Marty the Photographer (and lawyer)

by: Marty P. Cachapero

If you were asked which place in the world is the most beautiful, which one would you pick? Is it the fascinating Paris? The alluring Las Vegas? The historical Rome? Or the ancient Athens? How about the breathtaking Maldives? Well, I must admit these places are all truly and exquisitely beautiful. However, none of these places I consider the world's most beautiful.

My choice may come to you as a surprise, if not shocking, and perhaps would not even be in your top 10 list; but the most beautiful place in the world for me is no other than my home province, Ilocos. The fact that I grew up in Ilocos did not at all taint my choice with bias and inclination. It rather gave me the opportunity to see its real beauty. I came to see that Ilocos has more to offer than other famous places, local and foreign, in terms of beautiful destinations. It fits the description like the proverbial "One-Stop-Shop" or the SM Department Store slogan "We Got It All For You". We have fine white sand beaches, legendary lakes, centuries old churches and houses, stunning falls, incredible windmills, giant lighthouse, one-of-a-kind mountain river, numerous museums, world-class hotels, among many others.

But despite its incomparable beauty, it is not recognized the way it deserves. Only few people acknowledge its beauty, and most of the time it is disregarded and overlooked. Worse is, even my fellow Ilocanos are unaware of our province's innate beauty and superb natural treasures.

Our province has a long list of places that we Ilocanos should be proud of. Let me enumerate some of these places, and hopefully it will open your mind to the real beauty of my home province:

Crisologo Street

Who doesn't know the famous old Spanish structures along the famous Crisologo Street in Vigan City, built during the Spanish occupation in our province in 15th Century? You will instantly be captivated when you walk along this street and you will feel as if you have been transported back in the past for it still evokes the appearance and ambiance of the days past. These old Spanish houses, also referred to as the Heritage Village, are the most precious gems of Vigan City and perhaps the entire Ilocos Sur Province.

Pagburnayan
Pagburnayan is a Barangay in Vigan City named after a famous livelihood of the people of Vigan - pottery-making. Pagburnayan came from the root word "burnay" which means pot or earthen jar. The burnay are commonly used as a storage of water, vinegar or the local wine "basi". Sometimes they are also used as garden and house decors.

Never leave this place without witnessing a potter/burnay artisan at work and surely you will be startled by their pottery-making skills.

Baluarte
The residence-turned-tourist attraction of the provincial satrap Luis "Chavit" Singson houses a variety of rare animals like tigers, lions, deers, ostriches, snakes, parrots, donkeys, swans, peacocks, among others. The attraction we only see in Manila now we have in Ilocos. Thanks to the ingenuity of Governor Chavit.

Bantay Bell Tower
The Bantay Bell Tower is one of the most visited places in Ilocos probably because of its accessibility and its stunning beauty. This tiny bell tower, which stands on a promontory, is a few meters away from the equally beautiful Parish Church of Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Caridad, of Bantay, Ilocos Sur. According to the keepers of the bell tower, some of the scenes of most of Fernando Poe Jr's hit movies, like his movie "Panday", were shot at this place.

Pug-os Beach & Sabang Island

The Pug-os beach cove, which was once tagged by the famous talkshow host Boy Abunda as the Boracay of the North, and the Sabang Island, which many referred to as the best surfing spot in the north, are two of the many beaches in Cabugao, Ilocos Sur. They have not yet gained the popularity the Boracay or Pagudpud beaches have, but in due time, people will come to see the hidden beauty of Cabugao beaches.

Juan Luna Shrine

The museum of the great Filipino painter Juan Luna is found in Badoc, the first town of Ilocos Norte in the south. The building is an exact replica of the Luna family residence. It stands on the same land where it originally stood. It now serves as a repository of Juan's memorabilia and reproductions of his works including his masterpices the Spoliarium, Death of Cleopatra, and the Parisian Life.

Currimao Coral Rock Formation

Currimao is popular for having the chain of probably the best resorts in the southern part of Ilocos Norte. Among these resorts are the Playa Tropical Resort and the Green Nipa International Resort. Their unique structures and unparalleled amenities will surely give you one-of-a-kind vacation experience.

Apart from these resorts, this town is also popular for its lengthy coral rock formations. These coral rocks are perfect subject and background for photographs and favorite destination for professional and budding photographers.

Paoay Chruch & Sta. Maria Church

How about the enduring Paoay Church, famous for its distinct architecture which is a mixture of baroque, gothic and oriental styles and built of coral blocks and stucco-plastered bricks that stood the test of time. Beside it is a coral-stone bell tower which was the observation post of katipuneros and guerillas during the Philippine Revolution and Japanese occupation, respectively. Together with Sta. Maria Church, they are two of the only four (4) baroque churches left in the Philippines and among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the country. These two are must-see attractions.

Marcos Museum & Mausoleum

In the residential house of the late president Ferdinand Marcos in Batac, Ilocos Norte you will find the mausoleum of the former dictator. It also houses the Marcos Museum containing his memorabilia of awards and recognitions from his stint as a young public servant until he occupied the highest post of the land.

Malacanang of the North

The Malacanang of the North in Paoay was built to serve as the residential house of President Marcos and his family in Ilocos during his incumbency. It is located on a promontory overlooking the legendary Paoay Lake. Most of the furnitures used by Marcos family are still well-preserved here, including the famous king-sized water bed of the former first couple.

Fort Ilocandia Resort

The Fort Ilocandia Resort, a five star hotel and one of the country's finest, reflects the features of the old Ilocano houses and a perfect getaway place for families and barkadas. It has a wide-range of facilities that include golf course, casino, atv rentals, olympic size swimming pool, horseback riding, firing range, among others.

