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| Vigan Heritage, Calle Crisologo |
At first, I had no idea what would happen on this travel since this Vigan trip was just an extra itinerary. I have already mentioned this from my previous post. I only had an idea about Vigan through other bloggers and travelers who posted their own Vigan experiences on the internet. We hit the road Sunday afternoon, from Pangasinan and heading to the Ilocos region. We stopped at La Union to visit a relative. From them, we learned that it will take us a 4-5 hour drive from there. Pakner4lyf decided to call the hotel where we intended to stay. It was a good decision since we arrived at Vigan past 10 o'clock in the evening. It was a good idea that we chose to spend a night in Vigan so Pakner4lyf could rest completely and regain his energy for our Vigan tour the next day.
I am glad to have looked for Vigan on the internet, and most travelers have commented that museums are closed on Mondays. Since our first day in Vigan is Monday, I have already looked for places to go aside from the Museums. We stayed at Grandpa's Inn, which is located near the Plaza and the Vigan's City Hall. All Museums are also located within the area, and the famous "Calle Crisologo" highlights the view of the Old Spanish Houses. Here's how I made our tour:
Day 1
All of these places are not too far from the area we chose to stay. Pakner4lyf drives the car to visit these places. All the Bigueños (Vigan Residents) were friendly and gave the exact directions on how to reach the places we wished to go. I forgot to include the Dancing Fountain attraction in the Plaza. We should have been at the Plaza after going to Hidden Garden to witness the Dancing Fountain. We saw the Plaza the next day, but the Dancing Fountain can only be viewed at night.
Day 2
- Burgos Museum
- Crisologo Museum
- Syquia Mansion (still closed when we arrive)
- Calle Crisologo (Heart of Vigan Heritage)
Take note that most of these places ask for a very minimal fee or donations for entrance. Compared to other themed parks that ask for parking fees and separate entrance fees per person, this really costs too much.
Why do I consider our Vigan trip to be different and extraordinary?
1. Because of all the wonderful and beautiful people.
My family noticed that all Bigueños and Ilocanos are polite. They warmly welcome tourists, gladly assist with your needs, and are honest. One remarkable experience was when I was in a store buying Ilocos Vinegar. It was getting dark, and my mom hardly noticed the money she had given to the vendor. The vinegar costs P45. She had already given P40 (she handed two P20 bills to the vendor) and then asked me if I had a P5 coin to pay for the vinegar. While we were searching our pockets, the vendor said, "Oh! This one is already P500." She was so honest and returned it right away. How many people would be honest and return that money? I already mentioned our Calesa driver. He was very considerate toward my children- three toddlers! He gladly assisted us, especially when the children needed help getting in and out of the Calesa. He insisted on taking our camera and capturing photos of the children and the family. Very friendly indeed! He was not only a driver; he played the role of a tour guide and acted like a part of our family. Tourist guides and hotel staff were all very nice and accommodating.
2. Tourist Friendly
The local government of Vigan City did a great job organizing and promoting tourism in this area. It has helped local Bigueños earn and create more livelihoods due to tourism. Compared to other cities, I haven't seen beggars on the streets or children selling things. Frequent travelers know what I mean. As soon as these child and adult vendors see an approaching car in the parking lot, they run toward the car, knocking on the window and asking you to buy something from them - they can be so irritating, and it makes me feel harassed. I even noticed that souvenir prices are regulated, with no overpricing. In every place we've been, they have uniform prices. In each spot we've visited, there is a large map of Vigan showing your location and the places you should see (refer to the photo below). It's easy to plan and organize your own trip here based on our experience. We can confidently say that this will not be our last trip; we are hoping for more visits to Vigan in the future - we want to come back!
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| Map guiding every tourists of their current location |
3. Philippine Culture Preserved
I hated History/Araling Panlipunan subjects during my school days. Because of this tip, I have come to appreciate the things I learned in school. While on the road, I started to recall the northern regions and kept asking my partner what part of the map we were in, recalling historical events that took place here. Vigan brings us closer to the old Philippine culture that significant cities in the Philippines are starting to lose. Vigan offers an actual experience to learn more about and relate to Philippine history and culture.
If you haven't been to Vigan, I encourage you to plan your trip now. If you do, I'd love to hear about your personal experiences.
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