Batanes Day 2: Touring Sabtang (part 3)

Stomachs bursting with a very filling lunch, we resumed our tour towards the other side of Sabtang to visit the towns of Sumnanga and Nakanmuan.  For this, we had to enter Baranggay Malakdang (one of the twin baranggays that compose Centro).  The first stop was the nearby Nakabuang Beach.  This was a white sand beach that is famous for a natural rock formation which resembles a 15-foot high arch.

The Nakabuang Beach

The Nakabuang Arch

The sand is definitely not near Boracay-fine, but there's no beach rental here and no business establishments.  This is the closest to pristine as you can get that is nearby and very accessible from the town center.  Tourists usually arrange to have lunch here near one of the rock formations.  I spent some time here just soaking in the view and taking some pictures.  I unfortunately did not get to take nice photos of the arch because of the position of the sun in the early afternoon in this beach meant there would be too much shadow in the arch and too much light in the background.

Bayawak in the middle of the road (as shot by Erwin)

Along the way to the town of Sumnanga, and just leaving Nakabuang Beach, I saw a wild bayawak by the roadside for the very first time.  Unfortunately, I was not able to take a picture of it, because the multicab was very noisy and fast, so before I could aim for a shot, it had already scampered away in the low bush.  Erwin is lucky because he was actually able to shoot a large on in the middle of the road in basically the same area - he was no less helped by the fact that he was riding a motorcycle, which was considerably less-threatening and a lot more quiet than a multicab.

So on to Sumnanga.  It was a particularly rough journey going there as the road was seemingly just built for the sake of having a road, without regard for the steepness of the paths taken.  Sumnanga and Nakanmuan are on the western coast of Sabtang island while Centro and Nakabuang Beach are on the east.  That means one would have to traverse the entire northern coast of Sabtang to get to those two western villages.

The northern coast of Sabtang has it's own share of spectacular views, the best of which is this particular rock formation by the sea:

Beautiful, isn't it?

After passing the difficult path of the northern coast, the terrain becomes level by the time one reaches the western coast of Sabtang.  There, the road is closer to the sea and entire stretches of the road are lined with coconut trees.  Same as in the morning, we went straight to the farther destination of Nakanmuan, passing by Sumnanga.

The road to Sunmanga and Nakanmuan

Nakanmuan and Sumnanga basically have the same layout as Chavayan and Savidug.  The towns are elongated and the National Road either cuts through it or is adjacent to it.  The only difference is that Nakanmuan and Sumnanga are fishing villages and are much closer to the shore.  They are also a lot more populous than Chavayan and Savidug - closer to the population density of Centro.

Nakanmuan welcome arch

A traditional house in Nakanmuan

Nakanmuan is where Joaquin's brother (the Sabtang Postmaster) resides, and I was thinking of staying here for the evening as daylight was close to fading already.  The village is populous enough for me to be able to observe how the people go about their daily lives.  All thoughts of this came crashing down however when I remembered that I already paid for my lodgings back in the Tourism office and, worse, I already made arrangements with the Elesterio canteen to cook lobster for my dinner.

A young girl with a deaf and partially-blind old lady in Nakanmuan

The western coast of Sabtang also also allows one to view two other islands of Batanes - Ivujus and Dequey.  These two islands are uninhabited by people but can be visited as they are relatively close.  Joaquin told me that the sizable island of Ivujus is used by cattle ranchers as a communal pastureland.  They bring in cows through ships and basically set them free there to graze, and only coming back at certain days of the year when they need to take some for slaughtering.

A fisherman in Nakanmuan

Unfortunately, daylight was fading fast and any prospect of watching the sunset at Nakanmuan was dashed by the realization that I really haven't even visited Sumnanga, and the fact that stretches of the National Road between the towns had absolutely no streetlamps - which makes the possibility of the multicab falling off a cliff on the way back very much possible.  So we started on our ride back to Centro passing through Sumnanga.

