The trip to Kaparkan Falls was fun and memorable, but it was exhausting. Apart from the trek which was extra challenging on our way back to the truck, the ride itself was understandably bumpy, not to mention the heat of the sun that was already upon us during our trip back to Tayum. As I have mentioned though, being tired is the trade-off when you would want to immerse yourself in the embrace of pure nature. You get tired, but you get tired happy and satisfied. It won’t really be an adventure if within the confines of comfort.

We were back in Blugas station in Tayum a quarter past 02:00 PM, and by 03:00 PM, we were back in our accommodation in Bangued. We rinsed-off and took an afternoon nap, and by 05:45 PM, we were back on the road to look for a place where we would grab our dinner, much like what we did during our first night.

On our way to explore food options, we dropped-by the San Lorenzo Ruiz Shrine, one of the renowned stops in most Abra tour itineraries.

Like the church in in Tayum and the ones in Vigan and Bantay in Ilocos Sur, the shrine was ruined by the 2022 magnitude 7.0 earthquake, hence is in a state of disuse. A makeshift chapel has hence been constructed beside it where liturgical services are held.

There seems to be differing accounts as to when the shrine was built, but majority of the online sources point out that it was built at the onset of the 20th century by German missionaries who belong to the Society of the Divine Word, better known in the acronym of the Latin name of their congregation, SVD. Placed under the tutelage of the first Filipino Saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila, it was probably rededicated, as the saint would not be canonized until 1987.

Ran and I took a quick selfie, then continued exploring the vicinity of the shrine.

The shrine though is not a parish church, not even a chapel of ease. It is actually a cemetery chapel, hence its alternative name, the Capilla de Campo Santo. The Catholic Cemetery of Bangued is situated right beside the shrine.

The chapel can hence be aptly considered as the point where the mystery of faith and the sweetness of memory meet. It is a testament of faith, named after a saint who willingly endured hardships and torments to the point of death rather than renouncing his core beliefs, located in a place where the memories of those who have already passed away are remembered and cherished.

When we were done with our exploration, we saw an interesting and rather humorous street sign. Turned our, the shrine is located at the end of Street of No Return.

We have no context as to the history of the street name, but looking past beyond its appeal to humor, the road leads to the cemetery, often considered the point of no return in one’s earthly life.

The last few hours of our Bangued exploration eventually led us to Kusina de Abra. Located on Abra–Kalinga Road, the restaurant offers familiar Filipino favorites and local Abreño cuisine.

Since our dinner in Kusina de Abra would be our last in the province, we order more than what would be usual for our group. We got calamari for appetizer, fried chicken but only because we had a kid with us, the famous vegetable dish pinakbet, and a side dish of pancit guisado. We also tried sinanglaw, which was a first time for all of us.

Having hearty conversations in the company of loved ones over a great meal can never be overstated. Add travel to the equation and one would unlock core memories, ones that would hold more emotional value even in the passage of time. That was one thing that our Abra adventures did for us. It filled our core memories with experiences that would be impossible to forget, strengthening the bonds of family, friendship and love.

As we wrapped up our two-night stay in Abra, we had one quick final stroll in the town center before heading back to the Viado House. Given the chance, we would definitely visit Abra again, knowing that it still has a lot to offer our travel hungry bodies.

Abra was not just the pass to Vigan. At least for us and our experience, it also served as the pass for a deeper understanding of the wonders of nature, of culture, of good food, and of stronger human relationships.