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We had a full schedule considering our short stay so
the next day we drove about 45 minutes to Sinait, a neighboring town
in Ilocos where the Governor has a beautiful beach property. The
expats had so much fun, enjoying the sea and the sun, followed by a
sumptuous lunch of grilled seafood, local specialties and plenty of
fresh fruits in season.
If we had a choice, we would have
stayed as much as we wanted to but Manong had another surprise—a
cultural dinner show at the Baluarte Garden in Vigan. A buffet
spread at the gazebo was laid out after dinner, and entertainment
was provided by the award winning dance group from the Cagayan State
University who was once sponsored by Manong Chavit to perform in
Hawaii. The choral group from Manong’s office also sang beautiful
songs for the guests. What a double treat!!!
Of course, the party would not be
complete without ballroom dancing. Dance instructors were invited to
enliven the affair and before the night was over, I voted the
Belgian Ambassador and his wife as the best dancing pair of the
night.
What an unforgettable and
memorable Vigan weekend for everyone. I guess the highlight of this
visit was that the guests got a chance to know the Governor up
close, the many wonderful things he has done to Ilocos Sur, how he
has helped and improved the way of life of his constituents and how
he is so well-loved by the Ilocanos. Besides the beautiful memories,
we were given personalized hand-woven blankets, placemats and table
napkins.
Manong Chavit is blessed. After a
few days, he underwent an operation and was given a clean bill of
health after a few days of recovery. Then he was all over the news
again when his chopper came down and he sustained multiple injuries
in the crash. But like the fighter that he is, Manong Chavit remains
unscathed, ready to serve and fulfill his many missions.
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