The Surprise Wetland!

Our goal is the edge near the horizon!

One hour up, still a long way to go!

In our trip to Ilocos, we had lunch at Saud Beach in famous Pagudpud. I knew that the 'kids' (students) will surely try to 'enjoy' the beach to the fullest. So I eyed the beach line at the other end of the cove, It apeared to almost reach the horizon.  I asked Prof. Vic Dul-loog if it would take forever to reach it.  He estimated 30 minutes by foot. I asked friend Pinky if she wanted to try our luck in walking up to the beach's edge.  She affirmed and we started walking after the hefty lunch, around 1:30 PM.

The way back!

Pinky on the beach with faint Bangui at the background

The students were already in their swimsuits when we passed the part were they planned to swim. We steadily made our way, making steps at the edge of the water but the wet sand's weight was becoming too much for my slippers and my ankles to handle.  We decided to shift walking at midpoint, between the wooded edge and the waterline, but at this point our feet sank deep into the sand. It was proving to be such an ordeal. One hour later we have not reached the halfway mark. 

The Bangui windmills at the other end of the horizon

Kangkong?

Typha!

We decided to turn around to make it back by 330 pm, which was the time given for us by our guide, the deadline to go back to our hotel.  A hundred meters from the farthest point, we again decided to enjoy the view, which included a panorama of the faraway Bangui windmills lining the opposite beach. We sat on the hot sand admiring the Pagudpud sun and the wind on our hair.

While Pinky tried to take snaps of the faint hint of the windmills, something caught my eye in the oposite direction.  Beyond the coconut trees, which was way behind our backs while looking into the water, was another body of water...a lagoon.  And unlike the expected flora of the coastal landscape we were immersed in, this one had aquatic plants...coastal wetland! It had cattail (Typha angustifolia) populations which I see mostly  in inland freshwater ponds. Quite a surprise for me.  It seems Ilocos never runs out of things to discover!

Saud Beach's coastal wetland

In the Dwarfed Garden Once More

The iconic Kapurpurawan view 

Now a horse landscape

It was also my third time in Kapurpurawan (Ilocano for whiteness) rock.  I am always fascinated by the landform and its landscape even though it is slowly deteriorating with the addition of attractions, just to make it tourist friendly. Now they have a pedestrian walk and a horse path going to the white rocks. When I first visited, I wore out the soles of my slippers walking through the jagged edges of the craggy surface. It in itself was the adventure as the ordeal took me almost more than 20 minutes.  Now you glide your way to the end. They removed the rough part, the fun of the experience. 

The many pools against the dwarfed greens

Dwarf linu

Bantigue looking like grass

This time I still took the same amount of time because I was admiring how beautiful the landscape still is.  It is indeed a unque one, with species which I know as large trees or shrubs were growing much smaller, almost hugging the ground.  Almost all the surrounding landscape has dwarfed flora, probably because of the limited soil, the strong winds and the turbulent influx of tides. Small tree species like bantigue (Pemphis acidula), linu (Scaevola taccada) and Sophora tomentosa are growing like ground covers. The bakong and pandan even grow taller than the trees, which was quite ironic. 

The dominant bakong

Plant from family Compositae

The extreme naturally bonsai trees (if you could still call them that as they do not appear like trees at all) add an air of mystic to the varied landscape of Ilocos Norte.  I just wish they would stay that way longer.  I would hate to see more structures and hardscape erected to the detriment of its natural environment.

 

White rock Kapurpurawan is famous for

The New and the Hidden Prayer Gardens

The grand Paoay Church

The new prayer garden

Religious icons integrated in landscape

Last weekend was my fifth time in Ilocos since 2006.  In the last three years, I braved the almost 10 hour travel time to see the region yearly. But what I realized is that everytime I go back, I discover something new, even in the areas I have visited before. 

I have been to Paoay Church 3 times and this year I found that the beautiful historic church has a new addition in its grounds. A new prayer garden was erected at one side where the large imposing buttresses are.  The massive structure got complemented with a strong color palette of landscape massing and flowering ornamental plants.

Pathways are rustic flanked by color contrasting plant massing.

Reminds me of a medieval rustic garden

The new garden was a pleasant surprise. It reminded me a little of the physic garden, which I teach in my L Arch 1 classes.  The physic garden originated in the dark ages and were common in  monasteries of medieval Europe.

I found a couple of native plants in the plant selection, but it would have been much more meaningful if more of the Ilocos flora was integrated. But as it is the garden is a very interesting attraction, making the trip to Paoay more rewarding even for us non-first-timers.

Bantay Church near Vigan proper

the famous belfry

The chapel by the ruins

I have also visited Bantay Church in Vigan 3 times.  In last weekend's trip, we were given a mere 10 minutes to take pictures of the church and its famous bell tower.   I almost skipped going down the van if it weren't for a much needed short visit to the boys' room. Accidentally, I stumbled upon the Bantay Church's 'Chapel by the Ruins', hidden in the almost relic parts at one side of the church proper. 

The space I discovered was quaint and very much secluded, perfect for contemplation and meditation.  I wonder if people knew about this space, hidden in a corner of the church, overshadowed by the iconic belfry.  

An outdoor contemplation space, a different experience.

The Last Hurray for L Arch 148

At the steps of the Burgos lighthouse

On the Kapurpurawan rock formation

L Arch 148 is a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture subject dealing with Park Design and Recreation. It is one of my favorite subjects when I was an MTLA student.  But come next year, the subject will be scrapped and its topics will be merged with the major design subjects.  This year's student batch will be the last to undergo a collective study of park systems.  Thus they are ending it with a bang with 2 major field trips, the first leg commenced last weekend bringing 16 students to the far north province of Ilocos Norte and the city of Vigan.

In Vigan at last!

Against the white background of Kapurpurawan

In Malacanang of the North

The objective was to come up with a scholastic assessment of possible design recommendations for a park system network in Ilocos.  Of course the trip would not be complete without the guidance of the equally fun-loving landscape teachers.  The adventurous gang was headed by the L Arch 148 adviser Prof. Beth Espino.

I have been to this part of the globe before, so my interest (apart from chaperoning) was to see how the students would react and interact with the natural and manmade landscapes.  The three-day immersion brought us from church landscapes and institutional gardens to unique and natural landforms, providing a varied and interesting array of attractions for tourism and recreation. Looks like the class have their work cut out for them.  Though there are a lot of stuff to include and tackle, I am quite sure they would not run out of ideas for this one, since  the mix of the natural and the designed will hopefully make their assessment an interesting read come semester end. 

At the top of the heap in the sand dunes

Jubilant in Pagudpud