VIAJENG CUSINANG MATUA or Old Kitchen Tours of Pampanga

The Kapampangan cuisine is highly regarded as one of the most delicious variety in the Philippines. Discover the secrets of the locals and explore the rich culture of Pampanga through this one of a kind cultural culinary experience. We will bring you to an extra special tour…we bring YOU to some of the old kitchens of Pampanga…because the best Kapampangan dishes are made at home.

DATE: February 7, Sunday / 6am – 9:30pm
PACKAGE FEE: Php2,800.00 per person
PACKAGE INCLUSIONS:
– Chartered Van / Coaster / Bus
– Travel Insurance
– Food: Breakfast at Atching Lilian’s in Mexico, Halo-halo merienda at Kabigting’s Nutri-deli in Arayat, Lunch
at Everybody’s Cafe in San Fernando, Merienda at Prado Farm in Lubao, and dinner at the Gosioco
House in Sta. Rita.
– Stops: Old churches of Betis and Bacolor, Susie’s Cuisine, La Moderna Bakery, and Ocampo-Lansang
Delicacies.
– Baking Demonstration of the San Nicolas cookies and Dulce Prenda
– Farm tour on organic farming and hog raising
– Full facilitation and management of the tour
– “Bayong” shopping bag for your goodies!

PICK-UP AND DROP OFF POINTS:
McDonalds Greenbelt-Paseo de Roxas – 6am
McDonald’s El Pueblo, Ortigas – 6:15am
McDonalds MRT-Quezon Ave – 6:30am

RESERVATIONS AND PAYMENT:
Please email us to confirm at traveltales@ymail.com so we can send you the registration form and payment details. Your full payment and sumbission of registration form will confirm your slot for the tour.

Traversing the Ilocandia Trail

A lot of people refer to Ilocos as one province. If you review your Philippine geography, Ilocos is actually composed of 2 provinces, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte. It is the home of the G.I.s or the ‘Genuine Ilocanos’ as how my good friend calls himself, old architecture, beautifully crafted textiles, longganisa, bagnet, and the special empanada!

So how do you traverse this northern part of the Philippines in just one weekend? To start your trip, it is best to leave Manila for Ilocos at around 11pm, passing though the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Pangasinan and La Union on the western side of north Philippines. The night trip is the best time to travel if you want to cut your travel time by at least an hour. Traffic flow is faster without the jeepneys and tricycles along the road.

ILOCOS SUR

Sabangan Cove in Santiago. This cove is a fishing and weaving community, known for its ‘abel iloko’ or the Ilocano textile. The textile tradition from this community came from the Itnegs of Abra located in the highland areas of Ilocos. You can find these textiles inside houses where you will see a number of women weaving them using the old traditional foot looms.

Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion in Sta. Maria. This is one of the four world heritage churches in the Philippines declared by UNESCO. Built in 1765 under the Augustinian order, it is seated on top of a hill or at the highest point of the town. At the left side of the hill, facing the church is another plight of steps; this leads you to the ruins of the old cemetery chapel.

Salcedo Hotel de Vigan in Vigan. Go straight to Hotel Salcedo de Vigan for your first Ilokano meal. Try their dinoydoy, sinigang na bagnet, and poqui-poqui. It used to be an old mansion which was renovated and made it to a hotel with modern facilities but maintained the charms of the old Filipino Bahay na Bato. Quite a little pricey but they have an air-conditioned dormitory that comfortably accommodates 10 people for Php7K with breakfast. If you’re a group of 40-50 people, they could even set-up your dinner al-fresco at Calle Crisologo.

Calesa Tour of Vigan. For Php150, you can take a calesa tour of Vigan for an hour. Best places you can visit in Vigan are: the old Quema Mansion and Syquia Mansion, try to find Esteban Villanueva’s Basi Revolt painting at the Burgos Museum, watch how jars are made at the ‘burnayan’ or pottery place, find your way to the local market and shop for your take home ‘bagnet’ and ‘longganisa’, walk along the cobbled stone Calle Crisologo and take your postcard photos to let your friends know you’ve been to Vigan, visit the Vigan Cathedral, and lastly, take a bite of the famous Vigan empanada and ukoy by the plaza.

