a look at Palawan's beauty
pristine waters of PalawanI arrived in Puerto Princesa, Palawan in the morning of the 23rd, in time for the culmination activities of the Baragatan Festival. Although i have another agenda for coming over(i was looking for possible opportunity to relocate in Palawan, a case of love at first sight since i discovered Busuanga island and had a tour on Calauit and Coron islands in may of last year), i was happy to have come at this time.
I flew in to Puerto Princesa from Manila, one of the places affected by the typhoon Frank. Due to the cancelled flights a day before, the Manila domestic airport, with its almost dilapidated condition, was full of passengers-some excited to go home while others are disgruntled due to a postponed holiday. I have taken the same domestic airline on my way to Dumaguete City in Visayas last year for the Terracota Festival and i did not experience this very stressful "checking in". This time its almost unbearable- i can hardly make my way to the queue, thanks to my water bottle, i did not faint. In some ways, its always advantageous to take connecting flights at the Centennial airport, Cebu International Airport and Davao International airport. However, i have to go to Puerto Princesa City no matter how or what. Contrary to what other passengers felt. i was happy when the flight was delayed for 25 minutes- i was able to rest a little prior to the take off and got myself a broadsheet to find out the news about the typhoon Frank. On Friday, a day before Frank's sinking an interisland vessel , i was reading about cyclones, the hows, the whys and related concerns of it and its devastation to Myanmar and China. And how the government leaders acted to it.
In contrast to the dull weather in Manila, the skies are sunny when the plane touched down Puerto Princesa International Airport. I thanked the cabin crew who were very pleasant throughout the hour flight, on my way towards the arrival area. It amazed me to see men in uniform playing in the band. While i was walking towards them i was thinking that the province is probably less worried about peace and order situation thus having a time to form a band, rehearse and play for arriving passengers. I asked the airport personnel if this is a daily activity and i was told yes- except for weekends. It reminded me the City of Melbourne whose fantastic bands composed of policemen perform gaily during special occassions most notable of which is during Australia Day celebration. Upon approaching the band in the airport, i smiled and waved at them as a sign of gratitude. A few were probably surprised but majority smiled back. Such a warm welcome right at the airport! Coming to Palawan is a breather. I am at the doorstep of paradise.
The hotel representative was early( i am so happy to have chosen them for my accomodation, such great service!) and all of the people in the receiving area are courteous and pleasant- welcoming me on my arrival with their warm smiles. Upon hopping in the van, the hotel pick-up representative immediately gave me a run -down of the activities for the Baragatan Festival. The City of Puerto Princesa has planned to make it in the Guinness World Record for the longest seafood grill. I asked if the seafood is for sale and how much would that be? I was elated to find out that after documentation, the foods will be given away for free. I got very excited and was a bit sad to forget my camera- but i looked forward to be a "participant observer" anyway. And without a camera my writing skills are pushed to the limits.
I got a welcome drink upon arrival and while resting in the hotel room, i was happy to find out that the cable tv is working. I was glued to the lady who was cursing the owners of the ship that sank on Saturday in Sibuyan Islands on its way to Cebu.(I read about her loss later- her parents and three brothers all aboard that ship- thus the anger, panic and grief). I then skipped the street parade and watched the live telecast of the Press Conference held by the Sulpicio Lines, the owner of the ill fated ship, M/V Princess of the Stars. I will write about this tragedy in my next blog.
Back to Baragatan, i rested for a couple of hours and off i went to the City Hall for the Street Dancing Competition. I forgot my camera after replacing the memory card a day prior to my trip. But the best memories, sometimes are left undocumented- yet they are kept inside the heart. Just like the first public dance with someone i once loved, the first solar eclipse i watched as an adult in a beach resort in Davao City in August 2007, my memories of the first Baragatan festival experience are safely tucked inside my heart.
Baragatan, I discovered(thanks to the ever smiling men and women in red wearing Puerto Princesa shirts who answered my queries) means "kita-kita tayo" in Filipino which translates to " let us meet up". Accordingly, this is a Cuyo word from one of the smaller islands of Palawan, Cuyo where the Filipino movie "Ploning" was filmed and released early this year. Baragatan, in essence is a convergence of sorts.
Since the main street, Rizal Avenue was closed- i followed where the throngs of people went. Wearing my hat and later using my umbrella due to the continous downpour of rain-I walked where they walked, followed where the crowds went, exchanged smiles and joined them as they shouted with glee on the fireworks display. The long stretch of road was closed so i kept on walking until i reached the Ramon Mitra Building, which i discovered a day later to be the provincial capitol. Drizzles did not stop until 8 in the evening so a lot of people stayed in for shelter. In the grounds, i noticed various stalls offering native products from delicacies to accessories to shell curtains. It is a sight to behold. Entering the building, i saw artworks done by kids displayed in the receiving area. I noticed a big turtle coloured pink which reminded me of the souviner i got from the Balinsasayaw Grill for my early dinner a couple of hours earlier.
