I don’t have many photos from this day. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, I didn’t really take a lot of photos during the trip since I was more focused on recording clips, which I still haven’t edited up to now. I also tried screen grabbing from the videos but the quality turned out bad.

Northloop D3 | Dec 23, 2025 • Ilocos Region

Our next destination was Ilocos Norte, Asis’ grandma’s place. We had a few stopovers pinned along the way. Left the campsite at almost 10:00 and took a route we hadn’t tried before, one that bypassed Baguio city. And it was worth it. The views were just really nice. At some points the clouds felt so close, fog rolling in and out the whole drive. One of those roads you just want to keep driving on.

We arrived in La Union just before noon and made a quick stop for photos at Baluarte Watchtower in Luna. Grabbed lunch at a random budget friendly mami place we passed on the road. By 14:00 we were in Ilocos Sur, then stopped in Vigan around 16:00 for a Starbucks run, needed the boost. Funny side note, Asis took Ochre out while I was getting coffee and apparently Vigan’s kalesa horses scared him. Specifically the sound of their hooves on the cobblestone. We also drove through Paoay, where Asis’ father grew up. Our last stopover that day was Paoay Church, or San Agustin Church of Paoay, which I only just found out is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We arrived in Ilocos Norte at almost 18:00 and got to Asis’ grandma’s place by 19:00. We didn’t tell anyone we were coming so they were surprised. It was really nice to see them and his relatives. They even butchered two chickens for dinner. Asis joined his cousins for a drinking session while Ochre and I called it a night early. The day was mostly spent on the road, admiring the countryside views, me trying not to fall asleep to keep Asis company, and singing along to whatever came up on our Spotify playlist.