Impressed by Ilocos Norte's Incredible Beauty (Part 3)

Staring at some familiar scenes in the same rough and rugged landscape I’ve visited about a year ago, I wondered, as I sat inside the bus bound for Laoag City (which was my home away from home for several days), if I wasn’t wasting my time, money, and effort to revisit Ilocos Norte. I mean, wasn’t the first time enough to see what’s there to see and then write something about it? Is the second coming worth all the hassles of a ten-hour trip? Is it practical to fork out a substantial amount to explore it once again?

Juan and Antonio Luna Monument in Badoc

Well, I got my answers after completing a grueling but gratifying four-day journey from Badoc to Pagudpud. And yes, it was worth it all! I realized that revisiting certain places I’ve grown fond of—and that includes the amazing province in the Ilocos Region—is like seeing old friends whose company you’ve missed. You get to catch up on what’s the latest, get to know more about them, and explore a different side that you’ve missed during the last visit.

A glimpse of Blue Lagoon from Bantay Abot Cave in Pagudpud

Familiarity may breed contempt, as the cliché goes, but it can also bring about feelings of belongingness, intimacy, and attachment to people and places. Ilocos Norte made me feel I belonged. This account of my visits and/or revisits to Badoc, Bangui, Batac, Pagudpud and Sarrat during the Lenten break this year is an attestation to that. I also dropped by Bacarra, Pasuquin, and San Nicolas so I’m thinking of another post about them at some future time. For now, I’d like to focus on these towns:

La Virgen Milagrosa Beach

Badoc. Often overshadowed by other popular places like Bangui, Laoag and Pagudpod, this sleepy town is slowly coming into its own as a tourist magnet given the growing number of foreign and local visitors stepping into its realm. With many interesting sights and sceneries to see, Badoc is undoubtedly one of Ilocos Norte’s underrated tourist destinations that deserve to be included in every weekend warrior’s must-visit list.

Known as the birthplace of two of the foremost heroes of the country, Juan and Antonio Luna, Badoc is the first town you’d see the moment you leave Ilocos Sur (the town of Sinait in particular). Marking the boundary between the two provinces is a welcome arch that greets tourists bound for Ilocos Norte. It’s hard to miss this landmark—it’s usually teeming with motorists who stop over to pose for posterity’s sake. I guess it’s a sin of omission not to do so!

Juan and Antonio Luna Monument
 

After a few selfies at the archway, I proceeded to La Virgen Milagrosa Beach where a chapel dedicated to the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary stands. After saying a little prayer in the chapel, I spent some time roaming around the white-sand beach whose numerous floating cottages caught my fancy.  If only I had more spare time, I would certainly take a dip in the inviting waters and perhaps explore nearby Badoc Island.

La Virgen Milagrosa de Badoc Chapel

A replica of Juan Luna's "Spoliarium" at the Luna Shrine

History buffs will be delighted to know that there’s an ancestral-house-turned-museum in Badoc where they can learn more about Juan and Antonio Luna. Formerly the home of the Lunas, the two-story bahay-na-bato was damaged by a fire in 1861, after the family had already moved to Manila. In 1954, the government took over the property, which was restored by the National Historical Institute and the Department of Public Works and Highways in 1977.

Open to the public, Luna Shrine features exhibits showcasing the life and career of the Luna Brothers, Juan’s studio in Paris, the Luna home in the 19th century, among other interesting displays. I initially thought dropping by there would be a boring exercise but to my delight, the visit turned out to be one of the highlights of my sojourn in Badoc.

The windmill farm of Bangui, the Philippines' first!

Bangui. If there is one thing that is synonymous with Bangui, a quaint coastal town in Ilocos Norte, that’s none other than its iconic windmills, said to be the Philippines' first! Situated near Bangui Bay, the windmill farm, which was established in 2003, is not just a source of power for the province but also one of its main tourist magnets. That's why I made sure it's still part of my itinerary even if I've already been there last year. 

Time was when Bangui was touted to have Southeast Asia’s largest wind farm until its next-door neighbor, the town of Burgos, put up its own wind farm in 2014. Another one,  Pagudpud, is also having its fair share of windmills. Still, I noted that more people preferred to visit the windmills of Bangui given their accessibility.

Seeing the splendid windmills for the second time, I found myself still filled with awe as I took my selfies with them at the backdrop. From what I’ve gathered, each windmill turbine has three vertical rotor blades standing 70 meters high above the shore. There are a total of 20 turbines arranged on a single row along the shoreline of Bangui Bay just in front of the West Philippine Sea.

As a certified beach bum, nothing compares to the ecstasy I feel when I stand alone by the sea, take in the refreshing breeze, listen to the roaring waves, and gaze at the distant horizon, just like the moments I spent in that beach with the windmills of Bangui. Standing among those giants, I felt so light, free and easy. Geez, it’s one of the most amazing things I experienced in Ilocos Norte!

Looking back, I enjoyed my second visit to Bangui more compared to the first one mainly because it was more relaxed and I had more time spent roaming around the beach where the windmills are located. When I first came there, we were in a hurry and had a difficult time dealing with the strong winds that assaulted us during our picture-taking there.

Marcos Presidential Center

Batac. Seeing Batac for the first time, I was intrigued by its interesting blurb, “Home of Great Leaders.” As far as I know, it’s the hometown of former President Marcos, whose remains, for quite some time, were on public display at the Marcos Presidential Center before these were buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in 2016. Other than the late strongman, I didn’t know of any other famous leader from Batac.

It was from my guide that I learned that there were indeed other notable leaders who hailed from the city. Aside from Marcos, it's also the homeland of Gregorio Aglipay, the founder of the Philippine Independent Church or Aglipayan Church, and General Artemio Ricarte, the Father of the Philippine Army. Geez, such a formidable line-up of kingpins hailing from the same place!

Visiting the Marcos Presidential Center was one of the reasons why I dropped by Batac, hoping I’d get to see a replica of the late dictator’s dead body on display. To my chagrin, there was none. Even so, I enjoyed roaming around the museum given the plethora of exhibits, including several memorabilia of the late president, highlighting his stint in the armed forces, his marriage to Imelda Romualdez, his political career as senator, and later as the country’s tenth president.

Batac's empanada

Aside from its prominent sons, Batac is also known for having the best empanada in all of Ilocos Norte. Since it was almost lunch time, I asked my guide to take me to the popular riverside empanadahan beside Quiaoit River where we had lomi (a hearty mix of the thick egg noodles, cabbage, carrots, and other ingredients such as pork liver and squid balls, etc.) and empanada (a popular pastry filled with either sweet or savory fillings) for lunch.

Mind you, the Ilocanos’ empanada differs from the others I’ve tasted as they use longganisa (a locally-made pork sausage) as filling, along with papaya and a raw egg—wrapped in a hand rolled, orange-hued rice flour dough. So far, I’ve savored two kinds of empanadas, the ones made in Vigan and those coming from Batac. For me, those from latter tasted better!

(to be continued...)