It’s the love month yet! What better way to celebrate love than to pay tribute to the reason why we are all here alive, living and loving? This is a story of a young mother’s love. We’re months ahead of Mother’s Day, but it’s nice to celebrate the bond between mother and child. Of course, we do not belittle fathers, but real men understand this.
I am not a mother so I asked someone to guest blog. Actually, I asked permission to reblog something she wrote. Technically, it’s not exactly a reblog as I read it on her Facebook page, but we’re not strict here *wink!* I was supposed to post this next Sunday, but seeing a recently shared post in FB that is eliciting a lot of comments, I decided there’s no better time than today.
Folks, let’s meet Lorie and her cute baby…ENJOY!!! ๐
I just had my APE taken. The doctor who administered my physical exam was a โhe.โ That was probably the reason why the nurse handled the breast and anal examinations. I would have not minded, after all, I had been naked in front of strangers of both genders twice. And the last vivid memory I have of my recent childbirth is that of a male-nurse (or a doctor) holding my left breast as another nurse put my newborn on my chest so that the baby could have its taste of the first milk.
Because I have been actively breastfeeding my newborn, I have become shameless. I can probably claim that I have mastered the art of breastfeeding in public. With a brave front, I have demanded for special privileges in public places, asked to be provided a decent breastfeeding station. It has allowed my baby to peacefully latch on before I put a scarf around her and dare face the public again.
Inside the house, I became less conscious about the privacy of my own body as I am more concerned about pacifying my baby whenever she howls (yes, howl) out of hunger anywhere in the house. I am unmindful of the fact that our new home has glass windows, and no, we have not installed curtains yet, nor blinds, and that my sister winces every time she sees the exposed breast. Only when there are relatives of the opposite sex do I put a scarf around us or secure a private area to breastfeed. This is not out of shame, but out of courtesy, for they would probably be unwilling to witness such an intimate scene.
No, my dears, that is NOT the father ๐ As for Baby…feeding time!!!
This is also the first pregnancy that I have no immediate interest to regain my size, or to whiten the darkened areas of my skin. I am actually anxious that anything I take may affect the lactation of my child. I have probably lost interest or perhaps I am more interested in the welfare of my baby rather than in being pleasant-looking. And since I am breastfeeding, gone are the days that my husband would help me take care of the child during the night or in the wee hours of the morning as I am the only one she probably needs when she wakes up.
I have been more tired than ever, barely remembering how I survived post-pregnancy after my first child. I sometimes wonder if I have made the right decision to breastfeed my second child, then I remember that it was not my choice. The baby chose it. She wants me. As opposed to my first-born who refused and hated being breastfed, my newborn hates the bottled counterpart. She loves to be cuddled warmly and safely onto my chest as she sucks out all the weight I gained during pregnancy. ๏ Yes, if there is one positive outcome in relation to my physical appearance, it is that thanks to breastfeeding, I am losing weight. And losing weight fast.
A few more days and I will formally return to work (formally, as I have been using my leaves, working and checking the output of my colleagues). That will mean that I cannot be disturbed for a full eight hours. I do not know how my baby will adapt to this, but we have introduced bottle feeding to her in the last two weeks (my child has no choice but to be bottlefed during those hours).
This is one of her latest pics, taken a few days ago. What a cutie patootie!
During the two months that I have been breastfeeding my child, I have learned a lot of misconceptions regarding breastfeeding and have affirmed a lot of positive results from it as well. Most of all, I am happy that my baby is as healthy as I want her to be, with all her limbs and cheeks full and bright.
With aching breasts, I am moving on to probably more tiresome days ahead. But this, I can say: I have embraced motherhood, wholeheartedly, finally.
