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Why I keep on coming back to Ilocos
Here’s the thing: Despite the overwhelming amount of tasks that I do in my work and school, I still always make sure that I get out of Manila at least once every quarter. How do they call it again? “Soul-searching”? “Breather”? Time for “contemplation”? Whatever.
I realized, though, that as a traveler, I don’t really like going to the same place twice. For some reason, I think it’s a waste of time. No matter how beautiful a place is, if I’ve been there already, I wouldn’t want to go back there anymore. But that’s just me.
Ilocos is famous for its towering windmills, which are capable of producing electricity for most parts of the region.
But Ilocos is a different case. If you visit my made-up hashtag on Instagram where I compile all my travel photos, you would see that ¼ of the pictures are of the Ilocos region. In fact, just three weeks ago, my travel-hungry soul found myself back in the loving, warm arms of the province again.
I just love this place. Here are four reasons why:
1. Their gastronomy is always goodie good-ah!
I remember that the first food that I ate during my first visit here was their Vigan longganisa. Upon tasting this dish, I already knew that Ilocos and I were a match made in heaven. Vigan longganisa has garlic bits and is best partnered with their sukang Iloko, resulting in a weird mixture of “garlickiness” and spiciness. This is different from other provinces’ longganisa. In Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, for instance, their longganisa is made of beef and is usually sweet, while Bulacan’s is typically salty as it’s added with garlic and peppercorn.
How about their Pinakbet Pizza? Yes, they have that! Well, it’s basically just pizza but its toppings are the usual pinakbet vegetables such as string beans, bitter gourd, and tomatoes.
I was at the restaurant that claims to be “the birthplace of Pinakbet Pizza” when I first tasted it, and then my classmate said, “It tastes weird, ‘no?” But after a few more bites, she added, “But tastes so damn good.” Yes, can’t define it any better!
The gastronomy of Ilocos is very flavorful. And funny. Some of their local dishes have weird-sounding names like poqui-poqui (grilled eggplant sautéed in onions, tomatoes, and beaten eggs) and utong (adobo made out of string beans). Given these names, there’s no way you wouldn’t be curious to taste them, right?
Since Ilocos faces the West Philippine Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the north--meaning the region is a coastal one-- seafood is pretty affordable and popular here. During a road trip, we stopped by a local eatery along the sea and we got to eat seafood dishes like Sinigang na Blue Marlin sa Miso (tamarind-based soup with swordfish; unlike the traditional sinigang, the vegetables here are usually cabbage and red bell pepper) and sashimi (a popular Japanese delicacy made of thinly sliced fresh, raw meat or fish) for a very cheap price only. These dishes are kind of pricey in Manila. But in Ilocos? These are priced as though they’re just snacks! Sashimi, for one, costs around P500.00 in Manila but can be bought for only P100.00 in Ilocos! So yep, you can order not just for yourself but also for your friend, too. Sweet!
Add Vigan empanada (grated unripe papaya and raw egg with sautéed Vigan longganisa, covered in crispy orange wrap), bagnet (deep-fried crispy pork belly), and sinanglaw (soup made of a cow’s internal organs such as lungs, intestines, and boiled blood)--among so many others--in your platter, and for sure you’ll want to come back!
2. Ilocanos are the nicest. Really.
I accidentally tumbled in the sands while I was sandboarding in La Paz Sand Dunes during my first Ilocos trip. I couldn’t keep my balance while in the sandboard simply because I’m the most uncoordinated person ever. I didn’t realize though that my iPhone fell off and eventually got covered in sands. I lost hope that I would find it again because, hello, we were in the middle of sand dunes.
But after about 30 minutes, the sandboarding boys called me and said they got to retrieve my phone! Apparently, they didn’t stop rummaging through the sands to look for my phone when I first asked them if they saw it. Thanks, guys!
My recent visit to Ilocos, meanwhile, couldn’t get any better to make me realize that Ilocanos are not just honest but also the most hospitable hosts I’ve ever met.
During my recent two-day stay here with my classmate, we got to meet a very nice and welcoming family who helped us get through our class project. They helped us get in touch with Paoay’s mayor, vice mayor, and chief barangay captain for a series of interviews; they assisted us with our lodging; and they even toured us around Ilocos!
My classmate and I invited their whole family to a dinner on the eve of our departure to Manila, on us, to thank them for all the help they gave us. There, we got to exchange so many stories about their life in the region which made me love Ilocos and the Ilocanos even more!
