Sulu: Day-trip to Jolo, Sulu

It was four in the morning. The M.V. Kristel Jane 3 had just docked in Jolo, Sulu. Boats from Zamboanga usually arrive in Sulu at this time. When I bought my ticket, I was advised to stay in my cabin until the sun came out. In fact, the lady at the counter said to me after handing over my ticket, "Good luck!" Such were her words of encouragement which of course had a twist of irony and sarcasm in them. Good luck indeed!


I kept my trip to Sulu under wraps, knowing that everyone would dissuade me, except hardcore travelers of course! But before daring to set foot on this beautiful yet precarious island, I made sure all bases were covered. For now, it's not a good idea to visit the island if you do not have a local to accompany you. As they say, "Don't try this at home folks" since visitors definitely stand out from the language difference alone.

Weeks before, I had been in contact with a fraternity brod. His father, Ismael "Pochong" Abubakar, Jr. was the first Speaker of the ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly. They had graciously assisted me when I visited Tawi-Tawi last year. And Ka Pochong had asked his cousins in Jolo, Sulu to take care of me while I was there. So I waited in the cabin for them to pick me up.


It was still dark when we walked out the boat. As we exited the port for our predawn breakfast, melodious chants blared from loudspeakers atop the minarets of mosques around town, piercing the morning silence as muezzins recited the adhan or Islamic call to prayer.


Jolo was once a charming town. It used to be a walled city during the Spanish colonial period. But there's nothing much left to remind us of its fortifications, save for a few bricks and watch towers hidden by the urban chaos that politicians left unregulated. My host lamented the destruction of the historic wall that formed an inherent part of Jolo's heritage. Add that Jolo was totally destroyed in 1974 as a result of heavy fighting between government forces and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).



Breakfast was satti, a dish composed of small pieces of beef grilled on skewers and served submerged in a bowl of sweet and spicy sauce. Also in the bowl are pieces of puso, rice that is cooked inside a palm leaf pouch. In Malay, it's called ketupat. They also have grilled chicken as well.

Satti is actually a dish native to Jolo, Sulu. The ones in Zamboanga in fact originated from Jolo. Anyway, the hawker stalls were abuzz with activity so early in the morning since it was the fasting month of Ramadan.

After breakfast, we proceeded to the house of my host where I took a quick nap. I was in Sulu for about sixteen hours. But getting there and getting back is an additional sixteen hours. So it's not quite a day-trip. More on Sulu in my next post.

Ultimate Pampanga Culinary & Heritage Tour on October 23, 2010

We're organizing another Ultimate Pampanga Culinary and Heritage Tour on October 23, 2010. As always, we'll be visiting Everybody's Cafe and Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung to savor his 5-ways of eating lechon. To read more about the tour, check out Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung, Everybody's Cafe and more from Pampanga.

The tour fee is Php4,500 per person inclusive of all meals and transportation. For bookings and inquiries, e-mail us at reservations@ultimatephilippines.com or call (0917) 3291622. For more details, check out the Ultimate Pampanga October 2010 event page of Facebook. Also watch out for our balikbayan edition tours this December. Join Ultimate Philippines on Facebook for our upcoming tours!

Lanao del Sur: Mindanao State University and the Maranao torogans in Marawi City

The Islamic City of Marawi is the capital of Lanao del Sur. Since it was close to Iligan City, we decided to drive to this city with really pleasant weather. It's actually 833 meters above sea level which explains the cool climate.

You know you're in Marawi City when you see all the congratulatory streamers. They congratulate their relatives and friends for even the smallest things such as promotions at work or passing the civil service exam, and the usual congratulatory streamers for board and bar exam passers. For well-off families, they'd have streamers and billboards all over the city which is almost overdoing it in my opinion.



One of the more popular places to visit in Marawi City is the Mindanao State University (MSU). If you only have a few hours in Marawi City, like in my case, this is the first place you should visit. We first dropped by the King Faisal Mosque which was donated by the King of Saudi Arabia to MSU. From there, we drove around campus. Unfortunately, it was a Sunday. So the Aga Khan Museum was closed.




A great place to view Lake Lanao and Marawi City is at the MSU Golf Course. There is also a hotel in MSU which use to be owned by the Ayalas I was told. It is now the Marawi Resort Hotel.