ILOCOS NORTE

San Agustin Church in Paoay was built in 1710, another UNESCO world heritage church in the Philippines. This church is more commonly seen in postcards and books that represent Ilocos Norte. Most prominent part of this earthquake baroque architecture are its buttresses with huge volutes with strong influences from other Asian countries. These buttresses support the walls of the church in case of earthquakes. Best time to visit the church is during sunset and watch how the facade turns into color gold.

Museo Iloko in Laoag City was awarded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for its well-researched cultural data on Ilocos Norte and as the best example for its adaptive re-use of an old structure. The Museo is the old Tabacalera place in Laoag City. ‘Sarusar’, the gift shop insidethe Museo is a one-stop shopping place of the best products of Ilocos Norte, from the blankets and cornicks of Paoay to rolled tobacco and ‘basi’(local wine).

St. Monica Church in Sarrat is ten minutes from Laoag City, the birthplace of then President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Experience the magnificence of this church through its long nave and huge wooden trusses which has been exposed for many years. Beside the church are the ruins of the old convent.

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos. This lighthouse is majestically standing on top of a hill facing the China Sea. It was said that if you try opening a radio on top of the lighthouse, you will already be receiving frequency from neighboring country Taiwan. Climb up to the topmost viewpoint of the lighthouse and enjoy the view of the sea. It is the highest lighthouse in the country.

Windmills of Bangui. The windmills were built to support the power supply of the whole Ilocos Norte. Travelers going to and from the town of Pagudpud or the nearby province of Cagayan often stop by to take photos from afar or sometimes even closer when they find the any of the 2 roads that lead to the beach where the windmills are lined up standing.

Try these Ilokano Bestsellers:

Ilocos Sur:
1. Traditional blankets and table runners – Sabangan Cove, Santiago
2. Vigan Longganisa and Bagnet – Public Market, Vigan
3. Bibingka – Vigan
4. Pizza (bagnet, longganisa, or pinakbet) – Café Leona in Vigan
5. Empanada – Aling Tina’s stall at the Vigan plaza
6. Calamay and tinubong (calamay inside a bamboo) – in front of the church of Candon
7. Garlic and small onions – Sinait

Ilocos Norte:
1. Blankets and Table runners – Paoay Public Market
2. Mama Rosa’s Chichacorn – Paoay
3. Garlic Longganisa and Chicharon (bagnet) – San Nicolas Public Market
4. Pottery and bolos/knives – San Nicolas Public Market
5. Super Double Double Special Empanada (double serving in one empanada – a must try!) – Batac Plaza
6. Local tobacco – Laoag Public Market during market day
7. Biscocho – Pasuquin Bakery in Pasuquin
8. Garlic – Badoc

Take a ride at any of these buses to get to Ilocos:

Partas Bus, Farinas Bus Liner, Maria De Leon – Vigan and Laoag
Florida Bus – Pagudpud

You can stay at the following accommodations:

Ilocos Sur:

Budget: Archbioshop’s Dormitory in Vigan
Mid-end: Villa Angela, Grandpa’s Inn, and Cordillera Inn in Vigan
High-end: Hotel Salcedo de Vigan, Vigan Hotel

Ilocos Norte:

Budget: National Tobacco Administration Dormitory in Batac
Mid-end: Isabel Suites in Laoag City, Balay da Blas Pensionne House in Laoag City, Villa del Mar in Pagudpud
High-end: Fort Ilocandia Resort & Hotel in Laoag City, Sitio Remedios in Currimao, Saud Beach Resort in Pagudpud

*For a complete guide & listing on Ilocos Norte, try to get hold of the Ilocos Norte Travel Guidebook published by the Gameng Foundation.

Photos by Karlo De Leon

Captivating the Natural Beauty of Eastern Samar

My first trip to Samar was in 2005, when I took part in several art workshops, as a facilitator, along with artists from the Cultural Center of the Philippines. We traveled from the northern part passing through the western side and set on the east. It was a long road trip that all I could remember were my dreams, as I was forcing myself to sleep through the endless rocky roads.

