23 May 2012, Saturday Hall 6, ASB Showgrounds NZ EXPERIENCE The Auckland Migrant Expo www.migrantexpo.co.nz ❍❍❍❍❍www.facebook.com/MigrantExpo Free Entry. Please turn to the back cover of Asian Migrant News for more details ... An interactive show on Living in NZ - Travel, Culture, Food, Kiwiana It’s the 10th anniversary of this amazing FREE event! Get ready for a burst of interest by booking space now! A NZ Experience for migrants and refugees! Media Partner: TRAVEL Galore Show booths will provide information on: Kiwi travel destinations, hotel and motels, tourists attractions - thrills and spills and a whole lot more!! PLUS: Education, immigration, job advice, banking, business opportunities, products and services and lots more ... including food stands FREE COPY Mobile: 027 495 8477 www.travelgalore.co.nz MAIDEN ISSUE Borneo adventure BIRD WATCHING IN MURIWAI Pix: Chris McLennan (www.cmphoto.co.nz) www.lookeast.co.nz mobile: 027 495 8477 [email protected]once were HEADHUNTERS
Transcript
23 May 2012, SaturdayHall 6, ASB Showgrounds
NZ EXPERIENCEThe Auckland Migrant Expo
www.migrantexpo.co.nz
������www.facebook.com/MigrantExpoFree Entry. Please turn to the back coverof Asian Migrant News for more details ...
An interactive show onLiving in NZ - Travel, Culture, Food, Kiwiana
It’s the 10th anniversary of this amazing FREE event! Get ready for a burst of interest by booking space now!
A NZ Experience for migrants and refugees!
Media Partner: TRAVEL Galore
Show booths will provide information on:
Kiwi travel destinations, hotel and motels,tourists attractions - thrills and spillsand a whole lot more!!
PLUS: Education, immigration, job advice, banking, business opportunities, products and services
and lots more ... including food stands
FREE COPY Mobile: 027 495 8477 www.travelgalore.co.nz MAIDEN ISSUE
Borneoadventure
BIRD WATCHING IN MURIWAI Pix: Chris McLennan (www.cmphoto.co.nz)
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TRAVEL GALORE (TG) www.travelgalore.co.nz features Travel Destinations in NZ & S.E. Asia,Cuisine, Culture and Festivals. TG is accessible inprint and online. It is also published as a supplementin ASIAN Migrant News and Filipino News.
PROFILE OF THE EDITOR:Mel Fernandez started hiscareer in journalism inSingapore as a travelwriter for Business Times,Our Homes, SignatureMagazine (Diner’s Club)and SeaAir Travel. He alsowrote a weekly travel
column titled ‘Time Off’for the Sunday Times.
In New Zealand, his‘Travel Galore’ columnand restaurant reviewshave appeared in MigrantNews, Asian Migrant Newsand Filipino News overmany years.
His passion is organisingfestivals. He had a pivotalrole in launching the firstever Asia 2000 CulturalFestival in central Auck-land. He adapted theAsian night market concept for the successfulLook East Festival.
2 TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
New Zealanddesigners are find-ing an ever expand-ing market in Asia.To acknowledge theimportance of thistrade, the organis-ers of Fashion Weekflew in the German-Chinese-Singapo-rean super modelDenise Keller tograce the event.
As Asia’s mostadmired fashionambassador Kelleris one of herregion’s leadingcelebrities, fulfill-ing roles as diverseas TV presenter,supermodel, entre-preneur and philan-thropist.
Singapore adds shineFotos left and
above:
Last year a
group of
musicians and
dancers were
flown out
from
Indonesia for
the event.
The annual AucklandIndonesian Festival offers aglimpse intothe country’sfilms, cultureand tourism atTAPAC in Western Springs,Auckland. Indonesiancrafts and jewelleryare on display, plus abatik workshop.Indonesian food stallsoffer the popular Nasi Padang Rames,Ayam Bakar Padangand Soto Mie Bakso.
