Philippine Travel Notes

Onward with my walk walk walk around Davao’s downtown area. There was another Penong, there was a call center, there was the beautiful DepEd offices, there were hotels and voila, I stumbled upon this place called People’s Park. So, I skirted the perimeter wall to find its entrance. Oh, it is just across the famous Pards 2 – the eatery serving rice all you can! So I said I have been to this place, but probably just did not notice that across is the People’s Park. Hmm… And I excitedly walked forth to the entrance. Argh! CLOSED! At 10:03AM on a Sunday? Gosh! I asked a park attendant and he told me it opens at 1PM still. Ah! then I saw this signage that tell about the complicated schedule of the park’s opening and closing times hehe. Now now… I learned that I was both very late and very early! How’s that? Well, they’re open from 5 to 8AM – so I was very late for that. Then they re-open from 1 to 10PM – so at 10AM, I was waaaay too early hahaha! Okay folks, at least you now know those sched...

Yep, still about #davao #philippines and I loved this cute little thing! This parol was part of those being sold at that row of stalls as mentioned in the previous story . It looked kinda’ catchy to me. Much like a poodle hehe! And cute too, as this is just about two feet or three from top to the bottom tip of the two “ruffles” whatever they are called. Plus, made of 100% indigenous materials. I really loved this thing! I was even contemplating of bringing one or two home. But I was not sure if those can be hand-carried or needed to be checked-in. Whatever the case, I could have brought them home at no extra cost. Now am thinking (with a little bit of blaming me, myself and I)… why did I not get at least one to bring home? Hmm, maybe it’s because I hate handcarries other than the backpack. Even the gadgets go in the backpack! So if I did get one of these or two or three, they wouldn’t have been able to enter the backpack since they’re just about exactly as big hehe! And I don’t imagine...

This is still my #davao #philippines series as I walked around. From afar, at first I thought “how boring”! But as I walked for a closer look at all of them stalls and their Christmas decors for sale, I realized whoah, this was different! I ogled at many of them and there seemed to be a common denominator, all were just the plain “parol”. Yep, the lanterns without the many bling blings or neon and whatever lights like we see everywhere in this country during the holidays. Then again, it was just about 9AM. But I asked one manong saying “walang mga ilaw?” and he nodded! Hmm, without the lights… I think they look more attractive. Energy efficient too! And I was like a little child ogling at each one and thinking… dreaming,,, even talking to myself! “Or maybe we could put some candles inside those. Ah no no no, that would be quite dangerous! Or maybe put some glow-in-the-dark things like those toys (even crucifixes) that can be bought from Divisoria. Ah, that would be unnatural and won’t ...

On with my walk about… I saw an activity at some otherwise quiet row of establishments (almost all still closed or closed for the weekend). I thought it must have been a local film company doing a location shoot – due to the number of gays standing around who I think were either handlers, alalays, yayas, makeup artists, directors choreographers, etc! But come to think of it, the thing that really attracted me to this “shoot” was the fact that there were only two cameras both handheld but no tripods or boom mics etc – well, the big ones like what they use for weddings and other such events! So, i told myself “probably an indie”! But the ‘subjects’ of the shoot were these pack of boys and girls. Hmm, I thought some pep squad or perhaps a choir or dance troupe. So I inched nearer and asked one of the well-dressed “titas” what it was. And s/he told me Mr & Miss Davao SOMETHING! Oh okay then hehe. The take, I realized was that these kids were as if trooping to the offices of one of thei...

Still in Davao, I was into my second dinner on this latest weekend visit to the city. Remember the choices offered by the Pinnacle Front Desk Crew? Well, I was bound to follow what we agreed was best for me. Last night it was Penong’s , so I told myself tonight it should be Ahfat! But a business contact invited me to dine with her and another of their associates from Manila that attended our activity. Thus, I thought Ahfat was therefore out of my itineraries. Lo and behold… the business contact asked if we were fine with Chinese food as she intended on bringing us to the best Chinese Restaurant in the city called Ahfat. I managed to keep my excitement clipped a bit to maintain a business-like rapport and said “yes, I am fine with that”. But in my brain I was truly silently screaming “yes, yes, YES. LET’S GO”! Hehehe, business… sometimes you have to ridiculously fake things for the sake of a reputation - whatever! And so we went! Along the way, business contact was kind of priming me an...

That’s at Fat Bobby’s in Davao City! We have seen elegant, stylish, profound, clever, native, modernistic, colorful and many other ways a menu card or list is presented, right? Some look like wedding invitations, some like ancient scrolls, some folded into three, some are fan-like, some are outsized with pop-up pages, some printed on banana-paper, some like photobooks, etc., etc.! But this heavy weight gigantic menu at Fat Bobby’s in Davao caught me big! It comes in a picture frame of real wood frame and real glass panel! Don’t anyone drop it or even just bang it on the table or chair as the thing would scandalizingly shatter into pieces! And mind you, it is “back-to-back” – meaning the glass face of the food list is the same and continued on the other side. No wonder the waiter won’t give the whole thing to me. He just stood there holding it up for me to read and choose whatever I wanted! I think I was not really that eager to hold it too. It is just really delicately heavy! Delicado!...

A cool cloudy Sunday morning with no fixed itinerary, I opted to roam around the city center (at least to those that I could walk to from my hotel). Another of those “come what may” times! Can’t do anything else “significant” since I had to cancel my IGaCoS morning tour as it kept raining intermittently. Had to go be at the airport after lunch too. So, killing time? Well yes, we could say that, but I still saw and encountered many things worth my while! Like what? Let’s see… Do it on a Sunday If you are like me who wants to amble around to see more of a place without so many distractions, in Davao, yes, do it on a Sunday Morning. You will love it! The streets that would otherwise be busy on a weekday or Saturday are clearer and you have time to ogle or marvel at just about everything. Take the case of this photo here. Have you seen a Chinatown anywhere on earth that is as “barren” as that place? Well, only on a Sunday Morning! Yesterday, I passed by this place amidst a very busy vehic...

To wind my first night into bed time, I headed to this place in the Obrero District of Davao City. This was per plan as discussed with the helpful front staff at The Pinnacle. Why Fat Bobby’s? Am not really sure why. All I said to the front staff was that I would like a place with live band music that is not of the noisy head banger types and not the high school or early college kid crowds where there is shouting and running around. They suggested this, so I went forth! I think I do not regret this choice! I found something interesting! But let’s do that in the next story! As for now, let me describe my Fat Bobby’s experience. It’s probably not the buzz of the town these days. But it does have a lot of following. Fact is, when I arrived at 9:43PM, it was already rather full. Perhaps a lucky streak or blessing in disguise? Being full inside, I opted to sit at one of 3 outside round tables that was still vacant. Yep, outside, as in the open area front of their entrance that looks like an...