Snapshot on the road: The windmills of Bangui, Ilocos

Travel round-up for 2012

I started out this blog a year ago not knowing if people would actually spend their precious time reading what I write in it. And as the year ends, I want to thank all of you who have read, commented and joined me in my trips. This blog has opened my eyes to new horizons and have been an avenue for me to bond with friends and meet (even just online) some of the most friendly and down to earth travelers/backpackers/ nomads out there.

So as we say goodbye to 2012, let me take you to the trips that made me smile and realize that though we may have been to a lot of places, there are still a lot more waiting to be discovered and explored. Happy new year everyone! :-)

                                                        Southeast Asia

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Putrajaya, Malaysia

Putrajaya, Malaysia

Singapore

Singapore

Singapore

Philippines

Biri, Northern Samar

Biri, Northern Samar

Biri, Northern Samar

Vigan, Ilocos Sur

Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales

Angono, Rizal

Paoay, Ilocos

Kapurpurawan Rock, Ilocos

Vigan, Ilocos Sur

Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales

      

Bangui Windmills, Ilocos

                                                                                                         

Batac: Home of the best empanada

Part of the reason why I wanted to go back to Ilocos is because I wanted to try the famous empanada from Batac.  Empanada is a meat pastry consisting of papaya, monggo, longganisa (sausage) and one whole egg wrapped in an orange colored flour wrapper.  This was for me, a complete meal in itself.  Ilocos has a lot of versions of empanada and I have only tried the one from Laoag which also has an orange colored wrapper.  Vigan's version though has a light brown color.  But they say the best empanada comes from the city of Batac.  So in my recent trip to Ilocos, I made sure that we stop over at Batac.

Apparently, empanadas in Batac are quite easy to find.  Situated near the Marcos Museum is the Batac Riverside Empanadahan which houses several outlets selling empanadas.  It seems that the local government is really promoting it.  I even heard that they have an Empanada festival here celebrated every June 23rd.  

Among the most famous empanada here are from Glory's Empanada owned by Gloria Aduana Cocson.  Determined to help her husband raise their family, she perfected her empanada recipe. Through her hardwork and determination, her empanada business grew and it became so popular that Gloria was awarded the prestigious "Kalipi Award" on 2003 and the rest as they say, is history.

Of Windmills and Rocks

When I drafted my travel plans for 2012, Ilocos has been one of my top choices.  I have been to Ilocos before but there is something out there that has kept me coming back.  Who can resist its beautiful landscapes, the abundant history, devoted and loyal people and the very famous bagnet and empanada?

A lot of people go to Ilocos because it's quite easy to get there.  One can either take atleast a 7-hr bus ride or hop on a plane and be there in about an hour.  There are a lot of places to explore and though I have been to Ilocos before, I still felt excited when we went out of the plane and greeted my Ilocana friend.

Ilocos is divided into two parts - llocos Norte and Ilocos Sur.  Ilocos Norte's capital is Laoag City while Vigan City is the capital of Ilocos Sur.  Aside from having very beautiful and  historical landmarks, Ilocos is also known as the birthplace of one Philippines' most controversial presidents, the late Ferdinand Marcos.

Our group hired a jeepney for the duration of our trip and paid the driver Php5,000 for the entire two days.  It was a bit expensive but we figured out that it was our best option since we only have limited time.  I've heard there are free shuttle buses from Laoag City airport going to the city proper so it would be easy to plan out your itinerary once there.

Our first stop was the Bangui windmills or officially known as the NorthWind Bangui Bay Project.  It was my first time to actually go near the windmills and it was a lot bigger than I have imagined.  The windmills stand tall facing the South China Sea. The windmills of Bangui has turned Ilocos' ingenious idea to use wind power to supply electricity to the nearby towns.

View from the Bangui windmills viewdeck

The windmills up close

Big waves crashing along the shores

Bangui souvenirs

Our next destination was the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation.  The rock formation is characterized by a white limestones thus the name, "Kapurpurawan" meaning white in Ilokano unlike the rock formations in Magasang and Macadlao.  The provincial government has constructed a walk way going to the rock's view deck so it's a lot easier to reach it now.  But one still needs to go through the back side to actually reach Kapurpurawan.

The road that leads to the rock

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation

 A nice scene to cap off our first day in Ilocos:

Sunset in Kapurpurawan