ILOCOS 02: Sarrat, Batac, Paoay and a traffic mishap

Today, I started my day with a tapa breakfast. Complimentary breakfast. Nothing extraordinary.

Balay da Blas complimentary breakfast

I began pestering Ate Nina questions of how to go to Sarrat, Batac and Paoay.

Past nine in the morning, I left. I decided to go see Sarrat first.

Sarrat used to be the capital of Ilocos Sur. Sta Monica Church, where Imee Marcos had her wedding, is found here. Fronting the church is a river where you see locals taking a dip.

Tell the trike driver in Laoag to take you to Sarrat Terminal. Fare is php15. Travel time is roughly 15-20 minutes.

Sarrat Church

inside the church

Ibang direction kasi yung Sarrat if you see a map. So, you have to go back to Laoag to ride another jeep to get to Paoay.

By this time, numerous people have been talking to me in Ilokano, calling me ading. haha. Buti nakakaintindi ako ng konti. I'm a bit uncomfortable when people start to hear me speak in Tagalog, like I was talking in English.

So, back in Laoag. Tell the trike driver to drop you at Paoay Terminal. You'll see the jeep sign Laoag-Batac-Paoay. Fare is Php35. Travel time is around 40-45 minutes. Don't worry if you find yourself alone when you decide to go to Paoay first before Batac. Mauuna talaga kasi yung Batac at halos dun bumababa yung mga tao. Sabi kasi ni Ate Nina unahin ko Paoay. Dapat Batac pala.

So, I finally saw Paoay church.

Then, I had lunch at a nearby burger stand. Buy one Take one. Pati lasa buy one take one. No choice, kelangan magtipid. solotrip eh.

I asked ate if she knows someone who can bring me to Malacanang of the North. The agreed price was Php250. From Paoay, he'll bring me to Malacanang North and back, then to Batac. Medyo mahal daw according to Mam Kite. Pero sabi naman ng locals, magisa lang daw kasi ako. Eh ano naman di ba. Pag madami ba mas mura? I agreed nonetheless. Ayoko na makipagtalo.

Wrong move pala. Sana hindi ako pumayag para hindi siya naging driver. Pagtiyagain niyo pang basahin para malaman niyo bakit.

Approximately 20 minutes, we arrived at Malacanang North. Entrance was Php30. I was lucky to have a private tour. Kuya saw me loitering around the palace alone. Konti pa lang kasi turista kaya nagvolunteer. Sosyal, nakashades kahit asa silong kami. Midway his tour, came in the tourists. Kay iingay.

Panalo ang Malacanang. I was reminded of the Vimanmek Mansion in Bangkok, Thailand. Sabi ni kuya irerenovate daw.

This I found funny. I asked the tour guide what it meant.

He said that it was a gift to Bong Bong Marcos.

People saw him this way. He was fond of riding at the dunes.

And people saw him as prince..

Mrs. Marcos' room. Their bedrooms are separated.

I asked why, the tourist guide didn't know.

Tsismis. hehe

Her ensuite bathroom

Imee and Aimee's room.

I asked if the bedcovers were the original ones, kuya said they were.

I doubt it.

Malacanang of the North facing the Paoay Lake

At. Hindi halatang maka Marcos si Kuya. Abay, nung namamangha ako sa mga kasangkapang nakadisplay, ipinagtanggol ba naman. Kesyo regalo daw lahat. Pati daw sapatos ni Madam. O siya, sige asa baluarte naman nila ako kaya agree na lang ako. Agree din naman ako kay kuya pero hindi sa lahat. Maganda din kaya nung naging presidente si Marcos. Halos lahat ng pinagawa niya noon, gamit pa natin hanggang ngayon. CCP, FAT, San Juanico Bridge to name a few. Sa martial law lang talaga.. (di ba Liza?)

So, we were nearing Batac when suddenly..

Bog!

