======================================================
by Philipina A. Marcelo
My family and I had a nice weekend... we converted the long weekend to a fun bonding
time as the "adult ones" among us took our father and the kids for a break from day-to-day activities just to have a great time. Even the "adult ones" have been craving for fresh countryside air being unwillingly gassed unhealthily by the stifling so-called air of the urban jungle! And yes, we all needed some serious food trip as well... away from the scrutinizing and highly critical eyes of Big City weight watchers and self-proclaimed health buffs! :) And so, to the countryside we went! Roadtrip! Woo-hoo!
We escaped to one of our favorite cities close to Manila - Tagaytay City... home of the sinful Bulalo - a Filipino dish of beef (and I'm not talking lean here), bone marrow (yes, I'm saying bone marrow)
and a mix of green vegetables in a tasty soup... so tasty, that it's totally understandable if one sipped it with a long and shameless sipping sound... and then ending it with a satisfied aaaah - with eyes closed! (My vegetarian friends: please pardon me.) The sweetish taste of fresh beef combined with the tasty flavor of bone marrow - mingling after 5 to 7 hours of heating - give the soup its unique taste. For complete eating enjoyment, the bulalo has to be eaten hot - fresh from the pot, otherwise it would feel a little oily on the lips... and one has to bite and chew on the veggies periodically to rid the palate of the oily sensation. With its to-die-for taste and fat- and cholesterol-loaded recipe, it's an avenue to heaven... figuratively, and quite literally as well! :) Therefore, make an effort to eat sparingly. But if you're the kind of person who cannot stand the poking of dear health-conscious conscience, Tagaytay City has just the
solution to your problem as well - fresh fruits... delicious, colorful, irresistible! And since the locals devour fruits like they were merely street foods rather than how City people eat them - like some luxury delicacy - you wouldn't feel like you're playing a part either if you wolfed a platter of fruits! :) If that doesn't work, then try to convince yourself with the fact that you don't come to Tagaytay at a rate faster than your body could metabolize fat and cholesterol. So cheer up... and sip away, baby! ;)***
Actually, if one did half of the recommended activities in Tagaytay, there wouldn't be any reason to feel guilty for eating bulalo! :) Being a
mountainous place, Tagaytay has a cool climate all year round - one of the reasons why it is considered as one of the "vacation capitals" of the Philippines. Walking or hiking up and down the slopes would easily take up half of one's time sightseeing. If one started with these energy-expending activities, then eating bulalo would become more of a reward rather than an indulgence. Uhm, yeah, coming up with a plausible excuse to exercise foodiness - warranted or otherwise - is my forte! ;)
Talking about walking around Tagaytay, there are a lot of places to visit. For instance, the dilapidated "Palace in the Sky" - the unfinished palace of the Marcoses, built atop the highest mountain of Tagaytay... and abandoned after the Marcos rule ended. From the gate to the palace ground is a good 10-minute uphill climb... 15 if you're paying attention to the nice view... 20 if you're emotionally weak to take in so much beauty. :) The palace lawn is quite big, it does take up some energy to explore it... and then climbing the stairs of the palace itself to get the best view of the Taal Lake and the Taal Volcano is once
+-+green.jpg)
again an energy expending activity. By the time one starts climbing down from the Palace, enough energy has been expended to warrant a bowl of bulalo! :) We did a number of the recommended activities in Tagaytay in addition to visiting the "Palace in the Sky". We did visit the beautiful "Sonya's Garden". With its rich green vegetation, the garden is truly a tropical paradise. The narrow walkways lined by the most luscious of tropical shrubs and bushes, trees and blooms, blow the sweetest of fresh air on our faces as we lazily strolled to explore the garden. The updated villas from Spanish-Filipino era seemed to sprout charmingly from the luxurious greeneries that covered most of the land - very inviting. And so, we explored not just the garden but also the villas.
***
And then, on we moved to the breathtaking Dominican compound of Caleruega in Nasugbu, Batangas. The place is the usual venue of choice for spiritual retreats, especially by students of schools ran by Dominican friars. Intimate and very
+-+Caleruega.jpg)
private weddings are held in the little chapel atop the hill in the compound as well. The place was heavenly - in its beauty and serenity. The garden landscape was delicate and meticulous, capturing both the natural beauty of the surrounding mountains and the cultured elegance of a manicured lawn. The arhitectural design of the buildings resemble those of classy Spanish Mediterranean villas - elegant in a very cozy and homey way, and yet possessing the conservative aura of a convent. The place can really calm a troubled soul. Sitting on one of the stone benches that faced the sorrounding mountains, I cannot help but agree to the description of the place in the brochures: "Caleruega: Close to nature. Closer to God." Indeed, that's how it felt like up there!***
A visit to Tagaytay will not be complete without tasting one of the prime commodities of the region: the "kape barako" or barako coffee. It
is from a coffee variety grown in the nearby provinces of Batangas and Cavite, and known to be the best among Liberica species. Famously superior in taste than Robusta and Arabica, the kape barako is indeed a Filipino pride. The coffee, prepared by French press or by dip brewing the barako, does have a potent aroma and great taste! One of the best places in Tagaytay that showcases the uniqueness of kape barako is the "Bag of Beans". And so, we ate our dinner there and capped our visit with a sip of that Pinoy coffee with a truly delightful kick! We then headed home - happily refreshed and totally satisfied by the sweetness of a wonderful family time! :)
***
Photographs: (1) The Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, viewed from the "Palace in the Sky"; (2) Bulalo; (3) Typical Tagaytay fruit platter; (4) Collage of photos from our family's Tagaytay weekend; (5) Collage of photos from our visit of "Sonya's Garden" in Tagaytay; (6) Collage of photos from Caleruega; (7) Kape Barako in "Bag of Beans" in Tagaytay. I own all the photographs.
***
