Back to the city
20 July 2013 | Oceanview Marina
Bill/overcast
We headed back to Davao this morning taking the 0830 taxi and then the ferry. Jumped on one of the small local buses(holds about 14 people when we all jam in close). We needed to go back to the SM Mall looking for some hardware. Specifically, quick disconnect attachments for multi strand wires(for our fans) and a new nozzle for our outside hose. You'd have thought I was looking for some Egyptian tomb for all the help I got at Ace Hardware. Nice store but it hasn't made the leap to a real hardware store. A "tarp" to them is a sheet of thick vinyl with no grommits on it. They did have real tarps elsewhere in the store but it took some looking. As for "quick disconnects" that can be crimped on wires? Well, they have NO fittings for crimping anything. No butt connectors, no nothing. Looked at me with a little lost dog look not having a clue as to what I was actually looking for. And they call themselves a "hardware" store????? What a joke. Tried for a motion activated lamp for outside--nope. While not giving them credit, no other "hardware" store in Davao had the motion lamps either. We did find the nozzle for the hose though.
We had lunch at a restaurant called Gilligan's. Nice place with a decent menu and we both had chicken and pork on a stick. Four sticks of each to a meal. An appetizer of spring rolls and it was a pretty good lunch.
Tracy looked for a casual dress to slip on to go up to the restrooms at the club house without getting all the way dressed. Found one that should work.
Last night was the weekly barbecue get together. The group didn't even start the fire for the coals till after 1830 and that was way past our normal dinner hour so we baled and I cooked my steak on the grill on board. Beef here is ridiculously expensive and never that good in quality. We'd bought a box of Australian steaks the other day and I finally got to try one out. There are 5 steaks to a box and it comes in a one kilo. Runs about $26.00US for that kilo or about $11.00 a pound. That works out to $5.50 per steak and those weigh in a about a half pound. They are better called "minute steaks" as that's about how long it takes to cook them. While it was tasty, we probably won't be buying them again as they just cost to much for what you get. Meat at a place called the Swiss Deli(explored today) is even more per pound. Guess we will be sticking to lots of chicken and pork as they have that in abundance. surprised about the pork as while this is still a Christian town, there are still a bunch of Muslims here and they won't go near the stuff.
We stopped at a local fruit and veggie stand after taking the ferry back to the island and bought some apples that are very fresh and a good bit cheaper than in the bigger markets in Davao. I guess it pays to shop around
Tomorrow, more projects here at the marina. We have asked the boatyard/marina manager for a quote to take off our teak decks and redo with fiberglass. It should be interesting as labor here is cheap and from what we have seen, pretty good with boats.