Ayun, nauntog ako sa windshield ng trike. Intersection, red light, nung nag green light, yung trike sa harap namin biglang huminto. Ayun, dumikit yung trike namin na asa harap. Pati noo ko naiinggit, dumikit naman sa windshield. Maya maya, ramdam ko me sarili ng heartbeat ang malapad kong noo at major major nahilo ako. Haayyy. Siyempre agaw atensyon ako. Sa intersection kaya nangyari yun. At turista ako! Hindi lang halata. Pag nagtagalog na ako. Lahat nakiki ading at sinasabihan akong magpacheck up. Sabi ko okay lang ako, give me a few minutes. Abay makulit. So go, pinagbigyan ko sila.

Pagkatapos ng napakahabang pagantay sa ER, clinear na din ako ng consultant surgery matapos niyang usisain ang buhay at hulaan na paracetamol ang irereseta saken. hehe. joke. Pati yung nurse at consultant na ibang pasyente kausap, naki usi. Pero in fairness naman, asikaso ako ni doc matapos niyang malaman na taga TMC ako. hehe. Pinagalitan niya pa si Kuyang driver.

Hulaan niyo how much ER fee ko?

PHP50.

Yes. Singkwenta pesos. Hindi ko na pinabayad kay kuya. Josko. Nakakahiya. Pero, in fairness naman nag insist si kuyang-me-kasalanan. Nahihiya pa nga, hindi ako kinakausap. Sabi ko ilibre na lang nila yung sunod nilang maging pasahero. Pay it forward ba. cheesy.

The Php 50 I paid. Hindi uso resibo. Ticket money tawag nila.

Me record nako

Niresetang paracetamol

Dahil sa insidenteng yan, hindi ko na natikman ang famous Batac Empanada. Hindi narin ako nakapagsightseeing sa aking lugar. Opo. Last name ko ay Batac.

It was a bit uncomfortable to see my last name in every trike in the city and few of the establishments. Batac Drugstore, Batac Retailers, etc. Parang feeling ko pagmamayari ko lahat. hehe.

Sabi ko pa naman, dito ako magtatagal kasi baka me history nga kami dito. Nagtagal nga ako, sa ER naman. Next time...

Before Kuya dropped me to the terminal, we passed by Marcos museum, where the late president's remains lies. Creepy...

No cameras were allowed. Nearby were a gallery of the Marcos' photos.

young Imelda

Who would have thought this kid would declare the Martial Law?

I can't imagine the late President as a kid

I rode a minibus back to Laoag. Fare is Php20. Travel time is roughly 20-30 minutes.

Back in Laoag, I was still contemplating whether to go see the Sand dunes. But I will be missing the mass if I decided to go. So, I decided to just see it in the morning before heading to Pagudpud. Wrong move again.

The mass was in Ilocano. Haayy...

Tinapos ko nadin. Ganun talaga. Pagod na din ako. Nag jolibee nalang ako for my dinner. Para mura.

I was so overwhelmed by what I saw and experienced today. Blending in with the locals was an experience. Observing their traits which I personally find humbling. Theirs were nothing compare to what I have been seeing at the city. Iba talaga pag probinsya. Sabi nga nila..

ILOCOS 01: Birthday Wekeend

touchdown ilocos around 12 in the afternoon..

finally, when i board the trike.. like Mel Gibson's braveheart.. f-r-e-e-d-o-m!

at last, got the guts to do this..for the nth time of thinking about this..

i was amazed at their airport..all bricks!

and there was this huge desert part before the airport you can see when you're in the plane. too bad i wasn't able to take a photo coz i was seated at the center aisle.

Laoag International Airport

Welcome, indeed!

Php10 trike.Anywhere within the city. So cheap!

St. William Cathedral

My room.
The cabinet gives me the creeps

I was mostly in my room, sleeping...a lot. Around 5 in the afternoon, I went out for a walk and took in all of Laoag. But because it was holiday, most shops were closed. Most locals were talking to me in ilocano. tagalog is not even widely spoken so at times, they have a hard time talking to me in tagalaog. Good thing i understand a bit of ilocano.

So far, people are great. Food is waaay expensive. Even the local carinderia charge higher than the usual. There's not much to see in Laoag Proper. A daytour is enough.

But I opted to be slow..take a while to see the places..

Besides, who's waiting but myself..

