Heaven in Davao

By MA. GLAIZA LEE

March 26, 2011, 3:42am

A simple bahay kubo in Lola’s Garden

Lub-dub… lub-dub… lub-dub…

My heart was beating fast as I was ascending the 250-foot high tower, where cables for the zip line ride were attached.

It wasn’t initially part of our trip. We were in Davao City just to cover the opening of the Philippine International Arts Festival organized by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts. But well, Davao is too beautiful a place to not tour around.

So, we went to Eden Nature Park and Resort, a beautiful man-made resort at the foot of Mt. Talomo, for lunch and as a side trip.

From over 80 hectares of forested land, which was primarily covered by wild grass, rose a resort park that serves as home to flower gardens, fruit orchards, vegetable patches, hydroponic greenhouses, and animal sanctuaries. Situated at the foot of the mountain, guests can enjoy distinct crisp and fresh mountain air as they trek along the mountain trail or take a journey around the park. It is also home to Tinubdan which gives guests a taste of Mindanao’s indigenous heritage.

While we were waiting for lunch to be served, we learned that the resort actually has a zip line - the SkyRider. If one has the desire to do something daring, this could be an initial conquest. I’ve never tried it. There were several times when friends would invite me or some opportunities where I could ride a zip line, but didn’t.

Admittedly, I have a partial phobia of heights and wide open space. Yes, I could hike up a mountain or do rappelling and rock climbing, but riding up an escalator to the last floor level of a mall could make my heart beat triple time and stop me dead on my tracks.

Initially, I had misgivings. After all, the excitement of being suspended through the canopy of trees could turn to horror if the cables snap or the pulley breaks loose. What if my phobia kicks in and I couldn’t do it? But then again, a girl still has to do what she needs to do.

Before I could change my mind, I went to the prep area, put on the harness, and headed towards the tower where the guide was waiting patiently.

As I took the first step onto the stairs, I let loose a deep breath. “Here, we go,” I thought to myself.  One step, two steps… I was holding on to the rail tightly with one hand as if my life depended on it. “Don’t look down, don’t look down. Just take one step at a time”… and before I knew it, I was on top.

Even for brave souls, a pause is but only natural when you’re 250 feet up and about to take a leap of faith, literally. To some, the zip line doesn’t seem to require much courage. But for others, they could never really know what their demons are until they are faced with them. 

Waiting for my turn at the launch tower, it slowly dawned on me just how much courage a person needs to do this.  This is not the place for someone who is afraid of heights or has vertigo.

The gravity of the situation will, hit you hard when you’re standing at the edge of the platform. The first jump is always the hardest. The technique would be not to look down, close your eyes if you have to, and just take that leap.

And once you have jumped off the high vertical drop, you’d feel the adrenaline rush as you descend down the cables, fast and furious. You’ll feel the thrill, the speed, and even the notoriety of riding suspended in the air. As the wind softly touches your face and your feet are hanging in the air, you’ll get a view from the top. And all your fears dissipate and turn into an exhilaration. And after the first zip ride, you’ll most certainly be hooked.

After the adventure trip to Eden Park, we headed to Ponce Suites which looked like an ordinary lodging house. But Ponce Suites proved to be  more than that. Tucked in the middle of Doña Vicenta Village, this quaint hotel displays an array of visually-stimulating art pieces.

Ponce Suites attracts attention to itself because on its façade lie gigantic, tribal-inspired cement sculptures that seem to guard the perimeter of the hotel. Brilliant artworks created by Kublai Millan are everywhere. There’s no unturned space. Every space is filled up with mixed media paintings, sculptures, nude artworks, and landscape photographs, among others.

The three-storey hotel with 30 relaxing rooms is managed by Kublai and his mother, who believe that the gallery hotel can make a big difference in the lives of the people who will take a respite in their quaint lodging place.

If that’s not enough to jolt your artistic inclination, you could head to the People’s Park, where Kublai’s other masterpieces can be found.

Known as the old PTA grounds where athletes used to meet and sporting events were held, the fantasy-themed park features a canopy of tropical rainforest trees. It has over 1,100 species of trees and plants from the Philippines, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Guinea, South and Central America, Africa and Madagascar.

It also showcases a 425-square meter visitors’ center, with a durian  designed dome. The visitors’ center houses a “Bambusetum,” a collection of the various bamboo species.

There’s also a 3,750-square meter Shady Plaza where African tulips are planted, an Open Plaza with a walk-through rainbow drive, a pond with a man-made interactive falls, and a dancing fountain (the first in Mindanao).

The park hosted the opening of the PIAF recently, which kicked off with a hugyaw, a Mindanao call. It was followed by various performances by the Kalumon Performing Ensemble, the University of Mindanao Makabayan Dance Group, the LCB Performing Arts and Samadhi.

After that taste of Davao culture, it was about time to savor its many delicious treasures. A trip to Davao is never complete without tasting its popular produce - durian.

While most people think durian as the fruit from hell because of its strong repulsive odor, it actually tastes like heaven. Its soft and sweet pulps bring enchantment to the palate.

As we savored durian at a small stall along Magsaysay Street in Davao City, we picked a few tips from the tindera. When buying durian, you need to smell the fruit to know if it’s already ripe or not. A ripe durian gives off a strong scent, while an unripe durian doesn’t have any smell at all.

Another thing you shouldn’t forget to try is the Davao pomelo. They are so sweet and pulpy, you couldn’t stop eating. When buying pomelo, remember that the heavier the pomelo, the juicier it is.

Arts and culture, exotic produce like durian and pomelo, adventure like zip line – name it, Davao has it.

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