Sweet Treat: MANGGAHAN FESTIVAL 2011

Ask any Filipino what his favorite fruit is and you are likely to discover that 10 in every 10 like mangoes!  While apple represents America, mangoes represent the Philippines.  And we're all proud of it.  Speaking of which, this little province which I consider biker's paradise, claims to produce the best and sweetest mangoes -- in the world: Guimaras!

Since one of my classmates hail from the province, my bffs and I decided to spend a little time in this little island get-away.

A quick 10-minutes pump-boat ride was all it took to bring us to Guimaras from Iloilo. 
Fare costs 14pesos from Ortiz to Jordan wharf.

The motor boats are well-equipped.  Thanks to the stricter implementation of maritime rules for safety.  The vessels are never overloaded and life-jackets are prominently placed above the passenger seats.

Normally, nobody wants to have picture taken during a boat ride when one is travelling alone.  But in the company of friends, picture taking becomes imperative. =)

Manggahan is a tourism event of the province to commemorate the independence of the province (since it used to be just a part of the province of Iloilo).  It was our first time to attend the festivity although for my part, I have been to the province a few times already in the past.  They called their celebration "Manggahan" to give tribute the province's foremost product:  mangoes.

The affair also showcases the various agricultural and commercial products of the island. Since the focus of the event was the mango produce of Guimaras which also claims to be the home of the best and the sweetest mangoes in the Philippines, various booths also sold ripe and green mangoes, various mango preserves, even tiny mango seedlings, mango delicacies, and yes, also shirts with mango prints. 

Several booths have been designed into dainty bamboo huts like this one which had a huge mango-shaped paper mache.

No visit to the Manggahan Festival would be complete without having a feast of course, of mangoes!  Eversince the festival was launched, tourists and guests are treated to a bountiful mango feast where one can eat as much mangoes as he wants.

For this year, the Mango-eat-all-you-can costs 40pesos (less than a dollar).  After waiting at a long queue outside the eat-all-you-can area, patrons are ushered inside tables under the shady mango and acacia trees.  They are then served a platter with 3 mangoes each (approx. a kilo).  They also serve Ibus (sticky rice delicacy) for 3pesos a piece, it is the perfect match for the sweet mangoes.

True enough, most guests can only consume 3 mangoes at most considering that those have to be eaten and peeled with bare hands!  Yup. Bare hands.  So if you think of mango-eat-all-you-can, prepare to be messy! Heheheh!

After the hearty lunch we went around checking out the venue again.  This is what my friend calls "Guimaras dessert" -- pertains to that seemingly dessert-y site of a field made of lime and concrete.

We got home tired and satiated and yes, I brought with me some mangoes (and some marcotted calamansi) for Mom. Teheh!