Badak

became my favorite fruit as I adventured into the forested areas of Southwest Palawan (Philippines) during the late 90s. I found this very sweet and delicious! One time, I ate about 10 of them!
One can find this rare seasonal fruit during 'Tabo' or 'Market Day' mostly during weekends in the small barrios around the Mantalingahan area (the Municipalites of Bataraza, Brooke's Point, Espanyola, Rizal, Quezon).
'Badak' is what the indigenous tribes in Palawan call it. As I found out the other Southeast Asian neighbours call it Cempedak or chempedak . The tree belongs to the Moracaea Family, a relative of Jackfruit, Marang, Breadfruit and Durian. It occurs in Malaysia, Myanmar, Brunei, Indonesia and the Philippines (only in Palawan).* And the smell! How exotic! The taste of the fruit is similar to the related Jackfruit with a hint of Durian. A sweet, mild, and juicy pulp surrounds the peanut-like seeds in a thick layer between the husk and an inedible core. The outer husk of the fruit is slightly sticky.

There are not so much literature found regarding this fruit and so I thought I'd pursue research on this tree for my master's degree. So wish me luck!

If you're interested to know more exotic fruits, check this out : http://www.fruitpedia.com/


italics-mine

Vienna, Fall 2008

Smile in our Face

It's interesting that when we were children, we never realize the value of friendship until we grow old nor we do treasure the beauty of childhood. As children, everyday was exciting..though the boring part was going to school but then again we had the whole day to play. No sooner than we expected we were in Highschool and Time's changed...And some of those whom we grew up with had moved to another school ... But ahh the days when everything were almost fun, except for some embarrassing moment ,of course... And then, College, University life came - a totally different scenario..the realism surges...experimenting on love and relationships mixed with endless sleepless nights ...and dreaming of passing with flying colors..while some of us dreamt only of surviving...and escaping...until that too, passed by...And then the real world, the list of dreams went on and on...seeking a job, seeking fulfillment, seeking life's meanings ..reaching the childhood dreams...
From childhood we meet lots of people through the years... and there are those who stand by us..others just go away and we never hear from them anymore..while others disappear and re-appear.. and yet others just wither.
Some of my batchmates way back in HighSchool already got married and or have children, like myself...others continue to stay single...a couple of them became successful and rich...while others choose to live the alternative.. and sadly a few had already said goodbye....
How now that whenever we hear from someone we grew up with, we fondle at the idea that somehow we can be children again.. to play the whole day....and our hearts jump to some degree at this very thought and it puts a warm smile on our face.

Berlin, 2007

Old Flame, New Admiration

After 3 years, I decided to fly back to Puerto Princesa, my beloved hometown...
The adventure started from Vienna via Amsterdam to Manila-and boy! was it too much for the soul.Too exciting, too exhausting and too many questions. And I hated the thrill...so I tried diverting myself and watched movies during most of the 17-hour flight. Nevertheless, my thoughts were always on Palawan; my parents, property, friends, food, boatride, diving, the sea, people, islands, fish, beach...
Arriving in Manila wasn't much of a help.The queue system didn't change at all.The same old bureacracy one can find in NAIA was still there.Tsk,tsk. Oh well, WELCOME BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES...
And of course, I had to wait for half a day in Manila to get on the last flight on that day to Puerto Princesa. And as I have expected (the unexpected) the flight to Puerto was delayed. I had been awake for more than 27 hours - yet I couldn't rest my eyes nor sit on one corner. (My brain was only functioning due to the high intake of Espresso coffee!).
But the sheer excitement that I finally would see Puerto again overwhelmed me. I just wanted to go home...
It was late afternoon as we took off for Puerto. As we entered Palawan airspace, the clouds tinged with pink and red greeted me with a familiar warmthness one can only find in Palawan.
From the window, I saw Honda Bay beneath and the islands about it. The memories rushed in-I was in a trance for some minutes. How I missed the warm waters! And how I wished to parachute away and splash into the bay (with or without my luggage)...
How can one forget a once beloved hometown? a place one considered incomparable? where one discovered the sensations of nature? where one found a place in one's heart?
As we made the final descend and saw again the green curls of her mountains, I remembered the romance I had once with Palawan. During the time I approached manhood, she taught me a lot as I ventured into her jungles, explored her caves and dived her waters. Extremely wild and sensational...
My thoughts were interrupted as the stewardess caught our attention and bid us goodbye. Somehow, I was afraid the time will come when I had to say goodbye again to Puerto and fly back to Vienna...
And oh Vienna! Somehow I needed to choose between the two. Puerto Princesa-a young, virgin, naive place and; Vienna-old, but modern, rushing city. (Jokingly, it sounded like 'the Filipina or the Foreigner?')...
In Palawan, I was free.Time didn't exist in her forests nor beaches. Just the rising of the sun and moon mattered to her.The setting of the sun signalled the moon. And most of the time, the stars kissed the seas as they gleam reflectingly. I fell in love with her seas and what's under them. Her seas offered me a silent kingdom where all creatures bowed to my presence. She offered me nourishment, bounty, and a place of refuge-to wash away the stress found on land.Somehow, the life above strangled me and I fell despair. The seas could not remedy such.I fell out of love and decided to search for a new one. I left Palawan...
As I got out of the plane and saw Puerto airport atlast, I tried to rekindle the once romantic relationship I had with her.However, I too feared the involvement as I already started a new admiration for Vienna.
Vienna, a foreign-speaking, highly cultured, developed city who undertook a thousand facelifts offered something different. She offered security, opportunity, equal human rights, ease-a new pasture where grass grew plenty...
After spending a week after 3 long years,I realised I didn't have the same amour I had with Puerto.This was not anymore my home. Sadly, I did not belong to her anymore...
Things have changed. And changed her a lot. She tried to undergo cosmetic surgery but it wasn't done properly.So she ended up unfortunately ugly. The trees which adorned some her corners were cut down. Lost with them, were memoirs of the once mystic Puerto Princesa I knew. Unknowingly, she attracted more suitors, more migrants and a result, more pollutants. And she had driven away the good people, whom I knew, and who loved her for what she formerly was...
The freedom which she offered to my soul at one time existed no longer. It was perhaps, given to another suitor. Or perhaps, it was simply lost...
But how can one forget a feeling? The excitement, the thrill were exchanged with boredom and discomfort. My once considered hometown felt estranged. I felt like a simple passer-by. An alien. A tourist...
And time came to leave the 'old flame' behind, or so I thought. As we parted, Puerto Princesa whispered something into my ear...An offer to remain friends forever and promised to welcome me anytime I should look for 'new' home...

