THE WAY the short vacation progresses is fantastic! The heavens really know the desires of one’s heart: To set foot on many places and see many faces. Dang!
My plan was to celebrate a childhood friend’s birth anniversary in Cagayan de Oro City, stay awhile, and proceed to Dumaguete to explore some museums. As it turns out, I’m now in Davao City, haha, and just three hours away from my second home – General Santos City. Well, I believe I belong to two places now: Visayas and Mindanao. No argument there.
From my vantage point, the breeze is fantastic, the swimming pool is eternally inviting, while the white Calachuchi flowers planted in the middle of the spacious and artfully-designed swimming pool provide the perfect blend. I’m so glad the artist chose Calachuchi. I’ve always admired this variety since childhood, because my grandma had a giant white Calachuchi adorning her frontyard ages ago, when her hometown Balilihan, Bohol had no electricity yet. I remember the lampara and the ubiquitous posporo in the tocador and cocina.
Indeed, some views or scenes never leave us. They are forever entrenched in our memory banks, and whenever triggered or stirred, they simply come back, bringing with them poignant memories of days gone by.
This afternoon, Bambi Capulong — a former power industry colleague and a friend — and I are exploring a Davao City museum. I hope to have fun there and mentally write notes for a future article. Ain’t that our inspiration?
Back to the present. My attention is captured by the ripples created by the swimming pool water. They are fascinating, calming, and soothing. I’m just a grateful writer to be inspired by the big and little things.
Looking up at the 12-storey building fronting me which forms part of the hotel complex, I see doves perched on a long blue rope like it is intentionally installed there to accommodate them. How presumptuous, haha! I should think not, but why is it there anyway? It is fastened outside the wall immediately below the roof overhang. It must be for them. Birds rule!
As my trip is still happening, I couldn’t find a fitting ending yet, haha, but I would like to honor a friend, who has been with me through many milestones of my life: Emma Concepcion Ingking. Thank you for being a friend. She’s the reason I went to Cagayan de Oro City. To your success and many more!
And because the hotel unceasingly plays Christmas music since the day I arrived, making me sentimental, I express my gratefulness to the heavens, the universe, and to every living soul who has shown me kindness. I relish the love and kindness.
After the break, life goes on, haha!
And thank you Dusit Thani for the marvelous experience.
P.S. Driving around Davao City, I see clean city streets and roadsides. It’s refreshing. It is a stark contrast to the streets of Cagayan de Oro City. I wonder why./PN
