Batangas is my mum's province. Every summer of my primary years, I will ask my parents to allow me to spend my vacation in Talisay, my mum's hometown. Even until now, I will never forget all the wonderful days that I spent in that place. The river where my cousins will wash our clothes every other day. The sinaing na tilapia, a slow-cooked dish using young tilapia fish in soy sauce and dried kamias fruits. This dish is usually cooked using firewoods and palayok (or claypot). Now, cooking using firewoods and claypot is a work of love. Since so much love is required in doing this (read: very difficult to do) the finished product usually never disappoints. This dish is loaded with flavors and textures. Next, sumang yakap and its sauce called kalamay-hati - this is definitely a must-try. Almost every household in Talisay has this delicacy every Undas or All Soul's Day. Also, the hills. Taal Volcano. Fruit-bearing trees such as duhat, chico, sineguelas, mangga, santol, guyabano, dalandan and coconut which are all just practically growing anywhere. Did I miss anything?
If there's one thing that always makes me excited about going back to this place is, I think, the warmth of the people and the simplicity of their lifestyle. (Yes, these two things are to be taken as one.) The cold breeze coming from the mountains during the night is nothing compared to the hospitality that my aunts and uncles had shown me throughout the years everytime I decide to stay with them during summer. They may have always felt that they weren't able to provide everything that I needed during those times because in their minds I was just a silly-needy city boy trying myself to get used to the life in the province but what they do not know is that Batangas will always be a big part of me and that I never needed to "try to get used to living in there" for by blood, I will always be a true blue Batangueno.
Di ga?
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