That Sunday was a long extension of the usual Saturday night out I and my three other friends, Junie, Heizel and Anna usually looked forward to after our grueling creative writing classes. The night before was, unfortunately, the last as most of us have already completed the required courses.

So despite the exhaustion and sleeplessness (we had a long Saturday too—submission of final requirements, little coffee chats regarding the comprehensive exams, ukay-ukay somewhere in filthy España, a university literary awards night and a human rights concert in Ortigas), we headed off to Dagupan with Ana’s friend Ray, who played generous host, driver and photographer (the “author” photos were really good!). Our destination: the famous and legendary Dagupeña Restaurant. Talk about real culinary icons and food bingeing in Pangasinan, and you’ll see it’s not just the bangus.

The trip took about four hours and a quick stopover at the Lingayen Gulf long beach. Ray started to take some photos of the sea—and us three, of course. The last time I went here was a few years back with my family, when Dad was working on some cement company’s electrical projects. I enjoyed the beach, and of course, the food—which is short of saying, bangus.

But a little confession: I’m not really a bangus lover, although I have learned to love cooking it—sinigang, daing, sinigang, uhm, what else is there to do to bangus? Daing? For some reason, I find it too malansa for my taste, and yes of course, too boney. I just don’t have the patience, I guess. I suspect that I got this while learning how to de-bone fresh bangus from my Lolo who owned a fish stall in Olongapo. De-boning was quite traumatic, and the smell just stays in the hands for so long. That’s my love affair with bangus.