From MSU, we drove to two of Marawi City's last Maranao torogans. The city should preserve the few torogans that remain. And hopefully, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines starts including vernacular architecture in its list of Heritage Houses. At the moment, all the houses are bahay na bato. But it would be nice to see Ivatan stone houses, Ifugao huts and, of course, these Maranao torogans declared as Heritage Houses soon.

If you do plan to visit Marawi City, make sure you have friends there or are accompanied by locals when you make your way around.

Lanao del Norte: NPC Nature Park at Maria Cristina Falls & Macapagal-Macaraeg House in Iligan City

Lanao del Norte is a a short ferry ride from Ozamiz City. From the Ozamiz Port, it's a 20-minute ferry ride to Mukas Port in Kolambugan, Lanao del Norte. The ferries across Panguil Bay cut land travel by several hours.

I was met by a colleague, Lanao del Norte Board Member Alexander Ali, who took me for a ride around the province. Our first stop was the Lanao del Norte Provincial Capitol in Tubod where a small museum on the province, its culture and attractions was set-up.

From there, we rushed to Iligan City to catch the Maria Cristina Falls. The flow of water is usually at 30 percent on ordinary days. But at 11 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, the Maria Cristina Power Plant opens the water gates for five minutes to allow the falls to go on full-blast for the tourists. Unfortunately for us, Lake Lanao was experiencing a water shortage. So the scheduled full-blast did not push through that day.


They opened the NPC Nature Park just two weeks before my visit. So I got to try their brand-new zip-line. Unlike the usual single or double drop zip-lines, the one in Maria Cristina had four segments. You had to climb up a hill to get to the jump-off point. The first two segments were above land over a canopy of trees. While the last two segments were over the river.


The NPC Nature Park charges Php30 for entrance and Php200 for the zip-line. Other attractions in the park include an orchidarium and crocodile farm. If you plan to fly by air to visit Iligan, the Cagayan de Oro Airport would be closer.


After Maria Cristina Falls, we had lunch at Gloria's Ihaw-Ihaw for some lechon manok. The name is no surprise since it's located right in front of the Macapagal-Macaraeg Heritage House.



I walked over to the Macapagal-Macaraeg Heritage House after lunch to take some photos. In the yard is a sculpture depicting the young Gloria Macapagal on a swing, with her father President Diosdado Macapagal.


From Iligan, we drove through Baloi which is quite popular for its dodol, a toffee-like candy made with coconut milk, panocha (unrefined sugar or jaggery) and rice flour. Baloi is a relatively peaceful town (it's home to the Philippine Science High School in Northern Mindanao) and the local government plans to construct a Maranao heritage village soon to showcase the Maranao culture.

Malaysia: Filipino Market and other markets in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

There are several interesting markets in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia. I've already featured the Gaya Street Sunday Market which is open only on Sundays. But there are markets which are open daily. Aside from the Pasar Besar Kota Kinabalu or the Central Market along Jalan Tun Fuad Stephen, there are specialized markets along the same street. Would you believe that this complex of markets is more popularly referred to as the Filipino Market or Pasar Filipina since most of the stalls are run by Filipino immigrants mostly from Sulu and Tawi-Tawi?



The most popular is the Handicrafts Centre or the Pasar Kraftangan where you can buy local handicrafts such as shell curtains, baskets and bags, cultured pearls, cultural items and other souvenirs including key chains, magnets and t-shirts. Notice also the Filipino tailors station in front of the market with their sewing machines.



Beside the Handicrafts Market is the Salted Fish Market or Pasar Ikan Masin where you could purchase dried fish and other seafood. I saw a lot of dried fish, sea cucumber and even seahorses!



Next to the Pasar Ikan Masin is the Pasar Buah-Buahan Tempatan or the Local Fruit Market. Aside from the local fruits (Mindanao and Sabah virtually have the same selection of fruits), there are also snacks and other delicacies sold in this market.



Behind the main building of the Pasar Buah-Buahan Tempatan is a tent market which sells even more fruits and produce, and seafood among others.


Beside it is another tent market which hosts dozens of hawker stalls which is referred to as the Kota Kinabalu Night Market or the Filipino Night Market since the stalls usually open at sunset from 6:30 to 11 p.m. If you're a fan of street food, this is one place you should visit.

Another night market is the Kampung Air Night Market or Pasar Malam where you can find t-shirts, pants, shoes, and watches and other items you might want to give to friends.