from la union to vigan... (the heritage city)

to follow-up my last post 'bout my la union trip/vacation... i know, i know, it has been taking too long. but there's just so many things to do... i have a job and a life too. :)

well, there really isn't much to say but our supposedly trip to the haven that me and my bestfriend dreamed of didn't push through. i guess pagudpud would have to wait for some other time. the van we rode on, which is owned by my bestfriend's family, is not that much up to very long trips anymore. a trip to pagudpud will take 5-6 hours from san fernando city (la union). so, we just opted for a shorter trip to vigan. i didn't regret it though... vigan isn't a bad option. besides, it was my first time to visit ilocos, so why would i complain?

vigan is about 2-3 hours drive from my bestfriend's place. the travel time isn't that bad considering the nice scenery you will be passing by on the way. we tried to take pictures while on the road, but we missed most of the best shots or it's just that we can't get a decent shot. it's so hard to take pictures while in transit. besides, we were too engulfed in the beauty of the sights we were passing by that we forget to take out our cameras earlier. but nevertheless, the moment we stepped on to vigan soils, we can't help but to shoot... and shoot... and shoot!

the first thought that came into my mind when i saw vigan was that it was like intramuros, only way, way better. although intramuros has somehow preserved some of our very rich cultural heritage in the form of old buildings and houses, i can't say that it's the same outside of it. there were so many old houses and buildings that have been destroyed in manila to give way to new constructions.

i admire how vigan was able to preserve our rich filipino heritage by keeping the old architectural designs. my bestfriend said that it is a requirement in the city that when new business establishments are constructed, the old architectural designs must be retained and preserved. heck, i nearly didn't recognize mcdonald's there, if not for the big yellow "M" sign. even this popular american fastfood looks like an old spanish house. and to my surprise, i saw a familiar insignia on one of the buildings in vigan. i felt reminiscent looking at it since i was once an employee of its makati head office. i am talking about the CAP building, which looks very much different from its other branches. of course, it also has a spanish look and feel to it, blending nicely with all other establishments in the area.

since we arrived in vigan at around lunch time, we looked for a place to eat. there was one place my bestfriend was talking about but we couldn't find it, so we ended up at cafe leona. it's just a small, cozy restaurant near the heritage village. they don't only serve good ilocano food but the nice interiors of the restaurant would also nourish your artistic appetites.

after munching on some ilocano treats such as bagnet, diningding (which is an ilocano version of pinakbet), vigan longganisa, and some chicken at cafe leona, we proceeded to the heritage city where more shooting and a little shopping took place.

the heritage city of vigan is also much like the wow philippines tiangge in intramuros. you can buy local products ranging from food to crafts. although i never really bought anything for myself, i did buy one small remembrance for a friend. it's a miniature carriage-like swing made of wood. i chose it because i noticed that it is very typical to find one of these swings in the heritage village. i just don't know if it's also the same for the whole of vigan. in fact, tourists like to take pictures sitting on those wooden swings.

here are more of the pics i took at the hertiage city...

our trip doesn't stop here... but of course, i will reserve my story and pictures on the next installment of my la union - vigan trip post. :p

paul and kleng's wedding

wow! its been such a great while since ive blogged. having a job, i guess, doesnt do my blog any good. hehe.... but i miss blogging though. actually, there are so much that i need to blog about. there's this blog that i was supposed to write about a friend's wedding, but.... as usual, until now i never have written it. :( the fact that i lost the camera where all the pics i have taken from that wedding were doesn't give me any enthusiasm to start writing. well, apart from posting conspi's monthly schedule, that is.

but here it goes...

those who are familiar with my blog would know that the wedding blog i am talking about is supposed to be a follow-up to the proposal and engagement blog and the bridal shower blog i have written some time, if not ages, ago. now, my drive and excitement to write about that wedding has somehow waned because i havent got any pix to show how great that occasion was. but anyhow, i will still try to post a simple blog to remember that day.

yes, kleng, one of my very good friends, has finally tied the knot at 32 on november 24, 2007. (hmmm.... akala ko mare hindi na tayo ikakasal... ako lang pala yun... ahehehe!) it was one of the most beautiful weddings i have attended. well, actually most of my close friends' weddings were great. but since i havent gone to weddings in a veeeeeeeery long time already, this recent one can be considered as the best... hehe...



