Vegan Beatin' in the Philippines, day 4: Waterfalls, cows, and rice patties, part 2

mamabeats on my mind! photo taken by VeganBeats

     This is a continuation on the waterfall journey! I got a little side-tracked and threw some food stuffs to give a little vacation break...but we're back!
      After swimming and splashing away, and playing with cows and a happy, muddy pig we were barefoot and trekking deep into a naked neighborhood sprinkled with trees and the occasional curious child or bony creatures. I would turn into a a child every time I set sights on some sort of animal, similar to the kids running wide-armed at pigeons, I would starfish tumble towards all of them. sigh::
     Anyways, here's some more visual teases~

photo taken by VeganmBeats

baby buffalo~ photo taken by VeganBeats

swampy river~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     I may not eat rice, (only on super rare occasions) but I do love plants, and farms, and fields, and...greenery~ I can not begin to imagine the hours, days, and months of hard-work that goes into growing and cultivating each grain. Massive appreciation~

rice field~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     People grow pineapples outside of their homes...I can't even.

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

I will make this happen~ photo taken by VeganBeats

the island~ photo taken by VeganBeats

tangles roots~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     After playing in the ricefields and island for a bit, we went to the sand bar. This is a collection of sand that piles up over time and creates a mini island of sorts. You can't live off of it, or on it, but you can kick it there!

photo taken by VeganBeats

family peacing out~ photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

Scotty Soul and our guide! photo taken by VeganBeats

us~ photo taken by Scotty Soul

Scotty Soul and VeganBeats~ 

     I totally forgot! While getting to the actual rice fields, we bumped into these adorable kids digging in the sand, I got all curious and wanted to join in...I'm a kid! They were getting out these giant starchy roots and our guide piped up with a dish that uses them. So I bought a bunch of it and returning home, I got a massage and slumped into a room to find this!

photo taken by VeganBeats

     It may not look very appetizing but it was pretty delicious! It was steamed and fried roots (think yucca) seeped in a syrup of coconut milk and brown sugar...

mmm...veggie taffy~


More to come!

Vegan Beatin' in the Philippines, day 4: Waterfalls, cows, and rice patties, part 1

     While wrapping up a day of sun-soaked hair and fruit-bellied body's, we let the streaks of light dance on our skin while drinking iced tea and Tanduay rum. I wanted a Philippines drink and our hosts at our Port Barton home mixed a simple batch of rum and iced tea.
     "When we were young, this is what we drank. Now we're older...it's still what we drink."

     Strong, light, and flirty~ An easy and satisfying drink that welcomed the evening, and brought out some planning. One of the workers and I started chatting and we started talking about checking out the waterfalls in the area, and my genuine love for cows~
     Within the hour, our next day's plan was set...waterfall playing~ and maybe seeing some bovine buddies!
Like a lot of traveling, let the visuals and tastebuds do the sharing, I can't do much for the savory jams and sweetness...but here are some pictures of what my eyes got to feast on (visually not gastronomically of course)

drying fish~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     From boat to small tree-nuzzled island, we walked down a quiet path (with hidden people) to the said destination...

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

to the falls~ photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     I could here the water crashing, and while watching every step, my heart was bouncing with eagerness....or it could be the prior Iced tea and rum...

photo taken by VeganBeats

waterfall~ photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

    The flowers that guided our twisted path were so bright, loud, and sweet-scented...got me thinking of mamabeats!

RED~ photo taken by VeganBeats

YELLOW~ photo taken by VeganBeats

bananas~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     After swimming around, as promised...we rode the waves to check out rice patties...and snuggle bugs!

COW~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     The next little critter really upset me, she was a tied up pig...happy and chatting and rolling around in cool mud! She got me so upset because the rope tied around her neck was too tightly done and her skinw as actually growing over it. Now I understand that I've lived a very fortunate life where I can choose this vegan lifestyle, while many others do not have the freedom of culinary/ethical decisions. (I do hope this doesn't come off as ignorant). Living on an island with your neighbors and kids, this happy pig will feed you for some time, keep bellies full, and get a bit of stress off your shoulders. It's just this rope...loosen it up a bit, or make a harness...

how happy is she? photo taken by VeganBeats

    I kept my sadness to myself, why offend, and how dare I judge others on their food choices...I played with her a bit and left soon after...leaving a lot of love and thought with her...

pretty pig~ photo taken by VeganBeats

Vegan Beatin' in the Philippines, day 3: Island Hopping part 2

...and more pictures~

our boat~ photo taken by VeganBeats

captain and guide~  photo taken by VeganBeats

chickens rocking out of German Island~  photo taken by VeganBeats 

Scotty Soul swinging~  photo taken by VeganBeats

beachin it on German island~  photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

reflection~  photo taken by VeganBeats

     Turns out a family lives on German Island and they were making brooms from the coconut tree leaves...while kicking it with their army of pups~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     They had puppies~ Which I got to play with....they stole my heart...then they offered one to me...aiii

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

squeee~  photo taken by VeganBeats

meltinnnngg~  photo taken by VeganBeats

Vegan Beatin' in the Philippines, day 3: Island Hopping part 1

     The Philippines is a massive collection of islands, most of which you can't squeeze into a short week long period. But kicking it on some sandy and beachy dunes while soaking in the sun and reefs doesn't hurt, at all!!
     The third day in the 'Pines was a day set for island hopping, I'll write a bit, but let the mediocre iphone pics do the jabbering~

photo taken by VeganBeats

captain! photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     We snorkeled around the reefs for a couple hours, I never thought in my life I'd have this opportunity. Swimming with the fishes has always been left to the mob bosses and National Geographic folk in my head. But here I was, gliding around and playing tag with all sorts of sea life. I had a hard time with the goggles, I would get so stressed out and mentally close off my air source...a bit pathetic right?
     After spoiling my eyes with the vibrancy of the giggly fish and swaying coral, we were off to Exotic beach, where a meal of fresh coconut, fruits, and chicken (for Scotty Soul) was about to be thrown down...into our bellies~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     While drinking up fresh coconut water, my eyes darted around, trying as hard as they can to capture everything that was sorrounding me...impossible. Even now, I can't believe I was here~

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

photo taken by VeganBeats

     This is how you get all the goodies inside...pinatas got nothing on the coconut~

photo taken by VeganBets

     Ahh, some vegan meat?!~

coconut meat~ photo taken by VeganBeats

fruits~~photo taken by VeganBeats

    My fruit spread was overwhelmingly filling, and beyond healthy...I couldn't fit much more in my gut but fresh local papaya?!~ Baby sweet watermelon?!~....how can you stop?

Scotty Soul's chicken made for him~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     After snorkeling a bit more, filling bellies, we were off to another island~ more eyefuls of beauty and now a little vodka~

photo taken by VeganBeats

coconut trees~ photo taken by VeganBeats

     There are more pics to come~