March 18th 2015 Davao city- Day 1: Walking around

I didn't have an address for the Daylight Inn but saw on the map that it was on San Pedro street and adjacent to another street so when we were slowly driving down San Pedro trying to see it all I could see was P250 and shouted  "That's it!!".

Lots of these flags strung across the street all around this area.

Found the Bureau of Immigration which I will have to go to one last time which will extend my visa enough before my flight home on April 28th. I couldn't find this place and out of no where an old white guy popped out onto the sidewalk from here and we both looked at each other {Probably thinking "Hey... a white guy!") and I was curious to where he came from and then saw the Bureau of Immigration office. I will be popping in here over the next week or so.

By the ocean in Davao and looking out to the island of Samal which I will be going to sometime during the week.

Another quality real estate project along the ocean selling "Time Shares" for these quality units. If anyone is interested please contact me at Kevin Developments LTD.

China Town.

This is Durian fruit. Apparently it tastes great but smells really bad.

This is your local mafia organization and how their inner hierarchy is structured. Just kidding! You see signs like these with photos of the local Barangay and his other officials throughout different areas so people know.

 After I checked into my hotel I went for a walk to see where a few things were like McDonalds so I know where to go tomorrow morning for my coffees and found the Bureau of Immigration which I have to go to one last time which will be good for my visa for the rest of my stay in the Philippines. 

I found some good eating areas around my place many that serve chicken and rice and a very low price. Piece of chicken and a big lump of rice for 26 pesos (70 cents cdn). I then decided to check out the ocean and saw Samal Island that is directly across from Davao and probably a 10 minute boat ride to. I am checking out accommodation for Samal online and it is much more expensive than Boracay for lodging but I think I found one. As I tried to gain access to the ocean there was a metal gate blocking my way so I followed along the big cement wall and was walking through some poor neighborhoods which are basically walking paths and no vehicles except motorbikes can fit in these areas and as I walked with 40 feet of a family of filipinos one of them would immediately start saying "Hello" "Good afternoon" Where are you from?" "What is your name?" and then they all started talking as I passed by. They don't see too many white people in their neck of the woods I don't think. I couldn't walk past one house without some filipino greeting me in english. As I said before, filipinos are the friendliest people on the planet. 

Someone finally told me I had to walk back the other way and past the metal gate to find another entrance which would take me to the ocean. As I walked around I haven't seen so much foreign fruit where I don't recognize what it is and haven't seen it before. Will post some pics on the next posting. I see the spiky durian fruit everywhere now and other fruits that I don't recognize but will try later as I need a knife to open the durian fruit. One thing that I have noticed is that there are no street signs except for the main streets so even with a map sometimes you don't know where you are. Just add that to the big heap of pet peeves about the Philippines.