Archive for the ‘Iloilo’ Category

Sinamay and Cookie House in Iloilo

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

I think we are all guilty of bringing back home some goodies after some days of R&R. Aside from photos and maybe t-shirts, local delicacies are one of the most common souvenir items to buy.

In Iloilo, you can take home the biscocho but I highly recommend visiting Mama’s Kitchen and Sinamay House in Arevalo before you say adieu to Iloilo City.

Sorry for the blurry photo. This is Mama’s Kitchen, located at the lower part of the Villanueva ancestral house. You can buy their mango crunchies, chocolate crunchies and the likes for 120PHP per box (some cost a little higher like 130PHP, depending on the variety).

These goodies are perfect for your coffee time. A nice treat to give to your office mates or boss? Haha. Kids will love it too. And before we arrived home, one box was gone. Haha. The cookies are very light yet flavorful and they are all made from local ingredients like the local chocolate from home-grown cacao seeds.

But if you some like a heritage-classy remembrance from Iloilo, go upstairs and purchase their sinamay products. Oh, I think before that you should check out their “mini-museum” a few steps from where they display their cookies.

This is a loom which they still use today for their weaving products ( they also get some items from local weavers). Panay’s weaving industry has been one of my beloved topics, fashion meets heritage – that is perfectly me. So it was not hard for me to pitch a story for Mabuhay magazine about Aklan’s weaving industry.

A large turbine-looking booby to separate the fibers before their assembly to the loom.

And this is my son’s favorite item

It reminded him of one of the main characters of the movie “Cars”. A cadillac, a symbol of the family’s status in society back then.

Now, let’s go back to sinamay. Sinamay is another local fabric made from abaca. It is one of the best Philippine fabrics. To learn more about this fabric, click here.

At the Villanueva Ancestral House a.k.a Arevalo Sinamay House, you can buy fans, hankies, tablecloths or this..

Royal blue caftan for only 600PHP. If only I can have a deal with Rumpelstilskin and become Gretchen Barretto (right spelling? hehe) for a day, I can surely pull this off.

Unlucky girls like me can buy other items. I bought two sinamay fans – hand embroidered.

Here is a list of their items and their corresponding prices..

To go to Arevalo:

Ride a jeepney going south like Oton and stop at the Arevalo Plaza. Inform the driver beforehand that you will be stopping at Mama’s Kitchen in Arevalo.

Enjoy Shopping!

Tags: arevalo, mama's kitchen, sinamay
Posted in food and local cuisine, Iloilo | 2 Comments »

Andres Special Pata

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

If you are looking for a calorific and some off-the-beaten-path meal destination while in Iloilo City, then head to Andres Special Pata in Molo. Still working on a commissioned freelance writing assignment for a travel magazine, I intentionally included this chow place that has become an institution when it comes to no-frills dining.

Even on a freelance writer mode, I try my best to bring along my kids. My eldest Akira was hesitant to enter the place and his reaction was that “i-fix pa nila Mama ( they still need to fix it Mama) ” as he was tagging my shirt to go home. Well who can blame him? This is Andres Special Pata

Inside he was happy because the floor was “shaking”. haha!

Any gourmand will tell that like books, don’t judge an eatery based on their facade and interiors. Its the food they serve that matters and just by looking at him, I know Andres Special Pata is not famous throughout the city for nothing

For only 70 pesos, you can have a suicide sort of thing eating this delectable pork thigh. Frankly a not so salubrious meal. Pair it with a cup of rice for 10 pesos and a bottle of softdrinks for 15 pesos and you will be sweating like the gentleman in the photo above.

I am quite intrigued how they made the pork fat so soft without breaking it. Slow cooking over wood I guess. But I leave it as a mystery. The sauce is not that sticky too and there is a pinch of sweetness. Excuse us for the “messy” table, we were dining with two little boys.

Aside from pata, Andres also serve kansi ( Ilonggo Bulalo). You can have the lawas ( meat and bone) for 140PHP or just the kansi ( pure meat ) or bukog ( bone) at 70PHP each. I personally would still go for Sharyn’s Kansi of Bacolod.

