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Baguio's (In)Famous Barrel Man Statue/Sculpture as Souvenir/Pasalubong
27 April 2010

One of those souvenir items of Baguio that made it famous in the past, the "iconic" barrel man of Baguio, wood carvings of a man hiding inside a barrel, with a spring contraption that pops up a phallic symbol whenever the barrel is removed to display the naked man's "masculinity."

It has been some time since Tutubi saw these ingenious carvings made only in the Cordilleras, that even wood carvers from his hometown Paete, Laguna has yet to come out with a creation that they can symbolize their own like what the barrel man did for Baguio City (some people think of Machete but it falls short of being a symbol of Paete woodcarving)

an army of baguio barrel men statues waiting for curious tourists to snap them up

Some call it a nice souvenir, some call it art, a few tag it as disgusting, but Tutubi just say it's funny, even for first-timers clueless of what's hidden inside the barrel.

Where to buy the Baguio barrel man woodcarving? They're practically everywhere in Baguio City's souvenir shops, wood carving/handicrafts stores, and pasalubong centers. How much? Price depends on the size as usual.

In Manila, Tutubi used to find them at Balikbayan handicrafts in Quiapos Ille de Tulle (Ilalim ng tulay) near Quinta Market and some other Filipino cultural stores (probably SM Kultura but not sure).

Labels: Baguio City, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region, Pasalubong

posted by GingGoy @ 9:55 PM, ,

Baguio: Easter Weaving Room, Easter School, Episcopalian Church
25 April 2010

There's a place near downtown Baguio where you can witness how traditional fabric is woven by the Igorots of the Cordilleras; where you can buy native cloths for home or design your own fashion statement and also snap up Baguio souvenirs and handicrafts made the traditional way: Easter Weaving Room, located in the same compound as the Philippine Episcopalian Church.

Easter Weaving Room is an institution more than a hundred years old that's been nurturing the age-old tradition of manual fabric manufacturing as well as provide livelihood to locals. It's also a souvenir shop where various handicrafts, besides cloths and fabrics, are sold to tourists at not so touristy prices.

traditional way of weaving fabrics for you to witness and sometimes experience at Easter Weaving Room

another view of the traditional hand-operated weaving machine

the souvenir shop and handicraft store sells items at not so touristy prices

Admission is free to Easter Weaving Room (no entrance fee) and is open 7 days a week but sorry, Tutubi wasn't able to get the exact opening and closing times plus contact numbers for you to call...probably next time.

It's a place where you can witness age-old spindles weaving cloths and fabrics by natives and can also buy the hand-crafted products, souvenirs and Baguio pasalubong all in one roof (including the infamous barrel man)

How to get to Easter Weaving School Room | Easter School Baguio

Driving Directions: From Baguio plaza, head to Abanao then turn right to Bokawkan Road. Turn left to Easter Road where the Easter Weaving School and the Philippine Episcopalian Church is located on your right about 500 meters from the corner of Bokawkan Road.

Commute to Easter Weaving Room:

From around Burnham Park, look for jeepneys with signboard Baguio Plaza-Quezon Hill-Tam-awan Village and request the driver to drop you off in front of the school, souvenir shop and Episcopalian Church.

Labels: Baguio City, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region

posted by GingGoy @ 9:58 PM, ,

Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort, Marabut, Samar
18 April 2010

While re-tracing his earlier trip to the town of Basey and again failing to explore Sohoton Cave due to inclement weather and lack of time, Tutubi wandered past Basey and Marabut and stopped for late lunch at an eponymous resort he found in Barangay Caluwayan, Marabut town famous for it's magnificent rock formations.

Formally named, Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort and Restaurant, the beach resort has a nice view of Marabut Rock Formations on the beach where you can also kayak on the serene bay with fine gray sand (and lots of jelly fishes) with the rock formations acting as natural breakwater. A restaurant and grill serves usual menu of fresh seafood (and a "shortage" of meat at that time) while an infinity pool beckons for people looking for a dip.

Photos of Caluwayan Beach resort:

a green lagoon on the resort facility leads to the restaurant and grill near the beachfront beside the infinity pool

dining at Caluwayan restaurant and grill's cottage with a great view of Marabut Rock Formations


the gray sand of Caluwayan, Marabut with the rock formations in view

Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort's infinity pool sans people...
the swimming pool area beside the restaurant grill

Review of Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort:

Tutubi doesn't have a full review of Caluwayan resort for he merely passed by the place in search of a place to eat late lunch before hurrying to another interesting place in Leyte and catching his return flight to Manila later in the day. For the food, his companions ordered sinigang na hipon (with souring ingredient from a leaf, not the usual tamarind), sizzling squid and vegetables with prices about P200/head. Service was fast, as expected, for they were the only guests at the beach resort at that time.

Resort facilities and activities as claimed include scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, caving/spelunking, rappelling, beach bumming, eating, sleeping...Did you notice the dark skies showing signs of impending rain? It's just because Tutubi took these photos of Caluwayan last December 2009 :P

---


Caluwayan Palm Island Beach Resort and Restaurant
Address: Barangay Caluwayan, Marabut, Samar
Tel. No.: +63.55.276.5206; +63.920.938.2510
Official Website: http://www.caluwayanresort.com
Email: inquiry@caluwayanresort.com

Overnight Accommodations Rooms Rates (Source: Caluwayan Beach Resort's Official Website)

Our Room Types:

1. Open Cottage - Php 1,600
2. Beach Villa- Php 5,200
3. Beach Villa Suite - Php 5,900

On low season* the following prices applies:

1. Open Cottage Php 1,300 with breakfast for 2 pax
2. Beach Villa Php 4,200 with breakfast for 2 pax
3. Beach Villa Suite Php 4,800 with breakfast for 2 pax

low season dates are:

* 13 January - 14 March
* 1 June - 30 September
* 10 November - 14 December

For updated resort room rates, day tours, entrance fees, reservations and other inquiries, please call Caluwayan resort's published contact numbers, visit their official website or email them directly. As always, Tutubi has nothing to do with the resort nor received anything in exchange for this, he just happened to pass by the place for late lunch.


