Meal for One

A few weeks before my Pattaya trip I had a sudden urge to eat Thai food. There was a restaurant I've been meaning to try at the mall near the office, so off I went after gym. I wasn't really expecting much, since I've eaten at Bangkok years ago. I just wanted familiar flavors to ease me into my next travel.

Per usual, I asked for a table for one. It came automatic, after years of dining alone. I used to be self-conscious about it, but I learned to tune the crowd, and the internal critic, off. I just avoid rowdy restaurants--the sensory overload is just too much for an introvert to take. I usually choose a table by the window, to watch people go by and lose myself in my thoughts. Sometimes I flip through magazines, or read a book, to pass time. If the restaurant is well-designed, I take it all in. One pocket of happiness for me is to find a restaurant that serves good food, looks great, and provides a good vantage view for people-watching.

I tried eating out in a restaurant alone abroad when I had a study tour in Halifax. After a few days of eating Western food, I was craving for rice. The only Filipino restaurant in the area was nowhere to be found, so after walking for blocks, I was so relieved to find a Thai restaurant. I couldn't remember what other dishes I ordered, but I do remember how incredibly white and soft the rice went. It's always nice doing familiar things in an unfamiliar setting.

i had the pandan juice. i love how gingery it tasted 

this was so forgettable i forgot to note its name

one taste of the sukothai and i'm transported to the streets of bangkok

sweet banana with cocomilk . the plantains were soft--just the way i like it

At the Souvenir Shop

When we stayed in Puerto Princesa City, close by our hotel was the Tiangge Tiangge Pasalubong and Souvenir Shop. This is where our driver brought us after our Ihawig firefly watching activity (read about it here).  Since it was quite late, the open air stalls were closed, but the air-conditioned  section was still open and buzzing with tourists.

I took a few shots of the merchandise, in case you happen to drop by.

freshwater pearls in neon colors 

more pearls

dreamcatchers 

more necklaces

crocodile stuffed toys

wooden crocodiles 

sea-turtles 

dried fish

cahsew nuts 

corn snacks

Since I live in a tiny condo, I avoid buying things that would only clutter what limited space I already have. I tend to buy food

"non-spicy" tamarind candies, which turned out to pack a little heat

and, for non-perishable items, things I'd use, like this mug I bought from a mall in General Santos City.

isn't she pretty?

In Pattaya, I broke the no-knickknack rule and went for these glass tortoises. How could I resist?

tres tortugas marinas

Dining is an Experience at Ka Lui's

Probably the best known restaurant in Puerto Princesa City is Ka Lui's Restaurant. Be sure it's part of your city tour package. If not, book a lunch or dinner a day ahead. By the way we go to the restaurant via tricycle, which looks different from those of Manila.

I didn't know what to expect when we got to Ka Lui. Things took on a fast clip in April, preventing me from doing some online research. I think it worked better that way--not knowing what lies ahead. I was an excited kid when I saw the signage.

At the waiting area, we were made to remove our shoes. This reminds me of what we do when visiting neighbors in my mother's hometown.

Remember old picture books depicting stylized indigenous wooden homes? That's what I felt when I entered the restaurant--gleaming wooden floors, spaces filled with curiosities, naif art everywhere.

We fell in love with our table decor made of mangoes, and red and unripe bananas. It was a photo-op waiting to happen.

And another.

Last na.

We were fortunate to meet Ka Lui himself, who made sure dishes came out okay before leaving the kitchen.

Installation art made of bananas, papayas, and coconuts at a corner near our table. I was sorely tempted to pluck a banana.

While waiting for the food, we took to more cam-whoring. I was gunning for candid in this shot.

For starters, we were given a plate of seagrapes tempered with a dash of calamansi.

We ordered crabs, among others. For the rest of what we ate you can read it here and here.

For those who eat crabs with their hands, like me, you'll be directed here

to reach the washing area.

After dinner, we were invited by Ka Lui to see what lies at the back of the restaurant. Art was everywhere.

This is my favorite: a picture of a lady beckoning by the women's toilet.

A curtain of red peppers in front of the restaurant was another photo op hard to resist.

Dance of the Fireflies

Firefly watching is just like cherry blossom season: it's precious because it is fleeting. The Japanese eagerly await the blossoming of the sakura, which lasts only for a few weeks. A tree at dusk coming alive with the sparks of hundreds of fireflies is a sight to behold--I wish I have a picture to show, but even the most advanced cameras cannot capture this.

I first heard of the Iwahig Firefly Watching Tour two years ago from an environmentalist based in Palawan, a biodiversity hotspot. Back then we took the Puerto Princesa Underground River Tour. This year, we made time for the fireflies.

After a 30-minute ride by van from our base in Puerto Princesa, we made it to Iwahig at around 7:30 p.m., which also hosts a prison and penal farm. We could only go so far in the tour because beyond is the restricted area. After registering, we were made to don life-vests and waited for our banca, which can accommodate three persons minus the guide.

A few meters from the shore, enveloped in darkness, a mangrove tree came alive with fireflies. That was only a prelude, the guide assured us, because just after the bend, on our way back, are trees with the most number of fireflies.

The tour lasted a good hour. We were lucky with our guide, who knows just when to regale us with information and trivia, and when to pull back to allow us to marvel at the unfolding of the show of lights. He said that the fireflies are vegetarian, feeding on the nectar of the flowers of select mangrove trees. They are diminutive compared to other species, and are quite a social lot. I was amazed to know that they don't stop emitting light even during the day, and when they do, that means the end of their very short 30-day life.

Before we knew it, we were returning to shore. Notice the light illuminating the makeshift port? It hangs from a century-old acacia tree, rendered small as the brackish water slowly encroached in its area. Through the years it has learned to adapt and survive in its surroundings. This is one thing I wish we as a people could likewise do.