The Coffee Cup

Survival Guide to Puerto Galera

2009-03-12T23:46:00.019+08:00

After a long absence, I'm so glad to be back.

Summer's fast approaching and people can't help but shed some skin for some good old time in the water.

Puerto Galera is one of those "ooooohhh" "aaahhhh" places for summer. Though originally a foreigner's tourist destination, it has long bloomed into one of those to-visit places for Philippine locals. Still, though many are called, few are chosen. There are only a few first-timers visiting Puerto Galera, though you'd be able to encounter a lot of repeat visitors. As they say, Puerto Galera's one of those places that once it catches your eye, you're hooked. But why is it that few have the courage to take on Puerto for the first time and alone (alone being not accompanied by someone who has been to the place before). One answer is the lack of information on how to get on with the visit.

The essentials of every vacation planner are the following:
1. How to get to
2. Where to stay
3. What to do there
4. Cost
And we'll answer each of those throughout this article. Costs of course would depend on the time that you're reading this article. Since the prices may change due to peak season rates and such.

HOW TO GET TO?
Puerto Galera is situated in Oriental Mindoro. And yes... it is on a different Island as Manila. This may be intimidating, but it's actually really easy to get to.

First, you would need to get on a provincial bus going to Batangas Pier. There are several of these passing through EDSA everyday so you won't find it difficult at all. Just to be sure though, you could get to Cubao and find one of these buses' terminals. COST P150-180 one way. Around P 300-350 back and forth.

Next Stop is Batangas Pier where you would need to ride a ferry boat to Puerto Galera White Beach. This would cost around P 270 + some taxes and fees, around P 60 pesos one way. And there you are on White Beach! By the way, at the Pier, they'll ask you if you're going to White Beach or Sabang Beach. Both's in Puerto Galera and both has its own perks. Haven't tried Sabang yet, but White Beach is the bomb! So make sure you're getting on the right ferry boat. :)

WHERE TO STAY
Once you land on White Beach a dozen or so people will approach you to offer you a place to stay at. Remember to ask for IDs since the authorized tour guides on Puerto Galera have these IDs and licenses. This ensures you don't get conned or anything. Now the prices of the places there would range from P500 to P5000. Though the P1500 place would already be a dream! The prices are cheaper for places farther from the beach. As with almost anything you can buy.

WHAT DO YOU DO THERE?
Snorkeling - Visit the vast coral reservations around the beach. Rentals for this would be around P1500 or P 100-200 per head in the boat. The fees would include the use of snorkeling gear (goggles and such). When you go snorkeling you can also ask you boatman if they could bring you island-hopping or take you on an island tour. Most of them would say yes to this request so don't be afraid to ask. I would also recommend that you drop by Bayanan beach, which is a beach away from the beach. It's on a separate strip from White Beach where you could swim in peace. Again, this is just a request away since most boatmen would happily oblige.

Another fun getaway in Puerto Galera are its bar strips on the beach itself. You could drink, eat and enjoy the mood and music with friends and family alike. The prices for the drinks and food range around the same as the bars here in Manila with beers at around P40 - 60 a pop. If you love to drink, youshouldn't miss out on the chance to try the famed Mindoro sling. This is quite alcoholic so be weary in taking in this sweet draught. You can also purchase drinks at a cheaper price in stores that are farther from the beachfront and conduct a party of your own.

Now speaking of food, Puerto Galera is also a melting pot of various cuisines. You would think that the beach would sport nothing but the usual "inihaw", but not in this case. Enjoy a host of international cuisines as well as a wide array of well-loved Filipino delicacies.

Another great place to visit would be Tamaraw Falls. Now mind you, this is roughly a 45-minute jeepney ride from White Beach, or if you choose, a 2 and a half hour trek on foot. This trip would take you to a grand waterfall and a chance to swim in cold river waters falling from one of Mindoro's lush mountains. It was really a sight to enjoy. The travel to the place could cost you around P1000 or P150/head for a rented jeepney ride to and from the falls. Entrance to the falls is just P 20. Believe me, it's well worth it. The falls' picnic area closes at around 5PM so make sure you have ample time to enjoy Tamaraw Falls.

