Here's my trip report (aka Operation Foodtrip, hahaha!):
Travel to/from Laoag-Vigan via Partas: FAIL! I called Partas a few days before my trip and asked about schedules, how often are the trips, etc so i could plan. Sabi sakin every hour daw. Aba, nung pabalik na ko sa Laoag for my Sand Dunes adventure, kaloka! I waited for 2hrs! Tapos there are roads being constructed so almost 2.5hrs ang byahe! Ginabi na ko sa Sand Dunes!
Hotel Luna: SUCCESS! Love the bed and pillows! Super love the sosyal toilet! The cable is also good, daming channels, may Comedy Central pa! Location is fantastic! Ganda ng design and decors. May paintings pa sa parang mini-art gallery ng hotel.
Vigan: LOVE!
- Calle Crisologo: i still love it... still has that charm to it... however, nakakasira ng ambiance ang modern establishments. Bakit naman nila pinayagan ang Mang Inasal at Lotsa Pizza dun.. dapat yung ganun hanggang sa Plaza lang. Hindi sa Calle Crisologo! Kainis, frustrating. Nagpa-isang ikot din ako sa calesa just for the fun of it, P50 pwede na nag-enjoy naman ako.
- Plaza Burgos: ate at the first stall (leftmost when facing Mcdo); empanada was disappointing, but okoy was great!
- Plaza Salcedo: maganda yung dancing fountain. Of course hindi comparable let's say sa Wynn ng Macau, but it was good.. mas nag-enjoy akong marinig yung ooohhs and aaahhs nung mga bata kasi tuwang-tuwa sila so dun ako nasiyahan, hehe.
- Bell Tower: it's a nice photo opportunity but nothing more. I spent barely 10mins there.
- Baluarte: di ko inikot ng buo. Pero from what i've seen, i think the grass field where the animals were grazing on was too dry. Parang hindi well-maintained. Tama yung nabasa ko sa Tripadvisor, nakakaawa yung ponies na naghihila ng mini-calesa, parang malnourished. I wasn't too happy w/ it.
Tinubong experience: so bumili ako ng tinubong sa Baluarte, smashed it open right then and there, and ate it there while it's warm. Happiness! Also bought kalamay, masarap din!
- Jar-making: ang hiraaaaap!! Akala ko madali lang pero sobrang hirap i-mold! Ang tigas! The experience was good, ako lang yung epic fail sa jar-making, hehe.
- Hidden Garden: the garden itself was "blah" for me. The food, i tried their warek-warek (aka dinakdakan in the metro). Di ko trip yung orig, mas malaki ang hiwa and puro atay, hehe. But i loved their buco shake!
- Insiang's: empanada was just ok, okoy was disappointing! As in! Puro harina! Meh!
- Irene's: their empanada was the best one i tried! Ok ang mix ng meat, veggie, egg, and the crust was sooooo crispy!!
- Cafe Uno: bagnet was good! As well as the dragonfruit shake! Poqui-poqui, di ko masyadong trip. Eggplant omelette lang siya talaga, nothing special. Vigan tsokolate was quite good.
Tongson's: i bought bibingka, masarap naman. And of course the ever-famous Chicacorn!
Laoag: LOVE!
- La Paz Sand Dunes: ginabi na ko, huhuhu, so di ko nasilayan ang kagandahan niya. Tumuloy pa rin ako so "starry starry night" ang peg. Super enjoy ang 4x4!!!!! It's not naman pala death-defying, hehe, but fun nevertheless. Nag-sandboarding din ako pero paupo kasi wala ako sense of balance so di pwede nakatayo. Sobrang fun din! May bloopers pa ko! Since sumisigaw ako pababa, may pumasok na buhangin sa bibig ko, hihi. I have to go back to Sand Dunes nang may araw pa para masilayan.
- La Preciosa: Ilocano longganisa was good! Super love! May pagka-sosyal ng onti ang peg nung umakyat ako sa dining area sa 2F eh naka-shirt and shorts lang ako kasi galing sa Sand Dunes, pero
oks lang.
So that's it. Sorry it was long. But hopefully someone may find it a li'l bit helpful.
