Flight chronicles of the backpacker Tutubi, with travelogues, pictures/photos/videos, travel guides, independent and honest reviews, affordable, recommended resorts and hotels (including inns, guesthouses, pension houses, lodges, hostels, condotels, bed and breakfast and other cheap accommodations), commuting guides, routes (sometimes street maps and GPS coordinates/waypoints) and driving directions to answer "how to get there" questions, information and tips on tourism, budget travel and living in Philippines, Exotic Asia and beyond!
Backpacking, independent travel, and flashpacking are cheaper than the "cheapest package tours" and promotional offers around but you can also use travel information for family vacations, even romantic honeymoon destinations.
More than the usual tourist spots and "places to see," this blog advocates heritage conservation, environmental protection, and history awareness for Filipinos, foreigners, and ex-pats wishing to explore Paradise Philippines and Exotic Asia!
Black Saturday, a the day after prices of seafood skyrocket when Tutubi woke up early and hied off to Wawa Park on the lakeshore of Paete, Laguna to see for himself the effect of El Niño phenomenon on the once submerged park by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng
He was surprised to see the once large bay where he used to swim in his childhood days is now almost dry with grass and weeds growing instead of floating bamboo and parked boats.
The effects of El Niño is highly visible on the almost dried up portion of Laguna de Bay. This area used to be a huge bay where boats park
The people are back and so are the businessmen like this taho vendor
From the park is also the landing area or port of all bancas unloading their catch from fish cages usually tilapia, shrimps and ayungin.
a tanned fisherman unloads his catch of tilapia from his banca
From the fisherman, Tutubi was offered large tilapia (pla-pla) each weighting more than a kilo each for mere P60/kilo that he immediately seized. He had the two large fishes tied instead of cleaned on the site to keep them alive for a longer time
two large pla-pla with total weight of 2.3 kilograms for a cheap price of P120 only
the two pla-pla still alive on the kitchen sink
inihaw na tilapia (grilled tilapia)
Note that at P60/kilo, is already cheaper than those bought at the public market but the bigger than the usual size of the tilapia can easily fetch a much higher price at the palengke.
On gilik, called liya in Paete, it is the muddy taste of fishes caught/raised in Laguna de Bay caused by certain algae present on certain seasons. Once the algae are ingested by the fishes like tilapia and bangus (milkfish), the fishes themselves will get the smell and taste of gilik. When buying fish, try to smell them particularly the gills for such obnoxious soiled/muddy smell before buying. Some unscrupulous fish vendors will try to hide the smell of gilik by removing the gills early to avoid detection but the trained nose can catch the scent and thus avoid being sold fish with gilik "flavor."
If you're looking for places to buy fresh seafood, try to buy them where the fishermen unload their catch for the freshest, cheapest seafood you can get.
I was in Laguna during the Holy Week. I wanted to drop by in Paete Church but was time constrained. Nothing beats the freshly hatched fish there. The mention of "liya" made me homesick.
ang tagal ko nang hindi nakakakain ng ayungin... nabuhay kami sa talong at tilapia nitong nakaraang holy weekend hehe... nasa wawa kami last thursday sana pala naaya kita for the photowalk-photowalk-an namin.. ngayon ko lang naalala, sensya na hehe...
carlotta, P60/kilo and much larger than those you get for the usual price of P80/kilo...and alive and kicking pa
aldrin, I arrived home around 2pm last thursday. went to Wawa on saturday morning. Also bought fresh ayungin, the only one I found and snatched it quickly from the woman who intended to take it home. was also looking for bangayngay :P ayungin's a future post here, don't preempt hehe
Have you taste Tilapia fish in Cavinti, Laguna at the Lumot lake. It tasted better than Laguna lake Tilapia... the water is clearer though it has a bigger value.
The effects of El Niño is highly visible on the almost dried up portion of Laguna de Bay. This area used to be a huge bay where boats park
The people are back and so are the businessmen like this taho vendor
a tanned fisherman unloads his catch of tilapia from his banca
two large pla-pla with total weight of 2.3 kilograms for a cheap price of P120 only
the two pla-pla still alive on the kitchen sink
inihaw na tilapia (grilled tilapia)
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