i am kinda happy that i needed not wear anything fantabulous. coz at least for this wedding, i didnt have any part to play. whew! i had been a bride's maid, a candle sponsor, and a veil sponsor in weddings. (never was a cord sponsor or a maid of honor though...) but for this wedding, i was just a simple guest... yipee! although i have also attended weddings where i was also a guest, most of the time i play a role if it's a friend's wedding. and when i dont play any part in the wedding, my closest friends would know that i dont wear a dress or a gown. and so, i wore pants on kleng's wedding, matched with an indian inspired top. but of course i dressed suitable for the occasion even though i did not wear a gown you know! :D


that night before kleng's wedding, i was supposed to spend the night at the hotel with her. but i did not go because i was not feeling too well and i thought too that she needed much rest in preparation for her wedding the next day. knowing kleng and myself, we will just talk and talk the whole night and never sleep. so, i just dropped by at the hotel the day of the wedding instead of going straight to the church.


when i arrived at the hotel, kleng was already fully made up. she looked glorious in white.... like me, kleng never really dress-up that much. i guess that is why when she does, she really looks gorgeous. naks! (sister, love your own kse di ba!?! ;p) in the hotel room, i saw her family and a few close friends. and just a few minutes after i arrived, all were set to take pictures. apart from the professional photographers, i and kleng's freinds also took pictures with our own cameras. but sadly, i wasn't able to save mine. huhuhu.... after all the kodakan, we all got ready to leave for the church. i rode with two people, one is kleng's friend and the other is paul's (the groom), following the bridal car.

in the church, i met some of the groom's friends. together with them, i and my companions seated together. it was the first time i had been to the hearts of mary and jesus parish, which is also popularly called "twin hearts." i have heard so much about this church before. they said it is a very nice, small church in west triangle that is very ideal for intimate weddings. and indeed it is... kleng and paul's choice was great. the ceremony was also very touching because the priest who officiated the wedding shared and sang a beautiful song about commitment. (which reminds me that i have to ask kleng for the title for the nth time.) after the wedding, instead of throwing rice, the guests where given little bubble bottles to blow baby bubbles on the newly-weds. while doing just that, i realized that you cant really empty out the bubble bottle cause its not that easy to blow bubbles even though you try hard as you can. naubusan lang naman ako ng hininga! :D

the place where the reception was held was also very nice, although am not really that familiar with the place. i especially liked the tree outside that was peppered with long strings of small bright lights glowing in the early evening. it actually reminded me of a weeping willow tree, only a glowing one. although i havent really seen a live one, only in pictures, i really like how that kind of tree looks. there were also small candles inside mini-paper bags that light the stairs and walkway going to the reception hall. parang fairytale... hehe... i felt like sleeping beauty lost in the woods guided only by these mini-lights. as in ganun talaga ang effect... :D

another surprising thing on this event was the reception itself. instead of having table numbers, the couple thought of having the tables named after signifcant people, things, or events in their lives. actually, i forgot what the name of my table was. i think it was "pau & mau." if i remember it right, pau was the designer of the cartoon on the wedding invites, while mau naman was repsonsible yata for the invitation itself and the wedding favors. ayun... there was also a table named "conspiracy...." o di ba... why? kasi nga di ba, thats where paul prosposed to kleng on valentines day, while noel cabangon was playing??? o di ba, significant talaga ako sa kanila? this thing about the table names was explained as an introduction to a game. the hosts said that those names on the tables are connected to both the bride and the groom. and so, they asked trivias bout the newly weds in connection with those table names. i was able to answer one question cause obvious naman na dapat alam ko ang sagot. the question was, where did paul propose to kleng? nakakainis no? ang hirap ng tanong?

so there.... the things i have mentioned are the most important things for me in paul&kleng's wedding. actually, there are a lot, but those topped my list. and lastly, of all weddings i have attended, this couple is my favorite. they never get tired of having their pictures taken... as in... paul and kleng..... ADIK!!! :D congrats again chummies... oh, double congratulations cause kleng is now expecting a baby... o di ba ang bilis ni papa paul? love ya papa G and mama G!!! cant wait for baby G!

p.s. salamat sa mga ninakaw ko ng walang paalam na pictures sa multiply site ni paul . :D ;p pasensya na po... :)


pati singers mana sa ikinasal, adik! :D

ops! wag mabahala... hindi po dalawa ang pinakasalan ni kleng. isa lamang. bahala na kayong manghula kung sino jan.... ahehehe!!!