How to get to Caluwayan Beach Resort, Marabut, Samar:

From Tacloban Airport, you can hire a JEGA Spider taxi :P
board a jeepney going to Tacloban terminal then take a bus going to Marabut for about an hour travel time. If you have your own van rental, it's just a straight drive to Marabut town after crossing San Juanico Bridge


Related Posts on Samar:
Marabut Rock Formations
Basey Church

Labels: Beaches, Eastern Visayas, Resorts, Samar

posted by GingGoy @ 9:09 PM, ,

Universal Studios Singapore Entrance Fee/Rates
17 April 2010

posted by GingGoy @ 9:17 PM, ,

Baguio's Session Road "In Bloom"
13 April 2010

Baguio's Session Road, the summer capital's main central business district, usually filled with vehicles stuck in traffic or parked on the inner lane of the thoroughfare, during Panagbenga Festival turns into a pedestrian-only road after the Panagbenga Festival Grand Parade of Floats

Photos of Session Road with the crowd of Panagbenga Festival:





The long queue of ladies waiting outside the washroom. There's no line to the men's toilet: it's good to be a man in times like this

One thing that struck Tutubi was that it was in the same Chowking branch that he ran to relieve himself back in Panagbenga 2003, deja vu or just plain "Di na natuto?"

Related Baguio posts:

Cemetery of Negativism
Directions to Baguio via SCTEx
Victory Liner Deluxe Bus to Baguio

Labels: Baguio City, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region

posted by GingGoy @ 10:31 PM, ,

Pasalubong: Baguio Country Club Raisin Bread
11 April 2010

For Tutubi, the most compelling reason to choose Baguio Country Club over The Manor, Club John Hay is simply the famous Raisin Bread of the 100 year old institution in Baguio City where the rich and famous stay.

Aptly named Raisin Bread in honor of its famous product, the Raisin Bread is also known for its banana bread and other pastries, desserts and a hang-out place at Baguio Country Club.

Baguio Country Club Raisin Bread counter where you can order cakes, pastries, coffee et al besides raisin bread



Raisin Bread with full of succulent raisins for the sweet toothed people and those in need of fiber

Raisin breads are priced at P130.00 (large) and comes with the distinctive green paper bag of Baguio Country Club. Note that you can't buy raisin bread, banana bread or any other product at Raisin Bread (or avail of other Baguio Country Club services) if you're not a member or currently checked in. It was mentioned the popular Baguio pasalubong will soon be sold at SM City Baguio but not definite date has been given (nor a plan to sell it it Metro Manila, if you know of any Manila pastry shop that sells similarly good raisin breads at less price, please do hit the comment button)

Tutubi stayed at Baguio Country Club during the last long weekend of April 9-11 (Araw ng Kagitingan) but it doesn't mean he's rich nor famous, it's just another one of his company's activities that he co-organized that took him for a planning trip to the City of Pines during the recent Panagbenga Festival (when the stars of ABS-CBN were billeted).

Labels: Baguio City, Cordillera, Cordillera Administrative Region, Pasalubong

posted by GingGoy @ 8:44 PM, ,

Gilik-Free Tilapia in Paete's Wawa Park
02 April 2010

Black Saturday, a the day after prices of seafood skyrocket when Tutubi woke up early and hied off to Wawa Park on the lakeshore of Paete, Laguna to see for himself the effect of El Niño phenomenon on the once submerged park by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng

He was surprised to see the once large bay where he used to swim in his childhood days is now almost dry with grass and weeds growing instead of floating bamboo and parked boats.

The effects of El Niño is highly visible on the almost dried up portion of Laguna de Bay. This area used to be a huge bay where boats park

The people are back and so are the businessmen like this taho vendor


From the park is also the landing area or port of all bancas unloading their catch from fish cages usually tilapia, shrimps and ayungin.

a tanned fisherman unloads his catch of tilapia from his banca


From the fisherman, Tutubi was offered large tilapia (pla-pla) each weighting more than a kilo each for mere P60/kilo that he immediately seized. He had the two large fishes tied instead of cleaned on the site to keep them alive for a longer time

two large pla-pla with total weight of 2.3 kilograms for a cheap price of P120 only

the two pla-pla still alive on the kitchen sink

inihaw na tilapia (grilled tilapia)

Note that at P60/kilo, is already cheaper than those bought at the public market but the bigger than the usual size of the tilapia can easily fetch a much higher price at the palengke.

On gilik, called liya in Paete, it is the muddy taste of fishes caught/raised in Laguna de Bay caused by certain algae present on certain seasons. Once the algae are ingested by the fishes like tilapia and bangus (milkfish), the fishes themselves will get the smell and taste of gilik. When buying fish, try to smell them particularly the gills for such obnoxious soiled/muddy smell before buying. Some unscrupulous fish vendors will try to hide the smell of gilik by removing the gills early to avoid detection but the trained nose can catch the scent and thus avoid being sold fish with gilik "flavor."

If you're looking for places to buy fresh seafood, try to buy them where the fishermen unload their catch for the freshest, cheapest seafood you can get.

Labels: Laguna, Paete, Southern Tagalog

posted by GingGoy @ 9:51 PM, ,