White Water Rafting in CDO: A Glimpse On A Day Of The 2009 Tarsier Convention

WHITE WATER RAFTING @ CDO
We got up early to prepare for the day’s activities. Our visit to CDO will not be complete if we don’t get to brawl with the waves of the great CDO river. Before heading to the rapids we dropped by to the Macahumbus cave. This cave is only about 57 meters and at the end you’ll have a nice view of the river.

Now we’re ready to tackle the rapids. There were nine of us on the raft, 6 paddlers, 2 guides and 1 miron. I was a little nervous and excited at the same time. Our group took the advanced level. It consisted of 21 rapids, 7 of these are advanced levels and 14 are considered for beginners. Our guides briefed us of water safety, simple signaling conventions and basic paddling in a raft. We each have our helmet, vest and lastly our paddle.

It's around 10 am when we started. The course began in the boundary of Bukidnon. The first few yards ended up in getting stuck with some big rocks. Maneuvering was really a challenge for us first timers in white water rafting and since it's summer time the water is low. After this first hurdle we started to get the hang of paddling and we started to enjoy the rapids. I learned that the secret to a successful paddling is to be in harmony with your fellow paddlers. Just follow the strokes of the one in front of you, the one behind you should the do same thing. Timing is vital. Now I know how the dragon boat team feels like. After several hours of muscle paddling action we were rewarded with scrumptious lunch.

Lunch consisted of grilled prawns, grilled liempo, grilled chicken, embotido and puso (rice wrapped in coconut leaves). We had pineapples for desserts. Honestly, I am not a big fun of pineapples but boy these pineapples were really ripe and yummy! It made me want to visit Bukidnon. We’re all so famished that it felt like engaging in a boodle fight. Hahahha!!!

After a few minutes of rest, here we go again to the rampaging river. Like what I said, since its summer the water level is low. But our guide said that if you visit during the rainy season, it’s a different ballgame. He also told us that due to heavy rains and flash floods last January, the river’s width increased. Most of the houses were trampled by big rocks and raging waters. Yikes! That’s mother-nature getting back at us for not taking care of her.

We decided to switch places to even out the paddling arm. I found out later at night that this was actually a good idea since it even out my muscle aches. Hehehehe! By this time were down to the beginner-level rapids. Our guide is quite experimental and made us stand, form a circle and hold each other. This is actually one of the parts I enjoyed most. We emerged triumphant in this exercise because of balance and everybody’s fun-lets-go-charge attitude.


After tackling all the 21 rapids, it’s graduation time. Did I fail to mention that not all parts of the river is fast, rocky or shallow. In this area, the water is calm, deep and steady. It is so inviting and that of course I jumped right in for a swim and docked to a nearby rock. This big rock is actually the podium of our graduation. We were made to jump to mark the end of our paddling exercise. Don’t worry they’ll not force you to jump if you don’t want to.




It's almost 4pm when removed our vest and rest our weary bodies. I'm hungry again. All snacks seems delicious, I remembered Jodie's kiamoy inside my bag and feasted on it instanly. Hahaha this time everybody wanted the kiamoy.

Yahoo!! I conquered the river. It was exhilarating. Next time I’ll try the expert level. The tour was provided by RAP, Rapid Adventure of the Philippines. The cost is around a thousand bucks including the foodie. You can visit their site: http://www.raftingadventurephilippines.com/home.html.

View a snippet of the actual adventure below, enjoy!!

Back at the White Beach - A Night in Galera

ONE NIGHT @ PUERTO GALERA

After a decade of shying away…. I found myself walking the white shores of Puerto Galera again. This time with my boo and my 3-yr old son happily taunting the calm waves. Ooohhpps did I fail to mention our tour buddies, the AIEP
group which consisted of an eclectic bunch. There are around 50 of us but I can still say that white beach is still deserted. This is one of the advantages of vacationing during off season.


One can enjoy simple pleasures like going to the souvenir shops, have a henna tattoo, relax with a P200 massage or just wander in the beach and feel the sand caress your feet.

The weather is cool in the morning and sunny most of the day. Fun and activities were provided by our group director, Chris. We had a mini amazing race ala treasure hunt. Boy, the tasks are no walk in the park since it consisted of a two-page list of things to find and do. I have been to the island so many times but this time I really got acquainted with Galera. Who would ever find “the tree with no leaves” or the restaurant “Dito Ba ‘Yun?”. These are just snippets of the treasure hunt list.

Most of the group partied the night away. Sample the Mindoro Sling a local cocktail that comes in a variety of concoctions. The common recipe consists of rum, clear cola, grenadine, orange juice, mango juice and lemon. Pop me if you want the recipe.