Mommy is a crafts-freak, and that’s a good thing. This is a token for Baby’s Christening this coming Sunday, February 23…Welcome to the world, Baby!!!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:LORELIE DAZO is now a mother of two. She is a colleague but don’t ask me what she does, it’s complicated ๐ She says in her blog, “I love doing crafts. I love painting. I am happy with what I have.” You can find her at lcdazo.wordpress.com. It still doesn’t have much but hopefully I can make her write more jewels like this ๐
Meanwhile, may I emphasize, Miss Dazo owns ALL copyrights to the article and photos, with the exception of the last image (cartoon). None of what she owns may be copied from here. Contact her first, if you want to use her piece, especially the photos.
Thank you for reading! We both hope you enjoyed it.
As you can see, somebody’s sharing of a Facebook post regarding breastfeeding in public prompted me to bump the schedule of this blog post a few days earlier. I personally do not mind mothers feeding their kids in public. It is a bit awkward as, like most people here, I grew up in a conservative society, but I’ve realized long ago that breastfeeding is a natural and important process. As I told the author, I am actually often really concerned about others who may be ogling. Fortunately, most breastfeeding moms know how to properly position their babies so, you know, sorry, folks, nothing to see here. Go on, turn and walk away, that’s right… ๐
What are your thoughts on this? Let us know by answering the poll and posting comments. BTW, opinions are allowed, but it is never a reason to disrespect so please mind your manners.
Our story, truth be told, would seem to be what books and movies are made of. Many would think, “Huh? What are you talking about? You’re just as normal and boring as most couples are.” Well, you don’t know our story. But the thing is, we don’t really need to explain ourselves. The important thing is those who really matter to us have accepted us.
There are those who doubt us, doubt that we can make it, maybe they always will. Some, for reasons we can only try to comprehend, say and will say bad things behind our backs, even try to get us reprimanded for things we should not be guilty about. There are people who will never say anything in front of us and will even act all supportive, though we don’t ask for it. There’s a word for that. We can only privately shake our heads in disbelief. All we can do is to try to understand why they are the way they are. Bad habits are hard to break, especially if one does not feel the need s/he has to.
There will be hardships, perhaps lots of it, but no true love ever emerged without these. If you have never experienced anything that remotely resembles a problem in your relationship, however small, then there’s your problem, the relationship itself. You might really need to think things through before you decide to go on with it.
So while I have always been the less verbal about our feelings in public, I would like to say thank you to him for the patience and understanding and for letting me feel I am not a robot after all. We may not be together most of the time but I know we are true. I am praying we’ll last a lifetime.
One of the things I have come to really love and appreciate these recent years is the local comics industry. So since it’s the month of love, I am showing my love by posting/announcing two comics-related events.
I am crushed, though, that I can’t go to this first one. It’s this Saturday, February 15, and I have not been able to prepare for it. But anyway, this is a chance for Los Baรฑos people and those from nearby towns and cities to get copies ofย local comics and meet with their creators. Entrance is just at P20!!! For more details: ELBIKON 2014
ElBiKon (UPLB Komikon) 2014 on February 15
This next one starts on the same day but ends on February 28. I may be able to go, I’ll see if the universe will let me. It’s a tribute for great comics creator Tony Velasquez, the “Father of Philippine Comics,” whose creations included Kenkoy. For details: TONY VELASQUEZ: A RETROSPECTIVE EXHIBIT
Exhibit featuring the Father of Philippine Comics, Tony Velasquez
It’s the love month and I decided to write about stuff that I love or has to do with love for the whole month. So I had an idea and was looking for an audio from my computer archive. For some reason, it wasn’t working the way it used to. I also came to this page because I was going to check how I was able to post videos before. Then I realized that this should be my first post in relation to Valentine’s. I had decided on a theme last week: love in various forms. Now I realize this is exactly the correct way to start.
