Thailand Chronicles: Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

It was my first time to be at a floating market. So you can just imagine my excitement when it was final that we were going on the Floating Market Tour and have a 30-45 minute boat ride to the famous ...

Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

in Ratchaburi, Thailand. 

It is one of the most famously known floating markets, and a major tourist destination in Thailand.

Our guide keeps on stressing that the market has been around for decades. And riding on the small boat, I thought.. "boy.. she sure wasn't kidding!". On the way to the market, there were inhabitants on the sides of the man-made canals which were there probably for years and years. And I think we passed by a huge pipe or two which was literally connected to a Thai house's restroom!  I almost had a heart attack when the water on the stream was literally splashing on our faces. Talk about a real adventure. hehe.

Of course, I was just trying to be sarcastic about the polluted water. But the trip going to Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, was like a trip back in history. It was as if I was living in the era where rivers were part of the main thoroughfares of this culture rich country. Most of the houses we passed by have their own boats so it means that in this part of Thailand, most of them still use the streams if only for the benefit of tourists since the floating market is a major tourist destination in Thailand. So it was obvious that most of the people living there mainly benefit from tourists frequenting the area.

At the floating market, the merchants are literally selling their wares in boats. There were fruits of every kind, food and snacks like traditional Thai rice cakes, and souvenirs for every avid tourist. 

SM Cinema's 44th Branch at SM GenSan

It was a wonderful experience being included in the select few invited to watch The Bourne Legacy at the newly opened SM Cinema GenSan.

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SM Cinema opens its 44th branch at SM General Santos on August 10, 2012. The Blessing Ceremony was held on August 9.SM Prime Holdings'President,Mr. Hans T. Sy, local officials and business heads graced the event.

Mr. Hans Sy with Cong. and Dr. Acharon, photo courtesy of Mr.Orman Manansala :)

The newest branch has 4 digital cinemas equipped with state-of-the-art projection system, high quality sound system and cozy seats. Cinema 1 boasts 504 seats, Cinema 2,3 and 4 have 308 seats each.

The branch screens chartbusters The Bourne Legacy, Step Up: Revolution, the animation Brave and SM Cinema's CinExclusive The Ring 3:Sadako on its first week.

SM Cinema currently has 236 theaters located in 43 branches scattered all throughout the country. SM Cinema will continue to hold the torch as the country's leading film exhibitor with its ongoing expansion and theater renovation. Before the year ends, it will open more digital theaters and IMAX theaters.

SM Cinema's goal is not only to reach far and wide, but also to provide excellent service to its patrons. Proof to this is its aggressive pursuit of technological advancement in order to bring efficiency to moviegoers. SM Cinema is the first in the country to introduce the turnstile system for a more convenient cinema entry. It also introduced Cinemobile which allows patrons to purchase tickets online and redeem them in their phones. Another interesting system that SM Cinema recently presented is e-PLUS. E-PLUS (Entertainment, Privileges, Lifestyle, Upgrades and Surprises) is designed to bring convenience and rewards to SM Cinema's patrons. It is convenient to use because one doesn't have to fall in line during blockbuster seasons if one has a loaded e-PLUS card. Patrons just have to go directly to the ticket booth and insert their e-PLUS cards.

Pacing alongside SM Cinema is SnackTime, SnackTime offers a wide array of quality snacks for moviegoers.

"At Your Service" now at SM Supermarket Gensan

The long wait is finally over! SM Supermarket in Gensan is now open! It was a wonderful experience being toured around SM Supermarket. They really did all the research in providing good customer service that will surely make grocery shopping at SM a good experience. 

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Brace yourself for exciting promos and deals, never seen before customer service innovation in the SM Supermarket history. SM Supermarket chooses GenSan, of all cities to introduce many firsts in its products and services. 

And that is just icing on the cake. Want to hear more food news? Here are more reasons to check out SM Supermarket at the ground floor of SM City in GenSan, at your service daily from 10am to 9pm, MOndays thru Thursdays and 9am to 9pm daily on weekends. 

800 Generals can win

From August 10 to September 6, a total of 800 winners of super exciting prizes will be drawn - week after week, after week!

Week 1 - 100 winners of super cool aircon

Week 2 - 500 winners of super strong industrial fans

Week 3 - 100 winners of amazing washing machines

And on week 4 - be one of the 100 winners of Magic Sing and sing like a pro!

Open to all SM Advantage, Prestige BDO Rewards or Card members, e very P500 grocery purchase entitles a shopper for one raffle ticket. So the more you buy the more chances of winning.

