Strawberry Farm Market Stalls of La Trinidad, Benguet, Philippines

WATCH THE VIDEO. SEE WHAT YOU CAN BUY AT THE STRAWBERRY FARM

One of the often-visited tourist spots in the mountain province of La Trinidad, Benguet in The Philippines is the Strawberry Farm. There you can pay to harvest strawberries just like the locals. But if baking under the hot high-altitude sun isn't your cup of tea, then you can check out the market stalls that sell souvenirs and stuff you won't easily find anywhere else, like snake liquor and phallic ashtrays. Of course there are the ever-present strawberries.

If you will be buying raw strawberries, make sure that you get those that are not yet ripe so they can last a few days. They rot quickly and if you do not consume them on time, you'd end up with a lot of moldy lumps you wouldn't even care to look at. If you'll be traveling more after your visit, and would still like to buy souvenir strawberries, then get the jams and preserves.

To have an idea of what you can expect to buy there, watch the video (taken in 2016). Just pause it when you see something interesting so you can get a good look at the item.

BUY on AMAZON: Baguio Philippines Island Visit Vintage Travel Advertisement Art Collectible Wall Decor Poster Print. Measures 10 x 13.5 inches

Bulalo Served in Tagaytay Is a Hot Treat

Tagaytay City in the Philippines is famous for it's meat market. It's said that the best meat in the province of Cavite can be bought at the Mahogany Public Market. The place is crude, but it's there where you can buy good beef meat that's affordable. In front of the market is a long row of eateries or turo-turo in the local language. The term literally means to point repeatedly, and that's exactly what a customer usually does when he points to the food he wants to order. In a turo-turo food store, what's on the menu is lined up front to make it easy for customers to see the food for themselves.

Shown here is the famous bulalo stew of Tagaytay City. It's basically a beef leg bone soup with long string beans and cabbages seasoned with salt and black pepper corns. It's simple, but it's delicious and perfect for hot, steaming rice. Everyone loves a bowl of bulalo in Tagaytay if the weather is cold. The bulalo meat may be dipped into fish sauce mixed with a local lemon called kalamansi. For some kick to the sauce, you can add some red chili. The bulalo pictured here was ordered from an eatery called Moi's Little Ronamar Canteen. It serves complimentary mini bananas on the table.

So you like beef? Then here is an item that you must definitely be salivating for by now! It's the beef bandage assortment pack! It's bandage that you use for scratches and other wounds on the skin. They look like real beef steak! Click here or on the image to order your beef bandage tin pack.

Fish Stalls in Wet Market of Taytay Rizal

Wet markets (palengke) in the Philippines have a strange appeal. You don't really want to be there yet somehow, the experience enriches and energizes you. Even if you have no business there, you get the feeling that you've been to a carnival - like a kid who goes out on a holiday.

Crowded, hot, wet, and dirty - you'd get dark mud all over your feet if you don't walk carefully, you can't help but to soak in everything in a wet market, especially in the fish section, where everything's abuzz with activity. Tourists rarely ever visit the wet markets of the Philippines but it can be quite an experience and you get to see the things that people buy to put on the dinner table. You'll see lots of interesting things - fresh fish can literally leap out of their basins looking for an escape, but of course the store owner is there to keep them secure.

If you are a tourist and wish to experience the wet markets of the Philippines like the one shown here in Taytay, Rizal, then be prepared to wear light clothing, sandals, and avoid carrying bags that snatchers, slashers, and snatchers will find attractive. Do ask a local whom you know and trust to accompany you. When in the market, it's best to just keep walking unless you intend to buy something. Otherwise, you will be bumped by so many people you'll end up like a soaked rag.You'll end up sweaty, muddy, and smelly, but you get to experience something only in the Philippines.

Cream Dory fish Iriga-style sinigang recipe 

 

Century Tuna Flakes in Vegetable Oil 180 grams (Pack of 12)