Category: Philippine Travels


BenCab Museum: A Feast for the Senses

Filed under: Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 5 Comments
May 1, 2011

BenCab Museum is more than just a museum.  

 

We came , knowing we won’t get disappointed with this National Artist’s works and art collections.   Learning more about the indigenous art in this neck of the woods comes as a bonus . Appreciating how BenCab’s art evolved through the years since he dropped out of college to emerge as a Master of Contemporary Art is  a natural consequence. Beyond all these, we were still surprised to find that behind the Museum is a farm and garden where one can arrange an eco-trail tour to meander around duck ponds, a forest, a layered garden imitating the famous rice terraces,  typical indigenous architecture of the Ifugao, Kalinga and Bontoc.  We wandered around the pond, crossed a charming wooden bridge leading to a small kiosk overlooking a mini forest and a river meandering through the property along with a cascading waterfalls on one end of the property.

 

 

We found BenCab Museum on our way to Baguio City.  From Marcos Highway, we turned left at Kilometer 6 Asin Road, Tadiangan, Tuba, Benguet.  It would be another 4.5 kilometers till we reached the Museum. Admission is 100 pesos.  The place is only a 15 minute ride from Baguio City Center, passing the Woodcarvers’ Village along Asin Street.  There are jeeps to Asin from the jeepney terminal found near Baguio market. Just be sure you don’t go on a Monday when the Museum is closed.

 

 

Since we arrived noontime,  we were pleased to find that the Museum has a charming dining place called Cafe Sabel right on the Farm and Garden Level.   There is a good menu selection ranging from the very local “Longsilog”  consisting of the Baguio Longganiza or local sausages, served with an egg and fried mountain rice,   to the more continental soup, salad and sandwich combination,  to chicken cacciatore, pork schnitzel and a number of pasta selections.   We ate our lunch here on a table with an open wide window overlooking the farm and garden.

 

 

Interestingly,  Cafe Sabel was named after a somewhat mad, bag lady  whom the artist observed and sketched from a window of a house somewhere in Bambang, Tondo where he lived for a time. In his mind, this mad scavenger must have been a symbol of dislocation, poverty, hopelessness  and isolation.  

In the lovely words penned by Rene Guatlo:

“This vagrant woman is one of the best known muses of the artist’s storied career. In her plainness, he saw beauty.

In her anonymity, he saw an individual person who chose to live as she saw fit.

In her weakness, he saw her native wit and strength. It is a tribute to BenCab that what he saw, what he painted, are what endure.”

 

 

The painting of rooftops was when the artist was still relatively young.  Easily one of my favorites along with the Sabel pieces and the painting of 3 masked men.   Taking off from the rooftop painting, one can observe how his art has evolved through the years.  There is even a special gallery in the Museum called Erotica.  From sensual paintings to erotic woodcarvings and sculptures, this room may overwhelm your senses.  😉

 

 

And then there is the collection of indigenous art from the Cordillera region.  Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao and Baguio City make up the Cordillera Region.  It happens to be the ONLY landlocked region in the country encompassing most of the areas within the Cordillera Central mountain range of Luzon, the largest range in the country.

 

The Museum showcases the skills of Igorots in weaving and basketry,  and the woodcarving skills of the Ifugaos.   Notably,  it was the Ifugaos who carved the Banaue rice terraces in the Cordillera mountainside 3,000 years ago. 

 

 

In the middle of the Cordillera Gallery is this very long wooden bench called “hagabi”. Carved from a single piece of wood,  the “hagabi” is a symbol of wealth and social prestige among the Ifugaos.  The “ritual” involves the hosting of a public feast where priests (called “Mumbaki”) perform a ceremony called “mamaldang” to determine if the omens for the creation of the hagabi bench are favorable.  If so,  the ritual begins with the search for the right tree (usually a narra) , the journey of the woodcarvers to the forest to select, cut and carve the tree,  and the villagers taking turns in transporting the carved hagabi bench out of the forest through mountain trails . This activity takes several days and ends with more days of eating, drinking of rice wine and dancing.  Quite an elaborate feast, if you ask me.  And I am reminded of the ceremonies attendant to the creation and carving of totem poles in Alaska to mark a “special event or milestone” .  Interesting.

 

 

The last room we visited was the Maestro Gallery.  Here one finds a selection of works by Joya, Edades, Aguinaldo, Chabet, Legazpi, Luz, Magsaysay-Ho, Sanso, Zobel and other masters.   The Museum definitely does justice to this art collection.  All of 3 levels plus the Farm and Garden Level,  the BenCab Museum makes for an afternoon well-spent.   For sure,  I will come visiting again in my next Baguio trip. Perhaps spend more time in the Farm and Garden, or just sit it out in one of the kiosks in the middle of the duck pond.  Who knows?  The Cafe Sabel may even have a resident Chef by then.  Or am I expecting too much?

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The Street Vendors of Manila

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels
April 22, 2011

We get this all the time.  Foreigners in the workplace telling us that Filipinos tend to eat every so often.  Lunch is no sandwich and a fruit.  Neither is it a half hour break.  Naaaah.  That one hour lunch break can easily stretch to a couple of hours, often blaming the traffic for not getting back soon enough. These days,  there are many joints a walking distance from the offices. But lunch is lunch, and every Filipino observes it not just as a break from work but also as a chance to chat away the blues and break the monotony of working behind a desk. As for snacks or mid-day “mini-meals”?   That’s when it is more likely to find Filipinos eating that sandwich or fruit.  But the hardcore ones would still crave for their carbo fix:  a noodle dish, rice porridge or rice cakes.  In between lunch and that midday mini-meal, don’t be surprised to find them munching peanuts, pork cracklings, chips, or splitting pumpkin seeds.

 

Taho. Best for breakfast!