Day 2, we went island hopping and snorkeling in the morning. Snorkeling is in no comparison with diving but if you’re in a tight budget, why not. I always grab any opportunity to be in the water.

Beware of the small boats tugging behind. Especially to those who are non-swimmers, they offer to take you where more fishes and lush corals are abundant for a fee of course. Hey there’s nothing wrong with that … but if you stayed with your group you’ll find out soon that this is the next stop to your island hopping itinerary. (Hmmm.. our boatman is in league with them hahahha…) Actually, the real danger here is that these small fishing vessels are so eager to get customers that they tend overlook some of the other folks snorkeling around. I almost got hit in the head by one of the boats. Fortunately for me, one of my tour buddies warned me about the approaching boat. Haaayyyy.. I hope the Tourism of Mindoro can impose some policies regarding this.

Believe it or not we only spent P1700 per head for the trip. These include transportation from Manila to the beach and back, food and accommodations for the night. Not bad hah! The henna tattoo starts from P150 depending on the complexity of the design. Island hopping costs around P350 per head, snorkeling equipment included but I usually bring my own mask and snorkel. Meals are cheap and have a vast variety.

Did I mention that henna now comes in color and glitters :D

Btw, we stayed at the White Beach Resort... room rates starts from P800, visit their website for more info.

The Blogger's Block

July 20, well that’s a long time hehhehehhe… If anybody noticed, this is the date of my last blog entry. So what have I been doing all this time.. ahh yes and no…

Yes, I have been busy with this thing called “Day Job”. I actually don’t know why they call it a day job ‘cause mine usually extends to night and sometimes even after midnight. (well that’s I.T. life)

No, to the.... I run out of things to write or recipes to post because I have a lot. Well the thing is I felt that I have been limiting myself to writing stuffs about food and I wanted to write about other stuffs like my favorite sport, my other hobbies, books that I read or I want to read, politics or just my encounter with the #@&#@#% !!! call center agent at the bank…

I wanted to conform with this thing called standards…. things that will make other people read what I write and this is the time I started to get bored and I have forgotten why I started to blog.

I started my blog for me.. so I can express myself.. my thoughts and share what I know or what I want others to know. Pleasing readers and just making sure that I am searchable so I can get lots of hits should be secondary. I believe that every blogger should observe a sense of responsibility to their readers but this should not interfere to the writer’s style or the material you are writing…

So I decided to change my theme from food blog to… No theme at all :D

Haaaaaayyyy… there .. I wrote it.. and I am happy…

Cereal Fried Chicken

I served this super delicious dish during my aunt's visit. I got this recipe from my mom and just modified it a little. Mommy used to cook this recipe when we go to one of the excursions that my dad's work sponsors. This takes place during the summer and my mom thought of cooking fried chicken this way. This is so, we can enjoy it even its already cold. Gravy is not so popular then and we only have ketchup to accompany the chicken.

I remember that my dad likes chicken adobo while us kids wants fried chicken. So there you go, that's how my Ma came up with this style of cooking fried chicken. She cooks it as adobo first and then fry it later. This is the fried chicken you'll love to eat to the bones!!!!

Over the years, when I started to cook I tried adding chicken coating then Japanese crumbs before frying it. But lately, when I started to get conscious of what I put in my mouth, I replaced the Japanese crumbs to oatmeal. I got the idea when I tasted cereal prawn in Singapore. It's not a bad idea using oats since its rich in fiber. Honestly, they say that you don’t need ketchup or gravy with this fried chicken.

So without blabbing any further this is my recipe.. hope you guys like it.

Cereal Fried Chicken

1 k chicken breast or thigh (any part will do)

3/4 c vinegar

1/4 c soy sauce

1/4 t peppercorns (crushed)

2 garlic cloves (chopped or crushed)

2 bay leaves (laurel leaves)

1 small onion salt and pepper to taste

1 c oatmeal

1/4 bar of a margarine

2 T sugar

1/2 to 1 c flour 1 egg

(you can adjust soy sauce and vinegar to your taste)

Saute garlic and onion. Add the vinegar, soy sauce, peppercorns, bayleaf and chicken. Simmer till it's done.

While chicken is cooking, prepare the oatmeal coating. Melt the margarine in a wok then add the cooking oats. Add the sugar, sauté well until mixture is even.

When the chicken’s done, set aside and let it cool.

Prepare the chicken coating, beat the egg and add-in the flour, mix evenly. Dip the chicken in the coating mixture till all parts are coated. Roll the chicken to your oatmeal mixture then deep fry over low heat.

