Boats bound for Linao.
Our visit to Aparri was mostly about the market (palengke). My children wanted to see the life in the semi-urban parts of the province. Aparri is one of the major towns in the area in fact it is where my sister (who lives in Abulug) and her family would go to buy appliances or when they want to go see a movie.
The market is a very fascinating part of the town because it is the center of activities. It is situated near the river. People come to Aparri by land and water.
Fountain at the center of the market.
Narra bed for sale.
Eel
Small mud fish (attasi)
Main entrance to Aparri.
Aparri is more crowded now than I can remember. However, I saw many signs of progress. Houses are now bigger and better; they now have several internet cafes in town and chain restaurants. We got to eat at Jollibee (the Filipino counterpart for McDonald's Hamburger. Brahms thought that their hamburgers taste like meatballs. There are NO free refills for sodas and the cups are small. In the Philippines, it is very common to see spaghetti and rice served at restaurants like Jollibee, McDonalds ,and KFC.
Cagayan River.
Drying shrimp (aramang).
Palengke
We walked several rows of fish and meat stands. My kids watched one vendor make sausages. Every part of the pig and chicken are sold in the market. At the fruit and vegetable stands we bought a few kilos of lanzones which we ate in the car.
More boats.
Aparri: Pride sign.
A house near the river.
No disposable cups at Jollibee.
Cagayan River meets the Pacific Ocean.
...and then it rained.
My kids definitely learned something more about the earlier life of their mother...
