A pelotari during a tournament

Jai alai is still being played in the country. In fact, it is not only in Cebu but there is an established amateur group in Metro Manila, specifically in Project 8, Quezon City, home of the Manila Amateur Jai-alai Association (MAJA). Arnaldo also posted about another group in Manila.

Jai alai has always been a part of my childhood in Cebu, in the form of masaio, that illegal numbers game whose winning numbers are derived from this game. Bets are waged everyday and the winners are drawn just a few meters at the back of our house. When I looked for photo stories to do for my ACFJ course, I never hesitated to do this one as it’s now something of a novelty and what was once a very popular game in the 60’s-70’s, more popular with the professional basketball circuit, is now relegated to a small fronton or cancha in Project 8 where enthusiasts and amateurs keep the game alive.

Players preparing before a game.

It’s really a thrill to watch, what with the pelota zooming very fast while the pelotaris (players) try to catch it with their cesta. The one in Project 8 usually have daily practices and a tournament every December. The players also compete internationally. Last year, there was a visiting Spanish delegation as part of the international playoffs, a jai alai Olympics played by the countries where this is popular: US, Spain, France, Mexico, other Latin American countries and of course, the Philippines. Unfortunately, while we have a good talent pool, one was even drafted in Florida to play there, there is no such government support.

For travelers, the Project 8 fronton is a rather interesting place to go to and watch this once popular sport. If you have the guts to play it, the MAJA members are very happy to oblige.

Trophies and other prizes I got in last night's Philippine Blog Awards 09 held at the Ayala Sports Center. The one at the far right was last year's Best Single Post - Travel award which I only got yesterday.

Globe Tattoo's Digital Tribe - Visayas Award includes a mobile broadband internet USB dongle from the telecoms firm.

I already knew from last week that I won two awards for Best Travel Blog and Best Photoblog in the national category of the Philippine Blog Awards but since I wasn’t able to join the Manila event, I decided to be at the Cebu leg as I am home for a few weeks. Last night I never expected to get another prize and other items! All in all, I got the following:

• I got Globe Tattoo’s Digital Tribe – Visayas award
• a mobile broadband internet USB dongle which was included and saved me the expense of buying one
• Best Travel Blog trophy
• Best Photoblog Trophy, which, curiously, these trophies doens’t have any inscriptions (also check my post in I Am a Documentary Photographer blog)
• a Nokia 6700 Classic black mobile phone which Nokia gives for the Best Photoblog winner! wow! Never really expected this, and
• finally, my trophy for Best Single Blog Post – Travel from last year’s Philippine Blog Awards that I haven’t received since I wasn’t able to join the ceremony

I guess, last night, I had more awards than I expected. It was also good to see and meet other bloggers as well.

Check my previous post about winning in the PBA09.

Langyaw.com is the Philippine Blog Awards 2009 winner of Best Travel Blog

Globe Tattoo's Digital Tribe - Visayas award plus an internet USB dongle

Langyaw.com is Best Travel Blog, one of two (the other is Best Photoblog) in the recent Philippine Blog Awards 2009, Luzon leg, held at the PETA/Phinma Theater last Friday! My profound thanx to the judges who sifted through the many entries and finally decided to consider this site. This recognition, among other wonderful blogs of this genre, all the more made me strive to do better. This also follows my win last year for Best Single Post – Travel for How I Broke a Ritual Taboo in Batad.

In the Cebu leg of the Philippine Blog Awards, I got additional trophy, Globe Tattoo’s Digital Tribe – Visayas for this blog and other items! It is posted here.

Langyaw – Sojourns and Off-the-beaten Path Travels will continue to feature alternative places as well as great travel photography and veer away from the usual promotional/commercial posts and tourist traps. More interesting entries to come.

For the full list of winners, check the PBA09 site.

Again, thank you!

• BEST TRAVEL BLOG: Langyaw.com
• BEST PHOTOBLOG: I am a documentary photographer
• SPECIAL AWARD: BEST FILIPINIANA BLOG: Simbahan.net

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A baluarte or watchtower guarding the coast of Santander overlooking Negros.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

A trip down southeastern Cebu is a trip into a history of blood, predation and the Cebuano’s attempt to defend themselves at the onslaught of Muslim slave raiders during the middle of the 17th to the middle of the 19th centuries. The spectacular Spanish colonial era churches of Argao and Boljoon reminds the visitor that these were once fortress-churches, edifices that were fenced with thick and high walls that protected the community from these marauders.

