When i first arrived in the far eastern city of Davao it was still very much the same as it had been for the past 50 years, if not longer.  There were some significant old buildings, homes and hotels that had been built of wood in a Japanese style or were constructed by Japanese whom had previously had more significant presence here.  Now, i cannot speak with any expertise about Architecture, nor style, nor History nor even language and culture but i can tell you about a 'Feeling' and about a 'rebirth' of a significant city .

Too often in my life i have to 'hide- out', from a terrible 'sindicate' that had obstructed my life ever since a time in the late 1990's if not earlier and anyway i must now 'give away' the Secret of where i found peace and safety; (at least i found it for a while).  Maybe the leaders here, in southeastern Mindanao,  would be proud of what i say, here still, or maybe they have wished i would leave (because the matter of humility and prudence as some call 'shyness' is very very much a basic personal character trait of the natives here even among much physical strength and beauty and human activity) but I can't just 'sit down' and be quiet about it even though i might have very few whom will ever even read my account of this.  There certainly are many, here now, whom have increased trying to discourage me on the part of the crude mafia that i mention; trying to make me 'Move' on behalf of the Liers who ruined my life previously .  They make a lot of noise here in the internet cafe's, that place that had become my refuge as i much prefer quiet and a public size computer screen and server to any personal 'cell-phones' and i have Never owned/ used a 'laptop' computer as some Americans are trying to force me to do in order for the "sindicate" to usurp the credit; the credit of my smart mind and some sort of money that i had bestowed by a consortium , previously in a secret financial development outside their circle of the mafia (except for their sneekie attorney).  In addition to the Much noise in the Internet cafe they let beggars handle me in the streets of Davao; even after i gave alms and paid for them to have food in a restaurant; they touch my body and Continue to ask money after i asked them not to and there is no help from any guard nor policeman, here, in this now (and certainly i don't like to bother the police); though this is a place where i have  had some freinds and have spent a greater proportion of my funds in the stores, restaurants and public markets.

The people here are Sophisticated in a very old way similar to the tribes of Central america and similar they have a 'mixed' ancestry and there is no lack of 'self confidence' even among such a spectrum of beauty , arrogance, poverty, and humanity.  Truly some of them stay up all night; tooting a bycicle horn that means 'ballot' or a partially developed chicken in an egg that has been cooked at midnight because it the egg is laid at night after the evening Roost .  This is a common delicacy that can score a man some points with the ladies.  Where the treat in USA might have been 'ice cream' here it was/ is ballot poultry  (pronounced bal-oat).  In addition to the sound of the 'bycicle horn' all night (by the room they left available to me) is the 'toot-toot' sound of jeepnie horn and car horns, all night.  I had one good girlfreind (22 yr old) that liked to keep the same sleeping hours as me (night-time) but the mafia stole her away as soon as they could (after 3 weeks) ; they used her mama to do so even after i gave the girl clothes and food when she had very few and she was trying to work in the street corner, and after i paid to lease land for her poor father to farm (on her request) and after i bought materials for her young sisters to have shelter and education supplies (on her request).

Though there is not too much example of Art nor modern methods here there has been a lot of human enjoyment on my part even among a lot of local Noise.  These people love to  sing and the joy of Videoke is espoused widely.  There has been a lot of new Reconstruction of old buildings here and lot of large new building of Apartment Homes and shopping malls.  There are many students in colleges here in Davao; students who come from the outlying provinces and suburbs of the territory, and from here in the City.  There are many beautiful women here who can surprise a european with their 'humanity' and while the culture of Manila, in Luzon to the North may take pride in being much more 'International' and proud of 'Speaking English' here in the South the 'language difference' has Never been a problem for me, personally, and i have spent my time in Asia here on this large island and not in the big international city to the north nor in mainland China. .  Peace, love and enjoy your self determination, here in southeast Asia.

from, by
Mr William "Tharon" Chandler