It’s a reblog, but I still want to pay tribute to my parents who loved me and my sister. I still cannot believe that it’s almost two years. I still remember them like they’re in front of me. But I am happy in the sense that they do not anymore have to suffer and that, even through the hardships we are facing in this world, they are guiding us. Maybe some people who know them and would be able to read this would just mock this tribute, but we cannot do anything about that. We cannot change people. We can only change ourselves…
It would have been a given if I wrote about them already. As a writer, it would have been natural, normal, and expected that as a form of tribute, I shared my feelings or thoughts then, maybe my feelings or thoughts now, or maybe talked about how they had been as parents. That had been my intention for weeks, trying to find the right way, the right words so that I could give them the best tribute I could.
But very honestly, losing my parents recently โ one followed the other after only a span of two months โ writing such a great tribute would be something of a feat for me as of the moment. Not because they donโt deserve it but because I might never finish writing with the tears clouding my eyes. Grief does that to people. Yes, I know the Five Stages of Grief, and yesโฆ
Aaaand we’re back! Last time, I asked someone’s permission to let me repost/reblog her writeup on “Missing San Pablo.” As promised, here is its second and final installment, with some translations and comments from moi.
Again, we hope you enjoy this one! Oh, and this one would be quite “gastronomic” ๐ Forgive my lay-out problems. Fixing…
(This is an old post, dated Feb. 2009. Written during the time that I moved out of San Pablo. But now I’m glad that I am back home. I’m sure most of you who are no longer physically residing in San Pablo can relate to me.)
(THE CONTINUATION…)
This is the bibingka, a kind of cake made up of sticky rice, cooked through direct steaming. In some places, bibingka looks totally different, like what you’ll see if you CLICK HERE. In San Pablo, we call that biko, I think. In some places, it’s sinukmani, which we also have except it looks different. It’s complicated, I guess. Now take a look at HOW BIBINGKA IS MADE
7. San Nicolas Bibingka โ Kahit tulog ako sa bus, ‘pag umakyat ang mamang may tindang bibingka, nagigising ako sa bango nito! Ay winner talaga especially the ones with itlog na maalat on top…(Even when I’m asleep, the moment the bibingka vendor enters, the wonderful aroma wakes me up! What a winner, especially the ones with salted egg on top…)
Bibingka used to be the size of a regular saucer, but I normally see them now in smaller sizes, even much smaller like these ones above, the kind vendors sell aboard the bus when they get the chance at bus stops
[Ed.– That’s a bibingka at left. Shreds of buko (young coconut) meat are always added in the bibingka mix (well, always, as far as I know), then butter is spread on the top when the cake has taken shape. To make them extra-special, the following may be added as toppings: pieces of itlog na pula (salted boiled egg with the shell painted pula or red…don’t ask why, me not know), cheese (strips or grated), and grated coconut meat. I would love to try out jam or jelly on them, I bet they’ll be masarap (delicious)!]
8. Comics Den โ This place used to be a popular hangout for young ones during my time. They had a cool collection there. Across the den was the residence of the Banayos that had a band studio that my friends (including my ex) would often rent for their usual jamming sessions. I wonder if the studio and the den are still open. The den is likewise a symbol of the local punk scene. ‘Nuff said. [Ed.– I believe this is the place where I accompanied artist Jonas Diego, back when he was still working on his early piece, The Book of John.]
9. โAno baga!โ (โWhaat!โ) โ I do miss the San Pableรฑo accent. A mix of the Batangas, Laguna, and Quezon province’s tones. It’s quite interesting that we have terms in San Pablo (and nearby places) that when we mention them in Manila, we hear โANU ‘YUN???โ (โWHAT’S THAT???โ) quite often.
Examples:
Libagin (dirty clothes) ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Liban (cross the street) ย ย ย ย ย ย Wari ko (I think)
Barino (in a bad mood/temper) ย ย ย ย Tarangkahan (gate) ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย Bahaw (left-over rice)
[Ed.– QUICK LANGUAGE 101:โAno baga!โ is usually, but not always, more of an expression rather than a real question, as if the speaker is confused about something (โWhat is it, really…?โ), in disbelief, or is exasperated (โWhat are you looking at, punk!โ).