A massive watchtower in Boljoon overun with vegetation

The quadrilateral baluarte at Obong

it’s only in Cebu where the most number of existing baluartes in the country can be found However, it is a little known fact that complementing these fortress-churches was a network of baluartes, watchtowers, that can still be found along the coast of this island province. Still unrealized is the fact that it’s only in Cebu where the most number of existing baluartes in the country can be found. Structures that looked out at sea and at the sight of the raiders’ prahus alerted the townspeople.

In the case of southeastern Cebu, Fray Julian Bermejo, parish priest of Boljoon in the ealry 19th century, constructed a chain of these defensive network that stretched from Carcar to Santander that “telegraphed” through smokes the impending attack. Within minutes, the church bells in this stretch rang out to call on the people to prepare and seek refuge. So effective was this system that in 1815, the townspeople of Oslob were able to repel one such attack and was peaceful ever since. These prompted them to relocate the town to it’s present site from their fortified settlement in Daanglungsod which are now in ruins but still breathtaking.

Quadrilateral watchtower in Doong Islet in Bantayan Island

Ruins of Sta. Fe fortification

Remnants of the watchtower in Camotes Island

Watchtower and remaining wall at Catmon

In the north and southwestern part of the island, there are still remnants of these baluartes but are few and far between. However, in the aptly named Bantayan Is. (bantayan in Cebuano means “lookout area”), there are still two existing fortresses. One in Madridejos which they have converted into a park. The other in Sta. Fe has again fell to ruin and is overun with vegetation, thanks to the neglect of it’s current mayor. In the main town of Bantayan, only a few meters of the surrounding walls of the fortress-church complex remains. It’s extensive watchtowers circling the island are also gone, I was told, were demolished or destroyed by the elements. In the surrounding islets, there is only one left, in Doong.

Blockhouse at the perimeter of the fortress-church of Boljoon

Baluarte converted into a private abode

Remnants of the Oslob watchtower

Guardian atop the hill in Daanglungsod, Oslob

One of the ramparts of the fortress ruins of Daanglungsod, Oslob

Octagonal watchtower infront of the Dalaguete Church. It was used previously as a store.

The status of these structures is disheartening. Except those found in Madridejos and Fort San Pedro, the rest are in a precarious state of deterioration. Most are in ruins, neglected and left to weather away. Two which are inside a foreigner (married to a Pinay) owned resort and a lot were refurbished and converted into private cabins and many have been made into trash dumps. And no one is doing anything about the preservation of these structures.

Give it a few years and this rich cultural heritage, one of Cebu’s unheralded icons of the past will be lost forever.

Bright and bold, a typical jeepney in Cebu sporting colorful paint and images

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

A pig flew. A rooster stood proud. Dragons billowing a firey breath. Christ carrying his cross. These images amidst backdrops of stunning, gorgeous or sometimes gaudy colors drove passed me. I was wide-eyed and very much delighted at what flashed before my eyes. Brief, fleeting seconds it took for these marvelously hued transports winding their way. Welcome to the streets of Cebu!

A flying pig decorates the body of another jeepney

I have traveled much around the country and never have I seen so beautiful painted modern public transport than in this island province. Of course, Metro Manila has its iconic jeepneys originally leftovers from WWII converted as vehicles of public transport.

An image from a minibus

Windshield of a minibus

Multidecorated and done in the traditional, as we see now, Sarao model, it has dated looks. But there are stand outs. Just spend some time in Cubao, along Aurora Boulevard and the Marikina jeepneys has one of the most gorgeous examples of Pinoy pop-art. Or those that ply the Manila-Pasig-Rizal route. Contrast these with the ones, with my apologies, to the often uninspired and drab jeepneys found in Bacolod and Nueva Ecija/Nueva Vizcaya, to cite two.

A "surplus" multicab from Japan awaiting conversion either as a private or public vehicle. There are many shops around the province, doing these.

A painter putting on finishing touches. One unit can cost as much as P150,000 - P200,000 plus depending on the style and accessories installed with franchise included.

Those on Cebu are different. From jeepneys, tricycles to minibuses, the streets are awash with color. Some are done in solid butreally bold colors while most have paintings and images in modern design. What you see is just mindboggling and I am at a loss for words that these haven’t been, as far as I know, featured before.

The 80s saw the Cimarron type, blunt nosed jeepneys often with strips of color. Later, the Sarao model became en vogue. The 90s saw the influx of surplus vehicles from Japan (but mostly second-hand) flooded the country. Colors were more bolder but still striplike with a few bits of design. In this decade, surplus multicabs, smaller and more compact are the norm. This time, body decorations are bolder and has blossomed into what you often see.

