Philippines 2012

Not sure why, but we were never very interested in visiting the Philippines.  There were always more exotic countries for exploration; European, South American, African, etc.  In 2012, while planning a trip to Borneo, we chose Philippine Airlines as the best way to reach Malaysia, where Borneo is, and decided we’d spend a week touring Luzon, the largest, most populous and most northern island of the Philippines. 

Most travelers to the Philippines go for the beaches and diving, and many flock to Cebu with its beautiful islands.   We wanted to see the “real” part of the country, so decided we’d confine our one week to seeing Luzon Island. We began in Manila, where we spent the first two nights at the upscale Peninsula Hotel, located in Makati, the ritzy section of the city with upscale hotels, restaurants and shopping malls. We knew the Philippines would be inexpensive but were amazed at the low room rate at the high-end and very excellent Peninsula Hotel.

Manila, the capital, with a population of eighteen million, is a mix of Spanish colonial architecture, which survived the destruction of World War II, and more modern post-war skyscrapers. The city was founded by the Spanish in 1571, during the Spanish colonial period which began in 1521 with the arrival of the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan.  With more than 70,000 people per square kilometer, Manila is the most densely populated city in the world.

The traffic in Manila was impossible, but we were able to get around by taxi to see the most worthwhile sights.  We had to see the Manila Hotel, a grand dame built in 1909 and the official residence of the President of the Philippines.  It was also General McArthur’s headquarters when he was military advisor to the Philippine Commonwealth.

We always travel with our yacht club membership card (we belong to Loch Lomond Yacht Club in San Rafael) and when visiting a city with a notable yacht club we try to check it out.  Sometimes we have trouble getting in, which was the case in Manila.  We had to convince the guard at the gate that we were legitimate “yachties” and our club in California was for real.  Not only did he not hear of our club, I don’t think he knew where California was.  He finally relented and we had a nice lunch and drink overlooking Manila Bay.

After two nights at the Peninsula Hotel we picked up our rental car and headed north on Luzon Island.  Getting out of Manila was a challenge, given the very heavy traffic, but we managed to follow the highway signs, in both Tagalog and English, and got on our way headed north.

Our first destination was Baguio City, known at the summer capital of the Philippines because of its cool temperature. It’s at an altitude of 4,800 feet, and a respite from Manila’s heat and humidity.

One highlight of Baguio was the colorful Jeepneys, small vehicles used for transportation, with the name deriving from a combination of “jeep” and “jitney.” They were originally made from left over World War II jeeps and a jeepney was exhibited at the 1964 New York World’s Fair as a national image for the Filipinos. 

We explored Baguio, but decided not to stay the night because it was a weekend and filled with tourists from Manila.  Rather, we drove further north hoping to reach the rice terraces of the Cordillera Region in the northeast, where we hoped to spend the night.  As we drove north, the road narrowed and there was no signage in English, so we decided we’d cross to the western side of the island and spend the night at Vigan.

Our map showed a small road, crossing the mountains, that would take us to Vigan, but we searched for road signs to no avail.  When we reached the town of Tuguearao, a small city that’s the capital of the Cagayan Valley Region, we went into the police station to ask directions.

What happened next was both surprising and fun.  Apparently very few American tourists pass this way, by car, and the several police men and women manning the station asked if they could take our photos.  Feeling like movie stars, we posed with all of them individually, and as a group, and they were very pleased with their souvenirs. 

Turned out the road was several miles behind us. We went back and realized we never would have found it without help from the friendly police.  We headed west, through the mountains, and drove into the evening until we reached Vigan, on the coast.

Vigan, established in the 16th century, is the best-preserved example of a Spanish colonial town in Asia, with architecture that reflects the coming together of cultures from the Philippines, China and Europe.  Its charming cobblestoned streets, horse drawn carriages, malecon and mansions make it one of the most visited towns in Luzon. 

We visited the RG Jar pottery factory where they produce burnay (earthen jars), used for the fermentation of sugar cane wine and fish paste.  The factory has a one hundred and fifty foot long kiln, made in 1823, which can hold nearly 1,000 jars at a time, by far the largest kiln we’ve ever seen. The factory dates back to pre-colonial times, when immigrants from China settled in Vigan and practiced the craft of making earthenware, using the clay that was plentiful in the western area of Vigan. 

From Vigan we headed south to San Fernando, located on the South China Sea, where we found a beachside hotel room for a bit of R&R.  Not much to see there, but some good seafood meals and we were now within striking distance of Manila.  

The city is named after King Ferdinand VI of Spain and is known as the “Christmas Capital of the Philippines.”  It’s also known for being the end point of the infamous Bataan Death March, during which approximately 75,000 American and British soldiers walked sixty-five miles from Bataan to the San Fernando train station.

Because both Misti and I have read so much World War II history, we were hoping to go to Corregidor, where the US and Filipino armies made their last stand against the Japanese.  But because we were running short on time, that visit didn’t happen, so we missed that piece of American-Filipino history.

Driving in Luzon wasn’t difficult, as long as you realized there were wide three- wheeled motorized and non-motorized bicycles everywhere, which made passing difficult.  Often you would get stuck behind one, and have to slowly follow for miles before being able to pass. 

The drivers weren’t overly aggressive, and the narrow roads didn’t allow for high speed driving.  As in other Asian countries, lots of pedestrians and all sorts of animals along the road, so slow-driving and caution worked best.

We never did encounter any fast highways.  As we neared Manila the traffic was totally congested entering and inside the city.  We didn’t have any difficulty finding the airport to return the car, since the roads were reasonably well marked and there was always the small airplane logo to follow.  One nice touch was signs with the word “salamat,” which means “thank you” in Tagalog, as you left each town and city.

In sum, we enjoyed our visit to Luzon and had many worthwhile and memorable experiences.  As we travel the world, and meet the many Filipinos who work in the service industries, we now have a better feeling for and understanding of them as a people

Art Faibisch

March, 2019