October to February: There and back again.

Samal Christmas holiday and Poker de Pamilya

I spent my holidays with the in-laws in Davao. Three whole days of sun, sun and more sun. We started with a boat ride to Cagayan de Oro, followed by a grueling 6-hour road trip to Davao, where temperatures raced from noontime-hot, to midnight-deathly cold. I wouldn’t want to be stranded in Buda, at 3AM in the morning, that’s for sure.



Davao, is by far, the biggest city I’ve been to. From my cousin-in-law’s place, to the commercial district was something like 45 minutes to an hour, in early morning traffic, which is a bit longer than I’d expect, coming from an island-city that Davao city’s port could probably swallow up, and still have enough space to include Barangay Punta Prinsesa. I wouldn’t want to be caught in mid-hour jams there, that’s for sure!


But I enjoyed Davao. Very likey! And Samal Island was great! For want of a better comparison, it was like Malapascua. Same travel bumps going there, but very, very, very much like Malapascua. (I want to go back there!)


Christmas was also a time for me to strengthen family ties, renew bonds of friendship, cuddly with my wifey, Joyce, and play home poker games --- what else?



It was fun at first, then, the kids got better and better. Negreanu, Lederer, Hansen and Esfandiari, you better hold on to your winnings because when these Tan kids come of age, they’ll be sweeping the tables clean!



Penumbra: Next “January: Sinulog, Fiery Pigs, Pinnipig, Midweek Session and Perfect on Paper.”

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