Along the way, the driver probably remembered that we had difficulty (and in fact were not able to) buy cold softdrinks in Nakanmuan so he stopped by the roadside and chopped off two coconuts from a roadside tree.  Later on, when we reached Sumnanga, he prepared two of these coconuts for us to drink from.  Initially was hesitant when I saw the bolo used in chopping off the skin of the coconut because it looked dirty and rusty.  However, the act of chopping off the tough skin actually cleaned the blade so that by the time a hole was already made from the coconut, the blade's edge was like new.

After having a much needed drink and exchanging pleasantries with the villagefolk in Sumnanga (who turned out to be friends and family of our multicab driver) we worked on our way back to Centro.  It seems like our driver was conscious of the rapidly-fading daylight so he drove the multicab faster and we had a few scary moments where it seems like he was driving straight for a cliff, only to turn at the last moment.  Along the way, we saw came across the sorry remains of a bayawak that got run over by a vehicle (not ours).

It was already dark when we reached Centro. Upon paying our driver, we went straight for the Elesterio canteen for our dinner.  Erwin was already waiting there and he apparently also ordered lobster.  So here's what we ended up eating:

Batanes-style adobo, locally called "Lunyis"

The ubiquitous Yellow Rice

Seaweed with calamansi

And of course, Lobster

All these, plus the Dalagang Bukid (which I did not take a photo of) were good for 2-3 people and only cost a mind-boggling P300.  Joaquin and I had difficulty finishing the food, but Erwin (who ordered the same set) somehow finished everything on his end all by his lonesome.  We ended the night by exchanging stories with Erwin - who is a very funny guy - and Mr. and Mrs. Elesterio, who probably witnessed a lot of nights like these and probably have met every single traveler in Sabtang.

At some point in the day, my phone went dead so I worried a bit as to whether people have been trying to contact me.  This worrying period lasted for about 5 minutes before sleep overtook me back in the rented room at the Municipal Tourism Office.

Batanes Day 2: Touring Sabtang (part 2)

Most blogs are near-unanimous in referring to Chavayan as the town that is closest to what the old Ivatan culture was like before the onslaught of modernity hit Batanes.  Even the province's official website recommends staying overnight in this old village to complete one's Batanes experience.  It is on the strength of this recommendation that I initially wanted to find lodgings here for the night.

The Chavayan town marker

The town, however was something of a disappointment to me.  While the architecture of the homes was what I expected, there was far too many homes abandoned and crumbling to the ravages of time and neglect.  The encroachment of modernity also lessened the charm of the place with the overhead power lines and sattelite dishes dotting most homes, as well as the building of modern-style houses.  I personally had a hard time shooting the houses at an angle that would hide the power lines.

A row of traditional cogon-roofed stone houses

I also found Chavayan to be a very sleepy town, which is only a few desertions away from being a ghost town.  I later on learned that the village has a population of less than 100.  That is why I did not hesitate to take pictures of people, lest they go back into their houses and I won't see them again.  And I didn't even see any vakul-clad women walking around - which is quite understandable since it was already nearing noon when I reached this village.

Some locals by the village plaza

Chavayan is the site of the only remaining church in Batanes that has a cogon roof.  It used to be that the larger centuries-old churches in Batan and Sabtang also had cogon for their roofs, but they eventually switched to metal roofing by the 20th century.  I'm thinking that since this church is actually just chapel-sized, it's easier for it to retain a cogon roofing.

The Chavayan Church

One funny thing about the Chavayan Church is that once one steps out of it, one will immediately see a seemingly obscene rock formation in the distant mountains.  Here it is:



Which upon looking closely....



The locals are apparently proud of it.  It's nice that this old village hasn't lost its humor. ;-)

It was apparent that I won't be staying here for the night as there was apparently no compelling reason for me to do so.  I was thinking that I would be experiencing the local culture, but apparently what was in store for me was a display of how culture slowly dies due to the unavoidable march towards progress.  Thus, we made our way back towards Centro.

