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Showing posts from July, 2009

The Tricycle: Endemically Pinoy

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Some people consider this a nuisance because of the noise they create. You can hear them coming towards you from a few blocks away, which can be good news if you are waiting for one, but bad news if you are trying to read a book or watch a really good movie. The tricycle is the most common form of transportation in small towns and inside subdivisions and villages. It is the common motorcycle, not the big bikes of the Harley-Davidson type, but the typical two-passenger motorcycle where a side-car is attached. The simplest type can accomodate only 3 people, while in other areas, the sidecars can accomodate 7 because some drivers make contortionists out of their passengers, especially the long-limbed foreigner.

Fruit in Season: Santol (Sandor Fruit)

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The very thought of eating santol makes my mouth water, not because it is tasty in the classic way, or the ideal way that people describe tasty, but because its taste can range from really sour, to just sour and to sweet, depending on which part of the fruit you are eating, also. To eat santol, the skin should be pared of thinly to uncover a thick pinkish pulp that becomes purple when exposed. Even if it is soaked in water, after sometime, that area beneath the thin skin covering still turns purple. Some people love to eat this part of the fruit (but no thanks, I cant bear its acidity) now, here is the interesting part. After eating all that pulp, you will see 5 big seeds. No matter how you try to resist to not swallow the big santol seeds, your resistance will crumble as the seeds are the sweetest and most delicious part of the santol. I just cant help but swallow them. I remember being warned by the old folks that the seeds should not be swallowed otherwise a santol plant will...