More on our website: travelgalore.co.nz
Glimpse ofIndonesiaAugust 2012
Telstra Pacific
The music, culture and food of the South EastAsian region took centre stage at the annual‘Look East’ organised by Fiesta Pilipinas Limitedin Auckland. The first show held in 2009 wassponsored by Singapore Airlines. Two lucky visitors won return tickets to Singapore, courtesyof Singapore Airlines.
Over the years, the Filipino and Thai communityhave been participating in the Festival and providing cultural presentations and displays.
In 2012, ‘Look East’ will feature Malaysia &Philippines as the theme countries. MaramingSalamat Po. Terima Kaseh.
Travel Galore and ASIAN Migrant News(www.asia2nz.co.nz) are the media partners for2012 event.
New Zealand Experience:26 May 2012, ASB Showgrounds
NZ Travel Show, Food Fair,Information Expo and more ...
www.migrantexpo.co.nz
We had an unplanned trip
to the Muriwai Gannet
colony one weekend. As
always, the fine weather was
the deciding factor. As we
came out of Chipmunks after
attending a children’s party,
the sun was shining so
brightly that I thought it
would finally be a good time
to fulfill one of my son’s
birthday wishes, to go bird
watching.
I’m not sure where he got
this notion to go bird watch-
ing but for someone who just
turned five, it seems to be a
bit out of character.
But as he kept asking
about it, I remembered that
there is a gannet colony in
Muriwai so we don’t need to
travel far.
He also watches a TV
show called Takapu the
Gannet of the South Seas
with some scenes actually
shot in Muriwai, so I thought
it would be a good idea to
bring him there.
My first visit to Muriwai
Beach was purely unplanned
as well. We were planning to
go to Kare-Kare Beach
where they shot the movie
‘The Piano’, but I think
when we asked for direc-
tions at the petrol station, we
were given instructions to go
to Keri-Keri up north
instead. Talk about lost in
translation!
The Indian attendant must
have thought we were look-
ing for Keri-Keri in North-
land, as he directed us that
way. And against my better
judgement, we followed it
too!
So I’m looking at the map
and I had a sinking feeling
that we were really travers-
ing the wrong path so we
decided to ask for help
again, not from a petrol
attendant this time, but from
a local who was filling up.
He was utterly amused at
us two ladies as we told him
where we wanted to go. He
kindly told us we were very
far from where we wanted to
go but directed us to a near-
er and easier to find beach.
He told us Muriwai
Beach is very interesting
with surf waves and black
volcanic sand.
And I thanked him for
pointing us in that direction
as Muriwai Beach remains
up to this day one of my
favourite spots in Auckland.
Though the waves and rips
can be dangerous to the
unwary swimmer and to the
pieces of loose swim wear
(as I found out one time), its
unique beauty both for bird
watchers and beach goers is
hard to beat.
Even if my visit that
weekend was unplanned, it
was still a very enjoyable
one.
We saw (and smelled) the
gannets as much as we want-
ed with their newly hatched
chicks quite so fluffy and
cute to look at and were even
able to sneak in some sand
castle building and to play
on the beach.
On our way home, we
stopped by a strawberry
shop and ended our hectic
day with scoops of fresh
strawberry ice cream and
fresh strawberries and I
thought to myself, some-
times, the best trips are those
which are unplanned.
3TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
HORSE RIDINGWARKWORTH
F U N I N T H E C O U N T R Y• Scenic Farm and Forest Rides• Enjoy Horse, Pony rides for all ages• Quiet Horses & Ponies • Suit Beginners & Experienced riders• Rides 1hr $35, 2hrs $65 • Birthday Rides • Social Group Outings• Farmstay and Riding Holidays• OPEN 7 DAYS
Only 45 minsnorth ofAuckland(+5 min,north ofWarkworth)
Bird watching,on a beach too far
MURIWAI GANNET COLONY By Mavis Bacaltos
Even if our visit to the Muriwai Gannet Colony wasunplanned, it was still a very enjoyable one.
We saw (and smelled) the gannets as much as we wanted with their newly hatched
chicks quite so fluffy and cute to look at and were even able to sneak in
some sand castle building and play on the beach.
