God Destroys Liar

Via plague? Via early death? Via rays of red lasers?

A Most Curious Hat

Hat, shades, piercing look.

Here is a traffic enforcer in Pagsanjan looking like a sheriff. Or a forest ranger. He remained along the small side road looking at us with curiosity as we sat and chatted with a lady.


Black hat absorbing the intense heat.

Until we finally asked him about his hat, which apparently, was the mayor's idea. It was made to look like a western hat fashioned from animal skin or felt, but was actually woven plant material (buri, perhaps) treated for stiffness, and painted black. It's interesting to see police uniform stereotypes from the world over being applied by local governments.

Tokwa sa Carinderia

Deep-fried tokwa chopped into chunks.

Somewhere between here and the faraway there, we made a meal stop. Cheap, deep-fried firm tofu with soy sauce, vinegar, and siling labuyo is comfort food for me. Carinderias have them around, usually for addition to arroz caldo, but they will serve them up on their own for anyone who asks, for around 5 pesos.


Post-frying.


Mmm.. sanitation.


Also serving turon, or bananas wrapped in spring roll wrapper, deep-fried, sweetened.


Bananas for turon.


Instruments.


Salt, pepper, mortar.


Arranging beverage options above the glass display compartment.

Carinderias are a perfect place to talk about the weather and get an earful of some local chismis. I have always found that the people who man these places have good conversational skills, are firmly grounded in the community while having a less-oggly approach to dayo (visitors) like me. Most are female, and range from being young ladies who are constantly teased by male diners, to middle-aged rotund ones who keep rowdy customers in check like mothers-of-all.


Eating surface.