The Filipino language is also similar to the Chinese in the sense that when the same word is spoken differently, with only a change in intonation or speed, it may mean something that is simply related or something else entirely. For instance, in San Pablo, saying โlibanโ in different intonation and tenses relays other possible meanings–โexceptโ (if slower), to go over something literally like over a fence (fast, as in the sample given), to be absent or go on leave, or to delay something.]
10. Lanzones โ Whenever rambutan season, which I don’t like, is almost over, lanzones seeds start to grow abundantly. The San Pablo variety is, I think, the sweetest (I am sure those from other places would love to disagree). I like ours better than Camiguin’s for the seeds are smaller. My favorite place to buy this from is the store at M. Leonor, beside the funeral parlor (…oh, maybe that explains the sweetness…?).
– Delfin’s luglug (or palabok, a type of pancit)inside the public market [Ed.– Not sure if it’s the same place but I rather like Onie’s luglug. I often buy there still when I’m at the public market. The price has remained at P20 for the longest time, which is one thing that makes it cool.]
– Mami near the railroad/highway [Ed.– I have not tasted delicious mami for a long time. The best I have ever tasted isโwell, wasโat a mami-an (place to order/eat mami) that could be found along Sampaloc Lake, the part near our barrio. We could easily go to it back when the Rotary Club house (or whatever it is called) situated in our barrio had its gates open and anyone could pass through the wide pavement leading to the lake. It’s closed now and there is a much, much narrow alternative route. The mami-an has long been closed as well. Not sure if they relocated somewhere else.]
The siopao is a steamed bun filled with either chicken or especially pork (asado/pot-roasted or bola-bola/meatball-shaped) and eaten with a special sweet sauce you pour in. At times, the bola-bola has salted egg added. Sizes vary but the usual is around the size of a saucer. If it sounds Chinese, it’s because it is, like many foods that found their way on our tables…or should I say in our tummies?
This description from its source explains luglug: “a noodle dish served with an array of seafood garnish, spring onions, hard boiled eggs in thick rice noodles. Usually served on deep bowls due to its saucy nature,…Luglug sauce also should be lighter in taste as it uses more of it” compared to other noodle dishes. Well, its noodles are not thatย much thicker, really, but otherwise, it’s spot-on. I do remember very well that when I was a kid, our favorite luglug-anย (place to eat/order luglug) would wrap take-out orders with banana leaves. It’s unfortunately not the case anymore
Mami is the Philippines’ version of chicken noodle soup. While its origin is obvious, its name isn’t Chinese. China’s Ma Mon Luk introduced the “Mi” (noodle) dish here. Just put two and two together and you get the idea *wink!*
– Q9’s tapsilogย near the Laguna College school. Tapsilog is a contraction of the following: tapa (dried or cured meat, usually beef), sinangag (fried rice) and itlog (egg, normally fried).
– Mang Bert’s sorbetesย (Mr. Bert’s ice cream) at Central School. He used to stay in one place near one of the buildings and sell “dirty ice cream” on conesย [Ed. – Note: Peddlers were allowed in our school premises before and could walk more freely (which, in hindsight, was probably not very wise of management to allow, although perhaps they were monitored but I was too young to know or care).
Note again: “Dirty ice cream” here is just a term for ice cream, which is really more of a sorbet, being sold as street food, peddled by sorbeteros pushing either wooden or tin carts where ice cream is contained. Each cart may offer up to three flavors that are served in wafer or sugar cones, sometimes plastic cups (although I am not sure if they still do that, especially now that use of plastic is supposedly banned in businesses belonging to the service sector, unless they now use paper cups). This ice cream, according to my research, is mainly from coconut milk, unlike others that are made from animal milk.]ย
– Botak’s refreshing flavored drinks, also in Central School. Mainly, he pushed a cart with various liquid fruit flavors that he poured in cups of ground ice, each cup was one order.
