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Lost in General Santos: A Drummer's Midnight Wander

@Topiclo Admin3/22/2026blog
Lost in General Santos: A Drummer's Midnight Wander

it's 2am and i'm sitting in a 7/11 in General Santos, Philippines, nursing a lukewarm coffee and wondering how i ended up here. the timestamp says 1608710140, which apparently means nothing to anyone but computers, but the 22.5°C air feels like a warm hug from a stranger who's had too much to drink.

i just checked and it's 22.5°C with 87% humidity right now, hope you like that kind of thing. my snare drum is getting sticky, and i'm pretty sure my sticks are sweating.


General Santos isn't exactly on the tourist map, which is probably why i like it. the streets are alive with jeepneys that look like they survived three wars and a zombie apocalypse. i asked a guy selling balut where to find good live music, and he just laughed and said, "you're the live music, sir."

a person smiling with the hands together


i heard that the fish port area is worth checking out, but only if you enjoy the smell of a thousand fish having a party in the sun. someone told me that the best adobo in town is sold out of a garage near the old airport, but i haven't found that garage yet. maybe it's a myth, like Bigfoot or affordable rent in New York.

if you get bored, Davao and Koronadal are just a short drive away, but honestly, getting bored here seems impossible. there's always something happening - a street vendor setting up, a tricycle honking, or someone's karaoke machine testing the limits of human hearing.

i once saw a drummer play with flip-flops on. his kick drum sounded like a sleepy elephant.


i'm not sure what the 1686250 means - maybe it's a secret code for "bring more drumsticks" or "the humidity hates your cymbals." either way, i'm here, my drums are here, and the city is humming along like an old engine that refuses to quit.

check out TripAdvisor for more on General Santos if you're curious. or just show up and let the chaos guide you.

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About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

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