9/10/09

Surigao Bound

Ambulant beauticians: even at midnight in Davao City's Ecoland Bus Terminal, ladies with their little bags containing manicure/pedicure sets walk around in search of customers. Customers are of course mostly passengers and the occasional drivers/conductors. After much convincing from her, I decided on a 50-peso pedicure. Who says vanity is alien in a bus terminal?

Vendors operate just like Davao's bus terminal: they're available 24 hours a day. To kill time and combat drowsiness while waiting for the 1 a.m. departure of my bus, I grabbed a cup of coffee from this sidewalk vendor. Before I could finish my coffee, the old woman bows her head and snores in front of me. Perhaps she needs a cup herself.

San Francisco but not in California: this Agusan del Sur town is one of several pit-stops for this non-aircon Philtranco bus bound for Pasay City. There are 2 daily trips, non-aircon at 1 a.m. and aircon at 4 a.m. I took the first trip that cost me only 550 pesos but what an ordeal: the bus driver played loud 80's music all night long and even allowed one male passenger behind him to smoke! After politely asking the driver to turn down the volume, he turned it off completely, only to be wakened by loud music again later.

9 comments:

  1. Haha, I can't believe na may midnight manicure at pedicure - on the streets. ;)

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  2. Wow, such hard working people.. :)

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  3. If you have comments and suggestions regarding Philtranco, please visit www.philtranco.com.ph for more info or email directly to feedback.philtranco@gmail.com

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  4. I really like that roving manicurist. Every one could use her services. That's Pinoy ingenuity on full display.

    Enjoying your vacay?

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  5. Hi witsandnuts,
    Kahit ako nga I never expected this in a busy terminal.

    Hi Angel,
    Yes they do work hard for their money.

    Hi Joelarzadon,
    Thanks for this info. I meant to convey to Philtranco management what my experience was - I'll ket them know.

    Hi Photo Cache,
    Yes, I'm having a great time here. Maraming pwedeng gawin but I only have a limited time.

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  6. The first time I have been to Surigao (it was still an undivided province then) was when I was an incoming senior student in college on a summer field work. I have never been back since. Take a lot of pictures there, if you can, and share them with us.

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  7. and they have folding beds, too? wow, gotta admire the entrepreneural spirit!

    and fifty pesos for a pedicure sure beats the dollars we pay for getting it done here in the states!

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  8. This reminds me of the time I took the bus from Pasay aaaalll the way to Davao because as a penniless student, I wanted to go home but didn't have enough money for plane fare.

    I saw Mayon Volcano, San Juanico bridge, THE most beautiful beach lit by moonlight somewhere in Samar/Leyte, and also THE dirtiest toilets I've ever seen in my life. We also rode the ferry to Surigao (with the bus). 48 hours later, the aircon bus stank bec of the toilet inside the bus (which I never used).

    But it was worth it. Given the chance, I'd do it all over again!

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  9. crisvirgil4:26:00 AM

    wow.. san francisco, my place...^_____^ ngayon ko lng nakita toh... it's nice having the place featured in ur blog... ^.^

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