The Seagull, the Mountain, and the Resort
I came across Seagull Mountain Resort about eighteen years ago, back when the Bukidnon-Davao Road, famously known as BUDA, was still as rough as any rocky road is. Travel time from Davao to Cagayan de Oro City used to take nine hours, excluding traffic and the occasional engine trouble or the usual flat tire among vehicles, especially the buses. So for every traveler passing this route with a non air-conditioned vehicle would experience biting the dust literally. The climate, however, is amazingly cool, with picture perfect views of the terrain. From a distance, it was almost like the hills were trimmed on the edges for roads to appear because one can actually see the buses coming down from the other side, making its way through the snaky curves, appearing and disappearing behind the trees.
Located just in the boundary between Davao and Bukidnon is the Seagull Mountain Resort. Owned by the prominent Durezas of Davao, it is supposed to be a perfect getaway from the hassles in the city. I’ve heard about it during the early 90’s, when my friends and I, fresh graduates from high school, were on the height of exploring a number of waterfalls in Epol, which was just a couple of kilometers away from the Resort. The people living in the area told us that the Durezas owned a chunk of land in that hill, which, later as I realized based on what my eyes can measure, turned out to be the whole hilltop.
Anyway, the first time I really got in the resort was in 2003, eleven years after the waterfalls-cave-trekking adventure I had with my high school classmates. I was on a job assignment that needed constant monitoring in Bukidnon and so I travelled around the area almost every month. The resort was not an intended stop-over for me but our driver, who was also the owner of our rented van, decided to make a stop mostly out of curiosity. Since it was the last day of our project, there was no reason for me to not take this leisure. We only got as far as the restaurant where we ordered coffee, stayed and enjoyed the cool climate and then took off. Nothing really made an impact on me except for the restaurant’s ambiance which almost gave me a deliciously eerie feeling. Its wooden panels, door chimes, the waiter’s loud footsteps echoing across the floor, the quiet mood, the antique ornaments, were somehow creepy in a good sense. It seemed like a perfect setting for urban legends which led us to retell horror stories in broad daylight.
Seven years later after spending an hour of imaginings at Seagull, I finally went back, this time with a plan to stay overnight. I recently spent the weekend there accompanied by my officemate and friend, Faith. We were originally planning to head for Camiguin but our budget was just up to the boundaries of Davao City so the resort was most perfect for us.
We took the non air-conditioned bus bound for Cagayan de Oro via BUDA, leaving at about ten o’clock in the morning. The bus had a stop too many, including in a durian stand at the roadside just outside Calinan, which the passengers enjoyed. I wasn’t jumping up and down about it but neither was I complaining since we were really not in a hurry to get to Seagull. First of all, there were only two of us, as the rest of the group backed out at the last minute, and second, we were kind of wondering what else are in stored for us after the sight-seeing is done. I was very sure we would be able to see everything of it in just one day and so an overnight stay would have been unnecessary. But then again, my whole point of going there was to get away from the usual activities and try to bring back the adventure in my heart, because somewhere along the way it just got lost in the midst of adulthood.
The day before we made the trip, someone asked me what was so interesting at Seagull that made me convince everyone to go there and I felt the oddity of the question. Nothing wrong about it but if I had answered the truth, which was as simple as just for the heck of it he wouldn’t have understood. So I just replied, “Catching the fog.” It dawned on me that our destination that day was not as important as getting on the bus and riding on it.
We reached the place an hour past noon. Faith and I were grinning, excited of what the rest of the day may bring. A cold breeze greeted us which made us laugh even more that I could’ve bet we looked like kids on a field trip for the first time. I was amazed to see that there were actually people inside, the place looked busy and kids were running about. Unlike before, the parking lot was full.
