Discovering Davao

Being a first-timer in Davao, the city seemed like an enigma which I tried to figure out. The encounters, destinations, food and recreations served as puzzle pieces coming together to give an answer of the what the place is all about. 

Indeed, this trip never failed me. The busy city which prides itself of delicacies and discipline, the beaches with its alluring views, and the beautifully-crafted products with patterns which are uniquely Mindanao-ish provided vivid memories which will remain in my mind even without the aid of social media and DSLR cameras.

Colorful malongs being sold by the Maranaos in Magsaysay Park. 

This entry features the highlights of our tour which included the food we ate, destinations we visited, activities we did, new things we experienced, itinerary, rate information, and few recommendations. I have also inserted youtube clips for a rounded way of documentation. 

ARRIVAL AT THE CITY, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2019
We were about to be fetched by my sister's husband but we landed earlier. We rode on a Grab Taxi and headed for a place to rest. The neat and quiet morning ride turned into a thrilling one when I saw Mt. Apo from afar. 

We paid 200 Php when we arrived at Mc Donald's. After an hour, my sister, along with her husband and in-laws arrived. I didn't expect that we were about to head to our first destination that early. I was wearing my school attire I had the day before. 

WHAT WE DID IN DAVAO:

1. HAD LUNCH AT EDEN NATURE PARK 
We arrived at the park after almost an hour from Mc Donald's. The entrance ladies greeted us and who gave as a list of packages we could avail. We picked the option which included touring around the area eating our own catch in a fishing village and amounts to 400 each. 

When the tram arrived, we headed to various spots which offered scenic views and provided  information about their culture. When the tour was over, we headed to the village for lunch. The first gastronomic encounter was a blast. There I tasted the best tilapia in my entire life and was fully satisfied with all the food we ordered. My companions also enjoyed catching fish in the village.  

Good catch!

One group shot at this trendy garden type. 

2. BOUGHT FRESH FRUITS BESIDE THE ROAD
When we left Eden, we had few stops on the road to buy fruits. We tried marang, mangosteen, and pomelo. They tasted really good and were offered for a low price (like Mangosteen amounting to 30 Php per kilo). The term 'sinisipa-sipa lang ang prutas dito' proved to be true (one time I saw one durian which rolled on the sidewalk, with Jester nearly kicking them). 

I don't fancy marangs but this one changed my mind!

Take a glimpse at our Mangosteen experience:



3. STAYED AT THE STRANDS HOTEL
We arrived at the hotel in the late afternoon. We were pleased by its minimalistic appearance, polite staff and excellent facilities. With 1600 Php for two nights, I can say that the stay was worth it. 

4. DINED AT PENONG'S
Our gang dined here and had inasal and durian shake as the highlight of our dining experience. The toilet is clean and the food amount is reasonable. I ate a lot here, not knowing that we would head to the Night Market. 

Penong is located at the heart of the busy city. 

5. TRIED CHARCOAL ICE CREAM AT THE NIGHT MARKET
Located in  front of Ateneo de Davao, the area is the melting pot of Davao cuisine. Exotic fruit shakes, blockbuster ice cream flavors (charcoal, durian, etc.), grilled seafood, buchi with different fillings, caught our fancy. My congested tummy could hardly accommodate additional stuff so I enjoyed  "eating with my eyes." My companions tried charcoal ice cream at Mang Danny's. They followed the long line of customers they saw in front of the shop.

The night market offers a variety of food to choose from. 

6. PHOTOSHOOT AT THE TRIBAL VILLAGE IN MAGSAYSAY PARK
This is my favorite part of the trip. Magsaysay Park features different villages, products, and artworks made by our indigenous fellows. The colorful shelters don't just show the structures but gave us information about their culture. We visited the Iranun hut and bought clothings from a woman who represents their tribe.

Iranun Tribe features its vividly-colored receiving area.

A dream come true to be able to explore Maranao's Torogan House. This is one
 of the topics I discuss in my Art Appreciation class.

This shelter houses Kulintang and other cultural artifacts. 

We also enjoyed playing kulintang inside a Maranao Torogan House. Once a dwelling place of a sultan or datu, torogan is a traditional shelter conceptualized by the Maranaos in Lanao. It has been declared by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treaure and has become a common structure in the area, with the known okir carvings seen in the panolongs and sarimanok displayed inside. The structure is elevated above the ground by wooden columns. Walls are wrapped with plywood sticks and the roof is covered with dried coconut leaves. Like a nipa hut, it has no interior partition.