SWIPE your way to exciting promos and freebies

Simply swipe your SM Advantage Card, Prestige or BDO Rewards Card into the SWIPE machine to get a promo list of discounts and giveaways. The promo list is your ticket toa world of exciting deals at SM Supermarket.

Freshness all the way

Visit SM Supermarket fresh section and find the freshest meat, poultry and seafood - cut, sliced or marinated according to your choice of dish.

Be it adobo, sinigang, menudo or inasal, name it - SM Supermarket has a full line of meat and poultry cuts, and flavors that will suit your taste.

Craving for fish? Choose from a number of fish of different types and sizes - all fresh catch from the different regions in the country.

Freshness and more

In a rush and don't have time to cook? don't worry, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat items are available to save your day.

If shopping on a budget, visit our takal-takal section for just the right amount of ingredients you need at very affordable prizes.

And with SM Supermarket's best price for the whole chiken, you can cook your family's all-time favorite chicken meal any time, any day.

For a nutritious and complete meal, have some veggies as your side dish or fruits as dessert for that sweet ending. The store has both local and imported, even those hard to find fruits and vegetables.




Get a BONUS in every Value Pack

 Value Packs are specially bundled packs with FREE SM Bonus item/s - with savings as much as 80%. Trust that there's always a mix of your favorite brands in every pack.

 Be a winner with Yellow Tag

Win instantly with a minimum P500 purchase of Yellow Tag items. Cool prizes wait you at the redemption booth.

Food Service Center- for the entrepreneur in you

Find the ingredients you need and other essentials for your food business operations at the Food Service Center. Check it out and be delighted with what you'll find.

Home sweet Home

SM Supermarket is not all about groceries and fresh items - you'll also find appliances, furniture and home and kitchen items at very affordable prices.

Supermarketing experience just got personalized and high-tech

Need assistance while shopping? SM Supermarket's friendly and reliable assistants will attend to you. Or look for press-for-help buttons and a store personnel will be with you shortly.

Allergic to long lines? Queue-busters will come to the rescue. SM Supermaket's assistants will scan your purchases even before you get to the cashier so when you finally get there, all you have to do is pay. Checkout will definitely be fast with our speed lane.

The store also has priority lanes for senior citizens and Prestige cardholders.

Lastly, your coffee is on them when you do your groceries on a Sunday. 

 

There's an SM Greenbag for every shopping occasion

SM Supermarket Gensan does its share in saving Mother Earth by encouraging the use of reusable bags when shopping through its JOIN THE M.O.B. or MyOWNBag campaign.

Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bag and are given extra points on their SM Advantage Card each time they use an SM Green bag for their purchases.

Big or small size, or the chiller bag - there's an SM Greenbag for every shopping occasion.


All under one roof

After shopping (or before), grab a quick bite at the food court of SM Supermarket and choose from a variety of great tasting meals you surely can afford.

Have bills to pay or need to exchange or transfer money? You can run these errands at the bills payment and Western Union counters of the supermarket.

A True Blue South Cotabateño

Its been more than a decade since I’ve moved here in South Cotabato. So the question of whether I am now eligible to be called a true South Cotabateño still remains to be answered. To most of you who are from this beautiful province, but are scattered all across the globe in search of greener pastures, let me tell you what I loved about your province, this often misunderstood part of Mindanao and why I came to love living here. Then maybe you can decide for yourselves whether or not I am worthy of being called a true blue South Cotabatenean.

Pictures courtesy of our official lensman: Mr. Omar S. Gallinero :) Taken from his collection of photos. 

1. The T’boli Tribe. What I love about this tribe is their adeptness in preserving their culture despite the modern times. Their culture has been shared to tourists and guests all around South Cotabato. I think the region should thank them for sharing their culture with us and hoping that they get to preserve it for years to come so our children can also enjoy the richness of their way of life. To get a taste of their culture, you can read about some of them in this post here.

2. T’nalak fabric. Although most would not classify it as a fabric or cloth, due to its course texture, the T’nalak fabric is highly revered in the T’boli tribe. This cloth is part of every T’boli’s culture and way of life. You can say that it is similar to the importance the Scottish people give to their kilts. The T’bolis consider the T’nalak part and parcel of every significant event in their life such as in birth, marriage or even in death. And it is in this deep veneration for the T’nalak that South Cotabato adapted it to symbolize the richness of the region’s culture.

