This must have been 5 or 6 years ago when Miren had to go to Baguio for work and we decided to make a family weekend of it. After checking in, we proceeded to Burnham Park for some bicycle riding for the kids who were much younger and smaller then. It started to rain and did not stop until we left. We went down to Asin on an errand for Miren and the fog was so thick you saw oncoming cars when they were practically infront of you. The Spice Girls were all the rage then and had them on all the time so much so that we failed to listen to any news. It turned out that most of Manila was flooded and we ended up sleeping in the car in the parking lot of McDonalds in Greenbelt in Makati. We got back home after being in the car for about 24 hours. We even had the car broken into, a side window smashed in, while parked along Session Road in Baguio so that trip is fondly referred to as The Vacation from Hell.

Anyway, it was actually colder outside than it was in the room so everyone escaped back to the warmth of the beds and blankets and some TV for entertainment until the power went out. With the power went the water as well. The beach was no place to be so Inaki and I played some more pool. Lunch time came along soon and we ate in the restaurant of the Apo Idon which turned out to be better than the outlet we ate in the night before. There was still no power nor any water after lunch so we were starting to consider if it was better to just leave. The problem was that we would have to take our chances with room availability anywhere we went. Amazingly, there were more and more people arriving. So we decided to stick it out and take our chances where we were.

The resort was short-handed due to the holidays and those who were around were very apologetic and even offered to fetch some water for our baths. With nothing much else to do, it was a nap after cleaning up as best as we could. More pool after the nap and the power came back on by later afternoon. Dinner was had again in the Apo Idon restaurant and then more pool and TV and another early night for all again.

Total expense for the day was P4,939.

Timmy in Pagudpud

Nina and Timmy in Pagudpud

Pagudpud at night

As mentioned in the early part of this blog, the towns start to get more provincial and further apart after San Fernando. Driving in these parts has always been pleasant with less traffic and congested population centers. Considering that our last trip here was a good seven years ago, things have definitely changed. First off, the tricycle menace has reached further north. I remember the time when tricycles were completely banned from national highways. They are a pure pest to driving. It specially infuriates me to high heavens when they putter along at about 5 kilometers per hour as if by intention. The towns have also started to expand and have become much busier. We noticed that all of them up to Pagudpud had new town halls and freshly painted churches usually close by. A sure sign of progress or a ploy for “pogi” points by the local politicos. And most of the larger towns now have malls with popular stores and food outlets! Where has my paradise gone?

Timmy, Inaki, Nina and Joey in Pagudpud resort

We reached Vigan at about 3 PM with appetites stoked. The place was hot as usual and much more crowded than I remember or care for. Our favorite restaurant was packed and the waiter told us that it was going to take a while before we got our food so we took this as a cue to walk around and look for a fast food outlet, the operative word being “fast”. We entered this rather large 2 storey complex and were amazed by the number of shops and shoppers. We finally settled for Chowking. The complex is right across the stalls selling ukoy and empanadas but it was so hot and dusty and the girls did not seem to be in the mood for anything so touristy. It certainly lost its appeal with all the surrounding modernity. Lunch was over quickly and we were off in an hour or so. We didn’t even bother to check out the old streets and houses.

Miren, Timmy, Inaki and Joey in Pagudpud resort

I wanted to get to Pagudpud before it got dark but it looked like we were not going to make it. We loaded gas in the town of Santa right before Laoag as the sun was going over the horizon. It was completely dark by the time we drove into Laoag and had a bit of difficulty finding the road out and onto Pagudpud. The rest of the drive was done in compete darkness and total isolation save for a few cars and dimly lit small towns and barangays. It was so dark we could not make out anything to our left or right and mostly had only our headlights to see where we were going. There were a few souls around when we got to the small town center of Pagudpud and it had started to shower. Luckily, directions to the resorts are well posted and we finally got to the Evangeline cottages at about 7:30 PM.

