I went to Aklan (Panay Island, Philippines; near Boracay) over the weekend, because I wanted to celebrate my birthday there. Also, I had a phone line added to my DSL connection, so I had to go away and do something better than stay in my room looking for “supernatural beings” that look like giant checkerboard creatures (yes, I saw them here in my dorm, in the corner of my eye. :p)

As I was peacefully sitting in the front seat of the van, I struck up a conversation with Dexter, who was from UP Visayas. I quipped to him, that the rural areas of the Philippines really look just like permutations of each other. Quaint, and if you live in the city, it really feels like stepping back in time somewhat.

When I got to Aklan, what fascinated me was not the usual tourist spots, but the market. Yes, the wet market. What we usually take for granted as the day-to-day thing in these parts, I was fascinated with.

Kalibo Public Market

In Iloilo, it’s known as the tienda. But in Aklan, it’s known as the tindahan.

No, there wasn’t anything too special with the place. But I loved the rural feel, and I was fascinated with the livestock carcasses. :p

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Have you ever seen dried tuna before? I haven’t. But here it is!

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What about fried shrimp sold like steamed peanuts?

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I was also fascinated that there was lechon (roast pig) in the market! Lechon! I only see lechon in stalls in Iloilo City, but I haven’t seen lechon in markets, ever.

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And here is a picture of one of the vendors, tired of smiling because I took so long to take her picture. Hee. :)

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And here is what (my) Jay and I got, after buying all the stuff we needed for the kare-kare (peanut butter based meat dish), which I had requested because I haven’t tasted the dish for years now.

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I know I must have looked entirely weird, snapping pictures of the market, but hey, it was my birthday, after all, and letting loose like a kid in a candy store is just totally my cup of… Peanut butter. :p (The essence of kare-kare!)

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