Kapuluan Vista Resort

Achuete that wows!!!

2009-08-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Found in our backyards, for the last two months they are in bloom.

The secret ingredient of the "Miki ti Batac", opulent red, an old issue of the Town and Country shows us an amazing, classy arrangement by Irene Marcos-Araneta using the achuete. Try it at home :-)

So they say Kapuluan is 1.5 hours from Laoag, and a grueling13 hour drive from Manila by day... think again... it's exciting all the way...

2009-06-13T09:54:00.001-07:00

The roads are very good, you can even drive your BM to Ilocos if you want too ;-)

Ilocos is packed with surprises. a mere 50km radius from Kapuluan, you get to see Cape Bojeador and the light house in Burgos, the 20 windmills in Bangui, the Patapat Viaduct, etc ;-) And from Ilocos Sur to Ilocos Norte, every town has a must see ;-)

It's a mix of centuries old and the ultra new structures ;-) Today's tour the guests simply

said Wooooooowwwwwwwwwwww!!! Beauty!!!

Yeah, summer sun still ;-)

Happy Independence Day ;-)

2009-06-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Of course, it's summer sun still in Barangay Baloai/ Kapuluan ... Yeah!!!

And it's going to be mild weather here the rest of the year ;-) Ah, the weather forecasts will just get you worried... throw you caution to the wind, grab your backpacks, take the bus or drive to Balaoi... you will be amazed... summer sun still ;-)

No excess packaging needed...

2009-04-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

A friend who shuttles Ilocos -Manila shows us how to pack the right way... zero waste packaging. She mixes mangoes, tomatoes, on a bed of "ampalaya" (bitter melon ) and "saluyot" (jute) leaves.

No plastics needed, not even newspapers. Green shipping, definitely. It does survive the 10 hour trip by land. What more if you're taking the plane :-)

Wowie cat...

2009-02-27T23:55:00.001-08:00

Walk up to Blue Lagoon and meet sociable orange cat. Friendly to people as well as to his four legged counterparts...

Cats are know to be good swimmers. We're so tempted to teach this cat how to surf... But then again, new tricks need to be introduced to the young...

Should you want to try it with your baby ... lots of tips on youtube... check these out ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbhW0G-hyjQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LivOqapQJxs&feature=related

Feel joy this Valentine's

2009-02-13T08:42:00.000-08:00

... engaged, happily married, just in love...

or comfortable alone ;-)

Valentine's is for everyone ;-) ;-) ;-) Celebrate life '-)

TAKEN FROM BINKY'S GUIDE TO LOVE
http://www.amazon.com/Binkys-Guide-Love-Matt-Groening/dp/0061124931/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234347565&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.co.jp/Binkys-Guide-Love-Matt-Groening/dp/0060950781/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=english-books&qid=1234348081&sr=8-1

This Valentine weekend...

2009-02-11T07:12:00.000-08:00

Whisk your love away to Kapuluan and experience serenity accompanied. Or if you are loveless feel immense contentment totally alone.

The endless walks along our beaches... smooth sand to rocky shores.. go barefoot, feel the earth under you feet... soak in the scenic views... the tranquil sea in the morning, the rougher waves in the afternoon.

It would be boring if we are all the same...

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So we choose the one who makes us happy...

Have fun this L-o-v-e month ;-)

More of this on...

http://www.amazon.com/Love-Hell-Matt-Groening/dp/0679756655/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234347709&sr=8-3
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0679756655/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link

http://www.amazon.co.jp/Love-Hell-Cartoon-Matt-Groening/dp/0679756655/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=english-books&qid=1234348150&sr=1-2

Kung Hei Fat Choy - Happy Chinese New Year

2009-01-25T07:20:00.000-08:00

Tonight is the eve of Chinese New Year ;-) A walking tour at China town seemed right to usher in the year of the ox... see some noticeably pre-new-year's eve's frenzy;-) ;-)

The dragon up close
The ox and the other eleven animals
Of pineapples and calamansis;-)
Tikoy galore

Wishing you a happy, healthy, prosperous Year of the Ox ;-)

Wishing you safe kayaking...

2009-01-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

From your biggest fan in the Philippines... praying for your safety, health, strength as you paddle new waters this January and February. May the elements always be in your favor. God bless you ;-)

Estrella nocturna, 31 December 2008 ;-) Welcome 2009 ;-)

2008-12-31T06:09:00.000-08:00

Our sincere appreciation to those who joined us this 2008.