Four years have passed and I found myself taking a road trip back to Eastern Samar. The rocky roads have improved somehow but what was new to me in this trip was the sight of so many beautiful rivers, clear blue waters, and sunsets that awakened my senses to the natural wonders. I knew I was bound to discover more than the best of what is known about this quiet and seemingly rustic region.

My Secret Hideaway in the East
Playa de Catalina is a newly opened resort located in the town of Can-avid, bound in a peninsula covering 29 hectares of land with a shore line of 3.6 kilometers (just a little short of Boracay’s Stations 1-3). The front side of the resort gives you the view of the sea that’s perfect for an early morning walk on a beautiful sunrise or a good surf on a windy day. The other side of the peninsula is a huge river where you can cruise while watching the sun set and migratory birds fly back to the mangroves. This resort is fast becoming one of the region’s practicing Responsible Travel destinations.

For inquiries and reservations, you may call:
Playa de Catalina, (632)425-3872 / 0908-5686816 / www.playadecatalina.com

The Fruitiest Halo-halo
I have never tasted a halo-halo with an almost all-natural fruit ingredients. We had a sweet stop at Sulangan in Guiuan to taste the locals’ favorite snack of halo-halo. It consisted of bananas, avocado, melon, mango, papaya, and crushed Graham Crackers. It was the most refreshing halo-halo I’ve ever tasted because of its fresh fruits factor.

How do you find it? Look for the Banago Beach Resort in Sulangan in Calicoan Island and you’ll see a small sari-sari store just beside it, THAT’S IT!

My Search for Pearls and Clear Blue Waters
We took a 45-minuite banca ride going to Pearl Island in Guiuan to see the pearls being cultured by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. We coursed through clear blue waters and watched fishes swim along with our banca. We were lucky to chance upon a man diving for seaweeds and gave us a bagful for our dinner.

As soon as we reached Pearl Island, we were guided to ride a glass-bottom boat to see the cultured pearls and amazing living giant clams underwater. We were told that these pearls will be ready for harvest by 2010 and will be brought to the regional office of BFAR in Tacloban.

If you intend to go to Pearl Island, make sure you get your permit from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Guiuan.

My Cruise to a Thousand Rivers
Long before roads became the main transportation route, our rivers were used as nautical highways for trading products and transporting people from one town to the next. In Can-avid, we hopped on a boat that brought us from the mangroves and cruised the ‘Ulot’ river (‘ulot’ meaning hiking from the upstream and down). The river was wide and calm, sprawling with lush vegetation. It felt like I was traveling through time when people lived simply in the abundance of its natural environment. And here in Eastern Visayas, a lot of locals actually still do.

If you want to do this river cruise, I suggest you bring a good book. You can either rent your own boat or ride with the locals while they do their everyday travel. Playa de Catalina Resort in Can-avid can help you with this cruise.

Changing the Way We Travel
It has become a habit for a lot of tourists to research on the more popular ‘what-to-see’ and ‘what –to-do’ itineraries. It’s a quick fix I must say in planning our vacations. What if you try traveling the way the locals live their everyday life? It’s amazing how our travels can change the way we could look at our country. How the simplest ways of living can make you understand the value of preserving our environment and understanding living conditions different from our own. Not just crossing boundaries but building bridges to see what natural real beauty means.

Photos by Karlo De Leon

Finding your Way to Northern Mindanao through Responsible Travel

by Tracey Santiago

Two of the few things I passionately enjoy doing in my life are traveling to faraway places and getting lost in faraway places. This has been a passion since I was 12, when I would find myself lost in the streets of Manila. It was in those times when I learned not only to find my way out of being lost but also finding the best local finds in every place.