HOW TO GET TOMURIWAI BEACH:Follow State Highway 16to Waimauku. Turn leftinto Muriwai Rd and continue to the park.Distance from AucklandCBD: 45 km. A windsweptrugged coastline, 60km ofsurf beach and rollingdunes of black sand characterise MuriwaiBeach.
Foto credit: Chris McLennan (www.cmphoto.co.nz)
Although Adobo; the
national food of the
Philippines, is not served in
Turo Turo Philippine Cafe,
it’s menu is still stunning.
(Turo Turo in Tagalog refersto ‘point, point’ restaurants,where you just point at thebuffet style food and it willbe served to you at yourtable).
Located beside a sari sari
store (Pinoy Oriental) in the
Glen Innes town centre in
Auckland, the café enjoys a
low rent and proximity to
Filipino communities in
Panmure, Howick and the
South.
The café is the brainchild
of Filipina, Maria Shearer
and her Kiwi husband,
Andrew Shearer.
The entrepreneurial pair
reckon they’ve left nothing
to chance in developing this
product.
Their research suggested
that in order to attract both
Filipinos and the locals,
presentation was a key fac-
tor, less is better, stark even,
and it had to be uncompro-
misingly clean.
We found Turo Turo’s
décor café-like, bright,
freshly painted with brand
new furniture. And thankful-
ly, without any predictable
‘take-me-home’ scenery
painted on the walls or the
inappropriate display of
popular religious icons.
The food choices prepared
by chef Mary-Jane, ranges
from simple street favorites
to well-prepared dishes and
home-cooked meals. Mary-
Jane told us she comes from
a catering background and
has managed cafes in New
Zealand.
According to Maria,
besides catering to Pinoys,
the plan is to introduce
Filipino food to Kiwis. As a
back-up, Turo Turo also
serves some Kiwi comfort
food for the faint hearted
who are not quite ready to
try an unfamiliar cuisine.
When we visited, our
group of three adults and
two kids wasted no time in
ordering from the substantial
short orders and mains in the
Filipino menu.
The kids settled on
Lechon Paksiw (tenderroasted pork in transclucentsauce) and got stuck into it
with no complaints. A good
outcome - because kids can
be quite critical when it
comes to taste.
My nephew, who had
never tried Filipino food was
encouraged to pick Joyful
Chicken (tasty fried chickenthat comes with gravy andrice or chips); a top-seller at
the Jollibee restaurant chain
in the Philippines. As it
turned out, this was a safe
choice, because his verdict
was: “Better than Kentucky
Fried Chicken.” He felt the
cafe’s ambiance was “very
homely.”
My wife ordered Bistek
Tagalog (tender strips ofmarinated beef with rice andsoup or salad). I must con-
fess, this is one of my
favourites, as it goes well
with a glass of beer.
But I decided to try some-
thing new - Tinolang Man-
ok, a blackboard special for
the day and promoted as a
‘great winter warmer’.
I found this to be the
Filipino version of Mum’s
chicken soup - but with a
tasty twist. I recall being
served this very soup at a
friend’s place and it had left
a lasting impression on my
taste buds. The magic ingre-
dient is malunggay leaves.
I’m a fan and will always
crave for this dish.
Maria says that the popu-
lar dishes for Filipino cus-
tomers are sisig (spicychopped pork on rice), fol-
lowed by Tapsilog (marinat-ed beef with garlic rice, eggand soup), Longsilog (tradi-tional Filipino sausage withgarlic rice, egg and soup),Dinuguan (pork offal in ablood sauce), Pancit Can-
ton (noodles with pork orchicken, prawns and vegeta-bles) and Lapaz Batchoy
(pork, pork crackling and
eggs in soup with noodlesand vegetables).
“We’ve taken Adobo off
the menu as most Pinoys can
make it at home,” says
Maria. “Non-Filipinos tend
to go for the Beef Caldereta
(Spanish style beef stew withvegetables) because it has a
little kick, but is not toospicy.”
We were spoilt for choice
with the dessert menu as
well. I loved the mango cake
(I understand the ube andmocha cakes are also great).Other Pinoy favourites are
leche flan (sweet carameldessert) and puto (ricecakes).
