they can bring regardless if you’ll buy or not. This will consume 20-30 minutes of your time, but the deal is fair considering you get a free ride to your desired destination. We did this the whole time we were in Bangkok to save few of hundredths of Baht.

FACT: The traditional name of Bangkok is ‘Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit’. It is listed by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s longest name for a place.

There are other things we could’ve done if we had sufficient funds to finance our caprice. One is experiencing the infamous Muay Thai game. We asked around for the price of a ticket, and realized it was too expensive–“dude, we don’t have plans of taking home the fighters after the match… and with that price, we can resurrect the male Nong Toom.” So Muay Thai is definitely out the window.

Instead, we decided to gravitate towards the classic over pop—We bought tickets to the Grand Palace. According to the map that we snatched from the hostel, the Grand Palace is behind this temple thingamajig which turned out to be several kilometers away, GREAT!

Outside the ticket booth, tourists from all over are coming in and out like there’s a relief operation happening inside the complex. Ticket costs around 700 baht. OK, fair! We can stay and hang around the entire day savoring history, art, architecture and what not. But to our dismay, another unfortunate thing happened…

to be continued

Bangkok welcomed us on a late afternoon from our long lazy bus/van ride from Siem Reap. Being the last leg of the trip, our minds were practically overwhelmed with plethora of enriching experiences, images and a bag-full of stories we can’t wait to tell, which in turn, made an inversely proportional amount of cash at hand.

So with a dwindling budget, the moment we realized we are approaching the capital, we started doing mental computations ’til our mouths froth.

It was late afternoon when the van dropped us at Khaosan Road. I never got the opportunity and drive to marvel the new place, not even to pull out my camera from the bag. Maybe because either I’m panicking and figuring-out where we can have our Peso Bills changed to Thai Baht; or I’m just starving and my body glucose is right below sea level.

TIP: Before Flying in to Thailand, make sure you bring Thai Baht or US dollars. Unlike other asian cities, money changers don’t accept Philippine Peso. We had to wait for the following day to go over-the-counter to have our money changed. Bangkok Bank is the only one that accepted our cold-shouldered money. The bank teller has been so nice too.

Khaosan Road is the backpacker capital of the city. They got souvenir shops, food carts selling pad thai noodles and fried crickets, cafe’s, etc. etc. etc. It reminded me of Malate meets Instruccion Saturday Market in Sampaloc Manila.

Too tired and no time to scout for a cheaper hostel, we immediately hopped on a cab to drive us to our first choice–Lub*d. My thoughts were floating as I stare blankly like a dumb fast food mascot while the driver hopelessly tried talking about Manny Pacquiao. The next thing I know, I was lying on our bunk bed inside a post modern industrial-urban inspired hostel. How I got there from the cab is something I couldn’t remember.

The first night was originally planned to be at Khaosan. But then we realized that our hostel is just few blocks from Phatphong night market. So we decided to just look for a place to eat around Bangkok’s red light district. And HELL NO that’s not what we ate. perv!

After eating in a Carinderia-like food store along the street, like an automatic battery-powered robot, we headed back to Lub*D and totally forgot the Phatphong plan. We ended up drinking cans of beer in front of our hostel

We must confess, right at that very moment, our minds were still in Cambodia. I somehow wished we extended our Angkorian adventure even just for another day. As we quietly sat on a terrace with other European backpackers, drinking Singha beer, half asleep… I asked:

Where are we again?

BANGKOK.

Bang who?!

The town of Siem Reap is a provincial capital, a concrete oasis sprouted out of the vast land of scattered temples, rice fields and jungle. It has its own international airport and a fair share of first class accommodations. No building is higher than three floors and most of the establishments are converted or made to cater tourists from all over the world, that is in a form of hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, bars and the list goes on. Pub street (where our hostel is located) is the heart of the town. Beer is flowing 24/7 and looking around, majority of the populace walking were tourists from US and Europe, there’s not a lot of Asian travelers (Other than those groups of Koreans wearing a field trip uniform shirt and hat).

Food is one of the many things I love about this place, it’s inexpensive and the flavors charmed our  palates. The taste of dishes in Indochina has a unified theme: the presence of coconut milk, noodles, rice, chili peppers, myriads of spices and (of course) hints of lime. But Cambodian cuisine maintained an identity and character unique from the neighboring countries.

A vendor selling Le’s Hal. Dried river shells with salt and chili.

