Ivory giants of the north - Bangui Windmills

One of the main reasons why I wanted to reach Ilocos is to admire the beauty of these towering colossi which harness 40% of Ilocos Norte's electricity needs. A common misconception is that the windmills are located in Pagudpud, but during my trip here, I found out that they are located in the town of Bangui, a quaint, coastal town bordered by rivers that dry up during the summer season and the Bangui Bay, where the windmills are facing.

One of the picturesque views often seen in postcards

Wanderlust

These scenes reminded me of Manuel Arguilla's "How my brother Leon brought home a wife." All photos were taken during our trip back from Kabigan Falls, Pagudpud. Heavy photo post ahead :)

The sun was in our eyes, for it was dipping into the bright sea. The sky was wide and deep and very blue above us: but along the saw-tooth rim of the Katayaghan hills to the southwest flamed huge masses of clouds. Before us the fields swam in a golden haze through which floated big purple and red and yellow bubbles when I looked at the sinking sun. Labang's white coat, which I had washed and brushed that morning with coconut husk, glistened like beaten cotton under the lamplight and his horns appeared tipped with fire.He faced the sun and from his mouth came a call so loud and vibrant that the earth seemed to tremble underfoot. And far away in the middle of the field a cow lowed softly in answer.

Further north Pagudpud - day 2

It was already 10 am when we left Laoag city and rode a bus to Pagudpud. It was a 2-hour ride coupled with scenic views along the way, We saw the windmills, open beaches of Burgos and the lighthouse. We thought we can conquer these places in one day but nooo. We arrived in Pagudpud town proper at exactly 12noon and asked the tricycle drivers-in-waiting on how to get  to Saud beach, and a kind Manong took us there. One of the things we learned is too befriend the locals so that they can help you with the trip, so manong offered us an existing tour package for 600 pesos. He gave us his number when he dropped in Saud beach and told us to just contact him if we're done so we can start the tour.

Bus ride from Laoag to Pagudpud. 60php each.

Ilocandia - day 1 in Laoag

I have heard a lot of great things from up North -- the pristine beaches, massive churches which hold great historical value, bizarre landforms and interesting stories. That's why last summer I did not hold back to grab the opportunity in exploring Ilocos Norte. [FILM for this roll: Fujicolor 100]

Hello world!

Let me grace my blog's birthday with a fresh post about myself. I am Byron, a 20-year old guy who takes delight on extemporaneous trips with my analog camera. This blog is made to document my eclectic interests be it food, travel, analog photography and traditional art.