Sago at Gulaman

 

Luckily for us,  there is no shortage of food to be found and bought.  Stuck in a traffic jam?  No worries.   The street vendors plying the main roads sell anything from peanuts to pork cracklings to boiled eggs to mint candies to fruits to bottled water to “fish balls, squid balls and shrimp balls”. Boiled bananas, boiled peanuts, even corn on the cob! Walking the streets of Manila is an adventure.  Every tourist should try this.  Buying street food is very much a part of every Filipino’s way of life.  And there’s more to be found in urban centers like Manila, where folks are supposed to be “busier” than their counterparts in the provinces who may have the time and energy to cook their own meals and snacks.


Halo Halo!

 

As it is summer, try going to San Andres Market, a stone’s throw from Malate Church.   You can get your freshest fruits here to eat, or to be made into a fruit shake.   You can’t go wrong with a 10 peso fruit shake (less than US $0.25) or the local “halo-halo” (literally means “mix-mix”) for 20 pesos (less than US$0.50). I strongly suggest you try the halo-halo which is a mixture of  sweetened fruits, ice shavings and milk, topped with a local sweetened ube yam. You can’t be more Filipino than that!

 


 

Or you may want to head all the way to Chinatown for your dimsum fix and other foodstuff.  The street vendors here range from those selling fruits, vegetables and cooked food to those selling almost anything you need to get from an honest-to-goodness hardware and supermarket.  Around Quiapo Church,  you can buy your religious icons,  candles,  fans (strongly suggested on hot, humid days) , flower garlands, brooms (yes, brooms),  fruits, vegetables , squash flowers, and fish (live, dead, smoked or dried!).  From Quiapo Church through Santa Cruz Church to Binondo Church,  you will find street stalls selling footwear, garments and again,  more foodstuff.  There is an alley near the Binondo Church called Carvajal where I wanted to buy almost everything I laid my eyes on!  Forget the diet.  There is so much to buy here to take home as TV dinners.  Sushi?  Taho? Meat loaf?  Rice cakes?  

 

Barbequed Pork and Innards. Guess what!

Puto Bumbong

You may also want to check out more photos from my TravelBlog site. 

 

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Four Hours to “Waste” in Manila?

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Philippine Travels — Leave a comment
April 13, 2011

Met up with my friend E and without much planning, decided we make good use of our time together while waiting for her son to get off summer school.  That’s from 10am till 2pm, if you wanna know.

 

Almost instantly, we agreed we should check out the Pasig River Ferry at the  Guadalupe Ferry Station where we can take the ferry ride to Escolta, or all the way to Plaza Mexico in Intramuros. But alas,  the station was closed as we unhappily learned the ferry company has ceased operations. Shoots!

 

Not easily discouraged,  we mapped out another plan.  Something in keeping with the Lenten Season.   From under the Guadalupe Bridge where the Ferry Station is located, we drove back up to EDSA southbound and took the right at the corner where you’d find Loyola Memorial .  This street goes a few hundred meters down to Nuestra Senora de Gracia or Guadalupe Church.  Foundations laid in 1601, construction completed by 1629.  I have once attended a wedding here, and was not disappointed with how beautiful the Church is just past midmorning.

 

 

From this nearly 400 year-old Church in Guadalupe, we drove down to J. P. Rizal Street all the way to Sta. Ana, Manila.   We passed what used to be the Sta. Ana Race Track,  until we found the Church of the Abandoned.  I have passed this Church many times before,  always referring to it simply as Sta. Ana Church.  Never realized it ranks among the oldest churches around Manila.   At this hour,  there was hardly any crowd inside this  17th century-Church , more so in the adjoining halls of the church where they kept religious statues of a few saints.  We even ventured up the stairs, but was gently reminded that the convent is not open to the public.

 

 

Driving further west towards Paco, Manila, we visited the Paco Church and Cemetery only to find it closed.  Today is a Tuesday and Paco Park Complex is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.   From outside, it looks like your mini-Intramuros as the Park is closed in by this  ancient wall.   No wonder this Church is a favorite wedding  as well as concert venue.    Never mind that it is also a cemetery!  After all, it has a distinguished list of VIPs interred in its park grounds.  No less than the national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal was buried here until 1912 (errr, did you know that?) , and so with the martyred priests Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora, more commonly referred to as Gomburza.

 

 

 

From Paco Park,  we decided to have lunch at Aristocrat which is right beside the Malate Church.  But not without a quick visit to the San Andres Market where we found fruit stalls after fruit stalls of mangoes – yellow ripe, unripe green, smallish “supsupin” mangoes, Indian mangoes – along with racks of chicos, durian, dalandans, honeydew melons, watermelons , turnips, bananas, sweet potatoes, etc.  I even bought myself a glass of halo-halo (ice shavings with various sweetened fruits like bananas, sweet potatoes, garbanzos, beans, jackfruit, mixed in with ube yam, leche flan, gelatine,  sago and milk) for only 20 pesos.  What a refreshing drink, and all for just half a US dollar!  The same stall even offers hot chocolate and coffee for 5 pesos. Dirt cheap!  I shared the halo-halo (literally meaning “mix-mix”) with my friend E as I didn’t want to spoil my appetite for my bbq lunch at Aristocrat.

 

 

Aristocrat was doing brisk business by the time we got there.  Well, it’s noon time, but the waiter there says they get this crowd daily.  For me, Aristocrat (and another established chain restaurant Max’s) is a great “equalizer”.  Nothing fancy here, just plain good old barbecue and local dishes.  You’d be fine to allocate 200 pesos per head for a good meal. And it draws a big crowd from all sections of society.  From a table occupied by a group of students, another by working men and women out on a lunch break, to a group of nuns and yet another group of balikbayans (literally “back to country” Filipinos) having this comfort food.  It is always a yummy meal here in Aristocrat, and it won’t burn a hole in your pockets too.

