One of the simple joys in living in Davao City is enjoying durian.  That strong unique scent which many find offensive is aroma heaven to my olfactory sense.  I admit that eating durian  while growing up, took me time to appreciate it.  I usually run from the dining table upon smelling the scent of durian served after meals.  Then one day, I may be around 11 or 12 years old when I realized that I was missing out on something.  My family enjoyed the fruit except me and there was a gnawing curiosity that I needed to fill.  The need to taste durian.  I remember the apprehension and getting past the smell before I took my first bite of the fruit.  But after that bite, I understood the joy that came with eating durian.  The smell suddenly made sense and I couldn’t imagine eating the fruit without the smell.  The aroma and flavor was perfect!  And there my friends started my love affair with durian.

Drawing from my childhood experience, I realized that appreciating the fruit first took guts. To get past the smell and fill your soul with adventure to try something new.  Usually, when my out-of-town friends ask me about durian and how we can eat such a smelly fruit, I’d tell them to open their senses to a new experience and they will certainly appreciate it.  Alas, only a few are brave.

Last week, I had a friend from Manila who was willing to taste durian.  We got to squeeze a few hours to go to the local market which is a jeep ride away from the Davao Imperial Hotel before their flight and picked a nice durian fruit for his taste test.  What do you know?  The guy totally enjoyed it!  2 fruit filled seeds sucked clean. Yeah.. Only the brave who’s open to new experiences can enjoy this world more right?  So if you find yourself in Davao, try the magnificent durian.