Davao City, Philippines

Hi friends, most of you know that I am from the Philippines. However, on this blog, allow me to introduce to you the Philippine city where I lived before coming to Canada. Of course, the idea is for you to visit the city if ever you get the chance to visit the Philippines.

Davao is located on the Southern part of country. It is approximately 1 and 45 minutes plane ride from the Philippines' capital, Manila. The temperature is on the 27 to 29 range and it is one of the areas in the Philippines that is not visited by typhoons. The place is blessed both with scenic mountains and white sand beaches. 15 minutes from where I lived you can be on the beach and do sun bathing or choose to get a view of the City from a mountain spot.

I have posted some pictures for your appreciation.

Insider's tip:

1. Take advantage of promo fares. Sometimes it will only cost you $10 CAD for a rountrip plane fare from Manila to Davao City Philipiines. Very cheap, right? Just like eating at McDonalds.

2. Instead of booking at a hotel located in the inner City. Book in a beach resort hotel (in Samal Island) or a mountain resort (Mt. Apo). Average cost will be $20 CAD per day which already includes a free breakfast.

3. Splurge on the native fruits and foods of the place. "Pomelo" - a giant citrus fruit. Mangostene - starting to be well known because of its medical benefits and "Durian" a fruit known to be aphrodiciac. Of course, plenty of mangoes, bananas, guava and other tropical fruits. If you are a seafood lover, Davao City is the place. It is one one the major exporters of Tuna, Shrimps, etc - meaning you can buy it cheap if you are in the place. Buy the seafoods live and fresh from the wet market and have it cooked in your inn at a minimal cost.

4. Learn scuba diving in many dive spots. Cost? Believe it or not it will only cost you not more than $10 for an introductory dive. Try white water rafting if you would like an adrenalin rush too or if you still have the strenght and the guts try to climb the highest peak in the Philippines which is Mt. Apo.

Anyway, just in case you would wish to go. Don;t fail to give me a ring. Who knows I may be able to give you the tour myself.

Want to learn a magic?

123 Magic. This is the title of the book I am reading now. You may be wondering, what is this about? Probably, Alfred is looking at another profession other than being in the accounting field. Probably, he wants to be a magician! But no, this book is not about magics. I am hooked to this book because I am a father of 3 beautiful kids with ages 4, 8 and 10. I am reading this not to learn tricks to amuse them, rather, to learn principles that will atleast guide me on how to discipline them.

This can be the awaited solution to those of you who are currently troubled by the whining of your kids, by their tantrums or anything that you yourself used to do to annoy your parents when you were a kid.

Counting 1 - 2 - 3 without any emotion is the essence of the book. I would like to emphasize on the words without emotion. Let me put the theory to an example for clarity. If you see your kids fighting just for the sake of quarelling and you think it is but proper to put a stop on it, then you can try the 123 magic principle. First, count 1. If after 5 seconds they still continue what they are doing, count 2. If after 5 seconds, they still ignored your warning signals count 3 and say - that's it and put them to time-out. This can either be not letting them play their favorite toy for 5 minutes, reducing their time to watch their favorite tv show, etc.

It is that simple and you will be amazed by the results. My wife who already read the book and has the chance to practice the principle is attesting that it is working.

Of course, the 123 magic is for kids aged 2 to 12. Just don't know if this will work for grown-ups. Anyway, no harm to test it with your partners, husbands or wives. Who knows, they may have learned the principle before you and you will be the one to be timed-out. Am glad my wife hasn't tried the principle to me.

Will discuss next time the possible reason why it won't work and this will boil down to the NO emotion thing. Till next time my friends.