Butuan, Mindanao

Camera: iPhone 5S

My dad was born and raised in the lovely place of Butuan. Well, not this hotel obviously. But this is an example of how peaceful it is in Butuan. I love going to this place because of several things.

1. Fresh air - Well, I guess there's fresh air in different provinces here in the Philippines. Then again, I don't have a province so this is the closest place I have to a province (well, next to Quezon but my mom didn't really grow up there). I was born and raised in Manila and I guess I've been used to pollution all my life. Being in Butuan gives me a different vibe every time. Sure there are a lot of cars there now, but it's just different.
2. Food - It's technically the same. As much as I love pork, beef (steak, to be exact), and chicken, I love fish. My colleagues would always see me buy fish for lunch and think I'm on a diet. Well, no. I just love fish. Fish here in Manila is great, but it's so much better in Butuan because it's fresh. There's nothing better than fresh fish! I would always tell my relatives to prepare my favorite fishes whenever I'm coming home. People shouldn't be surprised if I gain weight whenever I pay a visit to this place.
3. Chill-ness of the place (if there's such a word) - It may be a province, a province 495 miles from the metro, Butuan also has places I'd chill at. Although they don't have Starbucks yet, they now have Bo's Coffee, and of course the very famous (in Butuan) Margie's. I've tried it, and it's nice. I'm not saying this just cause I'm trying to plug this place, but because it really is good. It has that Filipino-taste in coffee: sweet, coffee-ish shiz. Can't really explain it. Margie's also serves cakes and pastries and it's got nice interior. You could visit this link to see the review. If you want more, you could check it out on Google yourself. Besides, they already have milk tea places so I can survive there. Just me, my cigarettes, a cup of coffee, or milk tea. There are also bars and ktv rooms around, if you're gonna ask.
4. Family - Well, growing up, I've always known my dad has 9 siblings (yes, there are 10 of them). But as a kid, I've gotten close to my mom's relatives more because they're geographically closer to me. Most of my dad's siblings and cousins are abroad, or in Butuan. I've been to Butuan as a kid, maybe twice, but I was too young to even care. It's really nice to get to know them because getting to know them means getting to know my roots and surprisingly makes me know myself more. It's funny how a simple vacation at your dad's hometown can make you feel at home in different ways.
5. Butanon / Bisaya - Okay, so I really sound funny when I try to speak in Bisaya. Forgive me, I'm more of a taglish person. I can't even speak straight Tagalog. How on earth do you expect me to fluently speak a dialect I seldomly hear? Silliness aside, I've always been touched by the fact that my dad's proud of me for always trying hard to speak his dialect. In fairness, kasabot na ko ug binisaya. Ga tuon pa ko, kaya gamay lang. Dili na ko ma-loko. Yep, no Google search on that! If ever you're Bisaya and you notice I'm grammatically incorrect, please do correct me. 
6. Culture - We're all Filipinos, but we know that there are certain things that are distinct in one province. Say, Ilokanos are known for being stingy (kuripot), Batangueños for being brave (matapang), and the Pampangueños known for being good cooks. I'd like to say Butuanons are very friendly. Although there are people who still don't know how to smile randomly, most of the people I've encountered greet me with a smile. 
   
   

   
    So there, few reasons why I love going back to Butuan.
   
   
   This photo was shot by me last year, as seen on the lower part of it. This was at our property by the beach. Next time I go there, I'll make sure I have a photo of the property. It's nice to know that when I'm out of budget, I have a beach property some place nice. Though it's not white sand, though it's not known for its clear waters, I know I have a place to go. :)