Ilocos Norte: Mairaira Cove (Blue Lagoon) in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte

Mairaira Cove or Blue Lagoon in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is one of the best beaches in Luzon. A little further north from touristy Saud Beach, its immaculate blue waters entice visitors for a swim. We arrived in Mairara Cove just in time for dinner at the Kapuluan Vista Resort where we were staying for the night.

On the buffet menu was a bevy of grilled dishes. But the highlight of dinner was kalua pig (pork roasted the traditional Hawaiian in a makeshift underground oven).

The next morning, we walked over to Blue Lagoon which was five-minutes from the resort. The sand was soft and the waves were a bit strong. Being a holiday, there were a good number of visitors. There were also some surfers riding the swells further away from the beach.

Mairaira Cove is a popular haunt for surfers. In fact, the resort offered surfing lessons. If we weren't leaving early, I would have taken surfing lessons for an hour or two. At least we were blessed this weekend with sunshine amidst this weird summer weather.

After packing our bags, we went back on the road and drove further north to the Patapat Viaduct for a photo opportunity. From there, it was back south to Laoag City.

Kapuluan Vista Resort
(0920) 9522528

Ilocos Sur & Ilocos Norte: Road trip

Ilocos is a favorite destination for road trips. And I found myself driving up to Pagudpud again, the northwestern tip of Luzon. On the way up to Pagudpud, there are several interesting stops along the way. Tagudin, Sta. Lucia and Candon have interesting old churches. Candon City is known for its brown and white sweet calamay which is most definitely worth a short stop. Stalls are located in front of the city plaza along the National Highway.

Our first stop on the way was Sabangan Cove (also known as Santiago Cove) which is known for its weaving village. You'll get a chance to see how abel iloko is woven. You can also purchase on the spot but make sure to haggle since starting prices here are higher than Vigan (the good thing about Vigan is the local government ordered standard pricing even along Crisologo Street).

Another stop you should not miss is the Sta. Maria Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We skipped Vigan and Bantay since we planned on passing there on the way back. And we also missed Magsingal Church (a National Cultural Treasure) and the Sinait Church due to time constraints but if you have time, it's also worth the stop.

In Ilocos Norte, the first stop is usually the Juan Luna Shrine and Badoc Church. But we went straight to Batac to visit the Marcos Mausoleum and savor Batac's famous Ilocos empanada. From Batac, we proceeded to Paoay Church, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In front of the church, is Herencia Cafe where we had lunch. The best seller of course is the Pinakbet Pizza and the other Ilocano fusion pizzas. If you have time, you can also pass by the Ilocos Norte Sand Dunes, a National Geological Monument, Lake Paoay, and Fort Ilocandia. We even had to skip Laoag to get to Bangui Wind Farm before sunset.

We stopped by the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, a National Cultural Treasure, and were able to arrive in the nick of time at the Bangui Wind Farm to enjoy the magnificent South China Sea sunset. So with that down, we made our way to Mairaira Cove in Pagudpud where we stayed for the night.

Manila: Buffalo's Wings N Things serves nasty wings!

The Ortigas Home Depot area is turning out to be a great place to dine and hang-out. One of the places we got to try out is Buffalo's Wing N Things. And hell do they serve really nasty wings! They currently have nine sauces and you can order half a pound, one pound or the triple sampler (three different kids of sauces).

I'm not into spicy food so my favorites were New York's Finest (which was mild spicy) and Honey BBQ (3). There are five chili levels for the original Buffalo wings flavor ranging from The Rookie to Nuclear! We got to try Rescue 911 (1) and Nuclear as well and boy were they hot! Thanks to Bikoy for the illustration (no acting there). We were also served Java Jive, Garlic Parmesan (2) and Jalapeno Hots (4).

But Buffalo's not only serves wings. Other American comfort foods are available such as Twin Dogs (5), Mini Burgers (6), Fish N' Fries and Philly Cheese Steak. They don't serve rice. But they'll happily buy rice for you at the nearby convenience store if you want your wings to go with rice.

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