Currently Listening Morning View By Incubus see related

DAY 1/6 FINALLY BATANES ! (a continuation)

*Be content with what you have, rejoice in the way things are.

When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.*

~Lao Tzu~

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Before we had our lunch, we visited yet another Batanes church named ST. JOSEPH THE WORKER. I have learned that there are four 200-year old churches in Batanes and we’re on our third one.  It is just amazing how these structures could have given the Ivatans comfort and refuge through the years in the midst of the harshest weather.

And of course, just a stone’s throw away from the church is the famous HONESTY COFFEE SHOP. The items have their prices on it and all you need to do is take what you need to buy (we had corn) and just put your payment into the box. If you do not have the exact amount, you just list it down and come back for it the next day or whenever the owner is around. Astig!

There was no one I could borrow the bicycle from but I rode it anyway and returned it after. I guess that’s how the Ivatans live. They go on to their daily tasks leaving their houses unlocked and their bicycles unattended (to my delight). One of the mayors reported to us about the zero crime rate in Batanes. Lynn even observed that the dogs never barked at us as we excitedly and noisily explored the place. Even the dogs here were not trained to be *guarding* all the time. Everywhere we went, we were just greeted by warm Ivatan smiles.

And so I roamed around some more riding the bicycle and just whispering my gratitude to the Heavens for keeping some places like this unexploited. I am into sharing wonders like Batanes but I could not help but be scared too of the possibility of losing yet another Eden to modernization and out-of-hand commercialism.

Imagine how our environment could get better if more people go around with their bicycles.

 Before we finally left this part of Batanes, Kuya Manny took photographs of us with the big waves crashing behind us. Yep, you will never have to use a tripod for your group shots when you’re with this guy. He loved my Nathan too.

As if not tired from all the jumping, we still climbed up the church’s bell tower to see the view from above.

We then had our lunch prepared by a former government official’s wife. This is the beauty of eating probinsya food especially in Batanes—you could somehow meditate on the food presented on the table. It is somehow more automatic to be grateful of the Earth, the Sun, the Rain, and the hardwork of the people in making those meals possible.

Before we headed for our next stop, we were not able to resist the spot where a famous feminine wash commercial was shot (the one with Dawn Zulueta). The boys automatically climbed up on the top of the hill and being one of them, I followed them too without realizing how strong the winds were. Had I not planted my feet firmly on the ground, I would have rolled down the hill with my legs all over the place.

tien's digiPetal: my view from the top

fresh-freshan

reporting from batanes

i am definitely one of them...look at the horsies at the back...

tien's digiPetal: lean horses...they are vegetarians...

 A good-hearted passer-by pointed to the rest of the girls an easier route up the hill, so here we are...

my super laugh

still laughing...

The next stop was the SONGSONG RUINS in Uyugan. It is actually called a ghost place. And as if setting the mood for it, the weather during our visit was gloomy too. It is facing the South China Sea and its shoreline is rocky. History says that in 1956, a tsunami hit this town. And instead of rebuilding, people just relocated leaving the ghosts of the stonehouses. I found these destructions quite lovely.

tien's digiPetal: one of the abandoned stonehouses

tien's digiPetal: they look lovely

tien's digiPetal: ghost town

tien's digiPetal: the south china sea

me among the ruins

tien's digiPetal: sign of new life

Then, we had another sidetrip at the OLD LORAN WEATHER STATION where the Richard Gomez-Dawn Zulueta flick was shot. It is called Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit and Batanes is the best place to shoot it. It is definitely Heaven on Earth.

tien's digiPetal: on our way to the old weather station

tien's digiPetal: bosley and ron, you were the first team to arrive

inhaling it all in

hihintayin kita sa langit spot

amazing place

tien's digiPetal: the old weather station

Have you seen Marlboro Country? Batanes has its own version of it -- the RACUH APAYAMAN. It is a government-own all-natural pastureland in Mahatao. Now, you don't really need to go to Ireland, New Zealand and Austria to see such a sight. It was starting to drizzle hard and we were all wearing cute yellow raincoats which I brought for everyone. Nathan had to be kept too and thank God for waterproof cameras!

tien's digiPetal: cattle sign

tien's digiPetal: balancing act

tien's digiPetal: with mount iraya at the background

my cousin and i

i gave them these yellows

you don't get tired here

caterpillar

celebrating friendships

jumping for joy

We had a yummy dinner at the Pension Ivatan. Elch, Ron and I got lost in going there but we were just laughing our asses off as we find our way. This is when we discovered how good our tour guide is. He reminded us to keep the faith. I believe that is the main sickness of our generation -- nothing to believe in and nothing to belong to. Talking with Kuya Manny is so refreshing. This is how good communities are born -- having good foundations.

We drank some more at our lodge with the sound of the warring, howling winds as background.

The next day was a Love Day.

DAY 2/6 ROMANCING BATANES coming soon.