– Carreon’s taho (as according to my mother, it’s definitely cleanly-made if it’s ย Carreon-made)
Any tapsilog order usually comes with vinegar (sometimes sprinkled with crushed garlic or chili) to dip the meat in. Many food establishments offer this or have made “-silog” dishes their main offerings, thus they are called tapsilogan. Theyย pair rice and egg with various meat products (ex. with hotdog=hotsilog). Presentations vary in how the rice is cooked, if tomato or cucumber slices are added, if they offer side dishes (often pickled green papaya called atsara/achara/atchara, however you spell it)
Dirty ice cream, anyone?
Mamang Sorbetero (Ice Cream Man). You’ll know he’s around when you hear him ringing a handbell
A magtataho walking as far as he can go to bring taho to anyone craving for a healthy, ย alternative way to satisfy his/her sweet tooth (er, teeth…? he he). You’ll know he’s coming when you here his call: “Tahooooo!!!”
This is what you get when you heed the magtataho’s call, a sweet soya treat ๐ I actually have been buying this almost every week
– Angelita’s tapa
– Spaghetti of Spaghetti House near Medical Center
The macapuno or sweet coconut strings that may be eaten as dessert as is, or even used as an ingredient for other products
The sinukmani (sweet sticky rice) we know
12. Dely’s Beauty Parlor – This belongs to my aunt! This is one of the two (am I right?) oldest beauty salon in the city. Its original location was in front of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) along Paulino St., near the Liceo school. It was still back on the 1960s when my ย “Mommy Deli” (now called Lola D by her grandkids) opened it and it became the salon of different generations of the girlie girls of San Pablo. And because MD is our aunt, of course, we got free haircut, and even free makeup (whenever we had school programs to go to), including manicure and pedicure.
The parlor used to be our family’s drop-by place, every family member who went to the city proper would always drop by to simply pay MD his/her respect. When she had to leave the location after more than 30 years, the women “revolted” and demanded that it continue. Its present location is at the terrace of my grandma’s house. It’s what gives life to the compound especially with most of the original residents gone, including myself. Ayyy the parlor is here to stay forever! Pag-uwi ko magpapagupit ako… (When I get home, I’m getting a haircut…)
I still have lots that I miss about San Pablo City–things, people and occasions. Most of all, my family. The endless foods, chit-chats, and occasional fights. Nothing beats home, that’s for sure. That is why it isn’t only my kids who get excited about coming summer vacations because we’re going home again. Hayyy,lalafang na naman ng sobra-sobra…ย (Lots of food-tripping once more…)
THE END
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:ย Ayie, as many fondly call her, can be found at THE CURACHA CHRONICLES.
Didn’t I tell you about things getting “gastronomic”? ๐
Don’t be stingy. Click LIKE if you liked this writeup ๐ For any questions or comments, go ahead and type away! Again,ย all copyrights, except those of the images (which are all either linked to their respective sources or credited to owners) go to Ayie.
KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!!!! Well, I ย thought that for a change, I would finally feature my hometown–er, city? But the thing was, I realized that I would not be able to say much about it as far as personal experience was concerned. I was a pretty shy kid that I practically never went anywhere the city without my parents. When I reached my teens, I studied in nearby-town Los Baรฑos from high school to college, hardly spending time in San Pablo. Then I graduated, started working in Manila and since then, I have been working in and around Manila, far enough from Laguna.
So that was my dilemma until I realized that a fellow-San Pableรฑa–a fellow-university student taking up the same degree and especially a fellow-member of a school organization for film enthusiasts–wrote something about her San Pablo childhood several years ago. I first read Ayie‘s writeup in Multiply (which folded up, of course), then she shared it in the official Facebook page ofย San Pableรฑos more than two years ago. I have to say I could relate to most of what she said although she recounted things better. I asked if she could guest blog here although she needed not write anything new as I wanted to share her writeup. So here it is! She has given me the go signal to edit so I have, but mostly only to translate several words/phrases for non-Filipino speaking readers and explain some terms.
