Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte

meaning 525 kilometers away from Manila, specifically the Rizal Monument

I have always associated Ilocos Norte with large churches and beaches. Since this attitude made me neglect the more mountainous parts of the province, it was quite a pleasure to discover Nueva Era and its atmosphere and sights.

This town on the southeastern side of Ilocos Norte is located at the foothills of the Cordillera Mountain Range. A well paved highway from Nueva Era would bring a person to the neighboring province of Abra.

I have visited the province twice before April 8-10 when majority of the following pictures were taken. In fact, the last four pictures were shots from the last visit prior to this one. However, Nueva Era was merely, for me, a place where distant relatives live. It offered nothing but to trace my personal history and to anchor me to the past. This time, however, I chose to look at the town with new eyes and with a sense of unbiased wonder. With this, I discovered more of the place and its prospects.