Bicol

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I first learned about the Mayon Volcano in grade school as an illustration on a reference book. I remember admiring its perfect cone shape, a trait that made the volcano famous. I never really thought I’d get to see it up close much less get to Bicol. But an opportunity came along in February 2010 when my former employer, the Presidential Security Group went to the region to perform security operations for the presidential engagement of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Just like my Vigan trip, I was asked by my former female boss to join them and I gladly did.

How to get there:

The only plane I’ve ever experienced taking is a C130, a military transport aircraft. I’m not exactly sure why but I wasn’t at all nervous the first time I’d ridden one. It was a smooth travel, I enjoyed looking out of the window, unruffled that we were thousands of feet off the ground. That feeling of calm wasn’t replicated when we took the C130 flight to Bicol. It was an hour and a half travel but to me it felt like forever. The turbulence was strong, the engines were too loud, it was a lot like riding a roller coaster. I remember wondering whether we’d get to our destination in one piece. Plane crash is certainly not my idea of leaving this mortal coil.

  

Anyway it turned out that I worried for nothing. We touched down Legazpi Airport without so much as a scratch.

The story above showed how we got to the place which obviously not out public transport. So for those who are wondering how to get to Bicol you may visit this site.

Where to stay:

When we reached Bicol I stayed with the officers and female soldiers at Albay Executive House while the enlisted men were billeted at Albay Astrodome. Anyway, I’ve included here the links for hotel accommodations for those of you who may be planning to visit the Bicol Region:

• Asia Travel
• Philippines Board

Places to see:

Legazpi Airport

You need not go any further to buy your friends and loved ones “pasalubong.” There ‘s a line of souvenir shops in Legazpi Airport that sell native bags, magnets, keychains, figurines, etc. The area also offers a nice view of Mayon Volcano perfect for picture taking.

There is a small hotel inside the airport called Legazpi Airport Hotel. Honestly I’m not really sure why anyone would want to stay there because first of all, it is the freaking airport which means the airplanes had been flying to and fro. I highly doubt anyone would be able to sleep with the sound of those flying giants in the background. But then again, maybe it is meant for those who are yet to figure out where they would stay in Bicol. They have a small café though and this I do recommend. It’s perfect for those who want to relax a bit and those who want something good to eat. Try their tapsilog, daingsilog, and hotsilog; they were good.

Vitton Beach Resort, Donsol, Sorsogon

One of the places that President Arroyo visited in Bicol is the Vitton Beach Resort located in Donsol, Sorsogon. There she shared a sumptuous merienda with some members of the press.

Now this is the perfect place to go if you are after the unique experience of swimming with the whale sharks known locally as “butanding.” Indeed, Donsol is known as the whale capital in the world as it is the only place where you can find a big population of this humongous underwater specie. Pump boats lined up the shores, each one can be rented for Php 3,500, good for 6 people.

Unfortunately the PSG went there to secure the area not to go swimming so I didn’t have a chance to come face to face with the whale sharks. Needless to say I was totally disappointed, I mean it’s not like I could visit Donsol everyday. So if you happen to get to Donsol, you must never pass up an opportunity for a butanding sighting lest you'd feel sorry as I did. As my friend, Magdalena would attest (she is by the way the friendly bartender of Vitton Resort), seeing a whale shark in the flesh is an experience like no other, much more if you get to swim with them. Hmm… hopefully someday I’d be able to return to Donsol and do just that.

Of course you must order your choice of poison from Vitton’s Morena Bar. Just look for their bubbly bartender, Magdalena a.k.a. Madie. Trust me she is an expert and a certified diver herself. Whatever you want to know about whale sharks, she can tell you in full details.

If you didn’t come with diving gears, there are some that can be rented. 

There are also a few stores within the resort that sell butanding souvenir items. I bought a mobile phone charm for only Php 40.

For more information about Vitton Beach Resort click on this link.

Cagsaua Ruins

Few hours before our excruciating 12-hour land travel back to Manila, my former female boss and I went to one of the most famous tourist spots in Bicol, the Cagsaua Ruins. It will only take you a few minutes to get to the place from Legazpi City. There you will see the belfry, the only thing that was left of the Cagsaua church after the eruption of Mayon Volcano in 1814. A local shared to us that many people had been buried alive when they sought refuge inside the church.

