The Peak

With that name, you were probably expecting something fancy or a fantabulous destination, right? Well, it is just the “new” top floor of the “G-Mall” in Davao City. Yep, G-Mall as in Gaisano Mall! And “The Peak” is nothing but a conglomeration of some eating places at some kind of a mini-sky-garden.

Nothing so special about those eating places situated at The Peak. Except that they’re gathered around a central space with water fountains and a view of the city, the mountains yonder, even Mount Apo on a clear day. Nice enough breather than the usual scenes we see at malls. This place is in fact just outside the mall’s old and usual food court.

The Peak is probably Gaisano;s attempt to emulate or imitate the look and feel at the eastern section of Trinoma Mall in Quezon City. Well, since there is nothing like this in Davao (yet), it’s a welcome enough destination. especially for those who don’t like tagging along with their wives or companions walking back and fort around the mall’s many shops. And this is the only Gaisano that has such a place with a view, so far. So, it's fUntastic enough!

Now the un-fUntastic...

The Guard
Now here is another idiot who just ruined my otherwise happy experience being at The Peak. A dumb security guard. Ah yeah, here’s another one of the many of them!

I went to this area (near the parked cars in picture) to take a few snaps of The Pinnacle where I was staying on this Davao visit. He just watched me, standing about 2 or 3 meters away, until... I requested him to take a shot of me standing there with the hotel as my background! His reply was “hindi pwede, bawal yan”!

I asked why it was “bawal” (thinking he was not allowed to do the courtesy of clicking just a single photo of a lone visitor to their city), and his reply was a mind blowing “bawal tumayo dyan, bawal mag-picture”! That easily sent blood boiling over the top of my forehead! And my reply? I told him straight in the face: “eh tarantado ka pala e, I have been doing so for about 3 minutes in this place, at kung hindi pa ako nakiusap magpa-picture sayo, wala kang sasabihin”.

I then pointed to him those two men who were standing by the side of the parking area rampway, smoking. I said “yun mga yan, bakit hindi mo masabihan na bawal? Ano, sasabihan mo lang sila na bawal kung lumapit sayo o masagasaan na ng mga sasakyan? Alam mo hindi ka lang bobo, gago pa!’ that’s what I said as I left the area seething!

This guard just re-confirmed my observation that ALL of them always use “bawal” when they don’t know anything to say.

To add to my ire at that guard... from the top level of The Peak, as I took this photo, there was also a guard nearby and watching me! When I noticed him, I was first to growl loudly saying "ano, pagbabawalan mo rin ako? bakit yun mga taong yan sa baba, ang daming nagpipicture, bakit di nyo sila pagbawalan? Bakit ako lang pinupuntirya nyo?". His reply was a bewildered "aw hindi sir, maganda nga mag-picture dito para remembrance". So I said "yun naman pala, pagsabihan mo yung gago mong kasamahan dun (pointing to the idiot guard as I told him the story)"! And he did bark some things to his radio, but I did not anymore care as I already went down and out.

What a memory for a tourist to take away from Davao, right?

ISSN 2515138.625-1710

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