Guimaras Island, a small island-province about 20 minutes from Iloilo City, is well known for its sweet mangoes, which are exported to various parts of the world. To promote their famous produce, the local government of Guimaras celebrates the Manggahan Festival every summer.
Here, they showcase mangoes and other mango-based products and delicacies like mango jam, tarts, wine, etc.
Back in 2012, they had an eat-all you can contest where participants are given an opportunity to consume as many mangoes as they can within a given time limit, which is 30 minutes at the time. Also, you can’t use knives to slice the fruit up so it’d be easier to consume. You have to rip the skin off and eat the pulpy part until only skin and seed are left. Ahhh the old fashioned, natural way.
I joined because 1.) I love mangoes, anybody who knows me knows they’re mu favorite fruit; and 2.) because #MambaMentality. I managed to finish two (2) kilos in 30 minutes.
I didn’t win, a Euro dude ate six… SIX (6) kilos of pulpy, fibrous fruits. The prize was the winner gets to take home, for free, the same amount of mangoes they’ve consumed.
Manggahan Festival was a super fun experience for me, but also, I have a piece of advice for people. Never eat two kilos of pulpy, fibrous fruits in one sitting if there are no available toilets nearby. Turns out, all that fiber does… certain things to your stomach.
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