OUR AWESOME PLANET

PAHIYAS: 8 Tips for an Awesome San Isidro Labrador Fiesta!

Pahiyas is one of the most awesome fiestas in the country. It falls on the feast day of San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers to show gratitude for a good and abundant harvest. It is celebrated in Lucban (most popular and commercialized), Sariaya, Tayabas and other towns in Quezon.

The Pahiyas Festival is always observed on a fixed date -- May 15 -- and this year, it's a Sunday. It will take another 5 years (on May 15, 2016, to be exact) before it is celebrated on a weekend again.

For those joining the Pahiyas festivities, here are 8 Tips to have an Awesome San Isidro Labrador Fiesta!

Pahiyas, Lucban - 8 Things We Love About Pahiyas

8 Things We Love About Pahiyas

Pahiyas in Lucban, Quezon is celebrated in honor of St. Isidro Labrador every May 15. The date is fixed and this year, it fell on a Thursday. Saint Isidro is the Catholic patron saint of the farmers so it is not only celebrated in Lucban but all around the Laguna area during Harvest season. Coincidentally, Pahiyas celebration is within the rainy season.



1. Lucban Longganisa -- Ever since Tina Decal introduced us to lucban longganisa, we look forward to buying them every time we go to Lucban. It is made of natural ingredients (no preservatives) and lots of oregano. It is salty and not the sweet kind that we are used to. Dip it in vinegar and I bet you'll momentarily forget your diet. If you want to make your own, just inform me, I have the recipe to share with you.



2. Creative Harvest Displays - The families invest time and money to put up a good display that would look good during the day and at night. It is a photographer's haven (except when it rains heavily like last week).

Lucban, Pahiyas, Quezon

Hailed the Most Beautiful Experience in Kubli Springs

Read first: Kubli Springs Night @ Viaje del Sol

I remember after my first visit in Kubli Springs, I vowed to return and take a bath in the mineral water springs of Kubli. This time we are all prepared with proper swim suit, towels and extra clothes. It was a unique night to remember and thanks to my team for being "game" and adventurous for one night. Enjoy the Photo Essay!

Hailed the most beautiful IT managers...

Kubli Springs with flowing natural, potable mineral water. For the record, nobody had stomach ache after drinking a few glasses of the mineral water. Also, there are no mosquitoes and the area was clean.

Ugu Bigyan's

Ugu Bigyan's Kulawo (Banana Heart)! -- The Best seller in the house! This is just with charcoal to bring out the smokey flavor and cooked in vinegar and spices. I swear, it taste like tuna meat!! ( email me for the recipe )

Read First:
Quezon Culinary Series 10: Ugu Bigyan's Secret Pottery Garden
[Viaje del Sol Series.7] Ugu Bigyan's Pottery Garden Postcards
[Viaje del Sol Series.6] Sumptuous Lunch @ Ugu Bigyan!
Viaje del Sol Review

After blogging this last Sept 2005, Ugu Bigyan continues to be one of the secret places in the Philippines. You cannot find this in the lonely planet and in fact, even the people who lives within the area was surprised that such beautiful garden place exist. I've been raving about it for years now, and if you have not eaten here, you should plan a viaje del sol trip this coming summer.

Here are some tips on making your Ugu Bigyan trip a memorable experience:

1. You need to reserve one day in advance for lunch (minimum of 5) or merienda. They are strict that you pay for the exact amount of headcount that you reserved since they buy the ingredients in the market based on the reservation.
2. The Best time to buy pottery items in Ugu are during the sale season. There are three sale sessions: first, is the pahiyas sale on May 15 (this would be too crowded); second, on his even birthdays August 14 discounted depending on his age (42% this year); and lastly during the first Sunday of October.
3. Lunch is now @ P400/ head. It is usually a fix set depends on what they can buy in the market. You can influence this a bit and try to change some of the items based on your preference.
4. Merienda is also a nice time to go here and get a taste of their Sago and Gulaman!!
5. You can learn pottery here and decide to stay for a night. I suggest you inquire when the classes are and schedule your visit during that time.

They make it look easy to create a perfect jar!

Check out the rest of the Ugu Bigyan meal...

