"This time, the ancestral houses can not run with this fever. These houses need to be a medium of showing to the world the Bigueños' love for their city."

That deep love, that great passion, and that priceless heritage is resulting to an overflowing emotion. The people's great love for their culture and heritage is a thing that can not be fathomed. I always stand in awe, primarily to God, but this time, a lower portion situated below the glory of God is an awe to my hometown, Vigan.

Culture and Heritage Expressed in Arts

The wealth of her culture, heritage and her sweet history is not easy to express in words. It is priceless; better than gold and any richness of this world. The complexity of her identity can make a person-of-few-words to be lost for words.

It is the kind of wealth that can defy greed. It actually promotes selflessness. It is the wealth that gathers the community for peace. It does not create Walls of Jericho that builds division among the people. It is the kind of wealth that benefits not a single individual but an equal distribution to the people. This is the wealth of Vigan. It is not about money and power. It is the culture and heritage that we can not afford to lose.

This day has come once again. The old houses of Vigan are the superstars; the old houses that stimulated development; the old houses that stood the test of time; the old houses that brought my hometown to stardom; the old houses that served as silent witnesses of the past. They are the Vigan ancestral houses -- an asset, attraction, a priceless gem.

Old Houses with Abel Decors along Liberation Blvd

I have shamelessly labeled this blog to be off-beat, focusing on unknown towns and destinations, thereby exploring towns one at a time while discovering the still less known places of famous cities and towns. But everytime I see Vigan, there are just lots of stories that come to my mind and I can not contain it. I mean, I could spend my whole blogging time featuring just Vigan alone because this small city has big stories to share.

So, sometimes I take time to pause and freeze the stories of my town explorations to give way to Vigan. Of course, I always believe that blogging things about Vigan is a reasonable filler post in between my off-beat adventures.

Summer in Vigan is full of festivities and celebrations. As I have said, the love of the people to her culture and heritage is overflowing that broken glasses, carabaos, seeds, etcetera even become the subjects of arts to depict and reflect Vigan's culture and heritage. This time, the ancestral houses can not run with this fever. These houses need to be a medium of showing to the world the Bigueños' love for their city. Now, Vigan's sweet identity is like a blazing fire touching the cold heart, igniting the flame to learn and appreciate the city's culture.

Buildings with Abel Decor along Quezon Avenue

Erratum: I am sorry for the wrong watermark of the photos above. The label "Liberation Blvd" should be Quezon Avenue since these houses/building are located along Quezon Avenue. My apologies.

During the first week of May, old houses at Vigan's Kameztizoan District metamorphose. Like a caterpillar, it turns out to be a beautiful yet vulnerable butterfly.

The decorations are made up mainly of the popular Abel Iloko, a woven fabric that represents the artistry and craftsmanship of the Vigan people.

Quezon Avenue is Vigan's commercial hub. In spite such, there are still many old houses. New buildings must follow a certain design, that is, the Vigan House architecture.

Vigan Window with abel decoration

UCPB Vigan branch building

Banks, restaurants and many commercial establishments have no freedom to choose the design of their buildings because they are regulated by a city ordinance. The original designs of the structures should be maintained. For new buildings, it must look similar with the old buildings that dominate this bustling Quezon Avenue.

This is Vigan. It's great people has learned to love and appreciate it's heritage. I couldn't be happier. I see these structures everyday. These old houses make me feel like they give me new hope, daily. As long as these ancestral houses are there, I'll never get tired blogging about it. /end