Port 05 Ilocos, Philippines

by Ed · April 8, 2024

Greetings!

We have a bright sunny morning greeting us on 18 March, 2024, as we arrive in Ilocos, Philippines! A tug (actually three) are waiting for us as we come into the breakwaters.

Today we have a tour to the town of Laoag to visit a church with a troubled belltower, and then to Paoay to see another cathedral as well as the former home of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, the former President and First Lady of the Philippines.

Before we even leave the ship we have a fabulous performance happening on the dock! This 80+ dance troupe have an incredibly complicated set of dances they are performing! Lovely!

As we drive through the country on our way to Laoag, I notice that many homes have at least one, if not two, heads of cattle in their yards. some are supplemented by goats.

We arrive in Laoag at St Williams Cathedral. There is a school sharing the parking lot with the church, so it is a quite busy area.

This church has quite a storied past! This plaque installed in 1950 outlines everything that occurred to it since it was founded! it was built in 1612 of brick and plaster!

Once again, I present to you the 7th Station of the Cross from this church!

The church’s belltower has a significant problem. It is sinking in the sandy soil it was built upon, at the rate of 1″ per year. The entry doors are currently halfway down, looking more like walkout garden basement doors.

Near the street, this lonely dog watches the belltower sink.

Joy stops to give the dog a scratch under its chin to reassure it that the belltower will still be around for a long time.

Meanwhile a jeepney, no, a mercedesney drives by! High-end transportation!

We reach Aurora Park in the center of Laoag. A Tobacco Monopoly Monument commands the center of the park.

This beautiful fountain graces the north end of Aurora Park.

North of the park is the Il Norte Capitol Building.

Our next stop is in the city of Paoay – Malacañang of the North is the museum that is the former home of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos, the former President and First Lady of the Philippines. This home sits on a large plat of land on the edge of Lake Paoay.

The building is two stories with this nice, wide staircase connecting the floors.

Here is Ferdinand’s office. Not overly lavish. In fact, the entire home is impressive in size and location, but not in construction, amenities, or decorations. In fact, it is disappointing.

The upstairs area is large and appropriate for entertaining!

Lake Paoay stretches out behind the house. A wedding is being set up in the back yard. There was a mystery surrounding the lake long ago. During drought it never went down. During heavy rains it never overflowed! The locals suspected the lake had spirits that guarded is. It was later discovered to be fed by an underground spring that regulated the lakes level!

Walls of family photos were left behind. Here we see the couple during their happier times!

ON the way back to the bus we see a produce stand that popped up. It has two of the biggest produce items the area is known for – shallots (the red items) and garlic (the white items in the center). The garlic is known to be smaller than we are accustomed to, but the flavor is said to be far stronger! Sometimes less is more, right?

In downtown Paoay we find the St Agustin Cathedral!

St Agustin Church was built in 1703, completed in 1710.

A beautiful stained-glass divider separates the entry from the nave of the church. It depicts the namesake of this church.

Here is the 7th Station of the Cross for this church.

The interior is simple, unstated. Similar to the Marcos house.

Large buttresses help ensure this church will continue to stand for many more decades, if not centuries!

As I walked around the church I stopped to take a photo of the “I heart PNII” sign, and all of these women ran out to be part of the picture! Crazy cute, huh?

I’ll close with this photo of our lovely ladies in pink! You know Joy on the left. That’s Carolyn on the right. She’s the Oceania Around the World Ambassador! We first met her on our 2022 Around the World (not) cruise.