The roadside view on the way to Chavayan

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Chavayan is actually the southernmost village in Sabtang and as I mentioned in the previous blog, we actually passed by the likewise-old village of Savidug.  It is then our next destination before we get back to Centro for our lunch.

An old house by a tree in Savidug

I found Savidug to be just a few notches livelier than Chavayan.  Still a sleepy town by Metro Manila standards, but what I liked about it was that the homes were better-maintained.  There were however still some scenes of neglected homes that were left to decay and crumble, with only the sturdy stone walls left standing.

a row of abandoned houses

We asked around and apparently the lots where the houses are standing still have owners, who are most likely residing in the more populous Centro.  There have been efforts by the government to subsidize the maintenance of these old houses but so far, nothing has resulted beyond the planning stage.

a Savidug local

It is a misconception to say that the use of concrete with stone and coral is an indigenous Ivatan innovation.  It was actually the Spanish that introduced the use of concrete in Batanes.  Prior to the development of these old stone houses, Ivatans lived in huts made of wood and cogon. What we therefore see now is still an entirely Ivatan style of house-building, but with the adoption of foreign technology.

There are, however far older dwelling places than wood and cogon huts that the Ivatans lived in before they settled in villages near the shore, and these are the Idjang.  These are ancient hilltop fortresses that were built on natural rock formations when the first Austronesian tribes settled Batanes coming in from southern Taiwan (the indigenous people of which are culturally related to the Ivatans and still maintain language similarities.)

The Savidug Idjang

There is an Idjang near Savidug that still maintains a visible form.  I wish I had the time to explore it.  As it is, I was running late for lunch and I still had two more towns to explore.

So we drove back all the way to Centro to have lunch at the Elesterio Canteen before embarking onthe second half of our tour of the island.  I was also excited to finally get a taste of the famous Coconut Crab, but was kind of disappointed when I saw that it was already chopped up.  In hindsight, I realize they actually did me a great favor because I don't really eat crab and I wouldn't know how to get to the soft parts under the hard shell.

Coconut Crab (chopped)

Coconut Crab aligue

I actually have a digestive disorder that gives me stomach pains whenever I eat crab or shrimp.  So I was in fact taking a risk in eating the Coconut Crab.  It turns out that for this particular instance, my condition did not act up so I had a fairly enjoyable time eating.  Milfa (Elesterio) - the canteen proprietess - prepared a feast for myself and Joaquin that aside from the crab included fried Dorado fish, dried pork adobo, one bandehado of rice and unlimited bowls of Coconut Crab broth that perfectly complemented the meal.  All of these would be enough to fill the stomachs of 3 grown men, and they were all for only P300 (!)

After lunch and before leaving to continue our tour, we made arrangements for our dinner once we return in the evening.  We were once again given a choice of viands.  This time, I chose lobster.

Batanes Day 2: Arriving at Sabtang (part 1)

I woke up at around 3:30 am on my second day in Batanes owing to the fact that the jeepney that would bring us to the port of San Vicente leaves Basco at around 5:30 am.  By 4:00am, I was already outside my inn and doing some stretching exercises while waiting for Joaquin.  Later on, he showed up and we made our way towards the jeepney stop.

Basco during the wee hours of the morning is very, very silent.  Whereas a typical Metro Manila town would still have a few vagrants walking around, or maybe a few drunkards singing a short distance away, Basco is so quiet to the point of eerie.  There's no sound, and no movement, except for the rustling of the leaves from the wind.  Heck, if ghosts existed in Basco, I doubt that they were even there. So it's just like a ghost town - but without the ghosts.

