Monday 16th May
I was awoken at 6:45am by a knock on the door. One of the hotel staff had brought me breakfast of eggs, bread rolls and coffee. How good is that!? Especially so, since breakfast is not supposed to be included with the 'cheapie' rooms. It made my day start earlier than it might have which was good because I was off to the hospital.
I got a tricycle to Gabriela hospital, arriving at 8:15am. Registration for a consultation starts at 8:30 so I joined the queue; they take your blood pressure whatever is wrong with you. I was there because I had a teenager's-type zit growing on my top lip and it was getting bigger and uglier, and my top lip was swollen so I figured it was infected. I read my book for a couple of hours while waiting then got called into the consultation room.
The doctor confirmed that it was infected and got me to lie down. They put some purple paste around my lips to numb them, then used a large pair of tweezers to burst the zit and get the puss out. It took about 7 squeezes and it hurt. Alot. I whinged a bit and wiggled my feet about like I do when the dentist hurts me. After, they stuck a big white plaster along my top lip and gave me a prescription for pain killers, antibiotics and antibiotic cream. Seems like I did the right thing to get it seen to.
So today I have been walking around town with a big white plaster on my lip rather than a bit white zit. As I am one of only 2 white people in the town, I have had a few strange looks, but not too bad. I chilled out in my room for a bit to make sure I was ok, then started a tour of the town.
I went to Syquia Mansion which still has it's old furniture from when it was built in 1830. It has displays about Elpidio Quirino, a native of Vigan, who became President in 1948. Next I went to the Crisologo Museum which is the ancestral home of the Crisologo family which included a Governor and her Congressman husband. It houses the pink Chevy that the Governor was shot (but not killed in) in 1961, and information about the assassination of her husband at the local St Paul Cathedral in 1970. Vigan is also famous for making jars from the local clay. I finished at St Paul cathedral, which was ok. Built in 1574, it was damaged by earthquakes in 17th century so rebuilt with thicker walls.
Alongside Plaza Maestro, there is a small park with miniature world landmarks (e.g The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal and the Opera House); each made from stone. The stones are very old and decrepit and the Opera House is clearly in need of some maintenance!
I had tasty meat, egg and veg empanadas in the afternoon and sat in the square reading my book. I have noticed that the local men's voices often pitch up at the end of sentences; not just like an Aussie accent where a statement becomes a question, but quite a few octaves a higher. It seems to be just the men; it sounds quite funny.
Tuesday 17th May
No breakfast delivered to my room this morning. Oh well. Got a trike to the bus station and bus to Laoag ('La-wahg' - it's in Ilicos Norte) was about to leave. Public transport is great here, I hardly ever have to wait. Two hours to Laoag. I wanted to hire a bike to visit the sights outside of the town, but nowhere rents out bikes. So after checking in to cheap and cheerful hostel and then extending my visa at the Bureau of Immigration, I got a jeepney out to Batac, where I went to the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum. The museum is only small and has some pictures of and possession of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos. He was, apparently a World war II hero long before he was a corrupt President. Next door, his body is laid out in a glass box and looks a bit vampirish. Their ancestral home looks lavish from the outside but you can't go in.
Next I got a jeepney 4kms to Paoay '(Pow-why'). Here is the UNESCO-listed Paoay Church that was built in 1704; it's quite impressive and imposing, as it has earthquake-proof reinforcements. Next I got a trike to Suma where I visited the Malacanang of the North, which is the former residence of the Marcos family, built in 1976. Seems they were living in luxury at the people's expense. I got a jeepney back to Laoag; a pretty successful afternoon.
The reason why most Filipino's speak good English is that all of their classes at school are taught in English.
Wednesday 18th May
After tapsilog for breakfast, across the road, got on the bus to Pagudpud; I pretty much got the last seat, in the middle of the back seat, good timing. Two hours to Pagudpud, then they dropped me outside the Bingbong restaurant, so I could get a trike down to the Blue Lagoon and the Kapuluan Vista resort; its a bit expensive but I didn't realise there were cheaper bungalows available until I got here.
Spent the day at the beach; it's not as great as I had read, but it was pleasant and quiet, just a few families about, and I swam out to the coral, and the colourful fish. Didn't use my snorkel and mask because my top lip is still healing, but used the goggles I still have from when I was a kid. Read and swam.
Had dinner at my hotel. Ate chicken adobo. Adobo, often considered the national dish, means the meat has been marinated in garlic and vinegar. It came with potato, onion and lettuce. It was tasty, but as often happens, the meat comes on the bone and with skin attached so you really don't get much meat. I also enjoyed the complimentary margherita.