It’s always a warning for tourists to be careful of what to eat in this side of the continent, but HECK! We want it down and dirty! I’m a nurse and part of my pre-trip preparation is to make sure I can perform first aid in cases of ailments (from diarrhea to mild myocardial infarct).

Upon arrival, I was half expecting that a vendor would approach us to sell some sort of sautéed tarantula or a jungle bug hors d’oeuvre, but it didn’t happen. So we just made-use of the menus in Pub street restaurants flooded with American/European retirees for our pseudo–Cambodian food trip.

Yes, in Cambodia they have a sweet and spicy delicacy called A-ping (Fried Skuon Tarantula), don’t fret, it’s just like eating crablets!

After feasting on our late breakfast at Common Grounds, we walked across the town center. Upon passing along Pub street we noticed that there’s one common poster outside the resto’s—BEER 25c/bottle. And ANGKOR BEER is the best I tasted to date. Too bad, I can’t bring some bottles back home. Bought a souvenir shirt though.

Due to our limited budget, we cannot try all the dishes in the menu, we chose those dishes that were recommended by our friend Meang.

Amok is the most popular Cambodian dish among tourists. If you can’t brave eating sautéed tarantula (Skuon a-ping), then this one could be for you. It’s a cod fish fillet bathe and stewed in a concoction of coconut milk, turmeric, paprika, curry powder, ginger, garlic, chili pepper, kaffir lime and fish sauce (aka. kroeung). We tried out several varieties served in different restaurants, but my favorite is the one served at Kkmer Family Restaurant in Pub street.

Loc Lac is Stir fried cubed beef served with fresh red onions, served on a bed of lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes and dipped in a sauce consisting of lime juice and/or black pepper. This is derived from the Vietnamese dish known as Bò lúc lac. It’s not Vietnamese, but khmer krom cuisine. Khmer krom are indigenous khmers in southern Vietnam.

Kuyteav, a rice stick noodle soup which is one local specialty that we tried. We bought it from the carinderia-style or street vendor make-shift restaurant. This is the tuktuk drivers’ favorite hang-out place while waiting for the tourists. It’s around 5,000 riels (about US$1) per serving. The lady kept on refilling my bowl before I even actually consume half of it.

One interesting place where you can dine, talk and hang-out is Temple Bar along Pub street. They got an al fresco cafe right outside, a Club on the first floor and a balcony restaurant upstairs.

They have an Apsara performance every night, showcasing the traditional dance and music of Cambodia. Meang, reserved a table for us on our last night in Siem Reap, it is usually fully booked so make sure to reserve in the morning before hitting the road to Angkor.

We didn’t really get the right opportunity to give the Cambodian Cuisine a fair chance due to our limited budget. There’s a lot gastronomic kitchens to explore, from the familiar treats like the counterpart of the Filipino Balut to the exotic and unique arachnoid-fear factor-ish cuisine adventure. And maybe next time we will get a shot to try their famous ‘Happy’ Pizza (wink!). So we promised to go back… SOON!

The first densely populated city in history should be credited to the Angkor Civilization. And the capital of this ginormous city is Angkor Thom. At its height, Angkor Thom may have governed a population of one million people in the surrounding area. Outranking Paris, London and Cairo.

Means “The Great City” in Khmer language, it was founded by Angkor’s greatest king, Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181-1219), who came to power following the defeat of the former Khmer capital by the Chams blah blah blah…

Angkor Thom was built in a nearly perfect square, the sides of which run north to south and east to west. It was surrounded by a square wall (jayagiri) 8m high and 12km in length and further protected by a 100m-wide moat (now dry), said to have contained ferocious crocodiles.

A gate opens exactly in the middle of each wall, from which a bridge extends over the moat to the area outside the royal city. The original royal palace at Angkor Thom, built in the 10th and 11th centuries, was probably built of wood and no longer stands.

The vast area of the Angkor Thom ruins, over a mile on one side, contains many stone temples and other features to explore. The city has five monumental gates (one in each wall plus an extra in the eastern wall), 20m high and decorated with stone elephant trunks and the king’s favorite motif, the four faces of Avalokiteshvara.

Each gate, which leads onto a causeway across the moat, is flanked with statues of 54 gods on the left and 54 demons on the right. This is a theme from the Hindu myth of the Churning of the Milk-Ocean (illustrated in the famous bas-relief atAngkor Wat).