“Lola Charing,” for instance, says she heads the senior citizens’ group of Paoay and spearheads projects like becoming the welcoming committee to guests and holding dancing activities--all of which highlight the loving and jovial characteristics of the Ilocanos. Also, she shares that every time she meets a group of friends or family that visits Ilocos, she asks her younger relatives to tour them around the region. True enough, that’s exactly what she did for me and my classmate. Thank you, Lola Charing and family, for being very generous hosts!
3. Despite the tone of authority, the Ilocano dialect is just lovely
The Ilocano dialect shocks you for different reasons. Like for instance, after having interviewed a source for the documentary that I was filming with my classmate, that particular person told us, “Dios ti agngina.” When he said that fluently, I thought he was cussing on us so I literally stopped breathing for a second. Good thing, though, that he added, “Sa Ilocano, ibig sabihin nu’n ay ‘Good luck.’” Oh, okay. Thank you, then!
It’s pretty fun to learn their dialect, which has a distinct roughness in it. The tone of authority that it naturally has is totally different compared to the sweetness that there is in Ilonggo or to the loud excitement that there is in Kapampangan. The Ilocano dialect is strong and unmissable.
Some of the Ilocano phrases that I learned while there are “Naragsakak a maamammoka” (Pleased to meet you), “Naimbag nga aldaw” (Good day), “Sagmamano daytoy?” (How much is this?), and “Agyamanak” (Thank you).
And how do you say “I love you” in Ilocano?
“Ay-ayaten ka!” You’re welcome!
3. Selfie-friendly tourist destinations are literally left and right!
Tourist attractions in Ilocos are just a few kilometers away from one another, making the region best for a road trip. If you’re starting your tour from Ilocos Sur all the way up to the tip of Ilocos Norte, you can do so many things in one day already: You can start the trip by gallivanting through history as you stroll along Calle Crisologo in Vigan, which is one of the New7Wonder Cities of the World. It’s famous globally because of its well-preserved structures that used to be a home to the elite during the Spanish era.
But Calle Crisologo is not the only place to visit to when in Vigan. From museums such as the Crisologo Museum and Burgos Museum, to churches such as St. Paul’s Cathedral and Bantay Church & Bell Tower, and to other fancy places such as Hidden Garden, Baluarte Ni Chavit, and Syquia Mansion, there’s no way you’ll run out of places to visit to when you’re here.
Driving further up north, you can visit the wonders of Ilocos Norte. During my recent visit, our hosts toured us around and made sure that Ilocos will forever be etched in our hearts: We went to La Paz Sand Dunes, which happens to be my favorite place here. You can do a lot of sand activities here such as going on a 4x4 wheel ride adventure, sandboarding, and riding an ATV.
We also got to pray at the famous Paoay Church and even have a road trip all the way to Paoay Lake, Malacanang of the North, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Marcos Mausoleum, and Kapurpurawan Rock Formation! Our turista level was on 10 the whole time! Our selfie sticks and cameras almost gave up on us. Whew!
And of course, you can cap off your road trip by going all the way to Pagudpud, which is famous for its turquoise sea water, white sands, and cold breeze. I went here during my first Ilocos trip with my college friends. Although we weren’t able to swim that time because our Manileño bodies couldn’t stand the cold Pagudpud breeze, we could tell it was worth the visit. The sight alone was unforgettable.
Although I’m still yet to visit many parts of the country, I know that Ilocos will always be dear to me. It’s not just their food and tourist attractions that make it so; the people I met and the experiences I had along the way make Ilocos very special to me. It sucks you in like a vacuum to make you feel part of their community at least for a few days. When here, you’re not a tourist but a true-blooded Ilocano. That’s how it feels.
Filipino hospitality is surely evident across the country. But the warm reception of the Ilocanos is on a whole, new level. Their local dishes make you feel home, their tourist spots will blast your artsy feeds, and the Ilocanos make you feel that you’re welcome in their humble place all the time--that there’s always a place for you to go to in times you need to escape.
As Ilocos is in the northwest coast of the country, the sunset here is majestic. The photo above is taken in La Paz Sand Dunes.
As my classmate and I were waiting for our bus heading back to Manila, the family who assisted us with our lodging and everything arrived and gave each of us a bagful of garlic (Ilocos is among the top producers of garlic, FYI).
See? Ilocos always makes sure that you bring something with you when you leave. In my case, literally, it was the bawang. Figuratively, it was the sense that you’ll always have a second home in Ilocos.---BMS,GMA Public Affairs
