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

#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 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