The Long and Winding Road – Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary

I want to dedicate a page in my blog to Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary because of the hardworking owners. I was really surprised and amused on how they maintain their area knowing that they are just a family of (I dunno how many kids) but the couple is very determined.

Photo courtesy of Ynah

I came across Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary a few months before I announced the tour to my friends. (Researcher ang peg!) I was fascinated by the clear waters and the big fishes where guests can freely swim and feed them. I know there’s a place like this in Looc, Romblon but Matnog is more accessible via land.

It began to rain really hard upon our arrival in Juag Lagoon. I was losing hope because we were on a very tight itinerary and the weather was not very cooperative. We were already wet from swimming so we just went out of the boat and went inside the sanctuary. I felt the cold rain water smashing through my very dark skin. I felt cold. We all went under the roof of a small make-shift and waited for the rain to stop. But it did not. The owner of Juag Lagoon approached Jenny asking if she was with milet. They called my name and I introduced myself. A few seconds later the owner guided us to a small raft and off we went to the cages.

Photo courtesy of Ynah

The BIG FISH encounter (plus the sharp teeth)

Photo courtesy of Paul

I was not scared of fishes. (Am I?) Well that’s what I knew until I met a big fish grinning at me as I was being led by the owner towards the center. The big fish was showing me his sharp teeth. Scary!

Some of my friends laughed at me when I immediately went at the back and hesitated to follow the owner’s lead. BUT when my friends’ turn to swim with the big fish came, they confirmed my fear. (Sinabi nang nakakatacute e. :P)

Before leaving the place I asked the owner about the sea cucumber I saw in one of the blogs. I thought it was gone already. But then kuya Alex told the team to wait while he searched for it. He came back holding this slimy creature.

Photo courtesy of Paul

And for our final picture… This is what we were raving about! J

Photo Courtesy of Paul

Trivia:

Juag Lagoon has a 13 year-old milk fish.

The owners do NOT sell the fishes.

The owners do NOT eat the fishes. I think they were treated as pets.

The Long and Winding Road – Matnog, the unexpected paradise

Matnog, Sorsogon (Photo courtesy of Ynah.^_^)

Seriously I was just curious about Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary in Matnog. I was not thinking about anything else. I shrug off the possibility of visiting Subic beach because I did not know that place well and I have not read a blog detailing an island hoping tour around the area. (Or siguro masyado lang akong nag-iisip nung nagresearch ako.)

At the back it says "You are now leaving the island of Luzon" Isang roro na lang Samar na! :)

Upon arriving at Matnog, we were greeted by kuya Alex's daughter. She assisted us in registering 

at Matnog tourism office located beside the municipal office. (Btw, Kuya Alex is the owner of Juag Lagoon Marine Sanctuary.)

After registering she accompanied us to the parking area near their house where we settled for some time and washed up. Please note that Juag lagoon is a marine sanctuary and sun blocks are not allowed.

Tikling Island

Our first stop was at Tikling Island. We were like kids excited for some candies and lollipops when we arrived. They were asking, “Can we swim here?” The usual answer was “Of course!”

Our boats (Photo from Ynah)

Doing our "ngee pose" Jay tsk tsk (Photo from Paul)

Starting the island hopping... (Photo from Ynah)

Gusto ko na rin ng camera ni Ynah! Thanks for this picture Ynah!

We enjoyed the island for 30 minutes or so. We were just there for half  a day so we compressed the IT. Given another day in Sorsogon, I would love to spend the night at Tikling island and watch the sky go from blue to brilliant orange to gray until the diamonds are up in the sky. :)

Subic Beach

The usual itinerary said our second stop would have been Juag Lagoon. However the area was packed with tourists when we arrived there. So instead of wasting our time waiting for the area to clear up, we opted to visit the famous Subic beach. J

In between our banca ride there were lots of times when we just looked down. We were screaming “Hala, ang linaw ng tubig. Ang lalim nakakatakot.”

Photo from Paul

Photo from Paul

We were looking at Subic beach when our boatman asked if we would like to go to Subic liit or Subic daku. I asked what the difference between the two was and he pointed that Subic liit is the deserted one and Subic daku is the big one. We saw that there were a number of boats docked at Subic daku so we opted to stay at Subic liit. J

Hi Ynah. Featured! :) (Photo from Ynah)

I am not a good swimmer but I can float. That alone made me brave enough to jump and swim! I so love Subic beach! J

And by the way, while we were swimming Paul took this photo of the lovely place using his Nexus phone.