7. WATCHED THE SKYBIKERS AT THE SKY ADVENTURE
I think I was the one who were frightened watching the thrill-seekers ride the skybike and the death-defying swing. My companions were seeking an adventure so they tried these activities. They said that when they were at the top, they had no choice but to pedal the bike so that the scary ride would be over. 

A dreaded experienced for me. My cousin, Sai, panicked during the experience. 

8. LOOKED FOR SOUVENIR ITEMS AT ALDEVINCO
Aldivinco is a home for native products which include interior displays, bags, clothings, accessories, and the like. It has organized shops for a stress-free shopping experience. 

As I roamed around the area, I wasn't aware of the impact the scent (or stench) of durian inside my bag would have on the people around me. I was asked to leave one shop when they smelled it. I transferred into another shop where I was able to buy products with discounts the owner voluntarily gave. 

9. HALF-DAY BOAT RIDE AROUND THE ISLANDS
We cruised around Talicud and Samal Islands in the early morning until early afternoon. Because we were with Choy (my sister's husband), family, they shouldered the expenses. I think we were nearly 30 people at the boat which made the experience more fun. I stopped at various spots to dive and see the corals (which I didn't enjoy because I was trying to reserve energy for the work the day after), and see the islands, which I enjoyed more. 

What I won't forget here was the small, rocky island we visit. When we arrived I saw a boy opening sea urchins he caught and collected inside his net. His mother was grilling meat, his father was resting, and his siblings were having fun at the beach. His youngest brother, maybe five years of age, was holding a fork-like equipment used to catch sea urchins. I admired the simple life they have!

We arrived at the port at sunrise.

The first island we visited. 

Julian is busy opening sea urchins while his little brother swims.

Rajasthan Scenes

I love to take pictures of random scenes especially the unfamiliar ones. Along the streets of Rajasthan are lotsa vibrant, interesting subjects to keep photographers busy. During our travels in India I sat in front of the car so as not to miss the actions that would come our way. I made sure that my camera settings were set in place (shutter speed, aperture, and ISO) and the shutter was ready to fire. Now here are the street surprises:

Camels are really tall! Some of these creatures we saw sat along the streets of Jaipur. 

Horses added to the chaos too. ;)

Colorful textiles which are sold in historical sites are quite pricy. Better look for
ones in the market. 

Uhm, wait, is that Gandhi behind the stall?

Beautiful mess.

Though majority of the areas we saw was chaotic, India never failed to sustain our curiosity. Along the corners there were movements, colors, and objects that would catch our fancy therefore we were attentive in every bend and brake. Carefulness was a must as well for pickpockets were just around and some people loved to ask for money when captured. I remember one time when we visited the first site in our 9-day tour--Amber Fort, when a milk vendor asked me for money after I took a photo of her. After the incident I never learned and still took photos of random people. Haha. 

WHAT'S BEHIND OUR PICTURE-PERFECT TRIP AROUND PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA?

Last April 11-14, I visited Sai, my cousin, who works in Cambodia. Given that I had two days to enjoy the place, we stretched the schedule so as not to miss the important sites and food in the country. Now, I am sitting in front of the laptop, experiencing vertigo which started its attack few days after I went back home. I lacked rest maybe. Well, lesson learned: I won't book a tight schedule on my next trip. Another thing: I'll make sure the first name on my ticket is similar with that on my passport so I won't place myself at the mercy of the airline staff who made a discussion whether they would allow me to fly or not! ;)

Stepping into Cambodian soil made me forget the trouble I experienced at NAIA. I arrived at almost 1:30 AM (flight delayed!); good thing that the transactions inside their airport were smooth. The climate was hot and the surrounding looked unfamiliar. There were old buildings, locals wearing simple attire, and photos of the royalties around public places. Though physically tired, my heart was filled with excitement regarding the places we would visit and the things we would do. 

Good Morning, Cambodia! Photo was shot from the balcony of my cousin's place in Phnom Penh.

STREETS OF CAMBODIA

We left the house at 8AM. Though we were quite stuck in traffic, I enjoyed the sights in the streets.

THE ROYAL PALACE

We  headed to the Royal Palace on the first day. The site was huge and majestic!

FOOD

We visited a mall which features food from each province. I picked this noodle which is from Siem Reap. The second photo are fruits being sold in front of the Central Market.