The park is hauntingly beautiful with lush greenery, old stone walls, and an unobstructed view of Mayon Volcano. Entrance fee is very cheap, only Php 10. If you’ve forgotten to bring your camera there were some of the locals who would be willing to take and print your pictures for a minimum price. There are also numerous stalls in the area where you can buy souvenir items like t-shirts, bags, post cards, etc.        

So there goes my Bicol experience, the home of the majestic Mayon Volcano, pili nuts, the very spicy but muy delicioso Bicol Express, and the whale sharks.

Loreto's Siomai

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For years I had been walking the length of Loreto Street to get home from work, oblivious of this small siomai stall sitting beside Mercury Drug, pass the queue of tricycles. If it wasn’t for my sister I wouldn’t have known what I'd  been missing. Few weeks ago, I discovered one of the most delicious and cheapest siomai I’ve ever had in my life.

Siomai is a type of a Chinese dumpling usually made of ground pork meat and some veggies and is cooked via steaming. In restaurants or regular food stalls, siomai is priced between 20 to 40 pesos, usually three pieces per single serving.

Now this siomai that I’m talking about is only priced Php 10 per 3 pieces. Despite my sister swearing to her life that the siomai is good, I couldn’t dismiss my skepticism due to the low pricing. See, in this country, cheap is synonymous to low quality, which I’ve encountered one too many times in the past. Still it was only P10, I figured I didn’t have much to lose anyway so I gave it a go.

The lady vendor took the siomai fresh from the steamer, put three of them on this small siomai plate and added the seasonings; soy sauce, calamansi, chili sauce, and bits of toasted garlic.

Despite not knowing what to expect I found myself excited to eat it. I rolled a piece to the sauce and took a bite. And man I was pleasantly surprised. The meat was thick, tender, and a little sweet and the sauce was like magic, totally boosting the taste of the siomai.

I couldn’t help but mutter “sarap” (delicious) every time I finish a piece. Before I knew it, I’ve already consumed everything.

Since then I always make it a point to buy from that siomai stall whenever I could. The stall has no name by the way so I just call it, Loreto’s Siomai. 

Le Delicieux Pattiserie and Cafe

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Pasty is the kind of food that indulges the senses; it gives off heavenly aroma, tastes divine, and is pleasing even to the eyes. Which is probably the reason it’s called food for the Gods. Given my love for this kind of food I could not help but wonder how in the world did one pastry shop escape my attention when it’s just a stone throw away from where I used to work. On my last day of work, upon a good friend’s recommendation, I had a chance to check it out for myself. I am talking about Le Delicieux (The delicious one) Pattiserie and Café, a pastry shop slash café along Paco, Manila.

It looked to me as though the shop had been recently renovated. The lights were bright, the walls were painted white, and the tables and chairs looked fairly new. There’s a big wooden shelves on the left side where you can find different kinds of pastries and breads like hopia, loaves, mamon, brownies, muffins, pies, among others. Each product was properly named and given price tags.

When my friend and I found a table, two waitresses immediately attended to our needs. I liked that they moved quickly and that they were very accommodating but I think taking our orders is a task that can be perfectly done with one waitress. On that part I think they were a little exaggerating considering the fact that I came with just one person.

While waiting for our order I took the liberty to take some photos so that I’d have something to show you here my dear readers. I’d already taken several shots of the food on display when one of the attendants approached me and told me that it’s forbidden to take pictures. I looked at her like she was speaking in another language….I mean what the F? They prohibit picture taking? Why the hell not?! I know that picture taking is not allowed in many museums, but in a pastry shop? Really?

I just had to know why so I asked but the woman couldn't fish for a reason. She just shrugged and said, “Basta bawal po.” Wow, so much for enlightenment eh? I’m sure this will be a major letdown to other bloggers who may also want to make a review of the place. Anyway, for what it’s worth, I still posted here the pictures that I’d taken.  

Now on to the food. My friend swore that the Chicken Pie (Php 38) was good so I ordered some. My verdict? I could hardly taste the filling because the dough was so thick.   

The Café Latte (Php 75) and the Cappuccino (Php 75) were both a disappointment; the former was tepid while the latter was too bitter.  

The Mango Cream Cake (Php 75) was okay, not too sweet.  

The bestseller among the mini cakes according to the staff is the Sacher (Php 75). It’s passable just like the mango cream cake but it tastes more buttery than chocolaty. Halfway through eating it, I’ve grown tired of the taste and couldn’t get myself to finish the whole thing.