(Here's how the jeepney system works in Basco in the early morning:

Since jeepneys there don't have a fixed terminal (unlike their local TODA) a jeepney would start circling the town using mainly the Castillejos and Abad streets.  Occasionally, it would honk it's horn to announce itself to potential passengers.  After 30 minutes, or once it has accumulated enough passengers, it would then exit to the National Road on it's way south of the island.)

This exit to the National Road at the end of Abad St. just happens to be exactly where the front garden box of Shanedel's Inn and Restaurant is located.  And this is where Joaquin and I were seated while waiting for the jeepney.  (It was a short walking distance away from my inn.)  While waiting, I purchased and ate 9 pieces of piping-hot pan de sal from a kid vendor on a bicycle.

Anyway, the reason why we needed to get to the port of San Vicente was that it was where we would be able to board a falowa (boat) that would to take us to the island of Sabtang.

view of Sabtang island, as seen from the port at San Vicente

The island of Sabtang is the smallest inhabited island in the Batanes archipelago.  Since it is fairly near the main island of Batan (a mere 45-minute boat ride), close cultural, commercial and familial ties exist between the inhabitants of the two islands - unlike the faraway island of Itbayat (which, although part of Batanes and peopled by Ivatans, has a markedly different language.)

Although the boat normally leaves at around 6 or 6:30 am, we had to wait for a couple of hours more before we were finally able to board and set sail for Sabtang.  The reason for the delay was that there was not supposed to be a ride going to Sabtang owing to a local superstition regarding the supposed bad luck it brings whenever one sets sail on or near the feast day of the patron saint (the Immaculate Conception).  But since a lot of people wanted to go from Sabtang to Batan, a late trip was made and consequently, the trip going back to Sabtang using the same boat was also delayed.

view of from the rear part of the falowa while en route to Sabtang

So we finally set sail for Sabtang on the falowa.  I was seated on the rear edge of the boat, which Joaquin claims to be the best seat in the entire boat.  What was interpreted by experienced navigators as smooth seas was actually quite wavy in the middle of the trip.  I could only imagine how it is if the seas were actually rough.  Unlike the more-familiar outrigger-type seacraft found all throughout the Philippines and Southeast Asia, the falowa of Batanes is quite different in the sense that it is wide, round-bottomed and has no outriggers.  All boats in Batanes, regardless of the size, are constructed this way.

(Prior to all of this, I was so scared of the boat capsizing so I made it a point to ziplock all of my gadgets and put them all in a trash bag before packing them in my backpack.  Later however, after it became apparent that the boat was in no position to capsize, I had enough guts to take out my camera and shoot pictures while at sea.)

The Sabtang Lighthouse

More than the view of the town itself, one would see the Sabtang lighthouse as one approaches the seaport.  This lighthouse is not as aesthetically pleasing as the one in Basco  (in fact, it was being renovated during the time I was there) but it does cut an imposing figure as the cliff it stands on is much closer to the sea.

Disembarking at the Sabtang port was a lot easier than expected.  Various blogs are unanimous in saying that a falowa would have to dock at a shallow part of the shore and passengers would have to get their feet wet in knee-deep water just to walk to towards the dry land.  Fortunately, the new port (funded by Japanese official development assistance) is now operational and so we passengers were able to disembark very easily without getting our feet wet.

The Municipal Tourism Office

After paying P50 each to the boat "conductor", we slowly made our way to the Municipal Tourism Office to pay a tourism fee of P100.  (This fee only applies to non-Batanes residents.)  The employees were kind and offered helpful tips on how to go about traveling within Sabtang.  The office actually had rooms that they were renting out for P300 a night with clean bathrooms and running water.  I did not immediately get a room because I was hoping that I'd get to stay overnight in the far-flung village of Chavayan (more on this later), so Joaquin and I just informed them that we will just drop in if we change our minds.

(I will make a separate blog entry with tips on how to go about touring Sabtang, as well as Batan.  For the sake of continuity, I will go on with the narrative.)