3. T’nalak Festival. Aptly called since it holds the T’nalak fabric in high esteem. This festival is a tribute to the T’boli tribes, the first settlers in South Cotabato. I love that this festival showcases T’nalak in a variety of forms, there even has a fashion show using the fabric in modern, hip designs. The street dancing alone is a fun-filled event celebrating the South Cotabatenean’s veneration for the T’nalak and the T’bolis of South Cotabato. 

4. Lake Sebu. Oftentimes referred to as the summer capital of the southern Philippines. What I love about Lake Sebu besides its cool climate is the tranquil view of the lake. We always bring guests from Manila here.

5. Seven falls. Needless to say, the 7 falls is a true gem. I mean, who ever comes across not one or two but seven (!) falls in one place, right? At first, even before I set my eyes on them it sounded crazy… I mean seven falls? :) But then I know most of first time tourists will be in awe of the beauty of these falls. It is nature’s hand at its finest. I do recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes for first time guests. Read more about the seven falls here.

6. The Majestic Mt. Matutum. Of course I couldn’t fail to mention this resplendent mountain towering over all of us in South Cotabato. Despite the qualms that this is a dormant volcano… Mt. Matutum gives the people of South Cotabato a reason for its fertile lands. I don’t know maybe once upon a time it erupted, but the fertile soil surrounding it continues to give farmers a bountiful harvest all year. During the summer months, I was told that it is also an exhilarating feeling to climb the summits of this revered mountain, but I have yet to see this for myself. :) In plane rides over the region, you just know you are in South Cotabato once Mt. Matutum comes into view in your airplane windows. 

7. Kape Alamid. or otherwise known as Civet Coffee. I've been a coffee lover for how many years now, and I just can't find another coffee to equal the robustness of the civet coffee harvested from the coffee trees in Mt. Matutum. Let's just not discuss where the coffee bean actually passes through that gives it that delectable taste. But this makes it to my list of  top 15. :)

photo courtesy of  http://www.telegraph.co.uk

 


8. Pineapples. This is the fruit of life for the South Cotabatenean. Many of the people here breathe (as in literally :) ) and have livelihood thanks to this fruit. I vouch for the truth that the South Cotabatenean - grown pineapple is the sweetest in all the world. 

9. Dolefil. Call me biased or what, but living in Polomolok, South Cotabato, Dolefil has always been an integral part of my everyday existence. My prejudice comes from the fact that most of the people here have a dependable livelihood (well probably me included) because of the existence of this multinational fruit company. And… Polomolok will not be world famous for it’s sweet tasting pineapples if not for Dole Phils. So excuse my being blunt in including them in my top 15 list of favorites. :)

 

10. Kalsangi. Of course Dolefil’s Club Kalsangi also made the cut to my list. Where else can you find a top of the class residential area comparable to Baguio’s Camp John Hay or Clark field’s loghouses other than at Kalsangi? It Is worth mentioning since our country’s leaders such as President Ramos, President Erap, even the late President Marcos and President Cory have all spent the day or night within its boundaries. Its streets are all lined with big acacia and macademia trees. It even boasts of a 9-hole golf course which is one of the best and well maintained in Mindanao. To read more about Club Kalsangi, click here. 

11. Polomolok Sunsets. Living in Polomolok, I’ve come to love my Polomolok sunsets. It’s a rare treat for someone like me from the Metro waking up to a glorious sunrise and ending the day with a breathtaking sunsets. It is only in these parts of Mindanao where we rarely experience monsoon rains or typhoons for days at a row so the sun gets to shine its rays all throughout the region. More pictures on my Polomolok sunsets here.

12.Ukay – ukay. South Cotabato of course is also famous for its “ukay-ukay” or to literally “dig” hordes of used clothes and what have yous for a bargain. I wouldn’t forget the bargaining prowess I picked up in these flea markets. 

13. Fresh food. The standard of living here is not high compared to highly urbanized regions. There is an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits, plentiful seafood, poultry and meat. It is an adage here that when you live in South Cotabato, you will never go hungry since most of the country’s food come from here. The biggest piggery can be found at Koronadal city. There are also a number of cattle raisers and poultry farms. Not to mention vegetables and fruit farms dotting the entire region. So if you are from Manila, some of your food comes from here. We can literally have steak and vegetable sidings each day here if we wish without burning a hole in our pockets. 

14. South Cotabatenean Charm and Hospitality. Part of the wealth of any place comes from its people. Guests can be prepared to be welcomed warmly in this parts of the island. South Cotabateneans know how to treat guests amiably. 

