4 – Baluarte ni Chavit Singson (Chavit’s Fortress)
A few minutes drive from Vigan lies a wildlife sanctuary owned by Chavit Singson – former governor of Ilocos Sur.
It is like a mini zoo where you can see some endangered species and animals. You can also interact with some of them! There is a part of Baluarte called Safari Gallery where the collection of his wild animal hunting and preserved wild animals are being kept.
5 – Banaoang Bridge
We left Ilocos with this stunning view.
Also known as the Quirino Bridge, it was named after the late President of the Philippines, Elpidio Quirino. This bridge connects Santa and Bantay town and crosses the Abra River.
The first photo shows the old bridge which is no longer used, whereas the second picture of the bridge is the new one. It is usually chilly and windy here because of the breeze of the river.
Take care when you take pictures here as there are vehicles that usually pass by. This is just a perfect way to end our tour, the magnificent view of the sun here and the feel of nature were our farewell gift from Ilocos.
Food to try:
Igado
Igado is a popular Ilocano dish made from pork tenderloin and pig’s innards such as liver, kidney, heart.
Vigan longanisa
Vigan longanisa is an Ilocano sausage delicacy with a plenty of garlic and spices in the mixture. These are garlicky, spicy, tangy, and salty with the distinct pungent aroma stir-fried on its own rendered fat.
Bagnet
Bagnet is an Ilocano version of deep fried crispy pork belly.
Tinubong
Tinubong means cooking a mixture of young coconut meat, sugar, margarine, cheese, and ground glutinous rice inside a young bamboo or tubong.
To be continued…
(Read more about The Ultimate Ilocandia Adventure here – The Ultimate Ilocandia Adventure – Part 2)