The south gate is the best restored and most popular, but also the most busy since it leads directly to Angkor Wat. The east and west gates, found at the end of uneven trails, are more peaceful. The east gate was used for a scene in the Tomb Raider movie, in which the bad guys broke into the “tomb” by pulling down a giantapsara (actually made of polystyrene).

The causeway leading to the gate of Angkor Thom is my personal favorite.

TIP: When you visit Angkor Thom, don’t forget to bring bottles of water (lots of it), sunblock, sunglasses, towel or umbrella. It can really be scorching hot and dusty.

Here are some of the popular structures inside Angkor Thom:

The Terrace of the Leper King is a decorative platform topped by a statue surrounded by four lesser statues, each facing away from the central statue. The central figure is probably a Khmer ruler who allegedly died of leprosy, either Yasovarman I or Jayavarman VII.

The Terrace of the Elephants served as a viewing platform for royal parties and depicts elephants and garuda (a mythical bird-like creature).

Probably the the center structure of this civilization is the Bayon Temple (circa 1190) is a Buddhist temple but retains elements of Hindu cosmology and imagery. Standing in the exact center of the walled city, it represents the intersection of heaven and earth. It is known for its enigmatic smiling faces of Avalokiteshvara and its extraordinary bas-reliefs.

The Bayon’s most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak.

Bayon Temple is popular among tourists and pilgrims alike, Buddhist monks are paying homage particularly to this structure because the only Angkorian state temple to be built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to the Buddha.

The temple is known also for two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, which present an unusual combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes.

The outer gallery: depictions of historical events and everyday life

The inner gallery: depictions of mythical events

A bit north of the Bayon is the stalwart Baphuon, a temple built in 1066 that is in the process of being put back together in a way that gives visitors an idea of what original temple construction might have been like.

The temple is said to be a huge jigsaw puzzle. Scholars said it was the Tower of Bronze…a truly astonishing spectacle, with more than ten chambers at its base.’ In the late 15th century, the Baphuon was converted to a Buddhist temple. A 9 meter tall by 70 meter long statue of a reclining Buddha was built on the west side’s second level, which probably required the demolition of the 8 meter tower above, thus explaining its current absence. The temple was built on land filled with sand, and due to its immense size the site was unstable throughout its history. Large portions had probably already collapsed by the time the Buddha was added.

Phimeanakas Temple, located on the site of the now-disappeared royal palace, is another pyramidal representation of Mt. Meru. Most of the decorative features are broken or have disappeared, but it is an interesting structure and can be climbed for good views of Baphuon Temple.

click here for the map of Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom is huge, during it’s glorious years, its span is even bigger than Manhattan.  Reading through historical materials before hitting the road is really a must to fully appreciate its beauty. We totally ignored the scorching heat of the equatorial summer sun when we were there. Raveling Angkor Thom’s rich past was enough to fill a whole day of our itinerary.

reference : http://www.sacred-destinations.com/cambodia/angkor-thom

I’ve been reading stories of other wanderlusts and adventurers like us who documented their quest in search of this allusive enchanting place. Many who have seen it unanimously agreed that it is truly a drop of paradise. Some failed and has to experience the horror of getting lost in the middle of a pitch dark forest.

So with all the interesting stories of getting there and enjoying a dip, I sworn not to miss taking a chance of seeing this falls hidden in the middle of the lush terrain of Pagudpud—The Kabigan.

I made sure that we get there before lunch time. For some reason, 6PM in Pagudpud is already dark, like 9PM dark. So never under estimate the sunlight cycle in this corner of the world. We reached the entrance leading to the path to the falls. It may look easy that you can just trace back the brook, or merely listening to the splash of falling water. But it’s trickier than you can imagine, a group of explorers from a travel magazine got lost in the middle of their trek to find the falls, they can hear that the source of splashing water is nearby but they can’t seem to find it, darkness swallowed them and that their only source of light would be their mobile phones. This is why a guide is required.

Local residents wearing an official guide shirt that says “guide” (duh!) are stationed at the entrance along the highway. They will just ask for a guide fee, but it’s really up to you on how much will you give. Be generous, think of it as help to local tourism and economy.

The trek took us around 30 minutes. I occasionally stop to take photos. A good pair of slippers and well expanded lungs came in handy. After crossing several brooks, slippery stones and carabao’s surprise (buffalo poop), we finally reached the enchanting destination. After snapping photos, we immediately stripped-off our shirts and took a dip. AND MAN! It was cold, it’s noontime but the water is chilling and crystallizing every single bit of my premature arthritis. Be careful not to bump anyone, your nipples might poke someone’s eye and kill them on the spot.

