Alright. Let me see... I survived my first semester and I believe I actually got good grades from my statistics class (yipee!).

As of this month I have finished two fieldwork trips to Cagayan de Oro and Iloilo.

Cagayan de Oro is in the Mindanao area. I've been there at least 4 times on work-related trips for very brief periods of time. And to my mind it is one of the most boring cities I've ever been to. Nothing seems to happen in Cagayan de Oro. Its quiet and peaceful. And for an urban-raised person like me, I cannot abide by a slow pace of life for longer than a few days.

Then this month I stayed there for about three full days and finally -- something sparked. Not a big spark, but a spark nonetheless. Definitely beats twiddling my thumbs.

Cagayan de Oro literally means "Golden Friendship". And the city does live up to its name. People will go out of their way to help you. We stayed in a hotel called the Grand Royale which is comfortably and conveniently close to the city center. Now, hotels in Cagayan de Oro are not spectacular. I've been to 4 different hotels and basically, the hotels take care of basics and not much else. The hotel staff will make up for it in helpfulness though. Just don't go looking around for glamour and perks.

Right across the hotel is Vienna Kaffehaus which I had the pleasure to discover one Sunday morning. Coffee shops are not yet big in Cagayan unlike Manila, Cebu and Davao. Hence on an early Sunday morning I entered an empty but ready shop, found a cozy corner table by the window where the morning sun shines softly through and settled myself to work on my school paper which I took with me. The coffee is good and the continental breakfast was simple but satisfying. Later on when my companions arrived from fieldwork, they breakfasted on blueberry crepes. In the evening we went back for the desserts which were real treats.

Within the past year or so, Cagayan de Oro has also started a Nite Cafe in an attempt to lure more visitors by providing some semblance of an active night life. Every Friday and Saturday, the whole central park of the city is closed down and becomes a huge al fresco bar and barbecue. Local bands played onstage while stalls served up beer and all manners of barbecue, from the classic pork barbecue to chicken and to the usual Pinoy delicacies of pork and chicken innards. The young flocked to this Nite Cafe, probably finally glad to have a happening scene. But what I appreciated most about this Nite Cafe is the wholesome feel to it despite the alcohol and the rock music. Families with kids can be seen enjoying the scene as well. Businesses also remain open late, such as the kiddie fastfood Jollibee.

Other good places to check out would be Blueberry Cafe (again near our hotel) and Panagatan, which served fresh seafood dishes and is located by the beach. I suggest hiring a taxi to bring you there and take you back to the hotel.