Subic liit beach. Photo by Paul.

 The Caves

There are caves near Subic beach where the tourists can go inside. But take note that this adventure is "at your own risk." Swimming with strong current and waves inside the cave is dangerous.

Being adventurous that we are, we decided to give it a go.

Looks calm but don't be deceived.

 We went inside the big one and were surprised by what we saw. I'll leave this experience to the adventurous.

This area is great for snokeling activity.

After an adventure of a lifetime.:)

The Long and Winding Road – Face to Face with a Whale Shark

The whale shark encounter is actually a gamble. Whale sharks are wild animals (meaning they are not kept in cages for the tourists to see) so it’s really the work of faith and luck to witness the grandeur of one of the largest mammals on earth.

And because it was a gamble, the team would really want to maximize their bets. It’s no joke paying 700Php++  per person out of nothing so we ‘kinda’ played safe.

The government of Donsol continuously protects the whale sharks by imposing rules regarding the whale shark encounter. One of the rules is securing that there will only be 30 boats on the waters at the same time. So this leads them to having 2 batches every day. We placed our bets by registering for the second batch. The logic behind was if there will be a sighting for the first batch then the second batch will have a higher probability of seeing it also.

Before boarding the boat, the tourists need to undergo a 15-minute orientation/presentation of the rules and regulations. This also gives us an idea of what to expect and what to do during the encounter.

We started to sail at 11AM. We were divided into 2 groups because the policy says that a maximum of 6 persons [per boat] can interact with the whale shark at any given time. We were excited (me afraid) to meet the gentle giant. We sailed for almost 2 hours but the gentle giant was still out of sight. We were beginning to get frustrated because we cannot afford to stay for another day in Donsol. We need to move to Matnog the next day (and that is a strict IT. :P) So our companions started praying. Oops! Pati ako nakisali.

Well prayers do really help! After a few more minutes the spotter from another banca saw the whale shark and alerted our BOI. Our bangkero (being the expert that he is) positioned our boat on the most likely path of the fish. Our BOI instructed us to sit on the edge and jump. When he said “Look down!” we all submerged ourselves and the moment of glory came rushing though our veins.

The first thing we saw was its enormous mouth. It was directly underneath us. I was delirious at the same time excited [more of afraid.] We stayed there for a couple of minutes and watch the creature swim past us. I thought we will be slapped by its tail because it seemed so close. I was actually frantic when I saw the tail.

We don’t have pictures of the Butanding encounter. But the image and the grandeur of the whale shark will always be in our minds - forever.

Group Picture after the encounter. Happy kids! :)

The Long and Winding Road – Getting to Donsol and Firefly Watching

It was almost 4Pm when we started our journey to Donsol. Nobody in the group reached that far yet so we just relied on google maps hoping that it shows the right path. I noticed that most of the time it was just us on the road. I felt somewhat isolated. I knew that the air outside is fresh. That the fields are bountiful and the coconut trees give abundant harvest. That makes me excited to stare at the night sky!

Prior to coming to Donsol, I booked 3 rooms at Aguluz Homestay. I was hesitant at first because I didn’t know what to expect but I thought that’s what adventure makes it an adventure. Moreover, it was suggested by a friend who is from the region so that was an added point. The house was as we saw on their FB page. I was hoping to meet Tita Marilyn but the caretaker told me that she was in Legaspi that time. The caretaker immediately led us to our spacious and beautiful rooms. It feels like home away from home. J

On our first night; with tired bodies, aching muscles and sleepy heads we managed to squeeze in the firefly river cruise. We were fetched by our boatman at around 8:30PM. I thought it was a little bit late for the activity but the boatman told me not to worry because fireflies are plentiful even after midnight. From Aguluz homestay, we walked a few hundred meters to reach the river. We boarded a boat that brought us to the mangroves.

The river was calm; the stars were shining brightly in the velvet sky; the air was smooth and soothing enough to make our eyelids fall. (Pagod na pagod lang ang peg from 15 hours of traveling!) It was the perfect condition for firefly watching and dozing off. (Ha ha!)

I was not expecting anything because out of my extensive research abilities, I did not see any video/picture describing the tour. A few minutes after we boarded the boat we saw a tree glittering from the rest. I thought it was a Christmas tree (on May). The boat went closer and I realized there were hundreds and hundreds of fireflies dancing and swaying. (I mean the tree looks like dancing and swaying because of the tiny sparkling fireflies.) We were like, “Oh em gee!” Disclaimer: I know how a firefly looks like but seeing so many of them on the same tree makes me want to believe in fairies and shout “Pixie dust!”