I was awoken at 6:45am by a knock on the door. One of the hotel staff had brought me breakfast of eggs, bread rolls and coffee. How good is that!? Especially so, since breakfast is not supposed to be included with the 'cheapie' rooms. It made my day start earlier than it might have which was good because I was off to the hospital.
I got a tricycle to Gabriela hospital, arriving at 8:15am. Registration for a consultation starts at 8:30 so I joined the queue; they take your blood pressure whatever is wrong with you. I was there because I had a teenager's-type zit growing on my top lip and it was getting bigger and uglier, and my top lip was swollen so I figured it was infected. I read my book for a couple of hours while waiting then got called into the consultation room.
The doctor confirmed that it was infected and got me to lie down. They put some purple paste around my lips to numb them, then used a large pair of tweezers to burst the zit and get the puss out. It took about 7 squeezes and it hurt. Alot. I whinged a bit and wiggled my feet about like I do when the dentist hurts me. After, they stuck a big white plaster along my top lip and gave me a prescription for pain killers, antibiotics and antibiotic cream. Seems like I did the right thing to get it seen to.
So today I have been walking around town with a big white plaster on my lip rather than a bit white zit. As I am one of only 2 white people in the town, I have had a few strange looks, but not too bad. I chilled out in my room for a bit to make sure I was ok, then started a tour of the town.
I went to Syquia Mansion which still has it's old furniture from when it was built in 1830. It has displays about Elpidio Quirino, a native of Vigan, who became President in 1948. Next I went to the Crisologo Museum which is the ancestral home of the Crisologo family which included a Governor and her Congressman husband. It houses the pink Chevy that the Governor was shot (but not killed in) in 1961, and information about the assassination of her husband at the local St Paul Cathedral in 1970. Vigan is also famous for making jars from the local clay. I finished at St Paul cathedral, which was ok. Built in 1574, it was damaged by earthquakes in 17th century so rebuilt with thicker walls.
Alongside Plaza Maestro, there is a small park with miniature world landmarks (e.g The Eiffel Tower, The Taj Mahal and the Opera House); each made from stone. The stones are very old and decrepit and the Opera House is clearly in need of some maintenance!
I had tasty meat, egg and veg empanadas in the afternoon and sat in the square reading my book. I have noticed that the local men's voices often pitch up at the end of sentences; not just like an Aussie accent where a statement becomes a question, but quite a few octaves a higher. It seems to be just the men; it sounds quite funny.
Tuesday 17th May
No breakfast delivered to my room this morning. Oh well. Got a trike to the bus station and bus to Laoag ('La-wahg' - it's in Ilicos Norte) was about to leave. Public transport is great here, I hardly ever have to wait. Two hours to Laoag. I wanted to hire a bike to visit the sights outside of the town, but nowhere rents out bikes. So after checking in to cheap and cheerful hostel and then extending my visa at the Bureau of Immigration, I got a jeepney out to Batac, where I went to the Marcos Museum and Mausoleum. The museum is only small and has some pictures of and possession of Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos. He was, apparently a World war II hero long before he was a corrupt President. Next door, his body is laid out in a glass box and looks a bit vampirish. Their ancestral home looks lavish from the outside but you can't go in.
Next I got a jeepney 4kms to Paoay '(Pow-why'). Here is the UNESCO-listed Paoay Church that was built in 1704; it's quite impressive and imposing, as it has earthquake-proof reinforcements. Next I got a trike to Suma where I visited the Malacanang of the North, which is the former residence of the Marcos family, built in 1976. Seems they were living in luxury at the people's expense. I got a jeepney back to Laoag; a pretty successful afternoon.
The reason why most Filipino's speak good English is that all of their classes at school are taught in English.
Wednesday 18th May
After tapsilog for breakfast, across the road, got on the bus to Pagudpud; I pretty much got the last seat, in the middle of the back seat, good timing. Two hours to Pagudpud, then they dropped me outside the Bingbong restaurant, so I could get a trike down to the Blue Lagoon and the Kapuluan Vista resort; its a bit expensive but I didn't realise there were cheaper bungalows available until I got here.
Spent the day at the beach; it's not as great as I had read, but it was pleasant and quiet, just a few families about, and I swam out to the coral, and the colourful fish. Didn't use my snorkel and mask because my top lip is still healing, but used the goggles I still have from when I was a kid. Read and swam.
Had dinner at my hotel. Ate chicken adobo. Adobo, often considered the national dish, means the meat has been marinated in garlic and vinegar. It came with potato, onion and lettuce. It was tasty, but as often happens, the meat comes on the bone and with skin attached so you really don't get much meat. I also enjoyed the complimentary margherita.
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