I know this post is way too late to appear in this blog. Yes, I could have written about Davao when the travel was still fresh. But please don't stop reading when you'll know that this trip happened six months ago -- the time when the heat of the sun was still hailed by many travelers -- the time of the year called summer.
My first trip to Mindanao was a sojourn I had been anticipating since late 2011. It's not an ordinary travel as there was much better purpose than leisure and exploration. It was my good friend's wedding and it was a beyond usual event because I never expected that this friend (who will remain anonymous) will still be tying knots one day. Nevertheless, I am still happy for her.
Enough said about my friend, I arrived Davao lunch time after my flight from Mactan Cebu International Airport got delayed for two hours. Everyone was getting ready for the wedding so no one could pick me up at the airport. Fortunately, I am good at attempts of getting lost, recalling instructions and eventually asking strangers about places strange to my ears. Eventually, I hit the hotel just in time when everyone was getting ready for the wedding.
The night after the wedding, everyone was up for a lively night at Matina Town Square. A renowned place for night lovers, the place showcases a variety of entertainment hubs from disco to comedy bars. If chilling is what's on one's psyche, the place has also something to offer. What's interesting about the place are the street arts and the unique Mindanaoan art and culture that seems to adorn the entire scape of the area. Once you're in the place, you could never deny to yourself that you're experiencing night life in Minadanao -- in Davao.
The following day, we ventured for a whole day trip to Samal Island which is just few minutes boat ride from the mainland. We spent almost the entire day at Blue Jazz Resort which welcomed us with a lively band making me feel that we're entering Hawaii (No, I haven't been there but movies told me so). The resort, which was packed at that time with mostly local beach lovers, offered a handful of activities that one can choose to enjoy. Financially wise, we chose not to try any of the activities and opted to bask along the shore and the beach area. The day ended with me and my friend catching for the next boat to bring us to the mainland where another adventure went on.
The night after, I met with comrades from the Philippine Atheists and Agnostics Society (PATAS) for a what seems to be a serious discourse. It was great personally meeting people whom I always see online. But before such meeting, there was a good adventure that happened. I and my travel buddy walked for a couple of kilometers searching for a place we both did not know and we ended up lost. Tired, we had no choice but to get a ride to Abreeza Mall which is a newly opened Ayala mall in Davao.
Our journey ended when we headed to the airport and spent hours sleeping on the sidewalk while waiting for our flight in the morning. Exciting as it was, our feet had to be tied as we went back to our respective destinations for another trek to work. Memories of a wonderful spur-of-the-moment experiences were something I brought back to Cebu. At the end of such budgeted travel, I realized again that travels do not need to be luxurious because, after all, it's not about the places you've been to but the people you've met and the unique culture you've experienced -- they expand one's horizon of perspectives. Travel is not all about leisure -- at times, it's all about the richness of experience one gets. Until my next journey. Thanks for following.
"A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it." -- John Steinbeck
