Along the roadside where wires were strung, two people were sheltering under an umbrella

Two persons standing under same umbrella — Two persons standing under the same umbrella

Two people were standing together under a single umbrella. It wasn’t raining—the umbrella was clearly for shade. The Philippine sun is merciless, and as I walked through the streets, I realized that here the line between a parasol and a rain umbrella has long vanished. The pair beneath it were talking about something—perhaps shopping, perhaps gossip—but whatever it was, the mood was light, almost lazy.

Beyond them, a motorcycle carrying two passengers sped past. Neither wore a helmet, which in this country is hardly unusual. The rider and the passenger both grinned as they cut through the wind, the air itself shimmering with heat. Though Vigan is listed as a World Heritage Site, the postcard charm shown to tourists occupies only a small corner of the city. Walk a few blocks away, and you find yourself in streets steeped in the scent of everyday life.

Signs shout for attention, and above them, a web of tangled electric wires spreads like a giant spider’s nest. Looking up at that chaotic skyline, I couldn’t help thinking that the current of human life here flows in a far more intricate pattern than any of those wires ever could.

Vigan on Google Map

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