Mangaahan

This past weekend we were able to take the short trip over to Guimaras Island to help a fellow PCV with an Eco Booth during their local festival, Mangaahan.  This island is where the sweetest mangos in the world come from. This is not just a statement; it comes from the Mango Research Institute, which just happens to be on the island also.  The festival lasts for an entire month and is filled with vendors selling cashews, t-shirts, bamboo made products, and of course, mangos.  We had a great time drinking an abundance of mango shakes (ice and mangos put into a blender - the locals add sugar and condensed milk but we've bought so many the vendors make ours without the extra sugar).  These help us stay cool since it's the hottest time of the year.  

There were many beautiful things to see.

Tyler, the PCV in charge of putting the information together, worked hard with his counterpart to make sure everything was in the local dialect.  We talked about the 3 coastal ecosystems along with the decomposition of different trash materials.  There were also fun games for kids to play, which usually drew the most attention.  It was another successful and fun weekend.

Time for sunsets and sundowners.

Many other food vendors were set up selling stuffed grilled squid, crabs of all sizes, BBQ chicken, and most importantly cold beer.