Bandoja, formerly known as Lupa-an, is a barangay in Tibiao rich in clay reserves. Here are where pots and bricks are made in the province of Antique.
Pottery is both an art and a science. It’s something I’ve always wanted to try and I am lucky enough to have experienced it. It’s actually very technical and entails an arduous process.
For a lump of clay to be molded into a pot, there must be enough water added to make it workable before placing it on the center of a spinning platform called the wheel.
The damp clay is then kneaded and shaped with the turning of the wheel in a steady pace, adding water whenever needed to keep the clay soft and pliable. Using a certain amount of pressure, the middle of the clay should be carefully pressed all the way down to the bottom to form an opening.
Then working it from the inside out, with the constant turning of the wheel, it is shaped to the desired form with its rough sides smoothed. (Hi Sir Alex!)
When it’s done, the clay pot is removed from the wheel by sliding a tightly stretched string through the base of the pot.
Here are our finished pots! Well, sort of.
They first need to be air-dried for a number of weeks till they become bone dry.
Then they will be fired in this thermally insulated chamber called the kiln.
Tada! This is how they look like when they’re done. 🙂
If you wanna do something different and challenging, I highly recommend you try pottery here in Tibiao, Antique. Special thanks to the potters of Tibiao and Sir Alex Española for taking us here!
I drew a blank for every futile attempt to blog about our two-day excursion in Tibiao, Antique because I’m always at loss for words.
But how could I not? Its enchanting, pristine beauty has held me hostage and left me utterly speechless.
Tibiao is a large expanse of open fields, lush greens, verdant mountains and relaxing tropical scenery.
It is a wonderful respite for all those who seek serenity outside the hustles and bustles of everyday life.
There is just something about the beauty of nature that can have a profound effect on our senses.
The tranquility of silent rivers calms the cluttered mind.
The invigorating fresh air enhances mood and revitalizes the body.
The stillness of the mountains brings peace and healing to the weary soul.
Happiness can be found outdoors and so I invite you to come to Tibiao to reconnect with nature.
HOW TO GET TO TIBIAO, ANTIQUE Tibiao, Antique is a great travel destination for nature lovers, soul searchers and budget backpackers. It is located in the heart of Antique province and can be reached by plane via Caticlan or Iloilo.
From Caticlan From Caticlan Jetty Port Terminal, walk to the bus terminal nearby and take a bus that is bound for San Jose. It will pass through several towns before it reaches to Tibiao. Average travel time is 2 hours.
From Iloilo
From Molo Terminal, take a bus or van that is bound for Culasi or Caticlan. Just ask to be dropped off at Tibiao. Average travel time is 2-3 hours.
WHERE TO STAY
I recommend staying at Kasa Raya. I will talk more about it in another post soon.
The one thing I hated when traveling in Panay is commuting on the road. I once expressed my disdain about it here. But that has changed since I found out about Southwest Tours.
Southwest Tours provides a simple, affordable and hassle-free vehicle transfer service from Kalibo to Boracay. For only 650 PHP, you get a one-way door-to-door transfer inclusive of the terminal, environmental and other miscellaneous fees.
After payment is made, Southwest Tours will take care of everything so there’s nothing else to do but to just sit back, relax and enjoy the ride to Boracay.
Stationed at Kalibo Airport, they have buses that go to and fro Caticlan every day. You can check their bus schedule here.
I must point out that their air-conditioned buses are clean and modern. I love how everybody gets a seat!
About midway in transit, the bus makes a short stop at Ibajay Rest Area so passengers can relieve themselves, stretch or buy snacks.
Thanks to Southwest Tours we didn’t have to go through the hassle of registering and paying fees upon arriving in Caticlan. We were given access to an Express Lane and just breezed through all the lines as we presented our Southwest Tours badge and tickets.
They also have a chartered boat transfer from Caticlan to Boracay. Absolutely convenient!
Upon arriving in Boracay, a van was already waiting for us and we were then dropped off to our designated hotels door-to-door.
Southwest Tours made our trip easy, comfortable, seamless and stress-free! Their excellent service and unbeatable prices make me wanna travel with them again. I highly recommend them!
Boracay is all about having fun with the 3 S’s: sea, sun and sand. And I think the best way to enjoy all three of them is to be a mermaid! Yes, you read that right!
They have a team of experienced and professional mermaids who can teach you their fabulous “mermaiding” ways with strict adherence to safety standards, of course.
You can rent out a mermaid tail for only 500 PHP an hour (there are a lot of colors to choose from by the way). But if you want to learn how to swim in them, you’ll need to shell out 1500 PHP.
Being a mermaid is a lot tougher than it looks. With both feet locked together, it can feel a little constricting and any movement which involves the lower extremities would become unnaturally difficult. But with proper instruction and practice, it gets a little easier.
It was so much fun being a mermaid that I won’t mind doing it all over again!
If you like to see me mermaiding in action and the rest of our Boracay adventure, please check out our vlog:
Five months ago, my boyfriend and I had another epic adventure in the island of Panay. Our first agenda: Kalibo, Aklan.
For the first time, I was able to experience Ati-atihan Festival – the oldest festival in the Philippines which goes all the way back to the 1200′s and has been celebrated for more than 800 years now.
