Deliciously Me

It was one hell of a roller coaster ride from Vigan to Laoag. Our driver drove as though he’s Pilipino version of Jenson Button (let’s call him Jenseon Button since I don’t know his name, lol!) in a McLaren F1 car and all of us couldn’t help but to squeak when our car went too near to the car in front of us.

The entire 2 hours journey, we were either laughing our heads off because of some funny jokes or yelling for help because of the F1-ness in our driver’s blood. Sat had car sick and mild ‘heart attack’ as he sat next to Jenseon Button who was showing off his skill on road!

Along the way, we stopped by St Augustine Church or famously known as Paoay Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. The church is in the UNESCO World Heritage List and since we’re the so-called UNESCO-heritage-hunter, it’s totally unquestionable that we’ll be heading to this place.

Ohya, Paoay is pronounced as Pa-wai. Apparently all the –y should sound like –i, like Boracay (Bo-ra-kai, not Bo-ra-kei). So, Laoag is pronounced as La-wai too! Haha. Special thanks to Hannah for being my personal Tagalog tutor in Philippines. Salamat po!

Believe it or not, his church is also nicknamed the Golden Church because when the sun set, the sun rays reflects on the façade of the church making it glows in gold. Also there’s a local urban legend saying that there’s gold hidden in the tunnel underneath the church. So hmm..

$$$

As much as we wanted to see the golden façade of the church, it was very cloudy when we entered Paoay town. We prayed hard, hoping that the rain wouldn’t start pouring until we finish visiting the area. Jenseon Button made his way into this small town to this famous church and parked his McLaren at the parking bays in front of the church.

We got down and started talking to the guys from the other car. We told them on how fast and furious Jenseon Button drove and they told us that theirs is more extreme than ours! Curiously we asked why.

“Because we ran over few animals.”

We gave them the wtfish look. Immediately in my mind, an image of a car running over a cow appeared. LOL!

The most LOL moment is when we know that Jenseon Button addresses their driver, Buddha because of his bald head. They explained that Buddha drove over animals because he couldn’t brake in time when the dog, cat or chicken suddenly ran into the road.

I wanted to pee once gotten down from the car, but the sight of the Paoay church is too mesmerizing that I immediately walked towards the church.

The awe feeling that I had at that time is exactly the same when I stood in front of Angkor Wat and Borobudur Temple. Knowing that I won’t be coming back to this place anymore, I took as much photos as I could. Hehe!

Then it was the time for group photo.

The group photos look stunning with Paoay Church as the backgrounding and the dramatic sky. However it lacks something or should I say someone?

It’s Hannah! She’s always our photographer and we wanted her to be in the photo as well! Since nobody brought tripod along (actually someone brought but didn’t bring it down, lol!) so we took it with David kneed in front holding the wide angle and everyone just squeezed behind!

Seriously, thank god for wide angle! Or else, we wouldn’t have thought of doing so. Keke!

After that all of us headed towards the church. Some went to the bell tower located on the church’s right hand side. As for me, I straightaway entered the church.

2 statues of angel holding a bowl greeted me as I walked down the board, long nave. I continued walking and stopped just before the bema where the altar is. I don’t dare to go up to the raised platform to have a closer shot as I fear it’s disrespectful to step to do so.

Then I walked out and headed towards the left side of the church for the buttresses, the famous photographed part of the church besides the façade. In case you don’t know what a buttress is, it’s actually structure built against wall for support.

A church situated in an earthquake prone area definitely needs buttresses to hold them up. Or else it wouldn’t be called the Earthquake Baroque church for no reason. Paoay church survived earthquake twice. Though there were damages, but with the buttresses the church was able to withstand the impact. I read that this church is used as a fortress during war before of the strong foundation.

Paoay church is one of the 4 famous Baroque churches in Philippines. I was trying to find out what Baroque element does the church has. After looking around, I supposed it’s because of the broadness of the nave and the light-dark colour contrast used? Moreover Baroque style started somewhere in the 16^th century lasts to the 19^th century, so I believe that might somehow influenced the church design as the church was built in the 16^th century.

At the middle of the church, I saw these ruined steps. I supposed it’s a stairs from the bottom to the top, but I couldn’t comprehend why there’s a stair there. Maybe it’s just a fallen buttress.

Sat came to find me and we took the opportunity to snap few pictures. How would resist NOT to camwhore at such a beautiful place?

