Happy days in Baboy's.

I'm really in the mood now, so I'll write a little more before heading off to Dumaguete on my trusty steed for Saturday night out.  It is quite a big event.

I left you having moved to La Fiesta, which I loved then and still do now.

I'll let you into a little secret here, I keep this blog up by going through my photos chronologically although I do tend to jump around a little.  Anyone who has ever spoken to me will know that this is the way my mind works anyway, so I'll jump ahead now.  There is now a very limited burger and chips menu in La Fiesta which was not there when I arrived and this may be extended soon by popular demand.  Other than the breakfasts and all day bacon and egg sandwiches the only food option was to eat with the staff at about 1800 - 1900 at night and you had to tell the girls before they went out to shop.  This is not to everyone's taste as a way of eating but I loved it.  You got to eat proper local food, prepared on two burners with the most limited equipment and it was always gorgeous.  I'll show you a few examples here.

Hazel's spaghetti and Manok.

I need to be careful what I write here as Hazel is sitting looking over my shoulder, so shall I tell you that it was absolutely delicious.  Really.  Actually, joking aside, and you know I like to be factual, it really was.  A couple more examples now.

Lechon Manok.

This is Lechon Manok, which effectively means barbecued chicken.  Manok is chicken and Lechon is a generic term for barbecued.  It is most often applied to barbecued pork.  The girls would go to market and get some and the make it up into various dishes.  I should add that, dependent upon ingredients, these gut-busting meals were costing me about 100 pesos apiece which is a little less than £1:50 - good value in my book.

The lovely Hazel.

Here we see chef enjoying the fruits of her labour. A damn sight more pleasing on the eye than Marco Pierre White, that's for sure.

A very odd meal.

The photo above is of a rather strange meal although it is instructive.  Philippinos, like most Asians, will utilise whatever is to hand and make it extremely tasty.  In many years of travelling round Southeast Asia, I can probably count the number of bad meals I have had on one hand.  So have a look at this.  The small dishes contain Lisa's chicken curry which is hugely tasty and almost volcanically hot, she really does not spare the chilli, it is wonderful.  Actually, Hazel cannot take it, it is even too hot for her.  Back, however, to my point.  You would never be offered this in a restaurant but there seems to be no worry about serving curry, toast, boiled potatoes, salsa and a few accompaniments all at once.  As always, it was delightful.

I am going to sign off nw, having made it to at least last month on the blog.  I'll try to get some more done later.  Speak soon.