Adto na 'ta

Life is very laid back in this small but pretty town of Laguna, is probably what you will be thinking once you set your feet here.  Vestiges of Spanish colonialism is very evident in each turn you make from the town center, to the church (naturally) and to the municipal hall.   The town of Pila was the selected place to visit for the regular historical tour for Japanese students and yours truly.  And our first stop was the museum of Pila.  The town museum contains many architectural finds such as potteries and historical artifacts that revealed settlement in the area of Bgy. Pinagbayanan during the late 900 A.D.   It was also here that the oldest crematorium was discovered.   Of course, earthen pots served a big purpose to Pilenos in the early times.   Before refrigetors and freezers were invented and introduced in the Philippines, people used the earthen pots to retain the freshness and coolness of food and water. ...

The town of Pila is Laguna's response to the Vigan of Ilocos in that Pila's old homes have preserved the Spanish architecture that characterized them: carved wooden balustrades, wooden or iron bars crossing the shuttered windows that give natural ventilation,  recessed porches and balconies, interior courtyards, and rooms wide enough to hold a mini basketball game.  Every post and column is elaborately designed and even the walling is arranged in a way that is classy.   The total effect is enchanting.  It wouldn't be difficult to imagine a Don or Dona walking with a very aristocratic flair inside these homes, followed by his or her girlfriday.    In 2007, Pila's town plaza and surrounding ancestral homes were declared by the National Historical Institute as a National Historical Landmark.  Pila was bestowed this honor because of the many tangible remnants of Spanish occupation in the town, aside from that there have been many archaelogical fin...

Cebu Pacific's inflight magazine writes Neva's as one of the places to go to get delicious pizza and other kind of good food in Puerto Prinsesa.  It is a simple affair, nestled in a garden full of ornamental plants and trees, but the food is far from simple. Their menu is quite ecclectic.  No telling what they really specialize, I can only say, that what I tasted were all tasty and worth raving about. I am a lover of crepes and even dabbled in my kitchen sometimes to test my culinary skills about crepes, so I did not miss this opportunity to try Neva's Austrian Crepe for only P50.   Most crepes are sweetened only by their filling, but Austrian crepe is already sweet in itself, so I think it's what makes it different from others.  I had it for breakfast and it sustained me till my next meal. 

Like any tourist destination, there are many souvenir items for sale at every tourist site in Palawan.  If you go to Honda Bay, there are vendors that sell souvenir items such as t-shirts, fancy pearl jewelries, ref magnets, key chains, and the like.  They are very affordable.  T-shirts can be bought from P100 - up in Honda Bay, while some items sell from P10 - up.  Thinking that they are very cheap, many would jump at the chance to get these items and buy in bulk, just what had happened to me.  However, I was prevented from spending more in pasalubong when I saw the wisdom of asking the ubiquitous tricycle drivers of Puerto Prinsesa.   Tricycle drivers make very good resource people about secrets in a town or place (naturally) They directed me to the best place to go when 'pasalubong' shopping in Puerto Prinsesa:  The TIANGGE, TIANGGE!  We are all familiar with the concept of the "tiangge."   Many stalls side-by-side each othe...

For P40, one can see these dangerous reptiles at the Palawan Wildlife and Rescue Center, which was formerly called Crocodile Farming Institure.   It is a breeding facility for the c. porosus and c.mindorensis type of crocodiles.  The big ones you see here are the older crocs which you find at the back of the hatchery.  These crocodiles appear languid but once a piece of chicken (for P30) is thrown at them, they all scramble, teeth and claws to have a piece of it.  It is exciting to see them all attack it and the more it is dangled, the wilder they get.    From this bridge, one could see tens of crocs below, some motionless, waiting for the right time to pounce on something, some lazily crawling.  At the opposite end of this bridge, you will see the Wildlife Conservation Center where some rescued animals are secured in cages.   Below are the hatchlings which really look so cute and adorable but can be mean and snappy.  So one...

If you can see a dead mangrove submerged for over a year in sea water, chances are, you will be able to see this slimy, worm-looking creature that lives and feeds on the flesh of the dead mangrove.  It is called Tamilok and according to people who have tasted it, its flesh tastes like the flesh of an oyster.   Many tamilok vendors sell them in Sabang beach, when I spent half a day there on our way to the underground river. Well, the big question you probably want to ask is:  How is it eaten?  It is eaten in 'kinilaw' manner. Meaning, you will need vinegar, some fresh chilis, some kalamansi or philippine lemon.  Like in this photo, the smaller cup contains the dip consisting of vinegar, chili and kalamansi.  Now, dip the tamilok in the vinegar and swallow it in its entirety (lest you'd feel nauseaus), slurping and gulping it down with a beer or what-have-you.   This bowl of tamilok costs P100.   

  Baker's Hill is a travel destination in Puerto Prinsesa because it is a business establishment with a unique format.  It is a combination of a refreshment parlor and theme park, and unlike some theme parks privately run, there is no entrance fee at Baker's Hill.  So coming here is not only refreshing and delightful it is also easy on the pocket.  This attractive lifesize statue of a baker, welcomes everyone warmly.  With this kind of reception, who would not come in and savor the delicious goodies that this one-of-a-kind bakeshop makes? Our friends from Disneyland also graced Baker's Hill theme park.  Donald Duck and Bugs Bunny are just among them and seeing lifesizes of these characters amaze the kids and other adults who grew up watching these characters on TVs or movies. The management not only wants to keep the mini-theme park entertaining, they also want to make it educational.  If children want to see some Jurassic era animals,  th...