Tricycles decorated with nonfunctional lights

Side view of another tricycle

These are the best Pinoy pop-art there is in public vehicles in the country.

Beautiful Marmol Cliff rises into the sky. Its white and bare face providing a sharp contrast to the scenery.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

I was holding tightly to the habalhabal’s iron back frame as the driver deftly maneuvered at the shallow river, evading deeper portions and rocks, culled from memories of countless trips. Water splashed at my sandals and legs. Brief stops and pauses. A few lean to’s  and short walks just made the anticipation of reaching my destination greater. Patience is a virtue, I silently told myself.

Habalhabal motorcycles with four passengers. Its the common mode of transport in Tuburan and the vehicle to hire when going to Marmol Cliff.

Riding into the river needs an experienced driver who knows the terrain well as it involves evading deep portions of the river as well as navigating through rocky parts.

Tuburan is located in northwestern Cebu and one of the progressive towns in this part of the island province. About 30 minutes into its interior, where the terrain turns rugged, a stunning landscape unfolds. Marmol Cliff has been on my mind since I saw a spectacular spread at the coffee table book Cebu: Pride of Place. During a shoot for the book Balaanong Bahandi in this town, a brief visit to this terra incognita, at least for me, was at the top of my list.

One can also climb the opposite rock face where millenia of river action has carved a smooth path for the river. During dry months, people just pass below. However, during rainy season, the river can rise as much as 20 feet or more and rafts are used.

Getting there is not easy. You have to hire a habalhabal, those motorcycle transports that cram 4 to 5 passengers in a single trip that gives the impression of copulation (in Cebuano, habal means to have sex, for animals, that is). You should chose a driver  who knows the way as it involves riding into the river, one who has an idea of where to cross and what to evade as there is no other way.

Trees' root system clinging on the rock face is a common sight as the terrain here is so rugged and steep.

Because of this, the cliff is only accessible when the waters are shallow, especially the non rainy season. A brief rain in the mountains is enough to raise water level to several feet and has deadly consequences to unwitting passengers. At Marmol Cliff, I was told by the driver that there is at least one fatality every year as waters can go as high as 20 feet or more. During these times, residents living in the vicinity or beyond hike their way.

Villagers living beyond Marmol Cliff often pass through this place.

Bringing produce to the town is easier during the dry season.

As we hit the river, flat terrain gives way to rolling hills. From villages to almost uninhabited space except for the occasional homestead at the banks. From a wide water expanse, the flow narrows and in some parts deeper. Then rolling hills give way to mountains, farmlands transform to rugged bush and soaring trees. The sound of birds are much apparent now with sighting of colorful feathers flying above from time to time.

But we are not alone. There are many gravel gatherers along the way. The occasional habalhabal with or without passengers make the trip back and forth. Children are bathing in the clear river as some people are hiking along the banks. Several minutes into the wild landscape, the mountains at both sides turn steep until it is, more or less, 90 degrees and forming a gorge. The vegetation is forest like with some walls bare. Swallow are now aplenty.

The habalhabal motorcycle I hired to reach Marmol Cliff. It's really built for the rough terrain and this driver knows the way quite well.

As I surveyed the surroundings, following the jutting tops of the cliffs, into the interior and just behind the bend where the river emanates, lo and behold, beautiful Marmol Cliff! Standing tall and high, its white limestone face aglow in the early afternoon sun. I was just speechless and in awe. The setting is so picturesque. The ruggedness of the terrain contrasts with the sheer vertical drop that you don’t really have an option but to direct our view into this spectacular sight.

Is it worth the effort to see beautiful Marmol Cliff? You bet, it is.

Finished product, the puso is now cooked, the wrapping blanched and hot. A sharp knife is passed to open it.

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

Unless you’re unfortunately bound by the four corners of your hotel room or the idea of a Cebu vacation is limited to resorts, casinos and bars without, for a moment, meeting the man in the street, then I guess, you miss a big part of your touristy junket in this beautiful island province.

A typical morning's preparation at a V Rama household where puso making is the major source of income.

Puso, is quite obiquitous and, like the Sto. Nino, lechon and dried mangoes, it is one of Cebu’s iconic images. Nevermind if its also found in some parts of the country, Indonesia and Malaysia in various names, forms and filling.