 

 

And so, on full stomachs we crossed the street to visit the Malate Church.  Built in 1588 originally as an Augustinian Friar Building, it withstood a number of earthquakes and the February 3-17, 1945 Battle of Manila which left nearly the entire Malate area flattened, with thousands dead from the shelling from American forces and burning from Japanese occupiers.  This centuries-old church was left charred and roofless, and reconstruction began soon after the end of World War II.  At the time we visited, absolutely no one was inside the Church.  All quiet and peaceful . A fitting final stop for our attempt to “waste” four hours around Manila.  Call it the final part of our 7-church Visita Iglesia.  Having done Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church last week and San Sebastian Church much earlier (hmmm, that last one  shouldn’t count, really), and 4 today (Guadalupe, Sta Ana, Paco and Malate),  I have completed the mandatory 7 Churches for the Visita Iglesia.  But there is this weekend when I plan to visit Binondo , Santa Cruz and Quiapo.  Now wait, that makes 10!  And I am still agonizing whether to include Tondo Church or not.  We’ll see………….no harm in visiting a dozen churches.  Especially churches loaded with history! So , next time you have an extra 4 hours to waste,  why not put it to good use and learn bits of history while doing your spiritual duty?

 

And if you do have more than 4 hours,  you can cross Roxas Boulevard  from Malate Church and stroll along the Baywalk and wait for the lovely Manila Bay sunset.  Who knows?  You may even work up an appetite again and head back to the Malate Church Square and this time, try the Max’s Fried Chicken just across Aristocrat.  Both are institutions in the Philippine dining scene, so don’t miss them.  Not to worry, you can enjoy budget meals in either one of these 2 eating places, and live to go back again and again.

 

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Revisiting San Agustin Church and Monastery

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Philippine Travels — 9 Comments
April 9, 2011

It is Lent. Time to go visiting the Churches. The norm for Catholics here is to visit 7 Churches, preferably on Maundy Thursday.  But I have decided to instead do the 7 during the entire Lenten Season, and to choose the 7 Churches with lots of history. First off: San Agustin Church in Intramuros, a 16th century church claimed to be the oldest stone church in the country.

 

 


 

Filipinos:  A Strange Race?

 

From Makati where I live,  we drove along Roxas Boulevard with a lovely view of Manila Bay towards the Pier.  We took the right towards Intramuros, where one finds Fort Santiago and the Manila Cathedral.  We skipped both, and drove directly to San Agustin Church and Monastery.

 

 

Standing right in front of the Church and looking around, I found how un-Asian this corner in Intramuros is.  No wonder some of my foreigner friends tell me that Filipinos are “strange” in that way. Strange in that most of us bear Spanish-sounding surnames.  Like Ramirez.  Like Chavez. Like Guerrero. Or Mendoza.  Sure, we were a Spanish colony for close to 400 years, but other countries had Dutch or Portuguese or British colonizers – yet, I don’t hear of them with Dutch or British or Portuguese family names.  Or am I wrong?   Strange in that our language is interspersed with a lot of Spanish words and that Filipinos very readily use Spanish expletives that I do not wish to repeat here.  Truth is we even coined a word for the elitist Filipinos …… “con** crowd” — which literally means a lady’s private part in Spanish.  Strange in that we are so used to counting in Spanish (uno, dos, tres………) or in telling the time in Spanish ( a las tres y media, a las dose, etc.).   But more than anything else, we are very “Spanish” in our faith.  The Philippines does not have the temples of Cambodia, Laos or Thailand,  nor the pagodas of China , Japan and Korea,  but we have many Catholic Churches dotting the countryside which are worth seeing. Churches always form a central and core part of every Filipino’s lifestyle.  Here in Manila,  a few old Churches remain standing despite this city being the second most -bombed city during World War II.

 

 

 

More Than Just An Old Church

 

San Agustin Church at the corner of General Luna Street and Real Street in Intramuros is hard to miss.  It is just a stone’s throw from the Manila Cathedral (when facing the Cathedral, take the right side and walk straight towards San Agustin Church) and an easy walk from the Fort Santiago, another tourist destination.

 

Inside the Church, one finds off some corner a confessional box.  The parish priest sits inside while parishioners take turns to have their confessions heard by the priest with only a small screen window separating them.  On your knees, you confess your sins!  In another corner,  there is the pulpit where the parish priest used to say his homily or sermons.   Times have changed since those days.   And the ornately designed pulpit is now simply a reminder of how grand our old Churches were or still are, if luckily preserved and bomb-spared as with this Church.  But Filipino Catholics still make their confessions to their priests in this box-like structures though modern-day Catholics are not discouraged from doing face-to-face confessions.

 

This Church is a favorite among brides such that “bookings” for weddings need to be arranged at least a year in advance.  I have attended one too many wedding ceremonies here, and wedding receptions were held in any one of the nearby colonial-inspired restaurants and bistros just across the Church, or in the garden within the church courtyard.  On weekdays,  you may find school groups doing their field trips, and on weekends you would likely witness wedding ceremonies.  That is how “busy” this Church is.

 

 

 

 

Yet………the adjoining Monastery which has since been converted into a Museum hardly gets a crowd. The day I visited,  I walked alone along many corridors.  Kind of eerie, if you ask me.  I honestly felt like some statues are staring down at me.  In one of the exhibit rooms ,  I got goosebumps finding a dark corner with 4 or 5 statues clad in black robes.  They were representations of the early Augustinian friars who built this Church and established a religious order in the country.  It “helped” that the room was dimly lit, such that you find the robed statues just when you are almost face to face with them.  Off another corridor,  I found huge paintings, some pitifully warped, and woodcarvings depicting hell.  You bet my hair stood on edge and felt my heart beating out of my chest.  I almost had regrets that I came when school’s over. I could have timed my visit with a school group’s field trip instead and spared myself of some palpitations.

