channeling hannah espia’s awesome best picture at the cinemalaya this year, “transit”

on the flight back to manila after enjoying a 4 day trip to cagayan de oro to celebrate my dad’s first death anniversary. purchased the cebu pacific promo fare ticket months ago with no assurance i would be able to use it. because of a film project and a vacay outside the philippines with the family early this year, i decided to work my ass off after may of 2013. God is indeed on my side as circumstances leaned towards my benefit this month and allowed me to actually fly off to mindanao. my return flight ticket was purchased a few months after, also on promo fare but this time with philippine airlines. it’s been a long while since ive flown with PAL, maybe in the late 90s. infernez to cebu pacific and despite its notorious record of delayed and overbooked flights, ive really had no problem flying with them to and from cdo. and the price of tickets is almost akin to what id spend for food and taxi fare combined as if i were in manila, hence i never think twice of flying every now and then.

my mom with a grand-nephew and the simple buffet spread we are about to partake amen. mind you, that fish fillet is not cream dory (ugh), it’s malasugi (yellowfin tuna)!

the lechon was amazing! everybody raves for cebu lechon but im sure lechons in cagayan de oro are just under the radar but equal, if not, superior in taste to their visayas counterpart. i was going through old picture albums at home and family events are never complete celebrations without a lechon; full, unchopped roasted pork with its crispy skin intact, salted ribs and sumptuous belly floss dripping with oil and fat, beautifully seasoned with lemon grass, peppercorns, laurel leaves and salt, awesome steaming meat that you pick and tear down with your fingers and eat with your hands. the tradition has not changed since we were kids. hence, i always look forward to the lechon whenever i fly back home, this time breaking off from a self-imposed diet of no rice, low sodium, low sugar, fat free meals. i couldnt resist the rice so i cheated with 4 tablespoons haha. kung sa bisaya pa, para dili damguhon.

blowing the candles off my birthday lechon last year 2012

my adult life has been relatively carefree, food-wise, until my metabolism slowed down at 30 and i would easily build up the weight and the extra poundage packs in around the waist. i took the habit of avoiding softdrinks at age 25, then commercial juices and iced teas at age 30. my relationship with rice is an on-off thing, most of the time shifting from white to brown rice, then to black rice then nothing. we also ate pork less, even gave up bagnet, chicharon, and eating at grill queen. i do feel healthier but this last weekend i gave in to tradition and feasted on the main course of party buffets in most pinoy homes. i also gave in to coke, finishing 3 bottles of sakto, and my 4 subo of rice (ate with my hands, diba?)

that’s my childhood tradition right here. this is how you eat lechon, circa june 2013.  serve it whole then watch it zombiefied. this one is stuffed with prawns. once the ribs are ripped out, we see these gorgeous ocean suckers peeking out of the cave within.  im allergic to shrimps so i popped some claritins and im free.

planning my next rendezvous with a lechon. december? october? if God knows, God knows 😉 to order this amazing lechon in cagayan de oro, contact coycoy’s lechon at 0917-721-9499, look for au 😉 inquire about having your lechons stuffed with whole chickens or shrimps. you could also ask about dinuguan or papaitan prepared with the innards and blood of your piggie. or just ask for it fresh and make you own isaw. ooh.