Monday, March 1, 2010

Down on the South: Samal Island

A big piece of land mass in Davao Gulf, Samal Island is easily identified for its presence in an otherwise ‘speck’-free gulf. I did not even know it existed, having been pre-occupied in my elementary and high school days with geography stuff from Luzon only.

* aboard a motor boat; you could easily see the houses on the seashore on the background, with me are faculty members of UPLB and MAPUA [2]

The trip from downtown Davao to the pier is quite long. After passing a posh hotel in our way, we found ourselves in this seaside area where houses dominate the place. I have thought (as have been mentioned also, en passant, in an earlier entry) that this place could be a part of, or is, Punta Dumalag, a small village that was once (or possibly still) part of the NPA dominated community. The simple description that it is on the shores of Davao Gulf made me really think that ‘this is the place’. Whether my hunch is true or not, the place stands evidence to the economic-life division that is still existing, the very problem that the radicals (a toned-down term for me) there sought to overcome years ago. Indeed, Filipinos have earned the notoriety for disregarding much of what we are suppose to tackle. If it’s not laziness or indolence, as Rizal has termed it, then I can’t think of anything else. Anyway, back to the island trip.

* since I did not take this shot, I am not so sure if this view is still part of the seashore side, but I think it is [2]

* behold! First view of Samal Island; all green, eh? [2]

Even the trip to the beach resort from where we landed is feat. We had to endure very rough, and I mean very rough, roads. Despite having those big resort, they have certainly forgotten lanf transport. For it seems to me that these beach resort owners or managers have in mind visitors going to their places directly via motor boats. I would later learn that that we made the long cut. We were really supposed to go directly to the pier of the beach resort.

* teachers! [2]

* the beach in the afternoon [2]

At the place a mini-zoo can be seen and loads of food can be ordered and eaten. This was where I started liking durian. Having a first serving of durian shake, it would be the start of my durian affair during our Davao trip. Morning was spent disturbing the waters (Prof. Herrera got a nasty experience of jellyfish bite, although I am not so sure if that was really jellyfishes) and eating. In the afternoon, half of the goup decided to stay in the place while we aimed for a visit to the Philippine eagles, which would be the topic for the next entry.

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