15. Peaceful living. These parts of the island, I am proud to note that people here live peacefully. There are no Muslim-Christian conflicts here. Nor are there an abundance of street thugs or pickpockets for that matter. Maybe it is one of the reasons why many people have come to relocate in South Cotabato (well me included :)).

“This is my submission for the T'nalak Festival 2012 Blog Writing Contest, which is made possible with the support of sponsors such as Hon. Governor Arthur Y. Pingoy, Jr and the province of South Cotabato, Sun Cellular - get two days of unlimited text to all networks for only ₱15 with SUN TEXTALL15, Dole Philippines, Representative Teddy Casiño & Bayan Muna Party-List,  KCC Malls, SouthCotabato.Org and South Cotabato News.”

Hotel San Marco Exudes Class

Tucked in the middle of the bustling business and commercial areas of Gensan,  

Hotel San Marco

never fails to instigate a second look from passers-by. 

It's imposing structure screams elegance through and through. 

A first for General Santos city I think.

Upon entering the main lobby, I was in awe of its sophisticated interiors. 

The chic furniture was obviously carefully chosen. It made me feel like being in Venice all of a sudden.

It's baroque interiors remind me of the hotels I only see in luxurious hotels in Europe, so the only question left for me to ask was... is it also as pricey as the grand hotels it depicts?

Of course, being in Gensan has its perks... 

and among them is the affordable price of staying in this hotel. 

It was like having a taste of classy Europe without breaking the bank or putting a hole in your pockets. 

Their rack rate starts at P2,500 for a standard single but currently, they offer a promo rate of  P1,750. 

For their superior room, be prepared to shell out P3,200 rack rate/ P2,240 promo rate.

For more information, you can visit their website here. 

Hotel San Marco is located at Laurel East Avenue, Gen. Santos City

Or call them at: 083 301-1818/ 0922-8217332

Photography by Mr. OSG :)

Thailand Chronicles: Thai Food... Truly Gastronomic Feasts

Temples. And more temples. Often this is all that we ever read about when it comes to the Siam country. Of course we have to admit, Thailand has Asia's most awe inspiring temples. And truly, these temples are one of the country's most visited tourist attractions.

But come to think of it, Thailand has a wide array of food that are tourist attractions in themselves. So one of the reasons people come to Thailand is to sample the gastronomic feasts that makes every tourist (including me and Mr. OSG) come back for more. Sigh... thinking about Thai food just now, makes me miss it even more and thinking how I can hitch myself a free fare back to the Siam country. :) 

Pad Thai at Fifth Street Food Center, MBK Mall

So here is a list of some of our favorite Thai delicacies that we've gotten to feast on, and can't get enough of...

1.) Pad Thai.  If there is a national food, then maybe Pad Thai will get the most votes for being Thailand's national food. Its like you've never really eaten Thai food, unless you've tried Pad Thai. It is served in most restaurants in and around Thailand. It is served in a lot of different ways like the one we had at The Montien where they enclose it in egg - omelet style (below). Pad Thai at The Montien will take you back for about 150baht. per order. The Pad Thai we ordered at The Fifth Street Food Center of MBK Mall, is a bit pricier at 185 baht, but it is the best I've tasted in Bangkok (picture above).

Pad Thai is a dish of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce (Thai: น้ำปลา), tamarind juice, red chilli pepper, plus any combination of bean sprouts, shrimp, chicken, or tofu, garnished with crushed peanuts, coriander and lime, the juice of which can be added along with Thai condiments (crushed peanuts, garlic, chives, pickled turnip, coriander, lime, spicy chili oil, chili powder, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar). It is usually served with scallions and pieces of raw banana flower. (info taken from the Wikipedia)

2) Stir Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts. or Gai Pad Met Ma-Maung. This dish is a favorite not only among us Asians but among the Westerners as well. I should know since there was this group of tourists who come to eat at the Fifth Street of MBK mall like us, who only orders this yummy dish over and over again! :) What I love about this dish is that it has a sweet and tangy taste that brings out the flavor in the chicken. Plus the cashew nuts makes a nice addition giving off a woody flavor to the dish. There are condiments on the side, like peanuts, chili, and sugar which you can add to your dish according to your liking. Its really considerate of them since not everybody loves spicy food. Well including me at times. :)

Our favorite Stir Fried Chicken with Cashew Nuts dish is the one served at the Fifth Street food center of MBK mall, which costs 150  baht per order, a generous serving which can be shared by two people. But nah, it was too yummy for sharing so we order separate servings. hehe.