My nephew had three
helpings of the Buko
Pandan dessert (jelly in asweet cream sauce, flavour-ed with, as the name sug-gests, pandan leaves).
The Café’s advertising
slogan exhorts: ‘Be proud,
Atin ko (it’s ours).’ I think
the Shearers deserve a pat on
their backs for opening this
restaurant and lots of support
by way of patronage.
It appears distance is not a
concern for loyal customers.
“To get good food in a clean
environment, Pinoys are
willing to travel from the
North Shore and Henderson,
even after work – and there
are regular visits from as far
as Hamilton, Tauranga, and
Whangarei,” says Maria.
The restaurant closes at
9pm Monday to Saturday,
and 7:30pm on Sundays.
Facebook is used effec-
tively to inform clients about
weekly specials. We were
pleased to learn about the
inclusion of sweet Filipino
Spaghetti on the menu re-
cently. Three cheers from the
kids!!!
The now familiar coconut
frond logo of Turo Turo can
be expected to spread far and
wide. Andrew Shearer has
plans to open a string of his
concept cafes in the main
cities. Good move!
4 TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
(left:) Turo Turo’s chef, Mary-Jane, offers Filipino street favorites to well-prepared dishes and home-cooked meals
(right:) Turo Turo’s stand at the Filipino Expo in Auckland replicates a typical street foodstall. www.fiestapilinas.co.nz
Over the last 20 years quite a numberof Filipino restaurants (listed below)have filtered in and out of our maincities. But few had staying power.Newcomer, Turo Turo Philippine Cafe,plans to buck the trend. Travel EditorMel Fernandez, visits the Cafe incognito to file this restaurant review.
6 TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
Journey to the longhouses of Malaysian Borneo by Mel Fernandez
HOW TO GET THERE:You can go on a longhouse
tour in either Sabah, Sara-
wark or Brunei.
Malaysian Airlines flies
to Kuching and Kota Kina-
balu (Sabah) from Kuala
Lumpur and Silk Air flies to
these cities from Singapore.
Singapore Airlines flies to
Bandar Seri Begawan (Bru-nei) from Singapore.
Or you can fly direct to
Brunei from Auckland on
Royal Brunei Airlines.
Photo Credit: The longhouse
shown in the above foto is in
Sabah. Courtesy of Sabah
Tourism Board.
Head-hunting is now outlawed in Borneobut it was once the test of manhood.
ONCE WEREHEADHUNTERS
Boracay has a lot to
offer singles and family
groups. Kristine Manuel
says there were no dull
moments for her on this
island paradise holdiay.
She went partying till late
at hot nightspots. Met
Filipino film stars on the
beach. And enjoyed some
thrilling outdoor pursuits
which are not for the
faint-hearted.
After 6 long years, I final-
ly got to spend Christmas
with my family. We wanted
it to be a special holiday, so
we decided to travel from
Cavite to Boracay.
We started out on our 12-
hour journey with barely
three hours sleep from the
gift-giving activities on
Christmas Eve.
As it was a beautiful
morning in Batangas, we
anticipated a smooth one-
hour ferry ride to Mindoro.
But with a low pressure
affecting the Visayas Re-
gion, the trip turned out to
be the scariest 1-hour of my
life. It was a stressful land
and sea ride going to my
dream vacation destination
- we were greeted with grey
clouds, rain and wind.
It was a gloomy morning.
But luckily, the weather got
better just in time. By 11am
on Dec 26th, we were
enjoying a walk on the fine
white sand of Boracay
Island.
I have seen a lot of pic-
tures of this island, but see-
ing it with my own eyes
was very different. There
were still grey skies, but it
was still beautiful - the pris-
tine waters and Boracay
shoreline and the different
nationalities you come
across.
We decided to tour the
length of station 2 where
the white sand resembled
fine powder.
At lunch time we headed
to the day market. Being
surrounded by sea, there are
many seafood restaurants
here, all offering tasty food
fresh from the seas.
D' Talipapa offers a
"paluto" service, which is
similar to Manila's Dampa.
With this service, you buy
your own ingredients, and
the resto will cook it for
you. Tasty fresh seafood at
a reasonable price.