Pagudpud beach

The Evangeline cottages are part of a larger complex that includes the Terrarika and Apo Idon resorts, all owned by the same family. The cottages are in the back of the resort and near the entrance while the multi-storied structures of the other resorts are in the middle and front of the compound. All have their dining areas by the beach where we had dinner on the first night. The cottages were not bad and I really preferred being detached from the rest of the resort. It has an added advantage of an adjoining recreation center which mainly consisted of 2 billiard tables and the unavoidable karaoke machine. Luckily, the cottage was insulated and far enough that we didn’t have to suffer the diva wannabees. As it had started to rain in earnest and the wind picked up as well, the billiard table came in quite handy and we put to good use the Minnesota Fats cue stick I bought Inaki for Christmas. The girls went to stroll in the beach while Inaki and I played some pool but they came back almost immediately declaring that it was to cold and wet. We assumed that it was just a passing weather condition and we couldn’t have been more mistaken.

Total distance traveled to Pagudpud was 659.5 kilometers. Total expenses up to the end of the day was approx P6,799.

written by  Joey Carlotta on January 3, 2008 from Pagudpud, Philippines
from the travel blog: 2007 Carlotta X'Mas Family Road Trip
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We finally pushed off at 3 AM. This came about when my mother who lives with me opted to stay over with an aunt who she was going with to a Christmas lunch in a cousins house. The original plan was to spend Christmas eve with her and drop her off at my aunts place on our way out of town which would have been around 6 AM. She has been operated on twice this year and had been found to have cancer so long trips are out for her atleast for the moment. Besides, the Suzuki is too small to fit the whole family plus her. She is under medication and she seems to be recuperating well but you never know with cancer. For this reason alone, we decided to spend Christmas and New Year in Manila rather than in our home in Bacolod. I hope to get a bigger car, a Ford Everest, next year so she can come along on trips when she is feeling much better and can stand the long drives. Anyway, KM 1 on my trip odometer was in the Shell gas station outside of BF Resort in Las Pinas where I filled up. The streets were empty considering the hour plus the fact that it was Christmas morning. I drove up towards Zapote, then down Coastal Road and Roxas Boulevard and turned into EDSA. In 15 minutes we were crossing Ayala. It was showering and streets were slick. After passing SM North somewhere in front of the big Iglesia ni Cristo church, a taxi comes out of u-turn slot and runs directly in front of a Fortuner we were following. Before I realized what had happened, the Fortuner hit the taxi by the rear right door and the taxi was spinning around in front of us. I jumped on my brakes and started sliding and managed barely to miss the Fortuner as I passed it on the left. We passed this surreal accident as the taxi was coming out of its spin. Freaky! I hope nobody was hurt seriously. Inaki swears that the airbags of the Fortuner did not deploy. Not a very good start for a trip. We were all pretty shaken by the incident so we took a pee-stop in the first gas station inside NLEX and I had a badly needed cigarette to calm my nerves. We exited NLEX by about 4:30 AM. The odometer read 35 KM upon entering NLEX and registered 115 upon exit.

We took the Dau exit and passed thru Bamban and entered Tarlac. I wanted to have some coffee in Starbucks but Luisita was still completely closed down at that hour. The rest of Tarlac went smoothly until about 5:30 AM when I noticed what appeared to be smoke drifting in the air outside. We had just entered Pangasinan when I noticed that visibility was getting worse and I realized that there was heavy fog all over. High beam would just make the light bounce all over the place so I put on my blinkers. There was also heavy condensation on the windshield. My windshield washer run out so we stopped in a gas station somewhere in Villasis and I bought a bottle of filtered water to fill my windshield washer. This went on for some time and we crossed the long bridge in Urdaneta with 2 to 3 meters of visibility. It was about 5:30 AM and the sun was still nowhere to be seen. It was really quite disconcerting and disorienting. We were passing Pozzorubio before we knew it and stopped for breakfast at about 6 AM in Sison before the fork to Baguio and La Union. The sun had finally started to rise and it burned the rest of the fog away. That was really eerie to say the least. I have never experienced anything like it in all my years of driving up and down that road. We pushed off after about an hour and made San Juan at around 8 AM.

Surf's Up in San Juan!

