The old city of Vigan comes alive

Photos and short story by Art G. Valenzuela

THE old Calle Crisologo is alive again and the more than 200 centuries-old mestizo houses continue to mesmerize the visitors. A tour of Vigan City is usually centered along the cobblestone street of Calle Crisologo which is in the center of the entire Heritage Site where you start at either end of the “calle” from the southwest end where the old Syquia House stands. After a kilometer or so of gazing and looking here and there, you end up sitting along the rows of snack sheds near the church for that big-size merienda of Vigan empanada stuffed with a delicious ingredient inside it.

I usually divide my trip down the “calle” at 9 in the morning after a hefty 6.30 eat-all-you-can breakfast at the famous hotel that had become a local landmark where the contestants to the Miss Universe (January 15, 2017) stayed during a pre-pageant show at Plaza Burgos. After an hour of shooting here and there, I would go to the Qurino Museum or at the Bantay Tower just across from the main highway (Manila North Road) take in more views and snap more photos.

Early lunch is at 11.15 at Café Uno (well, it is somewhere in the old blocks of antique houses) for some native table fares like “kinigtod,” “imbaliktad,” or “po-polo” seaweeds and more (I hope I got the spellings of the exotic foods correctly) which are not usually available in any famous or ritzy Metro Manila  resto.

After lunch, it’s back to the hotel for a well-deserved nap until 3.00 when it is time to get ready to join the main crowd that usually gather at the “calle” starting at 4.00 until early evening when the spectacular “Light and Sound Show” begins at eight , usually on a weekend.

Vigan City, you are worth visiting again and again.