The Ilocos Roadtrip and Film Shooting - Part 2

Part 2 of the Ilocos trip journal...

*****
More photos in my Multiply account...
Album 1
Album 2

*****
Day 3 - Saturday
Alad's Bar and Resort, Vigan
* 7:55AM - Wake up!
(They did some more shoots.)
* 11:19 - Packed up and ready to go!
(Our next stop is Bangui, Ilocos Norte. I rode with Arvs as Jake opted to stay in Vigan for extra Z-time.)

* 12:14 - JTC Mall stop
(Bought supplies for the long Ilocos Norte trip.)
* 1:15 - Ilocos Norte - Ilocos Sur boundary
(From the Ilocos Sur side of the boundary, the place is called Sinait. This is where I spent my first two Ilocos trips care of Dan the Flash!)

* 3:20 - Bangui, Ilcoos Norte
- Globe and Smart, no signal!
(Look't the long haul me and Arvs did. We went ahead of the convoy to scout things up. Along the way, we stopped at the scenic Cape Boreador Lighthouse to snap some artsy fartsy photos.)

Burgos, Ilocos Norte
* 3:25PM - Bangui Windmills View Deck
(Ongapala, along the way, pabugso-bugso na yung ulan and the clouds were really really ominous. Eh ang habol ng crew sa Bangui e sunshine kaya medyo nag-aalala na kami for the shoot. We were not aware that a storm was heading towards the Ilocos region.)

* 3:49 - KANG KANG Windmill Cafe!
(Now THIS caught us offhandedly! Sabi kasi nila Karlo bago kami nag hiwalay sa Vigan, we'll going to rendezvous on this bar or resort of sorts. Problem was they already forgot the name of the place and told us the name just sounds funny. So ayun, cruise kami ni Arvs sa Bangui looking for a funny name. Tapos nilampasan namin itong signboard ng "Kang Kang Windmill Cafe" with a smile on our faces... that turned into chuckles. Right then may idea na kami na eto yung place na sinasabi nila Karlo. Then through SMS, Karlo confirmed it. Tama sila... nakakatawa talaga yung pangalan! For those who don't know what "kang kang" means in local colloquialism, just throw a PM my way.)

Welcome to Kang Kang Windmills!
* 3:54 - WINDMILLS! They're huge!
(Photo ops with Arvs. The windmills look like gynormous alien space crafts stranded by the beach of Bangui. If you looked at them from afar, they were like "photoshopped" on the background. If you looked at them up close, you'll be humbled!)

* 4:10 - Kang Kang Cafe!
(Now we know why it was named "Kang Kang"... the barangay itself was named "Kang Kang"! Haha. No offense to the locals but it's just funny. We also realized that an "utong" is a kind of vegetable. Hehe.)

* 4:26 - Kumain kami ng pakbet at IGADO (ulit!)
- pickup boys arrived
(We haven't had a decent lunch yet so seeing the IGADO at the cafe, we chowed down on it... just as Karlo and the Bebop carrier arrived with news that the rest of the crew were shooing at the Bangui proper already.)

* 4:43PM - Petron - Bangui Proper
- Film shoot

* 8:00 - too many things happened to keep track!
- Kang Kang Windmill film shoot
- Dinner! (May IGADO pa din!!! 4th Igado meal of my Ilocos trip!)
- Double rainbow appeared
- Rode the pickup with the cameramen
(Wasn't able to pickup my notes when the shoot at the Bangui proper started. After that shoot, the rest of the crew went back to Kang Kang Windmill Cafe while I rode with the cameramen at the back of Arvin's pickup to shoot Jason along the way. There was also this scene where Allein has to substitute for the actor for some more "complicated" bike stunts. Shooting resumed by the beach of Bangui as the funky weather gave us a short respite and a glimpse of sunset! Double rainbows in tow. Galing!)

With actor Jason Abalos and stunt rider Koya Allein
* 8:47 - Take off from Kang Kang
(Next stop... Pagudpud! For the post shooting celebration and wrap up!)
* 10:01 - Arrival at Pagudpud (Northside Resort)
- We got lost like thrice
(That was only my second time in Pagudpud. Mas gusto ko sya kesa sa overrated Boracay!)

* 10:41 - Inuman time!
Grub: sisig, bagnet
(After room assignments, we headed to an adjacent resto to fill up our tanks with barley!)
* 12:46 - Sleeping time!

Day 4 - Sunday
Northside Beach Resort, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
* 7:35AM - Wake up!
(I went outside to read this book I brought with me. Sabay kape. Ahahay. This is life.)

