Rough Groove

P Burgos, Makati City

Cuddles. Jungle. Ivory. The Matrix. Stardust. Montana. High Heels. Billboard Club.

Flower girls. Flower boys. Fake watch and sunglass hawkers. Taxi drivers.

Bouncers. Pimps. Prostitutes. Comfort Girls. Young. Old. Beautiful. Not beautiful. Dressed to the nines. Full make up. Plain looking.

Japanese. Koreans. Caucasians. White. Black. Yellow. Brown. Fat. Thin. Balding. Dashing…

…and other life forms line the streets of P. Burgos, the red light district of Makati. No, I’m not here to gawk at these people or watch the dancing lights running through the marquee’s edges (but I do admit, it is interesting to watch them not for the pity-you-lucky-me thinking but more on the kaleidescope of forms, color and features of these denizens to the haughtiness of the foreigners that take their pickings from the vurnerable if not desperate ladies sashaying on the hard concrete earth littered with candy wrappers and other plastics). Or heaven forbids, taste its poisoned fruits.

I was just passing by on my way to the hotel where I’m staying.

Sisig and two bottles of San Mig Light - after the tremor

Before going back to the hotel, my roomate, Herzy, and I decided to soothe our rattled nerves with sizzling sisig washed down with two bottles of ice cold San Miguel Light beer in an eatery that we found a few meters from the hotel.

Sisig, as far as I know originated in Pampanga and anyone can now find it in most places within the Philippines (except maybe in Muslim areas) where it is a popular pulutan (uhm, don’t know really the English translation, but this is an accompaniment in most drinking sessions).

WARNING: For the squeamish and uninitiated, its not advisable to read on

Sisig (from Kusina at iba pa)
Ingredients:

1 1/2 kilo Pork head
1/4 cup grilled liver (diced)
2 small onions (minced)
2 pieces red pepper (minced)
1 head garlic (minced)
6 pieces hot chili pepper (minced)
2 tablespoons oil
1 cup vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons liquid seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 cup beef stock
Procedure:

Grill pork head for to remove hair.
Boil pork head until tender.
Take out all the meat and dice.
In a sauté pan, heat oil and sauté garlic, onion, red pepper, pork meat and liver.
Season with liquid seasoning, black pepper, and brown sugar.
Pour in beef stock and cook until meat is tender and starts to oil again.
Add minced chili pepper last.
Serve on a sizzling plate.

Additional: garnish with garlic, onions and an egg

Earthquake in Luzon* 2236H 8 Oct

We were in room 2809 of Primetown hotel in Makati City when Herzy, my colleague gave out a loud cry: “Lindol pare!!!” (Earthquake!!!) that I eventually took notice of the tremblings as the building shook for a few seconds. Right there and then, we packed our things with me securing my notebook computer and camera and he, his passport and plane ticket. While doing this, other guests from the other rooms, mostly college students from Bacolod City in Negros who were having there plant visits, were already streaming through the hallway, some crying, while their teachers commanded for calm. Fear of a stronger aftershock was in our minds as we raced out of the room and headed for the flight of stairs. We should be out of the building, PRONTO! That was our objective during that time that going down the stairs from the 28th floor to the ground just took less than 5 minutes.

Most of the guests were already outside the hotel when we went out of the lobby. Some sitting along the periphery of the building while some, including the two of us, crossed the opposite street. The students were already in a huddle, praying, while some kept on looking up the hotel. Maybe hoping that it will be rent asunder?

I called my manager while Herzy called our hotel accommodation in-charge, informing them of what happened and requesting the possibility of transfering to another establishment but then it dawned on us: how safe are the other hotels? While thinking of possible answers, the hotel guard came and motioned us to go back assuring us that all is already okay? What? Is he technically capable to give out this advice? He’s mad!

“Where to now Herz?” I asked. He didn’t answer. He seemed upset and afraid, his eyes saying it all. As for me, I tried to put on a brave mien but deep inside, I was a bit queasy. In the end, we just decided to stay at the hotel hoping and silently praying that we will have a glorious morning ahead of us.

*The earthquake’s epicenter was located 67Km southwest of Tagaytay City and according to Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) it recorded at 6.2 on the Richter Scale from a depth of 94Km caused by the movement of the Manila trench. A similar tremor was felt about three weeks before this one.