A taste of Korea: Soju!

After a failed trip to SM (left behind because I overslept), Carolyn and I decided to take a trip to the nearest Munsterific to buy drinks instead. I was tempted to buy a bottle of Soju, after enduring a barrage of Super Junior videos (dance moves and catchy lyrics included) that Carolyn prepared for her students. We decided to drop by Ralph's for a bottle, and the end result is this review: Soju!

Most brands of modern soju are made in South Korea. Though traditionally made from rice, most major brands supplement or even replace the rice with other starches such as potato, wheat, barley, sweet potato, or tapioca (called dangmil in Korean). Soju is clear in colour and typically varies in alcohol content from about 20% to about 45% alcohol by volume (ABV), with 20% ABV being most common. Its taste is comparable to vodka, though often slightly sweeter because of the sugars added in the manufacturing process. It is widely consumed, in part, because of its relatively low price. A typical 300mL bottle of soju costs the consumer 1,000 to 3,000 South Korean Won P40to P150.
(From WIKIPEDIA)

I got a bottle of C1 soju, not really my preferred brand but I do need to wake up tomorrow morning. The brand is not that popular, not like Jinro (the one with the frog logo). But I like this one for casual drinking as it is more smooth and the kick is just right. Jinro for me is for heavy drinking with friends and must come with a bowl of stir fry!


Ralph's had a decent selection of Soju, not to mention other tempting spirits that range from the local cossack vodka (or what id like to call: throat scraper) and the ever tempting but oh so deadly Absinthe. The shelf had about 4 choices of Soju: Jinro original, Jinro fresh, C1 and some other Soju that had no english text whatsoever. Didn't bother with Jinro as I would like to reserve it for special occasions, so C1 it is.


The taste is pretty unique.
It's not like Vodka where you get a pure, strong alcohol taste. Not like tequila as it does not have that specific earthy Tequila after taste. Imagine the taste as sweet Vodka, as do most describe the drink. The smell of this drink is that of watered down rubbing alcohol, really. A shot glass or a small cup/glass will do when drinking Soju. You can actually down two to three bottles in over 30 minutes or less when conditions apply (drunkards around you, pouring you the drink). And the alcohol should kick in after 5 to 10 minutes.
 I really love this drink as it is affordable and is a great solo drink as well. I enjoy a bottle during those stressful nights and the good thing is that it's pretty rare to get a hangover the morning after. Be careful though. You easily lose track how many bottles you had, and it will make you do stupid things if you drink one bottle too many (like hit on Jack when playing Mass Effect 2!!!)

                                                         *Jack and Shephard. (RAWR!)
Overall: Not too strong for both your nose and gastro track, and is dirt cheap! Recommended for poverty ridden "I want to get wasted" nights.




I really recommend Soju for those seeking that quick Alco fix for stressful nights.
One bottle of Soju, headphones with Kaskade playing at high, a bowl of Stir Fry and you should say goodbye to the stress you had for the day. Plus it is less fattening than beer!
Yay for Korean Soju! :D
-Leo
(view the online blog here: http://hellobacolod.blogspot.com)

One big problem with Bacolod.

One really big problem about Bacolod is the traffic. Or to be more precise: THE DRIVERS. I don't mean all the drivers, by the way. I mean those ignorant, dim witted idiots who don't give a damn who they kill or who they harm for P7 persos. Yes, people: JEEPNEY DRIVERS.

Who the hell gave them a Driver's license!? Some can't even release the clutch properly, some don't even know the meaning of road ethics (well, I guess that is too much to ask.).

I just got off a Jeepney that had more or less 6 kids on board. All on the laps of their Aunties or Lolas.
You know what happened? I don't really know, but from the looks of things the driver was pissed off because the kids were hogging all of the space on his cramp, old school manshuki (you know, those yellow jeeps way back.). His actions showed it all, really. Bitching about making room for other passengers.
"isdog sa wala!"
"damo pa day lugar sa to-o"
When clearly, all seats were too cramped for even half of my but cheek to fit in. Not to mention you had to endure the smell of sweat that dried under the sun due to the kids. (No offense though).
He was clearly pissed, and his already messed up driving became even worse. Swerving from left to right, racing other Jeeps to the passengers waiting beside the road.
He did manage to fill the Jeep to the brim, one Med-rep looking lady was sitting with half of her butt hanging from the seat, braving the cramped Jeep for the sake of saving time.
But it was near Enting's that the ride turned from bad to worse. The berserk driver played chicken with a taxi that was pulling off from the corner of Enting's getting to the main road. To my horror, the driver of the Jeep didn't even think twice of slowing down. What's worse is that the idiot driving the taxi also didn't think of stopping resulting on a near miss swerve by our Jeep. If this was Need for Speed, he got 100 near miss points already!
Right then and there, I got flashes of mangled bodies in my mind. The kids, the lady carrying her bag of groceries, the med rep. I have seen bodies of people that were in a 60km/hr crash. Trust me, its not pretty.

