I admit it. I’ve written too much about Ilocos. During my past 3 trips and on a bout of nostalgia, I’ve churned out a lot of words for the region – about its beauty, its simplicity, and how it feels so much like home.
It seems like my 2006 promise to come back has been taken to an extreme.
My latest trip was my fourth one and I can’t promise that it was my last. From the bottom of my heart, I love the place. And there’s no stopping me from coming back to experience it again.There are still a lot of words to be said, though a lot of things stayed the same. I can go saying that Vigan has retained its charm with the old houses and the calesas. Or that I finally learned that it was FPJ and not Jericho Rosales that shot Panday at the Bell Tower. Or that Playa is like mini Bali and that Thunderbird is like mini Santorini. I can go saying that Paoay Church is still a sight to see and that it took my breath away for the second time. I can verify and re-verify that Blue Lagoon is still my favorite beach in the world, even with the huge waves. I can say that Saud beach is a beauty of gentle waves this time of the year. Or that the Bangui windmills still blew me away. I can say that the long ride sucked, but made it all worth it.
As I said, there is still so much to say. But for now I forgo the imagery, as nothing stood out more than the people I was with.
There are very few words to be said, but there is a lot more that is felt when I’m with my family. Vigan, the bell tower, Playa, Thunderbird, Paoay Church, Blue Lagoon, Saud beach, and Bangui windmills – they all stand for something to me, but nothing more than how my parents, sisters, cousins, nephew,
niece and relatives mean to me.For the fourth time, Ilocos was beautiful. But the true beauty of this trip was that we all traveled together. What stood out to me were Sean’s and Shay’s smiles in the water, the long talk with Ate Mitzi in Saud beach, and Mama’s effort in documenting everything with more than a thousand photos. I can clearly remember Shay singing “lalalala” so loudly in the morning, Papa super loving Thunderbird, and the thousand pictures Kris and Ate Mai posed for. What stood out to me were Kuya Sonny's superb organization skills, Paula being called by Sean as ‘sexy’ in Blue Lagoon, and Ate Cel’s freak sunburn because she’s mestiza. During the trip I remember Kuya Paul and Paula bickering like siblings, Uncle Ed conquering the huge waves, and Mommy Luz finding her missing shades.
Yes, I can go on talking about the beauty of the places we’ve been to. But much as I try, this post is not about Ilocos, but about my family. If we went anywhere else, it would have been just as special and just as memorable. Ilocos was just a beautiful backdrop for us third generation Ilocanos to discover our roots and strengthen our relationships.
Yes, for the nth time, the North was beautiful. But more importantly, nothing is more beautiful than being with the whole family that I love.Here’s to more road trips and plane rides! :) I miss you all so much! :)