While everyone is enjoying a rejuvenating dip in the fantaserye-ish basin of clear water, Monette is sitting on a stone watching us dreamily “darn, wrong timing, it’s the time of the month” Other than that, I know for a fact that she’s also repeatedly telling herself:

“I should have brought my fairy wings… I should have brought my fairy wings…”

I was indeed an eco-trail, so we encourage responsible trekking: Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures.

First things first, there’s no airport in Vigan. The nearest airport is in Laoag, about 2 hours bus ride away. Cebu Pacific Air flies twice daily (to and from).  Vigan is a very small town, you can actually cover a complete itinerary in one day, so it’s a good idea to also check out other towns like Sta. Maria, Narvacan and probably some nearby beaches in La Union province.

For someone like me and Monette, this town is perfect to unleash the creative animals within us. She can just sit along the curb side, set on trans mode and start writing. As for me, I can walk around and be the clicker happy that I am.

It’s a town where everything moves slowly, so hurrying up to catch the pre-plotted itinerary isn’t exactly the fun way to enjoy the place.

WHERE TO STAY

Hotels and hostels within the blocks around the town center are mostly old houses. They decorate the house with all sorts of antique items ranging from flat iron converted to an ash tray to a make shift corner table out of an old sewing machine, and the list goes on. The interiors are basically colonial, they just put rooms and beds and a signage outside and voila! An antique thrift shop cum hostel. To some lone travelers who got wild imagination, you may want to look for a companion. Rooms resemble those that we see on classic horror films where you can expect to see Lilia Cuntapay materialize in the dark corner of your cold brick walled suite. Room rates are ranging form 700-1500 inclusive of Filipino breakfast. Grandpa’s Inn is where we stayed.

WHERE TO EAT

There are three ways to have a blast with your Vigan food trip.

Fine Dine at Cafe Leona where the perfect time to sit down and order would be at night where they have al fresco dining right at the end of Crisologo street. I never got the chance of eating out here during my recent trip, but a decade ago, the chokolate-E was 0h-so-wicked. I believe they also serve the good old Vigan faves like the bagnet (deep fried pork meat) and longanisa (Filipino garlic sausage).

Street Food trip is also popular among tourists and locals alike. Grab your bag of chichacorn (fried corn kernels) of a small box of cheesy royal bibingka (rice cake). This is a perfect snack while walking around the old town or riding a Kalesa.

Eat Vigan empanada at the park. Shredded lettuce, longanisa and whole egg wrapped with a hand rolled soft dough, then deep fried to perfection.

WHAT TO DO

Get a private kalesa, it’s the horse drawn carriage and a very eco-friendly means of transportation which started during the colonial era. I always wanted to just chill and ride one. Manila still got these iconic road runners, but it’s definitely not a good idea. The very essence of riding a kalesa is to enjoy the picturesque town and fresh air is an important element.

Kalesa ride costs around PhP 150/hour. There is a city ordinance that sets the fare so even if you want to haggle, you can’t. One thing is for sure, the kutcheros (drivers) are friendly and they are not as adamant as those from tourist traps elsewhere. They will tour you around the city. They will take you to several spots like Bantay church and bell  tower, Baluarte and Burnayan.

Bantay Bell Tower

Old bell of Bantay Belfry

pottery of burnayan

WHAT TO BUY

Or what NOT? In the past, Vigan is the spot for antique collectors. They hold the biggest collection of colonial artifacts. Like their houses, the household knickknacks were perfectly preserved. But in recent decades, residents decided to just sell them to antique shops, foreign tourists and collectors. I’m not sure if I am fully against this trade, but it would be cool to leave these items in Vigan where they belong. I heard the number of antique items in this town is dwindling down.

Ilocos Sur skyline, view from the Bantay bell tower

From Manila, land transportation is one of the most economical, PhP 500-600 (one way). Travel time may vary depending on the traffic, it may take around 8 hours on a night trip and 10 hours on a day trip. Several bus companies are operating daily from Manila to Vigan:

Partas Transportation Co. (Cubao QC/Sampaloc Manila) – They can cut the travel time from 10 hours to 7. Drivers got a death wish.

Fariñas Transit Company (Lacson Sampaloc Manila) – Owned by a political family in Ilocos Norte, so people throwing stones is pretty normal, no worries, there’s no recorded casualties or injuries so far. The buses are pretty clean and brand new.

