Hello again, Hiver Friends!
Join me today as I take you on another tour of another Ilocos pride, a 132-year-old lighthouse named Cape Bojeador, or commonly called Burgos Lighthouse, which is part of the province's historical structures. It was built during Spanish colonial times to give light to sailing galleons.
When we arrived at the base of the hill where the lighthouse is located, we were informed by our guide that our service vehicle is only allowed at the parking lot and that we can either ride a tricycle or, if we are adventurous enough, walk or hike our way up to the top of the hill. We were with kids, so we opted for the first option they gave us, riding the tricycle going up. Given how steep the hill is, it was a wise decision, but the tricycle ride didn't take long.
There is a designated place for the tricycle drivers to drop off tourists, and from there, you can view the concrete steps leading to the lighthouse concrete structures. We waited for a moment before going up the stairs because another group of tourists was climbing and taking photos ahead of us.
Our guide was kind enough to offer to take a photo of our family as a souvenir. Then we proceeded to go up to the lighthouse entrance to pay the 20 pesos entrance fee. Our tour guide endorsed us to the lighthouse personnel. The lighthouse personnel guided us to the pavilion to show what was inside the building. We felt like we were on an educational tour, and the personnel was the museum docent, she showed us every room in the pavilion. Describe the history of the lighthouse, its construction, and many other fascinating details about history.
In the photo below, the guide is showing us the original lighting parts of the 19th-century lighthouse. The construction of the lighthouse started on 1890, and after two years of building, the lighthouse was first lit in March of 1892. The main structure of the lighthouse was made of locally-made red bricks. The other accents of the structure are iron grill works, and the dome at the top of the octagon tower is made of bronze.
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The original lighting apparatus used in the lighthouse was pressurized kerosene lamps, which are on display in the photo above. When the strong earthquake hit Luzon in 1990, the lightning apparatus used to light the lighthouse was damaged and could not be used. For now, the lighthouse is still operational, using modern lighting powered by solar panels.
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The second room used to be the sleeping area of the lighthousekeeper, but they still kept the old bed on display with informative printouts glued to the wall.
Also on display is an old map of the Philippines showing where the lighthouse is situated, it is encircled in red at the northernmost point of the map.
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My son was very much involved in the tour and was the one who asked the most.
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The lighthouse towers are cordoned off and restricted to tourists, so we only take photos on the steps leading to the octagon tower.
The personnel also offered to take some creative shots using our phone, where she played with the filters and angles. Here are some of the shots, courtesy of the museum guide. The service is free, and it's up to you to give a tip. We gave them a tip for the wonderful and fun experience.
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After checking the inside of the pavillion, we checked the outside balcony with a view of the beautiful coast of Ilocos.
We missed this large black plate that was close to the door, but we didn't notice it until we were leaving. It provides information on who designed the structures and other important facts, but what caught my attention is that the Philippine government declared the Cape Bojeador Lighthouse a National Historical Landmark on August 13, 2004, and a National Cultural Treasure on June 20, 2005. It was written there in bold Filipino language.
We took a few more photos on the exterior of the lighthouse before thanking the guide and starting our way down the hill. The same way we went up, we also rode the tricycle to go down. We met the rest of our company at the parking lot, where they were busy shopping at the Pasalubong Shops around the parking space.
Thank you for joining me today and see you on my next one!
Disclaimer: This is a guided tour. Parts of the blogs were based on how I interpreted the information and facts shared by the guide.
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All photos are my own, unless stated otherwise.