Boracay the 13th

How blessed could I be????  It was my 13th visit to the beautiful island of Boracay!



Other people just dream of going even just once to see and experience the pristine clear waters.  I know .... I once had that dream .... so many years ago.  But then, the dream came true so many times over.  I am so thankful!  Every time I take a dip into the ocean .... I always say, "Thank you, God!!!"

I call Boracay my Happy Place.  It never fails to amaze me the feeling of euphoria I get as soon as my feet touch the powder like sand of the beach.



I just cannot explain .... but the degree of Happiness has always been immeasurable!

I almost did not push through with this trip because I was not that excited anymore.  I booked my favorite mid-range hotel, Willy's, last August but it was already fully booked! The online travel agency, myboracayguide.com, had to refund the down payment I made.  Most of the other hotels I checked were also booked!

Mona and I just decided to go to Boracay last week.



Plus..... how can I not go????  I bought a pair of Bandals before my birthday.  I even bought the model specifically designed for the beach!

It is a pair of flip flops with super great arch-support with 4 interchangeable straps!!!!





I also bought a new hat!



We chose Hey Jude Hotel because I already stayed there once.



It is a super no-frills basic hotel located inside D'Mall but clean.  It suited our purpose and budget and I was assured I already know how the place looks like.  The danger of booking online is sometimes, it looks so nice in the pictures.  But when you actually see the room, it is a horror story.  We also checked out other hotels in the same price range and even more expensive and they were horrible!!!

Another reason why we wanted to go back to Boracay is to eat the kansi and grilled chicken at Island Chicken Inasal!

Grilled Chicken



Dipping Sauces



Kansi Soup with lots of flavorful broth,



tender meat



and best of all .... marrow!!!



The soup is made with Batuan as a souring agent.  I was able to buy!!!



And my most important reason for this trip was ....

Mama's Austrian and German Restaurant.





I could not forget the Bratwurst Sausage I ate there last June.  So .... another BIG platter for me!!!



I kept on badgering Marcus, the owner, for the supplier.  He gets it from Manila.... but no dice.  He did not want to reveal!!!!

But ..... he made it up when he shared the secret of how to cook the delicious, non-greasy homemade potato chips!!!!  I cannot wait to experiment!!!



I do not know if I should reveal his secret?

He was giving on the house shots of Jagermeister!  I had about 2!  I do not usually drink but I loved it because it tasted like Benadryl and I felt warm and fuzzy after taking my shots.



He was very entertaining!  We also met a very nice couple, Philip and Luan.  When Marcus learned it was Philip's birthday in a few hours time, he sent a bottle of bubbly home with them so they could celebrate at their hotel!!!

That's what you call Customer Service at its best!  And not only that .... we were all talking about the newly opened McDonald's... and before I finished my story about it .... he immediately asked the kitchen staff to cook a Cheeseburger sandwich for us!!!!  On the house!!!! Hahahahaha!



It was so huge! Almost as big as the plate so we split it into 4.  I liked the flavor of the patty.  The bun was baked by a French guy because Marcus does not want sweet bread with his burger.

After enjoying his cheeseburger, I told him the rest of the Mc Donald's story ... that we only had ice cream and not the burger! Hahahaha!

It was nice meeting you, Luan and Philip!!!



And..... to top it all .... Luan has read my blog before!!! Cool!!!

Thank you again, Marcus!



It was my second time at your establishment and it was memorable, as always.

Ohhhh!!! McDonald's opened last November 11 in Boracay!!!!







They said the line was very long on the first day, we went on the second day just to check out the place.

It reminded me of the McDonald's in Hong Kong.  Was it because it was also in the basement in TST or because there were many Asian customers?  There were also Westeners and local.  It was full!!!  The residents of Boracay are concerned though about the waste disposal problem if the fast-food giants start appearing on the scene.

I enjoyed the street-food along the White Beach ....

Boiled Corn



Caramelized Sweet Potato





Pork Barbecue



My favorite hotdog vendor gave birth last October 28, so it was her husband who took over their barbecue stall.



I found the Green Mango Manong of Lisa!!!!



