The B Experience

I obviously cannot get enough of Batanes, and yes, I cannot stop talking about it.

Just as amazing as the place are its people. Everyone has heard of the Honesty Store in Ivana, near the port of the boats going to Sabtang.

The place was really deserted. I thought the store has small items only, like food and drinks, but they even sell souvenir items of considerable amount. And it's all there for the [honest] taking.

Photo credits to H.

True dat.

What surprised me more are the little honesty stores sprouting everywhere. We have one in our lodging house, and in another homestay we checked out.

Every item has a price written on it, and you leave your payment in this little rattan jar. If you have change, then you just get an honest change from the jar. Or, as the poster above said, you just give more, and trust that the Lord will give you more later on.

I went through the bills and there were big ones, Five Hundred and One Hundred bills. Having lived in Manila for so long where bags and phones get snatched the moment you take your eyes off them, I suggested to the lodge caretaker that it's probably more prudent to take the big bills already and just leave small bills for those who need to get change. She smiled, shrugged, and said she gets the money when the supplies are depleted, so she can buy new ones. Dear Lord. This is probably the village where Honesto hails from. 

At night, nice teenage kids would enter the lodge and inform us they're nephews and nieces of the lodge owner, and can they stay over to use the wifi? They said they regularly come over for the wifi, and since no one seems to man  the place, I wondered how they can enter the place when we're out touring. Turned out they don't lock doors and gates there. They would then hang out in the gazebo where the honesty box is, next to the honesty refrigerator containing honesty six packs and other juices. The following morning,  this very skeptical and evil me checked the drinks and they're still complete. I feel ashamed for thinking ill of them. I remember our community immersion during on my senior year in college --this is where my school should be sending students. Actually, I have half a mind including a Batanes seminar in the sentences of corrupt public officials found guilty by Sandiganbayan. Except that to have them live in a picturesque place would be like rewarding their corrupt ways, yes?

When I got back to work, an officemate who hails from Batanes asked me if we got to visit their prison, and I'm like, wait a minute...is that also one of your tourist attractions? I started picturing a prison against a backdrop of rolling green hills and cute grazing cows. She explained that it's a rare thing to find someone detained in prison, because Batanes has a zero crime rate. Like a bitch, I told her that when I attended mass in the Basco church, the bishop lamented about a theft that occurred in the church recently. Her face fell, and I felt like kicking myself for saying that.  

I toured the town, on foot, so I can take better pictures. Couldn't help but notice how clean the streets are.

Ahh look. Was wondering if I could move my practice here. I've always loved white walls and blue doors.

Probably the only downside of Batanes living. These gas prices are unbelievable.

The next time you complain about surging gas prices, think of Batanes.

On their main street, I inched forward into the light traffic to take a good picture of the provincial capitol. I took my time getting that shot, because I thought if cars or bikes need to pass through, they'd just honk their horn or yell at me to get out of their way. When I finished, I was embarrassed to find out that several men on bike have stopped and patiently waited for me to finish. I apologized profusely, and they just smiled and said it's okay. Wow.

Kilometer 0.

Nearby, I saw relief efforts being organized for the Yolanda victims. 

Donation box inside the Basco church.

We asked Ryan if there were communist NPA's in Batanes. He said, yes, Nice People Around. I'm not going to argue with you, buddy. Because even my travel companions, who I got acquainted with, were the nicest, most interesting people I've met. I have been in recluse for the past 2 years because of the nature of my job, and I'm not complaining, but sometimes I think it would do me good if I could get to meet more people. I see and interact with the same nine (9) people everyday that I welcome an MMDA officer flagging me down for traffic violation. 

H is a single girl, in her 40's, runs a travel agency, and used to be a nun. I've been reading the Divergent series, and if I could classify her into a faction, she would be Abnegation, because she is just so selfless. Becoming a religious is probably her life long dream, but she left it when her family ran into some financial problems. When everything got fixed, she chose not to go back because she got older and had health problems, and she doesn't wanna pass the burden of her medication to the religious congregation she wanted to join. Now that's a sad story for me, not being to pursue your dream, but I can just feel gratefulness flowing from her, for everything, for surviving a near death experience (another long story), for every new experience in life. These days, she busies herself with medical missions. H made me realize how shallowly I've lived my life. I used to think I am a "passable" success, but really, the life I've lived is one without depth, definition, or direction.

V, is a young man in his 20's, and just came from a nine-year relationship. He wanted to seek peace and solace in Batanes and admitted to us that he almost did not join our tour because he just wanted to hole up in his room (and brood?). Like the typical guy, he's not big on the details, but I gathered enough to be in awe of him, for being so young and accomplished. I hear him talk of his business, and mountain climbing, diving, and traveling, and I realized just how much I've missed in life. The things he's done are the things I wanted to do in my twenties, and now that I'm 32, I feel like I've missed all my chances. V's stories would sometimes stray to his girl, and at first I could not feel sorry for him, because with or without a lovelife, he seems to be living the life. But I remind myself that I do not know his entire story and I have no right to judge how one suffers, or decry the pain of anyone. We all hurt, and we each has a cross to bear.