The San Juan Surf Resort was just starting to stir when we arrived. There were some locals still asleep on the tables and a number of foreigners having coffee and staring at the waves. As indicated by its name, the purpose of the resort was evident from all the surf boards neatly stacked around the beachfront of the resort. And the waves were what this place was all about. They varied from 1 meter to a good 3 meters depending on where they were cresting. I also noticed that they came in very close to each other. The resort is located at the far left end of a long and shallow cove. There are corals on the beach extending to the water in the immediate left of the resort. It was too early and rather cold so there were no surfers in the water yet but a number of people clad in designer Roxy and Rip Curl outfits were getting ready, limbering up or otherwise transfixed by the breakers as if hypnotized or otherwise contemplating which part of the beach to enter the water. I consider myself to be a beach person comfortable with the ocean and surfing, swimming and even scuba diving in it. This was definitely no place for a swim. I remember this stretch of beach when we lived in San Fernando in the 70’s and you wouldn’t find even the locals in the water. I don’t even remember seeing a banca then or in this trip. Anyway, the stop in San Juan was suggested by Nina who has been down here several times with her friends for surfing. We were hoping that the other 2 kids get into it as well.

Danger! No Swimming in San Juan.

Having arrived too early, we availed of a spare room and the girls went promptly to sleep. The room was located in the 2nd floor of 1 of the 5 or 6 structures of the resort. The room was small enough to fit 2 beds and a toilet. The room we had reserved was in the ground floor and had additional kitchen space, not that my wife intended to do any cooking. The resort seems to have grown in spurts with the other structures as afterthoughts to maximize the space. The original structures must have been on the beachfront where there is a restaurant cum front desk with an adjoining area with tables and chairs. There is an open-air loft with gym equipment. Beside this is a 2 storey structure with a surf shop on the ground and what would appear to be the owners residence on top. Immediately behind these and away from the beachfront are 3 or 4 cottages including a dormitory-type building. I discerned these to be the original structures because they all had the same architecture and design as well as nipa roofs. The remaining 3 structure are all concrete and 2 of these appeared to be condo units probably for long-term use. If I were to rate the resort, I would give it a 2 out of 5. I can’t speak for the food because we never ate there but it did not look too promising.

Beach view at San Juan, La Union

I must have had residual adrenaline from the drive because I was wide awake and all keyed up. Inaki was likewise awake so we decided to walk the beach towards Lingsat where our first house was when we lived there in the 70’s. I was well aware that Lingsat was inside the bay while San Juan was outside but I imagined that we would have to walk 4 to 6 coves for about 30 minutes one way to find the house. Unfortunately, this was shy by no less than 100%. About halfway and on the tip of the bay, we saw a large barge stuck on the reef not far from the beach. It was loaded with some sort of black colored ore. The waves were crashing onto its exposed side and sending cascades of water over it. The waves had obviously washed some of the ore away as it littered the beach and the shallow water and there were scores of people collecting them most likely to sell back to the owner. There was a makeshift Coast Guard detachment on the beach closest to the barge probably assigned there to guard it against looters.

Off to catch some waves in San Juan.

So after an hours walk, we found the house. It looked pretty much the same except for the sea wall which covered most of the ground floor. We saw a lot of wave action when we lived here. The sea wall used to be level to the ground floor and this was elevated already by about 2 meters above the beach. The problem was that the owner of the house built too close to the waterline with about 2 to 3 meters of actual beach left depending on the tide. During good weather, the water was as calm as a pond with hardly a ripple coming to shore. This was completely different during the monsoon when we would see wave tops looking out of our 2nd floor living room. In fact we had to evacuate on several occasions to the Lepanto guesthouse in Poro Point where we utlimately transferred to. Despite this, there were a lot of good memories from living here. The beach was very rocky but this made for excellent snorkeling and we spent a lot of hours exploring the surrounding reefs and seafloor. I was like living in a playground. I remember vividly one summer when I had some cousins visiting, as usually is the case when you have a beach home, and we decided to walk to Poro Point in the other side of the bay which was quite a distance past the town of San Fernando. After swimming and diving off the pier most of the afternoon, it was time head back home and the walk looked so far away. Applying the logic that a straight line is the shortest distance between 2 points, I came up with the grand plan to swim across the bay straight home. Now you have to realize that the bay of San Fernando is no small cove. Large ocean-going vessels come to dock here. You can imagine how it felt when we started to tire right in the middle of that body of water with the sun getting lower in the horizon. I was the eldest at 15 of the 6 or 7 kids in our small band merry boys and the realization of what I had gotten myself and these children into started to register in my care-free brain. I made light of the situation and kept on joking to keep everyone in good spirits. I saw a big ship coming in and remembered that sharks followed them in as they dumped their garbage before entering the bay to keep from paying to get this hauled in port. So swim we did until we got home and I proceeded to kick myself for being so stupid. Thank God nothing happened. During dinner that night the kids were talking about the adventure and my dad looked out the window towards Poro Point and then turned to look at me with an expression that spoke volumes. Anyway, this present stunt of walking from San Juan to Lingsat had to be repeated in the reverse and it was getting close to noon. I called for several stops to rest and cool off in the water but I was practically on all fours by the time we got back to the resort. I seem to still get myself into the same kind of predicaments at this age. When will I ever learn?