And to mother nature, what better way to say thank you than to witness the sunset and the rising of the evening star.

Kapuluan is on the northernmost tip of Ilocos and our beach faces east. Sun rises on our waters so we rushed to another beach hoping to catch a glimpse of the last sunset of 2008 and the rising of the evening star ;-) The evening star guided the Three Kings to the manger where CHRIST was born.

These two heavenly bodies will be with us when we welcome 2009 tonight ;-) Happy new year to everyone ;-)

We sing for CHRISTmas ;-)

2008-12-24T03:15:00.000-08:00

While buying gifts in the bookstore, the piped in music changed from trance to "Angels we have heard on high" by Corrinne May. It hit my soul... I realized it is really CHRISTmas ;-)

Happy birthday Jesus CHRIST ;-) ;-) ;-)

God's art on animals???

2008-12-15T03:32:00.000-08:00

One of His basic designs;-) Bee hive inspired... or a prototype for a bee hive? Hmmmm ;-) ;-) ;-)

Contrary to popular belief, coral is certainly not stone, not plant but an animal... Corals 101 -- read on ;-)

Don't miss the final episode of Kahit Isang Saglit tonite ;-)

2008-12-11T23:17:00.000-08:00

We are big fans of Echo (Jericho Rosales) ;-) ;-) ;-)

Hey, don't miss the final episode tonite of Kahit Isang Saglit starring “primetime
sweetheart” Jericho Rosales and Malaysian superstar Carmen Soo (12 December 2008) on
ABS-CBN.

Great performance of Echo, Carmen Soo and everyone in the cast ;-)

A few useful links on Kahit Isang Saglit ...

Whoa...wikis of the heroes ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho_Rosales

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmen_Soo

Lyrics to the theme song by Martin Nievera

http://www.lyricsdownload.com/martin-nievera-kahit-isang-saglit-lyrics.html

Hmmm... wiki of the Teleserye ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kahit_Isang_Saglit

But nothing beats this blogspot ;-)

http://kahitisangsaglit.blogspot.com/

Way to go Echo ;-) Congratulations for another great telenovela ;-)

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainment/12/04/08/soo-inspires-echo

It's a beautiful day ;-)

2008-12-05T06:43:00.000-08:00

"Dance dance in the morning light.
Open your darkened eyes.
Hey, hey, it’s a beautiful day.
It’ll be ok. It’ll be ok."

Who Will Find Me
http://www.lyricsmania.com/

Home is for the birds too ;-)

2008-11-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

Our roof as apit stop ;-)

It ain't brain coral ;-)

2008-11-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Between deep red and violet. Pure velvet. One contiguous petal. Easy to grow. Can last for days. "Taptapingar" (cock's comb - scientific name: "Celosia cristata"), is yet to be rediscovered. BTW, it was identified as endangered in 2002.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

Gosh... the halloween melt in your mouth donuts ... melted in the box ;-( ... See what the 10 hour drive from Manila did. But hey the taste is incredibly the same , YUMMY ;-)

Happy Halloween ;-)

Where we live and play

2008-10-31T06:27:00.000-07:00

We share you the beauty of our home ;-)

Wake up to dawn... do an open yoga ;-) Choose your adventure for the day... surf, bike, hike , fish.... embrace the outdoors... welcome to the open ;-)

?Pumpkins of different shapes in preparation for all-souls-day?

2008-10-31T03:47:00.000-07:00

Ilocno trdition chonoring our ncestors with rice ckes, cndles nd pryers.

But if you go down south to Mnil, the big groceries crry vriety of pumpkins (most likely imported if not loclly grown using imported seeds). Some houses decorte their homes seriously for the halloween.

Bck home in Ilocos, we stick to the old ways. We will tke photos downtown tomorrow nd show you rice ce vrieties we offer to our ncestors ;-) In Ilocos to this day, the "karabasa" (ilocano word for pumpkin) is still for "dinengdeng" and "adobo" ;-) and not used for halloween ;-)

Sweet release...

2008-10-30T18:38:00.000-07:00

Little gecko caught in the kitchen sink...
Pet lover to the rescue...

Choosing between round leaf versus long ones, I guess the long ones were more like it

Geckos are known to control population of pesky insects and inspire people in product development of fabrics and adhesives. See other products and inventions inspired by nature.

A fishing life...