We found a beautiful gothic door that we can’t resist to camwhore with. ^^

Done camwhoring, we walked towards the bell tower. Along the way, Hannah told us that the church was built of corals.

CORALS? Like seriously? – that was our reply.

Then she said YEAH!

And we gave her disbelief look, and looked at the wall with wonders. Lol.

Before heading up the bell tower, I went to the other side of the church to take few pictures. Apparently, there’s a fenced garden (I think) at that side, but since we didn’t have much time left I didn’t enter. I then walked towards the bell tower.

Just when I determined to climb up the bell tower, someone told us that we have only like 10 minutes left. 10 minutes is enough to get up to the bell tower, but the thing is I was holding on to my pee. Initially I thought of going halfway the bell tower quickly snapped the view around and then came down, but when I looked up the tower, I realised there’s no ‘pit stop’ in the middle. The swirl tower will bring up directly up to the 3^rd storey.

Oh well, I had to forgo the climb as I was holding my pee to the maxxxx! @_@

Quickly took few pictures and then ran to the public toilet of the food stall opposite Paoay church.

Not only the toilet is smelly and couldn’t flush, we have to pay like 5 pesos (RM0.36) for using it.

Shit, now only I realised the toilet in Paoay is 10 cents more expensive than ours. Lol!

After entering the toilet, Sat and I bought a big bottle of water from drink stall and then walked back to our car. Before the journey started, Sat quickly popped in a pill for car sickness and prayed the Jenseon Button would drive better for the rest of the journey. The sky was getting darker and we quickly started our journey to the North.

As we headed north, we were greeting by the sight of paddy fields and mountains, kampong houses, small villages town, and many signboard of Jollibee!

I was totally, should I say fascinated or irritated by the signboard of Jollibee. That’s because we were driven along this 2 lane tar road in the middle of paddy fields and mountain range and I could see the Jollibee signboard like once every km?

Okay, maybe I was aggregating but they came out too often! One moment it’ll show “Jollibee 5km”, and next it’ll show “Jollibee 4.7km”. Blah, I should have count the amount of Jollibee signboard along the way.

As we were driving through the road leading to Laoag, we passed by this beautiful big fresh water lake which is known as the Paoay Lake. We didn’t stop by but in the car, Hannah told us a story behind this lake. And it was quite spooky. @_@

Let me put this story I gotten from the wikimapia on The Legend of Paoay Lake.

Long ago, in this once-dry land where Paoay Lake now stands, there was a village whose people were kind, generous and God-fearing. Prosperity was evident in their beautiful houses, their expensive clothes and glittering jewelries. As years passed, rivalry among the people set in, that they worked hard to acquire material things more than the others. God-worship was forgotten. Among them, Juan and his wife Maria, remained simple folks and never forgot to worship God. One night, in a dream, they were told that the village will be destroyed by a flood, if the people will not reform. They related their dream to their neighbours, but they only laughed at them. One morning, the people heard a voice saying, “Leave this place tonight. When you hear the roar of thunder, do not look back, lest you suffer the same fate as the sinners.” When dusk came, they left their little belongings towards the hill. Then they heard the clap of thunder and felt the earth beneath then sway and tremble. The villagers were roused, but their cries died down as they were submerged under the rampaging water. The woman instinctively turned back to look back at the village. She swooned and her husband tried to hold her. This tugging gave the name “Nangguyudan”. They turned into rocks which can still be seen today at Bantay Pugaro. Atop one rock grew a “bangar” tree which rises to the sky like an open umbrella. As years went by at the place where the village sank, a beautiful lake emerged, and is now the famous PAOAY LAKE. Today, they said if one looks into the depths of the lake, one could see the shadows of the buildings and houses of the once prosperous village. Fisherman reported catching fishes adorned with jewels. It is believed that these were the early inhabitants of the ill-fated village. SOURCE: The people of Paoay

Spooky? Yeah, I got goosebump when Hannah told us that as we passed the lake. I got even spooked when Hannah said people who ate the fishes caught from the lake found jewels in it.

Freaking scaryyyyy! >.<

Just wondering, what’s Nangguyudan? Hmm.

Jenseon Button cruised his way to Laoag safely without running over any animals (thankfully). We knew that we’ve reached Laoag city after crossing the wide river using the 4 lane bridge and after seeing a big signboard welcoming us to Laoag City.

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