Saturday, February 04, 2006
Villafranca Salt Farm
The Villafranca salt farm is located in Nasugbu, Batangas. Making salt is a waiting game and then a back-breaking shove match between man and salt under the afternoon sun.Water from the ocean is left to sit in shallow beds to evapourate in the hot sun. Over a few days it is moved to a series of other beds to evapourate some more. As it travels from bed to bed, it becomes more and more concentrated.
Salt crystals start to form by the time it reaches the last bed. Workers can then shovel the sea salt into baskets and the marketing process can begin.
The Philippines is known for their mangoes. I personally like to eat green mangoes by dipping pieces into coarse sea salt. Yum!Coarse sea salt, however, can be sold in the marketplace or to bigger factories to make bogong and patis (salt paste made with tiny shrimp and liquid salt).
The marketplace is so crowded with vendors, but I didn't see too many others who sold salt. Maybe the Villafranca salt farm doesn't have as many competitors as I thought...
Vendors sell everything at the village market from salt to meat, from coffee to toys.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Back to City Life
Back in Manila for our last couple of days in the Philippines, JC, Ying and I hit every restaurant as if it was the last time we were ever going to see food again. Techincally, I guess it was the last time we would taste this kind of food...Green Mango salad!...right from the source...mmm-mmm...
Aaaaand fried Balut soaked in spicy vinegar from "Balut Express" (remember this dish from Fear Factor?!)
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Palawan...no goodbyes yet!
On our way back to Manila, we decided to extend our connection in Puerto Princesa so we could look around there too. We found ourselves a really cheap 5 star hotel (only $35/night) and had the greatest prepared seafood in the city @ "Ka Lui's" Everything at the restaurant was made of bamboo...so no shoes allowed in side...like you were @ someone's home...We spent the next 2 days island hopping around Honday Bay and Sabang beach with a nice French couple who were also there on vaction.
Starfish Island, Snake Island and Pandan Island...
We even split the cost of a private van and trip out to the city's famous Underground River with them.
Like El Nido, Saban beach is still relatively new to tourists. 75% of the road out to the sea is still dirt and rock and cuts through villages in the jungle! On our way, we actually blew a tire. So our driver spent over 2 hours pulling out every MacGiver trick he had up his sleeve to change the tire with the few tools he had...we were left to entertain ourselves...and protect ourselves from all sorts of bugs and plants?
