So you have finally found the balls to book a one way ticket to your dream destination with an uncertain date of flying back home. Give yourself a pat on the back because you have done the first step most people your age are afraid to take. Now what to do next?

I’m not an expert in backpacking and my one month solo stint is nothing compared to what my contemporaries have accomplished. Still, it doesn’t mean I didn’t pick up a thing or two during my adventure. Preparations must be made before and during your trip. Research, planning the itinerary and what to bring, explore credit card options, and build up your travel fund.

While you’re at it, take the remaining time to curl up in the fetal position over thinking about all the uncertainties that could happen on the road.

Backpacking is serious business even though you’re out there to enjoy the world. Come unprepared and you might find yourself scratching your head, getting lost, or crying in the shower of some random hostel’s shared bathroom because you got scammed and lost half of your trip’s budget on your first day.

To avoid such woes, I have compiled a few tips for those backpacking newbies!

Fantastic plastic

Assuming you have done your research about the place, you should have a ballpark figure of how much you need to bring for your epic adventure. Open a separate travel fund and compare credit cards available to see which one works best for you. Aside from pocket money, it’s best to have a safety net just in case you got awfully drunk and woke up one day with most of your belongings missing.

Read some blogs

Plan a detailed but loose itinerary by doing a thorough research about the place you’re going to. Get directions on how to get from point A to point B, find out bus and train fares and schedules, where to get the best deals, and which tourist traps to avoid. But always leave room for spontaneous explorations!

Pack light

Seriously. If you plan on moving across countries and hopping cities, having a big-ass backpack would be too troublesome. The art of packing light is one that’s tough to master, but if you can figure out early on which items you need to bring and which ones you think you need to stuff in your bag, the better. The trick is to bring enough clothes for a week and just get your stuff to the laundry regularly.

Keep your cash close

Buy one of those body packs big enough to fit your money and important travel documents. You can wrap these slim bags around your body, even inside your shirts, to prevent pick-pockets from stealthily stealing your valuables. It’s easier to keep track of your belongings when you only have this and a daypack with you as you tour around town.

On booking hostels

Consult TripAdvisor and Hostelworld to find out which hostels fit your budget and make sure to read the customer reviews. Book it as early as a week from your date of arrival to avoid the trouble of looking for a place to stay at night. I’ve encountered a lot of backpackers who walk in without prior reservations and got rejected because the place was booked. It even happened to me once in Krabi, Thailand. Hassle.

Skin care

Southeast Asia was unbelievably hot, and this is coming from someone who lived his entire life in a tropical country. Sunscreen is an obvious must-have for any traveler. Bringing acne treatment is also recommended especially if your skin breaks out a lot. I brought my Proactiv kit which prevented any acne development on my face and it’s also perfect for long term traveling since the small bottles could last for more than a month. Every morning I would apply both cleanser and toner and it keep me looking fresh the entire day despite the humidity. These 30-day kit can be bought in any Watson stores near you.

Mix and mingle

Beat solo travel loneliness by talking to other backpackers. If you’re an introvert like me, you will probably have a harder time mingling with other people. But for a little push, book shared dormitory rooms and strike up small talk with your roommates, smile and appear approachable, and ask questions from locals. No man is an island. No matter how much you think spending time by yourself is fine, you will eventually need someone to talk to.

The little things

Most people might overlook it but bringing a universal socket adaptor is important especially if you’re bringing your important gadgets with you on a long term trip. Power outlets are different in other countries and it would save you time and money if you find one before the start of your trip. Know local currecy exchange. Also, buy a local sim card and store important emergency numbers. Don’t forget a medicine kit as well!

Take your time

Don’t rush your trip trying to visit all the attractions available within 2-3 days. You might’ve seen everything but you will end up having blurred memories of each one. Leave that to The Amazing Race. Personally, I would only have one or two agenda a day then leave the rest of the day open for anything else that might come up. Sometimes, there are special events being held for that day and it wouldn’t hurt to steer away from the usual touristy places once in a while.

There’s a bunch of other lessons on the road that I could share but it would be much more rewarding to learn them yourself. Make mistakes. Take risks. Let loose. Have no regrets. It’s not everyday we get to go out there and experience the world and we owe it to ourselves to have fun and maximize our life.

Tucked somewhere in the cooler side of Cavite is a place that serves homemade Vietnamese dishes. Bawai’s Kitchen is all homegrown and by the stimulating aroma of fresh spring rolls being made as we walked inside its doors, we didn’t have to question its authenticity.

