This blog post originally appeared on mrjjguerrero.com with the blog title: CDO: The City of Golden Friendship.
Bicolano Blogger Jonathan Guerrero shares his experience to WOWCDO.com with the real treasure of Cagayan de Oro. Jonathan Guerrero hails from Legazpi City, Albay and he blogs about food, travel, and an advocate of many things. He has been blogging since August 2010 and has travelled the different attractions in the Philippines. Follow @jjaimeguerrero to follow his adventures and travel escapades or follow him on Facebook.
Known and named after its huge gold deposits, Cagayan de Oro City is now made richer because of the real treasures it has: the warm, hospitable and friendly people of the place. Perhaps, it’s one of the happiest places in the country, maybe the most friendly, too! No wonder, we call it the city of golden friendship.
An almost two hour plane ride from the capital city of Manila, Cagayan de Oro, or CDO, is a premier city of Mindanao. Raising the bar for peaceful and trendy living, the place is home to world-class adventures and continuously striving to catch up in terms of infrastructures, tourism and development. In 2013, it was named second, just a little behind Makati City, the business hub of the country, among the top grossers in terms of economy. The white water rafting (which I’m gonna try when I come back hehe) is a trademark of the city, and no where else in the country can you find a laughter as tintinnabulating as that of a Kagayanon. =)
A stroll around the city will take you to Gaston Park, a hyped place for trade, a usual playing and dating grounds, and proximate to the city museum and the San Agustin Cathedral. Beside it are restaurants that offer good food at a better price. Try La Tegola Cuccina Italiana, for example, at Hayes Street for an authentic Italian cuisine and which might make you Ratatouille-ish once you see the interior and taste the food. If you watched the movie, then you’ll probably know what I mean and which part of the movie I’m referring to, and yes, Ratatouille is French haha
And there is the Kagay-anon Restaurant at Limketkai Center. They serve good food, kinda pricey but worth it.
For night life, try the Lifestyle District. Don’t worry about drinking because the place is friendly. If you opt not to take in the liquor, just order from the restos and eat away!
If you’d like some chill time, try Coffeeworks at Corrales Avenue, stone’s throw away from Xavier University. Order some blueberry cheesecake and a cup of hot coffee. =)
Food are as friendly as the people. They do not taste foreign to the palate because they’re still Filipino but with an added twist. Pastel, a yema-filled pastry (what is yema in English?), is a superb pasalubong! Buy them at Vjandep on your way back to Laguindingan airport, or try them with coffee or chocolate or whatever you want at Missy Bon Bon. Finally, never leave CDO without the gastronomic star of the city: the Sinuglaw! It’s a mix of grilled pork belly and fish ceviche. Whether you eat it as your main dish (which we did hehe) or just an appetizer, you’ll surely have that taste lingering in your mind for so long.
CDO is not a perfect city. Which one is, anyway? But it does have that dash of homey vibe and a friendly atmosphere making it a top destination for everyone!