We both hope you like it ๐ (NOTE: I did not update anything here to preserve what she has written, although I, as “Ed.”, have taken some liberties in inserting several comments. This is only Part 1 as it’s a bit long and I also want to find some more images.)
WELCOME TO SAN PABLO CITY! (this arc has undergone a makeover, I’ve been told, as this was taken before that). Image courtesy of Laguna Travel Guide
MISSING SAN PABLO
(Aileen ‘Ayie’ Alcos-Garcia)
(This is an old post, dated Feb. 2009. Written during the time that I moved out of San Pablo. But now I’m glad that I am back home. I’m sure most of you who are no longer physically residing in San Pablo can relate to me.)
I was born and raised in this city, I grew up in my lola‘s (grandma’s) house on Marcos Paulino Street which is strategically located within the city proper and close to almost everything: market, church, school, grocery, highway, etc., even to the Social Security Service office…
Whenever I go home by taking a tricycle, I only need to tell the driver “Sa may eskinita po”ย (“Down the alley, please”) and chances are, the driver instantly knows where to drop me off. It’s so convenient to shop because however much you carry, simply rent a tricycle and you’ll be dropped off exactly at the house gate, and may even have your groceries carried for you up to your front door!
Since my parents are also full-blooded San Pableรฑos, almost all our kamag-anaks (relatives) from both sides are residing there.SoI just have to walk towards the market and sure enough, I’ll bump into at least one of them.
There are many things that I miss about living in San Pablo (SP). Here are some of them:
A really beautiful shot of Sampaloc Lake! Photo by Von Lord Malabanan at LagunaPinas.com
1. Sampaloc Lakeย โ known as the City of Seven Lakes, San Pablo is truly a wonderful place to visit, especially if you can tour the seven lakes and sample freshly caught tilapiato be grilled at the hut in the middle of the lake!
Sampaloc Lake is the biggest and closest lake to the town proper (it is in fact near the City Hall). It’s a favorite dating place for couples, a fitness venue for the health-conscious (jog around the lake, join the aerobics sessions at the Leonila Park), a pre-labor room for expectant moms (The Staircase is a favorite spot), a haven for photographers, artists, and writers, a treat for people who love to eat ihaw-ihaw (grilled foods), and a whole lot more. The paved road around the lake is now a favorite route for joggers and bikers. There, you can also rent bikes (with or without sidecars) for P40-60/ikot (forty to sixty pesos per round trip) around the lake. The road is dotted with restos and stores.
Other than the coconut tree and the lanzones fruit that have made Laguna famous, the tilapia has become as iconic. At this part of Sampaloc Lake, we find this little monument as a tribute to the tilapia. No matter that it is said to be what they call St. Peter’s Fish in the Bible. St. Paul is getting dibs on this one ๐ Image from JourneyingJames.com.
When we were younger, our Yaya (Nanny) Marie would bring us to the playground (the spot where the Judicial Bldg. now stands) and we would play endlessly while she would meet with her boyfriend at the side of the skating rink.
[Ed. –ย My parents, especially my father, used to bring us to the playground so that my sister and I could play. The playground wasn’t much but it was enough for us little ones. Maybe I’ll write about it one of these days…Ahhh, the memories…]
2. Folcon Bakeshopย โ ayyyyy I miss their ensaimadaย paired with their classic brewed coffee!!! Promise pag-uwi ko, magkakape ako ulit dito! (I swear to have coffee there again when I go home!) Our place is in the middle of two Folcon stores that is why, left side or right side, I never miss seeing it. There have been a few other coffee shops coming outโthere’s Cafรฉ d’ Aviano, the one at Balagtas Blvd., Colette’s [Ed. – It’s called Caffe Curio, the business Colette the Person, actually started.ย Colette’s was established by her parents], etc.