Owned by an old couple, a Filipino and a Vietnamese lady, Bawai’s gained popularity without any strategic marketing plan except for word of mouth. The secret ingredient, which was shared to us by owner Virgilio Tatlonghari, is love.

“Anything cooked with love, with passion, will come out delicious.” So by the end of the meal, each of us felt full of love.

The place is a quite a challenge to find and is only open for 3 days a week, from lunch to supper. If you think that’s tough enough, reservations has to be made at least a week before to make sure you can be accommodated properly.

Starting off the barrage of healthy food, we were served some Vietnamese fresh spring rolls (Goi Cuon P185) with a side of peanut sauce. Personally, I’m not a fan of fresh spring rolls because I just couldn’t get satisfied with the taste. However, this light appetizer was a great prelude to the music that will be orchestrated for lunch.

Everyone’s instant favorite came in the form of Go Thit Tom (P250). Bawai’s house salad is made from summer vegetables, particularly ubod, and topped with pork and prawns. It was the second time I’ve had the pleasure to taste ubod (first was in Kalinga) and the strong flavor really punches the palate in a good way. Hands down it was the winning dish for me that day.

Next up was Nem Nuong (P275). Three pieces of Vietnamese sausage which I initially thought was longganisa because of its attractive glaze and dotted with sesame seeds. This dish tempted me to order rice because of its sour sweet taste that would be perfectly paired with it.

I felt pretty triumphant. Rice is off my diet and I’ve been successfully avoiding it ever since I came back from my backpacking trip… until the next two dishes were laid on our table.

Com Suon Cha (P295) stared back at me with the light bouncing off of it’s crispy skin. Who can ever deny one’s self with luscious grilled liempo willingly giving itself up on a plate? WHO?!? TELL ME! I was still holding out on rice despite the orgasmic food porn until the game-changer came out.

For the love of prawns, Tom Rang Me (P395) arrived with its sexy glaze of tamarind sauce and I couldn’t hold back my lust. I wanted to peel of its skin and subtly kiss the delicate meat before putting it in my mouth. My left hand reached for the bowl of rice while the other was ready to battle with everyone else’s forks. The diet’s off and I’m gonna get more than my fair share of prawns.

Their Iced Tea’s a refreshing silent killer as well!

The only disappointing fact about having lunch at Bawai’s is leaving without a clue when I’ll be coming back. Most definitely I will and with vengeance. Next time, I’ll make sure to try out their pho and dory dishes with a platter of Go Thit Tom for appetizers.

Getting there could be a little troublesome, though, especially if you don’t have a private car with you. When driving, turn left from the Tagaytay Rotunda to the national road, and another left to Lagusan Drive. There should be signs to guide you once you’re there.

Oh, Pico de Loro. You summoned me and I came to you to seek for answers, bringing along 10 other souls who may have also needed your blessing that day. Our main objective, to see if we are capable and brave enough to stand taller than your summit.

7:00AM. Everyone met up in Boni to wait for the van that we hired for the day. Plenty of new faces, some familiar ones that I haven’t seen for a long time, and a couple of friends that makes me feel at home. Two hours later and we found ourselves at the jump-off point in Ternate, Cavite ahead of schedule. Getting to the jump-off point at Magnetic Hill is very troublesome so hiring a private van is recommended.

For quite some time, it has been a small goal for me to climb that famous monolith that stood beside the summit of Mt. Palay Palay, known to most as Mt. Pico de Loro. Bragging rights? Sure. We all hoped for a photo on top of that giant erected rock so that our friends back in the city would be in awe of our achievement.

Yep, that was the goal.

For me though, it was another chance to get high up and closer to the clouds to try and understand all the misunderstandings that happened. There was something about this peak that called me and I thought that by scaling it, I could figure them out. If I couldn’t, death was just a jump away. Hahaha.

THREE HOURS TO THE SUMMIT

I came unprepared. Fortunately, after 5 months of searching for my hiking shoes I finally found it the night before the climb. Everything else, I was too careless of, like bringing a tote bag instead of a backpack. WTF?

It was a very pleasant trail during the first 30 minutes of the trek. Every time the group would stop, I would check out everyone’s faces and wonder if I was treading on the same path as they were. Unlike them, I was already soaked in sweat. It was sweat from the heat and not exhaustion.