Joey and Miren in San Juan

Everyone was up and hungry so we decided to head into San Fernando for lunch. While waiting for the girls to get ready, Inaki and I were waiting by the beach. A sudden flurry of action caught our attention and 2 local surfers rushed to the water with their boards. We looked over and saw that 2 small girls had gone a bit too far in the water and were in trouble with the waves. The waves were not particularly that high but they came one after the other and this was overwhelming the children. The smaller of the 2 was also getting carried farther and farther away. The children were saved by the mercy of the Lord and the quick reaction of the 2 surfers and a sign was promptly posted on the beach declaring the danger and prohibiting swimmers. Any thoughts of swimming on our part were quickly dispelled. We had lunch at McDonalds, got some cash, loaded gas and bought some supplies for the trip to Pagudpud the following day. The day had caught up with me by the time we got back to the resort and I slept most of the afternoon. We drove to Poro Point after my nap to complete my nostalgic trip and had dinner in the resort next door and then it was TV and an early night for all of us.

Carlotta Family ready for dinner

Upon loading of gas in San Fernando in preparation for trip to Pagudpud, odometer reading was 355.4 kilometers which included Manila to San Juan plus 1.5 roundtrips from San Juan to San Fernando and 1 roundtrip from San Juan to Poro Point. Total gas reloaded was 37.2 liters. Mileage was 9.5 kilometers per liter. Not bad for a 5 and half year old, 2.5 liter, 6 cylinder, 4X4 SUV. Total expenses so far was P7,059 including actual gas consumption, resort, meals and some snacks, groceries and supplies.

Nina for Ray Ban

Apt reading for Timmy

I have not been able to do this much since we got married because my wife hates traveling in the dark and getting up too early for that matter. The only time I prevailed was when we once took a straight 12 hour drive to Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. To get there by 7 AM, we had to leave by 6 PM the day before. The extra hour was spent getting out of Metro Manila alone. This eliminated the trip-eve sleeplessness and allowed me to take a good long nap before we hit the road. The rest of the evening and early morning was like a night out in the town without the drinking. I had a van at the time and the seats could be straightened out to form a big bed which was perfect for the kids, still young, who mostly slept throughout the trip. We had an early dinner in Luisita in Tarlac after the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and a break for coffee and leg-stretching at midnight in San Fernando, La Union halfway there. After San Fernando, the countryside starts to get really provincial and the towns further apart with very little in between. The fact that we were traveling in the wee hours of the morning did not help. Even in these modern days, filling up your gas tank is a necessity and not breaking down a constant prayer. In the 70’s, San Fernando, the capital of La Union, would start to shut down by 7 or 8 PM. In the next town of San Juan, even the dogs would get out of the streets the moment it got dark. In any case, this just added to the excitement of the trip and made me all the more cautious. We arrived as the hotel (Fort Ilocandia, our favorite) was coming awake. The kids were bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and ready for action and I was ripe for bed and sleep. Up for lunch and a dip after, then a nice nap and I was back to normal by late afternoon. On the way back, we cut the trip in half with a stay in San Juan (or was it Baguio?).