 

 

 

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi Rests Here: A Short History Lesson


Filipinos all know that Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines. But Spanish colonization and the subsequent Christianization of the Philippines didn’t start with the discovery of Magellan in 1521, who incidentally was slain by a local tribal chieftain named Lapu Lapu in the island of Mactan in Central Visayas. While Magellan captained the very first ship to sail completely around the world,  Magellan never lived to tell his tale of discovering the Philippines and to prove that the world is indeed round. However, his discovery led to Spanish Expeditions led by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos in 1541 (who was driven away by hostile locals)  and then by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565. Legazpi befriended a native Bohol chieftain called Datu Sikatuna  in a ceremony called “Blood Compact” and from there, established Spanish colonies with the aid of  local allies starting with the island of Cebu. With the colonization, came Christianization of the natives who earlier practiced nature worship.  And as pagans converted to Christianity, they were baptized and given Christian names.  So.  Now you know why many Filipinos have Spanish family names. Right?

 

Legazpi was a diplomat more than he was an explorer.  In Manila, he befriended both Rajahs Lakandula and Sulaiman and with some help from Augustinian and Franciscan friars, established a governing city council in 1571. At the same time, he ordered the construction of Intramuros, proclaiming it the capital of Manila and seat of the Spanish Government in the East Indies. He died in 1572 and was laid to rest right here in the San Agustin Church.

 

Now, enough of history and back to topic.

 

 

 

Father Blanco’s Garden


After doing the rounds (actually the “squares”) in the Museum,  it is refreshing to go down and spend some time within the garden.   If you have a book with you,  you can take over one of the benches and while away the time while resting your legs and feet in Father Blanco’s garden.  The garden can do with more flora, but you can enjoy the afternoon breeze here before venturing out of the Museum grounds. In my case,  I found the time to check out the “Binondo Food Wok Map” while here in the courtyard garden.  This is the map I bought (for 100 pesos) in the Bahay Tsinoy (literally means House of Filipino-Chinese) one block away from San Agustin Church.  (Facing the Manila Cathedral, one can take the road on the left side till you hit the 2nd corner.  This is Cabildo Street corner Anda Street)  Of course, if it is too sunny, you may simply have a drink and some chips or biscuits in a corner stall (can’t even call it a cafe) within the Museum.  There are tables and chairs where you can sit, facing some huge paintings.  Not bad in terms of scenery, but the corner stall can certainly offer better drinks (like a good brew?) and better wafers or local rice cakes.

 

 

 

More Time to Spare?


If you have more time to kill,  you may head straight for the Walls by taking Real Street (the Church is right at the corner of Real and General Luna Streets) , passing by a good bistro called Ristorante delle Mistre and remembering to have a cozy dinner there on the way back.  There is an option to walk along the walls or ON the walls.   There are stairways to get on top from where one is afforded a view of the nearby Manila Hotel and the sprawling golf links which get all lighted up at night.  On this visit, I found many young couples on a date here.  Good choice.  It is quiet, breezy and has good views.

 

As I trace my steps back to the Church, I passed bronze representations of ex-Presidents in what is dubbed as Gallery of the Presidents.  I cannot help but feel amused to find those of ex-presidents Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Joseph Estrada side by side.  Even in bronze, it is kind of strange and quite amusing to find them together.  Can’t wait till 2016 when that of incumbent President Noynoy Aquino joins them.  Oh, I do not mean to be disrespectful.  Just that it is no secret in my country how these 3 ‘adore’ each other.   Enough said.  Go drop by Ristorante delle Mistre and have that mango cheesecake (less than US$2)  to go with your brew.  If you have the appetite for lunch or dinner, order their set menu. Come, visit and enjoy Manila!

 

Better still, enjoy the many islands of the Philippines.  I am a local living here and must admit I still have a long list of must-visit destinations around the country. Like Mount Pinatubo.  Or Puerto Galera in Mindoro.  Or Sagada.  Plus many more.  Now, that’s a confession!

 

For more photos, check out my TravelBlog site.  

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Boracay: Il Dolce Far Niente. The Sweetness of Doing Nothing.

Filed under: Philippine Travels — 3 Comments
March 27, 2011

Boracay this summer?  So, who’s asking?

Many choose to fly straight into  Caticlan airport to take the 15 minute boat trip to the island.  My family has been here many times before, and each time flew to Kalibo, Aklan, rode the bus for 2 hours to Caticlan, and took the same 15 minute boat ride to the island. The extra 2 hours wasted on the drive is our penalty for not being too brave to take the more direct flight on a smaller aircraft.  Call us chicken!
I remember the kids hopping and leaping each time we arrived in Kalibo.  Never mind the sweltering heat and the long queue for the exit gate.  Years before,  we took the boat all the way to the beachfront. Boracay had 3 boat stations then numbered from 1 to 3.  The high-end, quiet side is in Boat Station No. 1.  The boats then would take us all to Boat Station No. 2 and from there, we just walked to our hotel on either side: left to Station 1, right to Station 2. These days,  all boats disembark in the jetty port on the other side of the island.  From here, one either gets picked up by the hotel or guesthouse or pay a pedicab (motorbikes with cabs) to drive them along the road nearest their lodgings.

Villa Simprosa @Station 2

Villa Simprosa in Boat Stn No. 2


Hardly anyone has heard of Villa Simprosa in the action-packed Boat Station No. 2 area. The owner of the guesthouse is a friend of my niece, and we were just too happy to get rooms good for 4 pax, air-conditioned, with a private toilet and bath with hot water at rates way cheaper than the other lodging places.  No fancy stars for this lodging place, but it’s value for money for a beachfront inn right smack where the action is.

