paint it with flowers...at the Pintaflores Festival in San Carlos City

November 5 is Negros Day in the

 Province of Negros Occidental

Pintaflores Festival

People from all walks of life come out  to celebrate with a bang at  Bago City for the Sigabong sang mga Kanyon (Canon Festival) , or  eat and eat at the Adobo Festival in Silay City.  The best part tho is  to see children dancing  wearing beautiful costumes painted with flowers so colorful as you see them alive just like in fairy tales for the 
                                  Pintaflores Festival at San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

at the translink highway

this is the way...

The day is sunny as we traversed the eco-tourism highway, with Allan and Rodney of the City Government of San Carlos who  picked us up at 8:00 am ,

buses pass through this way on a two hour drive to and from Bacolod

just right after the  flag raising ceremony at the lagoon with no less than Governor Alfredo G. Maranon leading the employees commemorating the 5th of November --Negros Day or the Bloodless Revolution that freed Negros .

at the viewing deck

rice terraces

banana chips, camote chips and more...

At Kilometer 53, we dropped by for coffee at Mowgli's Cafe and Delights just along the highway

in the Philippines---Sari-Sari Store

there was budbud, puto, suman with our native coffee, they also had a dispenser for hot chocolate.

 Just the right pee stop at Mowgli's..very clean restroom.

plants

plants

and more plants

with Raffy and Myla our Oriental connection

Props...for the Pintaflores Theatrical Dance Showdown

Festival Queen

Joe Alingasa  hands on with the crowd

always the judges never been  lawyers

face painted with flowers for the Princess

This is the most photographed festival outside Bacolod in Negros Occidental. I always come to San Carlos and celebrate Negros Day with friends  , the after party is fun...the fireworks and sponge cola entertained guests, tourist and fellow Negrenses.


See you next year!

Hungry???

When you are hungry...don't just think of food...eat , eat and satisfy that gastronomic desire.

Iya picking a tuna roll at Hukad

Joshua's favorite 

Wikipedia defines food as  any substance consumed to provide nutritional support for the body. It is usually of plant or animal origin, and contains essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats,proteins, vitamins, or minerals.

bihon

adobong kangkong

 First, we had mashed potatoes, squash, and bottled gerbers...then as we grew older we started eating solid food.

Now, we eat when we are hungry...How many times do you eat in a day?

Well, the moment you wake up, you drink water...then have breakfast---hmmm my favorite should be scrambled eggs with fried rice with garlic toppings, add a little corned beef or bacon , pork and beans. A few days ago, my Tita Beths cooked sardines with onion and a pinch of garlic , she added vinegar and told me never to mix it until you smell the scent of vinegar as it boils, that is the time you mix the scrambled egg and sardines--yummy.

In Dumaguete, I was craving for puto and tsokolate, sent a short message to Margie the Bible Woman who wakes up 4 am and does the early morning prayer with pastors in church, they will be done by 6, just in time to drive to the market and buy the puto and tsokolate. You spread the puto (sticky rice) on your plate, pour the native chocolate (be sure its thick and sweetened), and take a teaspoon full into your mouth...slurrpp.

sawsawan

sinugba 

Here at home, you wait for the lady with her basket call out 'PUTO...IBUS...!!!' as she walks around the village selling her goods early in the morning. I rush to the gate and ask for puto ...this time its a different puto, this is the fluffy , steamed rice cake and it comes in yellow, white or violet...some has made smaller ones in different colors for kids.The puto can be paired with cheese.

Ibus is the sticky rice wrapped in young palm leaves. Tagalog's call this suman and it can be rolled, flattened and best with coffee or hot chocolate, sprinkle a little sugar to taste.

shake...

an arms scoop of halo halo

Flibby's cup cake

I have favorites when it comes to food, kare kare pata with bagoong is first on the list, lechon kawali, pinakbet, grilled fish or pork served hot, I am also into pinangat, any food with pepper and coconut
 milk .
Just a little rice ...and more viand.

KareKare Pata

Food is a comforter when your sad and upset...just don't over eat or the bulges will show.

Heavenly like desserts such as Flibby's cupcakes, Sylvannas, Black Forest, Blueberry Cheesecake, or simply oatmeal cookies.

During warm and sunny days...go for halo-halo or a full glass of fruit shakes. Ask for the halo halo with many ingredients in it...dont just choose by the name, Tita Beths wanted the original, Margie ordered for the fruity halo-halo, she ended up eating her halo-halo salivating over Margie's.

Don't just sit on your chair and take lunch 5 days a week, 20 days a month, and probably more than 200 days in your office...try the newest resto in town, go for budget meals, when its pay day try the expensive resto's. It is fun  exploring food and you learn so many things, meeting people, socializing is indeed a form of relaxation as you fulfill such gastronomic desire.

There is  churros at C's , L'Fisher, cakes at Calea and Bobs, home cooking at Island Spoon, chinese food at L'Sea or Mai Pao, Mexican at Moon , the best Batchoy at 21st , Filipino dish at Aboy's , Hukad and Bacolod Chicken House, Chicken Deli, Chicken Ati-Atihan, Kawaway, Sunburst, Pasta King and of course an array of fast food at Highway 10,  Jollibee, Mc Donalds, KFC, Greenwich.

Pastries at Bong Bongs, Pendy's , Sans Rival and fast growing Merci.