Florida Bus Line (Espana Manila) – Newest addition to the competing bus lines to the north. Known as the “Pink Bus”, obviously not owned by Bayani Fernando but the buses are pretty decent pretty girly decent.

Maria de Leon Bus (Dapitan Manila) – probably one of the oldest in the bunch. They got the friendliest staff but circulating rumors says: the drivers are as senile as the buses, they are really pros, however, the 10-hour trip may become 15 hours. The drivers tend to stop every 30 minutes to take a leak.

In a nutshell, Vigan is the place to visit if your life is moving faster than it should be, and you are dying to have a break. The place will help you recalibrate your pace with the universe, as you take your slow steps around this town of classic beauty and elegance, you will also get the chance to go back in time and enjoy the simple pleasures in life.

Ron

Ilocos Norte is the northernmost province in mainland Luzon. You actually get radio signals from Taiwan, that is if you’re still using a pre-historic walkman with FM band. The province got a long stretch of coastline with the terrain mainly slopes and hills. The northern tip of the province is Pagudpud, a small town covered with a crumpled blanket of hilly jungle. They even tag the Pagudpud beaches as the “Boracay of the North”.

There are buses going to Pagudpud from the city center of Laoag. Travel time is around 2 hours, unless you got a private van and a driver who formerly worked with Partas (bus with a death wish) who can zoom to Pagudpud in less than an hour. From Pagudpud town you can get a tricycle to the beach of your choice, we recommend Saud.

Another popular road stop is the lucrative Fort Ilocandia. Facing the South China Sea, it is located in the heart of the city of Laoag and the capital of Ilocos Norte. The resort is a complete service complex resort hotel. It’s a 10- minute drive from Fort Ilocandia Golf & Country Club in Paoay and from the Laoag International Airport. All these being said, don’t be surprised with the rates.

Another interesting spot in the heart of Laoag is the Sinking Bell Tower of St. William Cathedral. It’s a massive 45-meter bell tower said to be one of the tallest bell towers in the Philippines and was built by the Augustinians in 1612.

The tower has earned its “sinking” reputation because it is so heavy and it was built on sandy foundations that it has consistently sunk into the ground (estimated 1 cm yearly). Stories mention that a person on horseback could enter the tower with ease back when it was built. Now, a person of an average Filipino height has to bend down just to enter the vaulted entrance.

The town of Burgos has a heritage structure called the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Burgos Lighthouse. It is the highest-elevated lighthouse in the Philippines and the northwesternmost in location. Built in 1892 and still standing today, a perfect setting for a high fashion photo shoot with a Rapunzel peg. The climb up the hill will take around 15-20 minutes, climb up the tower’s spiral stair will cause 10 minutes of dizziness.

Having a quiet moment up the light house is priceless. We wished we could have stayed longer to just sit and stare blank across the scenic view of Cape Bojeador, the landscape looks something like that in Scotland.

Ever seen the Department of Tourism video where Regine Velasquez is strangling herself with an organza shawl? Behind her are the windmills of Bangui. These became popular mid 2000 among shutterbugs because of its strong visual impact. Bangui is a small 4th class municipality before reaching Pagudpud, and this wind farm is currently supplying 40% of electricity in the province.

Paoay is popular because of two prominent feature of the municipality. First is the Paoay Lake. Legend has it that it was the site of a baranggay filled with wicked people underwater after ignoring the warning of a mysterious old woman who came to the place. On the shores of the lake lies a mansion that belongs to the Marcoses. Second, the Paoay Church, one of the four Baroque churches that are inscripted as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Known for it’s sturdy coral stone structure and unique facade. Right across the street is a restaurant where you can eat Pinakbet Pizza (Oh yes, you read it right, monette will post something about it, soon!)

One of my favorite stop is the Kabigan Falls in Pagudpud, I’ve been reading and hearing a lot of things about this hidden gem in Pagudpud. We will be posting a separate story about this eco path.

We suggest that you drop by the town called Pasuquin for the local bakers treat, the Biscocho, available in soft and toasted variety. My favorite is the soft Biscocho, the moist bread got a hint of earthy taste and spice of some sort, which made me thinking and figuring-out that distinct aftertaste all through-out the trip. Another must try is the Empanada of Batac. Batac’s version is waaaay better than those in Vigan. Whole egg, garlic-y longganisa, cheese and fillers wrapped in a hand pressed soft dough and fried to perfection. Batac got the most wicked empanada in this part of the world, they even have this street treat in their town seal—Now beat that!