I think we saw 4 trees glimmering like Christmas trees during the whole tour. It was an amazing experience. What really caught our attention was when our boatman went to one of the trees to get some fireflies and handed them over to us. Tuwang-tuwa lang sa fireflies. J

Sorry, no snapshots or videos. This tour is for our eyes only! J

By the way, here are some pictures taken at Aguluz Homestay.

Search for best male poser (and the extras)

FOOD!

PS: This is 2/5 of a series post [The Long and Winding Road]

Credits to Paul for the pictures. :)

The Long and Winding Road – Kawa-Kawa Hill Sunflower Farm and Mayon Volcano

For me the hardest part of traveling is pulling myself out of my bed, preparing for the trip and calculating how much I would be spending (again). But when I see the excitement of my friends I would always tell myself, “It’s okay Millette. You’ll never have time for this when you get older.”

After a butt-numbing (sleep-depriving) ride to Legaspi, we finally arrived at Kawa-kawa Hill hoping to glance at a wonderful view of the sunflower farm. It was 2PM and was so (as in) hot. Everybody was aching and most of us were not so willing to get out of the vehicle. Let’s add the fact that the sunflowers were not so appealing anymore. But then again IT ko to kaya kailangan kong panindigan. Braving the scorching heat of the sun, we went out and ‘explored’ the farm. How I wished we visited earlier when the sunflowers were in full bloom!

Anyhow, my friend Ynah took these stunning photos of the sunflower farm.

Kawa-kawa Hill Sunflower Plantation (Photo from Ynah)

Do these photos look boring to you?

Sunflowers (Photo from Ynah)

Photo from Ynah

So much for Jay saying "What a boring IT. What a boring sight." Excuse me Jay! :P

After a few minutes of (ang sakit lang sa balat) moments, we proceeded to our next stop. It was the famous Cagsawa Ruins best known for the picturesque Mayon Volcano.

I was tired and exhausted and would really want to rest so I let my friends do the selfies and picture takings while I eat some chili ice cream. To be honest, the ice cream was just so so. It just had this chili flavor. Two (small) scoops made me 25Php poorer. Would I recommend it to friends? Yes, just to be familiar with the taste. But after that, indulge thy self into a more refreshing fruit shake. (Chili flavor of course!)

It was 3PM and the majestic volcano was still shy to show itself. It was mostly covered with clouds. We waited a little longer to witness its crowning glory. 

Mayon Volcano covered with clouds

Not long after we saw the totality of the mountain. It was indeed a perfect cone! (So what's the legend behind this mountain again? ^_^)

Mayon Volcano

PS: This is 1/5 of a series post [The Long and Winding Road]

Credits to Ynah for the pictures! :)

Pinto Art Museum – Antipolo City

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon. I talked to Paul the day before about the possibility of visiting an art gallery in Antipolo. I showed him pictures and write-ups about the museum and the estimated cost of going there. Because it was just a few minutes ride from our place and the entrance fee is just 150Php each, he agreed.

We went out at around 2PM and reached the art gallery in 15 minutes. After parking the car, we immediately entered the “Pinto” and were greeted by the courteous guard who showed us the registration area.

After accomplishing the registration form, we were handed out a flier and a map of the gallery. It was a 1 hectare property converted to a gallery so visitors really need a map.

We went down the stairway to the gallery hall where they house 2 huge paintings. They were the size of the walls.

We explored the place for almost 4 hours. I don’t want to spoil readers on what to expect so I’m just sharing few pictures.

I really recommend this to all. It’s such a wonderful place to immerse oneself in art. The place is nice also. It’s perfect for some solitary moments. You can also bring your pet with you provided that you will clean up their poop as needed.

Till next time. 

I Would Rather Go Hungry Than Eat Filipino Street Food Again! - OR NOT =)

I came across a blog that says "I Would Rather Go Hungry Than Eat Filipino Street Food Again!" I would have not minded because I respect the opinion of two Polish who love to travel on a $25 budget each day. However as I read the write-up it came to me that they were misguided foreigners who are expecting too much of Filipino street foods.