Meal served at Andres Special Pata is gratifying to your taste buds but not to you heart. Well, you can take a walk along Iloilo boardwalk after your meal but some people do it the other way around. Those who are candidates for heart attacks can still eat here, just take your Lipitor or Norvasc before diving in to temptation. For emergencies, Saviour International Hospital is just across the river bank. haha!

Hubby was the one who literally enjoyed our little food trip at Andres Special Pata as I was busy working on my writing piece mentally and writing some notes. I guess I deserve a bowl of saucy pata this weekend!

Tags: andres special pata, dining in Iloilo, local secret, pata
Posted in food and local cuisine, Iloilo | 1 Comment »

Lonely Nicholas Loney…

Friday, July 8th, 2011

Many wealthy families in the Philippines can trace their ancestry from rich landowners in Iloilo. To name a few, the Lopezes, Ledesmas, Montinolas, Aranetas and many more. At present, Negros ( where many Ilonggos moved to) supplies 70% of our country’s total sugar production.

To live like a haciendero is one of my dreams. Airy and spacious home overlooking vast plantations at dusk. But all these upscale way of living is due to the efforts of one person.

Let me introduce you to Sir Nicholas Loney..

If you have been traveling between Iloilo and Bacolod, I’m pretty sure you have seen our dear Uncle Nicholas

His statue “greets” passengers and is at the end of this road ironically named Muelle Loney or Loney Wharf.

I challenged my helper who hails from Negros and my own husband who travel Iloilo- Bacolod at least twice a month. And both of them have no idea who this man is. As I expected..

So a short biography can be seen in this rusty insignia

He was born in Plymouth, Devonshire in England in 1826; he went to the Philippines as a trader in 1851. He was appointed as the first English Vice-Consul in Iloilo. When Iloilo was declared as an international port, Loney made major contributions in fostering the local economies of Panay and Negros Island by improving the islands’ main industry – sugar. He offered financial assistance to growers and introduced modern facilities when it comes to harvesting and processing canes into sugar.

His Loney and Company is the first foreign-owned trading house in Iloilo. Other than sugar exportation, he also engaged in other industries amidst Spanish control during that time. He died in 1869 and was buried in Iloilo.

He made this port one of the most prosperous in the country giving rise to Iloilo as the Queen City of the South ( I know there are many debates on this issue, that will be another post ok?)

Now wait this wharf is not as busy as those of other ports but imagine this participating in international trade more then 150 years ago. I hope this post will give you a different attitude towards that old lonely statue of Nicholas Loney. I hope you too will give a second or two and look at him, thanking him for what he did to the marvelous city of Iloilo.

Tags: iloilo wharf, muelle loney
Posted in Iloilo | 4 Comments »

Madge Cafe

Thursday, June 30th, 2011

I’m back! Don’t ask why I’m gone and where I’ve been. Basta, I’m glad to be back. I’ve been really cranky lately because I miss my blog. Yup, this is my sojourn.

So to welcome myself in the blogging world, I will share on of my vanities in life..coffee. Just read my tag line. “..freelance writer and coffee addict” which is courtesy of my brother Keith who made this site for free.

Before, drinking coffee was not a lifestyle. Thanks to Starbucks, people now drink coffee anytime of the day but do you know that Ilonggos are really known as coffee-lovers? Back flash 20 years ago and its quite shocking to see someone sipping coffee in the middle of the day. But among Ilonggos, they drink it anytime they want just like what we are doing now.

I love coffee. Is it a secret? Obviously not. But I really love house blends. I keep on mentioning in my previous posts that I always look for a shop serving native coffee in any place I travel to. In my adopted city of Love, Madge Cafe is one place to for some genuine caffeine fix.

I have heard about this famed coffee shop inside La Paz market but I never took the leap to savor their brew. Until this freelance writer of yours was commissioned for a travel article that I gave time checking out Madge Cafe.

And it was heavenly! Seriously. Native coffee for 20 pesos. Even if you are not a coffee lover, they offer different coffee blends. They have Black Strong (20Php), Black Regular (20PHP) and Light (20PHP). You can also have it with milk ( 22PHP a cup). Light coffee even comes with milk if you want to so you can really have a cup of your own taste.