* 9:18 - Breakfast!
Grub: daing na bangus, egg, sinangag, kape (ulit!)
* 12:59 - Pack up!
- We had the Mindoro Sling (Mix of rhum, juices, and sprite)
- We're going ahead of the convoy
(Arvs fetched Jake in Laoag. After arrival, Jake sampled this concoction, Mindoro Sling. Then a couple of hours more, we packed up to travel further North to hunt Kilometer 666! FYI: Pagudpud is around the Kilometer 580 area.)

The Pagudpud Sling
* 1:16 - Take off to Patapat Viaduct
(This was where we bid goodbye to the casts and crew of the film. Personal na lakwatsa na ito, as they prepared also for their way back to Manila. Anlakas na ng ulan. Bagyo-quality na siya!)

* 1:40 - Patapat Viaduct, and it's fucking storming! (Yes, i wrote the "F" word there on my notepad.)
(The view is breathtaking already... at umuulan pa! How much more kung hindi umuulan? Wait, di pala umuulan... BUMABAGYO! It was a hazy gray sea line on our left and an almost 90 degree wall of clay and grass on our right!)

* 2:01PM - We got past Ilocos Norte - Cagayan boundary.
* 2:27 - Back at the Patapat Viaduct!
- Photo ops in the rain
- We backed out after passing some barrios in Cagayan for lack of gas (...and gas station!)
(We decided to head back after reaching around the Kilometer 600 area. Wala na kasi kaming madaanan na petrol station at paubos na din ang gas namin. The next petrol station we can recall seeing was past Pagudpud pa. Back at the Patapat Viaduct, Arvs insisted on having a picture by it. Malakas pa din ang bagyo pero gusto ko talaga magka-picture dun kasi we never know when are we going to get back again. So tinakluban lang namin ng basahan yung camera sabay sugod sa bagyo at posing!)

rain, rain, go away...
* 4:33 - Laoag City!
* 4:30 - Laoag City Public Market!
(Brief stop to do "good son" duties and buy pasalubong for the folk at home.)
* 5:05 - Bagnet, 350 per kilo
- Vigan Longanisa, 200 per kilo
- Igado!!, 40 bucks isang takal
(I bought 2 kilo bagnet, 3 kilo longanisa, and a scoop of Igado! The longanisa I bought is the best! I rarely eat longanisa and even rarely liked Vigan longanisa but this one we got from Laoag is just uhmm uhmmm uhmmm! Binigay na lang sa amin ng libre yung isang takal ng igado... yub yub yub!)

* 5:26PM - Empanada run! 35 bucks a piece.
(I bought home 10 pieces.)
* 5:40 - Ang sarap ng Laoag empanada!!!
(We sampled the empanada and it was like nothing we ever had before! Walang panama yung empanada na kinain namin sa Vigan days before. Bihira ko magustuhan ang empanada but that one... I can eat that shit for a week! Saraaaap. Punong puno ng laman at manipis ang crust. Alam na namin kung san bibili sa Laoag next time ng empanada. And NOT in Vigan! Daming extenders.)

* 6:22 - Ilocos Sur!
* 7:18 - Vigan City
* 8:38 - Candon (Chowking!)
(Quick stop in Chowking to eat dinner. Kinain ko yung binili kong igado sa Laoag. Yub yub yub! 5th igado meal ko na yata for the entire trip and di pa din ako nagsasawa! Never. I also bought some chichakorn at kalamay para sa opisina at sa bahay.)

* 9:06PM - Done Chowking... we're back on the road.
* 9:55 - La Union

Day 4.5 - Sunday
National Highway, Pangasinan
* 12:20AM - Urdaneta City!
* 12:42 - Tarlac - Pangasinan Boundary
(At this point, nagpapalitan na ng drive si Arvs at Jake dahil sa antok. Problem is I can't and should NOT sleep. Kelangan ko constantly makipag-usap on who's on the wheels para di sila antukin.)

* 1:55 - Tarlac City
(We took a very short break at a petrol station. Kape lang sabay kain ng tsokolate. Energy boost ba.)
* 2:43 - Dau Tollgate!
* 3:22 - NLEX-Manila Tollgate!


* 4:25AM - Home sweet home!
- Thanks God for everything... You're so GREAT!
(After the looong hike, I slumped in our sala - my backpack still on me - and bid a silent prayer of thanks to Him. For safety. For enjoyment. For the opportunity. For the experience. For the gift of life! Ang galing ng LAHAT. I just went on to unpack and then hit the bed for a very very very long sleep that day.)

