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| antique shop in Calle Crisologo |
Vigan is the capital of Ilocos Sur, a province located in Northern Luzon. What makes this town really popular is this street - Calle Crisologo - a half-kilometer cobblestoned street lined with Spanish architecture, simply a virtual tourist playground. For a moment, you will be transported to the Spanish-era and have a "feel" of the decade when the Philippines was under their regime. Antique furnitures and wooden benches line the sidewalks, perfect for those tired legs and photo shoots. You may just take a walk along this street or choose to ride one of the "kalesas" for a better old-time experience.
On both sides of the street are rows of souvenir shops, hotels, museums, bookshops, galleries, etc. It would really have been a "back to the past" experience if not for the motorcycles parked along the sidewalks. From what I know, only horse-drawn carriages were allowed here before, obviously the rules have changed. I, personally, would have liked it better if they have kept that prohibition. Vigan, being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, should be preserved and seeing motorcycles in Calle Crisologo just ruins what the site represents and the atmosphere it intends to evoke.
Nonetheless, this place is still awesome and worth visiting. Next time, I hope to spend a night on one of those Spanish-styled hotels and have the pleasure of waking up to this scenery. Hmm, perhaps the local government should try hiring people clad in Spanish costumes, they are crowd-drawers as well, like the Igorots in Baguio or the cartoon characters in Enchanted Kingdom. Just a thought :P
Some pics ... ♥♥♥
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| street sign |
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| antique benches along the street |
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| Kalesa |
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| cobblestoned street |
Spanish architecture>>>>>>>>>>
<<<< store selling old books and souvenir items
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