(Thoughts on Migrating)

Manila, 2008 Philippines Trip

INATAY

The first time I learned I was to become a Father in 2005, I was sweating like heck and well, quite excited.And when the big day came, I was in Cloud9!!! My wish came true. I was a father at last!!!
However, because of some restrictions with my first visa in Austria, my wife and I decided that she'd have to go back to work in Vienna whilst I'd have to take care of our 2 month-old baby boy in our house in a small village on the Austrian countryside...Indeed, I was also to become a Mommy-a role I never even expected...
My son, Aramis, was born nearly Wintertime of 2005-one of the coldest winters in Austria. Snowfall and Snowstorms were unprecedented all throughout Europe. That Winter was such a catastrophe.
Every morning, I'd dress my son with 4 or 5 underclothings plus a thick winter jacket.He'd stay quietly on his pram and sleep while I shovel snow which amounted to 2-3 meters high in front of our yard. A few occassions the temperature went to to minus 20s and 30s (Celsius). 'Twas a helluva freezin' winter, but my son was courageous enough to endure the weather-he'd quietly sleep until I finished shovellin'.
At night, he'd cry out loud (maybe longing for his mama), so I'd move him to my bed and he'd quiet down - so I reckon he just wanted to get a little bit of warmth. And so, I had no choice but to sleep beside him (almost) everynight. Although almost every four hours he'd cry when he's hungry or when his nappy's full. Nevertheless, he was A-ok..
Bathtimes were very much a challenge. Because I was alone with him, it was nerve-wrecking 'coz he's never like Water and moved a lot and shriek at the same time. It was disastrous the first few months...Water everywhere, suds all over the floor, etc. etc...
My son was teaching me a very important virtue which I lack, Patience.
And of course, there was the first visit to the Pediatrician.
The 'white' women looked at me so strangely-but some were glad to see a man carrying a baby. I guess bcoz baby caring has never been generally appreciated by the male gender that some women feel indifferent and a few, enthused and due to my being Oriental, they were in awe.
Eventually, with our constant visit to the Pedia's clinic, some of the mothers befriended me and asked lots of questions on 'Single Parenthood'. It was something.But the most intrigued was ( I think ) was the Pediatrician herself. She couldn't believe that a small-Asiatic guy, who just moved into a small Austrian dorf, was caring for a baby and playing Mommy!!!
A few more months passed and we had to go back to Vienna, to live in the city again.We had to leave some very good friends behind.And we had to pay one last visit to our Pediatrician. I thought she'd be surprised but I was more surprised as she handed me a T-shirt with print that says 'THE RAREST MUM IN THE WHOLE WORLD'.
(Chiupow, a highschool classmate of mine emailed me one time and related that he too became an 'INATAY' or 'ina at tatay'- a Pilipino word for mum and dad. But the word 'atay' actually is a Pilipino word for New Castle Disease-a bird virus which occurs mostly on chickens and wipes out an entire coop!)
So here's one for all the INATAYS out there...

Lower Austria, Spring 2006

Simple Compost

Forget about digging compost pits. Or magic microorganisms which cost you! If you have a garden compost pile and you don't know what to do about it simply separate the branches away from the degradable ones, such us leaves, peelings, shoots. Make a heap of it. Simply water the compost everyday and continue to turn it inside out. You will need a hayfork to do the job. The compost may give off odour for a while-but its how it is. The microorganisms around your own environment are actually doing the job for you-cost free. And well, they give off this odour 'effect' as they 'churn' the debris . In 8 weeks time, as you keep continue watering it and turning it over, you will achieve a fine good compost. Try it!!
Note : please do not include branches or sticks or wood-these have cellulose and microorganisms need a long time to break them down.