ILOCOS Adventures

I had my first Ilocos adventure almost 10 years ago in November 2002. (I was still single back then). I was asked by my colleagues if I wanted to join them. We knew nothing about the place.  All was know was we wanted to go to Pagudpod, Ilocos Norte.  Back then we experienced the kindness of Ilocanos.  From the kutsero (driver of a horse carriage called "kalesa") to the mini bus conductors.
We arrived Vigan, Ilocos Norte at about 4pm in the afternoon.  We fell in love with the place.  The Kutsero, sorry if I forgot the name of Manong, helped us find a place to sleep.  We bargained the price of the room, the price was originally 1500, but we were able to bargain at 1200.00 we were 5 people. I think that was Fernando Inn.  We then asked Manong Kutsero for a good place for dinner.  He brought us to Flores de Mayo.
Before we ended the day, we asked Manong Kutsero to fetch us and give us a tour.  Rate back then was 150.00 per hour.  He brought us to the famous Bell Tower, Villa Angela, the pottery, and the cobblestones.  I think to need to recall where I have placed all our pictures.  We did not have any digital cameras during that time.  I had my first camera phone a Nokia 7650 then.
After the tour, we asked him to bring us to the nearest bus station going to Laoag City.  The minibus conductor helped us carry our bags where Yoj, one of our first timers (first time to go out of Metro Manila) thought the conductor was stealing her bag.  Take note, her bag is bigger than her.  We asked for the fare, the conductor, 80.00 but you can give us 60.00 (wow).  We got a discount.  We arrived Laoag City at 2pm and we took our lunch at Jollibee,  The we proceeded to Pagudgod.  We did not know anything about the place so we did not know how far it was.  When we asked the minibus conductor again how much was the fare, he said 60.00 each but you can pay 40.00 (another wow).  We arrived Pagudpod at 6pm.  The driver asked us were we are going and we just told "we don't know".  Maybe he has pitied us that he brought us to Apo Idon Resort.  A very nice place, so serene.  When we saw the beach, we forgot the hunger and the fatigue we experienced during the long travel.  We have wondered if the place was still a part of the Philippine map.  My 2012 adventure coming up in the my next post.