The guard on duty walked towards us and explained just about everything that we were about to ask and it made me wonder if he could read minds or just plain talented. We didn’t have to read the tariffs written in the signboard because he had said it all. An information officer and a security guard rolled into one. But there was indeed an information counter just right beside the restaurant. Ah, the restaurant…
It basically looked the same, only this time, more antique crafts were added and tables inside were fashioned in such a way that big, Japanese look-alike picnic umbrellas were attached to it, which was really nice, but somehow left me wondering why it’s necessary to design it that way when it was definitely an indoor setting. We concluded later that there probably was a leak on the roof so the picnic umbrella comes in handy. On the other corner was a black leather couch, probably set there as a reminder that we’re in a modern world, however it becomes a contrast to the umbrella, and the environment itself. The curtains even had a variety of colors with very common prints. The eerie feeling that I had when I first got here years ago was no longer felt, but I would rather have that feeling again than this sense of loss between the disparity of the furniture and the environment. It seemed that there was no connection to it, no consistency to its very location, even the background music made me feel like I was in a Hollywood movie. The indigenous essence of being in such a place was completely unfelt. Then again, the resort was probably established just for the sake of having a place to stop in the middle of the road. I just hoped that there could be more to it rather than just remain a fine place.
Then there’s the swimming pool. We passed by the pool just to check it out and we found it nice and simple. Neither it is too big nor too small. But every swimming pool looks the same so there’s really nothing much to say except for the utterly freezing water.
We found a trail that led down to the waterfalls but considering the little time we had, we decided to take the improvised shuttle-truck-jeep instead.
The cascade was a pretty sight and hearing the gushing sound of water reminded me of how I love the mountains and its treasures within. There were swimming pools just beneath the waterfall, one for adults and one for kids. There was a bunch of different families when we arrived there and I can say it was a good place for strengthening ties and most of all, relaxing. The pools looked inviting and it would be challenging to jump into it but we decided not to because then it had begun to drizzle. Besides, swimming was really not included in our plan.
On the other hand, back in the resort, cottages and campsites offered were good enough although very modern, but with affordable and reasonable rates depending on the number of capacity. Grilling areas were especially constructed in between houses for those who wanted to cook their own meals, as appliances brought are charged to a certain fee. Separate comfort rooms are provided for those lodging in campsites, which are shared commonly among other campers. Water, however, could be a problem due to the occasional brown outs that stopped the flow, and so you should make sure to fill the bucket before using the bathroom otherwise you’d get stuck inside with no water and electricity, and worse, with soap in your eyes.
After settling in our chosen campsite, we hiked towards a coffee shop just meters away from the resort. It was indeed a perfect place to linger for travelers and a gasoline station sits just beside it. I was anxious to have my usual afternoon coffee break most especially in that place where the temperature was coolest and I could not hide my excitement to see what sort of flavors were there for me to choose from. So I was truly disappointed when the café staff informed me that coffee could not be served because, “Ma’am, di man gud ka-saka ang tubig diri kung brown out… di ka-kaya ang generator…”
“Oh… and how long will this brown out take?”
“It usually takes three to five hours, so the power should be back tonight at six.”
Imagine me standing there with a frozen smile across my face, hands on hips, eyes staring at the list of coffee flavors. There was nothing I could do but sigh. And so it kept me thinking, a roadside coffee shop such as this truly is a blessing to travelers but if without the capacity to serve coffee in the middle of a very cold afternoon, then what’s the point?
So with Faith laughing at me, we ordered sandwiches and softdrinks instead.
I was already accepting the fact that the cause of this bad timing was the scarcity of electric power in Mindanao, and the whole nation, so I might as well shrug it off. So when an Isuzu Sportivo stopped in front of the café with six passengers climbing out, I was almost smiling just thinking about what their reactions would be when they find out that coffee could not be served. True enough, they were dismayed. However, what happened to them was not as simple as I had thought when one good looking lady asked where the restrooms were located. Apparently, all the restrooms were locked since, according to the staff, there was not enough water to run through the toilets because of --- newsflash --- the brown out. I watched the lady’s facial expression turn sour as all of them looked at one another and I immediately realized her urgency to use the restroom. Suddenly I felt sorry for her. I knew then that their purpose of dropping by was not the coffee and by the looks of that lady, I could almost feel the turmoil in her stomach. The staff, also realizing the situation, referred her to the restrooms at the resort and the lady and her companions instantly went out to that direction. I could only hope that there’s enough water there.
