Burgos has a heritage structure called the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, also known as Burgos Lighthouse. It is the highest-elevated lighthouse in the Philippines and the northwesternmost in location (the northeasternmost being Cape Engaño Lighthouse in Palaui Island, Santa Ana, Cagayan). It was established on March 31, 1892 under the Spanish government on a high hill overlooking the scenic Cape Bojeador, where galleons passed by. Its purpose is also to guide ships away from the rocky coasts of the town. It still continues to operate with new lenses run by solar panels. Originally the light was provided by pressurized kerosene lamps, very much like the current " Coleman lamp". In 2005 the old pressure vessels and wicks for the light could still be found in the shed.
The octagonal stone tower, being the most prominent structure in the light complex, is 65 feet (20 meters) high. It is recommended to visit in the months of November to January, when the cold winds from winter China are felt throughout the normally hot Ilocos Region.
Capurpuraoan Rocks which means “White Rocks” were naturally carved by time. The massive mounds of rocks are made of corals that jut into the sea. Burgos officials have made the dazzling white rock a dramatic backdrop for photo shoots with visiting movie stars namely Jericho Rosales, Heart Evangelista and singer-actress Regine Velasquez. The sight of the massive rock-mountain could be mistaken for a scene from a sci-fi movie or could be an ideal location for the legendary Panday movies.
After Burgos, we reached Bangui Ilocos Norte where the famous wind mills are located. The first inhabitants of Bangui were the Tinguians and Malays who settled in Bacruyen (meaning to carry) now called Baruyen. Others moved to Bamban (split of bamboo) now called Banban.
Bangui was derived from Bangi, a band of fighters which periodically attacked the coastal settlements of Luzon. They borrowed the name Bangi from a well known edible seaweed that grows abundantly in the area.
The windmills in Bangui provide 40% of electricity to the entire Ilocos Norte which has a estimated population of 600,000. They do not cause pollution, require no fuel, do not create greenhouse gases, and produce no waste. Each kilowatt-hour produced by the Bangui wind farm is also seven centavos cheaper than fossil-fuel power. In 2006 alone, NorthWind Power Development Corporation, the Manila-based company that runs the farm, reported a P70-million annual savings passed on to consumers in the form of cheaper power rates.
After a long day, we reached Polaris Beach Resort for a long nap and be ready for day 2 of our trip.
source: http://en.wikipedia.org, Northern Philippine Times, http://www.pcij.org/i-report/2007/wind-power.html, http://northwindspower.com/
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