a writer's diary... journalist chronicle...

Just a glimps of Cervantes. When I got there, there's this old building that was placed on high school campus. This was erected during the Spanish regime. In this Spanish building, there was a museum, you can find here some of the old things presumably used by the Kankanaey, Igorots and Itnegs. There's this latok (latok was a large plate-- during pre-spanich and spanish time, tipical ilocano eat together in one large plate called "latok", it is made from hard wood), bande or a jar made from hard trunks of wood, annanga or raincoat, bigao, calben and many other.

This building used to be the capitol of Mountain Province, when this Montanosa was not yet subdivided. But when Cervantes belonged to Ilocos Sur, the capitol or central office of Mountain Province moved to Bontoc.

As of now, the building id dilapidated, and it needs repair. How historic, it is, for this building that its story should be conserved.

Anyway, I got a chance to chat with Lt. Kigis, he's from Mountain Province, he gave some directions in Montanosa. From Cervantes, you can lead to Mankayan where the infamous Lepanto Mines can be found. After that, you will pass to Bugias, an intersection can be found here, one will go to Mountain Province, another is Bengue, and of course, the coldest part of the Philippines-- municipality of Atok. From Atok, you will go to Sayangan, then to Akop, La Trinidad, and of course, to Baguio City.

It means, from Ilocos Sur, you can straight to Baguio City, the reward is the haven of trees and virgin mountains.

Oh, yeah, this was just scratch, it is unedited.

Ilocos Sur has two World Heritage Site...
The Vigan Heritage Village and the Santa Maria Church.
I seldom go to Santa Maria... Its amazing that this baroquial church is included in the heritage site.
It is magnificent. The baroque architecture, the leaning tower, and the 84 steps up to heaven.
While your in top, you can see the whole Santa Maria proper.
But more than this, is the feeling of belongingness. It seems your in the cloud of heaven.
And while your there, you will have feeling of lightness... and mystery.
Yes, what you see is not enough. You will think what's inside and outside this church.
What mystery and secrets that it possesses.
There are many things to be write about this place... but i think, for now, this is enough.
Well, I guess, you should come here and i'll be willing to be guide.