Last May, I traveled to Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon with my friend Ronald Lagazo, who is the advocacy officer of Advocate of Philippine Fair Trade, Inc. to visit some of the fair trade producers in the region. APFTI has provided technical support to small enterprises across the Philippines to create and market globally-competitive enterprises using fair trade principles. This means that whenever you buy Fair Trade products, you are not just supporting the local economy but you are also helping producers to observe socially and environmentally just practices, such as promoting gender equity, payment of fair wages, non-employment of children, and protecting the environment. And as we support these Fair Trade producers, we also become responsible tourists because we are also supporting the local communities.

We visited some fair trade producers and local attractions and discovered a lot of the not-so-popular and hidden treasures of Northern Mindanao.

Salay Handmade Paper. Salay is a small town east of Cagayan de Oro City. One of its major industries is handmade paper making which started in 1987 by Loreta Rafisura as a civic organization but is now making big in the export industry as a business enterprise now more known in 1st world countries as SHAPII or Salay Handmade Paper Industries, Inc. Who would’ve thought that this small town supplies paper for Hallmark, Marks & Spencer, and Barnes & Noble?!

To contact SHAPII: You may contact Ms. Loreta Rafisura at (088)858-7517 or visit their website at www.salayhandmade.net.

To get there: Take the bus going to Butuan at the Agora Bus Terminal from Cagayan de Oro City. It’s about an hour and a half to reach the Petron station in Salay, SHAPII is a few meters after the station.

Vjandep. Aside from the clear waters and white sandbars of Camiguin, this small island in the east of Misamis Oriental is also known for its soft buns with yema filling called Pastel. I first tasted this soft bun 2 years ago when a friend from CDO gave it as a pasalubong. The sweet filling melts in your mouth and is perfect with freshly brewed coffee. Vjandep started making pastel in their small bakery in Mambajao and is now a multi-awarded business enterprise in the region.

Where to buy: You can find Vjandep’s Pastel in Cagayan de Oro City along Tiano St. and the Angel Chavez Complex. A box of 6 costs Php58.00 and a box of 12 costs Php115.00.

Night Café. Looking for an outdoor night gimik? Cagayan De Oro offers a night café in the streets of Divisoria every Friday and Saturday from 6pm-2am. But they don’t offer coffee! It’s an outdoor night market where you’ll find the best ukay-ukay in the city, barbeques and other grilled food, and band concerts featuring local artists.

Bistro Mercedez. I’m always fascinated with adaptive reuse of old houses. This used to be the old house of the Chavezes of Cagayan De Oro City and is now turned into a fine dining restaurant along Chavez St. Boy Gualberto and his wife Farrah who is a New York trained chef rebuilt this house from ruins. Most of the materials used in rebuilding are new but they maintained the feeling of antiquity and home in the heart of the city.

Good Coffee, a Chapel, and a Jolly Monk. Monk’s Blend premium coffee is made from the finest robusta and arabica coffee beans, nurtured in the cold climate, high altitude and unique volcanic soil of Bukidnon. This premium coffee has no preservatives or additives; just the natural goodness of fresh, mountain-grown coffee, roasted and blended to perfection by the Benedictine monks at the Monastery of the Transfiguration in the city of Malaybalay.

The Chapel inside the compound of the monastery was designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin.

One will not miss this jolly monk by the name of Fr. Columbano Adag. He entertained us with his very joyful outlook, very unusual for someone who has lived in a monastery for nearly 28 years. He still clearly remembers how he traveled to Bukidnon in 1981 to find a place to build the monastery for the Benedictine monks.

Sweet Organic Pineapples. We traveled to Maramag town in Bukidnon and tasted the best and only organically grown pineapple in the country. We stopped by a plantation where farmers were currently harvesting. One of the farmers suddenly chopped and sliced pineapples right in front of us to have a taste. With the view of Mt. Kitanglad and a vast pineapple plantation around us, matched with the cool breeze of Bukidnon, we were having one sweet day.

NOFPI or Nature’s Organic Fresh Pineapples, Inc. thought that planting organic pineapples would be impossible. But with a positive and clear vision of creating a 60-hectare of organically grown pineapples in 2006, they have already covered 12 hectares of making their dream into reality.

To contact NOFPI: Call Genelyn Lianda at (088)2212538; 2215222 local 102.