Currently Reading Sweetness in the Belly: A Novel By Camilla Gibb see related

DAY 1/6 FINALLY BATANES ! (to be continued)

*I roamed the countryside searching for answers to things I did not understand.*

~Leonardo da Vinci~

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Che (my favorite cousin) and Elch (my one and only best friend) left Quezon City a little past 2AM to catch our very early flight to Batanes and to meet the rest of the Team. There were a lot of passengers awaiting their flights to different parts of the Philippines. Some of the flights down South were delayed because of a bad weather and our flight was not spared. We boarded our plane still in high spirits even after almost an hour of delay in departure.

The wonderfully cranky Batanes weather (as I would love to describe it during our trip) adds up to its charm of being unreachable by many. And when it’s unreachable, the more we want to be there. It was my first time to take an Asian Spirit flight and it was good (in an uneventful kind of way). I was expecting a 2-hour direct flight to Basco but it only took us a little over an hour to reach it. Even before we hit the runway, we were treated to a preview of Batan Island (one of the three Batanes islands) with its rolling hills, cliffs and plains embraced by the white foams of the seas on every side (it made Bosley start to sing *the-hills-are-alive-with-the-sound-0f-music*).

We were fetched by Kuya Manny (not only a very good tour guide but also one of the *goodest* people I have ever met) and we were welcomed by a very, very cold weather. Don’t be fooled with my get-ups in our photos. I guess the adrenaline rushing through my veins got me through the almost paralyzing temperature.

Okay, let me tell you how our first day in Batanes went with these photographs. I can’t do Photoshop so the clouds in them will also tell you how fast the weather changes in Batanes. For everyone planning to go to the island without a tour package, I hope our itinerary could help you. For a five-day tour and with a group of nine budget-conscious travelers, we spent 5k pesos per head. Not bad having seen most of what the Island could offer.

 ENJOY our day one – at least parts of it!

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In Basco, the capital town of Batanes, we checked in here. It is a government-run inn with friendly and helpful staff, clean rooms, cable TV (that’s why we were able to watch the heart-breaking finale of The Amazing Race Asia 2) unlimited drinking water and coffee supply and a water heater to get you through the daily (ideally) task of bathing. Accommodation is very affordable.

Then, off we went to have our breakfast. Here is a tip. All your meals should be pre-ordered in Batanes. The *fastfood* concept is quite uncommon which is actually refreshing as you really put more thought about your food combinations during a meal. Kuya Manny did this for our first breakfast in the island and for the rest of the days, the come-back kid, Lara girl, did a wonderful job ordering our meals. 

 Before our Day One tour officially started, I found these scenes interesting. The quiet merging of the old and new in the island.

 The first stop was the STO. DOMINGO CHURCH. I believe this was the first trip we had with a church being on the first of the list of the must-sees. Every one said their little prayers and off we went to our jeepney ride around the island.

 The roads we took were almost always long, winding and sometimes dusty but the sceneries were all worth it. I had a lot of jeepney road trips but Batanes is not like any other place I have been in. Some modern things are silently creeping in the island but its landscapes still dominate Her magnificence.

 The next stop was the CHAWA VIEWDECK in Mahatao. Kuya Manny had to tell us to be careful and in a very polite way asked us to keep our excitement in check. Maybe he saw our daredevil streaks during the first part of the ride. He also told us about a tragic death on that place because of its strong winds and waves. We are really obedient boys and girls so we calmed down a bit. We called the place The Washing Machine because of the sea waves’ white froth and lather.

 This is still in Mahatao. One of the very few parts where the water is peaceful making boats like this looks really floatey.

We continued to explore Mahatao where we saw the SAN CARLOS BORROMEO CHURCH.

 and these…

 We also dropped by the WHITE BEACH which caused a dispute between the municipalities of Mahatao and Ivana. Some wastes of some Taiwanese and foreign vessels are scattered here. Now, it seems like neither Mahatao nor Ivana wanted to take care of it which is quite sad. However, Kuya Manny told me how Batanes is really serious with its waste management encouraging the people of proper garbage segregation and recycling.

 Batanes has six municipalities and four of which are in the island of Batan. These are Basco (which is the capital), Mahatao, Ivana and Uyugan. The other two are the islands of Sabtang and Itbayat.

 I am ending this weblog entry with our visit to Ivana where we met an old Ivatan woman who gamely posed with us in our photographs. Her face and attitude are like other things in Batanes – living or non-living. They have braved the biggest of waves and the fiercest of winds and with time, they have become wonderful reminders of how important resilience is.

DAY 1 …to be continued.

Currently Listening Here Comes the Sun By Nina Simone see related

A PEEK AT BATANES

I have this travel magazine for almost three years now and that's how long I have been pining to go to Batanes. You know what ? Maybe even longer than that.

