Family Trip at Eden Nature Park

Photo by my sister Jamie

When I was young, we always had family outings with cousins to the beaches. Because we lived just a few kilometers away from two of the most popular beach resorts** in Davao City in the 80s, we just walked. We would start early in the morning and pass by rows of tall coconut trees. Our humble breakfast by the sea consisted of canned sardines in tomato sauce paired with loaves of bread.

By the time I reached high school, these trips eventually stopped happening. The beaches near home became more polluted and were replaced by the white sands of Samal Island. Our family of five only had opportunities to visit beaches and resorts on reunions or other important events. We've never had a family vacation with just the five of us, ever --- until this August.

It was the Sunday after all of us got fully vaccinated. I booked a day trip to Eden Nature Park & Resort, an 80-hectare mountain resort in Toril, where I wanted to film my walk. I was expecting a sunny day because the first half of the week was clear and hot until it rained hard three days before our scheduled visit. It stayed cloudy with some showers till the end of the week. Thankfully, it didn't rain while we were at the resort. Instead, we were greeted by a lot of fog.

My father always expressed interest in fishing so, I chose Eden's consumable Fishing Village Package. He caught four tilapias and had them deep-fried. Meanwhile, my siblings and I had our walk through the park. We took the long and ascending road to one of the sights, which, I found out later, can be reached by a shortcut. My mom only rested thru the day and walked about just a little because of her knee pain. But when she thanked me, it made my day! Next time, I will look for a place with flatter terrain.

**Both Times and Bonguyan Beaches are now blocked by the new coastal road.