Other things you can do at Puerto? Henna tattoos (for around P50-thousands depending on the size and design), souvenirs (you could find the real cheaper ones while moving away from the beach front), banana boats (P150 per head, minimum of 6 riders), Jetskis (at around P3,000 an hour), water cycling (not sure on the price for this), videoke, discotheques, and a whole lot of others.

Rule of thumb if you're on a budget is, if it's easy to get, then it's probably more expensive.

I would suggest that you have contacts in Puerto Galera. Let me share you mine. Ate Benny's a very nice host and is licensed by the local government to conduct tours. Her family is also into the family business. Alvin, her son, is a boatman who could arrange for your snorkeling and for all other tours. Just tell him your budget and they'll make something out of it. Here's Ate Benny's number, 09295278924. Drop my name "James de Leon" and she'll make sure you'll enjoy your stay.

As with all travel guides, my final words would be, pack completely, forget half of it at home, and bring double your money :) ENJOY!

Three-Step Adobo

2008-11-19T05:30:00.002+08:00

This dish is probably the most appreciated by us Filipinos. The 3-step adobo is a way to use 1 base recipe to create 3 different meals!

I really hate it when I get left-overs. But with this simple recipe, that will all change.

The idea of the 3-step adobo is to start by cooking your favorite adobo, once you have left-overs, just redo the adobo and you end up with binagoongan. More left-overs? Work up a sizzling wok, a few cups of cooked rice, and voila! Binagoongan Fried Rice!

Try out the recipe and feel free to alter the amount of the seasoning (I like my adobo salty... hehe).

INGREDIENTS:

STEP 1 - Adobo
1 kg Pork Kasim, cut into 1.5 inch cubes
1 cup of soy sauce
1/2 cup of vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of black, finely ground pepper
6 cloves of garlic (minced, I'd prefer more garlic, but again, different woks for different folks...)
4 tablespoons of oil (depends on what type you wish to use)
2 cups of cold water

Mix all the ingredients except the oil and water. Allow the mixture to boil. Add the oil. Add 1 cup of cold water. Keep on adding the other cup of water after each time you get the mixture reduced to minimal liquid (level of liquid is almost 1/2 of the height of the meat, this allows the meat to soften up).

STEP 2 - BINAGOONGAN
Your adobo (still 1 kilo pork, let's say this is not a batch of left-overs)...
3 tablespoons of (white) sugar (neutralizes the saltiness of the bagoong)
1 cup of bagoong (I would suggest you use the Barrio Fiesta(TM) ones, you can even choose between the spicy version, the sweet, or the regular ones)
I would add a few more cloves of garlic, but it all depends on you.

It's as simple as saute the garlic until golden brown, then mix in everything else.

STEP 3 - FRIED RICE
Your binagoongan...
A reasonable amount of cooked rice...
Garlic bits, fried (I really love the garlic... hehehe)
Green Mango (grated or sliced into thin strips)

You got it... mix the bagoong and the rice in a pan, serve with garlic bit toppings and garnish with a few slices of green mango on the side. This is great with tuyo, daing, daing na bangus, or danggit!

I hope you enjoy this as much as I usually do. ;)

Final Fantasy

2008-11-18T01:58:00.002+08:00

Weapons and armor... check.

Materia... check.

Potions, hi-potions, x-potions... check.

Phoenix downs... check.

All systems go.

I ask Cloud to swing his Buster Sword and attack the hulking form of a behemoth with his deathblow, Omnislash. With the final blow, Tifa summons the fiery Ifrit bringing down the punishment of Hellfire! And Cid finished off the enemy with a well timed, Ultima... XP all around... ooooh! Gold! and a few potions to add to my already huge inventory.

I'd like to salute Squaresoft in their faith in the Final Fantasy series which started way back 1987. Imagine? 21 years of ogre-bashing, bomb-blasting and treasure hunting in their breast pockets.