For the sake of every foreigner who are planning to visit the Philippines, our street foods are just like the street foods in China. So if you want street food please go to the local barbecue stand. Our neighbor is selling one of the best barbecue in our place. It's just 10Php per stick. Mind you, 2-3 sticks will suffice for a meal. They also sell "isaw", "roasted chicken head", and "balun-balunan". I am not expecting you to like grose food here in the Philippines because as you said you are foreigners. But that's how we live here.

First, you asked for a traditional breakfast when in Pagudpod. That's not how to ask locals what they eat for breakfast. You should have asked, "Can we have longsilog for breakfast?" Okay, Longsilog is a Filipino term. It is composed of 3 different words. Long - Longganisa; Si- Sinangag and Log - Itlog. Ilocos region is very popular for their local longganisa. I am wondering why you didn't try one.

Here's a photo of another 'silog' that we bought at a food stall during our 100km bike ride. This one is called "Daingsilog" which means Daing - fresh fish soaked in a concoction of vinegar, salt, garlic and pepper, Si - which means sinangag (fried rice) and Log - which means egg. They usually serve eggs in sunny side up. You may ask them to serve you boiled eggs if you want to.

Daingsilog

To experience the real Filipino food, you should have invited yourself in a Filipino home. To do that you can contact a local blogger and ask him/her about where to eat the best Filipino food, the best places to go, the best tasting coffee, the most scenic view and other best things you can find in a place. He/She should have shown you that the best food is served at home.

I agree with the burnt fish. I'm wondering where in Manila you bought that. Please note that grilled sea foods are best eaten when you are at the beach. You would not expect to experience "great" food at most of the food stalls we call carinderia. But if you really want to eat fresh sea foods, please go to Mindanao preferably Davao, General Santos or Surigao del Sur. We were served yummy and delicious sea foods there.

Grilled fish served in Surigao Del Sur

Apart from the grilled fish, have a taste of other sea foods as well.

Clockwise: kinilaw na tuna, lobster, halaan and 7 hungry people

You will not find the dishes above in Manila. Or if you do find them they are relatively expensive. You have to go down south to be within your budget. There are abundant food stalls/carinderias serving these dishes in Mindanao.



Adobo and Kare-kare are best cooked at home. I have yet to praise a carinderia that serves very good tasting adobo or kare-kare. Even the fast food chain named after "Adobo" is not satisfying at all.

You should have gone to Zubuchon in Cebu for the best tasting lechon in the Philippines. I was really delighted to have a taste of their lechon when my husband brought home a few slices.

The fruits in Farmer's Market Cubao can compete with fruits in Baguio, Davao and Cagayan de Oro. You should have visited the place. I'm wondering why you focused yourself in Banawe. Banawe is not known for food. They are known for car spare parts. =) And by the way, there's another place in the Philippines called Banaue. It is known for the stunning Banaue Rice Terraces.

Banaue Rice Terraces

And we were served good food at a local carinderia in Banaue.

Early morning breakfast served at a local carinderia in Banaue

The "sweet curry" doesn't look like a curry to me. It looks like sauteed vegetables. Curry is composed of chicken, potatoes, carrots and bell peppers. Please refer to the photo below as this is what we call curry here in the Philippines. (I added Baguio beans to add color to my curry.)

My own chicken curry

As for the fruits, please bear in mind that Philippines is a tropical country so fruits and vegetables get spoiled over a short period of time. It's a choice whether to buy and eat at that particular state. But yes most of the times the supermarkets offer a good bunch of fresh fruits and vegetables only because the temperature inside is controlled.

The fruits and vegetable in Baguio are the freshest you can find in Luzon. The temperature is quite cold so the fresh harvests are well preserved.

Here are the some of the things you can buy in Baguio at a fraction of $25.

Clockwise: Vegetables, cherry tomatoes, rosemary leaves and strawberries

A statement in the blog says The Filipino food is packed with salt, sugar and oil. But of course!

Take everything in moderation so that you'll not feel bloated/tired.

The deep fried dumpling is what we call empanada. And it is a comfort food. I ate one when I was in Batac, Ilocos Norte and I felt so good about it. The oily pork/lechon should also be taken in moderation as it contains high level of cholesterol.

If you really want to try pancit and siopao asado you should have gone to Binondo as they boast the best chinese food in the Philippines. Pancit and Siopao are local dishes with strong Chinese influence.

And frankly speaking, you CANNOT find FRESH pineapple juice along the sidewalks. =) Let me take you to Bukidnon or South Cotabato to have a taste of the freshest pineapples in the Philippines.

