Life on the Happy Lane!

Afternoon in Bagasbas Beach--Photos courtesy of Cheekay T. Bagasbas Beach is a popular hang-out destination in Daet, Camarines Norte. Locals flock to Bagasbas to swim, surf,skim surf, play volleyball, or simply, to relax and let time pass by while enjoying the seaside ambiance. Many visitors can't resist to drop-by at this place also. Of late, however, Bagasbas started to become famous in the surfing scene. The beach faces the Pacific Ocean, which explains for its powerful waves and swells ideal for surfing. Swells can range between 3 to 6 feet, but can go as high as 8 feet on certain days. I reckon it's good for beginners, although we've seen seemingly experienced surfers enjoying the waves too. I've learned that Bagasbas waves are of the beach-break type with short to normal length. I'm not exactly a surfer and am yet to give it a try hehe, so for more surfing info about Bagasbas, just please check out this website I discovvered: wannaSurf Beginners and professio...

Ilocos is surely one region that has a lot to offer to tourists. And we (Lhei, Sheila, and moi, byahera) have been on a wonderful race to squeeze every possible must-see's in our hectic three-day vacay...and don't forget, on a tipid budget! Vigan and Pagudpud (previous posts) were wonderful. Yet as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Hence, Laoag, the capital of Ilocos Norte, served as the last leg of our trip before we finally go home. We have several hours to spare before our flight back to Manila that an idle day was ahead of us. After conferring on what to do next, we came up with this narrowed list: Fort Ilocandia, Museo Ilocos Norte and whatever-may-come-later-location. Fort Ilocandia Fort Ilocandia, our first stop, is outside the city center and is beyond the reach of public transport. Sans personal vehicle, one has to rent a tricycle or a vehicle to go to the place . In our case, we paid our rented tricycle Php 100.00 for a one-way trip to ...

My Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte trip was lagare to say the least, yet so full of new and exciting experiences for a desk-bound lawstude like me that I can't help but make a short checklist out of them... Rode a tricycle that overtook a ten-wheeler truck? check. Rode a tricycle running at full speed to tour a province? check. Stood beneath a gigantic windmill? check. Had my picture taken beneath a windmill? check. Nagpapikchur sa gitna ng mahabang tulay?check. Climbed my first lighthouse? check(this started my quest to climb as many lighthouses as possible). Climbed a huge white rock formation near the sea? check. Ate a suspicious-looking orange-colored, deep-fried empanada that turned out to be so addictively delicious? check. Ate a yummy banana split while drinking an equally yummy pineapple margarita? check. Watched the sunset on the beach? check. Stayed at a nice affordable hotel by the beach, with a vista of the sea? check. All these only in Pagudpud-- and all for just one day and ...