108
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From the old town of Vigan, where a
stroll down the cobblestone-street of
Calle Crisologo is like a trip back to the
1800
s, I took a three-hour bus ride to
Laoag and continued my way up to
Pagudpud to take a dip in Saud Beach,
famous for its white sand, crystalline
waters and almost deserted beaches.
From there I decided to go somewhat
off the beaten path: walked down to the
famous high-tech windmills of Bangui
that harness wind power for part of the
Luzon grid then endured an hour of
butt-numbing uphill ride on a
habal-
habal
(
motorbike) to get to Adams, a
small municipality with about 1,500
residents as of last count. It was worth
the minor injury: once there, I found a
room in a beautiful and cozy log cabin
within a winery. Adams, so named
by its earliest settlers who thought
it looked like the Garden of Eden (or
perhaps Adam’s patch of it), is known
for its local wine called
bugnay
,
a
sweet, fruity and light wine made from
the fruit of the same name.
Aboard buses, motorbikes and
tricycles — and sometimes, on foot — I
made my way back to Tuguegarao,
past the Callao Caves, through small
towns across Cordillera mountain range
that spread across the provinces of
Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province
and Ifugao, before following a course
through the eastern part of Luzon. I
dipped into waterfalls in Quirino and
watched hardy surfers slice through
curling waves in Aurora, and on the
24
th day of my journey, I headed back
to Manila.
After a quick pit stop in the city
to replenish supplies, I moved south
towards Quezon province and spent a
few days following the daily rhythms of
farmers in Marinduque.
I learned how to make copra and
how to fetch fresh water from a river on
the back of a carabao. Working with the
earth was fulfilling labor, so by the time
I got to the Bicol region, famous for its
hot and spicy cuisine, I was ready to
reward myself.
PHOTOS
GETTY IMAGES (WHALE SHARK); LESTER LEDESMA (AURORA)
Clockwise from top left: James learned
to ride a carabao in Marinduque;
swimming with a whale shark was
another dream come true; at the Divine
Chamber at Callao Caves; holding a
stingless jellyfish at Bucas Grande,
Surigao del Norte; surfers in Aurora
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