Making a Travel Food Show in the Philippine Cordilleras!

Last year, I had the chance to make a indie travel + food show called Lasa Explorations! Season 1 features the cuisine of the Cordilleras, from Baguio to Kalinga. It was an amazing experience to discover and document lesser-known Philippine cuisine in a region that’s so rich in culture and history, and I can’t wait to explore more in future seasons.

Watch the first season as well as my director’s vlog below!

ABOUT THE SHOW:

No matter where we come from, nothing brings us together like sharing a good meal. LASA EXPLORATIONS is an independent food docu series dedicated to discovering hidden culinary gems around the Philippines. “Lasa” means taste in Filipino, and lasa is our gateway to learning more about our own culture and history.

The Philippines is scattered across 7,000 islands comprising several regions, each with their own distinct cultures and countless subcultures. Among these, only a relative few are known about beyond their places of origin. Lasa Explorations wants to contribute to expanding the conversation, to explore and appreciate the diversity of Filipino food and culture--one dish at a time.

MORE INFO

• Website: https://www.lasaexplorations.com

• Email address: kaintayo [at] lasaexplorations.com

A Photo and Time-lapse Journey Through the CORDILLERAS

For five days, travel photographer Angelo Mendoza and I explored the Philippine Cordilleras, going off the beaten path in search of grand but unseen views and waiting to catch the most amazing light. In the process, we had one of the most incredible travel experiences of our lives, right up there with my most memorable adventures abroad.

CORDILLERA MOUNTAIN LIGHT is the time-lapse film that came of it, also including footage shot over the past year in Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and Kalinga.

The first two episodes of our PHOTOGRAPHERS EXPLORE series documents our unforgettable journey in search of those shots.

In part 1, we explore along the Halsema Highway, following it across Benguet and into Mountain Province, fall in love with Mt. Mogao in Tadian, and eventually stumble upon the most spectacular, unforgettable sunset.

In part 2, we move on from Tadian into the lesser-known Central Cordillera of Ilocos Sur, starting with the town of Cervantes. From there, we head up and explore up and down the dramatic, steeply-rising Tagudin-Cervantes-Sabangan Road, with its majestic views of the valley in Cervantes and the mountains of Mountain Province. We visit Bessang Pass and search for viewpoints while dealing with erratic weather, and finally drive all the way down west to the coast, seeing some of the most beautiful little-known mountain roads of the Cordillera along the way.

CREDITS

Produced by Angelo Mendoza & Aaron Palabyab

Shot and edited by Aaron Palabyab

Still Photography by Angelo Mendoza

Aerial and time-lapse photography by Aaron Palabyab

Additional videography and time-lapse by Angelo Mendoza

Additional Still Photography by Aaron Palabyab

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

http://instagram.com/aaronpalabyab

http://instagram.com/angelomendo