It was a glorious Friday morning when we arrived at the warm province of Ilocos Sur. The skies are bright with a few clouds here and there.
After 9 hours of travelling and finding impossible sleeping positions in our rented van, it was a relief to finally get some fresh morning air. Thankfully, along with fresh air is a majestic view.
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The Bantay Belfry sits atop a hill and one of the most scenic places around Ilocos. Complete it with a blue sky backdrop and surrounded with green pasture, it was a sight to behold. It was used as a watchtower, one of the land's defenses during World Wars I and II. It was open when we got there and luckily, not many tourists were milling around.
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| Bantay Belfry |
I entered the belfry and the inside reminded me of shows like Panday (which was shot there) and Kampanerang Kuba. Once inside, a hush fell. The only sounds I heard were my breath being slowly taken away by the stunning view and the wind of December threatening to lull me to sleep. The steps were steep, ragged, and a bit dangerous, but the feeling of being there, away from Manila's busy buzz, calmed my hungry and already-lethargic nerves.
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| View from the top |
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| Creepy cemetery view from the top |
A few meters from it is the St. Augustine Parish Church of Bantay, also known as Santuario de Nuestro Senora de la Caridad.
According to research, this is one of the area's oldest surviving churches. The Church's facade characterizes a neo-gothic deep brown (almost maroon) baroque style of architecture. And is considered one among the last four Baroque churches in the country.
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| Santuario de Nuestro Senora de la Caridad |
Part of their ministry is to pray for the safety and well-being of people who visit the church. As with many churches, they also accept petitions from the visitors and include it in their "Mass of Pilgrims." All you need to do is write the petition you intend for the Our Lady of Charity to intercede for you in the Book of Pilgrims and offer a prayer candle.
As we leave the place, I can't help but envision the battles of this town. How our ancestors, our troops, and our heroes roamed the grounds of the place, climbing the steps of their citadel, shouting war cries and shedding blood, defending the beloved province.
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| Bantay Belfry |
nice
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