Malacanang of the North

One of the major attractions in Ilocos Norte is the Malacanang of the North which was built during the time of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos. This mansion done in typical 14th century stone house of the rich during the era is now maintained as a museum.

It is worth visiting to experience even for a while the opulent lifestyle of the former first couple of the Philippines. The place is a showcase of Philippine made furniture and fixtures. Since this Malacanang of the North is situated by Paoay Lake and has large capiz windows on all sides, you can enjoy the breeze coming from the lake.

Northern Exposure

I have been planning for the longest time to go to Pagudpud in northernmost tip of the Philippines. So I immediately booked an airline ticket when Cebu Pacific offered a round trip ticket to Laoag for only P1K(US$23.25). Traveling to Ilocos has been made easy and cheap with Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines now flying to Laoag on a daily basis.

Ilocos Norte was a revelation. I was not expecting much because of my disappointment with Ilocos Sur where I went many years ago to see Vigan. Ilocos Sur offers nothing much for tourists except for the row of old houses along Crisologo Street in Vigan. And these are not really impressive considering the long bus ride to go to Vigan from Manila. So I suggest that if you travel to Ilocos, best to used Laoag as a base. From Laoag you can do a day trip to Vigan which is only 2 hours away by land travel, and to the many other interesting tourists spots of Ilocos Norte. There are also more reasonably priced, and more and better options for accommodations in Laoag.

In Laoag, you will be impressed by its cleanliness and the numerous attractions which includes an old church (St. Williams Catherdral), the sinking Bell Tower, the Museo Ilocos Norte (this is small musuem but world class in its presentation), and the provincial capitol and city government office. All these sights are beautifully lit at night making Laoag a City of Lights in its own right.

There are also many restaurants offering local cuisine like bagnet, empanada and pinakbet.

So if you go North, make Laoag your hub for traveling around Ilocos!

Kalibo's Congee

A fresh take on congee and as an alternative breakfast is the Congee at the Wellness Kitchen in Kalibo, Aklan. I discovered the Wellness Kitchen on a side trip to Kalibo before proceeding to Boracay.

Their Congee is made of locally grown black rice mixed with free range chicken and fresh garlic and onion. This is supposedly a healthy breakfast from a pioneering fresh produce restaurant in Aklan. This Congee is priced at a very reasonable P50 (US$1.16).

Sail on Boracay

It used to be that boats were allowed to "park" anywhere along the shoreline of Boracay. That it got to a point that this beautiful beach became one large parking area for local outrigger and motorized boats posing great risks to safety of Boracay tourists.

Thankfully through the efforts of the local government and the Department of Tourism boats are no longer allowed to go into the main beach of Boracay but have been provided with a jetty specifically for the purpose of embarkation and disembarkation of tourists. This was despite the strong protests of misguided resort owners and tourists. The beach is now earmarked for the use and enjoyment of the growing number of Boracay visitors.

The only boats now allowed to park but only in a specified area of the beach and to sail on the shoreline on late afternoons are the local sail boats called "Paraw". Watching Boracay sunsets therefore has become more enjoyable with Paraws sailing in the horizon as the sun sets in the beautiful Boracay coastline.

Wow Peanuts!

For peanut lovers, a must try is Wow Mani which another outstanding food product from Pampanga. This brand of peanuts lives up to its promise in its label of peanuts so crunchy, garlic so crispy and taste so good ... Guaranteed!

A 400 gram jar cost P130 (US $3.00) at Suzies in Dao, Pampanga. It is also available in Everybody's Cafe ( in Pampanga) and at a halo halo joint at Alfredos Restaurant along Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

Try Wow Mani. Peanuts have not tasted this good!

Discovering Pako Salad

An interesting discovery during a recent trip in Pampanga was the Pako Salad. This salad was highly recommended by one of the food attendants of Cely's Restaurant in Dao at the Nepo Mart. If not for her insistence I would not have tried this dish.

Thanks to her, I discovered the Pako Salad. This is made of fresh wild fern mixed with fresh tomatoes and onions and salted egg. Dressing is a special vinegar concoction which made the salad truly delightful. I also tried the Pako Salad at Everybody's Cafe (along MacArthur Highway in San Fernando with a branch at Nepo Mart, Dao) but I prefer Cely's Pako Salad. It is the vinegar dressing that made the difference.

One serving of the salad cost P70 (US$1.63) at Cely's and P75 (US1.74) at Everybody's Cafe.

Heavenly Tibok-Tibok

Heavenly is this milk pudding which I discovered recently during a trip to Pampanga. The sweet dessert is called Tibok-tibok, which is made from white rice and carabao's milk topped with latik (made from coconut meat). The dessert has the right amount of sweetness and melts in your mouth. It counts as one of my favorite Filipino delicacies.

Tibok-tibok is available at Suzie's Cuisine at Nepo Mart in Dao Pampanga. This is a short one hour drive from Balitawak, Quezon City if you take the North Expressway. It cost P25(US$.58) for a small slice and P100 (US$3.32) for a small box.