Celebrated my birthday with new friends. Thank you for my birthday cupcake.

And how do I know all these personal details? The three of us spent three nights talking and sharing until our eyelids are heavy with sleep. It feels good to have someone new to listen to the story of your life and be regarded from a fresh perspective, because God knows how tiring you already sound to your friends back home. Anyways, I miss them both. And I try to keep in touch through Facebook, but the reality is, there are just people who are meant to touch your life fleetingly and move on. Ha. Too much kasentihan. I guess what I'm trying to say is, the Batanes experience would not be as amazing had I not met these two.

The Shire in the North (2)

Day 3

The day started easy because thank god, there are no early boat rides scheduled today. The van and a new guide picked us up and brought us to Mahatao, to our first up close lighthouse. I raced to the hill to get first dibs on the lighthouse, because I'm greedy like that, but stopped in my tracks when I saw that the lighthouse is closely guarded by this very hostile cow.

She is obviously pregnant and in a foul mood. Our guide lead us to a detour, a farther walk out of reach by the cow's ropes, but boy, she sure kept a mean eyes on us. Finally we saw the lighthouse, but the landowner was there, on his motorbike, and he gave us a look that clearly said we are not welcome. I looked to our guide for umm, guidance, and she said it's alright, because the place is public. Yes, there were some altercations with the landowners before, but they (the tour guides) already made a request that these places be opened to tourists. She did not however say how that issue was resolved; like, did the owners say yes? 

Nevertheless, I wasn't gonna leave without a picture of the Mahatao lighthouse, and after a few seconds of stand-off (for dramatic effect lang) the man left with his motorbike and I get to take all the pictures I wanted. Whew.

Another bovine friend wanted us to keep off their property. This one actually charged at us when we got close to the fence. Fine. 

Okay, okay, I can read the sign.

Next stop is the Marlboro country, where we also had lunch. The wind was defeaning, the rolling greens endless, and everything is breathtaking. It got me thinking why I continue living in cramped, noisy, rancorous Manila. No wonder most bloggers who got here feel reluctant to write about Batanes. Something about the place just makes you wanna keep it a secret, lest it turns into another metropolis. 

Raku a Payaman, aka, Marlboro country.

You can see the Mahatao lighthouse from here.

Hedgerows! Hedgerows!

It made me think that maybe, just maybe, I could have gone on being an associate lawyer in my old firm had I lived in a place like this. I would not mind the stress and the mindless hearings if I can escape to a place like this at the end of each day. Look at V ham it up.

Why can't people take great pictures of me??

This place is insanely beautiful.

There were several other stops along the way, but I could no longer recall the names (typical tourist, tsk). On one hill, we stopped for a rather long time, mesmerized as we watched the waves crash into those rocks. (Although, I suspected some of the boys were wondering what the score is on the ongoing Pacquiao-Rios fight.) This is one thing I love about the day's tour: we were never hurried. The guide allowed us to take our time with each stop, to sit on top of hills and just breathe it all in 'til we could take no more. 

Water violently crashing against rocks, which I find oddly soothing,

I don't see how you can marvel at the beauty of Batanes and not believe that God exist.

Nearby is an abandoned (not sure about this) US military installation/naval base of some sort. 

This one, they called the Spanish bridge, because obviously, it looks like it was built in the Spanish era. We just viewed it from inside the van. 

One stop we could not miss is the House of Dakay, the oldest house in Batanes. The famous Ivatan woman was not around that time (she was on vacation in Manila!).

 I was amazed to see seashell fossils all over the rocks on the house.

Should I call these corals?

We almost called it a day when I remembered that we did not get to spend time on the Rolling Hills. Ryan brought us there on the first day, but the rain was relentless so we were just holed up in the van, listening to Taiwanese radio stations. The new guide generously relented to take us there again, and well, it was just icing on the cake.

Like I died and went to heaven.

Oh will the greens ever stop??

I thought the sky was gonna pour again. Thankfully, it held up the downpour 'til we've completed our tour. As usual, Roxy and I struggled to take decent pictures amidst the foggy weather and grey skies. 

I walked back to van with a heavy heart because it just hit me that it was my last day there. Something inside me panicked and I hurriedly tried to memorize every detail of the hills. Then my camera's battery died (come on!). I fished out my Note 2 and took some last, desperate pictures, because hey, there's always Snapseed to make things better later. 

Choose your transportation.

But wait, there's more! We almost forgot the Basco lighthouse. The sun was almost out, and my phone's camera flash is no longer doing the trick, but that lighthouse is still gorgeous. No badass cow-bitches or private landowners to ruin the experience this time. 

Up close:

We had an early flight back the next day, and since I was headed straight for work the minute I landed, I was already mentally outlining my arguments for a case I'm working on. But oh, I still have a few seconds for one last look.

(Taken from inside the plane.)

The Shire in the North (1)

Finally, I saved enough to get to Batanes, after much agonizing over the airfare prices (P9k++!). I booked it just in time for my birthday because that's the only reason I can justify the splurging. I think the reason most people do not reach this place is that the cost of going there is about the same as taking a vacation abroad, if not more.  But I'm telling you now, every cent you spend for a Batanes trip is going to be worth it. 

