Kingsford Smith airport.......Westfields.......Bonds undies.......Big W.......Coles.......David Jones.......Gloria Jeans.......the variety in the deli’s.......fresh fresh fresh fruit and vege.......the array of cafes.......lamingtons.......cheese and bacon rolls.......Twisties.......jeans with thongs(of the foot variety) looking surprisingly classy.......Billabong.......being woken up by Kookaburra’s laugh and Rosella’s chirps.......euchalypts.......bankseas.......yummy sunshine....... people on the streets saying hello back to you.......John Farnham.......the bombardment of cancer prevention adds.......seeing candid thrush adds.......SBS.......the ever satirical Paul McDermott.......the sensationalism of 60Minutes.......Rove Live.......The Chaser.......the experimentations of Brainiac –in particular watching them insert TNT dynamite in the centre of a slab of beef kebab meet and watching it explode to prove that you can cook meet within 16secs – this includes lighting the long fuse.......
.......aaahhhh it’s good to be back.
Pinoy updates still yet to come.
Monday 28 May 2007
Friday 4 May 2007
Dagging in Davao
27Apr-02May07
The flight from Singapore to Davao via Cebu would be one of the most uncomfortable flights I've ever taken. Cebu Pacificair service wasn't actually too bad, but my flight delayed and departed 12.55am, I was unlucky enough to get allocated the only seat on the plane which didn't recline, and then somehow I was late for my connecting flight to Davao! The damn immigration queue was sooo slow. My name was announced and the airport porter and I were legging it through the terminal to get to the plane on time!
My mate "Mr Cool" was waiting for me at the airport. It takes a while for people to comprehend here that I've come to visit him, not the other way around.
I have to say that Davao has been a complete surprise. A lot of the cities in the Philippines has worn infrustructure and poorly finished work. There is an unkept feel to them as if to say 'well, we've been living in third world conditions for a while now so what's it gonna matter if that corner of the wall is nailed up or not!'. You also expect people in the cities to have a degree of deceit and corruption from anyone you meet. However Davao has a warmer feel to it. A friendliness which you don't get in Manila. Davao isn't exactly saintly, but it still has a degree of innocence and more patient atmosphere which the bigger cities lost long ago.
A great pity that most countries severely discourage travel to Mindanao because of militia activities in a very small corner of the province. because one misses out on fantastic aspects of the Philippines. This city may have been dangerous once but not anymore. I actually didn't realise that my travel insurance doesn't cover me travelling here until I got here.....oh well.
After not having any sleep on the flight over, my first day was pretty much a write off. I just dagged around James' place and had a good nap before heading out on the town.
As expected, I had to keep up with “Jimmy time” ie dag by day, disco by night. But he was a complete gentleman (albeit with a roaming eye on the locals) and a great host.
* Food here is so cheap that eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner is sustainable (for people with pounds and dollars of course, it's a different story for local wage earners).
* We went out to some bars and clubs. Bar 183 tends to be the favourite for Mr Cool and his mates.
* Oh yeah, another great thing about having international mates is that you get to meet their mates, and so the circle goes on.
* We showed up at a rock concert showcasing local talent which was to raise money for a cancer organisation
* Got out to see local surrounds, sometimes by accident!
This is BBQ Boss, one of the many eateries attended. This night was with Aires as well.
The next set of photos are at Paradise resort on Samal Island. We were going to "Paradise beach" expecting to just take local transport, arrive, and the beach would be around the corner.
It was an unexpect turn of events to arrive, walk around the corner, be told to take a ferry, eventually figuring out that we're being taken to Samal Island where "Paradise resort" is located
Buko and mango drink...yummmm!
Went back to Samal a second time and stayed overnight at Punta Del Sol. A very quiet place. The motorcycle ride to the resort was one of the more eventful moments. I particularly liked my motorcycle driver - Dexter as everything he did he ran past me....the normal order of the world.
