I was in Ilocos Sur the other weekend. My high school best friend Elizabeth and I went to tour around our friend, Robby who’s been away from the country for more than 20 years now. Well, actually, he and wife Helen were here in 2000, but it was at the height of typhoon season (month of July) so all they could enjoy was wading in floods.
Robby and Helen were sweethearts way back in high school. They both excelled in Math and Physics and would often sit together in the library solving exercises from the book. We only learned one day that they were not only solving Math and Physics problems, they were solving each other’s hearts too! Hehehe.
Anyway, the trip was worth it. It was my first time to go that part of the region too, although I have been to Abra province in 1987, at the height of NPA (New People’s Army) movement. (Boy, was it scary - we could hear sounds of armalites at night!) But that trip is another story which I hope to write about sometime.
While Robby busied himself with his cameras shooting here and there, I also postured myself like a real pro photographer, (trying hard, actually… LOL) using both my Olympus FE100 super user-friendly camera and my Nokia 6233 phone cam.
Photos below were taken with the use of my phone cam.
At Gov. Chavit Singson’s Baluarte
Heritage Street in Vigan City
Butterfly Garden at Gov. Chavit’s Baluarte
Yellow Gumamela at the Butterfly Garden
Red-yellow Gumamela at the Butterfly Garden
Euphorbia from my mini-garden…. (sorry, can’t help inserting my own… LOL!)
Incidentally, today I was planning to answer a tag I was asked to do on: “Because of blogging…” but I decided to post these photos first because they are already starting to “rot” in my album. 
P.S. - The landscape photo at Baluarte (first photo above) is better viewed when enlarged, but the “technologically impaired” person that I am (to borrow the term of Anna Manila) - I still have not figured out how to enable such feature here in my blog. Sigh!
my husband was impressed the first time he went to ilocos norte, and i was supposed to join him during his last trip a few weeks ago, but i canceled at the last minute. i will try to come next time. nice shots, even with the phone camera!
Thank you, SexyMom! Yes, do visit the place. It’s highly recommended.
One of these days, Rhoda, I’ll get to visit this past of the country!
Beautiful photographs! Keep shooting and sharing with us please
Eric
Eric, diyahe nga ako sa mga photos ko, e… ang layo sa mga photos mo.
Tsamba lang ito. But thanks for your encouragement, perhaps all it takes is practice, practice and lots of interest. 
What splendid pictures Rhodora. And taken only with a phone camera? Why can’t I achieve that with mine? I think it takes a real artistic touch to take photos that glow — you got it! Yes, as Senor Enrique says, keep shooting!
I like best the butterfly bath — that’s Chavit Singson’s? Hmmm … Baluarte. Should see it one of these days.
So you’re not Manila-based? Where then? See you, again … and again.
Hi, Anna! Thanks, I’m glad you like my photos. With a phone cam - I think, to get good effects, it should have at least 2megapixel feature.
Baluarte - it’s Chavit Singson’s farm located in a vast mountainous part of Ilocos Sur. It’s open to the public - free. I guess because he’s planning to run for Senate. You know - probably to win votes.
I’m based in Dagupan City, Anna. I will be frequenting Manila beginning this June though, when my daughter starts attending college there.
The first picture is really stunning. It looks almost like Europe.
Yes, Chavit Singson farm is quite unique. Alas I wasn’t able to get past his tigers & monkeys. I am surprised you were able to get in.
Nice pics of flowers too !
I was also surprised with that first photo.
Entrance is free, you can also ride the mini-calesas drawn by those ponies seen grazing in above pic, again for free, though you are expected to give tips for the assists.
Thanks for dropping by, Sidney!
Hi Rhodora
what lovely photos you got here! I love those flowers, I love gardening, too. Especially now that spring’s coming
Thanks for visiting my blog.. shall add you to my links, if you don’t mind?
You take very beautiful photographs. Nice shots!
Hi, Pining! Thank you, well, I tried hard with these photos.
Thank you too for linking me, it’s an honor. I will link you as well.
Niceheart, salamat! Tsamba lang… hehe.
Whoa! Beautiful shots. Galing!
Thanks, Prab! I linked you.
I love going up North. I really should have embraced my ilocano roots earlier. It’s a pity that I am discovering the splendor of the North only now. Absolutely breathtaking. And the food! Oh glorious, heart stopping food! From empanada to longganisa, to the heart attack in a brown paper bag known as bagnet, all worth the eventual coronary.
Adam Mordo… Hahaha! Easy on the cholesterol. When I went there, I purposely did not buy bagnet and I only bought 2 dozens of longganisa. Not too young anymore to take risks!