The series already has 7 Guiness records, 2 full-length CGI films, 3 animated series, and more than 20 game titles under its franchise.

Many people take the Final Fantasy series for granted, but once you do try to get immersed in one of the non-related episodes, you'll learn to love each of the colorful characters, the coolness of the scenes, graphics, and the awe of seeing your characters raise up tidal waves and summoning 12 gigantic knights to attack your enemies. The games are not exempt from flaws, but more than often, you still get to love each one of them.

But honestly, it's not just the graphics, the soundtrack, or the gameplay that make or break the game. It's really the story-line. And this is where the series gets its biggest appeal. Playing throught the games makes you feel like you're part of a movie. The plots are deep. They're engaging and never fail to be climactic.

Beyond this, the FF series draws its audience into a world where one can escape from the usual hustle and bustle of real life. A world where everyone can be a hero. Where anyone can be a prince or a princess. Where anyone can have the fate of worlds on their shoulders. Where everyone is important.

Relax, play, escape.

Hi-Protein Bacon Pasta

2008-11-14T04:08:00.003+08:00

My brother taught me how to do this particular pasta dish and I had my AHSE students back in Iloilo try it out and it was such a big hit.

Other than being so simple to cook, you rarely have to scour grocery stores for the ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

500 grams cooked pasta (spaghetti or fetuccini would work wonders)

1/4 bar of butter (low-fat, low-salt, would work just fine)

10 strips of honey-cured bacon

herbs for garnishing (basil would do fine, though this part's optional)

2 medium eggs (1 if you prefer)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cheese for topping (parmesan would be best for this)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Crispy-fry the bacon and just break it into really small pieces. Melt the butter on the still-hot, cooked pasta, break the two eggs on the pasta and toss it. Add the bacon bits. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with herbs.

Simple as that.

I hope you enjoy it.

Sports Clothing for Exercise...

2008-11-14T03:58:00.000+08:00

Courting Ends Not With The Knot

2008-11-14T00:34:00.008+08:00

I've often heard so many people commenting about me and my wife looking like we're having so much fun with each other... and we just simply answer back, "It's because we are..."

I may not be an expert on marriage and it's intricacies, but I can safely say that for a couple to enjoy a wonderful relationship, we need to know that courting doesn't stop with getting married.

My wife and I work shifts and oftentimes we don't get to see each other... wonderful technology gave us a means to stay in touch with a short "I love you..." and "I miss you" SMS but we still try to find some ways to leave post-its all around our house saying sweet things to each other. Now that our kids are a bit bigger, they get to read these notes as well, and they also get to share in the feeling of being loved.

Yesterday, cheesy as it may sound, I asked my wife... "Are you free this coming Sunday? I'd like to take you out on a dinner date..." She accepted.

I still pick up my wife from work with a bundle of roses in my hand... something that her officemates talk about a lot.

And one time (last February), I even eloped with my wife to Baguio. I picked her up from work at 11PM, and she was all but surprised to see me with a duffel bag filled with 3-days worth of clothes. She was more surprised when we ended up in a bus going to Baguio. Hehe...

So I guess, the lesson of this story is, it doesn't really take much to make a relationship special. We just don't take it for granted. Just because we have each other at one point in time, doesn't mean that we should think that we would have each other ALL THE TIME. Feel each moment spent together as if tomorrow won't come again. Treat each other as the most important person in each other's lives. And "wag magsawa sa panliligaw."

The Essence of Being Sweet and Simple

2008-11-14T00:21:00.004+08:00

For my first post, let me just give you guys a gist of what to expect from this blog.

I'm putting in some short and simple ways of enjoying the sweet things in life. These may be as simple travel logs of places worth visiting and how to best enjoy them. It may also be something about how to enjoy wonderful things like food and games. Enjoying the joys of shopping and window shopping Or something as simple as how to enjoy a simple day at home with your family.

Expect game reviews, travel diaries, recipes, game ideas, and shopping/gift ideas.

I hope you all enjoy them, and be able to enjoy things, sweet and simple.