Ilocos: Just when you thought I've written too much

I'm feeling so nostalgic today.

I remember Ilocos and my three trips, but I still feel they aren't enough. Each trip was a new experience. The first was of discovering it for ourselves. The second was sharing the beauty with my family. The third trip was having a good time with friends.

With each trip I had so, so much to say. And now I surprise myself with so much more words for Ilocos.

I guess I have really fallen in love. :) That is, if there's such a thing for a place. But why? Maybe it's the loooong drive that makes me feel that it's worth it. Maybe it's the anticipation of going back to somewhere familiar or something that you can boast the beauty of to others. Maybe it's the adventure of stepping back into time and pretending to live a simple life.

Maybe. But when I really think about it, during each trip, I felt like I was coming home. I felt so much at home with the beauty of Ilocos. I saw Ilocanos with the same dark skin and the same industriousness as I do. I experienced their hospitality and love for their homeland. I loved the food that they cooked. And I wished I spoke the language, but nevertheless, I felt that I belonged.

I guess that's really it. It's about going back to my roots. To the region where my maternal grandparents grew up and fell in love. It's like discovering a love that has always been there, one that makes you realize that you never really had a choice. Being Ilocano runs in my blood and I embrace it. I know I will continue to for many more years to come.

Let me end with three pictures, one from each time I visited, taken at the same place -- the Blue Lagoon. I once mentioned that it is paradise on earth. I still continue to believe so. Until now, it's still my favorite beach in the world. And until now, I still yearn to go back and experience everything again.

After all, there's no place like home.