The Ilocos Roadtrip and Film Shooting - Part 2

Part 2 of the Ilocos trip journal...

*****
More photos in my Multiply account...
Album 1
Album 2

*****
Day 3 - Saturday
Alad's Bar and Resort, Vigan
* 7:55AM - Wake up!
(They did some more shoots.)
* 11:19 - Packed up and ready to go!
(Our next stop is Bangui, Ilocos Norte. I rode with Arvs as Jake opted to stay in Vigan for extra Z-time.)

* 12:14 - JTC Mall stop
(Bought supplies for the long Ilocos Norte trip.)
* 1:15 - Ilocos Norte - Ilocos Sur boundary
(From the Ilocos Sur side of the boundary, the place is called Sinait. This is where I spent my first two Ilocos trips care of Dan the Flash!)

* 3:20 - Bangui, Ilcoos Norte
- Globe and Smart, no signal!
(Look't the long haul me and Arvs did. We went ahead of the convoy to scout things up. Along the way, we stopped at the scenic Cape Boreador Lighthouse to snap some artsy fartsy photos.)

Burgos, Ilocos Norte
* 3:25PM - Bangui Windmills View Deck
(Ongapala, along the way, pabugso-bugso na yung ulan and the clouds were really really ominous. Eh ang habol ng crew sa Bangui e sunshine kaya medyo nag-aalala na kami for the shoot. We were not aware that a storm was heading towards the Ilocos region.)

* 3:49 - KANG KANG Windmill Cafe!
(Now THIS caught us offhandedly! Sabi kasi nila Karlo bago kami nag hiwalay sa Vigan, we'll going to rendezvous on this bar or resort of sorts. Problem was they already forgot the name of the place and told us the name just sounds funny. So ayun, cruise kami ni Arvs sa Bangui looking for a funny name. Tapos nilampasan namin itong signboard ng "Kang Kang Windmill Cafe" with a smile on our faces... that turned into chuckles. Right then may idea na kami na eto yung place na sinasabi nila Karlo. Then through SMS, Karlo confirmed it. Tama sila... nakakatawa talaga yung pangalan! For those who don't know what "kang kang" means in local colloquialism, just throw a PM my way.)

Welcome to Kang Kang Windmills!
* 3:54 - WINDMILLS! They're huge!
(Photo ops with Arvs. The windmills look like gynormous alien space crafts stranded by the beach of Bangui. If you looked at them from afar, they were like "photoshopped" on the background. If you looked at them up close, you'll be humbled!)

* 4:10 - Kang Kang Cafe!
(Now we know why it was named "Kang Kang"... the barangay itself was named "Kang Kang"! Haha. No offense to the locals but it's just funny. We also realized that an "utong" is a kind of vegetable. Hehe.)

* 4:26 - Kumain kami ng pakbet at IGADO (ulit!)
- pickup boys arrived
(We haven't had a decent lunch yet so seeing the IGADO at the cafe, we chowed down on it... just as Karlo and the Bebop carrier arrived with news that the rest of the crew were shooing at the Bangui proper already.)

* 4:43PM - Petron - Bangui Proper
- Film shoot

* 8:00 - too many things happened to keep track!
- Kang Kang Windmill film shoot
- Dinner! (May IGADO pa din!!! 4th Igado meal of my Ilocos trip!)
- Double rainbow appeared
- Rode the pickup with the cameramen
(Wasn't able to pickup my notes when the shoot at the Bangui proper started. After that shoot, the rest of the crew went back to Kang Kang Windmill Cafe while I rode with the cameramen at the back of Arvin's pickup to shoot Jason along the way. There was also this scene where Allein has to substitute for the actor for some more "complicated" bike stunts. Shooting resumed by the beach of Bangui as the funky weather gave us a short respite and a glimpse of sunset! Double rainbows in tow. Galing!)

With actor Jason Abalos and stunt rider Koya Allein
* 8:47 - Take off from Kang Kang
(Next stop... Pagudpud! For the post shooting celebration and wrap up!)
* 10:01 - Arrival at Pagudpud (Northside Resort)
- We got lost like thrice
(That was only my second time in Pagudpud. Mas gusto ko sya kesa sa overrated Boracay!)

* 10:41 - Inuman time!
Grub: sisig, bagnet
(After room assignments, we headed to an adjacent resto to fill up our tanks with barley!)
* 12:46 - Sleeping time!

Day 4 - Sunday
Northside Beach Resort, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
* 7:35AM - Wake up!
(I went outside to read this book I brought with me. Sabay kape. Ahahay. This is life.)

