SPANISH WATCHTOWER #14 Bauang (La Union)

"Surprisingly, a watchtower in Bauang?"

-pagnapagna

I have known from my co-artist Don Milano about an old structure near the seashore of Bauang.

Inquiring about it further from other people, they said it is an old structure used by the Japanese. Others say it is an old church.

To verify these, I went to Bauang to see the said old structure.


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-my pagnapagna-

(November 17, 2015)

Upon reaching the area, from the looks of it, I was sure it's not a church as they had said.

Under the shades of a duhat and acacia trees lies the old rotund structure. Only this is in "ruins state", almost 70 percent of it is a ruble. A small opening is at the lower center of the remaining wall. A large vertical crack from the top of the opening made its way to the top dividing it into two.

What puzzles me is that this is somewhat purely made up of rocks and I have not seen any coral stones or obvious brickworks which are the usual materials for the Spanish-era watchtowers. Can it be that what they had said was true? This must be from the Japanese times or a sort of a church that must have been constructed in the 1940's or much later on. But it looked more obviously like a rotund structure which is a watchtower.

After taking some photographs and videos, I sat down under the shade of the acacia tree fronting it and I started doing a sketch. Soon, one by one the children came crowding and looking at me while I was doing my sketch. 

I heard them saying that there is a ghost living in there, a big snake also lives there and so as a monitor lizard.

While I sketched, i talked to the children and learned from them that the area have been excavated sometime (yeah must be for treasure). They said the area where the old structure lies is owned privately by the "Mendoza's".

For my Sketch CLICK HERE

After taking more photographs and videos, I left the area and walked back to downtown Bauang, La Union where I rode a jeep going back to Home Sweet Home.

-end of pagnapagna-

For the other La Union Watchtowers:

San Fernando City and San Juan - CLICK HERE

Bacnotan - CLICK HERE

Balaoan and Luna - CLICK HERE

Luna (Baluarte after a recent typhoon) - CLICK HERE
For the Ilocos Region Watchtowers: CLICK HERE

Subject : Bauang Watchtower
Location:  Barangay of Pugo
                 Municipality of Bauang
                 Province of La Union
How to get there:

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