Goats on a Tropical Beach

Ilocos, 2010

All I need to say about this is that right about now I'd rather be a goat on a sunny tropical beach. Just for a few minutes, okay?

Linking with Camera Critters.

Shadows at a Resort

For Shadow Shot Sunday here are three shadow images I captured at a very special resort in Ilocos Norte I've posted about here and here.

I like the mix of materials, textures and colors. A metal chair on terracotta Vigan tiles, name after the Ilocos Sur town that makes them. Details on the chapel. Gecko in a paper lamp.

Ilocos Norte, 2010

Click the link to find fun shadows around the globe. Thanks to the new team for continuing to host this fun meme!

F is for Fishing

Boys fishing together. Friendship. What could be more fun than that?

Ilocos Norte, 2010

With the letter F at Alphabe-Thursday, I'm offering this fun series of friends fishing in Blue Lagoon in northern Philippines.

W is for Windmill

Aptly called giant electric fans by the locals, twenty whopping windmills grace the northern coastline of Ilocos Norte facing the windy North China Sea.

Ilocos Norte, 2010

The 23-storey windmills standing 236 meters apart were installed in 2005 and were the first source of clean energy in the Philippines. Together they produce over 30-megawatts of electricity and supply 40% of the province's energy needs. Yet, to put this into some kind of perspective, the entire province consumes only about half the energy of one of Manila's larger shopping malls!

It's hard to grasp the sheer size of the windmills. Each windmill with 41-meter blades stands 70 meters tall and weighs 104 tons. Its tapered tower of steel measures 4.2 meters thick at its base. Look again at the relative small size of the people in the first photo!

There's plenty of environmental incentive to build these alternate energy projects. But unfortunately, without government subsidies, this renewable energy source would hardly be financially viable, even considering this privately-operated one stands to earn millions of euros in carbon credits.

This final photo was taken near sundown from a platform built along the highway specifically for tourists to view the spectacular scenery.

We're sharing stories with the letter W at Alphabe-Thursday and the shadow shot is for, well, Shadow Shot Sunday.

Quirino Bridge

Quirino Bridge crosses the Abra river connecting the rocky mountain slopes to the north of the town of Santa and the southern tail end of Bantay in the province of Ilocos Sur.  

The bridge is named after the former President Elpidio Qurino, the sixth president of the Philippines (1948-1953). He was born in this province in 1890. 

 

A super typhoon washed away one of its steel spans in 2001, destroying the bridge. This shot is taken from the new bridge to the old, more appealing, bridge.

Ilocos Sur, 2010

The bridge is also locally called Banaoang Bridge after the barangay it is located in. Barangay is a Filipino term for a village, district or ward or the smallest administrative division in the Philippines.

This bridge joins Sunday Bridges and Scenic Sunday.

Shadow of a Tree

Ilocos, 2010

The coastline of the northern tip of Luzon province in the Philippines is a sight to behold. I sat on that makeshift log bench (better seen when photo is enlarged) for quite a while to watch the waves roll in and feel the cool wind brush against my skin.

This joins the shadow chasers at Shadow Shot Sunday, as well as lovers of photogenic scenes at Scenic Sunday.

[SkyWatch] Sky in the Sand

You may have seen the beach photos taken in Ilocos I posted earlier with sunset silhouettes and reflections. On that same evening walk, I marveled at the beauty of the sky colors in the sand (better viewed enlarged). 

 

Ilocos, 2010

Help me get better at choosing my images to post. Which is your favorite? And why? Which is your least favorite? Why? I have thick skin, so please don't worry; I'd so much rather learn something than be falsely praised.

I link this post with SkyWatch Friday and Weekend Reflections.

F is for Fountain

Today I show you yet another spot on the grounds of Sitio Remedios, the resort I've featured a number of times in the past weeks (here, here and here).

Looking out from the little chapel, you see this fabulous fountain with a statue of Saint Michael the Archangel in the classical pose of showing Satan who's boss.

 Ilocos, 2010

I thought it looked fantastic at night all lit up, too.

This post joins the good folks playing along at ABC Wednesday where the letter today is F, as well as with Watery Wednesday.

