It's More Fun In Digman . . .

. . . for halo-halo, that is. While one can have this montage of colors and flavors - pack ‘em into one tall glass and top it with shaved ice and a scoop of ice cream for good measure - from malls, posh hotels, neighborhood street corners and now even Chowking, nothing can be more fun and exciting than having it right there where it all started, Digman. The name actually refers to a barangay in Bacoor, Cavite that is host to a lot of houses/stores selling these little sweet things, the mere sight of which screams that summer’s here.

ready for the orders; once ordered, shaved ice and 

a dose of alpine milk will be added (a scoop of ice 

cream can be added too to make it special)

The road to Digman, Bacoor is quite easy: look for the Bacoor Church (St. Michael’s, if I am not mistaken), walk/drive along its side street (with the Church to the left) for two or three blocks and try to find Rubio St. which must be to the right. Turn right to Rubio St. and go straight ahead until the corner intersects with another street and more than a couple of houses/stores serving halo-halo are in sight.

As to which one to choose from among the houses/stores can be a bit unwieldy. Ask the tambays which one is most masarap, they will safely say that everything is; ask for the original, they'd say that all are pare-parehong original. Hmn, sounds pretty much like Laguna’s buko pie. Being in such a dilemma, we relied on our instincts. We looked around and observed which store gets to have more people in and that’s where we went.

more people flocked to this place; we just went with

the flow and we didn't regret it; we also looked at the 

other stores and we felt like this one is better in terms 

of cleanliness, presentation, etc.

This is only my second time in Digman. The first was sometime in 1989 or 1990 probably, when a friend from Bacoor took me there. Revisiting Digman this time around is indeed long overdue.

Others may not find Digman at the top of their list as its ingredients, 12 in all, can be overwhelming. They'd rather much go to Razon’s with its simple combination and finely crushed ice or Kabigting’s with its unique ingredients including carabao's milk and pastillas. But still, no one can deny that Digman has long established its rightful place in the realm of halo-halo. Current store operators are already the 3^rd generation and if the presence of kids helping out in the kitchen indicates something, it could be that Digman is assured of business continuity in the next generation/s to come.

12 all in all: garbanzos, white beans, ube, red gelatin,

banana, green gelatin, macapuno, leche flan, sago,

red beans, langka and nata de coco; we asked why 

there is no camote and we were told that "the original

one does not include camote"; we also asked why they 

prefer to shave the ice the classic way ("kaskas"), and

we were told that the customers prefer it that way . . .

some of the ingredients up close

Top of the City

I’ve been to three (3) different places in the city recently, all of which invariably provide vantage points that allowed us to view it with a different eye.  I cannot exactly conclude that the views are spectacular or amazing as it depends much on what one sees and wants to see. Generally, all of them are nice places for late afternoon to early evening chillax.

Here they go:

Sky Deck View Bar

Location. 10F, The Bayleaf, Intramuros, Manila

View Highlights.  The golf course, historic walls of Intramuros and the American colonial structures specifically the National Museum, Department of Finance Building and the Manila City Hall. It also has a partial view of Manila Bay from Manila Hotel to the Port Area. Sunset view is residual as some buildings can block it. All areas of the bar are al fresco. Not sure if it has wi-fi though.

Food. The chef describes it as heritage fusion – classic dishes given new twist (callos manilena, hainanese chicken, etc). Did not try it because firstly, I was not there for the food but for the view and secondly, I had salad and soup at the 9 Spoons restaurant one deck below the bar.

  

Straight Up

Location. 16F, Seda Boutique Hotel, Bonifacio Global City (behind Serendra – the side not facing Market! Market!). Since this area is far from the bay, sunset view is practically nil. The entire area is split into two parts – one part al fresco and another part enclosed (with aircon). Has wi-fi.

View Highlights. All things surrounding BGC, specifically Serendra and the Bonifacio High Street area. One can also see Laguna de Bay with Antipolo and part of Sierra Madre far behind.

Food. Bar food (salpicao, gambas, calamares, etc)

Roofdeck Lounge of Microtel Hotel

Location. Roofdeck (13F) of the Microtel Hotel, beside SMX and the Mall of Asia. The entire area is al fresco, with a small rectangular pool at the central elevated portion. Has wi-fi.

View Highlights. If one is after the sunset, this is the place to be, provided, there is no private function there. This affords a 360-degree unobstructed view of the metropolis from the Port Area to the entire Manila Bay to Sangley Point, to Makati, Manila, etc. Sunset view is 100%, no obstruction unless the day is cloudy. Added highlights of the view are the four (4) or five (5) planes lining up airborne at various times of the day in preparation for their final approach to the airport runway. Boats cruising the bay also occasionally pass by. And when the night falls, the SM side of the place takes on a different character with lights and all.

