DIY Ilocos Tour Part V: Museo Iloco, Vintar Dam and Paoay Church at Night

LAOAG, Ilocos Norte, Philippines - We took the day light and easy because we decided to extend (and how could we not? there was still so much to discover).  We stayed local and visited the Museo Iloco.

Definitely the best kept museum in the region.

Nikki the perfect alipin

Sarrat church, or the Sta. Monica church, was a 15 peso jeepney away, so we went.  

One of my favorite churches with all the brick, the large plaza, the idleness.  It was closed though, so we weren't able to go inside.  But being the little curious people that we are, we went the next day.  

The church and the belfry are both imposing structures of brick built during the Spanish period in 1669.  A famous wedding between Irene Marcos and Gregorio Araneta was held here in 1983. 

Quiet and clean

After being let-down by the Sarrat church, we hurried to the Vintar dam hoping for a beautiful sunset.  And we were just in time.

We climbed down an unfinished spiral staircase.

Everything was suddenly golden.  We went our separate ways for a while just taking it in -- the dam, the scenery, the cool wind, the sinking sun.  It was all so surreal.

The sound is still vivid -- the crashing of the water, the rush of my heartbeat as I looked down.

The sun was winking goodbye and we hurried with our pictures and gazes.  I cannot imagine being stuck here in the dark.

I really do not like jump shots.

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Went to dinner in Shakey's afterwards because we just had to have our fix of vegetables.  Yes.  After 5 days of sisig and bagnet and longganisa we were seriously craving for some greens.  

We had post-dinner at Batac.  Empanada night life for us.

I consumed two.  NO REGRETS.

The empanada kingdom

We also went back to Paoay church, and boy was it beautiful!

There were horses grazing at the side.

And then the day ended.  Our last night was bittersweet.

Ilocos Tour Part I: Churches and Empanadas - A tour of Batac, Paoay and Naic
Ilocos Tour Part II: And Everything was Yellow - Beautiful, beautiful Vigan
Ilocos Tour Part III: Here and Back Again - More of Vigan and its neighbor, Bantay
Ilocos Tour Part IV: Here Comes The Sun - Pagudpud, Bangui Windmills, Cape Bojeador Lighthouse
Ilocos Tour Part V: When The Day Met The Night - Laoag, Vintar and our last hurrah!
Ilocos Part VI: It's All Gonna End - Sarrat and Paoay Again