Why do I?

why do i travel?

so why do i?

i have this feeling every time I lie on a secluded beach, watching the sky, sit on top of a mountain, witness a sunset, or sunrise.. i don't know, can't put into words what it is, but that feeling is enough reason for me to travel and get lost..

is that enough?

maybe.

i love the uncertainty when i'm on the road. that no matter how well-planned a trip is, something will either go wrong or, better than you've expected. i love how i put my trust on strangers with ease..trust my gut/hunch.. i love how people try to know me, the "me" at that moment without judging my past. clean slates eh. but above all, i love how it opens my mind to all sorts of things. of appreciating little things i usually take for granted back home. of great lessons i learn from random strangers. and of certain situations where i can surprise myself..

i love how it keeps me from falling into patterns..

i love the idea how the sun rises and sets just the same but how different they are in every place..

same, same, but different

i travel to get lost..

to be found..

and realize what the hell i have been looking for..

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

SEA Tour 06: Bangkok, Thailand

22 November 2010

We waited for forever at Arayanpharathet border for 
our bus going to Bangkok to pick us up.

Ages.

Border crossing in Thailand was a breeze.

Last leg of the trip

Missing Cambodia already..

Purchased a shawl at night market last night and cambodian coffee. and, as always, Leah was in her element. She even flirted with the girl at the gold store.

Happened to get a book at Bou Savy. Free! The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo. So nice..hehe

We're having lunch en route to KSR. With us is a japanese boy. So far, he told us he's a hairdresser..weird.

So, this is our last country. Bangkok, it is.

I immediately decided that Thais look a lot like Filipinos right after stepping on Thailand. It took us 6 hours to get to Bangkok from the border. The van dropped us at Khao San Road. I have no idea where we were so we flagged a cab (a pink one, that is), and showed him the map to our hotel.

Dinner that night was sweet pork with sticky rice. It was really good especially the pork except for the super spicy sauce that came with it. The meat itself was tasty, even without the sauce. I was egging Leah to ask the staff how the pork was cooked but they were already preparing to close.

sweet pork with sticky rice

We went out for a walk. Siam Paragon was just a few blocks so off we go. It wasn’t just any mall. I mean, I think it was just like SM for them but the state of the mall was way beyond, even the high-end malls we have here wasn’t up to par. We were worn out to check the night market within the area that’s why we chose to get back at the hotel and called it a night.

Siam Paragon

If I recall, this was also the night Leah and I got pissed off with each other. The long hour trips, the unending waiting hours in between, the frustration of being misunderstood by the locals and not to mention, staying stuck with one single person for the last seven days while going through with all of these finally took a toll on us. Someone raised a voice and soon after a cold war has begun which fortunately, soon ended up in the morning.

Our second day was our temple day, Grand Palace day. On our way to the BTS Skytrain, we passed Erawan shrine. We were treated to a traditional Thai dance. Erawan shrine is located right at the middle of business district. So, most people drop by here to say their morning prayers before going to work.

In 1956, the Erawan Shrine was built to eliminate the bad karma believed caused by laying the foundation of then government owned Erawan Hotel on a wrong foundation, which was later demolished and replaced by now Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel.

Flowers sold outside the shrine for offering

The Thai dance troupe will pray for your petition in the form of a dance and a song

You didn’t go to Bangkok if you didn’t see the Grand Palace. And so, after a brief visit to Erawan shrine, we walked to the train station, boarded on the Chao Praya River Express, got off at Tha Chang Pier and after about 15 minutes, we were walking inside the Grand Palace. Public transportation was a breeze. Boy, were there a lot of tourists.

Fun Fact. One of the original royal services was the 'elephant department' charged with taking care of the King's elephants used for war and traveling around the country. Elephants have to be bathed frequently to keep happy, so the King's elephants were regularly lead down to the river for their baths. Today, if you travel to the Grand Palace by express boat, you alight at the Chang Pier. 'Chang' is the Thai word for elephant. The pier gets its name because the king's elephants used to bathe on the spot.

The entrance fee costs THB 350 and free for Thais. Hiring a tour guide was highly unlikely since we’ve got few bucks left so we chose to just eavesdrop on other group’s tour guide.

As we woke up late, the sun was shining ruthlessly upon us. We went on inside and marveled on the temples. Everywhere you lay your eyes upon, there’s gold. Every single structure was either studded with gold or embellished with precious stones. While I was in awe of the temples, Leah was taken on stripping off the embedded gold and stones on the temples and taking it home. Pinoy na pinoy.