At the entrance to Centro with fellow tourist Erwin

It bears mentioning that I made friends with a fellow tourist named Erwin Maique, whom I actually got to know in the port at San Vicente and who was on the boat with us going to Sabtang.  Erwin does not have a tour guide and instead rented a motorbike, which he used in touring Batanes.  He had to pay an extra P100 to have the motorbike boarded on the falowa.  Unlike me, Erwin immediately rented a room at the tourism office and almost immediately after went on his way to tour Sabtang.

The Sabtang Church

As a municipal entity, Sabtang actually covers its entire island (unlike Batan, which has four municipalities.)  The place where the port is located is called Centro - this is where the municipal government offices, schools and the Sabtang Church are situated.  Adjacent to Centro are the twin baranggays of Sinakan on one side and Malakdang on the other.  One would think that Centro gets its name from the fact that it's sandwiched between these two batanggays.

Walking around Centro while waiting for the "multicab" that we hired, I took advantage of the free time taking pictures of the surroundings and especially the Sabtang Church.  Joaquin and I also made arrangements with the Elesterio canteen to cook lunch for us.  (By the time we return to Centro after the first half of the tour, our lunch would already be cooked by then.)  I was given a choice of three viands but the only one that stuck to my mind was the Coconut Crab, so that's what I ordered.

It took a while before the multicab showed itself, and I regret that i took out some of my frustrations by appearing irritated to Joaquin and his older brother, who happens to be the postmaster of Sabtang and who actually helped us rent the multicab.  By 10:30, the multicab appeared and we were finally on our way to our first stop - the old village of Chavayan.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

So we were finally getting started with the tour of Sabtang.  The multicab we hired is like a small truck with its back open.  Joaquin and I were standing at the back and hanging on to the metal railings, which is a very good position if one wants to have a 360-degree view of the surroundings while one is on the road.  However, the drawback is that it would be very difficult to shoot nice pictures using a DSLR, given the roads in Sabtang alternate between smooth and atrocioiusly rough.  Good thing I could ask the driver to stop every now and then to take proper photos.

Hanging on at the back of the multicab

From Centro, we entered Brgy. Sinakan and followed the National Road all the way south.  Our destination was the two old towns of Savidug and Chavayan - both of which are famous for their traditional-style houses.  Of these two, Savidug is the nearer one, but I instructed the driver to take us first to Chavayan because it is the one which I deem as the more important stop.

Along the way, one passes by views of steep rocky cliffs, flat grazing lands, seascapes and even diverse fauna - both wild and domesticated.  I was particularly awed by the variety of birds that I've seen in Batanes, a lot of species of which I've only previously seen in Animal Planet or Nat Geo.  Throughout my stay, I must have seen at least three bayawak (monitor lizards) by the roadside.  It's in Sabtang where I saw the first one.

The terrain also is notable.  It's rare to see rocky mountains and cliff sides anywhere else in the Philippines.  In Batanes, they are everywhere.  And in my opinion - with my very limited exposure - I'd say that Sabtang has the most spectacular views of these.  There are no pure white sand beaches in Batanes.  What you see by the shore are volcanic debris with sizes ranging from a small stone to a boulder the size of an average Filipino house.  Everything looks so otherworldly and overwhelming.

It's also in Sabtang where you will see what the locals call the "sleeping lady" - a mountain formation that is actualy visible even if you're still on the boat going to the island.  The land tour however, affords one a closer view.

Can you see her?

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Here's a tip: On the way to Chavayan, one would pass by a welcome arch that at present still has no markings.  It's this one:


Then ask your driver/tour guide to stop here and get off your vehicle.  From the road, walk downhill to where the cows and goats are grazing.  Walk further until you reach the edge of the cliffs that show spectacular views of the sea and the mountain side.  Such as this one:

A near-typical view whenever the sea meets land in Batanes

or this one

Just be very, very careful as there are no handrails at all and one misstep could mean certain death at worst, or serious injury at the very least.