I don’t know if the management should be concerned about these situations but, isn’t it worth the consideration? It might have been if service was included in their plans but from what we had seen and encountered, there were no initiatives taken thus a not-so-good perspective for us, only providing frustrations and a little bit of a sad story. A coffee-less coffee shop with locked restrooms. It probably was not the usual but then… was it all just bad timing?
At dinnertime we positioned ourselves back in the restaurant and we chose the table with the big picnic umbrella. We were already forewarned about their food and how the cost was far greater than its actual taste so we opted for the value meals offered where I had the pork barbecue and a grilled chicken for Faith. We figured that barbecues are barbecues wherever you are so it was the safest choice.
Or so we thought.
I have always loved food so I am not going to write anything that might cause any disrespect. But I would not, however, recommend to anyone their value meals.
But to perk things up the next day, the corned beef with egg served at breakfast was great. With fried dilis as side dish and a choice of instant coffee or hot native chocolate, Faith and I had our first delicious meal since our arrival at the resort. And so, to be sure of paying for something that truly values the cost, as well as a full stomach, we both decided to order the same menu for lunch. And we did take the same breakfast meal during lunch time at the coffee shop which was also serving the same menu as that of the restaurant. Electricity was up and running, thank goodness. After eating, we packed our things and headed for home.
It took an hour of waiting before a bus passed by and we were lucky enough to have hailed it. Since it was from Cagayan de Oro, and had picked up passengers from all stations along the way, all seats were taken and some people were already standing in the aisle. We had to push our way towards the end, stood and held on whatever our hands can reach to defy the swerves. Upon reaching Calinan District, we decided to get off the bus and just take the rest of the ride home by commuter van where we could be properly seated and be more comfortable because honestly, I was already feeling nauseous. We arrived in Davao at three in the afternoon.
It was not much of a great adventure but we did have fun, somehow. It was not after all, the destination that mattered, but the sense of breaking the barriers of uncertainty and taking a leap to overcome whatever fear that has been holding us back to gain a little bit of freedom. It was a heck of a bus ride.
The Seagull Mountain Resort was not at all super impressive but nevertheless, I would still go back there and if the budget allows, bring my family with me. The resort may have its own flaws but it possesses some good things that make it work out like for instance, nature itself.
And while grasping the beauty of nature and all, maybe then I could find the connection between the seagull and the mountain.
Located just in the boundary between Davao and Bukidnon is the Seagull Mountain Resort. Owned by the prominent Durezas of Davao, it is supposed to be a perfect getaway from the hassles in the city. I’ve heard about it during the early 90’s, when my friends and I, fresh graduates from high school, were on the height of exploring a number of waterfalls in Epol, which was just a couple of kilometers away from the Resort. The people living in the area told us that the Durezas owned a chunk of land in that hill, which, later as I realized based on what my eyes can measure, turned out to be the whole hilltop.
Anyway, the first time I really got in the resort was in 2003, eleven years after the waterfalls-cave-trekking adventure I had with my high school classmates. I was on a job assignment that needed constant monitoring in Bukidnon and so I travelled around the area almost every month. The resort was not an intended stop-over for me but our driver, who was also the owner of our rented van, decided to make a stop mostly out of curiosity. Since it was the last day of our project, there was no reason for me to not take this leisure. We only got as far as the restaurant where we ordered coffee, stayed and enjoyed the cool climate and then took off. Nothing really made an impact on me except for the restaurant’s ambiance which almost gave me a deliciously eerie feeling. Its wooden panels, door chimes, the waiter’s loud footsteps echoing across the floor, the quiet mood, the antique ornaments, were somehow creepy in a good sense. It seemed like a perfect setting for urban legends which led us to retell horror stories in broad daylight.
Seven years later after spending an hour of imaginings at Seagull, I finally went back, this time with a plan to stay overnight. I recently spent the weekend there accompanied by my officemate and friend, Faith. We were originally planning to head for Camiguin but our budget was just up to the boundaries of Davao City so the resort was most perfect for us.