Laoag Bell Tower

Laoag City is the leader in Ilocos in terms of economic development. You will instantly notice it as you enter the city. But aside from the swarming malls and other commercial establishments, more worthy of notice is its sinking bell tower near the Cathedral located in the heart of the city proper. It is a 45-meter bell tower and is considered one of the tallest bell towers in the Philippines. They said it is gradually sinking because of its tremendous weight and it stands on a sandy foundation.

Sarrat Church

Travel east of Laoag and you will find Sarrat church, which has one of the longest, if not the longest, church aisles in the country. It also became popular because it was where the posh wedding of then presidential daughter Irene Marcos and Greggy Araneta was held. To explain more how lavish the wedding was, the Laoag International Airport and Fort Ilocandia Hotel were built by Marcos for the said event.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse

The majestic Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, which stands on promontory, is considered as one of the tallest lighthouses in the country and probably in the entire Asian Region. It was built during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines and is now more than 100 years old. The scenery you will see on top of the lighthouse will surely make you spellbound.

Kapurpurawan

A 3 kilometer drive from the national highway plus a 600 meter walk along a sharp coral rock path will lead you to Kapurpurawan (which means kaputian or whiteness in Ilocano dialect) rock formation in Burgos, Ilocos Norte. At the end of the coral rock path you will witness the entirety of Kapurpurawan - a distinct rock/limestone formation of white limestone, which is said to have been caused by both wind and sea water over time. The very noticeable portion of the Kapurpurawan rock formation is its peak which many said resembles Noah's Arc.

Kabigan Falls

This attraction is gradually gaining its fair share of visitors, and soon enough it will be in the "top tourist spots" in Ilocos. Reaching the falls may be a little difficult, most especially to those who dislike trekking, because it will require you to walk 1.5 kilometers (about 30 minutes) on an uncemented and rough path. But don't worry because your efforts are all worth it.

According to tourist guides, who will accompany you through your trek for a P100 fee, the falls is 112 feet high.

Remember, do not go to Kabigan Falls just to see it and take pictures of it. When you reach the falls, gift yourself a bath in its icy cold water. It's the best way to reward yourself after a long and tiring walk!

Pagudpud Beaches & Blue Lagoon

The white sand beaches in Pagudpud are at par with the world-class beaches in the Philippines and abroad. Pagudpud is considered as the new Boracay, minus the countless commercial establishments lining up along its shores, thereby maintaining the sanctity and peacefulness of the place. Truly a perfect summer destination to drown stress.

Bantay Abot Cave & Timamtang Rock

You will find Bantay Abot Cave and Timamtang Rock along the path leading to Blue Lagoon in Sitio Gaoa, Balaoi, Pagudpud. Bantay Abot Cave (bantay in Ilocano dialect means mountain, and abot means hole) is not really a cave but a hill standing along the seacoast of Pagudpud with a giant hole in the middle. It is a nice place to sit, relax and be one with mother nature.

Timamtang Rock, on the other hand, is an isolated giant rock standing along the coastline near Bantay Abot Cave. The stone somehow resembles the shape of a scoop of ice-cream.

Karinking Mountain River Resort

The breath-taking Karinking Mountain River Resort in Solsona in Ilocos Norte is a place like no other. It is unique in our country because we don't see mountain river often. We only see this kind of body of water on TV, perhaps in the National Geographic Channel. And what makes it more unique is that it does not just ran through a mountain. It traverses the Sierra Madre, the longest mountain range in the country.

Patapat Viuduct

The Patapat viaduct is a long bridge clinging on the edge of a rocky portion of the Sierra Madre in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. The viaduct is connecting the provinces of Ilocos Norte and Cagayan Valley. It is 1.3 kilometers long and 31 meters above sea level and said to be the 4th longest bridge in the Philippines. Above this viaduct you will notice the old and abandoned road last used in the '70s which was closed due to destruction by erosion.

Bangui Windmills

Last in my personal list, but not the least, are the towering and massive Bangui Windmills. Collectively, they are our country's first windmill power plant. It is officially referred to as the Northwind Bangui Bay Project and provides 40% of the power requirements of the entire Ilocos Norte Province. The location of these windmills is said to be the windiest place in the country that is why it was chosen as the spot for the project.

As reported, the government is planning to put up four (4) windmill projects in other municipalities in the country. Even if this plan pushes through, Ilocos will remain as the pioneer of windmill power plant in the country.

The places I have mentioned are only among our province's magnificent destinations. There are a lot more. But I am still on the process of discovering them myself. However, judging by the places aforementioned, I know you will agree with me now that Ilocos is indeed beautiful, in the truest meaning of the word.

But to set the record straight. I am not discounting other places. In fact, every place is beautiful in its own way. Each has unique character and feature that separates it from rest. My choice is only my version of world's most beautiful place. Every choice will depend upon one's point of view, taste and standard. As the old saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I did not have the chance to celebrate fully my becoming an attorney when I passed the bar exams last April 3, 2009 because a few days later, I learned I had a seminoma (a kind of germ cell tumor). So from 2009 until 2010, I did nothing but fight the illness. Now that the battle is finished, I promised myself to celebrate every April 3 of the year to make up for not having done it enough in 2009.

Last April 3, 2011 was my 2^nd year of being a lawyer. My family had a simple lunch by-the-beach at Mija’s resthouse in Salomague, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur to celebrate the event. Unfortunately, Mija was not there because she had work to do in Manila.

After having our lunch, we all plunged into the pool and got our first taste of sweet summer. Now, I can say confidently, I definitely have my life back.