Do not overcook the chicken, remember it is already cooked. You can eat this without gravy or ketchup. It's really tasty on its own.

Ciao!!

The Psyllium Husk Magic

Since Mrs. Aquino was diagnosed with the big C, a lot of products regarding colon cleanser came out. One of these is the psyllium husk. You’re probably wondering what is a psyllium husk. Psyllium is a plant and psyllium husk is extracted from its' seed. It’s all natural that’s why I’m not afraid of taking it.

Psyllium husk is actually a dietary fiber that helps in bowel movement. It is like a natural laxative and is recommended for people with low fiber intake. It also cleanses our body of some of the wastes we fail to excrete for it absorbs toxins in our bowel. How does it work? Simple, if you dissolve this in water you can see that it expands. Then it becomes a gelatin-like substance. Because of these properties, psyllium husk can absorb at least 10x of its original mass. If you take it in, it will make your bowels in your colon soft and easier to remove.

Boo recommended this product to me to help me regulate my time in the bin. I have been using this product for quite some time now and it’s really effective. I also noticed that it removed the bloated feeling every time I eat and has reduced my gassy episodes. I have a problematic tummy for a couple of years now and this product helped me a lot.

Another plus for psyllium husk is that it helps me maintain my body weight. Some claimed that this product was able to aid them in weight reduction. It also helps manage your cholesterol level and maintains blood pressure. This is indeed a wonderful find. It has been widely used abroad and now gaining popularity here in the Philippines.

Guidance in usage, psyllium husk can be mixed with juices, coffee, tea, milk, soup, stew etc. I used it plainly with water. If you’re taking it the first time, I suggest mix it with other liquids. It is not recommended for pregnant women. The best time to take it is in between meals.

Psyllium husk also comes in capsule form.

Dumaguete in a Glimpse

................................................ ................... Scenic Bay at Rizal Avenue in Dumaguete City

We arrived at Dumaguete, around 2 in the afternoon. We took the city tour before going to our accommodations. The city is very clean and there are a lot of foreigners particularly Koreans. Motorcycle seems very popular in the city. First stop, Silliman University. This university, one of the oldest in the country, has been erected on August 28, 1901 after the treaty in Paris of 1898. The treaty that ended the 333 years of Spanish regime in the Philippines. The school boasts for producing literary talents. I remember my English Lit professor attended a conference in this school regarding arts and literature. This is one of the main reasons why Dumaguete is filled with Korean tourist, they study English in Silliman.

............................................. The Library at Silliman University in Dumaguete

Then we proceeded to Rizal Ave. (this is their own version of baywalk) I saw a lot of couples frolicking beside the bay. One of the things that caught my attention was the little kids swimming. They're so carefree even the heat of the afternoon sun doesn't seem to bother them. I couldn't help compare it with the baywalk in Roxas Boulevard in Manila. Dumaguete's bay is more sparklingly clean. We also dropped by at the Sans Rival Bakeshop and Cafe. I bougt a loaf of Sans Rival for the entire barkada. (Salap!) The pier is also visible from where we were. If you're going to Siquijor or Bohol, this is the place to go. The waiting area in the pier amused me since it resembled a big boat. You'll never miss it :D

We ate at Lab-as (means fresh). Many restaurants were recommended like the Jo's Chicken Inato(grilled chicken) but we want to give ourselves a treat before continuing the tour of the city. This restaurant is surrounded with "Su-to-kil" kiosk. We feasted on the indeed fresh seafoods that they offered. We only spent around P1200 for the seven of us.

Next, we went to Forest Camp. It's like a big park with streams and brooks. The trip from the city to Forest Camp is around 15-20 minutes. Forest Camp is near Casaroro Falls. But were not able to trek to Casaroro since were so pressed for time. Try the buko halo-halo to refresh you after a day of traveling. Yummy!

............................................Infinity Pool at Antulang Resort

It's already dark when we arrived at the resort. Antulang is about an hour's ride from Dumaguete CIty. Yes, its quite far but its worth the trip. If you want a place where you can really relax, Antulang is the place for you. It's recommended for honey mooners for its exclusivity and personalized service. Antulang got its name from Antulanga, Gumamela (a flower) in Filipino. Antulang is situated on top of a cliff. The view is spectacular! I also love their infinity saltwater pool. I took a lot of pictures for my personal collection of travels.