Ilocos Norte is one of the provinces where you need to get down and dirty when you do a road trip. There’s a lot of things to see and do, a weekend isn’t enough. To fully understand and experience the beauty of the province, you may need to take your time, talk to people, stay longer and walk off the beaten paths. The roads may be winding but it will always lead you to where you are heading, that’s for sure.

Ron

Khmer is a culture that I rarely encounter in books and in school. Despite the fact that we live right across the South China Sea, they are literally the next door neighbor. With the Cambodian robust history of fierce Angkor warriors, I would think that the modern Khmer’s would be someone who is cold-hearted, aloof and supercilious… man, I was wrong. FLAT WRONG.

Meang introduced us to Piron, our tuk tuk driver for three days. When they fetched us from the Siem Reap International Airport, he was quiet and a bit shy, but his warm smile was good enough for us to feel so much welcomed.

The moment we reached Prohm Roth Guesthouse, we unloaded the bags. I immediately shook his hand, then I started blabbering non-stop about the flight from Kuala Lumpur. He flashed a big smile, occasionally nodded, sporadically giggled while I animatedly shared my stories. The moment I stopped talking, he instantly turned his head to Meang. Still smiling, he asked something in his native tongue. Something that I interpreted as–“What is he talking about?”

Apparently, Piron doesn’t speak English.

We figured out that the easiest way to communicate with him is through signs and gestures. That was how it went for three days.

He knows where to go for good finds like shopping places, cheaper bottled water and he can guide you to a mini- Cambodian street food trip. While roaming the complex, we were stopping every now and then for him to show us and have us try all sorts of deli’s ranging from spicy clams to dried insects. He really knows how to please adventurers like me and Monette.

One time while driving across Bayon, I told monette “Gutom na ko!” (It means “I’m hungry” in Filipino). Piron immediately pulled over. We were wondering what he was about to do, then he bought something like sweet sticky rice in a bamboo shaft from a local vendor.

“You… hungry…?” he gestured something that translates “Eat this, this is for you…from me!”

We were left speechless and profoundly touched by his thoughtfulness.

I tried telling Piron that he looks like one Filipino newscaster. I tried to put it in the simplest possible sentence. After continuously talking about Howie Severino, I paused for a gap. He responded with his unwavering big smile–“YES”

I curled up my forehead to show confusion. Trying to connect what he just said.

He immediately reverted his response… “NO”

No doubt, I love Piron.

Finally posting the best breakfast I had, ever…

Ever woke up to the smell of coffee being brewed, bacon slowly being crisped, eggs sunny-side-upped, and fresh croissant bread being baked? You can almost taste the air. That must be what Sundays taste like. We literally woke up with smiles on our faces knowing a heavenly breakfast awaited us at Common Grounds Coffee and Cyber Cafe. They have the most amazing menu ranging from American breakfast to grilled cheese sandwiches to salads to smoothies that are to die for. Ron and I however, gorged on their bacon and egg sandwich and drowned in their iced coffees for three straight days. They even included a fruit bowl of tropical fruits including my favorite, pitaya!

The interior of the place is very relaxing with comfortable chairs and soft lighting. They also have free wi-fi! And the people were more than amiable. They were cheerful and very hospitable. One of them even remembered my name when I went back the second day. I was so ashamed, and still am now, as I am a goldfish and tend to forget a lot of things. I love how they made our simple breakfast seem like a 5-star hotel entrée. Served in lovely ceramic plates, they even included cold towels with mint scent to freshen tired guests before they eat their meals.

Ran by the non-profit organization People for Care and Learning, this place not only serves great meals but also helps the community in setting up micro-enterprise development and training. During the time we were there, the band “The Saturn Project” from America had a benefit concert to support the Relocation of the Poor Project. We were scheduled to visit the spa that last night but when I learned of a rock concert, I had to ditch the aromatherapy session and leave Ron to the mercy of fish doctors and decided to cap my Cambodian vacation with great music.

Make sure you visit this place when you go to Siem Reap. You will definitely forget Starbucks…

Common Grounds Coffee and Cyber Cafe
Address : 719 – 721, Street 19 Siem Reap
Behind the Old Market near ANZ
Phone : 063 965 687
Store Hours: 7:00am to 10:00pm