Trip to Vigan

I was invited to go on an end-of-the-year trip with all the teachers, staff, and sisters from Don Bosco School. I had a great time getting to know the teachers more and traveling to the northern part of Luzon (island which Manila is located). It was a long ride on a freezing cold bus, but very enjoyable and nice to get out of the city for a few days. So here's where we went...

Our first night we stayed at this hotel/retreat center where we swam in the pool, relaxed, and during the night had a program with music, dancing, and acting performances by all the faculty and staff. I even sang some songs with the sisters for the teachers.

With some of the teachers and sister at the first stop in front our rooms.

Then we kept travelling north and stopped at Baluarte Zoo, which is owned by one of the richest men in the Philippines.

On a pony ride at the zoo.

I was a part of the animal show at the Zoo, and this is some kind of bear/marsupial on my back. He was quite heavy, but it was lots of fun.

We also made pit-stops at a garden and pottery-making business. Actually one of the most interesting stops was at the birthplace of a very famous painter, Juan Luna, who studied in Europe, and is a very well-known artist. He comes from a well off family and many of his siblings are also famous artists and writers. I don't have pictures of those on my camera because I had to be in so many of other people's pictures that I was too tired to take my own. Everywhere we went, the first thing I heard was "picture, picture!"

Next was a stop at a bell tower next to a church from the Spanish times. The Spanish were in control for about 300 years and many of the sites are still well preserved in the north and that is why is it such a tourist spot for many Filipinos.

With Sr. Rizma at the top of the tower.

We finally made it to Vigan City on the second day and here are pictures from the horse-drawn carriage ride with Sr. Carm, and on the European-style street in the center of town.

The Filipinos have a tradition of buying souvenirs, especially t-shirts with the city's name on it whenever they travel anywhere. They also buy one for each member of their family, so many bought 5 or 6 t-shirts that evening.

Last day we traveled up north even further to Illocos Norte, the province that Ferndinand Marcos, the ruler of the Philippines for 20 years after its independence, was born. We went to the Marcos museum, and the famous church Marcos was brought to before he died. It is called Paoay Church built in the 1704.