“Basang basa ka na Robbie!” said Gabi. “Ay hindi niyo ba nadaanan yung waterfall?“, I jested while squeezing the life out of my buff.

The trees somehow guarded us from the sun, although I was ready and willing to get a little darker. The real test of the trail starts midpoint after the grassland. Most of us started showing signs of giving up during the steep uphill hike that made up this second part of the trek.

We took long breaks every five minutes. Though my legs were fine, I was already breathing heavily. Gummy bears and jello kept us alive while the promise of ice cold sodas at the campsite kept us going. By this time, even though most of us barely knew each other, we were already a tight bunch of misfits. It’s amazing how an experience like this could bring people closer.

After an hour of steep ascents, we finally found ourselves at the Summit Campsite. The view of the actual summit immediately invigorated our limping bodies. It took us three hours to reach the campsite and was still ahead of schedule.

THE ASSAULT

Countless photos were taken, spirits were reanimated, thirsts were quenched by cold bottles of 7Up that costed P30 a piece. I was set on climbing the Parrot’s Beak whether a rope was present or not. No questions asked, I will climb it.

There’s a final 5-15 minute assault for each the summit. We held on to roots and branches during the first half, on the second we grasped on dry grass while crawling our way up a steep slope, finding footing on loose dry soil. If one of us made a slight mistake, everyone else below would go tumbling down.

We were already blessed with a nice view of the coves on our way up but we continued the struggle to reach the summit. I was the first one to reach the peak and the moment I saw the monolith in all its glory, I was filled with adrenaline.

I took a couple of moments to regroup and pray, and by the time all my comrades reached the summit I was already making my way down the rocky cliff to the base of the monolith on my own.

MOUNTING THE GIANT

There I was. Before me was a massive piece of stone and probably the biggest physical challenge that I will ever face. My knees were trembling from the climb, my hands were shaking from nerves. Fear and excitement battled inside me and made my heart race.

After crossing huge boulders, I found myself at the bottom of the ledge where I had to make use of my non-existent upper arm strength to pull myself up using a rope. With all the strength I could muster, I held on to the rope and inched myself to the top. At one point, I missed a footing and briefly slipped while my heart skipped a beat at the thought of almost falling hundreds of feet below.

I was silent all throughout but inside my head I was screaming “Putanginaaaaaaaaa!”

It felt like such an accomplishment when I finally made it to the top. My friends were still on the other side of the summit ready to take photos. I could spot my other hiking buddies making their way down the same rocky cliff that I passed 20 minutes before. For 15 good minutes, I had the entire stone pillar to myself.

We go through a lot of trouble to get to these far away places, hoping to get some answers. But sometimes, we never get them.

What we do get is another awesome experience for the books, bragging rights, a test of strength and endurance, a breathtaking panoramic view, and new relationships built. There will always be other solutions to get to the answers you’re looking for and sometimes it’s best to do it by trial and error instead of following a strict formula.

The hole in one’s heart is something other people can fill.

Cheers to my hiking buddies! Maybe each of us found a different answer to what we were looking for? (Clockwise from top left: Me, Nikki, RJ, Marvin, Gabi, Rommel, Kaiz, Marx, Kirk, Elal, and Gino.)

It was by far the most challenging mountain I have ever climbed to date. I’m more doubtful than ever and will never trust how other mountaineers rate a trail’s level of difficulty as my body was sore all over and I was bed-ridden for a couple of days. Okay, the second day nag-iinarte na lang ako but I needed the rest still. Hahaha.

Additional photos by Rommel Laderas, Kirk Acebron, and Marx Velasco.

Even before I hopped on a bus to Dagupan, my drag twin Mica have already insisted we try out a bite of this local Pangasinan dish. With the name ‘Pigar-Pigar‘, both taste and appearance left a question mark on my face. I couldn’t help but wonder how my taste buds would find it.

It was our first night in Dagupan and I have been awake for 48 hours. My eyelids wanted to rest while the rest of my body longed for the comfort of a soft bed and a strong man’s caress. None of those wishes were met because our hostess was determined to give us the complete Pangasinan experience sans boy-hunting. Sleep was out of our agenda.

My drowsiness faded away when our small group started walking down this dark alley and I thought I’d be getting a treat to some ‘fresh meat’ but as it turned out, we were literally after a piece of meat.

