 |
Ilocos Norte has been a wonderful place for me to visit. Travelling via Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Express Way or TPLEX, It only took us 6 hours to reach Vigan City which is our pit stop. After lunch we went back on the road to continue our journey towards north.
|
Driving towards the north without a sleep for others may be very tiring, but for me I never felt the exhaustion while driving on the road and never had trouble maneuvering the roads in Ilocos because it’s wide and smooth. After strolling the heritage houses of Vigan, we headed north after lunch and reached the gateway town of Ilocos Norte which is Sinait. Known as the Garlic Center of the North never miss to take a bag of Garlic with you because I’m telling you this is the cheapest but premium one.
Sinait is also the home of the Miraculous Statue of the Black Nazarene known as Sto. Cristo Milagroso but local folks called the statue as Apo Lakay.
According to history, a box was found floating in sea by fisherman. The box has two statues which is the Virgen Milagrosa and the Black Nazarene. It is believed that it came from Nagasaki in Japan but was sailed to sea by missionaries operating secretly in Japan for fear of persecution during the Tokugawe Regime.
Sto. Cristo Milagroso is believed to be a treasure of Ilocandia because of its miraculous powers. Long time ago, an epidemic was ranging at the city of Vigan where locals decided to bring the Black Crucifix in the city which later cured a lot of people.
La Virgen Milagrosa Chapel Badoc, Ilocos Norte
Uniquely-designed chapel in Badoc just like a capsized boat or inverted boat was newly consecrated last December 2013.
Situated along the quiet beach of Barangay 6B where believed to be the original location where the statue of the La Virgen Milagrosa was seen floating at the sea. Not far is the Barangay Dadalaquiten North where the chapel of the Sto. Cristo Milagroso is located.
It is said that one box was seen floating at sea wherein two statues were inside the box, one is the La Virgen Milagrosa and the other was the Black Nazarene known as now as the Sto. Cristo Milagroso.
Fishermen wanted to bring both statues to shore but only fishermen from the town of Sinait can carry the Black Nazarene and cannot stand the weight of the La Virgen Milagrosa while fishermen from Badoc can only carry the weight of the La Virgen Milagrosan and not the Black Nazarene. Since then they took the statues to their respective town and later became their patron.
Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte
Two-Story edifice brick mansion was the house of the renowned artist Juan Luna, just a reconstruction of the middle class country home because the original was burned down.
Today it houses some memorabilia of the Filipino painter and some of the wonderful pallet that he created but of course not as the original pallets. It also displays household artifacts and other articles belonging to his brother Antonio, the General during the Philippine-American War.
Batac, Ilocos Norte
Dubbed as the home of the great leaders by Ilocanos because it is the hometown of many significant figures in the history of the Philippines, one of them is the late President Ferdinand Marcos, others are Gregorio Aglipay who is the founder of the Philippine Independent Church or Aglipayan Church, and General Artemio Ricarte who has been called as the father of the Philippine Army, he is the General during the Philippine Revolution who lead forces to fight against the Spanish and even the Philippine-American War.
One of the attraction in Batac City is the Marcos Museum which holds the memorabilia of the Former President from the time he was serving the Armed Forces of the Philippines to the time of his presidency. It also showcase pictures of projects and accomplishments during his term as president.
Also includes in the exhibits are the different elegant gowns of the first lady Imelda Marcos.
Beside the Museum is the Marcos Mausoleum which lies the glass-entombed, preserved corpse of Former President Ferdinand Marcos. Camera is not allowed inside though 
Before leaving Batac, never miss to visit the Batac Riverside Empanadaan which showcase the best product of the City and of course never to miss the best empanada that I’ve tasted 
.
.