North Route

Sunday after delivering the dressed Sunshines for Adela Ang's use in her new healthy food bar at EDSA Garden House, we jumped in our mobile house (that is what we now term the truck or the SUV as we literally get to sleep in them) and headed for Vigan.

If you follow the agriculture news these days, you know how Ilocos Sur uses Sunshine Chicks for their dispersal and called them Ilocos Super Chicken....:) parang Superchick!

Feeling under the sheets, but thanks to laptops and business centers, am able to do my paperwork while in the comforts of Vigan Plaza Hotel.....I tried to step out yesterday....so hot huh...I used the alibi of Asthma to stay indoors.

Anyway, enroute to La Union to check on a grower's new brooding area. Initial loading is not a laughing matter and since the grower has a market already, we want to make sure his learning curve will be minimal.

Up to Baguio, as I enjoyed the Ube Jam I got there the last time. I will stock on them and sell them at Organika. We've tried a lot of Ube Jams, this one is chewy, rightly sweet, I like it.

Go for a peep at our Santiago City outlet for a day, via Ambucalao Dam from Baguio. You have to do this route, very scenic and its a safer roller coaster ride.

By friday morning, we have to be back inManila as we have to do a live guesting for a radio program. That will be a separate post. The title should be cute.

Ambuclao Dam

Decided to go to Baguio, Sunday...but an unexpected 3rd radio guesting delayed us. So opted for an early Monday trip.

I always look forward to going up North. Stop at S.O.U.L. Cafe is a must, too bad no Green Tea Latte available yesterday. My dealer made sure we are able to have Pinikpikan, the "killing me softly" chicken. It was really good and tasty, made more so because of her 90day Sunshine. One chicken fed 6 adults, of course we also had a big plate of pancit. The cook was her brother, who also mans the brooding area. Was he sad to make Pinikpikan?

We also saw the location in Tam-Awan of the soon to be demo farm there. You can feel the artist's air all around. We were even joking that the campfire and storytelling area is perfect for inihaw na manok or to sit around a kaldero of Pinikpikan.

We found out that the road from Benguet to Nueva Vizcaya is passable. They said it takes 5hrs, but we decided to try it anyway as Doc Rey figured that the 5hrs they noted was timed taking the bus. We passed by Ambuclao Dam! Never been there, and just hear it over the radio when it alarms Luzon about impending flood from expected water release :) After the dam, it was rough road....after about 30mins we decide to ask....the road was leading to Baguio using another route :)

Off we back tracked, we had to cross the spillway. Went up the mountains to see the dam from a scenic vantage point.

Arrived Aritao in 3.5hrs....but remember we got lost. That was a huge savings in time, relaxing winding roads, great view. We vowed to do Baguio more often and visit La Union and Pangasinan real soon.

Mid February for sure in Benguet for the much awaited seminars.