I Met the President!

The pint sized world leader approaches as my associate Ray Soberano looks on.
I bend to shake her hand revealing my growing bald spot - the Rogaine stopped working!

A couple of weeks ago I was fortunate enough to meet the President.

No, not the lame duck Texan whose list of friends an allies is shrinking faster than the worlds glaciers. The president of the 12th largest country in the world by population and of my home away from home, away from home - the Philippines. (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_population for the rankings).

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has been President since 2001. The diminutive leader is the second woman President and the second President in her family (father Diosdado Macapagal was Prez in the 60s). She, like all Philippine Presidents, has faced some tough times with many economic and social challenges as well as countless political challenges.

She visited the local Kraft plant a few weeks ago along with the US Ambassador to the Philippines to help open up a new R&D facility. It was an exciting event for all concerned and garnered nice media coverage as well.

The President's mother happened to be the guest of honor when the plant officially opened 44 years ago.

Thrilla in Manila

Lots of good stuff - not so good for you.

Fresh, fast and full of flavor

The jeepney - packed with riders

Another one cruises by
They all have names and once had cool paint jobs.

If you can't sfford the 40 cent Jeepney - the little motorbike will have to do.

He's a Virgo - what's your sign?


Just got back from Manila. I have now been there at least 12 times over the past year and have really come to like the place.


I was trying to figure out why I like it. It isn't a pretty place at all. There is an amazing amount of poverty, traffic is terrible and it can be dangerous in the wrong places. There are also very few (make that none) places of interest to see in the city. I have come to the conclusion that it is the people. I also find that the food is pretty good too. Oh yeah and they have the coolest form of public transport - The Jeepney (http://sdsd.essortment.com/philippinejeepn_reuf.htm ).


The people of the Philippines are extremely happy and upbeat. Whether they are rich or poor (and most are poor) they have a very positive attitude a pleasant smile and a way to make you feel good. From the hotel where I get "Hello Sir!" from about 10 people between the time I get out of the car to the time I get onto the elevator to the smiles and greetings I get at our offices in Sucat or at any restaurant, store or bar I walk into I always feel welcome.


The Philippines is also an oasis of American and Spanish culture in Asia. Everyone has a Spanish name and the language, Tagalog and the many regional dialects, all have elements of Spanish, English, Malay and other odds and ends. The culture is more like that of the US. People love Basketball, baseball and keep tabs on whats going on in the US. This probably comes from the fact that the US were their hero's in World War II. They even drive on the proper side of the road unlike the rest of Asia where they drive on the wrong side.


The food is really good (other then the duck eggs). Very Spanish and Caribbean. I've already written about it so I won't bore you.


Last week me, Sophia, Myrna and two of Myrna's friends went to see a Filipino movie. It's called The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (http://www.blossomingofmaximooliveros.com/). A very low budget film that has won many festival awards. It is set in the slums of Manila and really gives a good flavor of what it must be like to live there. A funny and also touching film it also gives a look at many aspects of life in the slums. I highly recommend it and think it might coming to the US soon if it isn't there already.


I will be there again soon as the President is coming to our plant!

Fear Factor - Me

Welcome to adventures in Filipino street food....
Watching my teacher show me how its done.
Still smiling but a little nervous
Oh yeah - - - that was NASTY!

This story is based on my experience from last year but it is still worth recounting for your edification.

On my first trip to Manila I found myself at dinner with my new associate Ray and several people from our Manila office. there were a few expats around the table as well. While we enjoyed some nice tapas at an upscale mall the talk turned to local Filipino delights. The Philippines, with its strong Spanish influence (everyone is Catholic and has a Spanish last name), is the one place in Asia where the food is most like Spanish or Latin American food. They love pork and enjoy such nice dishes as Crispy Pata, sisig and adobong. All three of these dishes (sorry Grandpa Harold) are now favorites of mine. The pata reminds me of lechon in Puerto Rico, the sisig is so good with a cold San Miguel and adobong is good anytime. There are also some other great dishes like sinigang (a soup), inihaw na bangus (grilled milkfish) and of course super sweet and tasty fresh mangos.

Here are links to pictures and recipes of all of these dishes-

http://kaukautime.blogspot.com/2006/06/crispy-pata-deep-fried-pork-hocks.html

http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/sizzling-sisig-hog-cheeks-nose-and-ears

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10099

http://asiarecipe.com/phimain.html#sini1

http://www.da.gov.ph/agribiz/mango1.html

http://asiarecipe.com/phimain.html#Bangus

The talk at the table moved on to balut. Balut is a popular Filipino street snack and is essentially a duck egg with a fetus inside, typically between seventeen to twenty days in gestation. In the Philippines balut is so popular that it is equivalent to what the hot dog is in the U.S. I was intrigued yet also grossed out by the prospect of seeing what this would actually look like. The explanation was not comforting - "yes you can see the little duck fetus forming", "sometimes it can be crunchy" and "its good with salt and vinegar on it".

While the expats at the table were interested and intrigued by the snack, none had actually tried one and no one stepped up to the plate to volunteer. I was the new guy and in order to get some instant "street cred" I said I would be happy to try one. I also thought I was smart enough to get around the grossness by using the oyster technique of downing the whole thing without chewing it, but I kept that thought to myself. As soon as I said this the wheels were in motion to get me to stand by my word.

The next day I was in the office hoping that no one had remembered about my promise when Ray's assistant called me and said that one of the women had purchased a half dozen balut that morning and they would like me to try it in the canteen whenever I was ready. I agreed to try one at 3PM. Lucky for me I had not done any research. I was unaware that the snack had been featured on Fear Factor.

At the appointed hour I ventured over to the canteen. There three women from the office were waiting. Two of them had already had one or two that day and the third said she had and would never try one. There were 3 eggs left. I got a 7Up so I would be ready to wash it down if I gagged or choked and one of the eggs was cracked open. The most experienced balut eater looked at it and said it was a little too well developed for a newbie so she shook a little salt onto the egg and poured on some vinegar and showed my how it is done. I tried not to watch too closely but I did see the little duck head popping out of the open shell. She ate it happily and smiled while opening the next one. "This one will be good for you...", she said. The time had come. I tried to avert my eyes but had to look a little as I poured on the salt and vinegar. I winced and popped it from the shell into my mouth. The yolk was hard like a hard boiled egg and the little duck was indeed a little duck, maybe an inch and a half long. It all went into my mouth and I was ready to swallow it. I realized that it was too big to swallow without chewing so I took a few bites, swallowed and chugged a big chug of 7Up.

It was gross, it was sickening and it had a little bit of crunch - on the other hand, if I had never seen it I would say it didn't taste too bad. But I had seen it so even the taste was nasty. The good new was I had done it! I had earned the respect of my new friends. The bad news was that the rest of that day and into the evening I felt like there was a little live duck running around in my stomach.

I ate the balut for the first time and can say with confidence that it was also the last time. I have since eaten the other great Filipino dishes with great gusto but the duck stopped there for me!