Food. The deck does not have a restaurant nor a bar but there is a waiter on standby for orders to be placed and processed at the restaurant within the hotel.

Clean, Green & Serene (Bulusan Lake)

Seeing Bulusan Lake, surrounded by lush green foliage that's reflected on the lake, is a welcome change from the dirty murky waters of Laguna de Bay and Taal Lake. It's free from fishpens too owing to its deliberate preservation as a natural park.

kayaks and waterbikes for rent; visitors who try the

water activities are required to put on life vests that

the park provides

We went there on a quick stopover from Matnog, Sorsogon. The lake which is of course in Bulusan, Sorsogon sits at about 1,500 meters above sea level in a forested area adjacent to Bulusan Volcano. Going up there involves negotiating sharp, narrow and blind curves, through over reaching foliage of the surrounding forest.

I have this thing about strange places. While passing through the countless bends en route to Bulusan Lake, I asked myself what if there is a red-eyed dragon spewing fire in the next bend? Or what if there is a humongous python with long flapping wings waiting to devour us in ambush in the next turn? Well, I know it's simply insane. The driver and the other van passengers though had a good laugh with me on these thoughts.

At any rate, overall, it is a convenient drive up the lake. A winding concrete road led us all the way up to the lakeside. And there's a huge parking at the entrance. There is no need to walk up a mile or so unlike in Lake Pandin, San Pablo City.

Park attendants said that the lake is about 16 hectares in size and 29 meters at its deepest. There is not much to do except a couple of water sports activities for a fee - kayak and waterbike for about PHP500 an hour. Picnics can also be held there.

 Only the kids tried out the kayak. I didn't, imagining that there might be a devil in the deep green water of the lake. I was again full of what ifs - what if there is a giant octopus or squid or whatever its freshwater counterpart is that would drag the kayak paddlers down the lake and never to be found again? Or what if the water suddenly turns into a giant whirlpool, makes dizzying turns and takes the kayak and the paddlers into the deep nothingness of an abyss?


Anyway, the tranquil lake and the forest cover around it are sights to behold, relaxing and pleasing to the eyes. There is obviously nothing much like it in or near the city (i.e. Manila). I hope it remains forever clean, green and serene for visitors to see.

the kayak and the paddlers provide an interesting photo op as they cut

through the placid waters of the lake leaving behind a trail of ripples

 

Beach(a) By Golly Wow: Subic Beach (Matnog, Sorsogon)

Coming from Manila, Subic Beach in an island off Matnog, Sorsogon may be a beach too far. But if one's on a constant search for that beach with iconic fine white sand and clean/clear water, then, Subic Beach is it. Take note that this is Subic Beach in Matnog, Sorsogon NOT in Olongapo, so press the geography mode ON before going.

We braved the 10-hour night-time Cagsawa bus ride (Penafrancia, Isarog, Philtranco and other bus lines also ply the route) from Cubao to Legazpi City, which is our base. Then, add another 3-hour van ride from Legazpi to Matnog, Sorsogon and finally, a 20 to 30-minute motorboat ride, with eardrum busting engines, to Subic Beach from the shores of Matnog behind the public market and next to the ferry terminal. The 2-way boat ride set us back by PHP1,500 but that includes a sidetrip to Juag Fish Sanctuary. Charging is per boat not per passenger so I believe that it's reasonable. I don't remember being charged for setting foot on the island itself although most blogs say that the caretaker (the island is allegedly privately owned) collects from the visitors.


our motorboat, negotiating a narrow strip of seaway en route to
Subic Beach in an island off Matnog, Sorsogon; Matnog's pride can
be reached by passing through that small opening in the
background, turning right and going straight ahead



As we approached the island beach - noticing the water getting clearer, green island vegetation, tree-lined shore and glimmering white sand - we forgot all the distance we've traveled to make it here.

 

 This beach is for the adventurous and backpacker-type, definitely not for someone expecting the amenities of Boracay's Discovery Shores or Shangri-la or any other high-end resort.
In fact, it has no amenities to speak of, except for a row of tents and nipa cottages off the tree-lined shore. But what it lacks in amenities, it makes up for with abundant natural beauty, the rawness of it all, the privilege to be almost alone on the beach - no crowd jostling for space - and more importantly, no notorious summer lumot of Boracay.