We checked into our hotel
after lunch. December is
super-peak season, luckily
we booked a month earlier.
We stayed at the Seabird
International Resort. It's
very close to the beach and
near D' Mall and other bars
- walkable to anywhere we
want to go.
Our room had a white
Greek Mediterranean fa-
cade, with quality amenities
and spotless. The staff were
very accommodating and
the rates affordable.
We enjoyed the rest of the
day at the beach. A game of
beach volleyball, a dip in
the cold waters, making
sand-castles and a lot of
photo opportunities. It was
not a good day for a tan, but
nonetheless, it was great
day to have fun and just
chill out on the beach.
By 6pm, we were watch-
ing the famous Boracay
sunset. And after dinner,
we went out to sample the
Boracay night life.
Our first stop was Epic
Boracay. It's the hottest
hang-out in station 2 - great
ambience, good music and
of course, the happy hour
cocktails. We stayed for a
few drinks until we felt the
need to show off our "danc-
ing skills".
We headed for station 1,
where the parties are wilder.
On our way, we came
across Philippine movie
stars Dingdong Dantes and
girlfriend Marian Rivera.
It was high tide, so walk-
ing on the shore at night
was quite an experience.
You can also make friends
on the beach.
We got to our next stop,
Club Paraw. The sounds
are cool and hip, you can
dance barefoot on the fine
cool sands or just enjoy
sound-tripping to the loud
music of nearby pubs and
bars.
When we got tired of
dancing, we opted to just
chill and enjoy the good
music in Guilly’s Boracay.
Our last stop for the night
was Cocomangas Shooters
Bar. We danced till the wee
hours of the morning and
got back at 4am.
With no hang-overs from
the bar-hopping spree the
night before, it was time to
experience the water activi-
ties. As I’ve tried snorkel-
ing in Bohol and Palawan,
it was time to go up another
notch.
This time - Helmet
Diving. It’s also called Reef
Walking, where you wear a
helmet when you go under
water. Unlike scuba diving
where you swim, here you
only walk under water or
dance for the camera ): for
15 minutes.
You can enjoy the under-
water world without worry-
ing about diving training,
regulators or air supply. The
underwater sights are amaz-
ing. There were friendly
encounters with different
species of fish and I even
fed them.
Ever since I saw a feature
about parasailing, I was
determined to give it a go.
But I was in for a disap-
pointment because parasail-
ing was cancelled due to the
strong winds on the island.
I kept my fingers crossed
hoping for better weather,
and fortunately at 2pm on
our second day, parasailing
resumed.
With a service fee of
1,500 pesos, it's definitely
worth it. That 15 minutes of
flying above the sea in a
parachute and being pulled
by a speedboat is an adven-
ture you should try at least
once in your life.
I thought it would be
scary, but on the contrary,
the ride was exhilarating,
watching the beautiful
scenery below.
The rest of the afternoon
was spent swimming, beach
walking and picture taking.
I spent the last night club-
ing with my brother in
Summer Place and strolled
along the busy streets of
station 2.
Before our Boracay vaca-
tion ended, me and my sib-
lings tried the Banana Boat
ride - a yellow boat shaped
like a banana and pulled by
a speed boat. The feeling is
similar to being on a jet ski
but much safer, even my 2-
year old nephew enjoyed it.
In Boracay, there are a
thousand and one ways to
explore and enjoy the beau-
ty of the island. There are
no dull moments.
If you're a party lover or
adventurous, Boracay is the
ideal destination for you.
Personally, Boracay is
truly paradise for me. The
island has much to offer and
my three-day vacation was
too short to take it all in.
I will return. Soon!
FOTOS
from left clockwise:
Kristine Manuel
hits the beach.
Hello Boracay!
D’ Banana Boat.
Freshly cooked
seafood at D’Talipapa.
Parasailing for
thrillseekers.
Like this resort hotel.
(bottom right:)
The frenetic nightlife
in Boracay - go girl!
SINGLE LADY INBORACAY
By Kristine Manuel
8 TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
MIGRANT JOB FAIR
Wellington - A well
known Wellington-based
Filipina actress, Ivy Rose
Padilla, has won the covet-
ed NAPTA Best Actress
Award for 2011.
