It's Not Just Saud and Mairaira

Spent the day in Pagudpud this Sunday--leisurely drive before noon, with lunch at carinderia near town plaza. The paksiw na local galunggong (called Baraniti here) cooked in native onions and tomatoes--was just heavenly. The pork adobo was very dry, while the adobong sili with saluyot was its perfect counterpoint. The imbaliktad (beef kinilaw boiled for a few seconds to half cook the meat) was just capriccio.

From town center, it's a twenty minute drive to Barangay Ayoyo--through well-kept dirt roads with wonderful views of the surf and sea--a small promontory here with Australian sheep (!) grazing on the grass between crags and cracks; a pebble beach on one side, while the view to the hills reminds you of a savannah. There's a resort
called Hidden Treasure on a beautiful cliff, but they really should hide that resort until they make a better design. The fake wood handrails and makeshift cottages just won't do.

Barangay Ayoyo's main livelihood is fishing, but you have to go very very early morning as they bring the catch to the town market at dawn. They also make beautiful and sturdy sleeping mats from a hardy plant called budak--the spiny and thorny plant with pineapple-like fruits. They remove the thorns using nylon string, then cut the leaves into three long strands. The strands are then softened using a dull knife, and dried prior to weaving, which is done by hand by the village women. They also want to make bags, fans and other items, but do not have the know-how.

Beside Ayoyo is Caunayan--where the surf is endless, and where more than twenty submarines landed on secret missions bringing in materiel and personnel to the Ilocos Norte guerillas during the last days of World War II. If you have been to Pagudpud, and know Saud Beach and Mairaira, these are just two more new places to see during your next visit.

The hills and mountains to the east of Ilocos Norte are another thing altogether. I hear they have beautiful native baskets,dried venison and alingo (baboy damo). Something to look forward to on other weekends.