2008-10-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

After a good night's sleep at Kapuluan, wait by the shoreline until the fishermen on dawn patrol come home with their catch. Or reel in your big one ;-). Then come back to our complimentary tasty breakfast. If you like your R&R that way ;-)

Winds and waves alter the coastline ;-)

2008-10-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Today is different. We got all these varied rocks and coral bits washed upshore. Some spherical. Some plain and smooth. Some speckled. The shore is a limitless canvas, I say ;-)

This ad caught my eye...

2008-09-30T04:05:00.001-07:00

After "Ofel", this ad caught my eye... so timely.

It's easy to make a similar pseudo fish snack pack from plastics, styrofoams and foils washed ashore after the typhoons.

Ten local kids help us comb the beach regularly. In return, we drive them to school, support them and teach them how to surf.

To locals and tourists, please help us make our beaches clean by not throwing your trash during your picnics. Thanks.

"Nina" battered Luzon but hey, every cloud has a silver lining...

2008-09-24T03:38:00.001-07:00

Yup, another typhoon. Dealing with it is one thing. Bracing for the future is another.

Keeping your sense of awe and wonder makes life easier. It's more than a silver lining... we actually saw the rays ;-)

Of seaweeds, sea shells and rocks...

2008-09-18T16:38:00.000-07:00

Stay with an ilocano family and you'd be amazed at the variety of vegetables and seaweeds they eat.

Yup at Kapuluan... all these gourmet food on the beach ;-) ...but please don't start muching any. Not all are edible. Local knowledge is essential.... ask the fisherman next to you ;-)

And by the way, examine the rocks, stones, and seashells. Take photos, but please leave them behind.... you wouldn't want an orphan rock lying next to your computer ... just savor them on your screensavers and photo buckets ;-)

誕生日おめでとう,Satoru ;-)

2008-09-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

誕生日おめでとう。おめでとうございます。 It was a pleasure会議が去年(2007年)をPagudpud-Hualien研究航海。 2008年にCalatagan-Busuanga研究航海。もう一度私達を訪問しなさい。希望の成功を望むすべてを達成するために、健康および幸福です。神は賛美する。

Satoru Yahata with DOT Regional Director Martin Valera... Pagudpud public beach, June 3, 2007

Tsutomu Miura, Satoru Yahata, Masato Kameda in Lago de Oro, Calatagan, Feb 22, 2008

Whoa... with 15 sunny days ahead, bring the whole family to Kapuluan Vista Resort (KVR) ;-)

2008-09-02T02:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.accuweather.com/world-forecast-15day.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&locCode=ASI%7CPH%7CRP053%7CPAGUDPUD&metric=1

The swells are small at the moment. If you are a novice, time learn to surf. But if surfing is not your thing, our bikes are rugged enough and come in different sizes for women, for men, and for children. Get our tires dirty and muddy, feel the wind blow from the sea to the hills. If you do not know how to bike, you can baby hike along the shore, up the hills and along rustic paths.
At night, simply enjoy KVR's in-house swimming pool.

Of course enroute to KVR from Laoag airport drop by the belltower ruins of Bacarra, windmills of Bangui, the lighthouse in Burgos, the rocky shores of Burgos, huge homes built with OFW money. There is so much too see along the way. Or if you are driving all the way from Manila.... hmmm... i think our next entry would be to make a sample itinerary for you so you may experience the sights, sounds and smells of Ilocos ;-) ;-) ;-)

Karen packed 140kph winds... how to brace for the future???

2008-08-25T00:16:00.001-07:00

The "perfect storm" was very violent indeed. Typhoon Karen wrought havoc over Ilocos and Cagayan -- cellsites down, flooded ricelands destroying crops, some landslides and rampaging floodwaters. These are telltale signs that we have not been kind to mother nature. Not enough trees left to hold on to water and soil. So what do we do?

Typhoons have been more intense for the last three decades. Studies have shown it is associated to rising sea surface temperatures due to global warming.

There is a huge hoopla going around how to reduce CO2 emissions at source. While the G8 have their agenda on reducing their greenhouse gases, individually we should have our program as well. We can minimize our carbon footprint (e.g. by riding the bike; taking the train/bus rather than driving the car; unplugging appliances on standby) and plant trees.

I planted my first tree with my grandpa when I was ten years old. That tree is now grown and bears much fruit. I have planted more trees since then.