My Conclusion:

You were looking for best food at the wrong places.

=========
Traveling is one thing I love doing. I've been to many places in our country but I admit that I have not yet been everywhere. It's just that when I do my research I do it extensively. I google and google and read blogs just to get the opinions and views of the local travelers/bloggers. I have not been abroad but I am planning to fly to Thailand. Even though Thailand is near the Philippines, I should not compare their food with Filipino food because they are just not the same. Our preferences are different.

Anyway, thank you for writing about Philippine foods. If you happen to come back please do contact a local blogger such as "When In Manila" as they are one of the best I know of. (Disclaimer: I am not in any way connected with When in Manila.)

By the way, here's a picture of longganisa for your reference. =) My mom's friend from La Union made these small sausages. I cooked it with water not with oil and served it with potato fries. =) Happy eating. =)

La union Longganisa

Gumasa Glan [Sarangani Province]

It was the last leg of our Mindanao Tour. After a delightful breakfast at Frank’s house, we proceeded to GenSan and boarded a van going to Glan. I don’t know if I was just too tired or I was really sleepy, I dozed off during the trip. Lucky me, I was greeted by a breath taking view when I woke up.

Gumasa is famous for its white sand beach, clear waters and fresh air. What really captured my attention was the relaxing sun set view.

I could imagine myself just staring at the beach reading a book beside a lamp and just immerse myself with the beauty in front of me.

Snap back!

Dinner was prepared by Paul and Frank while the ladies uhm bum? Ha ha ha. (Thanks to both of you!) They bought a large fish from a peddler along the beach and cooked it over fire.

Our dinner was delish complete with hard drinks, stories and laughter. I felt really sleepy as time passed but our companions were such great tale tellers I really cannot afford to miss. Especially because I don’t usually hang out with Paul’s friends so it was really a great time to catch up. I think it was around midnight when we finally decided to call it a day and hit the sack.

I woke up early but I did not want to get up so I just went on with my slumber. It was past 7am when finally the boys came back with our big breakfast. ^_^

Our next day was spent preparing to go back to GenSan. Our flight was scheduled at 9PM that day so we need to get back to Davao International Airport by 7PM. [Sarangani – GenSan - Davao] Get it? ^_^

I just took these snapshots with my iPad before riding the tricycle that would take us back to the terminal. I really will miss Mindanao and will surely go back as soon as I can. J

[Snap Shot] Mt Matutum

It's as if a fairy is overlooking the field. =)

T’nalak

Have you heard of a dream weaver?

Well I am not a “Sibika at Kultura” girl when I was in elementary or high school and I never heard of a dream weaver as well. But I think we are lucky to meet the T’Nalak dream weaver herself Lang Dulay.

She was sleeping when we arrived at her humble house turned weaving area and it took her a few minutes to dress up before we finally meet her. Her grandchildren said she does not meet visitors with plain clothes. She makes it a point to look “fabulosa” in her native T’boli gown complete with makeup and red lips. ^_^

According to history, Lang Dulay was just 12 years old when she started dreaming about her designs. It usually takes her around 4-6 months to finish a product that would sell 1000Php per meter.

She was awarded by President Fidel V. Ramos as Philippine’s National Living Treasure in 1998 and is a living testimony of the T’boli tradition.

I hope that the T’boli tribe will continue to nourish their rich tradition and teach the new generation how to live the T’boli way.

*Credits to Kat for the picture. 

Lake Sebu – A calm retreat

The trip from GenSan to Lake Sebu lasted for approximately 2-3 hours including a van ride to the bucolic municipality. The town was reminiscent to my hometown with lots of rice fields and mountains in view. I felt the urge to think quietly while savoring the crisp sight of greeneries. I’m really an outdoor person and I love nature so it’s easy for me to find peace while traveling.

I was curious about Lake Sebu when I first saw pictures of my friend J posted on Facebook. She was raving about the place when she got back from a trip. I immediately put it on my “places to visit list” and was determined to go there when opportunity calls.

My quietness was broken when the lady beside me spoke to me, “First time niyo?” I humbly said “Opo.” Then she began lecturing us about the place. You see, people from the town can be your tour guide. They will tell you all you want to know. J

Then the grandeur of the lake peeked from afar. I was awed and mesmerized. This town is really blessed with such majestic creation of God.

I just hope we could stay longer but out tight itinerary dictated us to move on.

Don’t worry Mindanao, I’ll be back. =)