A Pagudpud fish tale

On Tuesday, Dec. 30th, our second day in Pagudpud, we were figuring out how to make the most of the long trip. The outdoor temp was in the mid-20s. The waves were rough and the next island was Batanes.

Around noon, a group of local folks rushed to the beach, apparently to fish. We got curious and thought it would be good for the kids to do a bit of ethnography. It seems that their designated diver had spotted dilis, which meant there would be tulingan. About an hour later, the fishers closed in their nets. The tulingan were wriggling vigorously, creating a sound like the Japanese Zeros were over Pearl Harbor again, and on the sand, tiny dilis. This was the local economy in motion: the men with the bigger tulingan because it would go to market; the women and children picking up the dilis for the home kitchen.

Bel, David, Maggie and Regina helped with the dilis. Then someone passed a tulingan until it Bel. By way of explanation, a woman said, "Happy New Year!" David took the two-kilo catch to the kitchen for grilling. The tulingan in Manila markets are usually puny. Our lunch was longer than David's shoulders, and as fresh as fresh could be.

Later in the afternoon, we went on a guided hike up the Pico de Loro mountain to trace the spring which irrigates the rice paddies on the slopes and provides Pannzian with fresh drinking water. (I struck fresh not because it did not apply, but because it was an assumption for almost anything) Regina and Maggie displayed their perfect balance — katas ng ballet? — on the narrow trail. Swimming was optional so we opted not. Instead, Regina "baptized" her new baby doll. On the way down was a spectacular view of the Luzon Strait.