I have to stop or I'll go hungry...will have to cook and eat, eat and eat. Don't go on a diet, it will make you weak,  just eat  in moderation---a little of everything.

Happy Eating!

Maritoni's choice of food

crispy pata

adobo...

chopsuey

bulalo...

sunburst fried chicken

friend Joe shocked with the huge wooden laddle used to serve rice at Hukad Resto

the best part...

An adventure to the Buglasan Festival of Negros Oriental

Buglas is the name of Negros Island many years back...this refers to the buglas reeds which is said to be predominant vegetation at that time, another version means 'to cut off' , it is believed that the island of Negros use to be part of a large mass of land that has been cut off due to continental drift.

Today, Buglasan is the festival of all festivals in Negros Oriental. As Trent of the Lonely Planet 2012 edition has written, Negros Oriental is the more famous one in terms of Tourism - because of the dive sites, proximity of the mountain and the seas, and a lot of foreign tourist has become residents of the island.

I practically grew up in this side of Negros, studied in Silliman University and Saint Louis School-Don Bosco in High School and earned a degree in Mass Communication in College at then 'School of Communication', Silliman University.

In Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental you call all the friends of your parents Tita and Tito, kissing friends and family on the cheek is natural as a sign of greetings, the language is Cebuano in a sing song and very malambing level. 

You know you are in Dumaguete when you say 'lami-a pod' to something delicious or 'pachada' to something nice,  breakfast is 'pamahaw'. lunch is 'pani-udto', coffee break is 'painit', dinner is referred to as 'pani-hapon' .

In my childhood, I would run around the Piapi to Bantayan area with friends and take a dip into the clean Piapi or Silliman beach, we would bike around connecting villages passing through coconut trees to friends houses, a Sunday walk to the 'First Baptist Church' , or simply sit on a kamalig, eating green mangoes while watching the helper swing from one branch to the other , getting more mangoes for me and dear friend Aries.

At the backyard in Amigo Subdivision, we also had a mango tree and Felix Gaudiel would climb up the tree and shake the branches with Ryan Del Carmen and I  catching falling mangoes.

Trying on your friend  Alex Abregana's  motorcycle and end up crashing on a post because dogs were running after you...after seeing a crush ...lol.

If you needed Red Roses, just walk to Tita Flory and Tito Junior Paralejas' house and you can pick as many roses as you can. Elaine and I would go to the bodega and look for books to read.

As we grew older, cuzn Christine and I would take a pedicab to the market and buy fish, pork , veggies, and yes 'uyap' for the pinakbet and the gabbi for the humba...the best tasting recipe of Tita Virgie and Uncle Bebe. Thanks to Ate Chinky for cooking humba for me during the Buglasan Festival.(tsk tsk i still owe her big time Napoleones...the one that doesn't expire)

Buglasan before was celebrated on the first week of January. In college, I had to come home for the new year to cheer for my friend Gay Quindo who joined the Miss Negros Oriental representing Bayawan, she was first runner up during her time-well with trainor then girly law student Earl Bracamonte now transformed to a real man.

Dumaguete Festival King and Queen

Recently, I was invited to take part in the 2012 Buglasan Festival as judge in so many competitions---Festival Dance Showdown, Street dance, King and Queen, and the Best Booth Competition, plus the 2-night Fireworks Display. Just cant say NO to dear friends Myla and Raffy...and of course-Governor 
Degamo.

with Governor Degamo, Myla Abellana, Janeth , Maritoni and Raffy

Day 1 was fun having lunch with the National Media and Governor Degamo, a very cool and charming Governor, who pats you at the back and wears a big smile all the time-very approachable.

Maritoni and Bebsy were very efficient in  taking care of the judges...with me were Rodel, Janeth Joseph of La Carlota City, Joe Alingasa of San Carlos, Tita Cora of Davao, Marichu Tellano and Franco Velas of the NCCA and Josette of Siquijor.

Rodel and his plate at Pasta King

at Pasta King

We had a four course meal at Pasta King...we had superb host like  Hukad, Moon Cafe, Bethel Guest House, Sunburst Fried Chicken, and many more...it was a mix of  Filipino, Mexican,  Italian and Chinese  food. When in Negros Oriental dont miss puto and tsokolate in the morning at the painitan in the Dumaguete City Public Market, Budbud from Tanjay, Makilings Chicharon and Sylvanas at Sans Rival.

puto and tsokolate

Negros Oriental Convention Center

We were billeted at the Negros Oriental Convention Center Hotel with very nice rooms...and soon to function under private sector management.

Valencia's booth

Amlan

The booths were decorated and well lighted, there was the cave, a heritage house, a bar, a coffee shop, a furniture display, a restaurant, and lots and lots of souvenir items. I like the agricultural side tho, showing organic food and handicraft.
The Buglasan Festival was a success . Kudos to the very strong public and private partnership of tourism stakeholders including the academe under the leadership of Governor Roel Degamo.

with Tourism Officers of Dumaguete,Mabinay, Tayasan, Siaton
Siquijor, La Carlota, Bayawan and Negros Oriental

My Negros Oriental Tourism Family is fun to be with , be it a meeting, training or festival, I am always at your service.

This is my second time to be a part of the Buglasan, the first was in 2010 ...they are very efficient host and you are treated like a queen.

All I can

 say is Good Luck on the hosting of the 2013 Palarong Pambansa!