MACO, Davao de Oro (MindaNews / 06 April) — Less than five minutes away from the municipal hall here is one of our favorite stopovers.
We would know: MindaNews has spent more at least 20 years traveling Mindanao. This stopover easily passes our checklist.
Bob’s Minimart and Cafe is located within the Shell Station Compound in Barangay Hijo, accessible to travelers en route to Mati City in Davao Oriental or bound for Davao City.
Gas up, freshen up, booze up: It has everything, butchiron and ice cream included.
There’s a lot to say about simple rest stops like Bob’s. Not a lot of gas stations have cafes and tables where visitors can take longer breaks.
What’s more, the minimart’s sofa gives it a homely vibe fit for rest stops.
The star of this humble stopover has to be its clean comfort rooms, which is usually the downfall of other rest stops, even in areas with fancy dining options.
To top it off, the owners tickled our fancy with a large print of Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata at one of the minimart’s passageways. We’ve always been fan of the first line. “Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.”
