Baluarte, Vigan, Ilocos Sur

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Libotero is back to regular programming. Here is the 29th installment to the Ilocos Roadtrip series, now on its final week!

Part 29 of a series
DAY 4

After breakfast, we readied ourselves to check out of Vigan Plaza Hotel.

We were already about to leave Vigan and officially end our escapades in Ilocandia when dad suddenly realized (God must have poked him. LOL.) that since we travelled so long just to reach the Enchanting Ilocos Region, we should make the most out of it so we decided to check out Luis “Chavit” Singson’s Baluarte (which was originally not part of our itinerary). And we did not regret our decision. Why?

BALUARTE, Chavit’s home in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, is one of the top tourist destinations in Ilocos Sur. It stands on a hill and provides an awesome panoramic view of the city. The Baluarte is approximately 20 hectares with a mini zoo, shooting range, and a chapel, among others. Access to the mini zoo, where Chavit’s numerous pets can be found is free for everyone, as the respectable gentleman considers this as a gift to the people. (There as signs in the park assuring us that access to the zoo shall remain free for as long as Chavit “can still afford its maintenance”. We can help him by buying pet food sold at the zoo. By doing so, we didn’t just help Chavit provide such a wonderful gift to the people but also experience the fulfilling feeling of feeding animals.)

Baluarte’s Cute Pink Chapel. (BF inspired? LOL)

Some of the animals at the Baluarte:

Indian Star Tortoise.
Scientific name: Geochelone elegans
Origin: India and Sri Lanka
Diet: Mostly herbivorous and feed on grass, fallen fruits, flowers and leaves of succulent plants
Size: 6-12 inches
Trivia: The Indian Star Tortoise got its name from the radiating star patterns on its shell

Empty. Where’s the tortoise?!

Albino Burmese Python.
Scientific name: Python molorus bivittatus
Origin: Southeast Asia
Diet: Rats, rabbits and poultry
Length: 7 meters (23 feet)
Weight: 91 kilograms (200 pounds)
Trivia: It is one of the 6 biggest snakes of the world

Indian Rock Python.
Scientific name: Python molorus
Origin: Africa, Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands
Diet: Mammals, birds and reptiles
Length: 4 meters
Trivia: They have rudimentary limbs situated on each of the anal vent

Palm Civet Cat. also known as the ‘Asian Palm Civet’, ‘Musang’ or the ‘Toddy Cat’
Scientific name: Paradoxurus hermaphrodites
Origin: Himalayas and southern China, to the Philippines, the Malay peninsula and the Indonesian islands
Diet: Primary food source are fruits. Will tend to eat lizards, eggs and insects as well.
Size: weighs around 3.2 kilograms (7 pounds) and has a body length of 53 centimeters (21 inches)
Trivia: The Palm Civet droppings produce one of the finest and expensive coffee bean that sells for more than $100 per pound.

Green Iguana.
Scientific name: Iguana iguana
Origin: Central America, Paraguay and Mexico
Diet: Fruits, vegetables and flower buds
Length: 4 to 6 feet from head to tail
Weight: 11 pounds
Trivia: It can drop down from 50 feet without getting hurt because of its tough skin

Luzon Hornbill. ‘Calao de manillae’
Scientific name: Penelopides manillae
Origin: Endemic to the Philippines
Diet: Fruits, insects and small animals
Size: 21 inches in total length
Trivia: They cannot swallow food caught at the tip of their beak as their tongues are too short to manipulate it , so they toss it back to the throat with a jerk of the head.

Nicobar Pigeon.
Scientific name: Caloenas nicobarica
Origin: Southeast Asia, Nicobar Islands (India), New Guinea and as far north as the Philippines
Diet: Seeds, berries and insects
Size: 41 centimeters
Trivia: It is one of the most beautiful of the many species of pigeons or doves.

Awww, shy bird!

Sniff, I forgot the details of this beautiful creature.

The parrots that welcomed us as they cheered, “Panget ka!” (You’re ugly!). Funny, yeah. But of all the words in the world, why those? They should have chosen words that were as colorful as the wings of these lovely birds. =)

Ostrich.

Big Bird!

Chavit’s mansion perched on top of a hill. You can also see a lighthouse, under construction. It will soon be another attraction in the Baluarte. (as of this posting, the lighthouse is already complete)

(…to be continued)

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