They use native coffee beans locally grown in the province like those from the northern town of Dingle. Here she is, so friendly and kind enough to take a photo of her. Though she has been photographed countless times..

To make sure that they serve coffee at its right temperature, they have this heated water with a burner under it.

You can also choose your sweeteners. You can have white sugar, brown or muscovado sugar. I personally use muscovado for its bitter sweet taste.

Do not let its location ( in a market) discourage you from visiting this place. They have maintained its cleanliness and they even safeguard their customers from those with bad intentions. They have been in this place for so many years and I’m pretty sure they have all those felonious minds under control.

No fancy seats but it is spacious and airy.

They also have a smoking area outside. Over the years they have captured even the upscale market from personalities to politicians. They have their “wall of fame” to prove that. Still, they give special attention to those who first notice their incredible coffee.

They also have this mugs with names of their loyal patrons.

This has been a family business for many decades and it is now managed by Peter De la Cruz ( his grandfather started the business).

They have been featured in various local and national publications but they were still friendly to my team. And I really appreciate it when Peter had our coffee on the house. By the way, I had two. haha!

So you are visiting Iloilo or you have some friends coming over, come to Madge Cafe. This is a nice place to relax after a day of touring Iloilo. Watch your snapshots as you enjoy their local brew.

Madge Cafe is open from 6am-6pm. They also serve native cakes – suman, ibos,etc.

Tags: cafe, la paz cafe, madge cafe, native coffee
Posted in coffee, Iloilo | 5 Comments »

Doming’s Talabahan

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

“Manong, Domings”..

That’s what you often hear from UP students instructing a tricycle driver whenever they want to eat something “decent”. Decent according to an Iskolar ng Bayan’s poor allowance. haha!. And that’s what we ( hubby and I) share to our helper and soon to our boys, whenever we come here.

When my whole tribe ( my family) came from Cebu during my graduation, I never missed the chance to let them dine in our “sikat” food paradise. I had my lunch here during our first day of school with Lovella ( a 4th year Pol.Sci student that time) and my then classmates, Rey ( now a UP History professor and now taking his PhD in Manchester) and Agnes ( a practicing lawyer in Davao).

Funny but Doming’s Talabahan is a humble eatery along the national road of Miag-ao Iloilo. No-frills eatery but it is packed during weekends. Married with two curly boys and living more than 40 kilometers away, we still drive all the way here during Sundays just to reminisce our humble yet fruitful years at UP Visayas.

Actually, this is the new face of Doming’s. Haha. Before, they were individual little cottages. Perfect for real food tripping.

Here is our usual order sans KBL ( Kadios, Langga and Baboy).Have to be there earlier to have that calorific soup.hehe

Don’t miss ordering their kinilaw and grilled squid stuffed with tomatoes and their grilled porkchop. Talaba ( oyster) is a must too but I prefer those harvested from Aklan. Hubby and Nene ( our helper) shared the talaba.

Here is our lunch ( 3 adults- me, hubby, Nene and 2 kiddos)

2 servings of kinilaw – 120

1 stick of manok paa ( thigh) – 50

1 lukos ( squid) – 35

1 sinabawan ( fish soup or tinola) – 60

1 litre of Pepsi – 30

4 cups of rice – 40

1 serving of Talaba – 45

1 stick of grilled pork liver ( I ate while waiting.glutton! haha!) -40

Total – Php540

That’s less than 200 pesos per person and lesser if you count my 4-yr old. I have to open my jeans sa kabusog!Gluttony! ops! Actually, you can eat there in less than 100 pesos. Student price.hehe

Aside from their affordability, its the food that really counts. Its certified lutong bahay with their soup cooked with wood instead of LPG ( wood creates more sumptuous dishes). It faces the sea which will let you feel like going on a beach outing. Sometimes, we do take a dip if its not that hot. One summer, hubby and Aki had kite flying.

That day, we saw a fishing boat with their catch.

Yellow-fin tuna at 87 pesos per kilo (what?!). Of course, its on a wholesale. Still, its cheap. Lowest market price for this fish is at 150-180pesos/kilo.

When traveling southern Iloilo, include Doming’s Talabahan for your hearty lunch.