We have done this trip so often before but it is like the first time every time. Personally, I enjoy the trips more than the destinations but it is the really the time spent with the people you love and travel with that is important. We experience even the same things differently on each trip as the kids grow up and my wife and I grow older. Personalities change and the dynamics of the relationships evolve. Individually, we pass through events in our lives, whether good or bad or happy or sad, that affect us and rule our moods and sentiments during these trips. So it’s not really about the trip nor the destination after all. It’s about family. Locked up in a car and a resort or hotel room, our companies forced on each other, enjoyed or otherwise. The trip and destination merely an excuse and a means to a more important end. 3 more days and we start this new adventure in our lives as a family.

written by  Joey Carlotta on December 21, 2007 from Las Pinas, Philippines
from the travel blog: 2007 Carlotta X'Mas Family Road Trip
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A primary consideration in planning a trip is the route to be taken. Of course there is the financial consideration but you won’t know how much you will spend if you don’t know where you are going, where you will be staying and what you will be doing. You can always scale down later. On this trip, it really wasn’t very difficult to decide because I have been wanting to do 2 things for the longest time and these are a) to drive over the top of the main island of Luzon and b) to drive thru the fabled and supposedly picturesque Halsema Highway locally known as Mountain Trail. Driving thru the top of Luzon is a much easier objective with sufficient stops in between and relatively good roads ensuring safe passage. Driving the Halsema Highway is different story altogether. They don’t call it Mountain Trail for nothing.

Until recently, the road has remained mostly in a state of disrepair with attempts at paving washed away by landslides that occur yearly during the Monsoon season (June to October) when many accidents and deaths occur and the road is often closed to vehicular traffic. It is still represented in most maps as a dotted line which does not bode well. Recent efforts by the government have apparently resulted in some success between Baguio and Mt. Data (about halfway) with the remainder projected to be completed sometime next year. Still, passage is advised only for the sturdiest of buses and public utility vehicles that regularly ply the route or capable high-clearance and/or 4-wheel drive vehicles. It goes without saying that driving skill and a penchant for self-punishment is required. Despite all this, the route promises great vistas and an experience that can only be had in about the last patch of pristine mountain countryside traversed by a major road. Having put this off for so long, I want to do it now before the road is finally fully paved and the stretch goes the way that Baguio did. Nonetheless, the final decision to proceed with this leg of the trip will depend on the actual road condition to be inquired from the nearest Department of Public Works and Highways office and/or from a bus driver who had just recently passed the route. I do not intend to risk life, limb or property for a thrill that may prove costly.

Another parameter in planning the route was driving time between stops. While my wife will act as back-up driver, I wanted to limit each leg to not more than 6 hours. On this basis, I wish to avoid the alternate 12-hour route home passing thru Nueva Ecija that does not present anything remarkable to see much less worth spending the night for.

The final decision made on the route for this trip was whether to start by way of the western coastal road or start with Baguio and (try) to do the mountains first. The deciding factor again became the Halsema Highway. Getting detoured so early in the trip could put a serious dent on the whole thing. Reservations for resorts and hotels already made this early will be missed and we could certainly find ourselves without a room in the inns on Christmas week. The only place we would skip starting thru the western coastal route would be Baguio in the event that we got detoured in Sagada. Fortunately, the hotel in Baguio did not require a deposit.

The final route is as follows:

Leg 1

Route : Manila – Bulacan – Pampanga – Tarlac – Pangasinan – La Union
Travel Date : Dec. 25, 2007
Estimated Distance – 270 Kilometers to San Juan
Approximate Driving Time: 6 Hours

Leg 2

Route : La Union – Ilocos Sur – Ilocos Norte
Travel Date : Dec. 26, 2007
Estimated Distance – 290 Kilometers to Pagudpud
Approximate Driving Time : 4 Hours

Leg 3

Route : Ilocos Norte – Cagayan – Isabela – Nueva Viscaya – Ifugao – Mt. Province
Travel Date : Dec. 28, 2007
Estimated Distance – 490 Kilometers to Sagada
Approximate Driving Time : 6 Hours

Leg 4

Route : Mt. Province – Benguet
Travel Date : Dec. 30, 2007
Estimated Distance: 130 Kilometers to Baguio
Approximate Driving Time : 6 Hours

Leg 5

Route : Benguet – Pangasinan – Tarlac –Pampanga – Bulacan – Manila
Travel Date : Dec.31, 2007
Estimated Distance – 240 Kilometer to Las Pinas
Approximate Driving Time – 6 Hours
Total Distance Traveled – 1,420 Kilometers

