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About 135km north of San Fernando (La Union) lies the old Spanish town of VIGAN , an obligatory stop on any swing through the northern provinces. It has become a bit of a cliche to describe Vigan as a living museum, but you have to admit it does some justice to the tag. One of the oldest towns in the Philippines, it was called Nueva Segovia in Spanish times and was an important political, military, cultural and religious centre. It still has pavements of cobbled stones and some of the finest old Spanish colonial architecture in the country, including some impressive homes that once belonged to friars, merchants and colonial officials. Various governmental and non-governmental organizations have joined forces to preserve the old buildings. Many are still lived in, others are used as curio shops and a few have been converted into museums. Vigan can thank Juan de Salcedo for its glorious architecture. The grandson of conquistador Miguel de Legaspi, he was made ruler of Ilocos province in the late sixteenth century and immediately set about emulating his grandfather's design of Intramuros. Vigan's time-capsule ambience is aided by the decision to close some of the streets to traffic and allow only pedestrians and carretelas , one-pony, two-seat traps - a ride in one of these makes for a romantic way to tour the town. Vigan is one of the easier Philippine towns to negotiate because its streets follow a fairly regular grid pattern. Mena Crisolog Street runs south from Plaza Burgos and is lined with quaint old antique shops and cafes. Running parallel to it is the main thoroughfare, Governor A Reyes Street. Between Plaza P Burgos and Plaza Salcedo, stands the town's cathedral , St Paul's, dating back to 1641 - one of the oldest cathedrals in the country. Next to the cathedral, the Padre Burgos House National Museum (Mon-Fri 8.30-11am & 1.30-4.30pm) celebrates one of the town's most famous residents, Padre Jose Burgos, whose martyrdom in 1872 galvanized the revolutionary movement. The museum is a captivating old colonial house and houses fourteen paintings by the artist Villanueva, depicting the violent 1807 Basi Revolt, prompted by a Spanish effort to control the production of basi (sugar cane wine). Souvenir-hunters after something more than the usual bulk-produced tourist nick-nacks should head for Rowilda's Hand Loom , on Mena Crisologo near the Cordillera Inn, which offers the kind of old-style textiles that used to be traded during colonial times. Vigan is also known for its pottery. The massive wood-fired kilns at the Pagburnayan Potteries in Rizal Street, at the junction with Liberation Boulevard, turn out huge jars, known as burnay, used by northerners for storing everything from vinegar to fish paste. Carabao (water buffalo) are used to squash the clay under hoof.
spot to visitrachiel rivera says "place that we can stay for a short time, at affordable price." poor city, vigan citymark says "vigan city is poor city, they do not have american bars, or karaoakes bars style,the women are not that pretty, and lack of professional entertainers, still backward, no seaport services, no lights at the beach at night, there is small light tower but there are no lights, and some beach have no services, laoag city at port ilocandia is better than vigan city, Ilocos sur remained poor province of luzon, lack of economic development,the poorest city in luzon is vigan, ilocos sur, the people makes the average of $ 3.00 a day due to lack of leadership by local and national goverment, women are not that pretty, they do not have professional entertainers,bars, american bars, economically, vigan city is stagnant becoz of poor leadership." enjoy the heritagepatrick says "the city of vigan is rich by its historical places and its culture. the sight is astonishing of how poeple was able to preserve the place such as the cobblestoned-streets or traditionally made empanadas. The place is not made for discoing or bar hopping like young mark has said in his article but the elegance of how to relive in the past especially during the spanish era. " of bantay towerdon vinton montana says "bring along a San Mig six-pack, a pack of Camel Reds, and a couple of joints, climb Bantay Tower, and enjoy...just don't step too near the edge because the feeling could really make you feel like a bird and you just might wanna try out flying..it won't be an enjoyable plunge but you'd sure make one hell of an art work with the splattered gray matter."
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