I indulged myself to a small cup of Lechen Flan (Php 28) which happens to be one of my weaknesses. It was thick, not overly sweet, and a bit gelatinous. It’s probably the only food in there that I appreciated.

The Baked Ziti was alright, the pasta was al dente but I found the sauce too sour for comfort.

I bought Ham and Corn (Php 33) just to try something from the breads on the wooden shelves. Unfortunately, as the rest of the food, there was nothing special about it.

The shop looked promising; it offers lots of breads and pastries, the store itself was clean and nice, and it has enough staff to accommodate people. If I would be honest though, there was nothing worth raving about the food. None put glimmer in my eyes, so to speak. But then again, there were other food to choose from, maybe I just missed ordering the best tasting ones. 

Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

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There is something alluring about places and things that were unmoved and unscathed by modernization. I see beauty in their silent awkwardness and blatant incongruousness in an era defined by five-star hotels, condominiums, skyways, and skyscrapers. I speak of the antiques, the old houses, and roads that survived the passing of time and remain to be standing to this day. There is such a place in Ilocos Sur, Philippines and it had always been one of my dream destinations. In December 2009 I gladly wrote it off my bucket list after finally earning the privilege to visit the historic city of Vigan.

The remarkable opportunity arrived when former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had a presidential engagement in Ilocos. Back then I was still working in Presidential Security Group and when my former female boss asked me if I wanted to come along, a surge of enthusiasm rippled through me. Finally, just the chance that I’d been waiting for.

How to get there:
It takes an 8-hour (with pit stops) land travel from Manila. The PSG had its own mode of transportation so I did not have to worry about it but for those who have been meaning to get there, you may take a bus from any of these bus stations:

• Philippine Rabbit Bus Lines – Rizal Ave., Manila / EDSA, Quezon City
• Partas Bus Company – Aurora Blvd., Quezon City
• Maria De Leon Transit – Dapitan cor. Gelinos Streets, Sampaloc, Manila
• Dominion Bus Line – New York St., Cubao, Quezon City

Where to stay:
We stayed at the rest house of Gov. Chavit Singson at Baluarte, an 80-hectare property famous for its mini zoo. It means I did not have to worry about this part of the trip too. Anyway, here is a link to a website that has a listing of  hotel accommodations (places to stay in Vigan).

Places to see:

Baluarte

Baluarte is one of the best points of interests in Vigan and I recommend you visit the place especially if you’re traveling with kids. There you will enjoy the sight of different kinds of animals, some roaming freely on the vast land, basking under the sun. It also has a Butterfly Garden that houses a variety of butterflies of different colors and sizes.

What I liked most about the Baluarte is the chance to see animals that are not common in regular zoos. They’ve got turkeys, deer, the oh so cute miniature horses, civet cats (alamid), bear cats, and the real star of the zoo, the camels. They also have different kinds of birds like Rufous-Necked Hornbill, Sun Conure, Blue Gold Macaws, Umbrella Cockatoo, doves, peacock, etc. Of course, there are Singson’s favorite pets, the tigers which are safely locked up in their cage.  

Baluarte zoo is open as early as 7:00 a.m. and closes down at 6:00 p.m. It has no entrance fee, even riding horses is free of charge, now isn’t that cool?

Vigan Cathedral / St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral

I didn’t get to go inside the church but I did not pass up the chance to photograph its façade. It looked old like the rest of the buildings along Plaza Salcedo.

Café Leona

We sampled the best Ilocano gastronomy in Café Leona, a small restaurant and coffee shop in Crisologo Street. The interiors kept up with the old antique feel of the whole town. It is low-ceilinged, soft lighting, with old wooden chairs and tables. The buffet area was placed opposite a wall bedecked with old bottles of liquor.

When ordering you can either pick from their menu or choose from any of the food served on the buffet. When we went there for lunch we had roasted chicken, seaweed salad, bagnet, and squid salad. I have not committed to memory how each meal was priced but I think they were roughly about Php 100-300.

Every food that we ordered was a delight especially the famous Vigan bagnet. According to one of the locals though, you will find the best tasting, freshly cooked bagnet from the public market along with the equally well-known Vigan longganisa.

Heritage Village

You haven’t been to Vigan until you’ve set foot on its central point of attraction, the Heritage Village. Going to this place is without a question, the best part in this whole Vigan experience. There are simply no words to give justice to its exquisiteness. I was totally mesmerized by its beauty. It made me feel like I had been sent back in time. 