Coined as “the Mother of all Festivals”, the Ati-atihan Festival is held annually in January to commemorate
Sto. Niño, the patron saint of Kalibo. But before the Spanish colonization, it was originally a pagan festival to honor an anito god of the Ati people, the first inhabitants of Panay Island.
Ati-atihan means “to be like the Ati people”. If you’re Filipino, you know that word repetition may denote roleplay. Think “balay-balay” or “bahay-bahayan”.
The major streets of Kalibo were filled with an endless sea of people participating with what the locals call “sadsad”, a nonstop parade of street dancing and merrymaking as a thanksgiving devotion.
The steady, rhythmic pounding of the drums and xylophones never stop. Echoing late into night till the sun rises again – it literally goes on for days. The beat is so intoxicating that one cannot help but just dance away without care.
Adorned with elaborate, colorful costumes, the blackened street dancers also parade and dance to the beat along the streets of Kalibo.
Unlike other festivals we’ve been to, Ati-atihan allows everyone to be a part of the joyous, colorful parade and not just be mere spectators.
If drinking is your thing, be ready to take free shots from strangers in the most unconventional ways possible.
And yes, that guy is drinking beer right out of a plunger. Don’t worry. That’s clean and brand new, of course, in case you’re wondering.
Night and day, day and night… It is unfathomable how the people of Kalibo are able to sustain such festive momentum. The flow of their energy is unparalleled.
Popular practices on Ati-atihan festival include dancing, parading, costume play, feasting and many more.
Ati-atihan festival is like a cosplay convention, gay parade and Mardi Gras rolled into one. It’s definitely my favorite Philippine festival so far!
Just when think you’ve seen everything, you haven’t. Check out our vlog to see more of this year’s Ati-atihan Festival. The video may not be viewable on some mobile devices.
We strongly recommend that you use a conventional PC or MAC.
If you like seeing more of our videos, please give us a thumbs up on YouTube. Enjoy!
I’m so excited to share this exclusive sneak preview of what is soon to come here in Iligan…
Sulen is an art cafe nestled right beside the lobby of Elena Tower Inn. They will be opening their doors on the 28th of January this year. More details to follow soon…
In Iligan, you can’t get Buffalo wings this good anywhere. The chicken was tender, juicy, had just the right amount of heat to it and, of course, delicious. The dip was wonderful and went perfectly with the chicken.
This goes well with beer… and rice too! 😀
Jalapeno Quesadillas
For the vegetarians who love to have a bit of kick, this is perfect. Not saying that carnivores won’t like this too. Every bite was a burst of creamy, cheesy goodness.
Carne Burrito
Filled with Mexican rice, refried beans, beef tenderloin strips, salsa and cheese, this tasty burrito is a whole meal in itself. Certainly bound to please.
If you’re feeling for some Mexican fusion cuisine in Iligan, Wild Chili is the only place to go. Good service, great food at affordable prices (100~200 PHP).
Cute, lovable animal-shaped steamed buns isn’t something new. Yet, I’m surprised how it didn’t really catch on any sooner here in the Philippines as it is very popular in other Asian countries such as Hong Kong, Japan and Thailand.
But thankfully, Chowking has finally jumped on the bandwagon!
When we finally got our hands on the elusive Happy Pao, it seemed like the heavens opened up and all the angels sang a beautiful song just for us.
However, I am grossly disappointed that Chowking Iligan branches do not serve Piggy Happy Pao.
Yes, I understand that they are doing this because of “religious and cultural sensitivity”. But what’s puzzling is that they serve meals that contain pork anyway. So, I don’t get it.
Disclaimer: This cute steamed bun does not contain any real pandas.
Panda Happy Pao is a sweet steamed bun bursting with velvety, smooth chocolaty goodness. Although it is served hot, I prefer to take it home with me and chill it in the fridge for a few minutes before eating it.
Happy Pao isn’t only yummy, it’s very affordable too! Get these adorable buns for only 39 PHP ala carte, 49 PHP with a drink and 117 PHP for a box of three. Happiness guaranteed! 😉
Good Fellas is a new pizzeria in CDO that serves freshly baked artisan beer-battered pizza.
My boyfriend and I never had beer-battered pizza before so I knew we had to try it. A two-hour bus ride later…
Stepping in, I immediately noticed the clean, simple interior with a warm pop of color.
From the exposed brick wall down to the furnishing, it just screams contemporary industrial chic with a touch of rustic charm – much to the delight of my inner hipster.
Everything here is just Instagram-worthy so there’s absolutely no shame if you want to whip out your camera phones and snap photos away.
When we were there, the place looked a little vacant. It was a rainy afternoon after all. Who wants to brave the rain for just pizza right?
But a few minutes later, I was instantly proven wrong. At that moment, I knew we went to the right place and something good was already waiting for us.
Oh, hi! Just a little sneaky OOTD right here. Couldn’t resist posting this photo. Hehe 🙂
Pizza time!
We got the Big Joe, also known as the Godfather of all Pizzas. Beer-battered dough topped with cheese and a variety of meat – pepperoni, bacon, sausage, ham and beef.
Fresh, crispy and bursting with flavor. It was love at first bite. It is a little bit greasy though. But if you’re like me who doesn’t give a damn about that, you’ll definitely love this one! I can’t help but feel sorry for myself that I’m not having it right now. Can’t wait to go back and try more of their pizzas!