Taking a break at Grand Palace Complex

Gold inlays Leah trying to peel off

Lotus flower. Commonly seen in Buddhist temples.

Locals put gold on Buddhas as a way of saying prayers. Same as ours offering our saints with flowers, etc.

The Angkor Wat Replica

Angkor Wat. The most sacred of all Cambodian shrines. The model was constructed as a reminder that the neighboring state was once under the dominion of Thailand.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha is the most revered Buddhist shrine in Thailand. It houses the Emerald Buddha, a dark green statue standing two feet tall. No one is allowed near the statue except the Thai king, who conducts rituals at the temple throughout the year. Note that the Emerald Buddha was called as such not because it is made of emerald (the stone) but by its color.

Emerald Buddha

Entrance to the Emerald Buddha

Guards lining the walls around the Temple of the Emerald Buddha

The Emerald Buddha is covered in a seasonal costume, which is changed three times a year to correspond to the summer (crown and jewelry), winter (gold shawl), and rainy months (gilt robe and headdress). The costume change is performed by the Thai king, who also sprinkles water over the monks and the faithful to bring good fortune during the upcoming season.

The Reclining Buddha

The reclining Buddha is representing the final passage into nirvana, which is the state of nothingness.

Soles of Buddha's feet is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay

Put a coin in each of the 108 bowls (found at the back of the buddha) for good luck

After we saw all the temples inside the Grand Palace Complex, including the neighboring Reclining Buddha, we crossed the river from Ta Chang Pier to get to Wat Arun or Temple of Dawn.

From Ta Chang Pier, cross the river to get to Wat Arun

Wat Arun (The Temple of the Dawn) named after the Indian god of dawn, Aruna. The prang is a blend of Khmer and Thai style. Notice the steep stairs, similar to that of Angkor Wat, common to to Buddhist temple.

steep stairs, commonly seen in Buddhist temples

The famous Wat Arun sunset

Wat arun is entirely decorated of bits of Chinese porcelain and glazed ceramic tiles. In the early days of Bangkok, Chinese trading ships used tons of porcelain. The temple is just an early example of the Thai approach to "recycling."

porcelain Chinas

We simply rested on the grass observing other people and waited for the setting sun. Dead tired from roaming the temples, we got dinner a little later.

taking a break at Wat Arun

23 November 2010

Writing from the Temple of Dawn. Just waiting for the sunset so we can see BKK's skyline on our way back to the hotel. Seeing Grand Palace made me wonder why Thais put so much effort/money in their temples. Irony. Or Hypocrisy? You go inside and see the grandest temples you've ever seen and once you're outside, countless of children begging for alms. Poverty speaks to you everywhere.

We watched Harry Potter that night at Siam Paragon. Best cinema I've ever seen so far. Harry Potter was showing after every 15 minutes in all cinemas. There were only, I think, ten or less of us inside the cinema. Leah slept half of the movie because of all the walking we did that morning.

inside Siam Paragon Cinema Complex

outside the cinema, waiting

I was just slightly surprised when we were to stand to honor the king. You see, if our last cinema screenings would require you to stand up for the National Anthem, in Thailand, you are required the same but for the King. I can't still understand the fuss about their king. (I'm not supposed to say that)

We were to go to the floating market the next day but found it costs THB1,350. Too expensive for us. So we went to Dusit area. The other palace area we were not able to see yesterday.

If you purchased the Grand Palace ticket, the Dusit Area is included in it which can be use up to seven days. This got me excited about. We went there by bus. Take the Bus70 in front of National Stadium. The bus will stop in front of the Palace entrance.

By now, you might have notice that we rarely use taxis. Instead, we use the cheapest means of transportations there is. So far, we never had any problem.

Waiting for the train. Saphan Taksin Station.

A bit of history first.

King Rama V returned from a European tour in 1897 much impressed by the architecture of the palaces he saw. He purchased (on his own personal money) some farm land and ordered the construction of a garden which he christened Suan Dusit which means Celestial Garden which later be known as the Dusit Area. This would serve as their Summer House.