The Old buildings and houses built in the Spanish area had been well-preserved. No wonder it gained the honor of being included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. It looked good even at night but is more splendid under the morning light.

Horse-drawn carriages (calesa) roam about the cobbled-stone lane of Mena Crisologo. Souvenir shops that sell bargain books, antique pieces, bags, accessories, and other curious finds lined up the street.

  Feeling hungry? The street has bakery, cafes, and small restaurants to choose from.

While wandering around Heritage we saw an old man selling bamboo sticks. We soon learned that they weren’t merely sticks but containers of this Ilocano delicacy called “Tinubong.” It is a type of a tidbit or what we call in Filipino as “kakanin.” It is made up of glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, and coconut meat. Eating is extra fun because it entails cracking the bamboo open to get the sweet delicacy. It goes for Php 100 per 3 sticks.

Marsha’s Delicacies:

For your pasalubong needs don’t leave Vigan without dropping by at Marsha’s Delicacies along the town of Bantay. It’s not hard to miss since it sits at the side of the highway leading to Manila. I recommend that you get the Marsha’s Royal Bibingka which is the by far the best bibingka I have ever tasted in my life.

My Vigan adventure went beyond my expectations. I had always thought it great in pictures which began a fixation and fueled the wanting to see the place for myself. The photographs are but a prelude to a beauty that awaits anyone who would find time to make the trip.

The Town

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I was never a fan of Ben Affleck no thanks to his movies Daredevil, Pearl Harbor, and Armageddon, over publicized romance with ex-flame Jennifer Lopez, and boyish charms that for some reason never worked on me. I recently had a change of heart upon seeing this film which he co-written, directed, and starred on called, “The Town.”   

The movie outlines the story of a four-man gang in Charlestowne, Boston notorious for staging bank robberies. They are armed, work under guise, and destroy any evidence that may incriminate them. For years, the FBI has been hot on their trail but is yet to come up with hard evidence that would put them in the crime scenes.     

Ben Affleck plays “Doug MacRay,” a lonely guy who got stuck in the same robbery career that sent his father to life imprisonment. He is the brain of the gang, responsible for aligning the procedures they must take to pull off the heists. But despite his apparent proficiency in the field of thievery Doug dreams of going away to try to make good of his life; an intention turned into urgency when he fell in love with a kind and beautiful woman. Doug is a man who may be capable of committing a crime but remains emotionally vulnerable when it comes to the people he cared about.

Affleck delivered the character with quiet intensity and vulnerability. He gave what is needed of the character and didn’t attempt to go overboard. I liked him best in the scenes where he conveyed emotions just by using his eyes. The camera worked well on his angles that he looked strikingly handsome in many scenes. The Town gained Affleck an opportunity to forward his positive qualities and I am not speaking strictly on his physical attributes but also his writing and directing abilities. To put it simply, the film enabled Affleck to shine through; a piece of work that manifested his seriousness and of his gift of the craft. 

Leading the Feds that hunted the thieves was “Special Agent Adam Frawley,” played by Jon Hamm. In principle, Frawley is supposed to be the good guy in the story. For one he is an FBI agent, he is slick, resolute, and works damn hard to ensure that justice is served. Ironically though, Frawley is more annoying than any other character in the story. I totally hated him in the scene when he moved to extract important information from Krista Cooper. Maybe it stems from the fact that Doug, despite being the robber, is the protagonist thus he gets the audience’s sympathy. But then again, I may be alone in this point of view. I guess what I’m really trying to say here is that Hamm was so damn effective in his role.   

Rebecca Hall plays a bank manager named “Claire Keesey,” the subject of Doug’s affection, and one of the gang’s victims in a recent bank robbery. Though completely shaken by the incident, Claire is a woman of strength, disallowing the traumatizing experience ruin her life. She is down-to-earth, sweet, and has soft spot for children and nature. Claire’s character is the significant twist used to reform and affect Doug’s thinking, which ultimately contributed to the downfall of his crew.

At first I was not sure if Hall was perfect for the role but her subtle acting and quiet charm pretty much erased my previous reservations. Surprisingly, Hall and Affleck had an onscreen chemistry, which I think helped Claire and Doug’s love story seemed authentic.

Jeremy Renner plays Doug’s violent but loyal bestfriend, James "Jem" Coughlin. Jem presents menace that made me quite uncomfortable every time he appears on the scene. He is stubborn, vicious, the man you’d think twice about crossing. Yet in spite of his overbearing nature, he proves himself reliable not only as a member of the gang but also as Doug’s friend.