3) Pork Satay.  Now when it comes to Satay, I have no qualms on ordering this dish since I love the peanut sauce that comes with it.  I'm not too sure though  where it really originated , whether it came from Malaysia or Thailand. But then, whether you order this from Malaysia, Singapore, or Thailand or even Indonesia, you will surely come back for more.

Satay is a dish of marinated strips of pork (or beef/chicken), then skewered and grilled on the BBQ or broiled in the oven. It is then served with peanut sauce for the ultimate taste sensation. This particular satay dish, we ordered from Ruenton Coffeeshop of The Montien hotel where it looks more of a Tapsilog dish native to us Filipinos minus the peanut sauce. It was served with an aromatic serving of fried jasmine rice with shrimps, and a sunny side up fried egg on top.

4) Pad See Ew or Fried Noodle with chicken/pork/seafood. This Thai dish was introduced to me by Ms. Challika, a Thai local who happens to be a good friend of my cousin. She brought us to Suan Luang Market near Chulalongkorn University to have dinner there "carinderia" (or hawker store) style. From what i learned, Pad See Ew is a Chinese - influenced stir fried noodle dish commonly eaten in Thailand and Laos. What I love about it is the mix of saltiness and sweetness with a tiny hint of spiciness brought about by the cayenne pepper. This one is with chicken which I absolutely love!

Pad See Ew is made with dark soy sauce ("si-io dam"), light soy sauce ("si-io khao"), garlic, broad rice noodles, called "kuai-tiao sen yai" in Thai (commonly abbreviated to just "sen yai" meaning "big strip"), Chinese broccoli, egg, and some form of thinly sliced meat — commonly pork, chicken or beef — or shrimp or mixed seafood -- like picture below. (from the wikipedia).

5) Nam Kang Sai or Thai Shaved Ice  Dessert. Also at the Suan Luang Market, we had the fascination of eating this Thai local dessert that is somewhat similar to our native halo-halo. The only difference is, the Thai version's shaved ice is placed on top of the mixings. There are between 20–30 varieties of mixings that can be mixed in. Among them are young coconut that have been soaked in coconut milk, black sticky rice, chestnuts, sweetened taro, red beans, sarim (thin strands of cooked flour that is very chewy and slippery) and many more.

With a number of mixings to choose from, I just know it would take me forever to come up with my own Nam Kang Sai, so we just let Ms. Challika choose the right combination for us. The colors of the mixings are so bright that they look more to me like eye candy than a dessert for someone to devour. :) This is a photo of the dessert shop at the Suan Luang Market we went to, which according to Challika is quite famous that even celebrities and the Thai Princess often come here to satisfy their sweet cravings.

To Ms. Challika of DHL Thailand, our heartfelt thanks for taking us to dinner and introducing me  and Ate A to Platinum Mall which I will blog about next time. :) 

ShutterBlog... A Travel Photoblog Workshop by Ms. Jojie Alcantara

Just the other day, I had the privilege of being one of the lucky 20 Sox Bloggers present for ShutterBlog, a Travel and Photo-blog Workshop given by none other than, idol travel photojournalist, Ms. Jojie Alcantara at the Gensan View Resort, General Santos City.

It was one of the funnest workshop I've ever been to. Ms. Jojie really knows how to give a very entertaining workshop. I think I went home, with a bloated stomach due to excessive laughing. :) Excuse my terms for a lack of a better word to describe gas.. hehe. Excuse also kuya Avel (on the left) sleeping in the background. This picture was taken during our break.

I've learned a lot of very useful tips and ideas about travel photography from Ms. Jojie. And hopefully, I can apply all that I've learned from her in my next travel adventure. Wherever or whenever that may be. 

To Ms. Jojie Alcantara, thank you so much for sharing your wisdom on photography with us! Hoping to see you again one day and hopefully, see you in action in one of your travel shoots. 

Thank you also to the sponsors of ShutterBlog, for sharing your time and resources with the bloggers of Socccsargen. Namely: 

Gensan View Resort located at Nursery Road, Lagao, General Santos City

CameraHaus located at the 2nd floor of KCC mall, General Santos City. It is also worth mentioning that they gave away a Samsung digital camera to the winner of the photo-contest won by none other than fellow Sox Blogger, Aethan Yting of Aethanoscopy. Check out his blog here.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Joyce Mariscal. Sorry wasn't able to be here then. :)

Aromacology for the freebies,

and of course, Gandaeversomuch.com and Gensantos.com for sponsoring another rave worthy event! God bless the two of you for motivating bloggers like me to hone our craft and make blogging such an enjoyable hobby!