Batanes Day 1: Arrival and tour of the northern half of Batan Island

(So after all the Batanes photos have been uploaded here in Multiply at an excruciatingly slow pace, I'm finally going to start blogging about my trip.  My apologies for the delay to those who might have been expecting this sooner.)

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

I left home early morning on December 8 to reach the old Manila domestic airport on time for checking into my flight to Batanes.  With the exception of a long delay due to a lot of heavy fishing equipment being lugged around by a group of "fisher dudes" who were in line before me, I found the checking-in procedure to be relatively efficient.

It has been more than 10 years since my last airplane ride and I was a bit nervous especially upon seeing the small Dornier aircraft that was supposed to bring myself and around 20 other people to Batanes.  The nervousness didn't last though because after the jitters of the first few minutes, the plane ride was smooth.  I even made friends with my seatmate who was also a first-time visitor in Batanes.

It was pretty exciting seeing Batanes for the first time outside the airplane window.  I could already see a number of tourist spots from a distance - places and landmarks that I've only previously seen in blogs.  When the plane finally touched down, the first thing I did was to text everyone that I've already arrived.

Basco Airport

Upon entering the arrival area, I was surprised that one airport employee approached me and asked me if I was Mr. Rafael Flores.  It turns out that she is the wife of my tour guide, Joaquin, who was waiting outside of the airport and she assisted me to meet him.  As to how she knew what I looked like, I don't know.

So upon getting my bags, Joaquin immediately brought me to my inn named DDD Habitat, with whom I previously made lodging arrangements.  The room given to me was spacious enough, but the bathroom was a bit too small for comfort (a floor area just a bit larger than 1 square meter - more on this later.)  The arrangement was that I'll settle in first, have lunch then start touring in the afternoon.

Later in the afternoon, Joaquin arrived with his motorcycle to pick me up and bring me to the first stop, which is the Rolling Hills.  (We were momentarily sidetracked because we passed by the National Food Authority office along the national road.  I had to stop by and take pictures of the building and the staff.  It was an assignment that I had to do for my father, who works for the NFA.) 

view of the sea and Mt. Iraya as seen from the Rolling Hills

The Rolling Hills are situated in Batan's northeastern coast facing the South China Sea.  It's basically a pastureland that - because it's in Batanes - just happens to be very picturesque.  It's a good place for a first stop because it basically introduces the first-time tourist to what Batanes is all about - rough terrain, fresh sea breeze and astonishingly beautiful views (not to mention a lot of animal dung.)

(A brief digression.  This is what I looked like the whole time I was in Batanes when I was touring: cargo shorts, baseball cap, a keffiyeh wrapped around my neck, a sporty top, outdoor shoes, and a large beltbag containing all my camera equipment.)

After consciously not spending too much time on my first stop, we then left for the next top, which is the famous Basco Lighthouse.  And it's famous for a good reason.  It's probably the best-maintained in the province.  For some reason though, I never saw it fulfill it's primary purpose throughout my stay in Batanes - that of lighting up at night.

The Basco Lighthouse

The architecture of the lighthouse and it's adjacent structure is a good blending of modern and indigenous Ivatan styles.  Being already located in an elevated part of the coast, the breeze is already moderately strong at the base of the lighthouse.  But once one gets to the viewdeck near the top, the wind is a lot stronger.  One added benefit of the viewdeck is that it is a nice vantage point where one can view town of Basco.

On the way back to Basco we stopped by the Basco Church where I took pictures of the facade.  I was able to go inside, but since it was being renovated at the time, I didn't take pictures of the interior.

The Basco Church

The church is one of Batanes' four 200 year-old churches.  The upper third of the facade was actually destroyed by an intensity 7.2 earthquake back in 2000 and was probably replicated from old photographs.

