Yaman Kayamanan Art Project in Davao City International Airport

Down on the South: the Philippine Eagle Haven

* Durian – a Davao pride

As the last installment on my Davao series, I could not help but note here that it is pretty hard to put-in everything in just a few sentences what’s enough to keep a chance blog reader interested. Travel, much like in artworks (forgive this comparison), is more of an experiential thing to me. From the name itself, a requisite thing is mobility, the need for the person to be ‘there’ to get to know more of a thing or a place.

As for my case, I immensely enjoyed the stay in Davao, as can be seen from the energy with which I do this series. But no matter what I do, I could not possibly describe detail for detail those pieces of feelings and experiences. In a way, travel narrations are snippets, selective in nature.

And so...as to this last trip.

* don’t you think this is a beautiful shot?

* a nation’s treasure indeed – eagles

* croc, croc

Coming out of Samal Island, we gravitated to this place, which I would risk to call the Davao City Water District Malagos Watershed. I just got this name from the photos although I must admit that I did not really take note of the place’s name.

Nevertheless, the trip was nature-based, as we were able to see right from their natural habitats beautiful creatures such as eagles, pilandok(?), caimans, among other. I in fact had one good shot with a big snake hanged in my neck; I do not want people to see the look on my face – one of suppressed fear of the animal!

The travel to the place requires you to take a very long jeep (much similar to the ones brought by the Aurora Council Boy Scouts in Marinduque back in 2003) and with a conductor found at the back. I do remember dozing off during the travel, so it must have been quite a long travel. During the transit, we were able to pass SM Davao and the Davao Campus of Philippine Science High School. One big prize for the tiredness of the day was the eat-all-you-can promo at a class hotel back in downtown Davao later that night.

Down on the South: Jack’s Ridge

* a small exhibit/display at the entrance of Jack’s Ridge; I like this shot for it highlights the lighting of the display [1]

Finally! A history piece. But upon checking on our saved pictures and comparing those on the things available on the internet, they are essentially the same.

Thus I am now making a first here, a direct quotation from the Jack’s Ridge page, as can be read too if you are to visit the place:

* Jack’s Ridge famous amphitheater [1]

* rocks from the past? [1]

“The land on which Jack's Ridge now stand once formed part of the headquarter of the retreating Japanese forces towards the end of the World War II. The Americans had landed in Davao on May 1, 1945, forcing the Japanese to beat a path to Matina Hills where they had a commanding view of the Davao Gulf where the American ships were anchored. Fierce fighting soon erupted between the two forces, and as history shown us, the Japanese lost.

Today, more than half a century later, Jack's Ridge is filled with reminders of its historic past. Caves dug by the Japanese pockmark the area, and once in a while people still find bullets and other war materials in the rocky soil.

There is also talk that hidden somewhere in the caves are gold bullions and other treasure that the Japanese had taken from other countries and brought to Davao.

Whatever the truth is about the treasure, Jack's Ridge maintains the feature that made it an important outpost for the retreating Japanese forces, a commanding view of Davao City and the Gulf, the same view within the premises is also refreshing, since the owner has made its mission to preserve the natural beauty of the place.”

* team UPLB [1]

* can you discern the height of the place judging from the lights on the background? [1]

The ‘commanding view’ description is fitting enough, as can be seen from the photos here. There was also a discussion during our visit there that the place used to be a part of the sea floor. But man, if that height was the seafloor back then, I can only imagine how big the seas and oceans were before! We were shown those curious rocks half-embedded on the grounds that could possibly stand evidence to these claims. Lastly, one thing that has stuck into me during our visit was the strong smell of goat dung found just outside the place.

(Next stop: Samal Island and the Philippine Eagles)

Down on the South: Ponce Suite

* behold the Ponce Suite! [1]

If there would be something you might want to experience in Davao, one of the things I’d definitely suggest is to stay at Ponce Suite.

* the stair leading to the upper floors [1]

* the second floor still littered with creative artworks [1]

* a closer look at an artwork [1]

Situated nowhere near the main thoroughfares of Davao but certainly a place sought after by tourists, weird or not. To a certain extent, I was quite surprised to learn at that time that Ma’am Blessie Basilia (of DOST and MAPUA) has checked in to that suite. But let’s drop racking our brains for her reasons. The place itself is a gem, as if the semi-seclusion of the place from the mainstream activities of Davao encouraged the making of that huge number of artworks that decorated the place.

* UPLB delegation outside the Ponce Suite [3]

Now of course I can no longer remember well each of those works that almost covered Ponce Suite. Suffice it to say with confidence that the owner (and perhaps the artist/s himself/themselves) has no reservations whatsoever for his/her/their creative outbursts, charging with all bravery and giving physical forms to those wild ideas of theirs. Some might find it creepy, but peculiarity does not necessarily equate to morbidity.

(Jack’s Ridge story coming up!)

