Braving Davao (Part II)

Stargazing was best that night. But while assembling our tent, we realized we forgot something. No, not the blankets because the resort staff provided that early enough. Yup, we forgot to have dinner! Before calling it a midnight snack, we rushed towards the resort’s restaurant and grabbed our favorite seafood. Shrimp cooked in wine was my choice, and they call it “nilasing na hipon” (literally translated as drunken shrimp).

The next morning we strolled through the butterfly sanctuary. But I can’t provide you with a picture of even a single butterfly because all I have here are shots of leaves (after the butterfly has flown away and smirked at me, huh). The point that I saw them –in variant color combinations--with my bare eyes was the best consolation. The loveliest of them all was the one with yellow dots in a blue chief color…just imagine how beautiful she was.

Shopping and Goodbye

Durian, the most famous fruit in Davao was our pursuit when we get to the public market. But thinking we might be prohibited to bring in and eat the fruit inside our hotel room (because it has a not-so-pleasant-smell), we agreed on just buying candies in Durian flavors.

There were plenty of clothes and other garments in the stores, but what struck me was the red woven fabric that I thought would be best for a straight cut-dress. (Well, it’s now my Sunday dress!) Then I found this cute fan made of colorful fabric that when pulled on both ends would become an instant beach-hat! Next pick was a pair of native sandals made of woven abaca (a local plant) that I figured out would go well with my dress. Finding good deals on those shops at Davao City was not difficult because they are willing to give you their rock bottom prices.

Our last night was spent at the Insular Century Hotel, a popular hotel in Davao City not just for its proximity to the to the airport but also for its superior service. Exhausted with that shopping fling, we went to bed early and we’re up early the next day to greet Davao’s sunrise for the last time. (Maybe not the last, because I still plan to go back!)

Before leaving the hotel, we stopped by its T’boli (one of Davao’s indigenous community) Weaving Center, an old-fashioned shop selling woven products done by in-house weavers.

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