At night, the roads around Galvan Street closes to make way for an evening of Pigar-Pigar party. This isn’t your ordinary street food as one entire road is dedicated to serving the same meaty dish. Thus my curiosity grew bigger.

Vendors and food stalls lined up the sidewalk and several monoblock chairs and tables were set up in every direction. Slabs of meat hung from hooks by the roadside, smoke clouded the street, and patrons wave their hands for a bottle of beer or two. Everyone came here for a platter of stir-fried carabeef.

Your food will be cooked out in the open right in front or next to you. The basic ingredients contain strips of cabbages, onions, liver, and the carabeef. Nothing fancy. If you’re lucky, you can buy some vegetables from some of the vendors around and have the cook include it in your dish for no additional charge.

The plate arrived at our table, accompanied by a condiment of soy sauce with some optional kalamansi and chili peppers on the side. Being a spice girl whose roots come all the way from Bicol, I preferred dipping my spoon into the spicy puddle and dabbing a tad on the meat before shoving a spoonful of Pigar-Pigar down my throat.

In all honesty, without the sauce, I thought the dish itself was quite blah. Nothing special. I think we were paying for the actual experience of eating in a dark and crowded street. I just couldn’t understand how this dish became a popular local delicacy because the preparation and ingredients weren’t particularly complicated.

However, I am convinced that there’s more to Pigar-Pigar than the food itself. It’s the combination of aroma and atmosphere, getting smoke in your eyes and sweat dripping down the sides of your face. Vagrants and random lunatics popping out of nowhere asking for alms, and this time you’re at their turf, out in the open. I could just picture how fun it would be to eat here with your wildest friends while chugging down a bottle of beer with Pigar-Pigar as the pulutan. Sounds like one hell of a night.

The dish may be a little mediocre for me but the experience is worth coming back to. In fact, even though my first impression was average, I was the one who insisted we go back here during my return trip to Pangasinan.

When Mica told us that we’d be spending a night at The President Hotel, I was a bit excited as it produced an image in my head that the place would look similar to the Malacañang Palace. But when we arrived at it’s driveway, it wasn’t exactly how I expected it. 

The President Hotel is located at the capital of Pangasinan, Lingayen.

It reminded me of those resorts that my mom would book because it has been an old favorite. This hotel has been around for more than 10 years and has been of the historical tour in Pangasinan because former president Fidel V. Ramos (12th president of the Philippines) used to live here.

We arrived late at night and our small group of three was ushered to the Quezon Suite. I’m not sure if all the rooms are named after each president, because that would mean they only have around 14-15 rooms. Since they have an annex building, I could only assume that the rest are probably named after Philippine icons and symbols. I didn’t bother to ask about it since I wasn’t feeling well that night. #Excuses

Our room had the basic necessities: A comfortable bed, towels and shower kit, cable television, and a/c. Since I was the only naturally-born man in the group and the only one under the weather that night, I got to enjoy a bed on my own while Mica and Ada shared the other one. Despite Ada, insisting we sleep together, I just couldn’t stomach sharing the bed with a female. Chos.

This room comforted me from the heat and humidity outside, which is my number one enemy during all of my trips. The weather can easily change my mood and it affects the overall experience. Thank goodness this room’s a/c kept the temperature at a comfortable degree. By the end of our overnight stay, I was already emotionally attached to it. Most importantly, they have decent free Wifi.

The bathroom was clean and decent. Since the temperature inside the room kept the sweat off my face, I was able to enjoy a soothing hot shower without feeling ridiculous.

For breakfast, we were taken to a separate dining area that had several vintage newspaper clippings framed to the wall which gave the place a tad of personality compared to the other areas in the hotel. There was a connecting room that had several decorated mugs hanging from a window, adding more quirk the space. I haven’t explored much of the hotels facilities, but this was probably my favorite room there.

As for the food, they have a set menu for breakfast and it featured traditional Filipino morning meals and a few Western dishes for foreigners who wants something close to home. But since I prefer what’s local to the area, I chose the ever reliable Tapsilog that came with two sunny side up eggs and a couple of fresh tomato slices. Breakfast was great!

If you’re staying in Lingayen, I would suggest giving The President Hotel a go-see. It may not cater to the younger crowd but everything you need is there, plus it’s near Lingayen Beach!

It’s like the loaf of bread of the pastry world. It’s not as fancy as any shortcake and it doesn’t need any flavored filling like the pan de cocos. It’s been here for a while and people love it because it’s reputable and clean and offers good service! I wish I could say the same to some of our past president though. Haha!