* 9:18 - Breakfast!
Grub: daing na bangus, egg, sinangag, kape (ulit!)
* 12:59 - Pack up!
- We had the Mindoro Sling (Mix of rhum, juices, and sprite)
- We're going ahead of the convoy
(Arvs fetched Jake in Laoag. After arrival, Jake sampled this concoction, Mindoro Sling. Then a couple of hours more, we packed up to travel further North to hunt Kilometer 666! FYI: Pagudpud is around the Kilometer 580 area.)

The Pagudpud Sling
* 1:16 - Take off to Patapat Viaduct
(This was where we bid goodbye to the casts and crew of the film. Personal na lakwatsa na ito, as they prepared also for their way back to Manila. Anlakas na ng ulan. Bagyo-quality na siya!)

* 1:40 - Patapat Viaduct, and it's fucking storming! (Yes, i wrote the "F" word there on my notepad.)
(The view is breathtaking already... at umuulan pa! How much more kung hindi umuulan? Wait, di pala umuulan... BUMABAGYO! It was a hazy gray sea line on our left and an almost 90 degree wall of clay and grass on our right!)

* 2:01PM - We got past Ilocos Norte - Cagayan boundary.
* 2:27 - Back at the Patapat Viaduct!
- Photo ops in the rain
- We backed out after passing some barrios in Cagayan for lack of gas (...and gas station!)
(We decided to head back after reaching around the Kilometer 600 area. Wala na kasi kaming madaanan na petrol station at paubos na din ang gas namin. The next petrol station we can recall seeing was past Pagudpud pa. Back at the Patapat Viaduct, Arvs insisted on having a picture by it. Malakas pa din ang bagyo pero gusto ko talaga magka-picture dun kasi we never know when are we going to get back again. So tinakluban lang namin ng basahan yung camera sabay sugod sa bagyo at posing!)

rain, rain, go away...
* 4:33 - Laoag City!
* 4:30 - Laoag City Public Market!
(Brief stop to do "good son" duties and buy pasalubong for the folk at home.)
* 5:05 - Bagnet, 350 per kilo
- Vigan Longanisa, 200 per kilo
- Igado!!, 40 bucks isang takal
(I bought 2 kilo bagnet, 3 kilo longanisa, and a scoop of Igado! The longanisa I bought is the best! I rarely eat longanisa and even rarely liked Vigan longanisa but this one we got from Laoag is just uhmm uhmmm uhmmm! Binigay na lang sa amin ng libre yung isang takal ng igado... yub yub yub!)

* 5:26PM - Empanada run! 35 bucks a piece.
(I bought home 10 pieces.)
* 5:40 - Ang sarap ng Laoag empanada!!!
(We sampled the empanada and it was like nothing we ever had before! Walang panama yung empanada na kinain namin sa Vigan days before. Bihira ko magustuhan ang empanada but that one... I can eat that shit for a week! Saraaaap. Punong puno ng laman at manipis ang crust. Alam na namin kung san bibili sa Laoag next time ng empanada. And NOT in Vigan! Daming extenders.)

* 6:22 - Ilocos Sur!
* 7:18 - Vigan City
* 8:38 - Candon (Chowking!)
(Quick stop in Chowking to eat dinner. Kinain ko yung binili kong igado sa Laoag. Yub yub yub! 5th igado meal ko na yata for the entire trip and di pa din ako nagsasawa! Never. I also bought some chichakorn at kalamay para sa opisina at sa bahay.)

* 9:06PM - Done Chowking... we're back on the road.
* 9:55 - La Union

Day 4.5 - Sunday
National Highway, Pangasinan
* 12:20AM - Urdaneta City!
* 12:42 - Tarlac - Pangasinan Boundary
(At this point, nagpapalitan na ng drive si Arvs at Jake dahil sa antok. Problem is I can't and should NOT sleep. Kelangan ko constantly makipag-usap on who's on the wheels para di sila antukin.)

* 1:55 - Tarlac City
(We took a very short break at a petrol station. Kape lang sabay kain ng tsokolate. Energy boost ba.)
* 2:43 - Dau Tollgate!
* 3:22 - NLEX-Manila Tollgate!


* 4:25AM - Home sweet home!
- Thanks God for everything... You're so GREAT!
(After the looong hike, I slumped in our sala - my backpack still on me - and bid a silent prayer of thanks to Him. For safety. For enjoyment. For the opportunity. For the experience. For the gift of life! Ang galing ng LAHAT. I just went on to unpack and then hit the bed for a very very very long sleep that day.)