Gossipy Notes of A Cuckoo Girl: My Davao Experience. Part 1

To tell you that Davao is a wonderful place will be an understatement. It isn't just about the place alone. It's about great food, nice people and genuine friendships.

I and my good friend, Eileen, were early at NAIA Terminal 3 for our departure time. I was kind of excited that day because of two reasons. First off, it was the first time I've ridden a plane after almost a decade (Oh, how I missed that distinct aircraft smell! Haha!). Second, I can't wait to be reunited with friends whom I haven't seen for 8 years!

Guess who was with us on the plane, June 22, 2012. Cebu Pacific Flight 5J-963?

None other than Ms. Isabel Granada.

No, I didn't stare at her in awe. In fact, I never stared at all. I didn't even know she was there. If not for the old woman who first took a photo of her, I wouldn't have known that we have a celebrity in the house. She blended well with the crowd, in a simple little black dress and a leather backpack. This was the second time I saw her. The first time was when we shared an Iloilo-bound flight, date forgotten. She looked exactly the same, now and years ago, like she never aged at all (I'm dying to know her age-defying secret). I, on the other hand, look even worse than her PA!

I am not a show business fanatic and you will not expect me to join and scream with a crowd while they mob the "artista", but Eileen insisted that she takes a picture of me and Isabel. I am glad I consented for this particular purpose- documentation. Haha! Anyway, let me mention that Ms. Granada was, if I may quote Len, "nice kaayo lagi". She was so nice and approachable, even said Thank You after the shot!

Anyway, as I was saying, I was so excited to see my friends in Davao. But Eileen and I detoured instead of meeting up with the rest of them in Eden Nature Park. Off we went to this dress shop called "Needle Eye" to have my dress cut short (Sheila Marie, the bride, insisted that we wear short dresses on her wedding day.Siya lang daw ang may karapatang mag-long gown. Haha!). It was just a small shop in Davao but the dressmaker, based on the numerous fabrics and clients alike, seemed so in demand we had to beg and bribe her to cut my dress right away as we were already running late to see Sheila. Haha!

Came Sheila Marie. Some people never changed. She was still as simple and as soft-spoken (Eileen says, ngongo) as she was back in college. She is a doctor by the way, specializing in Pediatrics at Davao Medical Center. I missed her so. Unfortunately, we have not bonded with her long because she was busy in her wedding preparations, going to and fro, personally fetching wedding guests at the airport and attending to her patients in the hospital. How about that? Tomorrow comes Big Day and she still hadn't taken her leave from work. But Sheila was Sheila. And work was work. So she went on.

We met up with the rest of our girlfriends later that day and dropped by The Crocodile Park to see...monkeys. Just kidding. :)

Kaye Jie's and Raynelly's sons, Josef and Joshua, were literally jumping with excitement, and roamed around to see the crocodiles. On the other hand, we, the adults who have outgrown the 'zoological zest' a long time ago, contented our selves with, well..talking. We had a lot of catching up to do. So we just talked and talked until our feet brought us to this village called Tribu K'Mindanawan. Luckily, we learned that there was a group of teens, with colorful costumes and props on, that would present cultural dances and spectacular fire show.

And yes, the fire show was spectacular. I like the drum roll accompaniment, loud and fast, so in a festive mode. Here are some of the best photos (best means clear) I took at the show.