I forgot to take his picture!!!!  Oh boy... he sells the best bagoong!!!

It was quite difficult for me to enjoy my favorite food in Boracay since I am wheat-free now.  I missed the Pancit Bam-i of Willy's, the Mixed Tempura of Nagisa Cofee Shop, the burgers, pizza, pasta and so much more!!!!

Snacks from the Heidleland Deli (branch of Santis in Boracay)

Salami



Honey Ham




Fries from Ice Monster






I had to choose meals with rice..... lots and lots of restaurants along white beach ....

My favorite Bistek!!!



Grilled Liempo



Grilled Liempo and Longanisa



Breakfast at the hotel ....

Tocino....



Bacon....



Longanisa....




Trade Secrets of Boracay .......

I was strolling along the White Beach last night and saw a Chef grilling a nice fat squid!  I asked him how to grill food properly.  He said:

1.  Make Sure the charcoal is very, very hot to the point that it is blazing orange/red in color.

2. The distance of the grill to the charcoal should be about 4-5 inches.

3. He brushed the jumbo squid with a mixture of seasoning, garlic, butter and kalamansi.

I cannot wait to grill squid for my Kuya!

We asked the Manong hotdog and the cook of Hey Jude for the brand of the longanisa and chorizo and they gamely gave the name.

I bought 1 pack each!



It is what the vendors use for their chori-burger!  The jumbo longanisa is best cooked grilled rather than pan-fried.

Our flight was after lunch and we were not able to eat anymore but I bought a pack lunch from a small eatery called, Smoke.  It is a famous eating place for people on a budget but the food tastes good.

I ordered Beef Salpicao because I read in some blogs that people were raving about it.  The Manang showed me how it was done!!!

I think she used boiled and cubed beef kalitiran.  Then she just put all the ingredients in a small wok and stir-fried until cooked.

Beef Salpicao



boiled and cubed beef kalitiran
chopped garlic
sliced onion
margarine, star?
oil with sili
generous amount of Knorr seasoning
toasted sesame seeds for garnish

I ate it when I got to Caticlan Airport.

It never stops to amaze me the mode of transportation which carries me across the channel to and from Boracay is just made of bamboo, wood, rope and a BIG rock to weigh down the stabilizers and yet.... I reached my destination safely.





Hahahahaha! I took a picture of an interesting sign at the Cagban Jetty Port.



I asked the Asian tourists to move aside.

My Love Affair with Boracay

What's not to love?????

I have been to Boracay several times, in all kinds of weather conditions and in different hotels: Discovery Shores, Ambassador in Paradise, Two Seasons, Seawind, Boracay Beach Hotel, Boracay Haven, Hey Jude and my all-time favorite, Willy's.

I am always in awe of the wonderful gift of God and grateful too.

It holds a special place in my heart.... I always refer to it as my Happy Place.

I thought I was the only one who felt that way .....  I was swimming and heard the people around me exclaim as soon as they entered the water.... "SARAP!", "Oh, My! This is divine!", "Wow!".



I knew everybody,  Filipinos, Asians, Caucasians, around me felt the same way!

A lot of my friends were asking me when would the next time be?

This is the part where it breaks my heart.  I knew before going to Boracay that it would be my last.  I savored each beautiful moment.  I was swimming underwater and was taking  mental photographs of the beautiful ocean.  I was committing it to memory because I knew ...... I knew..... I will not be coming back for a while.

How I love Boracay!



Never doubt that ... I still do.... but I lost the "connection".  I lost the feelings I had!!!!

How could that be?  I suppose, just like a love affair .... one may never stop loving a person but has lost the feelings for him/her.

On my plane ride home, my tears would not stop flowing, I was not fast enough in dabbing them away.  It was breaking my heart to let go of the one thing that used to make me so happy.  The feeling I had was like putting down a beloved pet ... one who gave me so much joy and happiness.

Even my most favorite place on earth ...  cannot remain sunny and bright the whole day.  No one can stop ... nothing can prevent it .... but at the end of the day.... the sun must set.



Maybe.... I will find a reason again to go back to my Happy Place.