As the author of the article for that magazine perfectly put it:

 

*While Batanes tempts, lures, seduces, and sweeps you off your feet, she keeps you away.*

Everything will always work out in its own pace.  Time and again, I forget about it. Time and again, I get reminded of it. Time and again, I am a witness to it. Just like last December while I was mentally listing down my to-do-list for 2008, I found myself with two credit card numbers, seven amazing souls and a perfect set of dates for me to book. (Two days prior to our departure, another soul purchased her tickets to join us in our journey through Batanes completing our circle of nine. )

We did our research for this trip. We should. With a whopping 11K php round trip tickets, a five-day off from our day jobs and the perfect travel company, no time should be wasted on the road.

 

We are very, very grateful to the Batanes bloggers we have stumbled upon and to pay it forward, this will be a *public* blog series.  The research we have gathered were mostly based on an arranged Batanes package trip. This series will be for everyone who is brave and adventurous enough to explore the place in true backpacker style like we just did. I hope that after reading this, Batanes will move up right into the top of your travel lists.

I will again be away from Manila this coming weekend but I will leave you with these fast facts about Batanes (lifted from Stopover, Volume 4, Issue 16, 2005) to kick off this travel series. I require you to read them.

Batanes is the northernmost province of the Philippines, lying in a vast expanse of water where the Pacific Ocean on the east merges with the South China Sea on the west.

Batanes is 860 kilometers north of Manila and only 190 kilometers south of Taiwan.

Its geography is a gorgeous blend of steep hills and deep canyons in Sabtang, gentle rolling hills and flat lands in Itbayat, and level and near-level lands in Batan, the three major islands of the province.

If you expect luxury, look elsewhere. There are no moviehouses, no markets and no shopping centers.

The main language, spoken by 94% of the Ivatan population, is peppered with Spanish pidgin and spoken with the lyrical lilt of the Chinese.

The villages are quaint, unspoiled and worth a few days' trip.

Walking is the best way to go around the province so as to bask in its wildly beautiful scenery made up of very old churches, picturesque meadows and seas that surround the island.

D I O S   M A M A J E S !

Currently Listening Here Comes the Sun By Nina Simone see related

COME PICK ME UP...I'VE LANDED...

I thank you God for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,

and for the blue dream of sky and for everything which is natural,

which is infinite,

which is yes. 

~ ee cummings ~

Currently Listening Bucket List (OST) see related

PART 5/5 LAST LEG

This has been an amazing travel to kick off my year. Siargao is one of the two places I have been meaning to visit and seeing this lovely teardrop of an island with you is the most perfect plan.

It really is always better when we're  together.

And these I will always cherish …

BOSLEY MOMENT -- As we were waiting for our habal-habal ride, we saw this boy deeply engrossed in pulling a piece of wood with a string attached to it. We had the same thought in mind: it’s a toy car! Thanks for reminding me that everything could just be a matter of perspective. Things could always get crazy on the road but even before they get out of hand, we always hear you saying *O tama na. Okay na yun. Let go.* And that is always enough to bring us back in balance.

 

 

CHARLIE MOMENT -- We were peacefully and quietly walking back to catch our ride after saying hello and goodbye to Cloud 9.  Nope! That was not my favorite moment with you, dude! That is not even close to a Tien-Charlie moment! I love *fighting* with you and you should know that. My favorite memories of us is when we *fight*. Anyway, you opened a magazine and you saw this photo of a lovely chick in the very same hut we had in Siargao. You showed it to me telling me that I looked exactly like her. When we are not fighting, we feed each other's egos (I like that too)  and you are one of my best cheerleaders.

 

 

KUYA DEX MOMENT -- Aside from your famous Jeepney Moment, I will not forget how you expressed your opinion on what kind of guy I should marry someday (that is, if getting hitched is part of my Things to Do Before I Turn 50 list).  I will remember that, maybe you are right. It was a compliment and it somehow made me adore the person I have become -- faults and all. The more we spend time together (on or off the road) I get to see your heart more making me forget EVERYTHING else about you.

 

 

BEKSIE -- When Kuya Dex teased you about how you seemed to be competing with me while we were surfing, I could not forget what you replied. You told him how seeing me stood up to ride my first Siargao wave inspired you to surf well too. That made me smile. Women should do that more often -- inspire each other to do things that will make them feel strong and to tell them how they are doing. Never stop learning. Enjoy your Sagada trip, dear.

ELCH -- Finding seashells...writing our wishes on sand...cris-crossing with you while surfing...winning the Cebu Pacific contest...just some of the great moments to add up on our history of being best friends. We will still stumble a lot for sure. But you know that I got your hand and you got mine. I love you bakla!

 I'd take that anytime than a tired soul though.



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My wonderful friends and I are back on the road a few hours from now.

See you all next week.

ALWAYS SPREAD THE LOVE, BEAUTIFUL ONES!

oh yeah,happy V day!