Memorable Trip to Don Carlos..

Ires, my new Filipino friend, who studies in Holy Cross Davao College, invited me last Friday to come to her town, Don Carlos which is 160 km far from Davao (a 3:30 to 4 hours trip by bus). Ires told me about the Sto. Nino feasta which is the patron saint of Don Carlo. Sunday of Jan 18 was Sto. Nino feasta. ( Little Jesus Christ' feast). She also invited her roommate, Ann.

We arrived Don Carlos at 11:20pm on Saturday of Jan 17. I was quite tired after eating a light supper and went to bed. I liked the climax there because it reminded me a lot about my country, even though it was not much colder than my city, Myikyina in Myanmar.(It was time like between 4-6pm in the cold season but not deeply cold) I slept that night soundly and I thought I was back to my own home.

With my new friends in Don Carlos,Bukidnon.

Next morning, Ires introduced her friends to Ann and me. I was very happy to have many new friends in a new place. They liked to talk to me but they were very shy to speak to me. I understood some words in Tagalog but I tried to apply my broken Tagalog and Basaya. (Tagalog is national language in the Philippines and Basaya is one of the major tribes in Mindanao)

Erika Mae is with "Dancing Queen"

I was very amazed to see Ires' younger sister, Erika Mae, who is only a grade two student, enable to sing many English songs fluently and perfectly. I could not stop gazing her talent with a big surprise. While she sang English songs with full mood, she seemed lost in music. Her voice was also beautiful.

Mark has many stories to share with me in a short time. What a smart boy he is!!

Then, I went out of the house. I found Ires' younger brother, Win Mark, sitting a chair in their small garden. I was curious to talk to him. I noticed he has big ears like the President-elect Barack Obarma does. He told me about a movie "Wrong Turn 2: Dead End", which was about fighting against the inbred family of cannibals. I was surprised to know that he was only grade 5. But he explained to me about the movie in English.

During lunch, I saw about 30 people in the house. Ires explained to me that they all were her relatives. They came to her house to celebrate the party of the Sto. Nino feasta. I was really surprised to see hospitality of Ires and her parents. They had plenty of foods and soft drink for all visitors.

I saw almost all the families along the main street of Don Carlos having their own parties with hard music. (like our new year celebration) I learned that there were non-Catholic families who did not celebrate the feasta. (Catholics are still majority in the Philippines, like Myanmar, Buddhists are majority.)Ires explained to me that the Sto Nino feasta became a traditional celebration in the town.

In front of the municipal, no time to pose properly.

After lunch, Ires and her friends toured me firstly to the Don Carlos municipal hall, where I found many different shapes of Christmas trees. We went to watch "Off Road" entertainment which was a kind of show-off driving talents but very dangerous. The audience was crowded on the ground. I had a goose bump when the car was turning over into upside down in the air, but nothing happened to the driver.

"Off Road" the most popular entertainment in Don Carlos. This unique entertainment makes its audience breathless and amazed.

Later, Ires explained it to me about "Off Road" show. It is the Don Carlos' own version entertainment in every big feasta sponsored by the town's Municipal.

They brought me to Pinamaloy Lake. Ires told me about the legend of the Lake Pinamaloy. Pina was a woman and Maloy was a man. They were lovers but they died in the present location of the Lake Pinamaloy. So, the lake became Pinamaloy. Around the lake, it was very peaceful and full of attraction to me. Amazingly, its shape is a guitar. I saw many lovers out there sitting and enjoying time together.

With a strange legend story, Pinamaloy Lake still remains Don Carlos town's beauty pageant.

Time seemed too short for me to see other beauties of Don Carlos such as Sinangguyan and Kahulugan Falls and Linking Caves and Spring. We went back to Ires' home. I said goodbye to her parents who were very hospitable and generous to me during my stay in their small and beautiful house. Then, I went to the bus terminal and waited for a bus for an hour. Finally I was standing in the air con bus because there was no seat and so were some passengers.

After three bus stops, I was only standing in the bus. And the conductor came up and told me to sit on the stair backward in the bus. I really did not know what he said. When he learned I was not a Filipino, he was very uncomfortable to ask me then. But he was very kind and gave me a sheet of newspaper to cover my seat. I sat for a while, a young man who would be at late thirty of age, came and told me that there was a vacant seat. Later, I found him sitting in my previous stair seat along the way to the Davao terminal gate. I was quite uncomfortable to say thank you because I seemed to take advantage of his hospitality. At the same time, I was overwhelming and speechless because of his pure sincerity.

I will never forget this trip learning more about this beautiful country's culture, customs and sites. I will always cherish this memory in my life. Dahang Salamat ka a yo!!!(Thank you all)