The ensaimada that we inherited from the Spanish conquerors
Nothing beats good old kapeng barako brewed right at home. I used to buy kapeng barako at the public market where it would be immediately grounded. Last time I bought some, one takal* cost P40. I so love coffee that we gave samples of kapeng barako as tokens at our wedding. Ay, ambango sa reception nung inilabas na ‘yung little mugs containing coffee beans (Wow, the aroma filled the reception area once they brought in the little mugs containing coffee beans)…I can still smell them in my head….
3.January 15Fiesta is the feast in honor of Saint Paul the First Hermit โ we very much look forward to this occasion, ang daming lafang! (too many foods to devour!) Especially since the local government started the annual Coco Festival sometime in the early 90s.
A week before the feast day, every night, there are cultural presentations on the temporary stage beside the Cathedral, these are sponsored by the different schools. I remember before, whatever we presented for the PGM (my high school’s foundation day), we just modified for the fiesta’s cultural night. I think I performed twice as part of the high school dance group. We once performed an interpretative dance for the song ‘Magsimula Ka.’
Photo courtesy of Dr. Erick Villarosa, found in the Atisan Archivesblog
This was just one group that performed at the last Coco Festival, the colorful annual mardi gras that San Pablo holds on the week of the city fiesta (January 15). Schools usually participate in this grand street dance. Photo courtesy of Mr. Ronald Obnial of the TSPKK Facebook group. Of course, image copyrights are his
Back to the Coco Fest. Well, much has been blogged about this wonderful event. The very first year that this was held, I was part of the local news team that made the coverage of the different activities and broadcast over Telmarc’s Ch. 11. One of the highlights that time was the initial holding of the search for ‘Mutya ng San Pablo’ (‘Muse of San Pablo’) where my friend Khruzette Sta. Clara emerged as winner, Sol Aragones was a runner-up (they were my batchmates from grade school). [Ed. –ย Segue non-SP trivia: (Former TV ย News Reporter/Host and current Congresswoman) Sol also joined theย ‘Mutya ng UPLB’ pageant during her college days.]
That time, Mayor Vic Amante was in position and would sponsor wonderful fireworks displays every bisperas*. Meanwhile, on D-day itself, our family would sponsor theย lunch or merienda (snacks) of the marching band (that we called musiko) who would render a special performance at our place….We starved them first by requesting tunes before we fed them ๐ย [Ed. –ย In the evenings now, the main street, Rizal Avenue, is closed for most vehicles to make way for a street party. Stages are put up at almost every corner where mini-concerts are held while people order mostly street foods, particularly barbecue, and drink beer. There is a main stage where big things happen, too.]
This is the night market along the street where the public market is located. It is open from 4pm till the evening when the public market is closing/closed. It actually mainly sells foods although during the Christmas season, they make way for booths that also sell other non-edible products. More booths/stalls that sell products are allowed to be put up along the adjoining streets, the wares ranging from clothes, house wares and tools, and toys. The night market has only been a regular, daily thing for more or less a year. Photo courtesy of Francis Murillo Emralino of Back Trails
Before the Coco Festival (or Mardi Gras, as some call it), the tianggeย (flea market) lining up the plaza, from Rizal Avenue down to M. Paulino Street, were the stars of the fiesta. It was a tradition among us cousins to wear our Christmas dresses (really dressed-to-kill), then after the festive lunch, we would meet up with other cousins or barkadas (peers) and then troop to the cedera (also means flea market).
I remember bringing home the mini-clay palayok (pot/pottery) set that came with a fruit platter with clay fruits, or the toy cooking set made of tin cans. I was probably in high school already when I finally grew out of playing with this! The cedera started soon after the New Year dusts had been swept off the streets, lasting until a week after the feast day. [Ed. – It now often lasts much longer than that.]