Renner seemed to have been tailor-made for his role, providing a kind of acting that is nothing short of exceptional. From his posture to his facial expressions, Renner acted his character quite well.

Blake Lively stars as Krista Coughlin, the trashy drug dependent, single mom ex-girlfriend of Doug and Jem’s sister. Lively for me is the biggest surprise to this film, proving that she is capable to take on a much challenging role. Here she was a totally different person compared to her posh and socialite Serena Van Der Woodsen character in Gossip Girl. Even when she looked high all the time, she still managed to look smoking hot, which I think would please all the guys.     

Pete Postlethwaite plays “Fergie the Florist,” the old and ruthless man who is the brain of every robbery crime that Doug’s team commits. Postlehwaite didn’t have much of a screen time but when he did appear, he was memorable. Fergie looked intimidating even when he’s doing something as simple as cutting the stem of the roses.    

Other supporting actors did splendidly with their roles such as Chris Cooper as Doug’s father, Titus Welliver as “Dino Ciampa,” Frawley’s task force partner, Slaine as “Albert "Gloansy" Magloan” and Owen Burke as “Desmond "Dez" Elden,” the other two members of Doug’s team.

The Town is a good film that was well thought out even when it worked under a familiar plot. It had the usual action ingredients, shootouts, car chases, and explosions. It is all male but is not bereft with emotions and optimism. Ben Affleck did well on this film both onscreen and behind the camera. All thumbs-up!

aVeneto Pizzeria Ristorante

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The malls are one of the places you should avoid on Christmas Day if you detest dealing with a crowd; the type that could make a movie a blockbuster. The queues at the cinemas are too long you’d think twice about catching the Metro Manila Film Festival entry you’d been planning to see, the arcades are so full of kids you have to literally wait for your turn to combat Chun-Li, the food court is bursting with a throng of empty stomachs you’d wish you had dinner at home, and the coffee shops are completely packed you’d swear you’re seeing a Standing-Room-Only sign on. If you’d been at SM San Lazaro last December 25 then you know this isn’t a hyperbole. I went there with my siblings and my nieces to give them a little Christmas treat. I made sure though that we wouldn’t compete with anyone for a seat. Thank heavens there were some restaurants that were spared from the hubbub of mall goers, one of them is my favorite restaurant, aVeneto Pizzeria Ristorante.

I discovered the place with some of my closest friends a year ago. The first thing that I liked about it was its clean and simple interiors. The lights were warm, the walls were painted in white, there bar and the kitchen were on the farthest part of the room, with enough tables positioned on each side of the room.      

There you could enjoy Italian food like pasta and pizza without losing an arm and a leg and they taste good too. You could go there with someone; some friends maybe, pick several dishes and then split the bill. The best thing about it is that each serving, especially the pasta, is big enough to be shared by two or three people.

The first that I’m going to recommend is their aVeneto Family Platter (Php 225). It offers small servings of some foods listed on their Starters such as Buffalo wings, French fries, deep-fried crab sticks, and cheddar munchers. This would allow you to have a taste of each starter without having to buy them separately. Foods like pasta and pizza take time to be served so I suggest you order the Family Platter to make the waiting less excruciating. My favorite by the way is the Buffalo wings, really spicy and yummy.       

Their Carbonara Pasta with Chicken (Php 235) is simply delectable. Its creamy white sauce is rich and flavorsome.

The Nut Pesto Chicken (Php 260) is oh so fine, with one serving good enough for two. Even the chicken strips were good; the meat was tender.   

My favorite of them all is the thin-crusted Bacon Cheeseburger Pie (Php 360 - medium). The cheese and burger bits were totally delightful; tastes so great I could easily finish three slices.  

My siblings and I enjoyed the food; unfortunately our little nieces didn’t share the opinion. They hardly touched the pasta and the pizza, all cared about was the French Fries (Php 60). I guess it’s not something kids would easily appreciate, at least as far as the children from my family are concerned, whose definition of good food is Jollibee or McDonalds.

aVeneto is a good place for some bonding time with family or friends and is decent enough even for an informal  business meeting. I love the food, happy with the simple ambiance, and pleased with the service. I like it that the place is not crowded all the time, makes dining much more relaxing and enjoyable. 


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aVeneto Pizzeria Ristorante
2nd Level SM San Lazaro
Sta. Cruz, Manila
Business Hours: Monday - Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.