Beautiful South Batan

Our road trip to the beautiful South of Batan reminded me of the 17 mile drive in Monterey Peninsula in California through the famous Pebble Beach.

The scenic ride is more breathtaking because of the cliffs, zigzag roads, extraordinary rock formations and the commanding views of the ocean.

We crossed several mountains and passed through remote villages.

One of the tourist attractions of Sabtang Island is the row of stone houses. In Batan, there are also vintage stone houses still inhabited although they are now mixed with newer homes.

Dakay House is the oldest house in Batanes and the most popular, rivaled only by Fundacion Pacita.

One of 5 houses in Ivana that remained standing after an 8.30 earthquake.

The only one still standing today in its original form.

My daughter was taking pictures of the chickens not the houses.

Oyen and Nyke didn’t mind the drizzle. They were having fun being out in the street something that doesn’t happen when in Manila. Dito nakakulong tayo sa loob ng bahay. Even in Binangonan, hindi pwede yan kasi baka masagasaan ka pa ng tricycle. Ang sarap doon sa Batan, probinsyang-probinsya.

I don’t remember how many churches we’ve visited throughout our 3 day stay in Batanes.

Just enough to remind me of the right path to heaven

For my family’s good health and safety.
An extra candle for the cure of my son’s skin.

Their dialect has some similarity with Ilocano. Actually the Ivatan language is Austronesian.

There’s an island in Taiwan, called Orchid Island that has the same language. They were actually descendants of the Tao ethnic minority that migrated to Irala in Taiwan from the Batan archipelago 800 years ago.

Here are three words I’ve picked up from the tour guide. I am not good in language, my brain could only store one word per day)

Tubig——  Danum

Headress— Vakul       (The material used is Vuyavuy.)

Patola —-   Kabatiti     (I don’t have a green mind but this is my favorite Ivatan word.)

Our travel through endless road continued. My eyes got so tired looking at the scenery.

I was in Tagaytay last Thursday afternoon for a meeting. Fresh from Batanes, the view of the Taal lake didn’t look as spectacular as before. Huwag naman pong magtampo ang mga Taalenyo at Cavitenyos, pero parang biglang hindi na impressive yung Taal lake. The views in Batanes are truly magnificent.