Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Mangroves at Sutukil/OWT and WWW

I was in Cebu last week and when in Mactan Island and craving for some fresh seafood, we usually go to Sutukil.  Sutukil is a wet market and restaurant row---we shopped at the wet market first then have the seafood cooked at the restaurant for a fee, of course.  Because most of the customers here are tourists, the prices are more expensive compared to other seafood restaurants in Cebu.

Sutukil is a few meters away from the Lapu-Lapu Shrine, overlooking a mangrove forest; about half a kilometer away from Mactan Shangri-la Hotel.

The mangrove forest at Sutukil looks healthier now than the last time I was here.  I'm glad they cleaned up and installed bamboo fences to protect the mangrove area from garbage coming from the coast.

Mangroves provide nursery grounds for fish and other marine life; food source and shelter for other animals, from crocodiles to snakes, monkeys to bats.  They're brilliant adapters--each mangrove has an ultra-filtration system to keep much of the salt out and a complex root system that allows it to survive in the intertidal zone.  Mangroves are also land-builders...their interlocking roots stop river-borne sediments from coursing out to sea, their trunks and branches serve as a palisade that diminishes the erosive power of waves.  Source: NGM

Sutukil is an acronym for 3 methods of cooking popular in Cebu---Sugba (grill), Tola, Tinola (soup) and Kilaw, Kinilaw (ceviche).

At the intersection of land and sea, mangrove forests support a wealth of life, from starfish to people, and may be more important to the health of the planet than we ever realized. 
~ Kennedy Warne, Forests of the Tide


 
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17 comments:

Kim, USA said...

Aba meron na palang ganito sa Cebu that is awesome! ^_^

Karen said...

Lovely shots, and it looks so warm.

Sylvia K said...

Oh, yes! It does indeed look delightfully warm! Beautiful captures for the day! Hope you have a great week!

Anonymous said...

What a great ecosystem. Lovely shots.

Photo Cache said...

it's so peaceful in the mangroves. i'd love to spend more time in mangroves if possible.

Indrani said...

Lovely weather there, great moods in the pics.

eileeninmd said...

Sounds like a wonderful time. The mangroves are beautiful. I would think they are a nice habitat for the wildlife and birds. Thanks for sharing your world, have a happy day!

Unknown said...

Fascinating!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

Fun60 said...

Great shots. You are so right about the mangroves. Good to see they are being protected.

Yoshi said...

Very intelligent entry. I miss fish cuisines and warm weather... You have everything!
Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week.

Jim said...

Interesting fence.

Kim, USA said...

An awesome shot!

Visiting from Water World Wednesday
Kim,USA

lina@happy family said...

Mangroves have lots to offer!
Awesome shots, Luna. Makes me want to capture mangroves too.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Mangrove worlds are fascinating! We have some at Hastings on my Mornington Peninsula! Great photos and information!

Bettey said...

Interesting information and photos!

betty-NZ said...

Clever name for the restaurant, great info and your photos are just wonderful!

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

B eautiful pictures -- I've never heard of a wet market before, but I understand exactly what it is! What a great idea.