The beachfront is shared with the likes of Red Coconut Hotel, Hey Jude Bar, Boracay Regency, and right off the corner, there’s HAPLOS 24-hour SPA.  Just a short walk along the beach and one finds himself at D MALL, an area littered with eating places with the broadest range of prices.  D Mall has spawned many restaurants which have since branched out in the Manila and Makati areas where the same beach afficionados cum urbanites patronized the place, perhaps reminiscing life on the beach there.  There is definitely no shortage of eating places, either in D Mall or along the beach, in and around Villa Simprosa.  Souvenir shops and tattoo shops littered the beachfront too.  Or just take a beach towel and wait by the shore for someone to come up to you offering an hour’s massage for less than US$7.

Memories of “Old” Boracay

I used to prefer the quiet and peace found in the lodgings nearer Boat Station No. 1.  But my nieces are right,  it is more fun to stay where the action is, in and around Boat Station No. 2.   After all, part of Boracay’s charm is its being a party island. And so, with music blaring from some of the pubs and open air bars, we happily strolled many nights along the beachfront and enjoyed our time here every visit we made. Peace and quiet?  You can still get it……if you wake up early enough.  While most others who partied the night before spend all morning sleeping in,  one can quietly sip his espresso by the beach and wait till the newspapers from Manila arrive in the island.

Taho for Breakfast?

Here in Boracay, we found a breakfast place near Villa Simprosa serving Filipino breakfast meals which consists of garlic fried rice, egg, and a choice of our local sausage or pork/beef slices. The breakfast meal includes coffee too, except that I can be quite picky with my coffee.  Plus I really do prefer a glass of “taho” more than anything else! Now that makes for a truly good morn.

Each time we visited, we would always check  new developments around the island….though this is one form of development that I don’t particularly welcome.  Even my nieces lament the fact that we have “lost the old Boracay” where there were just a handful of hotels beyond 2 storeys, no malls,  and no touts!  We look back to those days when we would linger around the grotto area near the place where Waling Waling Hotel now stands, and wait for the fishermen come home with their catch.  I absolutely enjoyed buying their fresh catch and asking some of the local folks to cook them for us.  There was one particular time we bought about 4 kilos of lapu-lapu (a local fish, called garoupa in some other Asian countries like China) and had it cooked four-ways: grilled, fried, sweet-sour, and with soup.  That, with tons of steaming white rice, made out for one of the best meals we ever had in this island!

Much has changed.  But we always head back. The kids frolic in the beach.  The girls enjoy getting their tan.  And I find myself always heading for the spa.  Oh what a way to spend a good hour and a half.   I love this, really really love this.  For only P300 or under US$7, you get an hour’s massage. It was so good I could not get myself up after an hour, and would invariably go for a half hour more of rubbing.  Now, this is the way to really pamper yourself.  It is definitely more comfortable than lying on the beach to get rubbed.  Here inside the “open air” spa, one still gets the breeze from the sea, but without the sand. You also get spared from all those beach touts who are always peddling boat rides, pearls or some other necklaces, ice cream bars, and seashells.

After a good rub, it is pure luxury to simply sit still by the beach and just waste away the hours reading. 

Here in the island,  it is the norm to take mid-afternoon lunch.  We observed that most others do too.  Either they wake up noon time after all that partying the night before, or they wake up early enough and lingered over their breakfasts as we always do, too full to eat lunch at noon.  One trip to Boracay, the kids were getting so confused that one had to ask repeatedly if he was having lunch or snacks.  Such is life in Boracay. Eat.  Swim. Sleep.   Il Dolce Far Niente. The Sweetness of Doing Nothing.

Postscript:  I checked out some old photos in boracay with the family. Had to smile,  those kids have grown……as did our waistlines! 😦

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Samal Island’s Isla Malipano

Filed under: Philippine Travels — 4 Comments
March 19, 2011

Isla Malipano is an island among several Samal islands, just a 5 minute speedboat ride from the more famous Pearl Farm Resort. But first, you must take the 90 minute flight from Manila to  Davao, then the 1 hour boat ride to Samal Island’s Pearl Farm.   😉

Morning flights to Davao went as early as 6am, but we opted to take the 10am flight.  We landed half an hour before noon and the shuttle took us for a short ride to the Pearl Farm jetty port.  We were served a buffet lunch just before taking the boat that will ferry us to Samal Island.  Pearl Farm is so called because it actually was a Pearl Farm sometime back.  But it is now one of the pricey resorts in the country and appeals mainly to honeymooners, balikbayans (literally meaning back to country Filipinos on holiday), tourists and locals with money to spend, or used as convention or conference venue.  This is my 3rd time here in Pearl Farm , but my first in Isla Malipano.  Now this island is actually a private island right across the resort, used by the family which owns and operates the Pearl Farm Resort whenever they are here or when they entertain their own guests.  The cost of maintaining the place may have compelled them to make available the villas to paying guests too, and that explains how we got here.

 

Our Very Own Island

It was almost 3pm when we checked in. They served fresh pineapple juice as soon as we reached Pearl Farm’s pagoda reception area , complete with a local group playing native music. In this southern part of the Philippines, the Muslim influence manifests itself in the dances and songs. I love the colorful costumes and beadwork too. Then we took the small speedboat to get to our private island. There are only 7 villas in the private island which also has a 3 hole golf course, a small chapel and a good-sized activity center which can be used for parties and conferences. At the time we were there, we occupied 3 of the 7 villas. We were the only ones in the island . 

 


It was surreal to have an island all to yourself. I mean, we were a group occupying 3 villas, but each 3-storey villa has its own beachfront , and we couldn’t even see each other from the balconies or verandahs of our villas.  Everything was so self-contained.  One need only to get down and take hold of any one of a few beach chairs or beds, maybe ask for a massage therapist whilst there, or just sit it out there in his/her own private beach and wait for the sunset. The place is ideal for honeymooners,  as well as families.  Our villa has 3 bedrooms and a verandah cum view deck  jutting out to the sea.  Depending on one’s mood, it is easy to feel either romantic, happy or melancholy here.  The days are long, and unless you want to spend your entire day at the beach, there is nothing much else to do.  Which is fine, if you are spending just a few days here.  Make it a week and I think I’d snap and go crazy.  And make that poor too. I will not even talk about the rates for the villa, as I frankly think it is obscene.  No, I did not pay for it.  I happened to be attending a convention here, which allowed me this luxury at no cost. But I did check out the rates for the day tours , which I find reasonable at 1,500 pesos or about US $30-33.  This day tour rate includes the boat transfers, lunch and use of one of the native houses by the beach for a few hours.

