What extraordinary McDonald treats have you tried in another state or country that you don't normally have in a regular McD?

I moved to US in 2007 and as a newbie I have resorted to fast food chains. Of course, McDonald's tops the list (since my country's version of McDonald's which is called Jollibee just opened in US this year).


I remember my first McDonald's experience here in US. Besides converting US dollars to Philippine pesos everytime I buy, I also started comparing the New York McDonald's to those in the Philippines. The serving size is way different. The regular size here is already the large size in the Philippines! McD is the one of the cheapest food in the market. If you wanna get full (but don't care about calories or health in general), McD is the answer.


*FYI: As of this writing, the current money exchange from US dollar to Philippine peso is:
                                               PHP/USD = 48.81618



Speaking of special McDonald's products in a specific state or country, let me share to you what McDonald's  PHILIPPINES have that US McDonald's don't (specifically New York).


As we all know, Filipinos (like most Asians) are big fans of RICE. Filipinos alone generally eat RICE 3 times a day. So obviously, our McD offers RICE meals with from breakfast to dinner!


Let's start with breakfast:


Longganisa w/ RICE - longganisas (Philippine chorizo) served with RICE and is available only during breakfast hours.

Don't order Big Breakfast thinking you'll get the same one we have here in NY 'coz it would totally be different. This is the Philippine version of Big Breakfast:

*For the Westernized who can't bear to eat RICE for breakfast, here's a bread breakfast for you. Pandesal is the Filipino counterpart of bagel.



Hamdesal is a bun served with pineapple glaze syrup with mayonnaise and Canadian bacon, scrambled egg and cheese.

Now here's for lunch/dinner:


The famous Chicken McDo!
You can also subsitute the RICE with McSpaghetti (Filipino spaghetti has a sweet blend sauce plus hotdog bits!) And oh! please don't forget the gravy. Only in the Philippines ;-)

You can also order the Chicken McDo Party Package!

*For the lazy ones or OC with dirty fingers while eating chicken, 

we have Crispy Chicken Fillet , breaded chicken fillet served with RICE and gravy

or the Crispy Chicken Sandwich for the non-lovers of RICE.

 

Our Dollar Menu version is called McDo Barya Treats 

*"Barya" means coins in Tagalog.

The regular McDonald's products still have some variations to what we have here like:


*The Burger McDo has been tailored to Filipino taste, including a popular local condiment: banana ketchup.



*The McNuggets can also be served with RICE! lol 

-5 pieces of McChicken Nuggets served with rice and barbecue sauce.


Here are snapshots of me and my long lost elementary/high school friends during my vacation in the Philippines last Mar-Apr 2009 in a McDonald's in my hometown:

I miss this Chicken & Spag meal! (as popularly known)

TO FOREIGNERS:
       HAVE YOU EVER TRIED MCDONALD'S PHILIPPINES? 
       OR WILL YOU EVER TRY? ;-)


TO FILIPINOS (in the Philippines):
      Please give us an update as to what's new in our McDonald's.
      At least there's something we're looking forward to try when we go home for a vacation. Thanks! (",)


***HOW ABOUT YOU, WHAT OTHER MCDONALD PRODUCTS HAVE YOU TRIED WHEN YOU WENT TO ANOTHER STATE OR COUNTRY? SHARE IT WITH US! AT LEAST WHEN WE TRAVEL TO THESE PLACE, WE WON'T MISS THE TREATS! LIKE I DID IN SINGAPORE! ;-( (I didn't go to their McDonald's and totally missed their Seaweed Shaker Fries that my friend, Will Petz just tried but I guess he didn;t like it though. lol***


Addendum:


I went to HAWAII on December 2008 and their McDonalds have somewhat the same as the Philippine breakfast meals except that longanissa was substituted by Portuguese Sausage or Spam with eggs and RICE! I loved it!

 

How to make & eat a BARREADO (Step-by-step Guide from Morretes, Brazil)

Morretes is a small historic city on the coast of the Brazilian state of Paraná

Morretes --- best barreados city in the State of Parana

 
Morretes is 2 hours away from Curitiba

Welcome lunch in a restaurant along the river

Barreado:meats and spices cooked in a clay pot for 

24 hours, served with banana and farofa

Step 1: Put farofa (toasted manioc flour or maize flour) on your plate 

Step 2:Then put some meat

Step 3: Then the juices

 Step 4: Mix

 Step 5: Blend it. You can add more juice or farofa depending in the consistency.  

 Final touch

 The Test: Put above someone's head.  If it doesn't fall, that's perfect! haha

 If perfect, put some more meat juices.  *If imperfect, back to step one. And take a shower or at least head shampoo! 

 Then slice some bananas

  I'm ready to taste!

  Don't forget the rice though!

***YOU ARE NOW READY TO GO TO BRAZIL AND HAVE A TASTE OF BARREADO!****

The Traveler Princess

I am Princess but I'm not a real princess. Ironic, right?

My real name is "Princess" that's why. But I am not from a family of royalty.

I believe that I am princess in my own right though. As I do, anyone can also be a "princess" and that includes you. Yes, YOU!

During my younger days, I never enjoyed traveling. I hate being in the road. It's literally "pain in the ass"! I make excuses for not going to family trips. But now as an adult, I regret it. It's not too late! I can still make it up! Traveling started to become enjoyable after I graduated from college and began working. I guess because as we grow older, responsibility increases. Thus, life becomes more stressful. We need to de-stress. I moved to United States in 2007. I first started traveling to different states. In 2008, I started to travel out of US. Traveling is a great way to see God’s creations. I love to go to new places and learn other cultures and traditions. The comparison and contrasts of our beliefs and our ways of life can show how blessed we truly are. It can just be disappointing to see that in this world we are right now, some people don’t care about our natural resources anymore. Traveling will also open your eyes to some issues that we are globally dealing with like environmental issues. In some instances, my fears are also tested or conquered during traveling. Some behaviors or attitudes were also changed or reinforced at times when I travel. You’ll get to know more of yourself and others as well.

It is also a way to meet new friends---local people from the place traveling to and other foreigners like me. It is always interesting to share stories with them about just anything under the sun! These are the friends I still get to communicate with even after the trip. Thanks to social networking sites! As a popular Filipino tradition, “pasalubong” and souvenirs will never be forgotten every time I travel. Pasalubong is a gift for family and friends from the place you went to. It can be something small to share the enjoyment of the travel you just experienced. Souvenirs will long be cherished to remind of the travel. Oh and of course, the pictures! I would never survive a trip without my loving camera! (plus the charger and extra picture card!) It is always a bittersweet goodbye when the traveling comes to an end. But it is also the beginning for plans for the next travel destination…