I took a deep breath as soon as I stepped out of
the arrival area at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao City
International Airport). It was both a feeling of relief that I made it to NAIA
on time and of great satisfaction that I finally got the chance to travel again
after a while. I’m blessed to be here.
Wasting no time, I hailed a cab to take me to the
hotel where I was billeted at. I was in a dilemma at first though. I thought
that if I took a cab at the airport, the driver might ask for a higher fare,
just like what taxi drivers in Manila do most of the time. I thought of walking
towards the gate leading outside the airport’s vicinity and hail a cab there
instead, but I immediately dismissed the idea as soon as I realized that doing
so would require much effort.
It was 7:45 pm and my stomach was starting to grumble,
so I swallowed all bits of hesitation. The taxi driver was courteous enough to
admit that he didn’t know where my hotel was located, so I
just pulled out my phone and fired away Google Maps. I found the exact location
and told the driver where to take me to. He obliged.
I initiated a conversation with him by asking a
few questions, starting with, “Are you going to ask for an additional amount on
top of the metered fare?” I almost sounded suspicious rather than inquisitive,
but the driver willingly answered my query.
“Ay, bawal po dito ‘yan, Sir. Bawal pong
mangontrata dito,” he said.
(“That’s not tolerated here, Sir. Demanding a
fixed amount is not allowed here.”)
That’s
great! My first impression: Dabawenyos are honest, obedient and disciplined.
We talked a bit more about the traits of Dabawenyos, the
tourist spots, the food, the surroundings, and the bombing that shocked the
nation, among others. That’s one way of getting to know the place—asking
questions and seeing from the perspective of a local.
About 20 minutes later, we arrived at
Bahay ni Tuding where I settled down for a few minutes before heading out for a night
stroll. My mission: Wander around and experience downtown Davao at night. Oh,
yes, Bahay ni Tuding is in the downtown area where you can find almost
everything.
Since the hotel’s restaurant was already closed by
the time I arrived, I opted to dine out. The receptionist advised me to try
Kusina Dabaw. I obliged.
I found in the menu a dish that was new to my
ears. Balbacua. I asked the waitress
what it was, but since my stomach was already complaining, I placed my order
upon hearing “beef.” Several minutes later, my order was served and, well, it
was something I never expected. Apparently, balbacua
is a thick soup dish with cow’s skin, seasoned with chives. I learned later
on that it is a specialty dish in Davao and there’s a place in the public
market called Balbacuahan, a strip of
eateries serving the dish.
I didn’t like it though. Not that it wasn’t
delicious at all; it just wasn’t my type of food.
As it turned out, I didn’t have a satisfying
dinner, so I strolled around, looking for some redemption.
I stumbled upon a brightly lit old house that had
been turned into a café and bar. Letting my curiosity take over, I entered
Claude's Le Caféde Ville.