Sir Edwards Bar Grill Seafood Restaurant and Chicken Ati-atihan.
I recommend that you take this restaurant as your first stop when you go to Malaybalay and taste their heavenly grilled chicken. Roy Panes, the hospitable owner, will not only personally take care of your meals but he will also personally bring you around Bukidnon for a tour! A local chef and tour guide extraordinaire!

Roy Panes heads the Malaybalay Food Handler’s Association and one of their achievements last year was to start the Search for Malaybalay’s Best Delicacies. Most of the entry-products such as the piniatos, piniasitas, pine bars, and cheese flavored banana chips are now being sold in this restaurant, your one-stop pasalubong center!

To contact Sir Edward’s Restaurant: Call Roy Panes at 09206249062.

Quadra Eco-Resort. This resort is one of a dozen ranches located within the city. Aside from short rides inside their ranch, the resort also offers day-long and overnight rides on trails along the Kitanglad mountain range with experienced local wranglers as guides. They also have huts fit for a group of 5 for overnight accommodations. Wake-up with the sounds of horses roaming around the ranch and enjoy the early morning chills with the view of the Malaybalay mountain ranges. Visit the Quadra Eco-Resort, Sta Cruz St, Malaybalay, tel: +63(88) 221 3338.

Published at MB TraVel June 25-July 9, 2009 issue, pp10-12

A Taste of Laguna: Lambanog, Kesong Puti, Atbp.

A Taste of Laguna: Lambanog, Kesong Puti, Atbp.

Savor the rich cultural landscapes of Laguna through its food, crafts, and architecture. We’ll bring you to the towns beyond your usual Laguna itinerary. If you’re the type who enjoys wine and cheese, wait till we bring you to a Lambanog farm and let you bring home the best kesong puti. If you collect arts and crafts, imagine what a skilled artisan can create with a stick of wood. And if you enjoy taking pictures of old architecture, we’ll show you the best churches on this side of the province.

Tour Dates: November 8 and December 13, 2009
Tour Fee: Php2,300.00 per person
Package Inclusions: Day trip and includes chartered van or bus, personal accident insurance, breakfast at Dalampasigan in Los Banos, lunch at Aurora’s Heritage Cuisine in Sta. Cruz, PM snack at a lambanog farm in Liliw, visit to the churches of Pakil and Paete, old houses of Pila, wood shaving in Pakil, paper mache making in Paete, underground cemetery of Nagcarlan, and the slippers industry of Liliw.

Backpacking Pilipinas

BACKPACKING PILIPINAS at R.O.X.!

YTrip in cooperation with R.O.X. bring you Backpacking Pilipinas 10. Inviting everyone to an evening of travel talks at R.O.X., The Fort in Taguig City. I will be talking about how we can promote and practice Responsible Travel in the Philippines and how this consciousness can create a lot of changes in our country. Cherie Cosker of AFPTI (Advocates for Philippine Fair Trade, Inc.) will talk about Fair Trade practices in the Philippines. Lastly, Mon Corpuz will talk about Travel Photography.

Backpacking Pilipinas will be on October 22, 2009 at 7:30pm. Bring your friends and travel buddies and know more about Responsible Travel. See you there!

Tracey Santiago

Viajeng Cusinang Matua (Old Kitchen Tours of Pampanga)

Viajeng Cusinang Matua (Old Kitchen Tours)
The Kapampangan cuisine is highly regarded as one of the most delicious variety in the Philippines. Discover the secrets of the locals and explore the rich culture of Pampanga through this one of a kind culinary experience. We will bring you to an extra special tour…we bring YOU to some of the old kitchens of Pampanga…because the best Kapampangan dishes are made at home.

Tour Dates: February 7, 2010, Sunday
Tour Fee: Php2,800.00 per person
Package Inclusions: Day trip to Pampanga and includes chartered bus or van, travel insurance, breakfast, lunch, dinner, 2 snacks, baking demonstrations, side trips to pasalubong shops farm tours, and old churches of Pampanga.

