//updated with photos

Last weekend, when my friends from work decided to conquer Cagayan de Oro, I told them to check out the white water rafting adventure because after the flood, they can “raft” their way to Limketkai, Opol beaches or Gaisano City. Of course it was a bad joke but they did arrive in Cagayan de Oro on the same day I did and yours truly felt it was my compunction to show them around.

Photo at Del Monte Clubhouse, Cawayanon Bukidnon. Cawayanon is a 35 minute drive from Puerto, Cagayan de Oro.

Their steaks are at P250-750. You can order their unlimited pineapple juice at P60.

Manfred Jugador’s log cabin

Anyway, I never did get to try the river rafting experience because I’m not really an outdoorsy type of person. My friends who came from Cebu talked about all kinds of activities in Cagayan de Oro that they wanted to try out and to my consternation, I didn’t hear a single “indoor” activity they mentioned. Rafting! Canopy walk! Zipline! Horse back riding and river trekking!

After their rafting and tour around Cagayan de Oro rivers, I took them to Makahambus Cave and their canopy walk and zipline activities. For P300, you can already cross the bridge at I forget how high it is and zipline your way back to the starting line. Not bad, it’s just that we could perhaps do a lot more at Mapawa Nature Park. (Sorry Igs, peace!)

Makahambus Cave. 10 minutes from Lumbia Airport.

The “light” after that 2 minutes tunnel.

The canopy walk at Makahambus Nature Park

So here I was going to places that I’ve already been to a million times and taking photos of them a million times and storing them in my hard drive a million times and realized that I will never stop being a tourist and a tour guide at the same time. There is something about places that changes their whole look when you are with a different crowd – not to mention a crowd who does not see something the same way you do. When Reiona gushed about breathtaking Bukidnon and how she wanted to raid Manfred’s ref and claim ownership of one of the rooms in his house/log cabin, I was overwhelmed at my complete nonchalance of the whole thing.

This is the indoor activity I like. At FU. Okay.

Street love this time. At Barbie Fortich’s lola’s streets.

Cookie’s Bday.

Cagayan de Oro will always be in Mindanao just like the river rafting experience will forever make millions in the city but that I guess that kind of thinking depletes the dinero of ever doing the storytelling first hand.

I took the liberty of taking my friends’ photos for them whether they are at the airport, in the plane, getting on the plane, buying pasalubong and even when they are standing beside the Welcome to Cawayanon sign – everything is documented and will forever remind me to yes, take the plunge and maybe, just maybe, get on that raft, brave the rapids and take a video of myself while I’m on a zip line. Fun, right?

The TARTUFO at Candys! Familiar? P250 per serving. Serves 4

What’s a weekend at CDO without a Candy’s nightcap?

From L-R: Yours truly, Babe, Michelle, Jay and Tihn

A pit stop at OIC

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