We took the non air-conditioned bus bound for Cagayan de Oro via BUDA, leaving at about ten o’clock in the morning. The bus had a stop too many, including in a durian stand at the roadside just outside Calinan, which the passengers enjoyed. I wasn’t jumping up and down about it but neither was I complaining since we were really not in a hurry to get to Seagull. First of all, there were only two of us, as the rest of the group backed out at the last minute, and second, we were kind of wondering what else are in stored for us after the sight-seeing is done. I was very sure we would be able to see everything of it in just one day and so an overnight stay would have been unnecessary. But then again, my whole point of going there was to get away from the usual activities and try to bring back the adventure in my heart, because somewhere along the way it just got lost in the midst of adulthood.
The day before we made the trip, someone asked me what was so interesting at Seagull that made me convince everyone to go there and I felt the oddity of the question. Nothing wrong about it but if I had answered the truth, which was as simple as just for the heck of it he wouldn’t have understood. So I just replied, “Catching the fog.” It dawned on me that our destination that day was not as important as getting on the bus and riding on it.
We reached the place an hour past noon. Faith and I were grinning, excited of what the rest of the day may bring. A cold breeze greeted us which made us laugh even more that I could’ve bet we looked like kids on a field trip for the first time. I was amazed to see that there were actually people inside, the place looked busy and kids were running about. Unlike before, the parking lot was full.
The guard on duty walked towards us and explained just about everything that we were about to ask and it made me wonder if he could read minds or just plain talented. We didn’t have to read the tariffs written in the signboard because he had said it all. An information officer and a security guard rolled into one. But there was indeed an information counter just right beside the restaurant. Ah, the restaurant…
It basically looked the same, only this time, more antique crafts were added and tables inside were fashioned in such a way that big, Japanese look-alike picnic umbrellas were attached to it, which was really nice, but somehow left me wondering why it’s necessary to design it that way when it was definitely an indoor setting. We concluded later that there probably was a leak on the roof so the picnic umbrella comes in handy. On the other corner was a black leather couch, probably set there as a reminder that we’re in a modern world, however it becomes a contrast to the umbrella, and the environment itself. The curtains even had a variety of colors with very common prints. The eerie feeling that I had when I first got here years ago was no longer felt, but I would rather have that feeling again than this sense of loss between the disparity of the furniture and the environment. It seemed that there was no connection to it, no consistency to its very location, even the background music made me feel like I was in a Hollywood movie. The indigenous essence of being in such a place was completely unfelt. Then again, the resort was probably established just for the sake of having a place to stop in the middle of the road. I just hoped that there could be more to it rather than just remain a fine place.
Then there’s the swimming pool. We passed by the pool just to check it out and we found it nice and simple. Neither it is too big nor too small. But every swimming pool looks the same so there’s really nothing much to say except for the utterly freezing water.
We found a trail that led down to the waterfalls but considering the little time we had, we decided to take the improvised shuttle-truck-jeep instead.
The cascade was a pretty sight and hearing the gushing sound of water reminded me of how I love the mountains and its treasures within. There were swimming pools just beneath the waterfall, one for adults and one for kids. There was a bunch of different families when we arrived there and I can say it was a good place for strengthening ties and most of all, relaxing. The pools looked inviting and it would be challenging to jump into it but we decided not to because then it had begun to drizzle. Besides, swimming was really not included in our plan.
On the other hand, back in the resort, cottages and campsites offered were good enough although very modern, but with affordable and reasonable rates depending on the number of capacity. Grilling areas were especially constructed in between houses for those who wanted to cook their own meals, as appliances brought are charged to a certain fee. Separate comfort rooms are provided for those lodging in campsites, which are shared commonly among other campers. Water, however, could be a problem due to the occasional brown outs that stopped the flow, and so you should make sure to fill the bucket before using the bathroom otherwise you’d get stuck inside with no water and electricity, and worse, with soap in your eyes.
