Ahhh, the famous Manila Bay sunset. Just lovely!
Family, food, photography
The latest
Pork patty, herbs & arugula spring rolls
If a food show has a reality TV format, I skip it. It's that simple. I prefer informative and entertaining but sans the contrived drama. Like Good Eats with Alton Brown. And Foodography. … »»
Mocha and almond trifle
The inspiration started with a photo. The finished dessert turned out to be something else because, believe or not, it was partially made with “failed cookies.” What failed … »»
Gelato, cappuccino, bento and udon
A story I almost forgot to tell. It was in December between Christmas and New Year and my mother wanted to go out to buy her Christmas gifts for the girls. The gift-buying part took a very … »»
On Pinterest
-
porch
-
Morris Chair
-
Indoor planters. The plants are real. I think.
The author
It's tempting to simply ask that you Google "Connie Veneracion" or "Sassy Lawyer" or "Pinoy Cook" and have this page done with. But that might give you the wrong idea about me. A third of what's been written about me is true, a third is half-true and the rest consists of drug-induced hallucinations. I suppose I'd better let me, rather than them, tell you about me. I'm … »
The cooks
*This article was last updated on October 2, 2011. In 2003, a time when I hadn't heard of the term "blog", I started a recipe website at cooking.houseonahill.net using a now defunct content management system that ran on ASP. Ok, never mind the geek talk, I'm sure you're not interested in that. The contents easily multiplied and, in 2004, I moved the food site to … »
About CASA Veneracion
Casa is Spanish for house. CASA is also an acronym for Connie, Antonio, Sam and Alex. We are all surnamed Veneracion... »»
same observation I had when we went to Majayjay
Falls in Laguna. The trip there was not easy, the roads were winding and steep, and no gas station nearby (had to gas up from pepsi-cola bottles sold by one local ‘sari-sari ‘store. I took several pictures of the falls because of the trash people left around. People dunking in the water from the falls, shampooing and soaping, washing kitchen wares, cooking, barbecuing on rocks in the middle of the stream, strewing paper plates, plastic cups, tin foils, just about everything everywhere, and makeshift tents scattered everwhere I looked. One public toilet on one side of the stream that was closed shut. I wondered where people went.
Days earlier, I watched on TV an interview with the mayor of Majayjay, a simple man of simple means. He was being honored for the good job he had done for the people, and the town.
I thought, this gotta be a nice town! Well, the falls might jjust be too far for his reach. I sure broke a sweat before reaching it. Sadly, it wasn’t worth it, though.
How can WE help?
Joe, you should see Hinulugang Taktak now. Just one big dump site. How can we help? Most politicians will jump at the chance to says Pinoys abroad can help tremendously with their $$$. But after all the dollars that have poured in, there’s not much difference. If Pinoys abroad want to sponsor projects here, I suggest they do it themselves. Lke the culinary school I heard is being set up by OFWs. I just don’t think that donating, especially when coursed through the government, will really do any good.
It’s a shame. The Philippines has got a lot to show for!!
Great pictures!!
My in-laws tried this ride in Intramuros in April and they said that they could not distinguish where the smell was coming from, from the driver or from the horse. They had the ‘abaniko’ over their noses the whole time.
That’s one of the things that makes it more adventurous in the third world than in New York, say (but I love China Town in Manhattan).
The government should have somekind of mandate (if necessary) over these tourist providers for respect , and dignity. They might get repeat business, instead.
Politics and corruption is killing tourism. And I’m not even talking of foreign tourists. We should start preserving what attractions even for the sake of local tourists.
Thanks, Connie. Great pics!