Tags: doming's talabahan, miag-ao food, off the beaten path, talabahan
Posted in food and local cuisine, Iloilo | 4 Comments »

Miag-ao Cemetery

Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

Call me morbid but since I was a child, I love visiting cemeteries. It never gave me any creeps and my eyes would shine whenever my mom or anyone in our family would announce that we will be visiting our beloved parted ones as courtesy calls during vacations. I love looking at tombstones, the angels and check those dates of birth and deaths. Same with names, I love them all. I’m not a freak (haha) but I think those were just indications that I’m a history buff by nature. More than 2 decades after, I got a History degree from UP.now working as a freelance writer.

This blog generally covers my travel stories and led a career in travel writing. Along with heritage churches, ancestral homes, my favorite subject matter are cemeteries. And Iloilo is one of the places in the Philippines where these well-preserved burial grounds can be found.

The town of Miag-ao, 40 kilometers south of Iloilo is famous for its Baroque church but one of its off-the-beaten path destinations is their cemetery. And I’m very familiar with this city of the dead. I used to enter and pass this cemetery to reach a Cebuano community who were my respondents for my thesis. I walk alone even during dusk. Frankly, our last visit was very surreal. Yikes! Now, you will think I’m eccentric. haha!

Just look at my smile here…tabi tabi po.

An urban legend has it that a tunnel from the church ( on a hill) leads to this capilla (chapel). Also known as Campo Santo ( Holy Camp), these chapels are the center in any cemetery where last rites for the dead were performed.

The chapel of Miag-ao’s cemetery is greatly influence by the Classical and Romanesque styles. The church is more of lime stones but this structure uses bricks all the way from La Paz, Iloilo ( home of the famous batchoy) and La Castellana, Negros Occidental.

Arched doors and circular windows. It is unique throughout the province with its circular shape including its cone-like dome. Other cemeteries are octagonal.

Since it was built by the Augustinians in 1857, I can’t imagine the struggle in transporting these bricks. It was destroyed during the Second World War so I’m not sure if these bricks on its dome are the original.

Skull over crossed bones are typical motifs but it is inside circular spires which means that death is universal. Brilliant eh?

Old walls of the cemetery ( with a new statue of Christ)

If you are looking for a unique place to visit for your heritage trail in Iloilo, then include this in your itinerary.

Thanks for reading!

Related Articles

Cabatuan Cemetery

San Joaquin Cemetery

Tags: local secret, Miag-ao iloilo, old cemeteries
Posted in Iloilo, landmarks | 1 Comment »

Bandi!

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

We love sweets and this is mirrored in the continuous number of diabetic cases in our country. Haha! Sweets from our local delicacies are favorite pasalubongs and ne of the best treats to bring back home is bandi or peanut brittle.

Bandi is a popular treat in Antique as well as in the town of San Joaquin which is also the last town in Iloilo before Antique. Bandi is made of peanuts and caramelized sugar garnished with sesame seeds. What makes bandi different from the usual peanut brittle is the quality of their peanuts and sugar. The peanuts are of their best and I think they are roasted and not overcooked. The carmelized sugar is made from brown sugar and its is a little bit bitter which makes its a good combination to the peanuts. Its bitter-like caramel makes bandi palatable to adults. They also have cashew nuts but I still prefer the dark caramelized peanut bandi.

In San Joaquin and Antique, it is a normal afternoon snack for kids specially cooked by their lolas and titas. It has also become a major source of livelohood with some people exporting as far as in West Asia and Brunei.

My dad who is noted for his sweet tooth loves bandi. My mom bought a lot when we saw this mini fair at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol last month.

Bandi usually comes in round shapes ( big and small) while others have them in rectangles. My son persisted to buy him this big bandi which is bigger than his own face. haha!

This small tarp gave me instant knowledge on bandi.

My son really loves bandi. Shocking enough that he ate half of that big bandi. He gave a loud burp after drinking water. Hahahaa!

You can buy bandi at cheaper price at Tiolas, San Joaquin just before you enter the province of Antique. However, these sweets are widely available in most supermarkets and groceries in Iloilo City.

