Christmas in Vigan

The first thing I did, as soon as I alighted from the bus, was to visit Vigan's famous Calle Crisologo, the setting of many Filipino period films.

Vigan in Ilocos Sur is two bus hours away from Laoag. There is no direct flight from Cebu to Vigan. In fact there are connecting flights from Cebu to Laoag (Cebu-Manila-Laoag). Although all that traveling was taxing, when I arrived in Vigan, I felt relaxed because of the languid pace of the city.

There is something about not having an itinerary, there was no pressure on me to see every tourist spot, or sample every local delicacy. I never forgot even for an instant that I was there on vacation to forget for awhile the cares of the office.

Traveling alone is to me like meditating --- you learn to focus your mind, discipline your senses and live in the moment.