The Shire! The Shire!

Day 1

I joined a tour because I think it's the only way I can make the most of my three full-day stay in Batanes. Our very capable (and dashing!) guide, Ryan Cardona, picked us up at our lodging house just in time for lunch. Ryan is the first person that comes up from your Google search for a Batanes guide, so I know we're in very good hands. Lunch was at Amboy Hometel, and I feasted on Ivatan dishes that to my [carnivorous] mouth tasted like meat, but are actually plants. Fine, vegetables. 

The tour officially started with a visit to the Tukon Chapel, which to my amazement is only a few years old (built in 2007 if I remember right). I suppose structures made of stone always give you that impression of antiquity.

A girl from my tour group injured herself in the Japanese tunnel. Nothing serious, slipped on the steps and scraped herself raw. Nothing that would require getting airlifted out of Basco. And she was extra-cautious when we got to the famous Valugan boulder beach. 

The huge boulders are volcanic rocks spewed out by nearby Mt. Iraya, and smoothened over time by sea waves.

We saw this picture-perfect family, the handsome dad teaching their adorable daughter to fly a kite, while the very attractive mother looks on. They look so beautiful, they fit right in a Batanes scenery. And I immediately felt ugly and out of place. 

Had to crop attractive mom because she was looking straight at the camera...and I did not exactly ask for their permission to post their pics. 

We got a chance to visit Fundacion Pacita, where the well-heeled of our society stay when in Batanes. While planning for this trip, I had sleepless nights deciding if I should get Fundacion, because it is my birthday afterall, and if I'm gonna splurge, why not go all the way, right? But no, even my kind of "splurging" cannot reach the heights of Fundacion. Maybe next time, after I sell one of my kidneys or something.  

The place is heaven. Artworks everywhere, and rooms with balcony opening to the most amazing view of rolling hills. Kidney-worthy, yes. But I do not regret it now, because later, I would surprisingly bond with V and H, fellow travelers staying on my lodging house. Imagine that, anti-social me voluntarily getting chummy with strangers. It must be the air in Batanes. 

Day 2

It's my birthday! We got up early for the trip to Sabtang island. Ryan said the waters are relatively calm.  The rule on the boat is First In, Last Out, so if you're trying to stay away from the engine fumes as advised by some bloggers, try to get loaded in last. We managed to sit in front, where the motorbikes are and where there's no more roof. 

Disembarking from the faluwa, at Sabtang port.

We met Fr. Danny (informally), the jolly priest of Sabtang who welcomed everyone on board by passing biscuits around, and who unsuccessfully tried to cajole the church choir traveling with us to sing to placate our nerves.

"Sweet Caroline,  good times never seem so good..."

Like Ryan said, the waters were fine. And yet I learned later that a few people actually got sick. The highlight of my trip, however, were the dolphins. I've never seen dolphins in open-sea that close. Fr. Danny said he's been making the trips from Ivana to Sabtang for several years now and he's only seen dolphins twice. Must be because it's my birthday (bwahaha).

At the Sabtang port, Ryan made us register at the tourist center, and then told us to wait for our transport. He said, "Okay sayo topload, Grace?"And I thought he meant that there will be people up to the roof of the car, so it's gonna be crowded, and is that fine with me? Of course I said yes. When the car pulled up, it was empty. The guys immediately sat inside the car, while H and I, gamely climbed up to the top.  (What were we thinking, H??). No regrets, it turned out to be the most exhilarating experience of my life. 

Topload, rough road, and two screaming girls.

We were seated on a piece of plywood, with another spare tire. The road was rough and winding, cliffs and ravines all around, and every time palm leaves would strike our faces, H and I would scream. I held on to the metal bars so tight I thought they would get deformed. When we finally reached our first stop, I was amazed to find out I managed to take pictures while on top. 

Profile of Sleeping Beauty's face (top mountain range).  Guide says even her sleeping eye is quite pronounced.

Typical Ivatan stone houses, built to weather typhoons.

There are hills and hills everywhere, but unlike the temples of Angkor Wat, they don't get tiring after a while. It was chilly, windy, and rainy, and honestly, I'm surprised my pictures turned out this way. 

It doesn't look obvious from here, but it's a very steep climb to get down to those waters and swim.

The brooding and pensive V, always getting away from the crowd. 

Majestic everywhere.

We visited villages along the way, including Chavayan village, so far off they no longer get cellphone signals. And Ryan knows everyone. As in everyone.  He would pat kids in the head, call people by their name, enter people's home and make small talk. It's amazing. Why can't I be that kind of person? K asked if he plans on running for any elective seat soon. He just laughed.

Lunch was at Morong beach (I hope I'm getting the place right). It's well known for this limestone arch.  

Nakabuang Arch.

We got a chance to get our feet wet. I did not dare swim because the waves don't seem friendly. Like they're just waiting for someone they can claw back into their depth. 

Yes, my adventure shoes (water, terrain, whathaveyou) will be the main feature of this blog. Seriously,  I love these shoes.

We went back to Sabtang port to catch the boat back to Basco. There's the lighthouse we did not get to visit. Thank God for camera zoom.