 

The villa is dripping in luxury.  The huge rooms, each with its own private toilet and bath, heavenly beds, bay windows looking out into the sea,  ethnic inspired  local furniture and appointments.  I particularly liked a floor lamp and local vase made of local ropes and cordage. And the huge and comfortable chairs on the verandah. It was also interesting to find a big jar by the gate of each villa. This jar is filled with water , to be used with a dipper made from coconut shell, to wash one’s feet before entering the villa.  Interesting detail.  The only thing I hated is the phone out in the balcony.  The times the phone rang, I wanted to bury my head under the soft pillows. I also found it odd that there were no full length mirrors inside the bedroom and bathroom. Instinctively, I thought the one who decided on the architecture and interior design of the villas must be male.  I cannot imagine anyone of my gender to miss installing a full-length mirror ……….  I mean, every woman just had to check her “total look” before stepping out of the room, right?

I took my Sydney-based niece with me to Isla Malipano (isla actually translates to island.  She doesn’t play golf, jet ski, kayak,  nor scuba-dive, so she didn’t really find much to do in the island.  While she agreed with me about the telephone and full-length mirror, she had to add that all rooms should have hair dryers and television sets.  Only the Master’s bedroom had a tv and dryer. That said, she also added that the bar did not have enough stuff.  I mean, there were 6 of us in the villa and not much chips and nuts and sodas.  This is important since all meals are served in Pearl Farm which we can reach by riding the speedboat each time.  For coffee lovers that we are,  we can easily exhaust the pantry for coffee pods!

 

So, what to do?


I spent the entire day in conference, while my niece checked out all 5 beaches in Isla Malipano and Pearl Farm.  There were 2 lovely swimming pools too, one of which is an infinity pool with a view that stretches out to the sea.  Shelly also discovered the boutique and the Spa. By the afternoon, she was done with her swimming and her pedicure.


In the evening,  one can enjoy dinner while a local song and dance group entertained us.  The leader of the group explained each of the Muslim instruments such as the kulintang,  an ancient instrument composed of gongs in graduated sizes , laid out horizontally to be struck to produce a melody much like a xylophone.  And there’s the kadlong, a 2 stringed guitar or lute shaped like a boat, with 5 small holes on its back. The band leader said the kadlong is played with the 5 holes over the player’s chest so that music emanates from the heart.   The men in our group discovered the Parola bar and the Game Room where one can play chess, billiard, or simply enjoy some karaoke singing.  The following night, we had an al fresco dinner by the beach while the same band played.  To be honest, I was growing tired with the local music by the second day. It was the same repertoire each time.   Thank God someone in our group thought of inviting a local folk singer from another city to entertain us that night.

 

 

Judging by the crowd we met over breakfast, lunch and dinner,  many chose the place for its privacy.  A few were there for some water sports, but I didn’t think that department was nowhere as active as what we found in Boracay just a couple of weeks back. But the buffet spreads were good , and in this part of the Philippines,  local fruits are in abundance.  One can try marang, lanzones, pomelo, papaya, mango, rambutan, etc.

 

 

So, for those of you planning on a bit of luxury, you can try the day tours to Pearl Farm or if you really wish to stay at least a night, go make a reservation for one of the Samal houses right in Pearl Farm.  You don’t need a private island nor a villa.  I have tried the Samal Houses before and at 5,000 pesos a night (about US $100-110), it is sooo much cheaper than renting a villa.

 


Oh, don’t forget to bring a good book with you .  As for the massage,  I frankly think it is expensive at 850 pesos (about US$15) , perhaps because I still have pleasant memories of the same therapy for about a third of the price in Boracay.  In fact, the ones I had in Boracay were better than the massage I paid for here in Isla Malipano.


Privacy, good food,  luxury accompanied by peace and quiet……….these you’d get in this island. But be prepared to burn holes in your pocket.

More photos can be found in my TravelBlog site.   

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Hoyop Hoyopan Cave and Cagsawa Ruins in Albay

Filed under: Philippine Travels — 7 Comments
March 13, 2011


Hoyop Hoyopan Cave

 

In Camalig, Albay, we took a detour to visit Hoyop Hoyopan Cave. Hoyop means “to blow”. We spent the next half hour or so inside the cave, amazed to “shoot the breeze” inside while checking out the stalactites and stalagmites. We can imagine how the local rebels were made comfortable while hiding from the Japanese then as the cave has water sources and a pretty good ventilation even during summers.  Our guide led the way, and we were relieved to find cemented pathways and ample lighting.  Just the same, I was ready with my handy flashlight and headlight.  I finally got to use them!  🙂   But we weren’t prepared to find a dance floor INSIDE the cave.  Say what?  A dance floor.  Only in the Philippines! Well, we were reminded that the cave is a private property and the owners have actually held parties inside this cave.  That explains the dance floor. I wouldn’t be surprised to find a karaoke bar next time I visit.  Up and down, a few steps here and there, and we found the 4th exit out of the cave.  Mind the stalactites and stalagmites, though.  One can earn a monstrous bump on the forehead if one is not careful.  Outside, we found local boys playing a game of volleyball while a cow parked itself in an area meant for motor vehicles.

