Vigan

Vigan, for me, would have been the best place in the Philippines to take a ‘kalesa’ (horse-drawn carriage) ride, but I did not. It was an opportunity missed, but I took what was a far second best option --- the tricycle. So here are my shots of the streets of Vigan aboard the tricycle.

I did not have an idea as to how much the fare cost. I simply just gave 10 pesos for a short afternoon trip from the Plaza to my hotel since I felt that 10 pesos would be reasonable for the distance traveled and the locale I was in . The driver did not complain and sped off. Afterwards, I confirmed with the hotel personnel the fare. He added that drivers would charge more at night. Well, the idea that streets lengthen at night  is not exactly new to me. 

Not taking the kalesa was not a complete  loss, however.  Vigan is best enjoyed on foot. The ‘old’ district is a little more than a square kilometer I think. It was a delight to be walking on the streets of Vigan, particularly Crisologo Street. I would occasionally cross paths with foreigners, but frequently with local tourists. The colors and scents emanating from the souvenir, craft and food shops confirmed the thriving tourism in Vigan, and it was not even a weekend when we went there. Vigan’s appeal rests on the feeling and mood it invokes in its visitors. The place is a tremendous source of Filipino pride for me. To be able to freeze a town’s architecture and structure that showcase a lifestyle that mirrors Filipino life then and now is a feat worth recognizing. UNESCO came ahead of me in recognizing the town’s charm when it inscribed Vigan as a World Heritage Site.

As I said, Vigan is best explored on foot, and this I did with much passion. So here are my ‘on foot’ photos.

They have these trykes, too.

For P150, you get to tour Vigan. I would have spent this much for the experience if time permitted. Our schedule was full.

Calle Crisologo

Oops...This one was taken from the hotel balcony.