Padilla was the first
Filipina to land a lead role
in Miss Saigon in New
Zealand. She played Kim in
the Wellington season of
the blockbuster musical in
April 2010.
“I played Kim in the
Wellington Musical
Theatre 2010 production of
Miss Saigon and reprised
the role in Whangarei
Theatre Company in their
Jun-Jul 2011 season”, says
Padilla.
“I was then nominated
for the NAPTA Best
Actress in a Leading Role -
Musical. The awards cere-
mony was held on the 25th
of February in Auckland. I
am pleased to say that I
managed to get the award
for Best Actress in a
Leading Role - Musical.
“Playing the role of Kim
in the Wellington Musical
Theatre production of Miss
Saigon was my debut per-
formance in musical the-
atre.”
“So you could just imag-
ine my excitement, with my
nerves skyrocketing at the
same time, when I got the
role of Kim ... and being
able to do it twice too!”
Padilla, who hails from
Manila, moved to New
Zealand with her husband
Poch and daughter Denise
in 2008.
Padilla and her family
had been in this country for
only four years when she-
bagged the lead role for the
Wellington production of
Miss Saigon.
Padilla graduated in 2003
from De Le Salle
University with a
Bachelor's degree in
Business Administration,
Majoring in Computer
Applications. While still at
university, she was the lead
vocalist in an alternative
rock band who did both
original and cover songs.
She is currently working
as an Educational Techno-
logist - Online Learning
Coordinator at WelTec.
FMN: Have you had
previous experience in the
theatre?
PADILLA: I've per-
formed in many produc-
tions in the Philippines, but
landing the role of Kim in
my New Zealand debut
performance is a dream
come true. Miss Saigon is
one of my favourite musi-
cals and Kim is my
favourite character.
FMN: Did you
have a mentor to
take you through
this exciting jour-
ney?
PADILLA: Since
it was my first time in
musical theatre, I did-
n’t really have a men-
tor per se.
With regard to
singing, Lea Salonga,
of course, is my
inspiration. For me,
she's simply the epit-
ome of singing and
performance perfec-
tion.
I can close my eyes
and feel the emotion
in her singing; that's
what I aim for.
The cast and crew
of the WLG production
were extremely helpful, as
they knew it was my first
time in musical theatre.
They were all very support-
ive and encouraging.
The principals were
exceptionally brilliant.
They helped me throughout
the rehearsals and perform-
ance season. Their presence
and professionalism was
contagious. I was blessed to
have performed alongside
them, as I learned a lot.
It felt like I was in a big
family - it was a dream
cast. Our director, Grant
Meese, is great to work
with as he gave us direc-
tion, but at the same time
also allowed me to give my
own interpretation of Kim.
He's very honest and
knows how to bring out the
best in people, even if I'm
uncertain if it is there or
not.
FMN: Were there other
Filipinos who had roles
together with you?
PADILLA: Yes! Jere-
miah Cortes in Wellington
and Tristan Mendoza (one
of the Tams) in Whangarei.
FMN: Is there a prize
given together with the
NAPTA Award?
PADILLA: I received a
trophy from the organiza-
tion for winning the award.
As for the scholarship, two
$1,000 awards are given
each year to the successful
applicants to help them fur-
ther their training, either
locally or internationally.
FMN: Are you seeking
roles in other musicals in
New Zealand?
PADILLA: Yes, I'm
waiting for Les Miserables.
:)
FMN: Have you met
Lea Salonga?
PADILLA: Unfortu-
nately I haven't yet, but like
any musical theatre per-
former I would love to!
Ivy Padilla’s official web-site: https://www.face-book.com/IvyPadillaOfficial
Ivy bags Best Actress Award
for Musical(right:) Ivy Rose Padilla
10 TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
“I played Kim in the Wellington Musical Theatre 2010 production of Miss Saigon and reprised
the role in Whangarei Theatre Company in their June-July 2011 season” - Ivy Padilla
By Sheila Mariano
11TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
Fiesta feverThere’s sure to be a fiestagoing on somewhere in thePhilippines at most times ofthe year. Overseas visitorsmight think that Filipinosjust love to party. Well, theydo, but fiestas also serve apurpose as most have a religious dimension to it.