Down on the South: Downtown Davao 2

* students getaway – off to a local mall with Ma’am Hariz and Darril [3]

* at an eat-all-you-can restaurant, notice the seaweeds dish, man they are treasures! [3]

Being student participants in the conference, we were conferred with a seemingly default freedom. Unlike teachers who could possibly earn the ire of their colleagues if they do not focus on the activity at hand, we were essentially free to roam the venue in general, on-conference and off-conference.

I did not venture too far from where we were staying, primarily because of the fear that I might get robbed or I might get lost. Thus I stuck with my fellow students at that time. One of our escaped was to a local mall (Gaisano is the name, I think) and with so many Davao stuff to look at and ask the prices for, the trip is essentially worthwhile. I also remember lounging in the National Bookstore branch there and digging into books. Probably not a good way of spending a visit to Davao but certainly good enough for us. Later we ate at the food court, having initial difficulties communicating with the crew but Ma’am Hariz saved us the trouble (Ma’am was from the Visayas).

* a local bazaar where you can buy all kinds of souvenir stuff [3]

* down and out, after the shopping [3]

* photo shoot at the room! [3]

The next big escapade was to an eat-all-you can restaurant where almost all the seafood I could think of was there. And one of the things I’ve learned to enjoy immensely there was seaweeds (the other one is durian shake). Slimy, yes, but tastes like heaven when ate with the soo good vinegar dip.

And if I remember it right, later that night we went to a Mandarin-something hotel and went down again to a seemingly endless eat. It was he first time I dug in to a full arsenal of Japanese food.

Later I shall relay the short history note I have alluded to in my previous entry.

Down on the South: Downtown Davao 1

* Aveflor Inn, our modest abode during our stay [1]

* student attendees at the time; Darril Ramos, Trailer Pransis, and Ma’am Hariz Forio [3]

Can I call it metropolis? For that is the initial thing that occurred to me as I traveled in a contract-mode taxi through its circuitous roads, half-afraid that I might get mugged as I was obviously a stranger with all my stuff. The mere presence of taxis is evidence enough of its developed state.

But if one should be sensitive enough of a city’s past, one can dig in some books that Davao City has been the scene for many incidents of insurgencies and local upheavals, most of which were done by or through the NPA (more on this on a later entry). Needless to say, its growth as a city cannot be plainly described in terms of gradual, sigalot-free, process. As for innocent visitors like me at that time, the night time is especially enticing.

Walking through Davao streets cannot be said to be boring for one can essentially enjoy the sights, tourist or not. Most of the streets are still awake with activities through the night.

* the Marco Polo Hotel [1]

* picture taking at the Marco Polo Hotel with Professor Herrera [2]

* lobby leech, still inside Marco Polo [2]

* the presidents’ wall [2]

* tapestry? framed big at the Marco Polo lobby [2]

The inn where we rented rooms for our stay is situated strategically, close to some of the big time hotels, Ateneo de Davao, and important establishments in the city. But I cannot claim that it is at the heart of the city, for until now, I cannot scale the expanse of the city, having only toured to some of its parts. It’s a big city, there’s no doubt about it.

* behold, Ateneo de Davao University! [1]

* Ateneo de Davao entrance [3]

* view of Davao proper from Ateneo de Davao [1]

* view from Ateneo de Davao with the seas visible at the horizon [1]

We had the conference in Ateneo de Davao but I believe we have pent more time sighting seeing and touring than at the conference itself. Need I describe the size of this school? Maybe I should put forward instead my hunch that a famous blogger, of ‘Village Idiot Savant’ works there. If only I have known the person at that time, I could have had a good lit-time with him and with the lit-people there.

Did I say I was not able to have some history notes? Well yes to a certain extent. But my first tour the night I arrived there proved to be a very important place in Davao’s recent history.

Down on the South: Davao City

* downtown Davao City in the morning [3]

My recollection of our trip to Davao City is not to show that I no longer have any more trips to relay here in Back Trails. The reason for doing this is that the trip is characterized by pure excitement that I did not really expect at all. I remember having to take (in haste) my general chemistry final examination to catch my flight and having to pull myself up after falling away from a loved one. My mother has been hazy about her consent about the trip, thus having learned (probably from my sister) that I have flown alone (yes, alone) by airplane to Mindanao, I got one good scolding from her through the cellphone, and ending in a light note by reminding me to bring pasalubong for them.

The reason for the trip was to attend a physics conference, the details of which I decided to omit here. Instead, I would chop our trip into several entries, focusing on those places we have visited. I’m afraid that I can’t input any substantial historical tidbits here, for I did not really made any significant historical notes there. Allow me to confine myself to descriptions of the places and experiences. Welcome to the south, the great place that is Davao!

As I have not brought any camera at that time, I will use the photos the UPLB delegation has collected in the almost-week long stay in Davao.

Legends:
[1] Photos from the camera brought by Professor Emmanuel Florido
[2] Photos from the camera brought by Professor Marvin Herrera
[3] Photos from the camera brought by then fellow student Mark Daryl Ramos