Tags: bandi, foods, peanut, san joaquin
Posted in food and local cuisine, Iloilo | No Comments »

San Joaquin, Iloilo: One of CNN Asia’s Unseen Destinations

Friday, May 13th, 2011

I regularly feature most of my travel stories as part of my work as a freelance writer but I still love visiting other blogs looking for new destinations that not are commercialized. Clicking one link to another lead me to an article of CNNGo, a collaboration of six local Asian CNN websites that covers travel and lifestyle.

Unseen Asia: 25 of Asia’s most overlooked destinations

I am a travel writer, so checked their list mostly from Vietnam and Indonesia and on the 21st place is San Joaquin Iloilo, specifically the church of this town. I was astounded for there are many unseen destination is the Philippines alone and San Joaquin is close to our current location.

San Joaquin is the southernmost part of Iloilo, it borders the province of Antique. From Iloilo City, it would more than an hour to reach this calm coastal town.

Here is what CNNGo wrote:

In a province crammed with Spanish colonial monuments, you’d hardly think that a little church tucked away in a sleepy town would cause a stir.

Wrong. The little-known San Joaquin Church in the Filipino province of Iloilo is a shocker. Instead of limestone bricks and Virgin Marys, its bass relief disquietingly depicts a bloody battle scene, complete with rifle action and men jostled off horses.

The only church in the Philippines with a “military theme,” the San Joaquin Church was erected in 1869 to commemorate how the Spanish thrashed the Moors in the Battle of Tetuan.

The church stands in the seaside town of Iloilo, which has one of the most gorgeous sea coasts in the Visayas. A flight from Manila to Iloilo takes an hour and most of the city’s destinations are accessible with a Jeepney.

I have featured this church in my earlier days as a freelance writer. Here is my post. And I agree with CNNGo’s writer, its striking characteristic is the motif on its relief. Isn’t it quite contradicting that it uses war for its facade rather than Biblical scenes or saints and other Holy figures?

Here are some of our photos of the San Joaquin Church’s facade that we recently took on our way home from Anini-y.

The facade depicts the victorious scene of the Battle of Tetuan by the Spanish forces against the Moors. Such victory happened while this church was constructed. That is why I tilted my post as “Militaristic Church of San Joaquin”.

Here are some closer looks of its facade. Notice the horses and the men in turbans. If you have a 20/20 vision, you can see some carved figures of men falling from their horses. Brilliant isn’t it?

San Joaquin is really “neglected” by many travelers because it is a little bit far from the capital city of Iloilo. And as I mentioned in my entry for San Joaquin Church, Miag-ao Church ( in a town just before San Joaquin) is a great “competition” for this humble work of art. Most travelers “give up” the adventure on traveling all the way south since they think that Miag-ao is already the climax of their journey.

But aside from its church, San Joaquin is also famous for its cemetery.

It lies just before the town proper, along the highway so it is easy to spot this heritage structure locally known as Campo Santo or “Holy Camp”.

You don’t have to be into architecture or arts to admire this..

Click here for my entry on San Joaquin Cemetery.

As a seaside town, its rigid coast is truly picturesque. A paradise for shutterbugs.

Reading CNNGo’s list, I felt very proud. Yes, it is something that we should be proud of. A secret place for those who truly understand travel.

Tags: cemetery, coastlines, san joaquin, san joaquin church
Posted in Churches, Iloilo | 14 Comments »

Museo de Iloilo

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

One of the places that you can visit when in Iloilo is Museo Iloilo. It is located very close to the Iloilo Capitol and across Atrium (a local department store, same building as Days Hotel) so getting lost is really not a threat. Entrance fee I think is 30 pesos for adults and 20 pesos for children. Kindly correct me if I don’t have the right figures.

Taking some days off from my job as a freelance writer with my folks visiting from Cebu, I brought them to the city’s local museum. First things first, taking photos is strictly prohibited.

I was already taking some photos when one of their staff called my attention. I was a little bit shocked because the last time I visited it ( 10 years ago. haha), taking photos was permitted. Also, most museums even the Louvre now permits photo takings.

Should I post it here or not? Well, I already captured these before the staff stopped me..so better share it right?

