I tell myself that if I'm going to dream, I might as well dream big while I try to make smaller, but no less important, dreams come true along the way. Well one of my biggest dreams is to see the world. To traverse the planet from the Northern Lights to the Southern Cross. Oh yes, big dreams indeed!
But before I go too far, I should first achieve that in my own country. The Philippines has so much to offer the thirsty (and hungry!) traveller whichever direction it's tropical winds take you. I have barely scratched the surface of this amazing archipelago.
As far as domestic travel is concerned I flew south, or drove south, majority of the time. The south was always more familiar territory, the landscape, the dialects, the food, the people... I knew more people down south than I did north of Manila. And of course there was my dad's hometown down there which we would visit at least once a year.
But not too long ago my internal compass switched direction. It's been pointing north. As far north as Batanes, a groups of islands I've vowed to conquer within the next year. But just south of Batanes and at the north-western patch of Luzon is another region that's been calling my name, Ilocos. Seducing me with it's colonial charm, unspoiled beaches, and intriguing history. I couldn't resist it any longer. And so I went with two of my favorite travel buddies, one of who most of you already know - Joey. It was wonderful! I can't believe I waited this long to go beyond Baguio!
In this trip, we peeked into the windows of our past and we ventured through the doorways of our heritage. In the coming posts, I'll do my best to share the experience with you. What may be too ambitious for words, I hope the photos will do justice.
This is what I hope to be just the beginning of many northern expeditions by this northbound suarez (I thought this was a pretty cool name to give myself considering South Bound Saurez is a track from one my favorite Led Zep albums, so humor me. :) ).
By the way, Joey will be writing her own posts about this trip so make sure you head on over to her site as well to see Ilocos through her eyes. :)
17 comments:
Now that Joey and you have begun your Ilocos posts, I feel all the more like a slacker for not starting on my Bohol posts yet! ;-) I have a few windows and doors shots as well, though nowhere near as pretty as yours. Portals really are fascinating, aren't they? :-) I'm looking forward to you next entries!
What a beautiful entry, Nena! Looking forward to the rest of your Ilocos series :)
Nens! I love your windows and doors! :) Gosh, love this post and it is bringing back lots of good memories :) Can't wait for more! Your travel posts are always wonderful...this time at least I don't have to dream about the place since I was right there with you :)
I really love traveling with you! :)
Those are beautiful windows and doors! I'm eagerly awaiting your Ilocos posts, looks mighty exciting.:)
Katrina, you're not the only one! I haven't posted about Dumaguete (which happened on the Nov 30 weekend) and Xiamen! I just decided to do this first while it was still fresh and before I forget stuff. :) Portals are truly fascinating!
Thanks Nina! I'll try to do the posts quickly. :)
I love that we're doing tandem posting! Maybe for my food entry I can just put photos and link to yours hehe. So so happy you made it to Ilocos with us, it's always such a pleasure to travel with you! :) Travel buddies don't get any better than that.
Thank you, Oggi! :) The architecture up there is breathtaking, so I was in heaven considering my passion for doors and windows. :)
Cool post sis!
Great pictures Christine. You and Joey are like the Lewis and Clark of the Philippines ;P
Thanks sis! :)
Marvin, haha, I love that!
Hi Christine! Nice post! Love your pics! :)
Nena, I love taking doors and windwos pictures, too. Whenever I travel, I see some pretty doors, or windows, I snap them. I LOOOOOOOOOVE LOOOOOOOOVE LOOOOOOOVE your different pictures of them, so beautiful. WOW. I will have to copy your style and take only one thing the next time I travel. :)
Thanks, Dyanie! Glad you liked it. :)
Thanks so much, Bee! :) You take beautiful travel photos yourself! Aside from windows and doors, I also find myself taking lots of photos of local kids and bicycles when I see them, aside from the usual landscape scenery.
And I also have a fascination for lighthouses, since I was a kid. So if there's a lighthouse anywhere in the vicinity, I try to make it a point to visit that too. :)
u have researched a lot to find all these doors and windows
I like this mix of windows and doors.
Charming and I love the soft light in all of them. Very artistic!
I also love taking photos of doors and windows . . . which reminds me - I still have my backlog post on Kathmandu - where I also took loads of photos of doors and windows :-)
This is one of your most beautiful entries. In words and in pictures. :-)
Thank you, Sidney! :)
Mike, I'm still patiently waiting for those posts. But no pressure! hehe :)
Thank you, Ben! :)
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