Sorry for another long delay, I am so engross (actually, addicted would be a better word) in one of Facebook's application, aptly titled Pet Society. I have been a member of the said social network for almost a year but I haven't had the chance to try some of its extra perks until three days ago and just like that I found another game to waste my time and energy on *grins*. In a three-day span, I was able to reach level 16 which is tag as influential pet, I got to collect more pet clothes, shoes and accessories than my online hybrid (cat and dog) pet can ever wear, I got to have a four-room house (or mansion *lol*) which I am in the process of decorating (I need more coins to buy all those luxurious thingamajigs) and I got to collect bronze, silver and gold trophies for all my pet's athletic and shopping prowess, as well as, for her being a social butterfly. See, that's what I've been up to with a little motherly works and chores on the sides *grins*.
Anyway, for the third part of this series, I will divulge the stories behind our pit stops seven and eight.
After a disappointing turn, don't get me wrong, I know I said that the Tambaron Islet jeopardy was a welcome mistake but, hey, it was on our agenda so a little disappointment is just fine, right? So after the (said) scenario, a little rest and a whole lot of discussions, the road trip continued, we were supposed to go straight to Buktot White Beach in Mansalay (it was recommended to us by our busmate Manong dela Torre, he worked in the fisheries department of the town's local government and he said that they were currently promoting the said beach to tourists, and so we obliged) but grumbling people and rumbling tummies were never a good team, so we heeded our hunger's calling and rest on the best spot that we can do with at that moment.
pork adobo & rice served on a banana leaf
Aside from the pork adobo and white rice, we also packed some sandwiches, bottled water and softdrinks, candies and chewing gums and some plastic cups. Photo above is the no-frill version of a banana plate, the banana leaf was cut from one of the trees in the vicinity, wiped with a semi-clean face towel *grins*, and then torn apart into smaller sizes. Eating out has never been that easy.
the green grounds and the little shack
We had our lunch here (refer to the photo), it was a newly-bought land of Iglesia ni Cristo and a church was going to rise on that area (as stated on the big wooden notice). No one in our company knew the caretakers or any members of her family but they let us in, one of the tour guides accompanying us asked her permission and without hesitation she let us rest in the shack (refer to the photo), allowed us to get a banana leaf and washed our hands in their faucet, some of the guys even used their restrooms. That is one fine example of Pinoy hospitality, agree?
photo op (or not) with the gang
I took this before we hit the road again, I shouted "picture" but it turned out that only three heard me (you'll know who they are by looking at the photo) *grins*.
Again, we were supposed to go straight to Buktot Beach to take our much-needed swim but when we reached the place where our lead tour guide (and his clan) get their daily (weekly or monthly) dose of garlic, we just couldn't let that kind of opportunity pass. As I've mentioned a few blog posts ago, one of Bulalacao's prime commodity is garlic, and to most Filipino cook, bawang na tagalog is the best-tasting garlic in the whole of Asia (or even the world) and it cost a treasure here in Manila, so the bargain-hunter and the shopaholic in us took over and we purchased the most garlic that we can carry back home (remember we were travelling by motorbike).
garlic anyone?
We found this stack of garlic (refer to the photo) behind the door, those were the ones he (the farmer) was willing to sell, it was a little smaller than what we (sister-in-law and me) were familiar with but they told us that the small ones are tastier and tangier (good thing, we believed them because my mom agree). It was priced at 30php per kilo as opposed to the 150php per kilo in Divisoria (a popular flea and wet market here in the Philippines), imagine the savings that we made. It was quite heavy, I'll give you that, but those garlic that I took home almost a year ago is still visible and use in our kitchen up to this day. Believe it or not.
hanging garlic
While we were waiting for our change, we noticed that their ceiling is full of hanging garlic, at first, I thought it was used to shoo away bad spirits and the "aswang" (crazy, huh?) but it turned out that he hanged all those garlic to let it age and sprout and then it will be planted again on the then coming rainy season. That is garlic-planting 101.
After a few minutes of deliberation on how to carry our excess baggage and some stack-o moments with the motocycle, we were off.
The rest of the story on my next blog post. See yah!
