Ilocos Sur: The Street We All Love - Calle Crisologo

The last time I was here, I was with a group of friends who have a clear idea why they love Calle Crisologo. A street surrounded by ancestral houses that are still standing through the test of time, the cobblestone pavement that makes it more old and classy and the fixtures that speak nothing but culture and heritage - who wouldn't fall in love with Vigan, Ilocos Sur's Calle Crisologo, right? Well, on my second visit here, I didn't just rekindled my love to this world renowned site, I also made sure that I will have a lasting image of it in my mind that would make me wanna go back here ASAP.

On my first visit here, I can say that I somehow lived the Ilocano's lifestyle. Staying here for almost a week and living in one of the UNSECO World Heritage site, eating nothing but the famous and delicious Ilocano dishes like the Bagnet and the Vigan Longganisa, Vigan, specifically Calle Crisologo has never fail to tell me to know the importance of past to our lives.

Finding a nice and decent place to stay-in here is quite easy - thanks to their local tourism office who are really there helping guests always. Aside from the accommodation, the street is also filled with food nooks that are readily offering the city's best of the best dishes. Like the Cafe Leona, which became our favorite dining spot day in and day out during our recent trip here.

With the street's festive and friendly ambiance, you'll never get lost in here - and if you do, I'm sure you'll enjoy it more. Just make sure that you have your eye on the road because you might be lucky to step on one of those horses' poops, which I'm pretty sure will stop you from your expedition for a little while. Hehe.

For shoppers, make sure that your pockets are ready to get empty because this street is also filled with Ilocos Sur souvenir items that come at a very friendly price. Well, except for those antique wood carvings that adds color to the street, I bet they don't come that cheap, so I honestly didn't bother to ask for their price.

If you'll ask me what I like about this place, well, the first thing that I can say to anyone is its picturesque appeal. Ever since I was a child, I've been seeing postcards of this beautiful place. From its people to its houses, Calle Crisologo has stolen my heart since then, and may it be day or night, there is so much to love about this street - something that I will never get tired of loving.

At the end of the day or at the end of your stroll, make sure that you bought something from the stores in here. May it be a shirt, a keychain, a pack of their crunchy Chichacorn, a delicacy like Vigan Emapanada, Vigan Bibingka or a bottle of Sukang Iloko, spending in this lovely place is nothing to the peace of mind that it shares to its guests.

And since I quite had a grasp of their lifestyle here, I highly suggest that you take a night stroll on Calle Crisologo at around 10 or 11 p.m., since most of the stores close at around 9 in the evening. I bet you'll appreciate this quite and peaceful place even more. I always do that when I come to visit this place. But if you are too tired to do that, well, in the morning, at around 5 to 6 a.m., as the town still enjoys its last hour of rest, it is also a nice idea to jog around or to take more pictures.

Lastly, if it happens that you are in this place on a Monday,  get a glimpse on how the people of Vigan pay their last respect to their dearly departed ones? It was my first time to witness something like this here, and just like what I'm hoping for before coming back here in Vigan, I am somehow delighted to learn something new about this place.

I'm happy to be back here with another set of good friends. Though, it was quite obvious that changes along the street has gone too far since my last visit, I just hope that the people should take it slow and rethink over and over again the things or the spots that they are adding in here just to say they are adding more colors.

Calle Crisologo is already beautiful despite of its tarnishing and rusting facade. What it needs it restore not renovate.

Thank you, Calle Crisologo for the inspiration you always provide to me! Until next time!

Happy Rammmpa!