March 2013


LATEST TOWN STORIES AND VLOGS

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Stories of town explorations.
"I hope everyone shall change for the better. It should not just be a tradition but it should be a goal to enrich our spiritual lives."

Vigan's culture and traditions are intangible part of its rich heritage; and the Holy Week has come. Religious people come out. Vigan's culture during the Lent spills out to a severe degree. Religious people flock to the streets with candles and carrozas carrying the image of the saints.

Vigan Holy Week

Vigan Holy Week Crowd


I went to the heritage districts of the city. Riding a motorbike, the easiest way to go around the historic town, never became easy. The street was filled with a lot of vehicles -- traffic jam severely. Walking was the best option.

I am seeing the blend of the old and the new and on how the old manages to survive. Instead of the usual serene Vigan landscape with quiet streets and calesa all around, the historic streets lined with century-old houses became a chaos. Tourists flocked. The traffic jam is highly excruciating.

Vigan Holy Week

Parked the motorbike on a less-crowded corner

Vigan Holy Week

Not-so-relaxing Vigan street on a Holy Week

So I parked the motorbike. I opted to walk to the core of the city but walking down the old heritage village of a nostalgic city was not a great way to relax. The space becomes very limited. It is hard to breathe. I am missing the old Vigan I used to know when I was a kid.

But who am I to control? I want the people to see the beauty of my hometown and everyone is welcome to see the city because it is for everyone. The Holy Week, being the peak season for tourist arrival in Vigan is a bit of sacrifice on my part to endure the not-so-smooth traffic flow and stress of being in a limited space.

Vigan Holy Week

Crowd waiting for the coming out of the saints' sculpted images


I walked to the Vigan Cathedral and still, crowd keeps growing in number. The religious people are waiting for the coming out of the saints' sculpted images. Sometimes I ask myself, is this really just a tradition or a devotion? I believe devotion has more bearing than tradition.

Now the first sculpture went out. A big number of people followed the imagery. Handling their candles, they walked after the well-lighted carroza of the imagery pushed by some of them around the town. It marked the beginning of the Vigan procession on a Good Friday.

Vigan Holy Week

With a larger carroza of the saints


So the long procession pursued. As they say, it will always end up at the church however long the procession route might be.

So after this what's next? I hope everyone shall change for the better. It should not just be a tradition but it should be a goal to enrich our spiritual lives.

Aside from the procession, the city's Plaza Burgos becomes a haven for food lovers, specifically street food lovers.

Vigan Holy Week

A night-out for foodies

Vigan Holy Week

It's shawarma for me


Semana Santa in Vigan is also a chance to buy tiangge-price commodities and the chance to experience a street with cars replaced by food stalls.

Calle Crisologo

It was indeed a Good Friday


I ended my Good Friday walk in Vigan at Calle Crisologo. I am grateful of the great opportunities coming to Vigan and I saw the love of the people here. Tourists continue to flock and it feels cool although there are some not-so-good-friday effects. In the long run, Semana Santa in Vigan is fun if you have set your mind to enjoy the place whatever circumstance may arise.

#Vigan Exploration Series

Vigan City | Abel House Decor, an Expression of Love & Passion Binatbatan Festival Street Dancing 2013 (Photo Coverage)Vigan Karbo Festival | Of Carabao, Glasses and SeedsWorld Costume Festival | Vigan Conquers the WorldVigan City | Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) ScenesVigan Dancing Fountain | Plaza Salcedo RepackagedLongganisa Festival | A Colorful Vigan City FiestaWitnessing 2013's First Sunset (and full moon?) in PerspectiveGlass Mosaic and Boklan Arts, and Some Revelations About MeCalle Crisologo and the Calesa ParadePasagad Dressing and the Largest Gathering of Carabao in ViganExotic Vigan Food | Edmar is Certified Frog-Eater in 15 minutesBinatbatan Festival | A Festival of Cottons and FabricCarabao Painting 2012 | Karbo Festival of ViganCalesa Parade | A Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts HighlightPalaspas-Weaving and Waving | A Philippine Holy Week CulturePalm Sunday Trade | Buying 'Palaspas' on a Holy Week via Drive-ThruPalm Sunday Trade | Buying 'Palaspas' on a Holy Week via Drive-Thru

Map Showing the Location of #Vigan

Click this map to view all posts about Vigan

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Stories of town explorations.
"This is Holy Week up north. This is Vigan, like any other places in the Philippines."

I'm sure many of us know how Vigan is covered with deep-rooted Roman Catholic traditions since it became the religious center up north during the Spanish regime. The Spanish influence continued to live. Bigueños are so much engaged with religious events whole year round. Personally, I don't join these activities because I have my own principles but I just want to let the readers know how Vigan looks like during Holy Week.

Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) in Vigan
I walked around the heritage district at the night of Domingo de Ramos. I have seen boys in their themed clothes handling some props and candles.

In front the Vigan Metropolitan Cathedral, a crowd of Roman Catholic devotees persistently waited for the start of the procession. This is how Vigan opened the Holy Week via Palm Sunday.

Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) in Vigan
A well-lighted man-made figure of a saint was promenaded around the historic town. 

It was pushed by some devotees carefully as not to let it fall. At the back of this imagery are other sculptures dressed with shimmering clothes with crowns and lights.
Palm Sunday (Domingo de Ramos) in Vigan
At the other smaller church of Vigan, weavers and vendors of palaspas was a crowd as devotees also flocked in number that the church can no longer accommodate.


This is Holy Week up north. This is Vigan, like any other places in the Philippines.

#Vigan Exploration Series

Vigan City | Abel House Decor, an Expression of Love & Passion Binatbatan Festival Street Dancing 2013 (Photo Coverage)Vigan Karbo Festival | Of Carabao, Glasses and SeedsWorld Costume Festival | Vigan Conquers the WorldVigan City | Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) ScenesVigan Dancing Fountain | Plaza Salcedo RepackagedLongganisa Festival | A Colorful Vigan City FiestaWitnessing 2013's First Sunset (and full moon?) in PerspectiveGlass Mosaic and Boklan Arts, and Some Revelations About MeCalle Crisologo and the Calesa ParadePasagad Dressing and the Largest Gathering of Carabao in ViganExotic Vigan Food | Edmar is Certified Frog-Eater in 15 minutesBinatbatan Festival | A Festival of Cottons and FabricCarabao Painting 2012 | Karbo Festival of ViganCalesa Parade | A Viva Vigan Festival of the Arts HighlightPalaspas-Weaving and Waving | A Philippine Holy Week CulturePalm Sunday Trade | Buying 'Palaspas' on a Holy Week via Drive-ThruPalm Sunday Trade | Buying 'Palaspas' on a Holy Week via Drive-Thru

Map Showing the Location of #Vigan

Click this map to view all posts about Vigan

NAGUSTUAM DIAY NABASAM/NAKITAM? MABALIN MO MET I-LIKE.
Continue reading
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