And as previously mentioned, meeting your friend's friends friends
Rory, Jo, Moi, J
Legendary Dannis
During the day's sightseeing via St Pedro's Cathederal, I witnessed protests in the centre of town. Apparently a usual thing every 1May bank holiday. St Pedro's Cathederal by the way, would be one of the ugliest holy buildings I have seen in my entire life!
Anyway, also attended a christening of baby Aurora. I nice Filippino experience to cap off the day with Dannis.
Can't forget about the host though. Late night supper with Jimmy and a last drink before heading off to my next destination
The flight from Singapore to Davao via Cebu would be one of the most uncomfortable flights I've ever taken. Cebu Pacificair service wasn't actually too bad, but my flight delayed and departed 12.55am, I was unlucky enough to get allocated the only seat on the plane which didn't recline, and then somehow I was late for my connecting flight to Davao! The damn immigration queue was sooo slow. My name was announced and the airport porter and I were legging it through the terminal to get to the plane on time!
My mate "Mr Cool" was waiting for me at the airport. It takes a while for people to comprehend here that I've come to visit him, not the other way around.I have to say that Davao has been a complete surprise. A lot of the cities in the Philippines has worn infrustructure and poorly finished work. There is an unkept feel to them as if to say 'well, we've been living in third world conditions for a while now so what's it gonna matter if that corner of the wall is nailed up or not!'. You also expect people in the cities to have a degree of deceit and corruption from anyone you meet. However Davao has a warmer feel to it. A friendliness which you don't get in Manila. Davao isn't exactly saintly, but it still has a degree of innocence and more patient atmosphere which the bigger cities lost long ago.
A great pity that most countries severely discourage travel to Mindanao because of militia activities in a very small corner of the province. because one misses out on fantastic aspects of the Philippines. This city may have been dangerous once but not anymore. I actually didn't realise that my travel insurance doesn't cover me travelling here until I got here.....oh well.
After not having any sleep on the flight over, my first day was pretty much a write off. I just dagged around James' place and had a good nap before heading out on the town.
As expected, I had to keep up with “Jimmy time” ie dag by day, disco by night. But he was a complete gentleman (albeit with a roaming eye on the locals) and a great host.
* Food here is so cheap that eating out for breakfast, lunch and dinner is sustainable (for people with pounds and dollars of course, it's a different story for local wage earners).
* We went out to some bars and clubs. Bar 183 tends to be the favourite for Mr Cool and his mates.
* Oh yeah, another great thing about having international mates is that you get to meet their mates, and so the circle goes on.
* We showed up at a rock concert showcasing local talent which was to raise money for a cancer organisation
* Got out to see local surrounds, sometimes by accident!
This is BBQ Boss, one of the many eateries attended. This night was with Aires as well.The next set of photos are at Paradise resort on Samal Island. We were going to "Paradise beach" expecting to just take local transport, arrive, and the beach would be around the corner.
It was an unexpect turn of events to arrive, walk around the corner, be told to take a ferry, eventually figuring out that we're being taken to Samal Island where "Paradise resort" is located
Buko and mango drink...yummmm!
Went back to Samal a second time and stayed overnight at Punta Del Sol. A very quiet place. The motorcycle ride to the resort was one of the more eventful moments. I particularly liked my motorcycle driver - Dexter as everything he did he ran past me....the normal order of the world.
And as previously mentioned, meeting your friend's friends friends
Rory, Jo, Moi, J
Legendary Dannis
During the day's sightseeing via St Pedro's Cathederal, I witnessed protests in the centre of town. Apparently a usual thing every 1May bank holiday. St Pedro's Cathederal by the way, would be one of the ugliest holy buildings I have seen in my entire life!
Anyway, also attended a christening of baby Aurora. I nice Filippino experience to cap off the day with Dannis.
Can't forget about the host though. Late night supper with Jimmy and a last drink before heading off to my next destination
Click here for more photos.
