Travel: Family Road Trip

To kick-off my local travel for the year, I started with a fun road trip with the family. Since my sister and her family was visiting from the US, its the perfect time for a family vacay. What better way for a family to bond than a road trip; 11 people crammed inside a van (including luggage), long drive and 3 kids (one 4 year old). Spell F-U-N. Hahahaha

Wind Turbines of Bangui

Here's a breakdown of our daily activities:

Day 1: Start of our travel up North. 1st stop - Vigan

Points of Interest:

Weaving Center - You'll get to see how the intricately made weaved cloths and products are made.Its also a good place to buy souvenirs and the products of the center (Table runners and place mats? What about bags and coin purses? Anyone?)

Burnay Jars Factory - Burnay are large jars made of clay, and they serve multiple purposes (originally used to hold water in the provinces) now mostly its decorative and used in Landscaping. For a fee, you can get a try in making a jar (word of advise, do not wear white).


Bantay Bell Tower and Saint Agustine Parish Church (Bantay Church) - Its always a good idea to say thanks for the safe journey coming there (and safe journey going back home).

Saint Agustine Parish Church

Bantay Bell Tower

Calle Crisologo - Ofcourse, onc could equate Vigan with the famous Calle Crisologo. Its a a heritage site for a reason with its Spanish colonial architecture and cobble stone streets, its like a time warp to the past.

Posing with the architecture

Calle Crisologo at night

Where to stay: We stayed at Vigan Plaza Hotel. Their coffee during breakfast is yummy, good way to start the day.

Where to eat: Try Cafe Leona.

What not to miss: Vigan langgonisa with sukang iloko. Also, the Vigan empanada.

Vigan Plaza Hotel

Vigan Plaza Hotel

Day 2: Headed way up North. next stop - Pagudpud

Pagudpud is dubbed as the Boracay of the north. Its probably the most famous beach north of Luzon. On route to Pagudpud, we stopped by several landmarks.

Paoay Church (Church of San Agustin) - This baroque church dates back to the 1600's and just like Vigan, Paoay church is considered as a Unesco World heritage site. While visiting, be respectful, this is a place of worship.

Paoay Church

Paoay

Malacanang of the North -The former  president's residence when he's in town.  Good place to take pictures and appreciate the architecture as well as the furnishings.

View of the lake

View from the house

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse -Make sure you reach the top to see the beautiful view. Two ways to get there: 1. Hike your way up or 2. Just grab a ticycle. :)

Cape Bojeador

Bangui Windmills - well technically not windmills (like what you see in Europe), but these wind turbines is a definite stop on your way to Pagudpud. Several of them jot out the horizon as you approach and these also provide the necessary power to the area.

Bangui Wind Turbines

Blue Lagoon - this is the famous beach of Pagudpud. Several resorts dot the area so there's no shortage of places to stay and eat. The beach is nice, it has a gentle slope so you can go a little farther from the shore without worrying that'll be deep already. I also liked that it was a sandy beach (especially if you're freaked out easily if you step on something).

Where to stay: We stayed at Casa Consuelo. What I liked is that its a beachfront resort (the beach though is rocky) and it has a pool.

Casa Consuelo

Enjoying the sunset by the beach

Selfie early in the morning

Tanning

Day 3: On route to Baguio

From Pagudpud, we were on route to Baguio, but, we had to do a quick stopover at a relatives house for a quick visit since it was on the way anyway.

Patapat viaduct - local version of the Pacific coast highway in California.

Patapat Viaduct

Basically, for the whole day today all we did was drive to reach Baguio, however, due to the distance we had to stop at La Union for the night so we can rest.

Enjoying some beer while watching the waves

Day 4: Finally - Baguio

I've only been to Baguio 2x, once for a day trip when I was 10, and last year, on route going home just to buy from Good Shepherd. So probably this is the longest I've stayed here.

The Mansion - this is the summer vacation of of the current Philippine presidents. No visit to Baguio would be complete without having a picture here.

The Mansion

Camp John Hay - another must, surrounded by lush greenery, its a nice place to have a picnic.

Happy to be in Baguio

Mines View Park - a nice vantage point to see the mountains, although this place has a lot (I mean a lot) of people. Outside, its a good place to buy souvenirs to bring home.

Flowers and plants for sale at Mines View Park

Good Shepherd - one famous pasalubong when in Bagiuo is the famous Ube of Good Shepher. Another thing you can get here, the Alamid Coffee or Civet Coffee. Basically, the coffee beans are extracted from the poop of the Civet cat who eats the coffee cherries which in turn poops out the beans :)

Alamid coffee at Good Shepherd

Where to stay: We stayed at Azalea Residences.  

Day 5 - time to go home.

Well, after reading this post, you might get tired because we were constantly going from one place to another each day. Anyway, it was a lot of fun and definitely made us closer (I mean we were in the van for the longest time during this trip). :)

Read the complete post in my travel blog - christianjohntravel.blogspot.com

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