Visiting Davao

I'm in Las Islas Filipinas at the moment to visit family and friends. I intended to stay in my hometown, Surigao City, the two weeks I'm here. My mom has other ideas, though. She decided to drag me to Davao as she had been keen on visiting my sister who now lives there.

Davao was my home for about four years. I moved there after graduating from university and I worked in an NGO during my stay there. So over the years I have accumulated a number of close friends, with whom I've kept in touch over the years. 

Meeting them during my three-day visit was on top of my agenda (aside of course from spending time with my mom and sister). I wish I had more time to meet more of my friends and former colleagues, but I simply didn't have the time.

I had a bit of a chance as well to visit some places I used to frequent when I lived in Davao, in particular my former office, which has radically changed. Now I know only two people there and the rest are new employees. 

In terms of landscape, there are definitely heaps of changes in the city compared with the last time I visited it a couple of years ago. Well, there are more malls, if that's any sign of progress and definitely the city got more crowded and the traffic worse. Despite these changes, I still see the appeal of Davao's relatively more laid-back rhythm and cheaper cost of living.

It was definitely a short three days in Davao, but the trip was worthwhile... including the harrowing ten-hour bus ride back to Surigao.