Sunday, February 18, 2007
WELCOMING THE YEAR OF THE PIG
According to the Chinese zodiac, people born in the Year of the Pig are tenacious and attend to their tasks with great strength. They love to study and gain much pleasure in developing their intellectual capacity.Their fortitude and straighforwardness provide them with a determination that knows no retreat. They're not into any sort of popularity contests; therefore, not very good in making friends, but the few they have are friends for life. They are quick-temepered, though they shy away from any quarrrels. They are very kind to their loved ones and to those they treasure as friends.
They are also good in working out any differences and no matter how grave a problem is, they're able to work things out amicably amongst those involved.
And what better way to welcome the Year of the Pig than to be at Manila's Chinatown. Its streets were filled with the deafening sounds of kettle drums and firecrackers while various groups perform the colorful and mesmerizing lion and dragon dances. There were also loads of tikoy of various flavors, fruits, and a dizzying array of good luck charms.
I was there last Saturday and was pleasantly surprised to run into a couple of fellow bloggers -- Sidney, Anton and Ivan Henares. I joined them for some dimsung before heading back out in the streets to take some pictures of the merriment as featured below.
Labels: Binondo, Chinese New Year, Manila Chinatown
posted by Señor Enrique at 7:56 PM
| 28 comments
Friday, September 15, 2006
SOLO TRIP TO CHINATOWN
For the very first time in ages, I was able to gallivant on my own in Manila’s Chinatown and felt completely confident. Joining Ivan’s Big Binondo Food Wok tour certainly got me reacquainted with this area’s narrow streets, which I was once very familiar with as a kid.
Some of the things that piqued my interest as I enjoyed my solo flight walk were the foodstuffs being sold out in the streets such as the roasted chestnuts, which I used to enjoy especially during Christmastime in New York. I even had a friend who showed me how to roast them in a microwave oven.
There was also the tubo or sugar cane which brought back fond memories. As little kids, my friends and I would buy a long cane and have it cut into several pieces for us to share. They were always a sweet and refreshing treat, especially during the hot summer afternoons; however, it was rather challenging for the jaw. Also, you’d better have a good set of teeth to really enjoy them.
The atis was another delight – sweet and delicious, but a lot of work to eat because of its many seeds. This is my brother Taba’s favorite (he was the sixth sibling and aptly nicknamed Taba because he was chubby when young.) I remember him patiently peeling off the skin until there were only those at the bottom left. He would then slowly enjoy eating it, with ecstasy etched on his face. I would get more of a kick by watching him eat one instead of having one for myself.
These red things look fierce. They’re called dragon fruit. Never had one of these intriguing fruits before, but told they’re good. Considering they’re found more in Chinatown than in any other Manila neighborhoods, I’m afraid that if I had one I’d be off hallucinating for days and finding nirvana. However, the vendor assured me this fruit, though red, is not of the Papaver somniferum kind.
In the end, I settled for one of these — tikoy!
I'll be back in Chinatown more often with or without anyone in tow. Now that I know my way around, I will be enjoying this neighborhood as I used to when I was a kid.
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Please note:
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
*
I very much appreciate my articles and photos appearing on fellow bloggers' sites, popular broadsheets, and local broadcast news segments, but I would appreciate even more a request for permission first.
Thank you!
*
Labels: Binondo, Featured food, life in Manila, Manila Chinatown
posted by Señor Enrique at 8:13 AM
| 32 comments