 

Cagsawa Ruins Without Mayon Volcano

Most postcards in Albay show Mayon Volcano in all its majesty framed by boulders and what remains of the Cagsawa Church. Over a thousand parishioners sought refuge in this Church in Mayon’s February 1814 eruption and all perished from the tragedy. The stone pillars were constructed using eggwhites to glue the stones together. Imagine how many eggs those parishioners brought to Sunday masses, and what baked goodies they concocted with the egg yolks too! We were soooo looking forward to visiting this place as we have always visualized Mayon Volcano with this scenery, with all its tragic history. Sadly, the majestic volcano with its near-perfect cone was too shy to make an appearance. Hiding behind the clouds, one can hardly recognize even its silhouette on this cloudy day. Oh well, you can’t win them all. For the moment, the postcard will do.

Daraga Church

 

Finally, we drove up to nearby Daraga Church. It is said that the parish transferred to this 18th century church after the 1814 eruption. This old church was obviously undergoing some repairs and repainting. We were disappointed with the fresh coat of white paint, and would have preferred that they left the stone structure in its “natural” state. There is charm in the “old and natural”, and a paint job does not serve to enhance the beauty of this ancient church.

 

Nearly back in Legazpi City, we passed by Lignon Hills for another unobstructed view of Mayon Volcano. It would have been an hour’s trek to get to the View Deck, but it was our last stopover and we all felt the day is almost over. In short, we had no energy left to do the trek! Perhaps another day. For sure, I’d make a return trip and by then, I should also be ready to go trekking, ziplining and even the lava trail using the All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) available for rent. Now, that’s a good reason to go back.

 

More photos can be found in my TravelBlog site.


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“Pilgrimage” Out of Legazpi City

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Padang Memorial

From Legazpi City, we drove towards Barangay Biga-a, just 8 kilometers from Mayon Volcano.  This place is a PERMANENT DANGER ZONE.  And for good reason.  Back in 2006, Typhoon Reming hit the area and as many as 15,000 perished .  The Padang Memorial stands here as a grim reminder of that tragedy, with the majestic volcano as backdrop.  From Padang, we passed a few 17th-18th century churches.  We took the time to stop by 2 churches , both named Santo Domingo Church. The second one had a separate bell tower as well as lovely stained glass windows. Unfortunately, the churches were closed and we failed to gain entry.


Kawa Kawa Natural Park and Mayon Skyline 

Further on,  we drove through a road lined with Pili trees and abaca hemp hanging out to dry.  Then we took an uphill road and climbed towards an area tagged as Mayon Skyline where the Mayon Planetarium and a solitary cafe stand across stone huts hugging the cliff from where one takes in a view of the crater lake on a clear, sunny day.  It was a pleasant surprise to find this cool, breezy place this foggy morning just an hour’s drive from the city. Too foggy to allow a clear view of the lake,  we instead chose to spend the next few minutes sipping a cup of hot coffee or slurping some hot noodle soup.  A nice brew would have added some charm, though, instead of the instant coffee served.

 

Mayon Skyline is in Barangay Bu-Ang in Tabaco, Albay.  The entire area belongs to the PERMANENT DANGER ZONE  too.  There was no chance to check out the blacksmiths from Tabaco, Albay — famous for its quality scissors and knives. ( Tabak literally means knife or machete , after which the place got its name.  )   Rather, we drove on towards Ligao City where Kawa Kawa Hill is.  Many Catholic pilgrims visit this natural park especially during the Lenten Season to do their Stations of the Cross. Moving on, we passed Guinobatan, Albay where the tree-lined road blends with the popular mode of transportation in the area — tricycles and jeepneys — and some old houses and more 17th-18th century churches.

 

 

 

One such old church is in Camalig, Albay whose patron saint is St. John the Baptist. The belfry is touched by this old tree with creepers along its branches and twigs, which stands witness to many Sunday masses and passing parishioners.  Unlike their counterparts in many parts of the country,  these churches are situated in wide plazas and must have served as community centers in the olden days.

 

It’s amazing how many 17th and 18th century churches one can find in Albay alone.  No wonder many of our priests hail from this place.  You can sense the spirituality in these places and among the people.  Truly, adversity has its favorable results.  Being in the typhoon belt, exposed to nature’s fury, the Bicolanos have strong faith in God’s mercy, as are just as blessed with many natural wonders like the near-perfect cone of Mayon and the nearby whale sharks  in Donsol, Sorsogon.   Come visit!

 

More photos in my TravelBlog site.


Mayon Skyline On a Foggy Morning!

Mayon Above the Barbed Wires

Cagsawa Ruins Without Mayon Volcano as Background

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Lechon at Kakanin, Anytime!

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels — 4 Comments
March 11, 2011

Lechon or Roasted Pig

 

The celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain once visited the Philippines and tried our lechon. He then declared it is the best he has ever tried in all his travels.

 

This roasted pig adorns almost every buffet table as families and friends celebrate occasions from birthdays to anniversaries to graduations to weddings to baptisms to fiestas.   It is the equivalent of a royalty dish.   It is our Filipino equivalent to the American turkey,  or to the roast beef.    When lechon adorns a buffet table,  every Filipino starts thinking of having a feast.   And almost always,  the roasted and crunchy skin is the first to go.   Some stuff the roasted pig with various herbs and serve lechon without any dips, like the lechon from the Visayas, a group of islands south of Manila.  Others serve lechon with a dip of liver sauce (some sweet, some a little spicy),  or with a vinegar and soy sauce dip. We have heard of many tales of fatal heart attacks in many parties where the victims indulged of this cholesterol load.  You may say you can savor lechon and enjoy it at your own risk.   The health hazards are however set aside in favor of this savory meal.

 

Lechon Kawali or Wok-Fried Pork Chunks

 

Many restaurants serving Filipino dishes include lechon in its menu, but if you want to see the whole pig chopped up into half kilo or one kilo servings,  you may want to try going to Baclaran Church in Pasay-Paranaque along Roxas Boulevard (lining Manila Bay), or just try your luck in supermarkets with food stalls (like in SM Supermarket, Cash and Carry Supermarket) where lechon is available for take out .

