Leaving Ilocos Region

We anticipated a long ride home.  We were tired but happy.  We made two quick stops, one at a famous bakery along the highway.  GloV, Estela and Vickie checked the place out and came back with buko pie and some other goodies for pasalubong.  Next stop, was at Vickie's nephew in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur.  Listening to their stories, my renewed awareness on how/why people move around and settle in places far away from home.

A long stretch and we reached San Fernando La Union.  Here, we decided to view the sunset at the famous "Thunderbird" resort. 

Thunderbird Resort Picture Postcard
source: Images from Internet









Leaving the resort without the much needed directions for Xerxes' house in Poro Point. The front desk was helpful enough to google the address but soon sent us to the nearest Police outpost just outside the resort gates. We were sent further out to the Police Headquarters by the highway, but no luck.  It was not meant for us to surprise Xerxes with an unannounced visit after 50 years.  Here we could have used the help from the first contingent to visit him in the early 2000's (Leda, Tammy, Abit and MannyN). Ping promises another day's visit.

The last leg of our trip was a "hit and run" dinner at Ping's cousin in Naguilian, La Union.  Ping requested her cousin to prepare binobudan (instead of baridibod for dinner).  But then again, as any Filipino will outdo themselves, we had dinuguan, lechon, dinengdeng and a lot more.  They had newly harvested siniguelas by the door and we took it home.  We also took the whole pot of binubodan as it was getting late, pushing ourselves and our tired but still smiling chauffer, on to Baguio.