In the past, this biodegradable, handy and traditional food pouch was said to be exlusively for the deity’s pleasure as it formed part of ritual offerings is now everyday street food paired with barbecued pork, chicken, seafood and entrails in various streetside foodstalls. It’s de rigeur at Larsians near the Fuente Osmena. At an outing at the beach or even at house parties, its still a popular, no fuss choice paired with lechon, dugo-dugo (blood stew), and other Cebuano dishes. For kinamot (eating with the hands sans spoon and fork) dining, I prefer to have puso anytime, anywhere.

Young coconut leaves stripped and ready for weaving.

Making the puso, to the untrained, is difficult. But for these pros, it just takes less than a minute.

Two kinds of puso in different sizes

The hole of the puso is where uncooked rice is poured.

Some call it hanging rice although that term is so simplistic considering the intricacy of the weave and the pride that Cebuanos have for this popular fare. Simply, puso is rice cooked inside a woven pouch made from young coconut leaves. The Cebu version is typically called the kinasing owing to its heart shaped form (in the Cebuano language, heart is kasing-kasing). There is also the binaki or froglike form. These comes in various sizes and can cost from P2 for a mouthful (in Larsian but can be cheaper when ordered directly from the puso maker) to as much as P5 for larger ones.

Like what they usually say, you’re trip to Cebu is never complete if you’ve never eaten puso.

Puso wrappings readied for filling

Once the wrapping is ready, these are filled, about 80% with rice

Filled puso is cooked for around 20-30 minutes depending on the size.

Off the fire and hot. These bunch of puso are now ready for distribution. For this family, they already have ready buyers.

After being cooked, its now time for distribution to many foodstalls along V. Rama Ave.

On the dining table, puso is handy food anytime, anywhere and a main feature of streetside food stalls

Delicious chicharon at a roadside stall in Carcar

Speak of Cebu and images of the Sto. Niño , the province’s patron, come to mind. And so does the valiant Lapu-Lapu, sweet mangoes, the famous lechon, guitars and beaches. But it is more than that. Cebu is a special and beautiful place. It is also my home.

Cebu foodstop series: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

Around one and half hours travel south of Cebu City, the heritage town of Carcar provides a welcome break from the typical urban sprawl that characterizes the city and municipalities that lies before reaching this place. Antillan designed houses with their amazing woodwork, typical bahay-na-bato that has stood the test of time as well as the onion like dome, surely moorish inspired, of the 19th century neoclassic church with elements of baroque make Carcar a unique town. From one end to the other, it is possible to encounter different architectural styles starting from the Spanish colonial period, the American, the roaring 20s on to modern but uninspired and drab houses and buildings.

Carcar is especially located at the intersection leading to the south and west side of the island province. As a result, it’s a hub of trade and economic activity. It is this unique position that spurred the development of food and delicacies that, for the traveler, one just has to stop, buy and savor the unique tastes.

Typical chicharon kitchen

At the rotunda, where the only 1920’s era kiosk exists in Cebu, several stalls line one side where mounds of freshly cooked chicharon are covered with plastic to protect it from the pollution. It’s available by the kilo. For those in a hurry, packed (plastic) morsels are ready for the taking and are available in 1, 1/2, 1/4 and even 1/8 of a kilo. Interested to see how these are cooked? Head on to Guadalupe where majority of these are prepared.

Typical pasalubong items in this heritage town

The typical pasalubong stall consists of chicharon, ampao, bocarillo and, when in season, takoy.

Stacks of ampao, sweet puffed rice dessert

Ampao anyone? I just love that crunch, texture and sweetness that defines this delicacy. Simply put, ampao is pinipig, cooked rice that is left out in the sun and when dried, fried until it is puffed white. Sugary syrup binds it together with pieces of fried peanuts that breaks the monotony. Sold as pieces of squares, it has been part of my childhood as my grandmother or househelp brings one from time to time.

Colorful bocarillo at another stall

Before Davao pomelos made its mark in Filipino’s taste buds, we Cebuanos always looked forward when takoy, the local pomelo variety grown in Carcar were being sold by ambulant vendors back home. It is semi sweet, and the meat is pale white compared to the pinkish color of the ones found in Davao. Unfortunately, this variety is becoming rarer.

According to Carcaranons, their lechon is the best

Rounding up our Carcar foodstop post, is the town’s lechon. Okay, I only tasted this once and cannot fully say if it’s better than our town’s lechon, but Carcaronon’s are indeed very proud about their roast pig. As they say, with bias, their’s is the best.