 

Lumpiang Sariwa (Fresh Vegetable Roll)

Vegetable Dishes

 

To “ease” the guilt of that cholesterol load, you may order any of these vegetable dishes :

 

Pinakbet

 

Pinakbet or Pakbet :  this came from Northern Philippines but has somehow become a mainstay vegetable dish in many Filipino homes.   Vegetables include ampalaya (bitter gourd), squash, stringbeans, eggplant, and okra.   Some cook it a tad dry, others soupy, flavored with the very Filipino bagoong or shrimp paste. If you are a vegetarian, be sure to tell the waiter to have it cooked WITHOUT pork or any meat slices.

 

Bicol Express

 

Laing and Bicol Express :  From Bicol Region some 8 hours drive south of Manila,  this spicy dish is cooked in coconut milk.   Taro leaves are used for the laing and again, some cook it a bit dry or saucy.  Either way,  it is spiced up enough to make it a dish hailing from Bicol, which is famous for its peppery dishes.

 

Buko Chopsuey

 

Chopsuey :  If you are familiar with Chinese cuisine,  this is the same chopsuey which has become another Filipino favorite. In Bicol, there is a variation of the dish:  Buko Chopsuey.

Kakanin:  Bibingka, Puto Bumbong at Iba Pa

Bibingka

 

I live near the area of Greenbelt Makati where many trendy and gourmet restaurants can be found.   Italian, Greek,  Spanish,  American,   Chinese, Thai, Indian……….take your pick.   Among the Filipino restaurants ,  you can try the very established, not that expensive “Via Mare” .  Here, one finds the very Filipino rice cake called bibingka served either with our local buffalo cheese or salted egg,  fried noodles served with eggs, shrimps, squid, pork rinds called pancit luglug and again, the guinomis or halo halo.  Our local bread called pandesal is also available here, served with kesong puti which is the equivalent of the Italian mozzarrela, but way cheaper!   There are other rice cakes and desserts like puto bumbong (colored purple!) and palitaw which are all priced so reasonably I have to insist you try them all!  Most rice cakes are served with shredded coconut meat.

 

Puto Bumbong

Bibingkoy

 

Happy eating, everyone!

 

Have more cravings? More photos can be found in my TravelBlog site. 

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Craving For Bicolano Food?

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels — 11 Comments
March 8, 2011

Bicol Express. Sounds like a train to you?  That is exactly what it was.  The non-stop train from Manila going south to the Bicol Region is called Bicol Express. The train’s long gone,and many take the overnight buses now.  [As of end of June 2011, the PNR train from Manila to Naga resumed operations.] But the Bicol dish to which it gave its name, remains a favorite popular Bicolano dish.  In Albay, we tried this dish in 1st Colonial Grill in Legazpi City and in “Let’s Pinangat” , a roadside eatery in Camalig, Albay.

Traditional Bicol Cuisine

 

Quite distinct from the local cuisine found in other parts of the country, Bicol is famous for its spicy, coconut cream-based dishes.  Local folks here even eat raw “sili” (peppers) dipped in salt to go with their rice.  By itself, it is a meal.  Just watch them pop the “sili” into their mouths without touching their lips and following it up with rice scooped with their hands.

 

I’d say the Bicolano cuisine is truly local, “untouched” by Spanish and Chinese influences.  Coconuts abound in the area. So with the local peppers.  It is a natural consequence that their cuisine will use much of these local ingredients.  Bicol Express may have a very American sounding name, but I will venture to guess that it had a local name before the famous train plied the Manila-Bicol route.  “Laing” and “Pinangat” can only be Bicol as Bicol could be.  Both use homegrown ingredients like taro leaves, and of course the “sili” and coconut cream.  Back in Manila,  the laing — taro leaves stewed in coconut cream — is a regular vegetable dish in many Filipino restaurants.   But nothing beats eating it right here, cooked the traditional way.

Fusion Cuisine

Sili Shake, anyone? And there's Pili Shake too! (Try it at Bicol Blends Cafe)

Small Talk Cafe

 

Of late, many modern restaurants now fuse Western and Bicolano dishes.  Starting off with the milk shakes,  there is a joint called Bicol Blends right beside Hotel Amada and 1st Colonial Grill which serves modern-day fusion drinks for the adventurous.  Sili Shake and Pili Shake , to name a few.   And there’s Small Talk Cafe which serves up pizza and pasta fused with local dishes like pinangat and laing.  We tried the Laing Pizza where the laing or taro leaves look more like the regular pesto on a pizza.  But the laing pasta certainly has a very local, acquired taste.   I liked it, actually.   I could have also tried their Pili Basil Pasta, but there just isn’t any more room for more. For sure, I will have to also try Pasta Mayon when I head back in May.  Pasta Mayon is laing(again!)-filled ravioli with tuna sauce.  It is served in a way that it looks like a volcano with lava flowing.

 

Some Local Sweets and Pili Nuts

“Pili” is Bicol’s prized nut.  Slightly more expensive than almonds, but they are so good one shouldn’t leave the place without trying them.  You may find them in tetra paks, in plastic jars, in plastic sachets all over town.  We got ours from Albay Pili Nut Candy along Rizal Street.  It is reputed to be among the oldest pili stores, operating as a home business or cottage industry.

Sweetened or honeyed Pili Candies make for good desserts.  But if you want to try some street food, check out those roadside stalls selling guinamos which is mashed bananas and sinapot which is banana fritters.  You may also be interested how locals “bake” their rice cakes using only tin cans and charcoal.  You find many versions of the rice cakes in this rice-eating nation and Bicol has its own version, for sure.   All these rice cakes also make for good mid-day snacks or breakfast, and collectively go by the name “kakanin”which literally means “eats”.

Bon apetit! [:)]

More photos  can be found in this TravelBlog site. 


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