By the way, before leaving the shores of Matnog, one should not forget to buy food provisions at the market (if no baon yet) - fresh fish to be grilled in the island  by the boatman (read: give tip later), a kilo or two of rice which the ate in the island can cook for only PHP20 and other things needed to survive and make the stay convenient somehow. But no worry, there is a small store in the island that sells sari-sari stuff but at a convenience store price (think 7-11 or Mini-stop).

In my case, I was okay with the banig I bought from the Matnog market for PHP100 which I rolled out on the sand to sit or lie down on.

the banig bought at Matnog public market; one can

also buy fresh fish and rice at the public market to be

grilled and cooked, respectively, in the island

As of now, nothing much can be expected except for the natural beauty God gave it when it was created. Its sand may not be as spectacular as Boracay's Station 1 but it can surely give Boracay's decadent Station 2 and Station 3 a run for its money, sand-wise. It's something like Kalanggaman Islet in Palompon, Leyte, or the Bohol and Bantayan Island beaches. But definitely, a notch higher than Bolinao's or Pagudpud's. That's as far as the comparison goes with reference to sand fine-ness and white-ness. But whereas Kalanggaman does not have a water source (one has to bring water to the island), Subic Beach has, assuring visitors of a decent wash up after a good dip. The water is potable for those with tough tummies but for those with sensitive ones, it is best to hold on to that precious bottle of mineral water like a baby does to his milk.

one can frolic in the beach and have a good tan 

 

or if one thinks that the sun is still too harsh, he/she can stay under the

shade and lull himself on a hammock or lie down on the mat rolled onto

the sand for optimum comfort

 

Subic Beach has striking similarities with Maira-ira cove in Pagudpud - it's a cove; and sorry to the romantics, it's not a sunset beach. And if Maira-ira is the northernmost decent beach in Luzon, Subic Beach is the southernmost fantastic beach in Luzon, already the gateway to Visayas and Mindanao. 

While there is talk of a planned development soon for a resort, it definitely will take sometime to get realized. Meanwhile, I like it the way it is - pure somehow, simple and beautiful with no trappings of being exorbitant and luxurious beyond afford.

water's so clear that one might not be able to hide

what she wants to hide :-)

 

Thanks to cousin Melan for taking us there and accommodating us in her Legazpi mansion as our base for our Bicol summer explore.

 

Patar Beach (Bolinao, Pangasinan)

We fondly call Patar Beach in Bolinao, Pangasinan as our default beach destination during the Holy Week. In the absence of any other plan for the Holy Week, that's where we go to, almost always (that is, when we don't have a planned vacation in Boracay or Pagudpud or somewhere else or when we don't do any visita iglesia). That's where we went to this year (2013) as in last year and, as in the past so many years (since about 18 years ago).

Bolinao moments are real family moments predictably spent this way: join the procession on Maundy Thursday by walking after the centuries-old "poon" of our tito and tita (I have a separate blog article on this), and then Patar Beach on Good Friday and Black Saturday. We wake up early Sunday morning to depart for Manila, stopping over at Alaminos to buy dozens of longganisa at the public market.

I share the observation of many beach bums that Filipinos are quite obsessed with beaches with sugary or talcum(y) white sand plus clear water. In other words, Boracay. Well, Patar Beach is not like that - its sand is not sugary white but rather, light golden brown pretty much similar to the texture and color of light brown sugar. The sea is clear somehow but not as clear as Boracay.


my nephew in his beach moment; getting ready for the sunset



my niece in her beach moment too; despite comments,
the golden sand is quite ok, still feels nice to walk-squat-sit on

In my ten (10) or so times in Patar Beach, its sea has always been choppy and in most parts, gets deep abruptly. One has to be quite careful swimming there as stories of lost lives are common. In our case, we just stay safely close to the shore, up to shoulder-deep at the most.

Patar Beach is within walking distance to another age-old attraction, the Cape Bolinao light house, reputed as the second tallest in the Philippines. Perched on a hill of course, it affords a vantage point to view the South China Sea (er, West Philippine Sea).There are also caves along the way - I entered one many years ago and have no plans of entering another one ever. I guess no cave can ever compare to the beauty and grandeur of the subterranean channel (commonly known as underground river) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The way we enjoy Patar Beach is so simple - stay under the thatched nipa huts with good food (usually inihaw na liempo, inihaw na isda, pancit and ensalada with bagoong) and cold drinks and then start taking a dip only at 3 or 4 PM when the sunlight is less harsh to the skin until the sun sets, after which we call it a day. There are no other water fun activities anyway, unlike in other beaches.