Leg 4 Alternate

Route : Mt. Province – Nueva Viscaya – Nueva Ecija – Bulacan – Manila
Travel Date : Dec. 30, 2007
Estimated Distance – 410 Kilometers to Las Pinas
Approximate Driving Time – 12 Hours
Total Distance Traveled – 1,460 Kilometers

T minus 37 days.

written by  Joey Carlotta on November 18, 2007 from Manila, Philippines
from the travel blog: Northern Luzon Loop (CANCELED)
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Worthy to note are the references I use in planning trips. First and foremost, I would like to mention the Luzon edition of the Philippine Road Atlas and Stopover Guide published by E-Z Map. It has been an invaluable tool and source of entertainment at the same time. Even armchair travelers wishing to virtually tour the country are well-advised to purchase a copy. It is packed with tips, details and local color. Comments and observations can be humorous too coming from non-Filipino authors. My deep respect stems from the fact that they have apparently driven all those roads and visited (or at least researched) all those places. I bought my copy back in 2001 and it is getting a bit dated. I will check for a newer version next time I am at the bookstore. Too bad they don't have an on-line publication. I might also add that I am a great fan of the magazine called Cruising, a monthly publication of Manila Bulletin. It is in fact the only publication I buy on a regular basis.

I also use maps. In fact I like maps and collect them. I am never without a map in the car or when traveling with someone else. My all-time favorites are the Roadmap of the Philippines published by National Bookstore and the localized maps by E-Z Map. The first thing I do when I arrive in a foreign country is to look for a map in the airport. This came in handy when I visited Shanghai, China where asking and giving directions proved difficult since I didn't speak the language. I quickly found that pointing to my desired destination on a map to a taxi driver always did the trick. On the other hand, maps do not work very well as visual aids when asking for directions from the locals in the Philippines. In fact, I have become wary about asking Filipino locals for directions. Rather than admit ignorance, I have in more than one occasion been led on wild goose chases. I have also found that the local police are most helpful and reliable.

Finally, there is the Internet that I use extensively. But finding proper information there is as chancy as coming across an occasional TV feature while surfing the tube or printed article in your favorite daily or Sunday magazine. With the increasing use of blogs, a web search would come up with a profusion of personal accounts that are at best incomplete and at worse completely inaccurate. One good thing about them are the rants or raves about restaurants and resorts or hotels which are difficult to discern from the commercial websites of these establishments. Still, the Internet presents the handiest and most varied source for information. It has also inspired me to write this blog in the hope that other families or individuals find the information useful in planning their own trips.

T minus 38 days.

written by  Joey Carlotta on November 17, 2007 from Manila, Philippines
from the travel blog: Northern Luzon Loop (CANCELED)
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Welcome to another Carlotta Family Road Trip Adventure. This time, we are doing the Northern Luzon Loop starting in Manila, going thru the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Viscaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Benguet and back to Manila via Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga and Bulacan. The trip will take 7 days and 6 nights away from home. We are planning to leave on Christmas Day and be back in time for a New Year's Eve celebration at home. Traveling with me (Joey Carlotta) are my wife (Miren) and our 3 children, Nina (21), Inaki (18) and Timmy (16), all seasoned road warriors. We will be traveling in a 2.5 liter 6 cylinder 4X4 Suzuki Grand Vitara. We intend to stop in San Juan, La Union (1st night), Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte (2nd and 3rd night), Sagada, Mountain Province (4th and 5th night) and Baguio City, Benguet (6th night). The primary objectives are family bonding and outdoor fun but, personally, I look forward to being able to drive over the top of Luzon (thru Claveria, Cagayan) and thru Halsema Highway (aka Mountain Trail) between Sagada and Baguio City in the Mountain Province. If the Halsema Highway proves to be bad or risky, our alternate route home from Sagada will be back down to Nueva Viscaya and thru the provinces of Nueva Ecija and Bulacan. This is a half-day drive so we will have to cut the trip short by a day and leave for Manila on the 30th to be able to get enough rest for New Years' Eve. This blog is intended to document the trip and show the photos taken along way.

T minus 39 days.

written by  Joey Carlotta on November 16, 2007 from Manila, Philippines
from the travel blog: Northern Luzon Loop (CANCELED)
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