Tongson’s Royal Bibingka

From Laoag (the capital of Ilocos Norte), traveling to Vigan (the capital of Ilocos Sur) takes about one hour and forty five minutes. The corner building housing the Tongson’s Royal Bibingka is the most familiar landmark to me. Every time my dad would take us to Manila, back in the late 70′s to the early 80′s, when he was still fit for long distance driving, he’d enter Vigan for the original royal bibingka. Since then, several bibingka shops have opened, new business establishments have sprouted, but Vigan has managed to maintain it’s old-world charm.

It’s been a dream of mine to unearth the history of Ilocos. I pretty much know about the north, but not the south. I guess, I really should get to know Vigan better… things like why it was renamed several times — from Villa Fernandina to Ciudad Fernandina de Vigan, then to simply Vigan.

Calle Crisologo, the most famous cobblestone street in Vigan