Plus, I love the rundown feel of the arc at the entrance.

I was terribly exhausted for the day not because we did anything strenuous before but due to the heat of the sun in Dagupan. No matter how light an activity is, the  temperature will drain the energy out of you. Still, I insisted we do the Dawel River Cruise that afternoon.

Located right underneath Dawel Bridge, the cruise was a project started by the local government in order to promote Dagupan. The experience is currently free of charge so one could take a relaxing 45-minute tour of the river where you could see some interesting sights along the way.

We were welcomed by bangs sculptures painted on by local artists. Personally, I found these installations quite attractive and was glad that there are really great traditional artists on this side of the Luzon.

These creative fish statues are products of a local painting contests, with winners’ creations displayed prominently on the wharf. Not only do some look extremely detailed and well-made, but each one depict the Dagupan lifestyle. For a while, I got a little envious because I lack the skill of a traditional painter, then it inspired me to try and get back to the paintbrush some time this year.

The heat was still unforgiving, even as we’re hiding under a roof, the humidity was unbearable. So after news of an air-conditioned toilets came to us, we immediately decided to hang out inside the bathroom stalls for a quick refreshing break. Kung may couch lang sa lobo, dun na kami tumambay!

We were at the wharf for quite some time, waiting patiently for the boat to arrive. Boredom eventually kicked in. I grew tired taking the same photos of the decorated bangs and was anxious to take a nap.

Finally, two boats arrived simultaneously, one carrying around 50 passengers and a big table of food at the center. A birthday party, I suppose. Bongga.

We boarded the smaller boat that could only carry half of the other one. Immediately after the vessel started to pull away from the wharf, my consciousness started drifting with the currents. So I instructed Mica to wake me up once the boat makes its way back. For me, it was time for siesta.

A gentle breeze woke me up in the middle of the cruise. We were surrounded by mangroves, blanketed by periwinkle skies. Ruins of a rail road, fish pens, and kids taking a dip in their birthday suits were the attractions for the day. Inside the boat, shadows played and I watched silently. Migratory birds flew by, and at one point I saw a white heron flapping its wings past our raft cracking a smile on my face.

Dawel River Cruise was the peaceful break that I needed from the tiresome morning we just had. The view wasn’t anything spectacular. In fact, the experience of doing absolutely nothing was the highlight of this tour. But for a quick fix of nature in the middle of Dagupan, I’d have no problem doing it again.

There’s just something more to Patar Beach than its golden sand that makes me want to visit it over and over again. Okay, a part of it is because I only have to shell out a budget of P1,500 every time I go there. Sand, sea, smiles, and sunsets. Cheap thrills, I say.

To date, I’ve frolicked along its shore three times in the past 3 years. It has always been my quick escape from the city. Every time I go back, the experience is a lot sweeter and better than the one before it. Simple food seems a lot tastier, sand is finer, and the company more laid back.

It also helps that I can easily tag along my most kaladkarin travel buddies for a spontaneous break by the beach. Fate was working for us as we all had a common free day. Perks of being freelancers, I guess. It’s not everyday that I get to lay down on my back beside the shore while the rest of civilization is stuck inside sky coffins.

That entire day felt like an eternity and I wanted it to keep going.

During my recent getaway, there was no pressure to bathe in the waters of Bolinao, letting myself drift afloat while the waves caress my weary muscles like usual. I stayed inside my rustic bedroom, keeping count of each breath, playing with spiderwebs, and dozing off all day.

There were moments when I would stroll along the beach for some alone time. I would wait for the sun to dip its head in the ocean for a well deserved rest after an entire day of kissing our skins. I would watch the gradient of cool and warm colors play across the sky. Then I would return to our cottage bringing treasures that I found during my short excursion. Presents from the god of sea, I assume.

This place may not become as popular as Boracay or as pristine as Palawan, but it holds so much great memories that I could see this beach as a place I could constantly go back to to make new ones. The funny thing about it is every time I return, the landscape changes. Similarly, I transform along with it.

I can’t wait for another year (or years) to pass by until my toes get to dig itself into the familiar sand. There’s no certainty how much growth both that beach this boy would have gone through, but I’m definitely looking forward to it.

