Craves and Savors from the Philippines

What’s better than satisfying genuine Filipino food cravings in the Philippines? Sharing the experience with family and friends. While staying the Manila, I was able to visit my family members who I hadn’t seen for a long time, and some members who I had never even met before. Despite the distance, how well I knew my relatives, or how well they knew me, they made me feel right at home as gracious and generous hosts. One thing about Filipinos is they love it when their guests eat, and I was happy to oblige as the food continued to be placed in front of me. Filipino food has been a long awaited craving that I rarely get to satisfy, and every meal was ready and waiting, and offered with lots of love. A typical Filipino meal that I enjoyed was white rice with egg, fish, and sliced tomato in soy sauce or vinegar. Every means was also accompanied with delicious fruit like papayas, pomelos, yellow mangos, bananas, or watermelon. My uncle even took me to Jonas for dinner, where I had mami (noodle soup) and was happy to indulge my cravings of leche flan and banana bread. I loved being able to spend time with my family members before I met up with my friends and their family members, for more time spent savoring the company of loved ones, and eating more Filipino food. For lunch at Aristocrat I satisfied more Flipino food cravings: Palabok (a signature Filipino noodle dish), Pinakbet, (a signature Filipino vegetable dish), Puto (a Filipino delicacy), Garlic Rice, and I washed everything down with Buko (young coconut water). Having lunch with friends in another country, enjoying our time together in the Philippines and sharing our experiences with one another is something that should never be taken for granted. Also, being in a city of a third world country, where poverty is apparent on every block, is a truly humbling experience. Everything that I’ve eaten and enjoyed is just that much more savored and appreciated, as not every one has the luxury of constant and steady meals. Everything so far craved and Savored have been accompanied with feelings of being very blessed and thankful for all that I have in my life, and every one in it.