We first went to see the largest teakwood mansion, the Vimanmek Mansion. Free scheduled tours are available. Things are left at a locker and basically, we were touring the entire mansion barefooted.

The first permanent building was the Vimanmek Mansion. Apparently only wooden pegs were used to join the pieces of timber so the mansion can be moved easily. The original structure was actually brought from Cholburi province. The king had the building dismantled (thus explains the wooden pegs) and bought to Bangkok, where it was rebuilt as Vimanmek Mansion.

Vimanmek Mansion

As I was guided through the mansion, I thought Thailand’s Royal Family is the closest we have to the British colony. I have no idea that Thais value their royalty this much. It was even said that cursing or saying bad things against the King was unthinkable. Best to observe and respect their customs.

I was awed at the things the Royalty has. One particular was a gift bowl from China. This bowl turns black when the food served with it is poisoned. Amazing. There were separate stairs for the servant, the strategic placing of a one way mirror in the stairway, on which the King only sees the person in the waiting area and the extravagant toys (made of porcelain, expensive materials) of the princesses.

Next stop was the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall.

This huge ornate Italinate building has a spectacular interior, but it's generally only open to the public once a year, on Children's Day (the second Saturday in January). The decoration inside is as fine as any European palace although there are small Thai touches throughout.

Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall

I was ogling on how it was built. The place was regal, grand and majestic in all sense of it. My neck was hurting the whole time I was staring at the paintings decorating the walls. Boy, if only I have a camera. The inside resembles that of century old churches in Europe, but embedded with gold and all precious stones you can think of. The whole place was carpeted. It houses all the gifts the royal family received from every Thailand’s provinces in different celebration.

This is what it looks like inside. Courtesy of Google.

Inside all the establishments we’ve been, cameras are not allowed. Foot wears are left at the door and at times, we are required to wear a wrapped skirt.

Other things seen within the Dusit area are..

The Royal Carriages

Of course, the royal tuktuk

Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall

We were a bit apprehensive to take the public bus when we saw rallies just outside the Dusit area. The parliament is beside the Dusit area, that's why. And I never thought there were Yellow Shirt demonstrators. I only know Red shirts. We were glad there were no commotion at the time.

Yellow Shirts outside the Parliament

We finished our tour early. We just decided to kill the time at a market near Grand Palace. Of course, eating Pad Thai was in the plan. Leah is sick from all the food we have been eating and is badly craving for sinigang. So, one seafood Pad Thai for me.

Pad Thai

We were supposed to go to Khao San Road that night but figured it was too far from we are staying so we hit the Pratunam night markets near the Baiyoke Towers. We just went out to see the city at night. Bargains and food stalls were all out. The streets were remarkably alive.

Asahi. A brand of beer.

Half full? Half empty?

Merry Christmas

I didn't had dinner that night. I was hoping to get a decent meal at a nearby Chinese restaurant but the food tasted ugh. Thank God for 7-eleven. Ice cream for dinner.

Our last day was our shopping day! We went to Pratunam market for some pashminas. We had lunch at Pantip plaza which is a five story IT plaza. SLRs were so cheap. If only I had the money. Hoarded durian chips, bought souvenirs and stuffs at Platinum Mall. And spent the rest of our stay loitering inside Siam Paragon. By the way, their food court rocks.

Durian chips for Leah

lunch at A&W in Pantip Plaza

Boom box

Siam Paragon Food Court

Siam Paragon Supermarket

Siam Ocean World

Platinum Fashion Mall

Eclairs

We went back to our hotel where our taxi, which will take us to the airport, is waiting for us. It's only eight in the evening and our flight back home is at midnight. Plenty of time to spend in the airport.

25 November 2010

SEA trip is almost over. We're just killing time here at Siam Paragon. What a mall! And, I've noticed, Thais do know how to dress. Even school uniforms look good.

We now head to the airport. Mixed emotions. Feeling a bit unhappy because of the thought of this trip ending and excited as well coz we're about to go home. Sinigang, finally! It felt good hearing Tagalog again, other than me and Leah speaking, as soon as we lined up in the check in counter. Pinoys! Kababayan!

So, there goes our last leg of our trip. Bangkok. In a nutshell.