Ilocos, Philippines

Arrived in Ilocos this morning and set off on a ship excursion to the north of the Island of Luzon to visit St. Williams Cathedral, Sinking Bell Tower, Malacanang of the North and Paoay Church. The drive there was about 90 minutes with a police escort whizzing us through the traffic.

Our first stop was in Laoag to see the Sinking Bell Tower that was built in 1612 by Augustinian Friars. It’s said to be sinking an inch a year. We then walked to the nearby St. Williams Cathedral. Afterwards, we had a bit of time to explore on our own before we headed to Malacanang of the North, a home of the disgraced former president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos.

The house was a birthday gift from first lady, Imelda Marcos, for his 60th birthday. It’s among a number of properties belonging to the Marcos family which were seized by the Philippine Government when President Marcos was removed from power. It’s now a government-owned tourist site. We found it to be luxurious with a stunning setting but not as over-the-top as we expected. The rooms are large but the house is not really ornate. (What Brad and I find puzzling is that Marcos’ son is the country’s current president despite his father being a criminal.)

Our final stop was at Paoay Church, a Roman Catholic church finished in 1710 after around two decades of construction. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We’re now finished visiting the Philippines and found it interesting, incredibly friendly and welcoming. We would return.Read more