Photo study of typical Ivatan Homes - Batanes tour report by #Jorgeustraveler (?)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines   |  January 31, 2015

            Atypical 2 storey  Ivatan house near the church at Savidug

It is 3 days now and I am not finished posting/reporting the travel we had in Batanes for 4 nights and 5 days.  I must have taken 500+ pictures.  Thrice, my camera battery went dead.

The following are pictures of Ivatan homes, with most of them 80% intact at Sabtang island namely at Savidug and Chavayan communities.  There are some at Uyugan, Ivana, and even in Basco.

Chavayan and Savidug missed being World Heritage spot because there were many homes that were remodelled.

At Savidug

                  See the smooth wall with lime mortar

                   Trying  gimmick shot;  the ceiling/roof is low

                     The last typhoon did the roof down

                    The roof is protected by net to prevent wind and birds from destroying the same.

                  The cogon roof

               
 The Ivatan homes alley is lined up with electric poles

Batan Island - the main Batanes island; Pacific and China Sea can be seen simultaneously - report by #Jogeustraveler

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal, Philippines   | January 31, 2015


 You can see West Philippine sea at the upper left hand corner, and the Pacific Ocean, with its mighty waves beating on the Eastern shore (photo by Alice Lipio)


Batanes is a great and magnificent place to visit and enjoy.  It is even better than visiting El Capitan In California, or Grand Canyon.  Everywhere you see great stone and rock formation.


Marlboro country

But at this place (pic of which I copied from classmate Alice fb, my camera went dead at this Marlboro Country) called Racuh a Payaman (meaning vast grazing land) you can see:

1.  both sides of Batan island
2.  the West Philippine Sea to the West (to the left) and Pacific Ocean to the East (to the right).  Where in the world can you do that?  Only here in Batanes.

You might be wondering how come the grasses are well trimmed.  Well, it is a communal grazing land.  This side is for carabaos. The other hills are for cows.  The constant munching of grass by these animals keep the grass pitch high (a la golf course)

Each family is allowed only 10 animals to graze at the common grazing land (to prevent tragedy of commons - ie where more animals do not mean more for everybody ---> it can result in death of grass and death of animals due to overfeeding)



The moo wer of grass



This downhill view is clifflike (45 degrees) That is the Pacific Ocean

What are these strange flying objects flying over #BascoBatanes?

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  | January 30, 2015

Just as I was taking pictures of sunset, this author saw in the skies twin lights that were noticeable over the horizon.  First we thought they were stationary but later on their position were rapidly changing.

We thought that they could be comets!?? But they could not be moving that fast.

Later we surmised that they could be jets and the white streaks to be their contrais....

 x                  UFO?

                   Comets?  Aliens?  Do they  signal start of War?

It was ominous, because later on we learned the massacre of 44 SAF PNP members

Sun views (sunset and sunrise) at #Batanes

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  |  January 30, 2015

                  Sunset at Marine Sanctuary at the back of Batanes Resort

This author took pictures of sunrise and sunset at Basco Batanes.   But the sunviews at Laguna Lake near the MM are more marvelous because of air pollution.   The sunviews at Batanes are simple and not as stunning in MM.  Here are some of them

Sunset at Basco Beach

                      Silhoutte of beachcomber at sunset

 x

 x

 x

 x

 x

                      Gone is the sun, but light still remained

Sunrise at Tukon Hills (near Mt Carmel Church)

                       A glorious morning sunrise just began

           Sun rises over the Pacific Ocean

 x

                      Sunrise as viewed from behind the trees

                   Coconut trees outline vs golden clouds

           Mt Carmel chapel slowly being bathed in sunlight

                  The sun has risen at the East

        The tree leaves and branches look golden at sunrise

       Spectacular sunrise shot of sunrise off Pacific Ocean

          The top of radome is golden because of sunrise

                Clouds cover the top of majestic Mt Iraya

                      Basco town being bathed by sunlight

                    A different view of Mr. Carmel

         One of the cattle roads (only cattles pass this road)

                  The waiting shed near the PAG ASA radome

                  A hillside grazing land being swathed by sunlight

#HonestyCafe at Ivana - part of #Batanes tour report by Jorgeustraveler (?)

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  | January 30, 2015

From Poor Traveler - Honesty Coffee Shop

Ivana Church and Honesty Coffee shop from Ironwulf

One of the interesting features of our sojourn at #Batanes was the  visit to the  #HonestyCafe at Ivana, in front of the San Joseph the worker church facing the #Radiwan Port.

It is quite interesting because there are no sales clerk personnel or manager. Take what you buy (which are price marked) and you deposit your payment in a box (exact amount only please.  The store says that the "Lord is her security agent/guard"


Honesty Cafe You tube video: (by Jay Antonio)

 x                     Signage at the cafe explaining the concept behind the Honesty Cafe

The #Ivatan cuisine - part of the #Batanestour

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  | January 30, 2015

Other interesting stories at Voyagi blog

Similar post by Red Hiker

                        Entrance to Octagon resto

The usual part of the tour is eating/dining.  So part of this narration is about the places were we ate.

The Batanes resort resto
Jessicas
Octagon bed and dine
Dive Point

                      At Dive Point

The Sabtang Batan Strait crossing last January 25, 2015; part of #Batanestour report by #Jorgeustraveler

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines  |  January 30, 2015

             A huge wave about to hit the motorized boat?

I understand that the Recyclists climbed Caliraya resort last weekend (January 25, 2015)  Congratulations guys for the successful climb.

On the same date, we had the Sabtang tour (the island next to Batan island - the mainland of Batanes).  To get there you have to take a motorized boat from Rawandi Port at Ivana. It is a 3 to 4 km strait and that is where the China sea to the West of Batan Is. and the Pacific Ocean to the south and East of Sabtang.  And you could just imagine how wild the waves and current could be.

We boarded the boat at 7:30 and were in San Vicente Port by 8:00.  I and my companions were very much shaken and frightened by the crossing and swore they would not include the Sabtang tour if ever they had a chance to get to Batanes again.

The boat captain said the crossing is relatively calm;  however, the swells were higher than the boat roof, and there was shaking and salt spray all over.

             The Rawandi port; that is the boat we were to ride

                   The tourists were asked to wear life vests

                        All aboard and ready to go

                 One of the boat hands helping maneuver the boat out of the port onwards to Sabtang

    These concrete breakwater came from Japan and ODA

                    The waves started to get big as we left the port breakwater

                  The waves were now huge, notice how tightly one of the tourists held on to the side of the boat