    

    

our food last Black Saturday; in observance of tradition, we don't eat meat on

Good Fridays that is why we kid ourselves that during Black Saturdays,

yesterday's denial is today's indulgence; we are able to prepare this much

because our sister-in-law has a place in Bolinao where we not only sleep

but cook as well; we buy fish and vegetables at Bolinao public market

Of course, picture-taking galore always happens such as these:

siblings enjoying their photo session while the rest

of the relatives look on/do their own thing as well

my nieces, taking a break from their dip, with cute

pomeranians borrowed from their tita



     

my nephew on patar beach for the first time; he's taking up metallurgical

engineering in UP Diliman and it must have been an intense semana santa

for him had I left him out holed up alone at Kalayaan dorm where he stays



Once again, we thank our sister-in-law Angela for our stay in Bolinao.







Maundy Thursday Procession in Bolinao, Pangasinan

Holy Week to our family is almost always equated with Bolinao, Pangasinan. We are quite fortunate that a sister-in-law hails from the place and her family owns a couple of beachfront properties wherein we can stay.

To beat the mass exodus to the north during Holy Week, we decided to hit the road on a Wednesday (March 27, 2013). Driving was reasonably fast and easy; reached Bolinao in no more than six (6) hours. We all passed our EQ as we successfully resisted every minute temptation to go to the beach.

The day after, Maundy Thursday (March 28, 2013), was when we joined Bolinao's traditional procession. A lot of Catholic images get paraded around town (actually, in streets adjacent to the centuries-old St. James the Great Church), creating a long throng of religious townsfolk following each image of their choice. That's what impresses me about Bolinao's procession. Many people from all walks of life, young and old, join it. And this does not include yet the groups of people waiting by the street corners to witness the ceremony too.

 

My sister-in-law's family owns one image, isang poon na saksakan ng luma, as it's been handed down from generation to generation. I was told by my tito and tita, the current owners of the "poon" that theirs came from Mexico and by far, they are the 4th generation owner-possessor-custodian of it. It's thus close to 400 years old, just a little bit younger (younger?) than the church itself which also has its own claim to antiquity.



I always feel some sense of inner and deeper faith each time I (together with my relatives) wait for the "poon" to emerge from the church gate, with the coral facade of the old church as backdrop (thank God, no environmental issue then), and walk after it along the streets of the town adjacent to the church. Seeing the procession happen and the sea of humanity joining it religiously each year confirms that indeed our faith is ours to keep.

Our sincerest gratitude always goes out to my sister-in-law Angela (and her family) for our Bolinao stay during Holy Week.

Be Cool in Bicol: Kawa-Kawa Park (Ligao City, Albay)

Our 2013 summer is essentially Bicol-dominated. Although a week prior to our Bicol visit we were in Bolinao, Pangasinan for the Holy Week, Bicolandia has always been beckoning us.

Our base, Legazpi City; our host, my "cousin-in-law" in whose house we stayed while in Legazpi. Upon our arrival, she wasted no time in driving us to Kawa-Kawa Park in nearby Ligao City also in Albay, which is about 30-45 minutes from Legazpi.

Kawa-Kawa is something like a caldera on top of a hill. It's simple - imagine a giant that set foot on a mountain peak with a humongous "wok" or kawa he buried on the summit; imagine the giant taking the kawa right after thus creating a huge crater with greenery and sunflower blooms all around. It has a concrete walkway on the rim; take a walk and get a 360-degree exhilirating view of the environs.


Going up is like climbing up the Great Wall of China. But dotting the route though on the way up are the various stations of the cross meant for contemplation and prayer.

Many visitors don't make it to the top; they just end up taking some rest on a treehouse midway through. After the breather, they go back down the slope. That's what happened to my companions and I saw it happen to the others too.

They gave up on the climb. Halfway through the ascent, they stopped climbing farther/further and just stayed on at the treehouse for some refreshments and chit-chat while waiting for me to complete my climb all the way up.

When we all came down, my companions lighted some candles and said a little prayer. The place is actually one big site for the Shrine of the Divine Mercy, but still under construction though.  

The candles to be lit up are color-coded. I just don't remember which color stands for what but there seems to be one color representing something - there's red, violet, yellow, green, blue, etc. which you match with your personal intention, be it for penance, love, health, peace, for the soul of the departed, etc.

Before heading back home, we also had some photo op down the slope of the Kawa-Kawa Park amidst the seemingly smiling yellow sunflowers. The majestic Mayon Volcano stood steady in the background in one of our fabulous shots.

After our Kawa-Kawa Park visit, we headed back for Legazpi City but not without dropping by Ravago's in Guinobatan, Albay for its famed longganisa, buying a few dozens for dinner.

For this trip, our special thanks go out to Melan. Next up is Be Cool in Bicol: Subic Beach (Matnog, Sorsogon).