Another attraction was the perya,which was then a roving carnival located at the San Pablo Central School (my grade school) ground. It was a looong walk from the plaza to the perya that it was like a procession of people going there after going shopping (or window shopping) at the cedera. You could bet people stayed as late as possible! I remember the rides were the carousel, horror train, caterpillar, Ferris wheel, and then there were other attractions such as a mermaid, a half-horse man (I didn’t enter this tent as it was probably just a guy who looked like a horse), a woman sitting on a platform then we’d have to try hitting the button so she’d fall into the aquarium (what do you call that again?) [Ed. –ย Dunk tanks], the color game, shoot-the-rings, etc.
This was also where you splurged on cotton candy, sorbetes (ice cream), fishballs, hotcake with lots of yellow food color, snowball, popcorn, and sago’t gulaman (refreshing sweet drink with tapioca pearls or sago and jelly or gulaman). The carnival and cedera returned in a smaller scale around All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day (Halloween season). They could be found at the corner of M. Paulino and M. Leonor down to the street facing the public cemetery.
The other famous “SM,” the also-iconic San Pablo ‘fixture,’ the Mango Tree. SM stands for “Sa Mangga” or “At the Mango Tree.” image courtesy of Laguna Travel Guide
4. S.M. — We’re not referring to Mr. Henry Sy’s โShoeMart.โ Long before โSMโ spread all over the Philippines, we already had oursโโSa Manggaโ (At the Mango Tree).ย Our plaza has an old mango tree, pinalibutan ng semento, nilagyan ng waiting shed, presto, isang instant landmark na (we cemented the area around it, put up a shed, and presto, we’ve got an instant landmark). This is the most familiar loading and unloading area. I miss this because whenever I pass by SM, I know I’m close to home.
One more thing, it’s so nice to buy balut (boiled fertilized duck egg, considered as a Filipino exotic food), kwek-kwek (deep-fried quail eggs coated with orange batter) and puto bumbong (steamed violet-colored Filipino rice cake) here especially when Christmas is near. San Pablo is now ready to welcome the latest addition to the actual SM (ShoeMart) chain of retail stores. It will be located at the foreground of Riverina Subd. in Brgy. San Roque. [Ed.– The said mall has been in San Pablo for a few years already, at Brgy. San Rafael]
5. Prosperity Food House’s pancit bihonย (a type of noodle) – hayyy naku winner ito!‘Yung main ingredient ng pancit nila ay in-adobo muna….ay heaven talaga! (This is a winner! Their pancit’s main ingredients are first fried with soy sauce…heaven!) I can hardly find a seat when I’m there because it is usually full of customers. What’s cool is that you can phone in your order first, then the staff from Prosperity will call back when your order’s ready so you or someone else can go and pick up the order. I don’t know if they’ve branched out some more already, but they have two branches: one at Bonifacio Street and one at Regidor Street.
6. Colette’s Buko Pie โ Need I say more? What’s nice about this is that when you’re on the bus going to Manila, you can ask the driver to stop at Colette’s so that you can buy treats for family or friends and your fellow passengers won’t mind (or at least I haven’t heard anyone complain about it yet?). [Ed.– I personally do mind, actually, because some people take their sweet time buying. It’s not a vacation trip where it is acceptable and other passengers do need to get to work on time. I won’t mind as long as it gets done real quick. Anyway, the good news is there is now a bus stop where people can buy treats (hopefully real quick, too) and vendors go up to sell them as well. The bad news for loyal patrons is they’re not Colette’s]
Colette’s Buko Pie has spread around the country through franchise ventures, but the original store is right in San Pablo, along the highway. From just the pie made of buko (young coconut), they now offer variations of it and various pies, rice cakes, pastries and other treats. Buko pie actually originated from Los Baรฑos and was brought to San Pablo by Colette’s family
Here’s a footage from a morning TV show featuring the giant buko pie that was created for the last Coco festival
(TO BE CONTINUED…)
*takal –ย measuring style using a cup, mug, bottle, or whatever the vendor wants to use as his/her standard measuring unit
*bisperas –ย “eve of…”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ayie, as many fondly call her, can be found at THE CURACHA CHRONICLES.
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The End Justifies the Journey 