The family at the Talisay port was very friendly and offered me some food. I gratefully accepted the food they offered. Most of which was small fish locally called tawilis. According to Wikipedia it called Sardinella tawilis and it is found exclusively in the Philippines more specifically, it is found only in Taal Lake. Taal Lake obviously is teeming with the fish, and since it is found only in this lake, that makes it unique and quite sensitive to endangerment. Overfishing might one day finally push the fish over the edge towards extinction. Now that I know that the Tawilis is endangered, I feel bad for eating it. I just hope that the locals become aware of this fact and better manage their resources.
The family gave me all the rice I wanted and all the fish I wanted. The tawilis can be eaten whole head and all, but there was nothing particularly special about the taste of the fish though. My hosts on the other hand are really a great example of the renowned Philippine hospitality. Apparently, the family will be hosting a reception at their simple hut beside the port. There was a baptism and all the participants in the celebration will be here soon. Which would explain why the lady of the house at first told me that they were closed when I tried to pick at the food that I later found out was meant for the guests of the baptism.
[xmlgm {http://www.worldwanderings.net/kml/TalisayPort.kmz}]
Pingback: Puerto Galera, Philippines – The Perfect Summer Getaway