This is the scene right in the middle of the museum. It shows its collection of old religious relics. I was looking for those statues adorned with real diamonds and rubies but they are no longer there. Too bad, they were one of the real treasures of this museum.

I think this is my mom’s favorite spot in the museum. Haha. She was rekindling her childhood memories in Lanao del Norte with her relatives migrating from Bohol staying in my lola‘s house.

My mom is holding the large wooden pestle we call in Cebuano as “alho“. They use it to soften and tenderize banana stems to feed to their pigs. I think they also use it for grains. Mom saw old home tools like square scoops made of steel and rice storage sacks. She is giving like a short lecture to my nephew who obviously is not that interested. haha!

I think this is my favorite piece in Museo Iloilo. Inside this triangular glass casing is a Japanese Money used during the Second World War. Your history teacher may have told you ( I hope you do) that it is called “mickey mouse” money. Why is it called as such? Leave a comment if you don’t know and I’ll answer it. I have a degree in History by the way. Locally it is called as kura. Remember the folk song “Si Filemon“? Kura was mentioned.

Museo Iloilo is worth a visit. Just like most museums in our country, I hope that their staff and have a little guided tour even if just for one collection. I hope you get what I mean. Visitors can appreciate and learn more if they will give a short background on what are displayed just like what the curators at an old house in Silay did. Just a suggestion guys!

I hope those from Museo Iloilo will not read this and slash my throat for violating their rules. So please visit this museum when you are in Iloilo and mention my blog or a freelance writer named Valerie featured Museo Iloilo. At least they can forgive me. wink!

Thanks for reading!!

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Aklan Museum

Cebu Cathedral Museum

Marcos Museum

Tags: Iloilo, mama, museo iloilo, museums
Posted in Iloilo | 1 Comment »

Stopover at Midway

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Aside from roadside views, stopovers make road trips more exciting. Toilet needs or photo ops, we stop just to stretch our legs or breath some fresh air nipping motion sickness in the bud.

A food-lover obviously, we stop to have some mini-fuel up or for a cup of joe. When traversing the mountainous terrain of Panay Island, one of the well-established stop-over destinations aside from those mini carinderias is Midway.

We have passed Midway many times even prior to its construction. Located just a few meters away from the center of Passi City, this place sits in the middle of banana and papaya plantation. Just a little bit off tangent to the topic, Passi is known as an agricultural hub; a multi-national company ( Dole or Del Monte) planned to invest in the city but I guess politics triggered the investors to back out.

So when Akira had a tantrum and skipped lunch while we were still in Roxas City, he was already asking his father to stop for lunch after he came back to his senses. So lunch for him and coffee for us and Passi is the nearest place to pull-over. Of course, stopping at Midway means another story to share as a freelance writer. We were greeted by other travelers in Midway with some bringing a big company of friends and family.

Its name speaks of itself. It is really a midway for other provinces within Panay Island. Based on our own travels, it is just in the middle of Iloilo and Roxas/Kalibo. My positive first impression on Midway was brought by their appetizer – banana chips. Oh, we loved it. It was so unlike the others ( I’m not a fan of banana chips) – oily and too flaky. It was very fresh that you can savor real banana. With that big serving, all you need it to buy a drink and you’re all good.

I asked one of the waiters named Bert about the owners and I recall him answering “Amora Palmares”. I’m not pretty sure of the firt name but the name Palmares is no surprise. They are one of the prominent families in the city.

I wished we had our lunch at Midway. Foods were cooked and served fresh. And price is not a big problem. Aside from dining and photo takings, you can buy fresh fruits and vegetables at Midway. Read that they are growing organic vegetables.

I'd rather go famish than eat tilapia ( and the rest of those "ugly fish species") but looking at these pretty fishy fishy changed my mind. Maybe I will have their freshly grilled tilapia next time.

I was still stuffed from our lunch that I refrained even having a salad. They served fresh salad ( right from this garden) at only 89php.

Please excuse me but these papaya reminded me of my dropping-breastfeeding boobies..haha!

Tags: Midway, organic, Passi City, stop over, tilapia
Posted in Iloilo | No Comments »

Valerie Caulin