Showing posts with label Arakan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arakan. Show all posts
Arakan: Suman with hot Cacao-time!
It was a perfect weather to take the ATV for a ride along the Bukidnon-Davao (BUDA) road. Fascinated by the fresh, clean and crisp air above this God-given place of about 4,200feet above the sea level, made you so easily forget the hustle and bustle of and in Davao City!
 |
An area near the highway. Here are pine trees! *me freaking out* *feeling Christmas*
|
The road from Davao City to Arakan, Buda road is the same route going to Cagayan de Oro, which takes about 6 hours.
 |
Plants, plants... everywhere.
|
We drove with this tiny yet super fast vehicle about 20kms down the road. Along the road, we saw incredibly many little vendors offering flower and plants at very incredible prices! One vendor shared that those plant and flower stalls we see often during exhibitions in SM Mall or Abreeza are mainly small-time entrepreneurs from this very area, trying to make a good mark-up in the big city.
The next vendor sold strawberry plants and actual strawberries and self-made strawberry jam. Not as big and reddish as those we might find in the ref displayed and ready to be sold in S&R or anywhere else downtown, but you can be assured of its freshness and organic treatment.
After passing countless of these beautiful green stalls, we reached the well known Seagull Mountain Resort in Barangay Lorega.
 |
The parking area near the Seagul coffee.
|
As an insider tip: Beside that resort, you will not miss a Phoenix gasoline station. Do you see the Seagull coffee shop right behind? Stay there for a while and enjoy their best-seller: Special Suman with hot Cacao! (for Php65.00)
This delicacy is served hot on a woven straw plate. Their version of Suman (a rice cake made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, and often steamed wrapped) is served in a banana leaf sprinkled with sesame and pinipig! Very delicious and a wonderful treat after a long road trip.
The cacao is raw and unsweetened - our health conscious and diabetic friends would love it! Just in case, they will place a brown sugar to go with it. And it tastes unbelievable great and new!
 |
The Seagull coffee shop beisde the Phoenix gasoline station
|
We also tried a their special Sizzling Angus Beef, and look there who was very happy about it...
 |
 |
...while I just loved my sizzling hot beef steak!
|
Some other impressions:
 |
Jerrold taking his first coffee of the day. That pink in the background makes him very manly! haha
|
 |
On the following trip, my dad had his taste on the Suman and hot cacao! He loved it as well!
|
 |
another pose from my dad
|
 |
ATV time!
|
Arakan
,
Art
,
buda
,
bukidnon
,
cacao
,
Culture
,
Davao City
,
Mindanao
,
plants
,
Restaurants
,
Seagull
,
strawberry
,
suman
,
travel
,
travels
Discovering Arakan in Cotabato!
About 1.5 hours from Davao City, we reached on the national highway the mountainous area after Marilog District, Arakan. In fact, Arakan is not anymore part of Davao City, but rather it is a municipality in the province of Cotabato.
The word Arakan can be derived from the term "Ara" which means abundance of natural resources in the valley and the final "Kan" is related to bravery, heroism and courage of the first Manobo leaders and settlers there.
Arakan comprises different ethno-linguistic groups like the Manobo-Kulamanon and Manobo-Tinanon tribes.
As of data from 2009, Arakan stretches over 693.2156 km2 with a population of 46,410.
What I love most about the area is the weather. Although the sun was shining, the air was cool and very fresh. In the rest house, you don't need an aircon at all. The humidity level is very low. And amazingly in the late afternoon, you can see fog coming up. Make sure you bring some warm clothes! So, Arakan can remind a lot of people of Baguio's area and weather.
We took a friend's ATV/Squat and discovered a bit more the road down. You will be fascinated by the offers of plants (with or without seeds, conifers) and flowers!
The very first time, we discovered strawberry plants sold for Php25.00 per piece! Truly a good deal! And there mere fact that I can boost our little garden with such rare find, made my heart beat a bit faster.
Also other plants can be purchased as low as Php20.00 raising up depending on the class.
I freaked out then when the same vendor sold fresh strawberries for Php150.00-180.00 per pack and strawberry jam for Php180.00!!! What a beautiful day!!! Imagine, in Davao City, where could you find such treat at that price??? Normally you would have to pay Php300+ in the mall, and those would not be fresh but rather frozen. How how I love Arakan, I thought!
 |
| Sunny morning. Arrival at Barangay Katipunan, Arakan |
 |
| The bus terminal |
Arakan comprises different ethno-linguistic groups like the Manobo-Kulamanon and Manobo-Tinanon tribes.
As of data from 2009, Arakan stretches over 693.2156 km2 with a population of 46,410.
 |
| Oh happy day! |
 |
| foggy: 4pm in the afternoon |
We took a friend's ATV/Squat and discovered a bit more the road down. You will be fascinated by the offers of plants (with or without seeds, conifers) and flowers!
 |
| Strawberry plants! |
The very first time, we discovered strawberry plants sold for Php25.00 per piece! Truly a good deal! And there mere fact that I can boost our little garden with such rare find, made my heart beat a bit faster.
Also other plants can be purchased as low as Php20.00 raising up depending on the class.
I freaked out then when the same vendor sold fresh strawberries for Php150.00-180.00 per pack and strawberry jam for Php180.00!!! What a beautiful day!!! Imagine, in Davao City, where could you find such treat at that price??? Normally you would have to pay Php300+ in the mall, and those would not be fresh but rather frozen. How how I love Arakan, I thought!
 |
| Plants everywhere! |
 |
| "And all I can see, is just another lemon tree" for Php300.00 |
 |
| Farewell treat: What a breath-taking sunset |
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
