"I observed how they prepare this popular soup dish. They just prepare everything right before your eyes. I saw bones, mainly skulls, in a stainless basin."

[BANGUED, ABRA, PHILIPPINES] ▬ Our host said we have to wake up early to be able to experience what this soup dish found in Brgy Patucannay has to offer the best way. I already have an idea what is this. But somehow, the feeling is different whenever I experience it in Abra.

[BANGUED] ▬ STEAM COMING OUT FROM THE HOT SOUP

With the determination to wake-up early, I set my alarm, took a deep breathe then allowed my body to sleep. I should have become more nocturnal a li'l bit but yeah, I'll be in Patucannay tomorrow so I have to be an early bird. Uh, thanks conscience. You are a great driving force made by God, not science. At least my conscience has to remind me that I can ruin the whole day if I have to let others wait for me.

Anyway, challenge accepted. You know, if you are a social media type of guy or the cool-er blogger type, you'll love to take advantage of the faster internet connection later at night when this bunch of some freakin' high school facebook users posting crying selfies of not being able to buy ticket for One Direction concert are asleep! Deymn! Imagine? You have to sacrifice for them just to get rid of these young freakin' facebook generation? That's just my idea anyway. Let's go back to Patucannay.

[BANGUED] ▬ GOOD MORNING ABRA VALLEY!!!

Then the next day came. "Good morning Abra!", my conscience squealed. I made it. The magnificent view of Mt Bullagao triggered these neurochemicals to give me that excitement and the rush. The view from the hotel terrace was really an effective stimulus to make me sing the high school rhyme/song, "I'm alert, awake, alive, enthusiastic (repeat 2x). I'm alert, awake, alive (repeat 3x) enthusiastic"! Pak!

Suddenly, the service car is there. We're ready to go to Patucannay!

[BANGUED] ▬ HOW THEY PREPARE THIS SOUP DISH

We reached Patucannay still hearing some cocks crowing. Our guide-hosts asked where is that house serving that soup dish. Then we saw a house.

"So, a house?" I said to myself. It seemed like there are no restaurants here, let alone a carinderia. But this house went out of the norm. You do not need a fancy restaurant if you got that kick-ass recipe. Confirmed. This house is the Baldera's pansitan.

In Abra, they have this soup dish they call as pansit or miki. In Patucannay, Baldera's pansitan is the house to find. As early as 6 AM, people are here. Maybe this house offers the best miki in town.

[BANGUED] ▬ SWINE SKULL, COULD ALSO BE CATTLE'S

I observed how they prepare this popular soup dish. They just prepare everything right before your eyes. I saw bones, mainly skulls, in a stainless basin. They boil this to extract those tasteful bone marrows. The water becomes a part of the soup.

Usually, the most common ingredients for this miki are the noodles (usually home-made, made of flour) and pork. Egg is an option. It can be boiled, or just mixed in the soup.

[BANGUED] ▬ MIKI NOODLES

[BANGUED] ▬ PORK

[BANGUED] ▬ WITH THE EGG

[BANGUED] ▬ LEFT: MIKI WITHOUT SOUP, RIGHT: MIKI WITH SOUP

[BANGUED] ▬ CHILLY ADD-ON

[BANGUED] ▬ MIKI NOODLE SOUP IS READY TO EAT

[BANGUED] ▬ MIKI EATERS QUEUEING

Atchuete is the reason for the color of the soup. It's not miki anymore without the identifying color. I can't remember the cost of one big bowl. But usually, it ranges from 30-60 pesos depending on the ingredients and the size of the serving.

The reason why we have to come here early is because they run out of supply fast. So at noon, the miki house is already closed because of these great number of miki eaters that come here.

This was as good as breakfast. Now we have the energy to continue for the next activities of the day. ▬ to be continued...

[UP NEXT] ▬ TAKING SELFIE BEFORE THE START OF THE GREAT CULTURAL ACTIVITY.

[UP NEXT] ▬ I TOOK A SELFIE NOW THAT THE STREET IS STILL EMPTY.

► ABRA MARCH 2015 TRAVEL SERIES

With a tummy solved and a body energized, we went straight to the provincial capitol of Abra. The street is still empty so I took a selfie because later on, this place will be crowded. What will happen here? Hang on for Part 8.

___________________________________________________

► FOOTNOTES, DISCLAIMERS, ACKNOWLEDGMENT, ETC

[1] This experience was made possible through Vice Governor Chari Bersamin who invited us to witness the Abra Kawayan Festival. With me is fellow travel blogger Estan Cabigas of langyaw.com.

[2] The maps I used below are the works of Mike Gonzalez and Eugene Alvin Villar on Wikipedia. Source: 1 | 2

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