On A Roadtrip!

I love roadtrips! I love it especially if I am the one driving. I like cruising through straight and well-paved highways with upbeat music coming from my trusty iPod. I've been more of a rider than a driver lately, but despite that road tripping is still one of my favorite travel activities.

Here are some of my unforgettable roadtrips through the years:

• The longest drive I've had was in May 2007 on a day trip to Gumaca with my family. Gumaca is a small town in the middle of the Quezon Province here in the Philippines. I drove for five straight hours back and forth on a years-old Mazda sedan. It was nice that it has automatic transmission but the drive could have been easier and faster if the car was a Honda Civic. I was dead tired when I arrived in Gumaca and took a nap for two hours while my mom and dad attend to their affairs. I have no pictures of the place (because of the tiring drive) but I remember that it's a pretty little coastal town.  
  
 
• Another memorable roadtrip was the Vigan vacation with my girlfriends. We've always wanted to go to Vigan and visit its world-recognized historic Spanish-styled houses at Calle Crisologo. We finally made the trip in May 2008 and stayed at Grandpa's Inn, a very unique antique hotel in Ilocos Sur.  It was a very memorable vacation not only because of the wonderful time we had but also because of our long trip back to Manila. We boarded a Partas Bus around 9:00 pm expecting to be back in Manila by 6:30 am. Unfortunately, Typhoon Cosme decided to pay North Luzon a visit so we were stranded in San Fernando, La Union for quite a while. We were on the road for 17 hours and we arrived 2:00 pm in Manila. It was truly one road trip for the books. Good thing we bought so many Vigan delights at the bus station. All praises also for the Partas bus for having enough gas,  good head gasket, and for keeping us well, safe and alive! Whew! 
  
  
  
  The Famous Calle Crisologo
  
  
  
  Spanish-era Dining Room at The Syquia Mansion in Vigan
  
  
• The last happy roadtrip I want to share was the one I had with the boyfriend last December 2009. It was a short but memorable trip to Lumban and Pakil, Laguna. We first went to Lumban to buy a Barong Tagalog, a traditional formal Filipino attire for guys,  for Jako & Charu's wedding. Lumban is known as the "Embroidery Capital of the Philippines" since they are famous for making those Jusi and Pina cloth embroideries.  They also sell it at low prices compared to Manila designers and fashion houses. Php 2,000 ($43.00) can already get you a very good Pina Barong in Lumban. We went to Pakil after Lumban to visit one of my favorite churches,  the centuries-old San Pedro de Alcantara Church. The church is very grand, well-preserved, and it still has the old pulpit where the Spanish friars used to hold their sermons. The miraculous Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba is also enshrined in the church. This is a must-visit especially if you're a history buff or a photographer who loves taking photos of nice architecture.

San Pedro de Alcantara Church in Pakil, Laguna



Sunday Mass and The Pulpit


Airplane rides are cool but sometimes roadtrips are better. It can give you more bonding and sharing moments with friends and families. Just remember to load up your iPod with really cool music, have your car check before the trip at local auto shops like the ones in Los Angeles auto repair shops,  bring lots of water and snacks (7-11 stores are not always available on the road), bring a book (in case you get bored) and be spontaneous! Be ready for the unexpected - like what happened to us in Vigan.

Drop me a line via comment box if you have other roadtrip tips, suggested roadtrip routes, or memorable road journeys you've taken. I want to do another big roadtrip this year. I'm thinking of going to Ilocos again but this time to Laoag and Pagudpod.

Grandpa's Inn
#1 Bonifacio St. cor Quirino Blvd.
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, Philippines
Tel No: +63-77-722-2118
E-mail: reservation@grandpassinn.com

San Pedro de Alcantara Church
Taft St., Pakil, Laguna, Philippines
Tel. No.: +63-49-557-0211

Happy Travel!