A worldful of grays are scattered along the shore of Matabungkay. It is strewn with ashen sand that sparkles a white glow when hugged by sunlight. It is bordered landward by a long, cramped lane of resorts and stores. Many times, it is littered with trash that unabashed locals and tourists left behind. And lying on the berm, almost safe from the swashes of the struggling tides, are memories --- neither fresh nor stale --- that I always come back for. … [Read more...]
The major crowd drawers in Batangas are its inviting beaches, breathtaking dive sites, and challenging mountains. But one thing that isn't always highlighted enough is its cuisine. Batangas offers a wide, wide selection of gastronomic delights. The province is coastal so expect a lot of seafood, but it also harbors a big lake and rivers, so freshwater fishes are also available. Vast lands have been converted into farms, producing some of the best meats in the country. Batangas beef is known for its high quality. Many roadside stores sell buffalo and goat meat. These rich resources have made Batangueno cuisine so diverse that it is difficult to describe it in just one word. Like in … [Read more...]
Growing up in Batangas, I am a sucker for lomi. And not just lomi --- Batangas lomi. While most of my friends are disgusted by the super thick sauce that devours the egg noodles, I am all for it! I have tried various versions of lomi in many parts of the country but I always come back to the rich recipe that the Banguenos have perfected. If you've been to Batangas, you might have already noticed the many "lomi houses" that abound along the main roads, a testament to just how obsessed we are with this dish. Of course, the taste varies from one restaurant to another but the basic recipe remains the same. … [Read more...]
Only six months after my first visit to Casa Rap, a greenhouse-cum-restaurant tucked in a residential area in San Jose, Batangas, I found myself at its doorstep again. This time, with more friends. The Poor Traveler and his housemates were on a weekend getaway to Batangas with Taal Volcano dominating our first day itinerary. After traveling from Talisay to Lipa, we initially planned to start our second day with a trip to Taal Heritage Town. Unfortunately, we woke up way too late and way too hungry that we agreed to have lunch first before heading for the historic town. After building up the hype around Casa Rap, my housemates were convinced that it was the best place to have lunch at … [Read more...]
"Are we there yet?" I had been impatiently bugging our tour guide, asking him how far the crater was from where we were for the nth time. Unfortunately, we weren't even half the trail. "Why are you such in a hurry?" asked my friend Dane. "Just enjoy the trek!" I was definitely enjoying our trek up the volcano to the crater but I was just having a teeny bit of problem. There I was trekking up an active volcano but I was worried that something else was gonna explode --- my bladder. I gotta pee. Really bad. … [Read more...]
Batangas is a blessed land. Not only is it very close to the capital Manila, it also cradles a wide array of diverse landscapes --- pristine beaches, a scenic lake, spectacular diving sites, breathtaking rivers, fertile farm lands, enchanting mountains, and a volcano. These places have also nurtured communities from the pre-Spanish settlements to the rise of the province's many urban centers in its long history. Thus, it is no surprise that Batangas has a rich culture and heritage, and has become home to some of the country's most significant national heroes whose roles and legacy cannot be stressed enough. How to Get There Batangas is only two to three hours away from Manila depending … [Read more...]
We were expecting a delightful restaurant with a stunning view of the seashore. We didn't get that. We got something else. And we're content. Tucked in a quiet barangay in Nasugbu, Batangas, Kainan sa Dalampasigan is still a delightful seafood restaurant but we did not get the view of the sea. Instead, this authentic Batangueno gastronomic paradise lies in a lush garden that allows visitors a quick but memorable moment with nature. It's an oasis in the middle of a rapidly developing town. The place is bursting with flowering vegetation with a beautiful organic ceiling, made of vines many of which hang like frozen gentle raindrops. Even without having our first taste of the dishes they had … [Read more...]
Movie production trucks and service vans lined up in the area beside the Cape Santiago Lighthouse like giant wheeled gates that separate us from this towering structure. Apparently a horror film by Regal Entertainment was being shot when we arrived and the lighthouse had been closed. It was already late afternoon and according to some of the residents watching the shoot, it would remain closed until the next morning. We were utterly disappointed but there was nothing we could do. We didn't travel to Calatagan just to see the top of the lighthouse; we wanted a closer, grander view. We needed to come up with a Plan B quick. … [Read more...]
My grandfather used to call it Balayang. "Balayan po," I would always correct him. He wouldn't budge. No matter how many times my cousin and I told him that the town is called Balayan and not Balayang, he would insist that the town's name was Balayang. Now that I'm a grown-up, I learned that my grandfather wasn't that wrong after all. One of the probable origins of the name of the town is the word balayang, which means wood in Old Tagalog. I have also heard other old neighbors, aside from my lolo, use Balayang instead of Balayan. Others say that the name was from the word balai, meaning house, or balayan which is also an Old Tagalog term. Balayan's history can be traced back to the … [Read more...]
Taal used the be the capital of the province of Batangas. It used to be located in present day San Nicolas but the whole town was forced to move to a safer elevated location, farther from the Taal Volcano after the disastrous 200-day 1754 eruption (May 15-December 1, 1754), the biggest eruption of this small volcano in recorded history. The town continued to prosper during the Spanish era and produced some of the country's bravest national heroes including Don Felipe Agoncillo, a revolutionary hero and a diplomat; his wife Doña Marcela Marino Agoncillo, best known for making the Philippine Flag; Doña Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio, known as the Godmother of the Revolution and a … [Read more...]
I am not an authority in budget travel. What makes me a poor traveler isn't the lack of finances but the many troubles I meet on the road. This blog is a diary of a traveler whose time is always wasted getting lost, whose trips are always challenged by heavy rain, and whose bowel movement always gets in the way. I make mistakes, lots of them. Poor me. Yes, you'll find mistakes on this blog. But here's hoping you'll learn from them. More about me.
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