The visit to faraway Itbayat did not materialize. It was a bit disappointing considering that it was the single most significant destination I was looking forward to in this return trip to Batanes. But I’m glad that it didn’t take place, and here’s why: Continue reading
(This originally was part of another blog I was making, but it began to have a life of its own and I thought it best to put it in a separate entry.)
When one says “Mahatao Lighthouse”, this is probably what most of those who have gone to Batanes have in mind:
…which makes sense because it is a lighthouse and it is in Mahatao. Continue reading
After “lunch” I continued southbound. The municipal hall was nearby so I barely warmed by bicycle seat before I got off again to explore the area. Ivana is another one of those Batanes towns that have a modern-looking center with the rest of the town looking traditional. I’m beginning to think that it’s the rule and Basco is the only exception. But I haven’t been to Itbayat, so I wouldn’t know.
For my last full day in Batanes, I planned to spend it on my own – without a tourguide – by renting a bicycle and testing the strength of my legs and my lungs all the way to the town of Ivana in the south of Batan island. I got the idea from Ironwulf, who gave very precise instructions on where I could rent a bicycle in Basco, as well as an idea of what a tour of that magnitude would entail for somebody who hasn’t used a bicycle in a decade.
I actually had a good night’s sleep in the Tourism Office in Sabtang. This was unusual for me because I usually have difficulty sleeping when I spend the night in an unfamiliar place. It’s probably a combination of fatigue from the tour and the excellently filling dinner I had the previous night.
I woke up at around 6 am and walked around Centro. I tried to do my usual exercise regimen but my aching joints seemingly protested even the easiest warm-up routines. From my conversation with Joaquin the night before, we most likely would not be able to catch the first trip going back to Batan so that means I have enough time to walk around Centro before the second trip. I used this time to take pictures of people going about their daily lives, as well as the surroundings.