Visit their website to view rates and more pictures of the resort. I am an amateur photographer and may not be able to do justice to the beauty of the place.

http://www.antulang.com/new/main.html

Tip: to get the best rates try travelling during the offpeak season and avail of their special promos

The second day in Dumaguete was spent in the world renowned Apo Island. Apo island is famous with divers because of its diverse marine life. Honestly, this was the highlight of my trip. I don't know how to describe the feeling I get when I am underwater. They say its the best way to relieve you of stress. Some really experienced divers get high during a Nitrox dive. (Let's leave diving for a while. It may take several days for me write about it. ) Btw, if you want to dive or snorkel in Apo Island you have to register and pay a minimal fee. Dive rates ranges from 25-35 USD.

We had lunch at the Apo Island Beach Resort. Yes, there are resorts in Apo Island but the water and electricity is limited so do not expect a suitable overnight accomodations here. The menu offers a variety of seafood dishes. Surprisingly, they also have Schnitzel hehhehe.. I dont know about resorts... but its the nth time I found this Austrian dish served in the beach resorts here in our shores. Loved the pork adobo and my companions enjoyed the grilled fish. We actually ordered the fastest dish they can serve since were famished from the water activities. The price hmmm .. a little bit pricey for me but it's in a secluded island, so what do you expect!

The afternoon was filled with snorkeling and island exploration. I am actually surprised that there's a community in Apo Island. Around 4, we headed back to Antulang to rest for the night.

............................................ .Jo's Chicken Inato Dumaguete City Branch

Our last day in Dumaguete comprised mostly of shopping for souvenirs. This was also our last chance to sample the famous chicken inato, where else, at Joe's Chicken Inato. We arrived during the lunch hour and the place was packed. It was hard to get a table especially for a big party like ours. We ordered ahead and when we got our tables ready so was our food. Everybody ate their chicken and garlic rice the traditional and the best way, with bear hands. The meals are cheap and really delicious. The chicken was grilled perfectly, not burnt and not raw ,just right. Boo ordered a round of buco halo-halo again, this became his favorite dessert during our stay in Dumaguete.

It was time to proceed to the airport and our 3 day trip was over.. everybody felt bitin. There are a couple of place I really wanted to visit like Siquijor and Bais. I will definitely comeback to Dumaguete and I'll make sure that I'll include these two in my itinerary.

Vegetable Recipes Even Kids Will Like!!!

Remember what your mom always says, “eat your vegetables.” Now it’s your turn to tell it to your kids …but like you, did they follow? Eating vegetables has been proven in many research and studies will make your body stronger and healthier. Vegetables are rich in anti-oxidants that our body needs especially when you’re living here at the metropolis. So how will you make your kids eat this green stuff?

Use the stealth settings.This has been proven very effective when introducing green leafy vegetable and fruits to your kids. I remember being very skinny during my teens (whoa!! those were the days) I was underweight and had a low blood pressure. Our family doctor gave me lots of vitamins and of course his number one advise is to make me eat vegetables. Boyyy I hate them then.. I can’t stand eating ampalaya (bitter gourd or bitter melon) but it’s a major source of iron and that’s what I needed. So.. my mom devised ways to help me eat this eeekky vegetable. She mixed ampalaya with corned beef.. ohh yes, corned beef I can relate to it. Guess what .. I loved it and later on I got used to eating this bitter gourd even without the corned beef. If you want the recipe read on and you might want to try it to your kids.

Ampalaya con Corned Beef Omelet

Ingredients:

1 medium size ampalaya (bitter gourd) cut thinly
1 large tomato remove the seeds
2 eggs beaten
2 T flour
1 clove of garlic chopped
1 medium size onion chopped
1 can of corned beef any brand will do
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t sugar
3 T oil for cooking

Saute the garlic and onion, add the chopped tomatoes. Wait until the tomatoes are tender and slightly cooked then put in the corned beef. Your intention here is just to sauté the corned beef and mix all the ingredients. Now add in the bitter gourd, don’t stir just put it on top of the corned beef mixture. Cover and let it cook for a while. Make sure to cook it over low fire so not to burn the corned beef. Let the steam cook the bitter gourd. When the bitter gourd turns light green remove the mixture from fire and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the eggs then add the corned beef-bitter gourd mixture. Add the rest of the ingredients, the flour then the sugar. Add salt and pepper to your taste. Mix all the ingredient until flour dissolves evenly with the egg.

Heat oil in a frying pan and cook the mixture batch by batch. Spread the mixture evenly, your goal here is not to have a thick omelet. Cook the mixture as if you’re cooking a pancake in lots of oil.

Served great with relish or achara.

Tips:
To further reduce the bitter taste of amapalaya, cut it as thin as possible and put it in brine solution for about 15-20 minutes before cooking

Health Watch

Amapalaya is rich in vitamin A, B1, B2, C and Iron.

When frying, use Canola Oil instead of ordinary cooking oil.