San Juan La Union
Today we would head around 85-miles south to the beach resort of La Union following our morning in Vigan.
It promised golden beaches & surf, however I had booked a hotel around 30-minutes hot and sweaty walk away.
No problem, Carlos drove us to a beachside restaurant where we feasted on a tuna club sandwich before strolling along the sands.
Before we arrived at the beach we had passed a huge church in the middle of nowhere.
It had dozens of concrete steps leading up to it. No idea what it was called or where it was located!
Next morning we went further south to Baguio with some varied attractions on the way.
Tam Awan Village
Tam-awan Village near Baguio City uniquely blends indigenous aesthetics and exquisite Cordilleran craftsmanship with an artist’s concept for a village adapted to Baguio setting.
The slippery paths, springs and flora made for an interesting setting, the art creations were slightly bizarre.
BenCab Museum
Next up we visited an unusual art gallery. The BenCab Museum houses the permanent collection of Philippine National Artist Benedicto Cabrera (BenCab) in several galleries.
Full of interesting objects and art, well worthy of an hour even for a philistine like me.
The Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto
The Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto is a Catholic shrine that sits on Mirador Hill in Baguio City. It was constructed in 1913 mainly out of limestone.
Inside the grotto, you find the Our Lady of Lourdes statue. This sculpture was created by the famous artist Isabelo Tampingco using polychromed molave.
To reach the grotto, you will have to climb up a stairway made up of around 252 steps which took five years to complete(knackering!).
Baguio City Botanical Gardens
Last ‘attraction’ of the day was the city botanical gardens. Some lovely plans totally ruined by a plethora of fabricated butterflies, fairies and lights. Not my cup of tea at all but the locals seemed to love it.
All things considered it was a slightly underwhelming 36-hours, but we had a good laugh all the way.
Next up 100 Islands
