Let me just join what seems to be a fairly large percentage of the world’s population and say Happy Valentines Day (!!!!) to y’all, whether you subscribe to that “tradition” or not. I’m afraid I can’t say the same for myself considering how, for the past several years, February 14 was also the deadline for our year-end reports. Somewhere along the way, this date became more synonymous to “deadline” than with anything to do with hearts and romance. Ah, the life of a bean counter.
Speaking of tradition, or something like it, the Philippines is definitely wealthy in that respect, although you’d probably be hard-pressed to readily declare that in light of the rapid changes time brings.
That’s why I can not help but appreciate how smidgens of culture and tradition of old are preserved today.
Churches, specifically the old ones, remain to be one of the most enduring relics there are, and there are more than several of them in various parts of the country. Up north, we have the Paoay Church.
A Piece From The Past
I heard from somewhere before that it’s the older gems that often shine the brightest; sometimes all they require is a bit of polishing.
In this instance, while the structure of the old church and its bell tower definitely looks dated (definitely not lying about its age, hah!), the “polish” that brought out its shine is definitely its surroundings. And I’m talking about the well-manicured gardens, with its well-kept lawns and trimmed hedges and bushes.
But let’s talk about the Church for a minute first. There is quite a lengthy stone path that led from the street to the main entrance of the Church. And yes, it does paint a pretty picture, if you imagine how believers and members of the congregation would file into this place of worship.
The Paoay Church is, apparently, a favorite for weddings. I do wonder if there were brides that were willing to go the extra mile (a bit literally) by starting their walk on this pathway, then continue on down the aisle to the altar.
…I suppose she’d need really comfy shoes for that, huh.
Some facts: the more official name of the Paoay Church is the Saint Augustine Church or, more familiarly, the San Agustin Church. But it is more popular as Paoay Church because of its location, which is on Marcos Avenue in the municipality of Paoay.
Built by the friars of the Augustinian Order, the Paoay Church was constructed in 1694 until it was completed in 1710, which makes it more than 300 years old. However, it was only in 1993 that it was officially cited as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In 1973, however, it was declared by the government as a National Cultural Treasure.
The mere fact that it was able to still stand this tall, proud, and proudly beautiful for over 3 centuries should be enough reason to give it that slew of recognition. But it was amplified by the beautiful elegance of its architecture.
Again, I know next to nothing about architecture, but Paoay Church supposedly boasts a European (primarily Spanish) baroque architecture, but was tweaked in a way that would suit the natural seismic terrain of northern Philippines. After all, the country is located by a fault line, which makes it prone to quakes.
That’s why the phrase “Earthquake Baroque” was coined to describe this type of architecture. Most notable are its 24 huge buttresses and, presumably, this architecture was one way to ensure that the Church withstood the earthquakes that swept the land over the three centuries.
I don’t know what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised at how airy and spacious the interior was. Normally, many would associate old churches to be a bit stuffy and probably even dark and gloomy inside. But this one had very high ceilings, with natural illumination and ventilation, without taking away from the sanctity of the place.
If you take a look at the earlier photos, you’d see that other structure on the left of the Church. That is the bell tower, separate from the main Church, and yet another one of the distinct features of Paoay Church.
Apparently, the reason for this separation is so that the bell tower won’t damage the main Church in case it collapses due to an earthquake.
If you look closely at the facade, you’d notice that it leans just a littttttle to the front. The builders also did that intentionally, supposedly.
Oh, and large coral stones were among the main construction materials used.
Paoay Church had undergone several restoration work, the most notable of which was the one initiated by former First Lady Imelda Marcos.
The front lawn (and I use that term loosely, because somehow I think it awkward to use the word “lawn” with a “church”, haha!) of the Church is an ideal photo spot since you can also get a shot of the facade of the Church behind you.
I’m not entirely sure if the entire grassy area is off-limits to the public, but there were some parts that were cordoned off, and when we went to those parts that aren’t, no one admonished us or told us off for it. So I guess some parts, especially on the fringes, were all right….?
A bit more on the front, on the left side, is the PAOAY sign, complete with statues and forming a tableau. While other places’ signs are very colorful and some even modern-looking, the design of this one was quite rustic, as if to match with the overall feel of the area: rustic, a bit ancient, and (at least to me) enduring.
On the right forward lawn area, is another garden with swirls on the grass that make for more fun photo opportunities. While our companions were each doing their own business, the rest of us waited (not really) by fooling and “swirling” around on them swirls.
A Taste of something North
And some extras!
If you’re visiting Paoay Church, you can hit another “stone”, and feel even more satisfied after all. Right across the street is the famous Herencia Restaurant, the “birthplace of pinakbet pizza”.
Ever heard of “pinakbet pizza“?
Pinakbet is probably the representative dish of the Ilocanos. It is comprised of several lowland vegetables mixed together, and brought together by anchovy fish sauce (bagoong).
Of course we had to try it.
And they have other pizzas that are distinctly Ilocano, such as one using bagnet or chicaron (pork deep-fried to a crisp). We tried their Gamet Pizza, which uses organic nori or local seaweed on its toppings.
I won’t say they are spectacular, but they are definitely worth giving a try, especially if you love pizza. Personally, I’m not a pizza person, but I appreciate any effort to incorporate veggies to dishes.
And as we made our way from Ilocos Norte to Vigan, we dropped by this place in the town of Currimao. It’s Irene’s Delicacies, where travelers can stop to get a taste of these local treats, and even buy some to bring home with them.
Clearly, the most famous of their offerings is the suman, which is rice cake steamed in banana leaves. It makes use of glutinous rice or malagkit.
We were allowed to take a look around their outdoor kitchen, and saw that they cook hundreds and hundreds of these wrapped rice cakes daily the traditional way. No gleaming countertops and expensive ovens here, ladies and gents. They do it using charcoal and specially constructed furnaces.
I can personally vouch for how yummy these treats are. I kinda regret not ordering more, but I just had to consider how relatively short their shelf life is, and we have, like, another 12 hours before we can get home to store them in a refrigerator, so I was afraid they might spoil if I got too many.
But I do remember finding it very savory and flavorful. No wonder the other travelers that came by brought boxes and boxes of it.
See, that’s what I love about road trips. You can have an itinerary fully mapped out, but you can make spontaneous stops and discover new places, new things, and new tasty food! Definitely gives another meaning to the phrase “food trip”.
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