I forced persuaded Josh and Mica to take me back to Calasiao for two reasons: The first was to get a second date with one of the largest churches in Pangasinan, the other was to shove some white gold down my throat. Something white, sticky, and sweet, just the way I like it.

Satisfied with my quick date at Calasiao Church, we went straight to that popular street where stalls line up to sell different variations of puto and other local sweets. It’s only  less than a minute away by foot from the church, but due to the unbearable heat we rode Josh’s car instead and got there in less than 20 seconds.

I can still remember what I did back in 2010. Sleep deprived from staying awake on the bus en route to Dagupan, I sat down the sidewalk in front of all the rice cakes and fell asleep while my companions bought some puto and kuchinta. Too tired for treats.

For those of you who don’t know what puto is, because you’re either a foreigner or a stuck up sheltered society kid, it’s a bite-sized semi-gluttinous rice cake that made the town of Calasiao famous. It’s their ‘bread and butter’ that’s why people refer to it as White Gold. These are usually found in fiestas and special occasions.

As I kid, I grew up being forced to eat puto and kuchinta. Not that I hated both of them, but I was born in Manila and raised in front of the television where countless commercials of ice cream and chocolates invaded my vision. I always fancied Western treats more than our locally made products and thought they were of lower standards. Well, except for halo-halo. Everyone loves halo-halo. I’d choose a good serving of Razon’s and Binondo halo-halo over Haagen Dazs, unless the latter is for free, of course.

When I got older, my cravings switched. It’s a lot more challenging to get a hand on these things and I’m just not impressed with the ones being sold at Goldilocks, etc. It made me wish I went out of the house every morning when I was younger, waiting for the old lady who would walk around the neighborhood carrying a large tin container on her head. Inside it, freshly made puto, kuchinta, sapin-sapin, and suman lay like treasures.

We drove by the street and several ladies started touting us to stop by their respective stalls. All waved to us, called for our attention, except for one who seemed to not bother make any effort to sell their products to us. The car stopped in front of their booth and apparently they didn’t need any marketing strategies because their puto brings all the boys to their yard.

Bella’s Puto Stall is the most notable in the block, offering puto in various flavors together with other sweet selections from the neighboring towns. Unfortunately, none of the other flavors were available when we went there so no taste-testing took place. Damn it.

After inquiring about the other treats, I bought half a kilo of original white puto and another of kuchinta as baon for the rest of the afternoon until I go back to Manila. With a bag of my missing childhood in my hand, I went back to the passenger seat and started eating them piece by piece.

Two years ago, I vowed to return to Calasiao just to take better photos of their church. During my first visit, both of us were closed off to each other. The main church doors were locked, while I was too apathetic, tired, and cranky to even care. Later that day, I realized what I missed out on.

Also know as the Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul, it’s one of the biggest churches found in Pangasinan and one of the most beautiful ones I’ve seen. To date, I consider it as one of my favorites because of the contrasting orange color of the bricks against the azure blue sky. The texture on the walls and layering of rust-colored bricks, the cobblestone steps leading to the iron gate, I could just imagine how everything must’ve been painstakingly made. The details are not on any stone carvings but can be seen on the facade through the layered bricks.

Back then, the extreme heat of the sun was too unforgiving and I was too sleepy and tired from the lack of sleep en route to Dagupan. My friends wanted to explore while I would’ve preferred to snore the rest of the day away. So when we got to Calasiao Church and Mica boasted about how beautiful the architecture was, I pretended to care by taking half-assed photographs at random angles. Even though it was still equally scorching during our second date, I was in a better state of mind to appreciate the architecture.

There was something about the church that captured my interest aside from its visual appeal. After reading about its history, I found out that it has been destroyed several times by earthquakes and fires, only getting restored years after. All the grunginess that made me love it was due to so much damage through the years. It’s like falling in love with that guy who has been beaten up and broken, but it’s those wounds that gave him character. Naks.

Beside the main hall is the hexagonal bell tower which is now just a replica of the original one that was destroyed by an earthquake back in 1900. For something that was built within the last 30 years, it sure blended perfectly with the rest of the church. The eroded walls and small bushes of plants sprouting randomly around it gave the tower an additional personality.

I have yet to see the interiors since it was again closed on my second visit, but I’m glad I was able to take better photos this time around. I didn’t even notice all the white statues by the gate during my first time here. Guess you really can’t force yourself in, someday it’ll open its doors when it’s ready.

