During the early times when Chinese settled down here in Vigan, they introduce here the art of pottery, but instead of using ceramics, they just used the earth or soil found here in Vigan and they turn it into clay, formed it into a jar and baked it with 1300 degrees heat. According to the locals here they bake the jars that is good for 1 month supply. We were lucky to see the oven and the baking of the Burnay jars, this will be baked for 24 hours and it will be cool down up to 2 days.
The extreme heat inside the oven, which is under the jar making facility will turn the soft clay into its hardest state. They say that the burnay jars are much more harder than the terracotta statue in China
There are lots of Burnayan jar makers in the area, but this Ruby Jar factory is the most famous
Palayok for sale…
So the clay gets so hard when it was baked in extreme heat and later cool it down to get its hardest state, that’s why palayoks never broke down when you cook food in it.
some small souvenirs
we spotted this guy creating a big jar using brown clay
he turns around and its like massaging the entire clay
hahaha this looks familiar
here’s a pottery guy making a medium size jar.
I saw a tourist couple taking to a local guide that they hired, I got a chance to listen with them and they invited us to join with them to enter inside the jar factory, here I saw lots of wood and sticks, they use this to fire up the oven for 24 hours.
here’s the oven… we’re standing on top of it. the ground of the whole factory is the oven.
the long stretch soil with lots of sticks, under it is the oven with clays and 1300 degrees of heat, they have thousands of jars here.
time to bake it.
Inside the oven…. it’s a big oven!!!! people can fit inside. They use long sticks to push more fire and coals to heat up the oven and make sure it reaches the end of it.
here are samples of Burnay jars.
For reject jars, like broken ones, are being sold here, they have a big group of customers who buy this broken jars. People from Batangas go here to buy rejects, because they place this in to the sea and a great tool in making salt. The salt sticks to the jar as they said.
Awesome experience to see the jar making, watch out for my video blog about the Burnayan jar factory.
How to go here in Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
1. There are two travel options – ride the 8 hour bus from Manila to Ilocos Sur or ride the plane go Laoag City Airport in Ilocos Norte + 1 1/2 land travel to Vigan.
2. We went here via chartered plane of Gov. Chavit Singson, we landed at Vigan City airport, if you have a company trip and want to travel by air, you can try a chartered plane by Sea Air, just inquire to their office on how to get a chartered plane.
3. Air - Domestic flights leave Manila daily for Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, which is an hour and a half ride by bus or arranged vehicles to Vigan. The city can be reached from Laoag City via Partas Bus, Fari̱as Transportation, Maria De Leon Bus Lines, RCJ Bus Lines, F. Franco Trans, and Florida Bus. РVia http://www.vigancity.gov.ph
4. By Land - The 408 km stretch from Manila to Vigan City is a comfortable eight-hour ride along the scenic Manila-Ilocos Highway. Air-conditioned Partas Bus, Dominion Bus, Aniceto Bus and Viron Transit ply the Manila-Vigan route regularly. – Via http://www.vigancity.gov.ph
5. Getting Around - The best way to explore Vigan is on foot; the city center is small and compact, yet full of excitement. Experience a calesa ride around Vigan at P150.00 per hour per carriage. – Via http://www.vigancity.gov.ph
6. If you are in Vigan City, there are lots of transportation, you can ride the tricycle or the “kalesa”, horse drawn carriage. The “kalesa” can be rented at Php 100 per hour.
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
http://www.vigancity.gov.ph/
For Schedules of City Events and Tours please contact the City Tourism Office. Tel No: (077) 722-8771,
Baluarte in Vigan City
http://chavitsingson.net/baluarte/index.html
Opens - 7am-6pm eve
ryday, entrance is free
Tel # 6377-722-7186
Historic Town of Vigan @ UNESCO
Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/502
Vigan.PH
http://www.vigan.ph
* Thanks to Governor Chavit Singson for inviting us to tour around Vigan City
Read my complete Vigan travel blog series
for any questions or inquiries, feel free to email me at azrael@gmail.com
Discovering Vigan City - Ilocos Sur trip part 1
