Wish I was wearing the baro't saya
There is something with Vigan that I find surreal, but at the same time I feel at home.
Vigan feels so familiar..
Perhaps it's because this is not my first time to be here. Although when I went here more than a decade ago, it was just very brief, I think just a few hours, not even enough to see how the Spanish colonial town was.
Perhaps it's the place we stayed at --Villa Angela Heritage house, which made me feel like I was just having a vacation in our own ancestral house in my province in Nueva Ecija.
Perhaps it's the walking around the streets, both the cobbledstone streets in Calle Crisologo as well as the ordinary streets, the plaza, and eating of streetfoods, which I enjoyed a lot, especially the interaction with the warm people around.
Perhaps it's the videoke, where I sang my heart out, not caring if I was out of tune. I will never forget how I got a standing ovation from the staff and other guests in Cafe Leona when I finished singing "Mula Sa Puso", a popular Filipino song which means "From the Heart".
Perhaps it's the calesa ride around the streets. After 28 years, I finally had my first calesa ride and it felt so nice to wander around the town imagining how it felt like if I lived back in the 16th century time during the Spanish era, back when things were more simple, where women were treated with respect, where most men still knew chivalry, loyalty and honor.
Vigan was surely a memorable trip for me, as for some time, I felt like I was living a different life.
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Baro't saya - traditional costume of the Philippines for ladies during the Spanish colonization era
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A room with 3 beds costs 2400 per night which includes breakfast - this has its own private bathroom with heater. There is also another room with 2 single beds for 1000 pesos per night and includes breakfast but the bathroom is located outside the room but is still exclusive for the use of the persons renting this room. Then there are some dorm type rooms as well on the ground floor.
We took the 2400 pesos room with 3 beds. It is very nice: the beds are are made of those antique Spanish style bed frames complete with mosquito nets although no worries, there are no mosquitos at all as the room is airconditioned. The bathroom is also really clean and nice. There is water heater on the shower.
You can either have a Filipino breakfast or Continental breakfast. We had the continental breakfast: bread, butter, jam, pineapples, orange juice and coffee. I can say that this is the best Continental breakfast I've had, their bread is really good and it is very nice to have it on this long antique dining table.
Just a couple of tips:
1) The reception area is very discreet. Currently it is located at the ground floor behind the stairs but there were no signs at all to indicate it so you may get misled going upstairs.
2) They lock the gates at night when they think all the guests are already inside the place but not really a big hassle since you can just ring the doorbell.
