Mindanao as Paradise and Its Exotic Food

Mindanao, the land of Promise?  Literally, yes.   The inverse might also holds true depending on whose perception and experience it is contextualized.  Land of compromise,  migrants affected by sporadic hostility would readily say it  as they are in constant lookout  of their safety.  That given precarious peace and order situation covering up the joke that casualties were already buried peacefully and orderly in the corner.

The island used to be such a peaceful place but its image has been constantly changing giving chills to general public. Given all unpredictability’s of the island from kidnapping, hostage taking to hostilities between the rebels and government peace keepers who would not be  getting goose bumps. Who is the direct casualty on this if not the innocent civilians caught in the cross fires anyway.

We need not qualify that observation as history has been there validating that general perception. But that is an understatement. More than that,  Mindanao is actually a paradise, an apt description in fairness  how this beautiful island really looks like.  Maybe too God’s chosen island and  race. Not Israel and Jews.  Listen to what once Minister Golda Meir then revealed. “It is more than that,” reminiscent of how then she revealed to the world her revelation during her last visit to the country. “No, it’s not Israel Yahweh blessed. It’s the Philippines.” She might have joked telling that but there is truth on that historic declaration.

Durian fruit

Must really be it if you go around Mindanao from Cagayan de Oro, the gateway to the island on to Davao, home of exotic fruits like durian. Proceed to either Cotabato or Gen. San via Saranggani and you could just see how abundant agricultural resources of this island.  Like any gawking tourist making his day roaming around, yours too could be significant journey seeing vast track of lands planted with just everything of agricultural products.  Name it and Mindanao has it.  Blessing this island as paradise by Yahweh, this what might prompted Golda Meir’s earlier pronouncement.

All over you can see how God indeed put things in order. With all its abundant resources, what you need is just  productive hands to make lands idle lands into great resource of foods. Mindanao alone with its agricultural lands explored would already enough to feed the entire nation. Bukidnon for instance could be a Comedor Rel given its vast, wide and fertile lands planted with palay and corn.

 Want to be satiated with equally exotic fruits?  Then Davao is the

Rambutan fruit

place to visit given its sweet variety of fruits that would put your taste bud fulfilled.  The likes of Rambutan, seedless pomeloes, food for the gods – Durian – are all in Davao.  Camiguin has its lanzones, Zamboanga mangosteen, Lanao provinces marang. And the finest sweet pineapples that you could even  substitute for meat, vegetables or fishes to  rice  are all supplied by Del Monte Corporation with cannery plant at Cagayan de Oro. The producer exporting pineapple products had Dole as  its counterpart at General Santos..

Exciting tourist spots  abound too everywhere. We have Dakak whose pristine beach rivals that of Boracay, El Nido and subterranean lake at Palawan. For surfing enthusiasts Cloud 9 at Siargao is the best place; and for mountain climbers – Kalatungan Range in Bukidnon and Mt. Apo, the tallest mountain in the country at Davao; Lake Sebu for a taste of freshwater fishes like tilapia, mud fish and catfish, this on top of native products on display. For a sense of history visiting for significant landmarks, Mindanao has Dapitan where our National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal was once holed in by Spaniards.  For a glimpse of exciting mountain resort, you should not go that far.  Everywhere you can view  them  all over to your heart’s delight.

 And the bottom line of it all for taste buds – exotic foods everywhere depending where you are. Thus, tokak for frogs living in farm and Bukidnon river. How about phython’s or cobra’s juicy meat. Other native delicacies you should not miss eating are butod, edible white worm thriving at coconut shoots. Or how about kabiao,  actually small bats holed in at Balite tree. All these have been included as exotic foods.

Other exotic foods found in the city are electric fish.  Cooked through coconut milk, the meat is simply heaven as you experience gastronomic highs. My other favorite is juicy Remember Me, meat  taken from private parts of cow  driving you away crazy once tasted. Ironically though would forced you coming back as you are trapped by its magical taste; hence, the title of the menu “Remember me,” once tasted would never be the same again as its juicy taste would forever stay in your vocabulary. And who could forget the Shoot-to-kill menu,  corrupt acronym for sinugba, tinula and kinilaw famous in the island because of the abundance of blue marlins from General Santos City, Surigao and Davao?

This completes the delicacy of Mindanao. Your visit incidentally would not be complete without experiencing eating them all.

Among this menu, it’s the frogs, meat cooked ala adobo with many spices simply makes my day. This as I normally patronized buying bunch of them sold along the road at Kalasungay in Malaybalay. I thought I could not take the challenge eating. But sampling the menu cooked by Bong Daquiz, a Master Chef neighbor, simply prompts you begging asking for more. Heaven indeed, confirming its being super delicious is far and better than manok Bisaya.

There are many other exotic foods everywhere along the road. Better travel riding on your wheels or motorbike instead of buses or PUJs. This is so because mostly of this exotic foods or still fresh on display could be seen on makeshift shanties along the road. Same with exotic fruits you want to eat. They are spread everywhere at fruit stand.  The better buying them straight from the makeshift fruit stand as they are fresh at very low, low, low prices yet.

 Experiencing this journey treating your mind and stomach brimming with satisfaction and delight, how could you not really love and enjoy Mindanao. True enough, Mindanao is new found Eden!

             (14^th installment to My 500 Words Daily Challenge January 15,2014)