My Trip to the Philippines, Part Four
Whenever I travel I always try to do as much as possible, so the trips are productive, informative and fun.
On our last day in the Philippines, we visited a beautiful home garden filled with tropical plants. We toured the oldest Chinatown in the world and walked through one of its wet markets. We learned how to make traditional Filipino pandesal bread rolls from one of the country’s most distinguished bakers, and visited with a group of master designers of Filipino rattan furniture and accessories. It was a very full and inspiring day.
Enjoy these last photos from my trip.
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- Our day started with a look at some interesting and beautiful rattan products. I was very interested in learning more about rattan during this trip. Designers from across the Philippines gathered for a mini “trade show”. Here I am with the group of designers and Department of Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo Puyat.
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- Rattan is a member of the palm family. It grows vine-like, spreading through tropical rain forests and reaching hundreds of feet in length. When heated, rattan can be bent and formed into unique shapes. After cooling, it becomes a sturdy frame.
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- When rattan is harvested, it is cut into 13-foot lengths, and the dry sheathing is removed. Its stems are dried in the sun and then stored for seasoning. Then, these long rattan poles are straightened and shipped to furniture manufacturers. Rattan’s outer bark is used for caning, while its inner reed-like section is used to weave wicker furniture.
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- As a material, rattan is lightweight and almost impervious and is easy to move and handle. It can withstand extreme conditions of humidity and temperature and has a natural resistance to insects.
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- I loved seeing such a variety of pieces – both modern and more traditional.
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- Palasan rattan can be identified by its tough solid stems that vary from one to two inches in diameter and its vines, which grow as long as 200 to 500 feet.
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- Rattan works well with paints and stains like many other kinds of wood, so it is available in many colors, and it can be worked into many different styles for every room of the home.
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- Our next stop was Binondo, a district in Manila referred to as the city’s Chinatown – the world’s oldest Chinatown established in 1594. The “spaghetti” wire connections above the streets was a faster and easier way for telecom businesses to expand in this old area.
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- We walked through a side street wet market filled with stands of fruits – both local and western favorites.
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- These watermelons are from Iloilo on Panay Island in the Philippines – one of the country’s biggest sources for these sweet fruits.
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- This is called ampalaya bitter melon, Momordica charantia – a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae, It is widely grown in the Amazon, Carribean, and the Philippines for its edible fruit. Bitter melon is filled with antioxidants, and helps to reduce blood sugar and cholesterol.
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- We also went to the Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli, which was first established in 1912 by Chua Chiu Hong, a migrant from mainland China whose family decided to reside in the Philippines. This mooncake sits near the entrance to the deli and is reportedly the largest mooncake in the Philippines.
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- We also stopped at the Greenhills Mall to shop for pearls. Greenhills opened in the early 1970s and was among the first shopping centers to be established in the Philippines. Now, it has more than two-thousand vendors and shops. Here I am with San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora, his wife Keri Neri, and Berna.
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- Our next stop was in Makati at Panaderya Toyo, a bakery and cafe known for using local and natural ingredients.
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- Richie Manapat is the head baker. He and his team explained their unique and old fashioned “no waste” techniques.
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- I admired his mixer – I would like one of these for my own kitchen.
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- While most bakeries start baking during the wee hours of the morning, the team at Panaderya Toyo needs at least a couple days to make their bread – one day to prepare the dough and a second day to mix and bake.
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- Richie taught me how to make pandesal – the traditional bread roll in the Philippines. Richie works the dough on a counter made of mango wood and assembled with food-grade beeswax. Then, it’s baked in a Zanolli modular oven specifically designed according to Panaderya Toyo’s requirements.
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- The pandesal dough is tied in a knot because Richie makes a wetter dough to create a more tender bread. He explained that if it’s shaped like the usual pandesal, the dough would flatten when baked – the wetter dough allows him to keep the pandesal moist inside without using commercial yeast.
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- I tried a finished one and it was so delicious. And here, yesterday’s leftovers make the next day’s bread. What doesn’t get sold is turned into breadcrumbs that end up on the pandesal.
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- After our visit at the bakery, I stopped for a quick photo with our “outriders” who helped us get through the heavy traffic all week. Thank you so much!
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- We drove to Alabang to visit a beautiful home with lots of palms and cycads – the biggest private collection in the Philippines owned by Butch and Ollie Campos. Butch is the owner of International Del Monte Pacific, Ltd., and Chairman and CEO of the NutriAsia Group.
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- There were also lots of koi in the large in-ground pools.
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- Koi, or more specifically jinli or nishikigoi, are colored varieties of the Amur carp that are kept as pets in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens.
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- I was amazed at all the many beautiful palms. This specimen is so large, lush and green.
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- I loved all the tropical plants, especially this variegated philodendron.
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- There were also many, many different cycads. Cycads are an ancient group of seed plants with a crown of large compound leaves and a stout trunk.
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- Here is another bright green palm variety.
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- In this area, a group of potted dracaena plants with their strap-like foliage. Many cultivars are large and tree-like while others are smaller – all with upright growing forms.
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- Here’s another cycad in a shallow pond.
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- Two ornamental water buffalos keep watch over the water lilies and cycads.
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- There was also a giant aviary nestled under the shade of the palm trees with so many pretty and colorful birds.
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- And look – a peacock. Several reside here too.
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- After a walk through the garden, we enjoyed a lovely lunch inside.
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- Here is the chef preparing a delicious buffet of foods.
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- We enjoyed fresh sushi and sashimi.
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- We also had pancit, or Filipino noodles, traditionally cooked with soy sauce along with some variation of meats and chopped vegetables.
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- Do you know what these are? These are nuts from the Coco de Mer palm, one of the rarest palm trees on the planet, also known as the Lodoicea maldivica. A single seed may be 12-inches long, nearly three feet in circumference, and weigh more than 40-pounds. The bikinis add a touch of whimsy to the display.
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- This door hung on the wall had a small piece of red ribbon, which symbolizes welcome, sanctuary and status. Red also invites good luck and happiness during the Chinese New Year.
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- Thanks to Butch and Ollie for hosting a wonderful luncheon on our last day. What a wonderful time we had in the Philippines – I met many people and made many friends. Filipinos are so welcoming and friendly. I cannot wait to return. When planning your next vacation, consider visiting the Republic of the Philippines – you’ll love it!
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