The city of Davao was completely destroyed in WWII, so with my limited time in that part of the country I decided not to spend a lot of time in the city itself but rather to venture out into the outskirts to experience some of the attractions in the nearby countryside.

A principal crop of the region is durian. It's available everywhere, including countless roadside vendors, where I experienced its taste for the first time. The importance of durian to the local economy is hard to miss; a giant durian statue greets visitors as soon as they exit the international airport in Davao.

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Just outside the city is a large crocodile park. Visiting the place as I did during the slow/rainy season meant that I had the entire park all to myself. No crowds and plenty of time for me to quietly photograph the many crocodiles basking in the sun.

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The highlight of my trip to Davao, and the main reason for venturing far outside the city, is the Philippine Eagle Center. Set in a lovely large area of pristine forest, the park offers a sanctuary to one of the rarest, largest and most powerful birds in the world. Also called monkey-eating eagles, these birds are massive with wing spans of nearly 7 feet. Brown feathers adorn the head, which when ruffled gives the appearance of a lion's mane. The eagle center has several of these amazing creatures on display.

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Being set in a real forest environment meant that eagles weren't the only wildlife present at the Eagle Center. Flowers, birds, insects, and spiders thrive in these parts. The spider below was nearly the size of my hand. Even now, I shudder to think how close I came to walking right into his web, which was positioned across the path I was walking.