Finding God's country in Bukidnon

We were invited to stay for the night at a friends' farm in Bukidnon. So after we accomplished what we did and satisfied our inner stuntman in Cagayan de Oro, they sent the car to pick us up from our hotel. We drove for over an hour through nothing but a sea of pineapples (owned by the Del Monte Corp.) on either side of the dirt road until we arrived at their gorgeous 60-hectare estate.

I knew they had a beautiful place up there, but I wasn't prepared for just how beautiful it actually was. When we reached the estate, we drove past banana trees, papaya trees, coffee plants and a myriad of organic produce, a couple of ponds and finally up the gravel driveway leading to the main house. It was a simple wooden structure, typical of a hacienda house in the province, that belied the quiet luxury within. There were big windows everywhere, giving every room a bright and airy feel.

I let out an audible gasp when I caught my first glimpse of the backyard from the cheerful yellow terrace. Wow! was all I managed, dumbfounded. Beyond the neatly manicured gardens, the grounds stretched out towards Mt. Kitanglad in the distance. It was absolutely breathtaking!

I flipped when I saw the horses and ponies - there were nineteen horses, I was told later. I love horses, and have always dreamed of living in a ranch with some of my own. I was thrilled beyond belief and felt like a kid in a candy shop. The air up here was cool and smelled fresh and clean. The only sound was that of horses neighing in the distance and birds chirping. We toured the grounds and I spent a great amount of time lingering among the horses and taking pictures of them. They're truly beautiful and gentle creatures.

We spent the next two days relishing our surroundings, during which we slipped into a state of perfect contentment. There were long walks among the horses, aperitifs in the gazebo, cocktails in the terrace of cheese fondue washed down with wine from their extensive collection; a delicious five course dinner with the highly entertaining sister of a datu; gathering around the bonfire sipping home-aged rum from large oak barrels, under a thick blanket of stars - the sky was so clear I actually saw the Milky Way!; waking up to the sweet sound of children singing during Sunday school nearby; lingering over a breakfast of mango pancakes, jelly-filled buns from Davao, capuccino and fresh pineapple juice; horseback riding against a backdrop of majestic mountain ridges; and dozing off on woven mats under the shade of an acacia tree.

In the end we felt sad that we had to go, but extremely grateful for a taste of this piece of paradise. As my friend aptly described it, God's country.

Baguio revisited

I can't remember exactly when I went to Baguio last because it's been so long. But I think it was in '99 when I went for the Panagbenga flower festival, as part of an official tour of Philippine fiestas for work. As much as I love being up in the mountains amidst the cool pine-scented air, I used to dread the long 6-7 hour drive. But my trip to Donsol last year, which had me in a car for 14 hours each way, fixed that.

So our journey last Friday was pretty much a breeze. Being in the big and comfortable company bus with the airplane seats, cozy couch in the back, dvd player and cooler filled with drinks even made it was actually quite enjoyable. Made even more so by the fact that I was with some of my bestest friends.

the backyard bathed in the early morning sun, Camp John Hay

Because Baguio city is located about 1,500 meters above sea level the climate is naturally at least 10 degrees cooler than in Manila. It was lovely "sweater-weather" for us the entire weekend. Those of you who also live in a tropical and humid country know the joy this can induce from time to time. Every morning was a struggle though, I would have to begrudgingly force myself to emerge from under my warm duvet, pondering the possiblity that gravity was indeed stronger under my bed that precise moment. But thoughts of hot chocolate, ensaymada, Baguio longganisa (pictured at left) & fried rice waiting just beyond my bedroom door was all it took to coax me out of bed finally.

While the men played mini-golf, we explored Baguio's public market, a popular one-stop shop for the freshest produce from the Cordillera mountain region, native Ifugao wood-carved souvenirs, fruit preserves and yams, walis tambo (top-quality brooms), flannel blankets, peanut brittle, raw honey, native woven handbags, plants, flowers, handwoven fabrics, and chocolate-covered corn flakes among other things. Aside from how complete the market is, what surprised me the most was how utterly clean it was. No wonder it has become a popular tourist destination in the city.

