[VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR, PHILIPPINES]▬ The world always has its dark side. It's the darkness that veil the beauty of what's hiding within. Thank God the light always comes like a knight in shining armor releasing the spectacle from the bondage of nothingness. Mestizo River, a historical waterway in Vigan, grabs back its old glory when the people of Vigan started to rediscover its worth.

MESTIZO RIVER PLAYED A GREAT ROLE IN the history of our little city, Vigan. It's been a portal of entry for people of foreign lands who fell in love with the charm of the old town. Chinese traders and the Spanish colonizers utilized this river centuries ago. Then these people settled here plotting an urbanscape and culture that's so unique. UNESCO has spoken. No place in Asia can parallel the substance and character of this town.

For the information of those who are not yet aware, the city of Vigan offers a MESTIZO RIVER CRUISE. It's actually a fun way of learning the history of Vigan.

Mestizo River is also the site of the annual candle floaters offering ceremony. It's one of the events of the Raniag Twilight Festival. The site of offering  is specifically located at the river cruise dock in Celedonia Garden of Brgy Beddeng Laud.

[VIGAN] ► CANDLE FLOATERS DRIFTING

[VIGAN] ► SO YEAH, THIS IS NIGHT IN MESTIZO RIVER

[VIGAN] ► ADDING COLOR TO THE RIVER

[VIGAN] ► DRIFTING AWAY

I'VE JOINED THIS EVENT MANY TIMES BUT it's only now that I have the time to blog about it. Hundreds of people gathered in the river cruise dock including some politicians and our friends from the media.

[VIGAN] ► A CHILD HANDLING A CANDLE FLOATER

[VIGAN] ► CANDLE FLOATERS

[VIGAN] ► THE RIVER WAS SO CALM. THIS MAN HELPS THE FLOATERS DRIFT AWAY.

[VIGAN] ► A CANDLE FLOATER

[VIGAN] ► PEOPLE WENT TO THIS BOAT TO RELEASE THEIR CANDLE FLOATERS

The dark space turned to a spectacle. I always say this, light will always find its way to stand out in the darkness. It will always win.

It's nice to see that Bigueños are reviving this river. Its story has long been forgotten but through events like this, this river is getting the attention back that it deserves.  ▬ to be continued...

THINGS/PLACES INCLUDED IN THIS BLOG SERIES

[UP NEXT] ▬ EPISODE 05

Episode 01

[VIGAN] ► Unveiling of Christmas Tree, an Annual Bigueño Tradition

TEASER▬ Our Bigueño culture is so rich that it is not enough to express it in words—we need to express them in festivities and manifest it in our intangible good traditions for other people to understand.

| Episode 02

[VIGAN] ► 34 Photos from Raniag Twilight Festival 2015 Street Dancing

TEASER▬ The Raniag Twilight Festival basically preludes the All Souls' Day in Vigan where a mass homecoming and reunion of the Ilocanos happen as a tradition.

| Episode 03

[VIGAN] ► Blog Coverage: 133 Photos from Raniag Electric FLoat Parade 2015 + Insights

TEASER▬ Festival dancers dressed themselves with both luminescence and heat-based light. They have to stand out in the dark—that is the very essence of this artful cultural event.

| Episode 04 | Episode 05

COMING SOON! LIKE THE EDMARATION PAGE FOR UPDATES

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