After the Basco Church, we passed by the Basco provincial capitol in the town plaza.  Because of it's brightly-colored paint, I mistakenly thought that it was a relatively new structure that's why I did not see the need to take pictures of it.  It turns out that it was actually already standing during Spanish times and it was known then as La Casa Real/Capitolio.

From the town plaza, Joaquin drove me to the Valugan Boulder Beach, still on the northern half of Batan, but on the western coast facing the Pacific Ocean.  Getting near the water is a lot harder than one might think because the round large boulders don't exactly give one a stable footing.

The Valugan Boulder Beach

It was said that when nearby Mt. Iraya errupted in around 500 AD, these half meter-diameter boulders were spewed out by the volcano and found themselves in their present location.  The waves in this side of Batanes are strong, and it is very inadvisable to take a swim here.

From Valugan, the next stop was the central highlands.  Along the way, we passed by the Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel.  Built during the Japanese occupation in World War II, they're actually three conjoined tunnels that all lead to an inner chamber.  Except for some graffiti on the entrances, they are pretty inconspicuous as they don't have a sign explaining that they're there.

The Dipnaysupuan Japanese Tunnel interior

I didn't want to go in as Joaquin and I didn't have flashlights with us.  However, upon inspecting the entrance, we discovered that there are makeshift gas torches lying around so we lit one and explored the interior.  That's how we discovered that the tunnels are conjoined and all leading towards an inner chamber.

From the tunnels, we proceeded to Fundacion Pacita.  It used to be a kind of museum for the arts and Ivatan culture built in honor of Pacita Abad.  (The Abads are like the elite of Batanes - but to one who has been to Batanes, there really are no elites over there.)  It has since been converted to a hotel and is undoubtedly the most expensive in the province with rooms costing at least P4,000 a night and a minimum of two nights.

Fundacion Pacita

I wasn't able take nice shots when I was there because of the bad position of the sun so I gave up.  But a long way off on the way to Tukon, I found the perfect spot to shoot the Fundacion, as seen above.  I had to use my 55-250mm lens for the shot because it was already too far away.  Good thing the image did not deteriorate too much - as is the tendency when I use the zoom all the way to it's narrowest angle.

Tukon is the Ivatan word for "hill", and this is where the northernmost PAG-ASA weather station is located.  Incidentally, this weather station is also the reason why Batanes has a "stormy" reputation.  The fact is that the frequency of storms in Batanes is just about the same as Manila.  It's just that the northernmost station is always used as a point of reference to see observe whether any particular storm is finally leaving the Philippine area of responsibility or staying.

weather vane atop the Tukon weather station

Tukon is also the center of the narrowest point of Batan Island.  That, coupled with it's elevated position, enables one to view both the eastern and western coasts of the island, consequently allowing one to observe the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean while standing on the same spot.

On the way back to Basco, we passed by a small quaint stone chapel near a village school.  I never got its name, and Joaquin did not know it either.  But he claims it's the place where one of Congressman Abad's children got married, in a lavish ceremony attended by many politicians.  As the sun was close to setting, I quickly took some pictures of it, carefully modifying the exposure settings to take advantage of the remaining ambient daylight.  It's a nice chapel and I wish I had the chance to see its interior.

a small stone chapel near Tukon

It was around 5:00 when we reached Basco and Joaquin dropped me off by the inn.  Before having dinner and turning in, I took pictures of Basco in the fading daylight.  I needed to wake up early the next day because Joaquin and I  had to catch a jeep at 5:30 am that would bring us to the port for the boat ride to nearby Sabtang island.

Sunset as seen from the roof deck of my inn

12/9-11/09 - Batanes in Monochrome

High-contrast, black-and-white shots taken all over Batanes (Batan and Sabtang).

12/11/09 - Batanes Series 4.3

Day 4: The town of Ivana and the road back to Basco.

Details of the afternoon of the fourth day are found on this blog entries:

http://deaconblue.multiply.com/journal/item/126

If you have questions about specific pictures in this series, just post them in the comments section. Thanks!