Forest Park: A Quick Getaway within Bacolod City

There's a forest right within Bacolod City, at Barangay Taculing. Aptly called Forest Park, it is a quick getaway for short retreats, kiddie field trips, family picnics, group parties, and lovers' rendezvous.



I love the green scenery of Forest Park and the peaceful quiet of the place. It has been an inspiration of several of my paintings.



It also has a man-made boating lagoon where children and lovers can enjoy.

A mere 15-minute drive or less from the heart of the city just a stone's throw away from the former Bacolod Sanitarium and Hospital, now the Bacolod Adventist Hospital, one can easily enjoy a laid back affair at Forest Park.

San Carlos City's Signs of Humor

Arriving dazedly in San Carlos City after a three-hour drive from Bacolod City through Don Salvador Benedicto, I stepped out of the car to stretch my legs. It was December 2007.





I was still in a hazy trance when I saw the first sign posted on the bamboo fence which announced that the owners within are are selling ice, a normal business every three or four houses wherever in Negros Occidental and in the Philippines.





The bamboo fence stretched along a 10 meter frontage and on it were posted several more signs which, although painted using different material, moods and colors, apparently coming from the same author. Only then that I realized that I was into a visual, comic treat.





Judging from the weatherbeaten look of these signs, I wonder if they are still around after two years? I just discovered these photos that I discovered in my old files and decided to post them together with another sign of humor, a picture taken by Judge Jose Paolo Ariola, which is actually a warning sign for unauthorized persons not to enter the premises without permission.



Ah, well, there are lots of funny signs such as these, but around these parts, these are truly local flavor courtesy of San Carlos City's Signs of Humor.

Diwal Shell: Like a Tongue Sticking Out

Diwal shell, commonly found in Negros Occidental, are so-called because of its peculiar characteristic. Diwal (dee-WAHL) is an Ilonggo term for "tongue sticking out", and this shellfish tends do stick out of its shell, looking like a tongue sticking out.

In this particular bowl, however, the diwal shells are kind of shy and did not want to be seen in their usual form.

A delicious main ingredient in soups, such is the demand for the diwal shell.

Talaba, Anyone?

Talaba, or oysters, are found everywhere in Bacolod and almost all coastal towns of Negros Occidental, the City of Hinigaran known for having the sweetest talaba of all.

When in Bacolod, you can have your plateful of Talaba at Puntataytay. Famous seafood restaurants such as 18th Pala-pala, Imay's, or Aboy's also feature the delectable talaba.

Because of its high demand and also for hygienic purposes, talaba are now mostly cultured in special talaba farms.

These oysters come in two sizes. The big ones are called talaba (tah-lah-BAH), while the small ones are called sisi (si-SI).

Talaba is easier to handle and opens up easily. When harvested in an especially hot weather, talaba is sweet and smooth. It looses its flavor during wet or cloudy weather, and people believe the rains wash away the sweet-salty taste.

Sisi on the other hand is much harder to handle and opening it is more challenging just thinking of avoiding getting cut. Just as it is small, its flavor is like the compact version of talaba.

Negros Occidental's Provincial Capitol Lagoon Skating Rink

Negros Occidental's Provincial Capitol Lagoon skating rink is still very much in use today.



I remember skating on it years ago when skates had four wheels each -- two in front and two at the back, and was adjustable that it could accommodate any kind of shoe (wow, I miss that pair now, it's made of steel it can be a valuable antique now).

There was a time when the Provincial Capitol Lagoon skating rink went into dormancy. It had major cracks and the surface wasn't as skate-friendly as before.



Later skateboarders and BMX bike enthusiasts rediscovered the place and the Provincial Capitol Lagoon skating rink became populated again.

The advent of the roller blade in the late 80's -- with four wheels aligned on a straight line like that of an ice skate -- and the "skate shoes" in the 90's -- shoes that looked like bulky rubber shoes with wheels that pop out at the flick of a button -- made the Provincial Capitol Lagoon skating rink a skating haven again.



Waveboards, a two-wheel innovation of the classic skateboard, is another sight to see at Negros Occidental's Provincial Capitol Lagoon skating rink.

Lopue's Silay City

There's a Lopue's in Silay City, and it looks like this.

Well, it doesn't look like an architectural wonder, and I wonder why its architectural design looks like that. Perhaps to blend in with the old glory of the Paris of Negros?

Hmmmm.... I still prefer the antique charm of the authentic original buildings.

Negros Occidental: The Sugar Bowl of the Philippines

Negros Occidental, also known as the Sugar Bowl of the Philippines, is the country's top sugar producer.



This is a friend's photo of the sugar mill where he works. He explained to me the many types of sugar being produced, aside from the familiar table sugar that's either white or brown, and the muscovado.

I've made an extensive research on sugar, the article appears on Follow Me magazine. And until now, I'm not paid for it, nor was I invited during the launching of the magazine. I wrote at least three articles there. Hmmm....



I forgot the magazine article title, and I wasn't SEO oriented in my writing before. Maybe I should just have blogged in the first place my article on Negros Occidental: The Sugar Bowl of the Philippines.