Last Weekend in Davao

So my last weekend in Davao I wanted to do some shopping and see some real sights of Davao.  Friday night I tried to organize a team dinner at a hilltop restaurant with a great view of Davao - but it rained, hard, for hours (ie, no view).  A lot of people decided to stay at the hotel - but a few ventured out to a Filipino fusion restaurant downtown.  When we finally got there, the restaurant was closed due to flooding, but a really nice french restaurant upstairs was open and busy.  We ate well and Christophe loved talking french with owner.  Christophe got me to try pate, but I didn't like it.

Coffee on the Beach!

Saturday I invited Brenda to come have breakfast with me and some of the team on Paradise Island.  You take a short ride to the dock and just hop on a boat for a 5 min ride across the channel to Samal Island.  Paradise Island is a nice resort with tables right on the beach.  I was amazed how big the fish were, until I noticed that you could buy fish food and feed them.

We were back on the mainland by 11am and headed to Brenda's place by Jeepney so she could show me some local sights.  It was Brenda's week for groceries, so she picked up the house grocery list and we caught a pedicab to the local market.  I learned from my work here that most locals shop at street markets for fruits and vegetables fresh from local farms.  A lot of the supermarkets import their food based on contracts awarded in Manila.  I'll admit, we have been doing our shopping at stores, so I was excited to see the market.

Fish Stall at Adgao



 

How can I describe Adgao Market?  It is blocks of open air stalls selling everything and anything - fruits, vegetables, animals (alive and butchered), household goods, clothes, fish, rice, toys, toiletries, etc (it was really hot on Saturday, the smell was something to be remembered).  Brenda has her favorite vendors, so we quickly got all the vegetables and fruit she needed.  We went to her vendor that makes her peanut butter - yes, he makes peanut butter right there in his stall - but he was out already.  I was soaked in sweat and loaded down with groceries in less than an hour.  We took a motorcycle Jeepney back to her place.  It is literally a pedicab frame bolted onto a motorcycle that the driver is riding.



Aldevinco Aisle



Next we went to Aldevinco for some local shopping!  I had been wanting to go, but the place is a little daunting without a local.  Aldevinco is a block of shops with a roof over them - each shop has it's own glass walls and a door, which makes it possible to shove a ridiculous amount of goods into every nook and cranny.  Brenda and I could barely both make it into some shops.  The clerks sit outside and offer you goods and try to pull you into their shop.  This market is also a money exchange and knock-off goods spot.  The rule of Aldevinco that everyone kept telling me - BARGAIN.  There are rarely prices marked on goods and you barter down from whatever price they quote you. It works, I didn't pay asking price for anything I bought.  There are bags, clothes, wood carvings, jewelry, and lots of junk.  We were there for hours. 

There are pearls of every shape, size and configuration.  I drove the sales girls crazy picking out one I liked, but I love my set.  I also bought two Malongs, a cloth sewn into a tube that is used for anything - dress, skirt, backpack, towel, baby sling, whatever.  The fabric choices are crazy.  Here are some of my spoils:

 

Malongs



Bamboo Purse





Abaca Coin Purses











It was late when we considered ourselves done shopping and Brenda reminded me we hadn't had lunch.  We went to a local place and I had a traditional noodle dish - Pancit - before saying bye to Brenda and heading home late.

Sunday, some of the team went to another water park, yes, there are water parks everywhere.  I decided not to go and slept late - it was glorious.  Some of the team that stayed at the hotel went to a local Malaysian restaurant that was the closest I have had to Indian food in a long time, so good.  We also went to the local grocery store and checked out the pool at the hotel next door before heading home.  I finished off my relaxed weekend with a massage, including hot stone therapy, life is hard.