On the second day of the year, we headed to the so-called MalacaƱang of the North or Balay ti Amianan in the local dialect.
It was once the official summer residence of the former President Ferdinand Marcos and his family, and is now a historical site, with some of the family's memorabilia on display. It is one of the recommended places to see when in Ilocos Norte, and we had to check it out.
The entrance fee was Php 70.00 ($1.20) for adults, with discounted rates for students and seniors. We were 21, including the kids, so we paid about $20. And while pets are allowed inside the compound, they are not permitted inside the mansion, though we saw a pit bull with a group of tourists!
Anyway, this is a glimpse of the palace as we strolled down.
There were quite a lot of people when we visited, and I didn't want to brush elbows with anyone, so I went straight to the backside facing the lake. The mansion appears small in my photo (not the whole building anyway), but it has a floor area of approximately 1,200 square meters.
Some of the memorabilia (furniture and such) seen inside. Forgive me for the shots, they were taken in haste, lol!
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Some painted portraits on the wall and on the table.
| Ferdinand Marcos | Family Portrait | Imelda Marcos |
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Then it was time to check upstairs. Some people are taking pictures in the stairway, so excuse us pleaseš
The bedroom of the girls (Imee and Irene Marcos) has large windows just like the others. A few ladies were busy taking selfies, so we snapped this and left.
The sitting room, with family pictures on the walls, and of course, the large windows that open to beautiful scenery outside.
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The two-story building had a distinct blend of Spanish and Ilocano architectural styles, featuring large windows, spacious living areas, and bedrooms.
Here's the hall. It's truly spacious and airy with all those windows plus the wide doors leading to the veranda where one has a view of the Paoay Lake and the gardens.
We strode to the OFW gallery, where several past programs highlighted the importance of overseas Filipino workers. There were also some personal travel memorabilia of the former President on display. The Culture gallery showcases the accomplishments of the former First Lady.
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The master's bedroom, which kinda looked empty, except for the huge bed and the sofa set in the lounge area.
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From there, we headed out to the veranda for a view of the lake.
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There were other rooms and galleries (study room, diplomatic gallery, etc.) in the mansion, but I skipped checking them out because we met an uncle whom we hadn't seen in ages, so we had some chit-chat instead, haha!
But yeah, it was nice to have set foot in the museum, which was once a symbol of power for the Marcoses and is now a piece of history for the public to experience, appreciate, and enjoy.