[MyWorld] Heritage Houses

In an earlier post I described our lovely rooms at the resort we stayed in between Christmas and New Years. One of a number of things that made this a great place to stay are the accommodations in authentic heritage houses. I quote from their website:

Sitio Remedios is a private village resort situated in an 18,000 square meter of land in Barangay Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte, facing the South China Sea. It is a re-created Ilocano village typical of the mid-fifties, and stands as a reminder of a more genteel era. The houses and other buildings are made of vintage bricks and wood salvaged from mid-century structures mostly from the towns of Ilocos Norte. The lay-out is in a grid typical of Spanish times, the quadricula, respectful of spaces and ancient trees, amid which the structures are built. The houses were constructed by workers coming from the towns where the houses were sourced, guided by architect Rex Hofileña, who without any detailed architectural plans, coached them to surface their innate artistry and skill to build remembrances of their Ilocano past.

Here are a few of the houses. Details can be seen when enlarged.

 

 

 

 Ilocos Norte, 2010

In a future post I will show some more scenes of this special place.

Linking with MyWorld Tuesday, where hundreds of others share a glimpse of their world.

C is for Church

One of the most distinctive experiences I’ve enjoyed in my travels is a private dinner on the front steps of a church. And not just any church, but the gorgeous Paoay Church in Ilocos Norte, the northernmost province in the Philippines.

Ilocos Norte, 2010

Known also as San Agustín of Paoay, it is one of four churches built by the Spanish in the late 16th century that was placed on the Unesco World Heritage list in 1993 for its unusual style of architecture. A fusion of Oriental, Gothic and Baroque influences created unique structures characterized by a separate bell-tower and strong buttresses able to withstand repeated earthquakes.

As described on the UNESCO site:

The Church of San Agustín at Paoay is the most outstanding example in the Philippines of 'Earthquake Baroque'. Fourteen buttresses are ranged along the lines of a giant volute supporting a smaller one and surmounted by pyramidal finials. A pair of buttresses at the midpoint of each nave wall have stairways for access to the roof. The lower part of the apse and most of the walls are constructed of coral stone blocks, the upper levels being finished in brick, but this order is reversed on the facade. The massive coral stone bell tower, which was added half a century after the church was completed, stands at some distance from the church, again as a protection against damage during earthquakes.

 

Construction of the church started in 1704 and was completed in 1894 by the Augustinian friars. The bell tower next to the church dates to 1793 and served as an observation point of the Katipuneros during the Philippine Revolution in 1896 and later by the guerrillas during the Japanese occupation.

It’s no wonder Paoay Church was also declared a national treasure.

As you can see from the photos, we arrived at the church after the sun was down, and while our party explored the grounds, the lights were turned on and the tables were set up for us. It was just a few days after Christmas, so the tree was still standing.

This post is linked with ABC Wednesday where the letter of the week is C. Go check out how other interesting C posts.

[MyWorld] Rustic Elegance

In Ilocos Norte, already a few weeks ago, we stayed at a most delightful resort. Having a definite preference for uniqueness and character, this place may rank as one of the top ten I've ever stayed in. From the moment we entered the grounds and were treated to a bright smile and fresh wet towel to the moment we left four days later, we felt pampered and well-looked after. A bit of heaven on earth, one might say.

The resort cannot be considered the lap of luxury, but it far exceeded comfort through the meticulous attention to detail in historical design and decor, both inside and outside. There was too much of interest on the grounds to cover in one post, so today I share with you a few views of our own accommodation. [Details are best seen when photos are enlarged.]

 

 

 Ilocos, 2010

In the photos: the entrance to our suite, an antique wood carved angel, our bed, capiz shell panels and mirror in our bedroom, view from our sitting room (yes, no window), outdoor rain shower, door to small courtyard, and the scene as we leave our suite.

And for four glorious days and nights, that was my world... and I link with MyWorld Tuesday.

Rustic Wood & Bamboo Bridge

Not a bridge I'd want to cross after an evening of merrymaking. Yet certainly an interestingly unique design and construction to add to the collection at Louis la Vache's Sunday Bridges collection.

Ilocos, 2010

Huts on Beach Reflected

After the brightest gold of yesterday's sunset had faded, my friend Svetlana and I took a saunter down the beach.

 Ilocos Norte, 2010

And there I found my shots for James' Weekend Reflections.