Itinerary and Sample Menu

Breakfast – Cucina ng Atching Lillian Borromeo – Mexico
Native tsokolate, tidtad or dinuguan, galantina, sinangag, tamales, tehadang kamatis, etc. There will also be a baking demonstration of the famous San Nicolas cookies and a tour lecture of the cooking heirloom pieces of the family.

Merienda – Kabigting’s Halo-halo – Arayat
This typical small town halo-halo stop makes one of the most TO-DIE-FOR halo-halos. Made only with 3 major ingredients, namely corn, mashed red beans, and their homemade pastillas! This sweet thing will surely make it to your Top 10 favorite meriendas!

Pasalubong Shopping – Susie’s Cuisine – San Fernando
Susie’s is famous for the tibok-tibok”, mochi, cassava, empanadas, and other kapampangan delicacies.It’s your 1-stop shopping of food, food, and FOOD!

Lunch – Everybody’s Cafe – San Fernando
This restaurant is famous for serving authentic Kapampangan dishes. Try the camaro(crickets) and their morcon. This lunch is a must try if you want to taste what the Jorolan Family has been serving their customers for more than 50 years.

Side Trip – Betis Church – Betis
Pampanga is also known for its beautiful old churches. We will have a glimpse of one of the most famous baroque churches in the Philippines. Betis church is named as one of the most significant cultural landmarks by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Merienda – Prado Farms – Lubao
Walk through a very charming and breathtaking farm of designer Reimon Gutierrez. Taste their family concoction of tsokolate pinipig perfectly matched with their homemade fried suman, bringhe, and sweet mangoes. Learn about organic farming and its health benefits for our bodies.

Dinner – Gosioco House – Sta. Rita
Experience having dinner al-fresco on the front yard of the oldest ancestral house in Sta. Rita Pampanga. The Gosioco family will serve their old family trademark pocherong manok, almondigas, tipe kamangyang.

ways of becoming a responsible traveler

• Research on the place you are visiting. Know something about their culture, language, history, and geography of the province or country. When you get there, try to get to know the people.

• Know about the cost of your trip. Think about where exactly your money is going. Will the locals benefit from your stay? Will it sustain jobs or support small businesses in the community? Instead of packing everything in your backpack or suitcase, you may want to leave some so you can pack lightly and at the same time, purchase some of your toiletries or snack food in the local stores.

• Buy local and buy fair trade. Explore what the locals can offer specially those made in their own backyards, from food to souvenirs, and staying in accommodations like homestays or inns. This way you are supporting them economically and empowering them as producers.

• Haggle responsibly. Take in consideration the quality of what you are buying and the process of production of these products. Keep in mind that when you haggle, you are also haggling the value of someone’s work or passion.

• Open yourself to culture and its differences. Learn about the customs and beliefs of the local people and expect that they are different than your own. Be prepared to adapt the way you dress, talk, and behave.

• Think about your footprint. Consider the kind of ecological mark you are making on the land. Think about your waste, take biodegradable products, bring a water bottle, and conserve resources as much as possible.

what is responsible tourism?

Responsible Tourism

1. generates economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry.

2. involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances.

3. makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage to the maintenance of the world’s diversity.

4. provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues.

5. minimizes negative economic, environmental and social impacts.

6. culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.

*The Responsible Travel Handbook 2006, p10

travel for change!

hello friends and fellow travelers!

welcome to traveltales’ new blogsite! some of you may wonder why the tours that we will be posting here are familiar to you. that’s just simply because traveltales is the new alquimista trails!.

we are promoting not just philippine destinations but more importantly, the consciousness on responsible travel and sustainable local tourism. we hope that you can also be part of this advocacy. we believe that if we can all be more responsible with our travels, we will be able to create positive changes in our communities and our country.

so, we invite you to join us in our travels and tell everyone about your stories. whether you are traveling on your own or arranging travels for others–the earth is your homeland. give it care & respect it deserves; learn about its environment; spend time getting to know its people, their art, culture, history, & livelihood. change the way you travel…TRAVEL FOR CHANGE!!!

tracey santiago
responsible travel advocate