After settling in our chosen campsite, we hiked towards a coffee shop just meters away from the resort. It was indeed a perfect place to linger for travelers and a gasoline station sits just beside it. I was anxious to have my usual afternoon coffee break most especially in that place where the temperature was coolest and I could not hide my excitement to see what sort of flavors were there for me to choose from. So I was truly disappointed when the café staff informed me that coffee could not be served because, “Ma’am, di man gud ka-saka ang tubig diri kung brown out… di ka-kaya ang generator…”
“Oh… and how long will this brown out take?”
“It usually takes three to five hours, so the power should be back tonight at six.”
Imagine me standing there with a frozen smile across my face, hands on hips, eyes staring at the list of coffee flavors. There was nothing I could do but sigh. And so it kept me thinking, a roadside coffee shop such as this truly is a blessing to travelers but if without the capacity to serve coffee in the middle of a very cold afternoon, then what’s the point?
So with Faith laughing at me, we ordered sandwiches and softdrinks instead.
I was already accepting the fact that the cause of this bad timing was the scarcity of electric power in Mindanao, and the whole nation, so I might as well shrug it off. So when an Isuzu Sportivo stopped in front of the café with six passengers climbing out, I was almost smiling just thinking about what their reactions would be when they find out that coffee could not be served. True enough, they were dismayed. However, what happened to them was not as simple as I had thought when one good looking lady asked where the restrooms were located. Apparently, all the restrooms were locked since, according to the staff, there was not enough water to run through the toilets because of --- newsflash --- the brown out. I watched the lady’s facial expression turn sour as all of them looked at one another and I immediately realized her urgency to use the restroom. Suddenly I felt sorry for her. I knew then that their purpose of dropping by was not the coffee and by the looks of that lady, I could almost feel the turmoil in her stomach. The staff, also realizing the situation, referred her to the restrooms at the resort and the lady and her companions instantly went out to that direction. I could only hope that there’s enough water there.
I don’t know if the management should be concerned about these situations but, isn’t it worth the consideration? It might have been if service was included in their plans but from what we had seen and encountered, there were no initiatives taken thus a not-so-good perspective for us, only providing frustrations and a little bit of a sad story. A coffee-less coffee shop with locked restrooms. It probably was not the usual but then… was it all just bad timing?
At dinnertime we positioned ourselves back in the restaurant and we chose the table with the big picnic umbrella. We were already forewarned about their food and how the cost was far greater than its actual taste so we opted for the value meals offered where I had the pork barbecue and a grilled chicken for Faith. We figured that barbecues are barbecues wherever you are so it was the safest choice.
Or so we thought.
I have always loved food so I am not going to write anything that might cause any disrespect. But I would not, however, recommend to anyone their value meals.
But to perk things up the next day, the corned beef with egg served at breakfast was great. With fried dilis as side dish and a choice of instant coffee or hot native chocolate, Faith and I had our first delicious meal since our arrival at the resort. And so, to be sure of paying for something that truly values the cost, as well as a full stomach, we both decided to order the same menu for lunch. And we did take the same breakfast meal during lunch time at the coffee shop which was also serving the same menu as that of the restaurant. Electricity was up and running, thank goodness. After eating, we packed our things and headed for home.
It took an hour of waiting before a bus passed by and we were lucky enough to have hailed it. Since it was from Cagayan de Oro, and had picked up passengers from all stations along the way, all seats were taken and some people were already standing in the aisle. We had to push our way towards the end, stood and held on whatever our hands can reach to defy the swerves. Upon reaching Calinan District, we decided to get off the bus and just take the rest of the ride home by commuter van where we could be properly seated and be more comfortable because honestly, I was already feeling nauseous. We arrived in Davao at three in the afternoon.
It was not much of a great adventure but we did have fun, somehow. It was not after all, the destination that mattered, but the sense of breaking the barriers of uncertainty and taking a leap to overcome whatever fear that has been holding us back to gain a little bit of freedom. It was a heck of a bus ride.
The Seagull Mountain Resort was not at all super impressive but nevertheless, I would still go back there and if the budget allows, bring my family with me. The resort may have its own flaws but it possesses some good things that make it work out like for instance, nature itself.
And while grasping the beauty of nature and all, maybe then I could find the connection between the seagull and the mountain.
posted by novemberhaze at 3:06 PM
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