See? (Sorry, but you have to see the result of STUPIDITY these drivers practice and one that we unfortunately tolerate)
The only words that came out of my mouth right before the "almost" crash was: Holy Crap!
I had headphones on, but I can very well tell everyone heard it. The sad part is... only me, the driver and two passengers in the front seat saw what could have happened. Hence, everyone else was calm and relaxed.
Three blocks later, I got off the jeep. Cold, mildly shaking and very disturbed.

Why do we tolerate such ignorance? These people risk their lives and the lives of their passengers, not to mention the lives of other motorists because he had a bad day, is rushing, or is just plain reckless. Who gave them the right to play with Jeepneys in our busy roads endangering everyone in their path? Yes, there have been few reports of accidents and deaths, but should we wait till we get a report that 17 people: 6 kids, 9 adults, 1 idiot driver and 1 poor employee from Convergys living at 12th street lacson was killed after a collision with a taxi?
When will we act? When will our government straighten this out!?
WHEN?
Its when Jeepney drivers drivers stop voting.
Or when a person can simply take a pistol, and shoot the driver in the head if he thinks his driving is shit. (yeah, yeah, I'm over acting.)

But I am angry.

And if you think the problem with Bacolod Jeeps is not a big deal, look at the picture above.
-Leo

A typical Thursday night in Bacolod.

The cathedral may be quite fancy on the picture above, but the real night shot of it should show a little more people selling clothes and other stuff at bargain price and a little more smoke from the Jeepney engines surrounding it.
But of course i'm not saying its a bad place or something like that.
I just realized that life is pretty damn simple here, not like the cool and pretty intense picture above. And honestly, that's the way I like it.

A fresh memory from the ride I had earlier was the smell of engine smoke combined with the smoke from Chicken barbecues right beside the Libertad market. The mix was...  Intoxicating and also somewhat delicious. I just looked at the different types of people buying from the Barbecue-han. Some dressed simple, like they just got up from bed with that "pam-balay" look. Others were in their office wear just getting off from work. Seeing that the "Pa-a" or "Pecho" they are going to serve for dinner is littered with dust and engine exhaust debris made me cringe. But still, you can't deny the fact that Chicken inasal made from Bacolod is to die for; Either cooked clean inside a grill in your garden, or even right beside your busy neighborhood street.

When you think about it... it is a marketing strategy, really. You're sitting there in the jeepney after 8 hours of hard work. It's 7pm and you need a hot meal ASAP. You get to this street and you are greeted with the sweet, enticing aroma of a chicken leg roasting in an open grill, brushed with a sauce that has all those special herbs and spices unique in every inasalan.
If I had P40 in my wallet, I would have ended up at my Gf's house with a chicken leg wrapped in brown paper inside a plastic bag... "IF" I had P40, that is...
Yay for poverty! My diet is saved again! :D
-Leo
(photos are not mine, BTW.)

Hello, Bacolod!

Hopefully this blog thing goes well.... After I figure out how to use effectively these blogger tools, I guess I will stick to the basics for now. LOL.

Anyway, I though of starting this blog after an evening Jeepney ride from my house at Lacson to my Gf's house in Villamonte.
The 2 ride trip showed me the "real" Bacolod in a sense.

The somewhat busy streets filled with people rushing to get dinner from the local barbecue-han, the fish vendors closing after a hard days work, the irritating jeepney drivers all hogging the 4 lane road just to get passengers that are also in a rush.
I love this city, and everything in it. So why not blog about it???

In this blog I plan to showcase Bacolod at its best and worst. Well, mostly best of course.
The evil jeepney drivers.
The hundreds of restaurants that I can very well recommend going to.
And all the other stuff that makes Bacolod a really colorful place to live in.

Plus other things worth blogging from time to time.
Feel free to comment, guys and gals.
Posts will be up soon!
-Leo