Iloilo in Panay

I had only 200 km in meter when arrive in Iloilo. Drive via Toledo, San Carlos, Kanlaon, Bacolod to Dumangas, Iloilo. Distances not so long, only ferries take time. Also roads good except from Dumangas to Iloilo. No signs of damage round Kanlaon after earthquake

Iloilo was a positive surprise. Clean, organized city, bigger than Dumaguete or Bacolod. No beggars on the street. Iloilo is Bacolods mother city, settlers from there, also language ilongo. IMHO ilongo and visaya very close, like brothers.

Iloilo has Chinese impact, shops, things, temples, arches. A nice la mian restaurant with fish balls only Chinese can make. I also found fish paste in market, like nam phrik kapi in Thailand.

Got some new knowledge of deo stone. It is called tawas is visaya. You can use it over all body,like soap, the man told me. There is also different kind of tawas, powdered, to wash clothes or violet against allergy. Now I know that tawas is chrystals of potassium.

Small island next to Panay where Iloilo lies, is Guimaras. It is famous for carabao manga, big sweet manga; 60 peso small ones, 80 peso big. Taste good but I would fail in blind test against Negros, Cebu manga.

Word of the day: tawas = deo stone