Balinsasayaw Chicken Grill and Restaurant is conveniently located along Rizal avenue. When i am not familiar or do not know anybody in a place, it has always been my policy to dine where a lot of people go- having the law of supply and demand in my mind. If there are numerous diners, then probably the food is good. I was happy on the warm welcome accorded by the waiters and i chose a cozy spot in a native ambiance. While waiting for my order of seafood bam-i( a kind of noodles with seafoods) and avocado shake, i asked about the restaurant name. The waiter graciously answered that the name came from a bird's native name, found in El Nido( one of other resort islands of Palawan) . The foods are relatively reasonable set menus ranging from P695($11) to 1,195($26) good for 4 to 8 people and what got my attention was the exotic name of the pizza flavours- Balinsasayaw(from the El Nido bird), Maquinit(a hot spring in Coron, Palawan) and Kayangan(a pristine lake in Coron Islands that i saw on a most unforgettable island hopping trip in May 2007). I would love to go back to this restaurant with my friends simple because the ambiance, food and service is great and surprisingly, its not pricey. Just beside the dining area is the souviner shop where i got these turtles, intricately designed like the real ones by the prisoners of Iwahig Penal Colony. These souviner items are a source of income for the prisoner's and brings out the creative part of them while serving their prison terms. If they were given penalty in a fair trial and judgement proceedings is another interesting topic for a blog.
I went back to the main event of the night on foot and happily saw a 24 hour pharmacy where i got few bottles of mineral water. At last, the seafood grill activity started at around 16 past 8 in the evening amidst the cheers of the crowd. Albeit delayed due to the continuous drizzle, it failed to dampen the spirits of the locals- children and aged alike. Asking around, i found out that people look forward coming to the city to join the festivities every year. This year is exceptional because they are looking forward to put Palawan further in world news(its Subterranean River and Tubbattaha Reef is vying for the top 7 Nature's Wonders of the World already) as "World's Longest Seafood Grill".
The members of the Palawan Economic Development Council(PEDCO), garbed in identical red shirts were the main organisers of the event. The men in uniform- composed of marines, probably army, including the policemen and students were there to maintain peace and order situation although the hotel airport representative informed me earlier that the city has a low crime rate. Palawan locals, donned in jackets, raincoats and umbrellas eagerly awaited the event while the City Government staff gave away kerosene lamps and sacks of charcoal. It was a very festive mood and i felt very lucky for being there.
Seafoods of varied kinds, shapes and colours, were grilled to the delight of the tourists- local and international alike. They took time to take pictures with the grilled items, the grillers and the crowd. Truly it was a very memourable sight. Wearing a capiz earrings i got at P15($0.35) at the souviner shops earlier, i noticed a shell of similar appearance in the seaffod grill. I was very excited and asked the name of the shell being grilled and the grillers said it is called "Catipay". The owner/sponsor, named Edmund(i asked his name and said thanks) even offered to my delight- to have a try of it. I took one, liked the flavour and aroma and asked for another. I asked if i can take the shell home as a souviner which they readily granted. So this is where my fabulous earrings are made of which fetches at A$15 to A$20 back in Melbourne! As i continued walking, more people offered various seafoods, and the "Catipay shell" i discovered were also called "Capiz" shells. I even wished to buy curtains made of such material although they are bulky for my trip back home.
I saw children and aged alike- partaking seafoods of varying kinds and the sponsors practically giving it away. This was after the organisers announced that the seafood grill documentation was postponed because large part of the grill activity was damaged due to the typhoon. I gathered later that this island usually gets the "tail" thus feels the typhoon the last among the rest of the Philippines' 7,107 islands.
While i continously savoured the sumptuous Catipay or capiz shell, fireworks competition started , thus it was a delight to walk in the avenue, watch the fireworks display and joined the cheering of the crowd. For a night i felt like a local- a native of Palawan as i experienced convergence with its people and culture.
Some expressed disappointment because the documentation for the world's seafood grill did not push through as planned. Yet i found joy looking at people partaking the sumptuous seafoods being given away. Now i know better- I should have brought a plate too, as the locals did. And the rain failed to dampen the festivities and the unforgettable seafood grill. Clearly, they enjoyed the festival immensely as shown by the loud laughter and twinkling eyes of children and aged alike.
For a first-timer like me,"Baragatan" is successful to its superlative. True to its meaning, i came- and met them up- the beautiful place, its very warm people on a cold weather, and the exotic culture, all in one memourable night. Some people can never be lucky as i am. I look forward towards celebrating the future Baragatan festivals with them.
And next time, i will not forget to bring my friends, my camera and a big dinner plate.
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