Kubli Springs Night @ Viaje del Sol

Read this First:
[Viaje del Sol Series.3] "Starbucks" stop @ Jay's Kinabuhayan Cafe
[Viaje del Sol Series.4] Postcards from Kinabuhayan Cafe
[Viaje del Sol Series.5] The Charm of Kubli Springs

I'm still on a Kubli Springs High and I can't believe that I was able to pull this off with my office mates. It was also fortunate that I was in San Pablo, Laguna for work that I have to spend the night in that area. Finally, I had the chance to execute one of my wildest setup of having dinner at Kubli Springs in Dolores, Quezon -- Thanks to Jay and Ralph of Kinabuhayan Cafe! I've been to all the places in the Viaje del Sol area, this is one of the must try experiences that any foodie should go to.

Imagine eating inside a wild forest amidst huge rocks and bonfires, getting wet from the clear water flowing through your feet, and drinking from the cold natural spring water. The table is set on top of natural rocks with flowing water underneath it. The best part of the dinner is the excellent food prepared by Jay. I was caught off guard at how great the food taste that all my friends are raving about it long after the dinner. This is literally dining under the stars and it was a truly priceless dining experience.

I told my friends that day, that I have a surprise adventure dinner for them. I kept it as a surprise because I want to blow their minds off on one of the unique experiences in the Philippines. I just told them that they need to bring slippers because they might get wet. Most of us came from office and that is why we still have our jeans on :) Actually, the best way to enjoy this place is to wear swim shorts and you eat while submerged in cool clear water. Going to this place is scary since it is located near the foot of Mt. Banahaw and in the heart of Dolores, Quezon.

Kubli Springs Dinner is just AWESOME! Perfect setting and ambiance with great gourmet food for P500/ head only ! I'm going back to bring my wife and Aidan to enjoy this place :)

(L-R) Ginger, Reena, Vince, Murf/Edlyn, Wendy and our boss, Sonny

Check out the rest of the Kubli Springs Night story ...

A Balesin Escape

***UPDATE  9/22/11: The Balesin island cannot be visited anymore and membership will by invitation only. The island is now owned by Alphaland Corporation. ***

I want to share with you my excitement. I wrote an article on Balesin and hopefully it will be published soon in a new Travel/ Lifestyle Magazine. It will be a Nov/Dec issue and will be released by the end of October. I can't wait to see the final printed article. Thanks to the managing editor for fulfilling one of my dreams of being published :) Can you guess what's the name of this new magazine?

Beach, Quezon

[Balesin Island#3] What to do in Balesin?

***UPDATE  9/22/11: The Balesin island cannot be visited anymore and membership will by invitation only. The island is now owned by Alphaland Corporation. ***

If there is one word to describe Balesin, it would be "relaxing". The idea is to escape from your busy life, relax and appreciate nature. In that sense, there's really nothing else to do in this island but bond with nature and with your love ones. There are sports facilities in the resort which you can enjoy which includes: Beach Volleyball, Table Tennis, Tennis and a 6-hole golf course. But for you to fully enjoy Balesin, here are my top 10 recommended things to do when you are in the island.

Beach, Manila, Philippines, Quezon

[Balesin Island#2] Where in the Philippines is Balesin?

***UPDATE  9/22/11: The Balesin island cannot be visited anymore and membership will by invitation only. The island is now owned by Alphaland Corporation. ***

This shot was taken 7 hours away (4 hours by land + 3 hours by boat) from Manila. The travel could be as short as 30 minutes by a chartered plane (imagine how expensive that would be). This was in the remote island of Balesin in Pollilio, Quezon Province and my Balesin series will give you a glimpse of this beach island paradise in the East.

The land trip was a 180kms, 4 hours drive from Manila to the Atimonan port. It sounds easy if you know or have been traveling to Bicol because this is 1/3 of the way to Bicol. You travel via South Super Hi-way --> Sto. Tomas, Batangas --> Alaminos, Laguna --> San Pablo, Laguna --> Tiaong, Quezon --> Candelaria, Quezon --> Sariaya, Quezon --> Lucena, Quezon, --> Pagbilao, Quezon --> then finally arriving at Atimonan, Quezon before Gumaca. (whew! that was long) All I can say is that follow the road signs going to Bicol so that you don't get lost in one of the fork roads. If you have been to the Viaje del Sol destinations then you are just 1/2 of the way to Atimonan. In the Balesin Brochures, it would say that this is 3 hours away ( they forgot to put "at night" ) but if you leave manila at 6am, I would guarantee you, it would take you 4 hours at least.

Beach, Manila, Philippines, Quezon