Filipinos have brought thesecultural traditions to NewZealand: The SinulogFestival is held here in
January (fotos below andright), followed by the Feastof Our Lady Of Candles,Feast of Nuestra Señora dePeñafrancia, theIndependence Dayevent in June (fotoleft by FrancisOpinion), HaloHalo NZ - TheFilipino Expo(halohalo.org.nz)and finally theannual FilipinoReunion in
October. For more information on fiestas visit: www.filipinonews.co.nz
IMUS, CAVITE - I've
been to Baguio a number
of times, but never experi-
enced the Panagbenga
Festival.
Panagbenga is a term
meaning 'a season of
blooming'. It's a tribute
to the beautiful flowers
the city is famous for, as
well as being a celebra-
tion of Baguio's restora-
tion. It has been held
annually to help Baguio
forget the 1990 earth-
quake that devastated
much of the city.
Also known as 'The
Festival', Panagbenga not
only showcases the
parade of flowers, but
also has different activi-
ties such as concerts, mid-
night markets and flower
shows, among others.
I have always wondered
if this festival would cap-
ture my heart ... and it
surely did!
We began our 6-hour
journey from Manila at
11pm on Friday, Feb-
ruary 24th. We anticipat-
ed heavy traffic going to
Baguio, since a lot of
tourists, both local and
foreigners, were eager to
watch the annual parade
of flowers. By about 6am
the next morning we
reached our hotel and
took a short rest. Our
first destination was the
Grand Street Parade.
Session Road (the main
road of the city) was
already full of people
anticipating the start of
the parade.
I was so amazed by the
colourful presentations
by students from the dif-
ferent universities and
establishments. The par-
ticipants started out from
the Panagbenga Park and
headed to the Athletic
Bowl. Despite the length
of the parade route, every
street dancer gave his/her
best to showcase their tal-
ents and, of course, their
cultures.
I have never seen
Baguio so jam-packed as
it was during that time.
All the hotels, inns and
boarding houses were
fully booked one week
before the celebration. All
the restaurants and food
chains were full of people.
Even the SM Mall of
Baguio was flooded with
tourists. Which is why,
after the street parade, we
chose to return to our
hotel and in the luxury of
our room, to chill out, just
enjoying the cold breeze
that swept Baguio.
Right after dinner, we
went to Burnham Park to
do some shopping at the
midnight market. But it
was more of the same -
the streets were full of
people, which made shop-
ping an extra challenge. I
ended up buying nothing,
but nevertheless, I
enjoyed good band music
and great street food at
the free concert in the
park.
As early as 4am the fol-
lowing day, we were
already stationed at the
main entrance of the
Athletic Bowl, awaiting
the main event of the fes-
tival - the Grand Parade
of Floats. This was the
highlight of the celebra-
tion as thousands of visi-
tors lined the
pedestrian lanes
to get the best
possible view.
Twenty six
spectacular
floats partici-
pated, all
d r e s s e d - u p
with flowers
of different
colours and
sizes. The pa-
rade also
s h o w c a s e d
p o p u l a r
m o v i e
c e l e b r i t i e s
from all three
TV networks in the
Philippines.
My favorite floats were:
the Baguio Country Club,
adopting a Star Wars
theme, and the SM
Supermall float with its
red and yellow dragon
design.
It was a week long cele-
bration in Baguio. But
with busy schedules in
Manila, we had to go
home after the float
parade.
My first encounter with
the Panagbenga Flower
Festival has brought me a
new perspective on our
culture and heritage. It
was indeed a colourful
celebration of our coun-
try's beauty and talents.
The experience was won-
derful and simply unfor-
gettable.
By KRISTINE MANUEL
BBAAGGUUIIOOBBLLOOOOMMSS
I have never seen
Baguio so
jam-packed as it was
during that time. All
the hotels, inns and
boarding houses
were fully booked
one week before the
celebration.
Fotos by:
Kristine Manuel
12 TravelGaloreTravel Destinations. Cultural Cuisine. Events. Festivals.
