Tanzania to Padada

The father and son team's visit to the Philippines defies travel advisory warnings as they picked Mindanao as itinerary for their first visit to the country. The first leg of their journey was in Cagayan de Oro City and visited Iligan City as well. They hied off to the volcanic island of Camiguin and enjoyed the tranquil and the natural beauty of the island province. From the island, they went off to Malaybalay in Bukidnon, a land locked province in the north central Mindanao, famous for its pineapples and the Kaamulan Festival. Traversing through the heart of central Mindanao for some few hours by bus, they made it to Davao City. Met up with them for dinner, were supposed to visit the People's Park but Basti's energy wore off after the long bus ride had coffee at Tata Benito and met up with Brenda instead while Basti snuggled on a corner seat. They went to Samal island the following day with Brenda and Frances and visited the Bat cave and Haguimit falls. The falls has become popular that its kind of crowded on weekends, its totally deserted on weekdays though. They were able to visit the Philippine Eagle Sanctuary in Calinan the next day inspite the rain. Sebastian is a smart 6y.o. boy who speak four languages. Hearing travel tales from a child's perspective spiced up with Disneyish dash is equally interesting and totally entertaining.

Andres and Sebastian went with me to Padada for a day. Ed Dizon and his family treated us with sumptous lunch. We walked our way to the Municipal hall to meet up with the Mayor but he was at Barangay Almendras for the community immersion, Diana gave us a lift to get there but the Mayor has just left. It was like hide and seek and decided to proceed to Piape. We felt the breeze on the beach but its serenity was marred by the blaring sound of the karaoke machine and transferred to a much quiet place and Basti found his spaceship there. Went back to town and was joined by Ed in my shop for some coffee, cassava cake and conversations while the boy busied himself with the computer. The Mayor had called but they already left for the city to catch a flight to Cebu early the next day. They are in Cebu at the moment and be going to Bohol before heading back to Saigon.