While waiting for a shop to open, we walked along the street where it is located and stumbled upon this restaurant. It was filled with customers, aesthetically pleasing, and offers great food!

On my next post I'll feature our visit to the genocide center and our dining experience in a North-Korean themed restaurant. This one's filled with new discoveries and unforgettable memories. 

For the Love of Wild Berries

As you pass along MARILAQUE Road in New Little Baguio, Laguna-Quezon Boundary, you'll notice these vibrant little fruits growing in bushes. Known as Sapinit, these attractive treats are yours for picking. Last Sunday, I was able to spot a handful of red and dark violet ones, kept them when I got home and ate them during breakfast. 

Post-Summer Discoveries: Forest Cottage & Hidden Resort Along MARILAQUE Road

Just when you think summer's over, then come the surprising adventures to be added to your vault of travel moments. We planned to visit Pinlak Falls this morning, when, as we were passing along MARILAQUE road in Little Baguio, we saw Kuya Joseph, a friend who owns a piece of property in that place. He invited us to his cottage where we enjoyed the view, the quietness and the civet cat poops in a nearby space. The area where they are located is home to different kinds of birds and forest creatures. 

We were also brought to the renovated D'Wishing Falls (that's how it's spelled, hehe), which brings a Balinese ambience due to its tropical style. A safe trail which leads to the falls can also be explored here but the path was so long we that didn't reach the top. I'm not into hiking but for documentation's sake I endured the steep stairs and the mosquito bites. ;)

I was the one who invited them to swim but it took looong before I dipped into the pool. The water is really cold (but bearable). We enjoyed these things for free!

A Trek Towards an Unexpected Destination

Travel Surprises:
- Didn't know the trek would lead to Cavinti Falls (aka Pagsanjan Falls). Haha. 😂 A dream come true to see this spot!

- I thought we will just visit a cave in Cavinti so I just brought a few items inside my non-waterproof bag. Everything was wet when the adventure ended.

- To reach our destination, we were required to do rappelling. Due to fear of heights, I had a hard time going down right away. 

- My phone and camera are not h20 resistant either but they're still working even when they got wet due to rain!

- Much better to go trekking when it's raining. Nature is lovely when it's misty!

Thanks for the treat, Ate Dianne and Martha!

A cave scenario:

               

Visiting the Dumagat Community in Nakar, Quezon

Dumagat kids with a bottle of Coke. ;)

What I thought as a brief visit to the tribal community turned out to be a whole day adventure filled with learnings and discoveries. This Tuesday, we headed to the Dumagats' dwellings in Brgy. Maligaya, Nakar, Quezon.

I consider this as my first cross cultural missions exposure trip with a team (thank you, GCF-South Metro!). When I was in college, I've got three trips which were postponed due to various reasons. These past years, one of my mentors used to invite me to join them in helping the Bugkalot Tribe and I wasn't able to come as well. This one was a Divine set up.

It took almost 4 hours from Little Baguio Infanta, Quezon (the place where the team stayed) to reach the place. Upon arriving at Gen. Nakar Public Market, we rode the habal-habal for 1-2 hours, then went straight to the place for 15-30 minutes on foot.

A typical Dumagat dwelling.

Upon arriving, I was amazed with their dwelling (plus the nature backdrop!) so I took a photo of the scene right away. I never expected the kapitan's reaction with what I did. I just learned that moment that you need to observe the surroundings first before doing anything foreign to them.

The feeling that I was on a different world totally sank in when the tribe members started arriving. Ka Pepito, the tribe captain, introduced us to his people. Being drunk with lambanog, he repeatedly mentioned that we should have given him a note before visiting his place. Still guilty with what I did, I repeatedly responded with nods and smiles. When we left his dwelling to see the rest of his members, I asked him if it was then OK to take photos and promised to give him a copy if we were able to come back. "'Yan ang gusto ko!" was his response.

We ate on banana leaves with them, talked with the kids and spent the remaining minutes talking with them. Our team leader mentioned the plan to come back and conduct a medical mission this August.

Here are the photos of the trip:

One of the bridges you'll pass through as you head to the Dumagats' location.

Came across Brian as we approached the bridge.

An ordinary food for the tribe members. Some say that they exchange these for cans of sardines.

Kuya Jun approaches the tribal leader and his family.

Eating on banana leaves with the tribe.

Kapitan Pepito and his youngest daughter.

New Testament written in Dumagat dialect.

"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart" — Bob Pierce (World Vision founder)