For now, this baroque structure stands as one of the country’s National Cultural Treasure.

When we were in Subic, we didn’t go and look for the quirkiest cafes or hole-in-the-wall restaurants. I’m not even sure if such exists in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone and unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to pick a more adventurous alternative. But that doesn’t mean we were left hungry during our short overnight stay there.

Aristocrat

The 3-hour ride going to Subic seemed endless. My body was so used to overnight trips that the only remedy for an early morning ride was to sleep it off. For some reason, I thought Subic was just a couple of hours away so we were all glad that the first agenda on our list was lunch at the only Aristocrat branch outside Manila.

They served us Pinakbet with shrimp instead of the usual pork grinds. The taste was fortunately far from the one I cooked in Iligan last year to feed a young family of four. If I had the same ingredients and skill to create something similar, those kids would’ve been happier, the same way it made me feel.

To my right was platter of Pansit, a traditional Filipino staple dish served during special occasions. It has always been a hit or miss for me whenever I eat pancit, but this one was a successful hit to my palate.

While Aristocrat is more well-know for their Chicken Barbecue, which was generously served before us, I had my eyes on something else. On the far end of the table sat a plate of glorious Crispy Pata. Once I got my hands on them, everything else in the world disappeared. It was just me, the crispy pata, and my exploding batok.

For desserts, we were treated to some delectable frozen confection at this small ice cream parlo right beside Aristocrat, simply called Fruits in Ice Cream. I had a small taste of everyone’s pick but in the end I was contented with my Banoffee flavored ice cream that oozed with creamy caramel goodness, topped with crushed nuts and banana slices. The Strawberry Cheesecake one was a close second!

SumoSam

I was delighted when we walked into the doors of SumoSam after a tiring day. Yes, I could easily get the same meals in any of their branches in Manila, but that wasn’t the point. Just get me any Japanese food and I’m a happy camper.

By the time all dishes were served, our small table for six could barely contain all the plates and bowls of food each screaming for our attention. We didn’t know where to start as hands and chopsticks were reaching across the table from all directions.

We had a great dinner that weekend and were exchanging a lot laughs over a fusion of Japanese and Western flavors. My personal favorites of the night were the Tori Chizu Rolls, Spicy Tuna Salad (amazing!), Salmon Ankake, and the Buta Kakuni Ramen. I super hate the fact that I had to share these dishes with these patay-gutom travel bloggers!!! Charot. Hahaha.

They also served some Japanese Fried Rice by the end of the meal but it was a little weird to use the chopsticks because the rice weren’t as sticky and compact like the usual Japanese rice I’m accustomed to. That was my only issue with them because eating that kind of rice with chopsticks became a challenge for everyone. Taste-wise, it was still good.

Boy, were we glad that there’s a SumoSam inside Harbor Point. It was hands down our favorite during that weekend.

Seafood Island

One thing I learned recently is the term ‘boodle’ which is a way of eating in a big group where all the dishes are laid out side by side on a spread of banana leaves. Usually in the provinces, instead of using cutlery, people would attack the feast before them using their bare hands.

Well known for their boodle menu, Seafood Island was our last stop before we headed back to Manila. I was loving the creativity of the Dagupan Pride boodle and upon looking through the other photos on their menu, I was impressed by the presentation of each dish. The feast in front of us consisted of deep fried boneless bangus, pork barbecue, steamed white shrimps, grilled tahong, some veggies, green mango, crispy liempo, and bagoong rice.

I was ready to get my hands dirty but the prim and proper lady in me took over. But that day, despite having the poise of a princess, my appetite was comparable to construction worker. Each one of us were at war with each other with shrimp, mussels, and barbecue disappearing one by one.

Since a lot of rice were left, and we didn’t want any granule to go to waste, we ordered another platter of Crispy Sisig and Chicharon Bulaklak con Bagnet, the latter being so sinfully delicious. This was probably the main reason why no one uttered a single word inside the van on our way back to Manila. Nagputukan na ang mga batok.

Great. Now I am craving for some.

Yeah, we may not have seen or tried any foodie place that was uniquely Subic, but that didn’t mean we were not gastronomically pleased. Good food is still good food and even greater when it’s free! :D

While Aristocrat is located at Blk2 L2 Rizal Highway Subic Bay Freeport Zone, both Seafood Island and SumoSam can be found inside Ayala Harbor Point. Much love to Subic Homes for treating us in all restaurants! =)