I had my first taste of binatog at the market.
Binatog is steamed white corn kernels mixed with milk, grated coconut and sugar.
It was a chewier version of mais con hielo without the ice. Yum!

No trip to Baguio is complete without the requisite visit to the legendary Good Shepherd convent , home of the most sought-after fruit preserves such as strawberry jam, ube jam and peanut brittle. If there is one thing (aside from the abundance of fresh strawberries and horses) that I love most about Baguio, it's the Good Shepherd ube jam! I have not found anything remotely as good as this sweet, smooth and creamy version.

They sell them freshly made and still warm, with a reminder to leave it uncapped until noon the next day. I barely made it back into the car, when with my finger I scooped up some of the purple goodness from the jar. Mmmm, still as delicious as ever! I wish I had bought more, but I find comfort in the fact that you can now avail of Good Shepherd products in Manila. In fact, I see a trip to Market! Market! in my future.

Some pictures taken at Mines View Park

What's in a name?

Big & small kulangot (literally translates as, -get this- booger), I know it sounds gross but it's good! Found inside the coconut shells are wads of sweetened coconut , like cocojam, which you scoop out with your finger or a tiny spoon.

The small ones also made good ammo for the new tiradors (slingshots) we bought for the kids at Mines View Park.

Did you really think I could have a post about Baguio without at least one horse picture? ;)

Lunch at Charley's

The estate as seen from the questhouse rooftop

"Hi! I just made a comment on Anton's post on The Popit De Leon Experience: "road trip!" to Charley's in Lipa! And he emailed back, why not? So. Here's an open invite to bloggers i read (and lurve!!!)".

Upon receiving this email from Poch, I thought great idea! A food trip with fellow foodies, some of who I was yet to have the pleasure of meeting in person, fun! So over the next couple of weeks we selected the menu, fixed car arrangements and set the meeting place: 10:30 am at the Petron gas station along SLEX.

I think we were all so excited about the food and the company that we weren't prepared for the scene that awaited us. Hidden behind a massive stone wall lined by mahogany trees, was a beautiful first-class ranch complete with thoroughbreds roaming freely. Perhaps I was expecting something a little more rustic because it was out in the country. But whatever it was, I was pleasantly surprised.

As we pulled up, we found Popit outside ready to welcome us. Soon after, our group of 16 gathered around the table in the sunny dining room. Though the setting may have been formal, the vibe was relaxed and casual. What followed was a comfortable and enjoyable lunch among friends, old and new. The wine and conversation flowed freely as the seven course meal was served.

Chef Popit at his crepe station

Not surprisingly, my favorite part of the meal was dessert. Popit whipped up crepe suzettes and topped each one with vanilla ice cream. It was sinful and delicious. The intoxicating smell of butter lingered in the air for hours after.

We had the pleasure of meeting Charley, who treated us to a grand tour of her property. As you can see, I went a little crazy with the camera, especially with the horses. I love, love, love horses. I think they are one of God's most gorgeous creatures. I just wish they weren't such a darn expensive passion.

Anyway as they say, pictures are worth a thousand words, so I'll leave you with these.

"I'm ready for my close-up.
Ummm, I think this is my better side. Erm, no this one is!"

A tale of two cuties: Aidan with the Shetland pony

Just horsin' around

Isn't she a beauty!? She was my favorite.
She nibbled on my arm and had Aidan squealing with delight.

Wachoolookinat?!

Thanks Poch for planning this trip for all of us! :)

* * *

Read what the others had to say about the trip and check out their beautiful pictures:

Socky

Wysgal

Anton

For reservations, call Charley at 0920-9507032

Driving directions: From SLEX, exit Calamba heading towards Batangas/Laguna (exit 50) until Sto. Tomas. Enter the Star Tollway, exit at Lipa and turn right. Continue down this road until the fork (across Robinson's) and take the left, passing Jollibee and SM. A billboard of the Sto. Nino Parish marks your next left to Gov. F Leviste Highway.