Imagine if each of the 6 billion people on earth nurtures a tree. This would complement our efforts on reducing our carbon footprint and may reverse the present wrath of typhoons.

The perfect storm...

2008-08-19T22:21:00.001-07:00

Typhoon "Karen" (Nuri) is over Kapuluan today, but hey it promises great swells in the days ahead.

July to September are the surfing months right in front of Kapuluan. The typhoon season brings waves to life. Walk 5 minutes up the road to Blue Lagoon and the surfing waves slice thru that area from October to February;-)

Hercules over Kapuluan....

2008-08-19T05:45:00.001-07:00

Teach your kids to read the compass. Go up north, let them trace the maps. Encourage them to become explorers and adventurers.

And in Kapuluan, at night when lights are dim, lie on the beach, sit on the grass. Look up and you see the Hercules constellation right above. Gaze into the north sky and point to your kids the star patterns like the Big Dipper, Small Dipper, Libra, Orion and be mesmerized. When was the last time you did this?

Hermit crabs galore ;-)

2008-08-12T18:52:00.000-07:00

Some speckled, some with stripes... myriads patterns ;-)
Check the sand burrows, but better still, examine the corals and rocks south of the resort... please be careful not to step on them ;-)

From Philippine Star

2008-08-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

http://www.philstar.com/archives.php?&aid=2008022324&type=2&

Food menu ;-)

2008-08-06T21:51:00.000-07:00

From Marketman ;-)
http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/kapuluan-vista-resort-meals-gardens

Don't forget to try the lambanog margarita ;-)

Old sweet dog...

2008-08-05T21:58:00.001-07:00

Frantically looking for hermit crabs...

Slide games....

JaeWalk featured one of our dogs on his flickr account ;-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaewalk/sets/72157600166876455/

From Surfers' Path

2008-08-05T18:39:00.002-07:00

http://surferspath.com/features/dog-eat-dog

Alma's creations....

2008-08-04T22:13:00.000-07:00

THESE local flowers grown all year long...

plus THAT folliage from the beach ...

Tadaa!!! Alma taught the girls to make colorful arrangements.... No glue, no foams.... All it takes is inspiration ;-)

Want to know more about Kapuluan?

2008-08-02T09:14:00.000-07:00

Good thoughts from our guests, you can find in links below...

Thanks, Marketman ;-) Your site is a gem!!!
http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/the-kapuluan-vista-resort-ilocos-norte

jaeWALK, beautiful shots ;-)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaewalk/sets/72157600166876455/

Thank you Dyan and Mark for featuring our place as a surfing destination...
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/images/news/microsites/sports_unlimited/pagudpud.html

Carbon footprint calculator

2008-07-31T23:43:00.000-07:00

Get ideas how to reduce your carbon footprint from http://independent.footprint.wwf.org.uk/

Grrrrrr... trash on the beach...

2008-07-31T18:06:00.000-07:00

When plastic was not mainstream.... going to the beach meant bringing the china and silver or our Tupperwares. And for the more adventurous... banana leaf !!!

Now, to-gos, take-outs is the order of the day...plastic cups, spoon and forks; paper plates and lots of snacks packaged in styros/plastics/ aluminum foil. Quick on the lips, forever trash you leave in the ocean?

As one global community, we are not free of the garbage stew from the ocean either. When typhoon comes, lots of debris washes up on most shores...
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/the-worlds-rubbish-dump-a-garbage-tip-that-stretches-from-hawaii-to-japan-778016.html

So next time you hit Pagudpud or any beach for that matter... please bring an empty trash bag with you and manage your trash responsibly. Better still, pick up the trash you run into. Be inspired by the clean up program in link below.
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/japan-beach-cleanup-ocean-campaign.php

Feel good helping save our pristine beaches. Thank you.

Getting there....

2008-07-16T01:55:00.000-07:00

From Manila, fly to Laoag via Philippine Airlines or Cebu Pacific. We can arrange for airport transfers from Laoag to Pagudpud.

Alternatively, if you're driving up north, when you see the Pagudpud arch, drive for another 20 minutes going north along the national highway.

When you get to the bend where you see two waiting sheds; Hannah's orange signage and one saying "Blue Lagoon 5 kilometers down", turn left.

Going west, the sea on your right... and the mountains on your left. If you are the driver, keep your point-and-shot ready ... scenic bends ;-)

Partly paved, partly dirt road... go straight ahead towards the two islands beckoning you to Kapuluan.

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