If you read my post yesterday, after our Sand Dunes experience, our next stop is to visit the Malacañang of the North, locally known as Balay Ti Amianan. It is a presidential museum located near Paoay Lake.
The kids have been asking whether they can swim to where we are going while we are on the road, and when the tour guide mentioned the lake, it got them even more enthusiastic. They were a bit disappointed when Kuya Johncee, our tour guide, explained that we would be exploring or visiting an old presidential house and that we wouldn't be anywhere near the lake's water.
The museum appears to be an ancient house from Filipino horror movies on the exterior. The outside of the house appeared to be constructed mostly of wood, concrete, and capiz windows. This house used to be owned by the prominent first family. The family of the former president, Ferdinand Marcos. He was the 10th president of the Philippines.
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It was believed to be refurbished to be a tourist attraction in the province, so they maintained the cleanliness of the whole place all through the years. There were decorations in the garden overlooking the lake, leading us to think that the property was being rented out as a venue for special occasions.
There were old portraits displayed in the house; we cannot confirm that they were originally owned by the family or were placed there for exhibit when they refurbished the house. The house has a huge reception area and a spacious garden where they used to host large celebrations during their time in power.
The president's office is the first of the seven rooms in the former presidential residence. We had a peek of the past as we imagined how influential figures used to gather here. I don't want to dwell on political issues, as we may agree and disagree with a lot of things. I want to experience this tour from the perspective of a curious child interested in history.
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Infrastructure projects completed during his administration were displayed in this room, including the miniature display of bridges, buildings, and monuments built during his time.
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The second-floor balcony overlooking Paoay Lake. We took a few minutes of rest here while waiting for other guests to finish taking photos so we could take our turn.
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These are the portraits of Marcos' children when they were young. It is on display in the children's room.
There is always a space in the house to highlight the first lady's iconic fashion sense. She was famous for collecting more than 3,000 pairs of branded shoes, handbags, jewelry, and gowns. I jokely asked the staff where the shoes were on display because I couldn't see a single pair. He said there were no shoes left in the museum.
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Museum rules and entrance fee photos are below in case youre interested on visiting too.
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By this time, the kids are already waiting at the exit, accusing us of snapping too many photos. They don't have the patience to pose for multiple photos.
There are more places to go before our day ends. Is it going to be the beach that Ilocos is famous for, churches, or another boring museum tour? Stay tune!
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All photos are my own, unless stated otherwise.