A Weekend with Rachel

Sylvette-my Filipina sister and I picked up Rachel from the Davao airport Thursday morning.  After dropping her luggage at the house, and introducing her to my housemates, she took a nap while I had a baby check.

2nd Handle -- Baby Aian Jake with Karissa (my Charter)

Once she woke up, I gave her a quick mini-rundown of the clinic and Victoria Plaza, before I took her and Karissa to Al Davinco (downtown), one of the Bazaar Strip Malls I guess you could say, hosted by the locals here, filled with Filipino made items, as well as some other Asian imports..

Since we went during closing time at the Markets, one of the stops was to pick up 2 gals and their leftover Durian..boy, those things aren't too light, and aren't to smooth either!! :)

Al Davinco Shops

In one of my favorite shops which has more of the older Filipino war/antique accessories. :)

Al Davinco Shops

Afterwards, we met Sylvette at G-Mall, and took a taxi to Jack's Ridge, which at the end of World War II was part of the retreating Japanese Headquarters. We Americans landed in Davao on May 1, 1945, forcing the Japanese to beat a path to Matina Hills where they had a commanding view of the Davao Gulf where our ships were anchored. Fierce fighting soon erupted between the 2 forces and as history shows us, the Japanese lost.

Classy Dinner for 4 = $19.71 Pretty good, eh??

A closer look: Fish Fillets, Chicken Wings, Buttered Veggies
(Not Pictured) Steamed Rice, Leche Flan, and a Filipino Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri (nothing like the US ones. ;p)

They had live music, and we sure enjoyed their serenading us!! Best music I've heard in a long time! They make any song sound good.

-- City of Davao --

Anyway, kind of neat history... Last time I was here, it was in the daylight, so it was kinda neat to see it in the dusk.. 

Jack Ridge's unique 'fresh-air' bathrooms--overlooking Davao City

D = Durian, A = Sampaguita Flower, V = Philippine Eagle, A = Bamboo O  = Coconut 

Friday morning, I had Clinic Shift, and so Rachel was able to watch how we do Prenatals here, which was fun.. Then, I took her to Boodels for lunch, which is my most favorite restaurant here in Davao City (and happens to be 2 blocks from the clinic!) We got the famous "B" meal, which includes BBQ Chicken (either breast or leg), endless Rice, and endless Ginger Chicken-based Broth....all for less than $2.00!! Fit for a king...

... My Favorite Meal ...

Rosalina, the Pearl couple came by the clinic to sell pearls (of which I had to get a few...), and boy has their little girl gotten big in the last year!!

Rosalina's little girl

One of my housemates-Lindsy is going back to the States after serving here at Mercy for a year, and so the Filipinos threw a Merienda - an afternoon snack party for her... We all shared encouragement and blessings, and then gathered together, laid hands on her, and prayed for her before eating the little Filipino snack.

Our Snack....with Ube, Coconut, and jellies inside--so good!

Lindsy, Karissa, and I

Afterwards, we girls went home, packed our junk up, and took a taxi to the Samal ferry. They have soldiers posted there, since it is an opening to the Ocean, which was neat... Don't ask me why, but I have a fascination with those who serve their Country in all capacities...

Squishy-Guishy!

Boarding the Ferry with our Junk

Isla Verde

Samal Island at Dusk

We took Habal-Habals (motorcycles) --as passengers (Rachel's first time)-- to Paradise Resort, where we ate dinner and spent the night.

Walk to Remember ;) To our Room

Dinner for 3 = Cost: $18.88  (Pasta w/ white sauce, Toast, Garlic Rice, 4 Seasons Juice, Peach Melba Split) 

Our Gorgeous Table arrangement--A rose in Green-dyed water

Our Room

Our Yard

Our incredible accomodations (including unneeded A/C and TV) cost $81.33 

Our awesome blue bathroom... (I could totally live here)

The next morning, we ate breakfast, looked for seashells, and played in the water... After Rachel decided to go take a shower, Karissa and I decided to look for shells on the bottom of the ocean, 4.5' down... Now, you have to understand, the water is very clear, and the sand is white, but it moves, so it is tedious, fun work. Of course, to pick the (hopefully) shells up, we used our feet/toes and sometimes a piece of 'sea stick', to make sure it wasn't something alive... Talk about memories!!!

Breakfast for 3 = $18.71 (Pancakes x2, Buko x2, Strawberry Crepes, Omelet, Fruit Salad)

Paradise Resort

Cargo Ship in the Canal...

D'ya see the fish??? There are whole bunch of transparent fish with brown spots.

White sand and clear water... :)

They have a zoo too--Don't cha just love the way they feed the birds?? 

What a neat sea creature...

We then went to the Monfort Bat Caves (on habal-habals again), which is the biggest colony of Geoffrey's Rousette Fruit bats in the world. Talk about noisy, smelly, and memorable!! Definitely worth it, even though it made us late for shift (which thankfully was dead!)

I was second up, and finally, about halfway through shift, a labor came in, and Rachel was able to watch the baby born!!! About an hour and a half, I had a labor come in, but unfortunately, she didn't birth before shift ended, and if we didn't have an appointment to skype family back home (which didn't work out), I would have stayed to deliver her baby, which happend at 10:43pm!! Only 1/2 an hour later...

My First Catch--Khiara (and her 15 y/o mother)

Kinda sad, since we really connected and she really, really trusted me...but the midwife I endorsed her to, did an amazing job--better than I would have done. God has His reasons though.

Sunday morning, I was originally going to take her to the church I attend (when I'm not working)--the Chinese Baptist Church, but we ended up skyping our families back home, and then packed up, and Karissa and I showed her G-Mall, and Abreeza (the new uptown US/European Mall), before saying goodbye at the clinic, and driving her to the airport.

Exotic Gelato ;)

Filipino Coke (much better than US junk) and Pastries

It's funny how you can get so protective sometimes...even for your grown siblings... I'm not a mom, and definitely not my sister's, but sometimes that protectiveness comes over me so strongly...I feel like a Lioness... Thankfully, Rachel got into the airport just fine, and landed in Singapore just fine too.

On A  City Jeepney

What a wonderful time to spend with her, even though it felt WAAAAYYYY too short!!!

My sister is this for me:

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

~ Proverbs 7:4, 3:15 ~