Surprisingly, a coffee shop and deli serves the Filipino's ultimate summer treat - halo-halo. A melange of corn, coconut strips, sago and cornflakes among others, it is topped with a luscious ube ice cream that makes it a doubly heat buster. But what sets this apart among almost all halo-halo I tasted so far in Iloilo is the quality of the ice. While most halo-halos have this coarsely shaved ice, this one got's a smooth "texture" that melts in your mouth yet still has a bite. So, wave goodbye to the summer blues with Bluejay's halo-halo, and juts like their coffees and specialty drinks - it's good to the last "drop"!
A stones throw away from the plaza of La Villa de Arevalo is an ancestral house where one can find not only good pasalubong items but also a look into the past of the district. Known as the Sinamay House , this well preserved ancestral house is an attraction not only in the outside but also what it houses inside. A collection of what the past like is housed in the two storey edifice which also acts like a museum of sorts. Sinamay is simply known as abaca by most and, here, a variety of products made from this fiber can be found. I remember watching a feature on tv wherein the owner proudly showed a framed letter signed by the late Princess of Wales, Diana, showing her appreciation of the handkerchief she was given as a gift coming from this very shop. But the attraction I am most familiar with are the chewies and crunchies made by Mama's Kitchen. Attractively packed in boxes showing their current flavours and variety, this is among the better...