Credits: All papers by Crystal Wilkerson
Month: February 2010
Maira-ira, Kiteboarding and Happy Memories
There’s something about white sand and strong waves crashing on the shore that evoke memories of my childhood. Perhaps because my earliest recollection of the beach was when I was 4, living in the US with my family (of course), vacationing then in Miami Beach. I played with the waves, trying not to get my feet wet by outrunning the waves crashing on shore. Fun but futile because I think I ended up wet anyway.
Approach to our resort — Hannah’s (shhh… it looks better from afar!)
We arrived at Maira-ira point practically sundown and oblivious to how pristine the beach across the street from our resort was. We woke up to an overcast morning, greeted with strong amihan winds. Perfect for surfers, I thought.
Well, there you have it… it was the first time I saw kiteboarders in action. I learned about this sport from a friend J a few years back.
And what do you know? It was J surfing the waves on his kiteboard. It was fascinating to watch and I’m sure more than thrilling to be on board.
That’s not J! Tee hee! 😀
J’s been convincing me to try it… yeah, yeah! Perhaps someday… for now, I’m happy wading through the waves.
The Blue Lagoon, as it is aptly known, is nestled around hills on a crescent cove that can be truly private and hidden from the mainstream beach-combing crowd.
I like my beach that way.
From the road, partly hidden from trees and other vegetations, a sign pointing to some stairs leads to the beach.
sand up close
Sand definitely not “Boracay” fine but I like it that the tiny white pebbles stay put in super strong winds. God knows best, doesn’t He?
The Windmills of Your Mind
Like a circle in a spiral, like a wheel within a wheel, never ending or beginning, on an ever-spinning reel… kept playing on my head as we approached the windmills in Bangui, also known as… Bangui Windmills! 😛
Lunch noodles consisting of crispy pork (bagnet style), eggs (sunny side up) and liver
After a simple lunch of Pancit Batil Patung (a noodle dish supposedly unique to Tuguegarao and is strangely being served in a Kitchenette along the way to Bangui),
we drove a little further and followed a dirt road leading to the bay, the majestic windmills already visible growing more majestic as we got closer –
15 wind turbines arranged in a row on the shore of Bangui Bay facing South China Sea.
Each turbine is roughly 70 meters high with blades 41 meters long and spaced approximately 200 meters apart,
our smallness so apparent against its imposing structure.
It is the 1st “wind farm” project in the Philippines owing to the poor quality of power supplied to Ilocos Norte by the National Power Corporation back in the late ‘90s.
Built by the Northwind Power Development Corporation and inaugurated in 2005, this project provides 40% of the power requirement of Ilocos Norte today. It is also considered the biggest in Southeast Asia.
A sight one must see in person to experience first hand its grandness.
A cafe in the midst of windmills
Before heading to our final destination for day 1, which is our resort, we saw signs that points to Kang Kang Windmill Café.
Brewing our coffee
Curious and at the same time badly in need of some caffeine in our veins, we had a go at it.
Best with Chef Tony’s Belgian Butter Honey Roasted Popcorn… heavenly!
Curiosity has its rewards – freshly brewed Kalinga coffee in a small café named after their small sitio… our 3rd best find of the day!
Click on the icon for more scenic scenes from around the world.
Kapurpurawan: A hidden gem
Got its name from the word “kapur” which means white in Ilocano, I am guessing that Kapupurawan means “whiteness” if I got my grammar right. Correct me if I am wrong, anyone.
We almost missed the turn off on the left side of the highway. The road sign was somewhat faded and didn’t seem to lead anywhere. But we took the road anyway armed with only instructions gathered from the net and different blog sites. As the road got rougher and narrower, we decided that walking might be a better option. It was a short unremarkable trek to the make shift shed, nothing that would prepare you for what lies ahead.
From the shed look to your right and you will see a tiny speck of white rock formation, waves dramatically splashing against its base.
We are facing the South China Sea and suddenly I understood why this hidden gem got into the pages of travelogues and travel blogs. Unaware of such a site until a few months ago, it was a discovery that made our long drive to Ilocos worthwhile… thanks to the world wide web. We traveled this road some 12 years ago and had no idea that there was such a treasure tucked away from the main road.
We carefully trekked the spiky corals until we reached the limestone formation made more dramatic with each step.
We stayed atop for a while trying to keep steady from the strong winds.
I could stay there forever marveling on God’s great creation but we have more on our agenda.
Going back, we were discussing how this place would be great for fashion pictorials. I can imagine the gowns blowing against the wind with water splashing in the background. Then we saw people with cameras, lenses, tripod… the works walking towards us. I heard my name and lo and behold, it was a friend. They were doing a pre-nuptial shoot. Those who know of the place apparently have the same thoughts. We left them to do their shoot wondering how long this gem will be kept hidden from the majority.
Credits: Frame by KPertiet
my adventure odyssey 