"Restobars like this one make Vigan a more interesting place to visit."

Vigan is a city where the saying "forget the past" does not apply. The remains of its past is her beauty. Its heritage is her wealth. Its history is her pride. It is not surprising why this World Heritage City loves preserving its heritage. In light of that, preservation is already a way of life for Bigueños. Hotels, restaurants, spa, bars and even beer houses are not complete without a touch of the past. One of the most notable restaurant-bars I've discovered in Vigan with this character is the Chula Bar.

[VIGAN] a replica of Juan Luna's 1895 tampuhan painting

I entered the Chula Bar in Hotel Luna amazed. I've seen many restaurants here in Vigan with a museum feel but Chula Bar stands out. Replicas of Juan Luna's iconic paintings are displayed inside the bar. I have to conclude that time that this bar was a tribute to the latter.

Well, not surprising. A multi-million dollar original painting of Juan Luna is also inside this hotel. Take note, this hotel is named after Juan Luna although the street where this hotel stands is named after Gen Antonio Luna, the brother of Juan Luna who fought in the Philippine-American War.

[VIGAN] artistic window of the bar

Juan Luna is said to be one of the greatest Filipino artists in Philippine history and definitely the greatest Ilocano artist of all time.

Heritage Preservation in Details

Restobars like this one make Vigan a more interesting place to visit. The city's main attraction (ancestral houses) has evolved to a granulated, more detailed form of heritage preservation making every piece the eye can see a history lesson to enjoy.

[VIGAN] the brick wall adds drama to the window

[VIGAN] carefully and delicately designed ceilings

The word "bar" might sound as a thing of the modern pop culture but Chula Saloon Bar gives it a different perspective. According to our museum-tour guide, "Chula" means a girl who is paid to have an intimate contact with a man during the time of Juan Luna. It is also noteworthy that Juan Luna has an Una Chula painting in 1885 featuring a lower class woman from Madrid who explicitly portrays a flirtatious image, sexual confidence and worldliness.

The saloon bar, is safe to say, named after Chula (the woman painted by Juan Luna). But this saloon bar is not a place to flirt. As I said, almost every piece you'll see is a history lesson; whether it is a replica, an original item or a contemporary thing. What's beautiful here is that it can bring you back virtually to the past.

[VIGAN] I entered the Chula Bar in Hotel Luna amazed.

[VIGAN] a smart corner for viewing ancestral houses nearby

[VIGAN] bottles of wine in the saloon bar

[VIGAN] inside is like a museum

[VIGAN] comfortable chairs and dining tables

Window/s of the Chula Saloon Bar is a traditional Vigan window. It is wide to allow light to enter. It has an arched frame and wood bars.

The Merienda Buffet

If you have a hard time pretending as if you enjoy the history (since some find history a difficult subject), well enjoy the merienda buffet without getting away from the Vigan-ish interior. The merienda buffet starts at 2pm up to 5pm daily. Menu served changes everyday. For 175 pesos, you can eat until you drop.

[VIGAN] The tables are ready for the buffet.

[VIGAN] merienda buffet

[VIGAN] Vigan sweets

[VIGAN] bread with special egg toppings

[VIGAN] puto with different colors

[VIGAN] puto with cheese topping

[VIGAN] Sliced sweetened bananas with sesame seeds

[VIGAN] leche flan

[VIGAN] maja blanca

[VIGAN] lumpiang gulay

[VIGAN] nuts on top

[VIGAN] marshmallows

[VIGAN] pancakes

[VIGAN] guests looking on the food

[VIGAN] My mix

I personally love the carbonara, the pancake with chocolate syrup and the the food below.

Unlimited Halo-Halo

If you just want to chill, halo-halo is also served daily from 1pm to 5pm for 175 pesos (for single order). However if you've paid for a merienda buffet, you'll get a 50 pesos discount for the halo-halo,

[VIGAN] This guest gets her own mix

[VIGAN] They can get all they want.

[VIGAN] for filling-up

[VIGAN] guests in the saloon bar

VIGAN] ready for consumption

Each halo-halo has one scoop of ice cream. For additional scoop, add 25pesos. There is a policy you need to follow: No sharing. No left overs.

For the next part of the series, I'm gonna give you you a virtual museum tour. Let's discover ivories, Swarovski crystals and million-dollar paintings. /to be continued...

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