Welcome to Pangasinan, The Treasure Tracker!

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“It’s not even in my top priority to visit, but after a few days of stay in this province, it quickly captured my heart, I was mesmerized and I fell in love. ”

I felt guilty! Yes I am. Totally! I always prefer to visit the places that I always see over the news and other travel blogs and magazines. I easily get attracted with the stunning photos in those articles without even knowing that I am taking for granted other places which will definitely make my . Now I can say that I should not put an end to something I haven’t yet experienced.

That’s what I had proven in our trip to Pangasinan. Thanks to Mica, a blogger I met in Boracay, (Ooops! I should rephrase that, “a FRIEND I met in Boracay”) for inviting me in this tour. Thanks as well to Anton, who is as well the brain of this one of a kind adventure.

The moment Mica asked me about this, I quickly said “yes”. But I didn’t have any vacation leave then so I was thinking of alibis or excuse to be used. Believe me, reasons that came out of my head was crazy, really crazy. The day came; I was as excited as a young kid whose wish was granted. After work, I packed my things to meet another blogger. She is Ada, the bubbly girl. Her mom drove for us to the bus terminal and then our journey to Pangasinan started there.

While you were sleeping…

I will never forget this trip for the reason that a lot of “first time experiences” happened there. It was my first longest trip ever at night, more than four hours inside the bus is really tiring. Good thing there was no traffic. Another dream of mine was fulfilled because I’ve been dreaming to at least travel somewhere in the north, and it was granted. As what I was telling my friends before, the farthest I’ve gone in the north is only Malabon.:)

 

Even if I know that such road trip will take a few hours, and it’s already late night, I still can’t sleep, maybe because of my excitement, it can be because it’s my first time and I don’t want to miss anything while on the road, or maybe because those li’l friends in my stomach is punching me , I was so hungry and I wasn’t satisfied with that Buco pie I was pressured to buy, or maybe I don’t want to get lost and we might gone into a “WRONG TURN!” (Enough Darwin! this isn’t a fictional movie! It’s real.)

This bus brought me to Pangasinan, safely.

We arrived at Dagupan Terminal at around 1:15AM. While waiting for Mica, I just observed that the place is not far from other places I’ve been to. The only thing I noticed is that, people who wants to go to Manila needs to travel as early as 1AM. Mica and his Lolo picked us up and welcomed us in their house. We ate, fixed our stuffs, a little chat, and rest and stayed in one room.

 

We arrived while Pangasinan is still sleeping. Allow me to see your real beauty when you wake up. Good mornight.

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There’s No Place Like Home: A Pause from Traveling and City Life

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I am now enjoying a weekend rest day (something I didn’t experienced for more that three years in my previous job). This time I now have enough time to go wherever I want or to do whatever I want to do. Unlike before, where I used to work six days a week and day off always falls on weekdays.

I spent Saturday and Sunday in our town, Talisay, Batangas. The place where I was born, the place I call “home”. It’s really relaxing whenever I see how simple life goes in Talisay. My “online” life just stopped for 2 days. No updating of Facebook status and “liking” of photos and comments and no emails to answer. No site visits and meeting to conduct. No stressful traffics to avoid. Everything is just plain simple and unhurried.

I enjoyed my stay more because the weather was so fine; sunny and windy. It made the hot feeling a little bit cool. My mom cooked my favorite food, sauteed squash and string beans in shrimp paste and grilled “tilapia” with soy sauce, chili and calamansi. She also prepared “pancit” for merienda. Green mango was also served. These were the food I miss whenever I am in Manila. I used to spent a lot buying in fast food chains. I must admit, these foods are appetizing but time will come and you will still miss home-cooked foods. That is one of the reason why I always want to go home. Another thing that reminds me that I’m not in the city is that you need to get a pail of water in the “poso”. You’ll get sweaty because you need to pump (bomba) just to fill the pail. That feeling makes you to hurry more and wet your body with fresh water you worked hard for.

In the afternoon, I asked my youngest sister to come with me in the lake. That’s the place I spent most of my childhood swimming with playmates. I can recall those days when I was fishing with my Dad and my uncles using our homemade fly rod (bingwit). The shore has changed. The wide shore before just narrowed. The nipa hut where we used to stay is quite dilapidated. The grass and vines grown everywhere. Wild flowers and water lilies covered the remaining walkable space in the shore. The vine almost extended up to the big camatsile tree. It was not properly maintained compared before. I was disappointed when I saw a dump of garbage nearby. I worried that it might be carried away up to the lake once hit by a strong wave or when an ample rain falls.

an avatar flower



I have no plans to get wet, but the lake water is encouraging me, so I dipped my foot and it was really cold. While enjoying that moment I saw a flock of birds freely flying and building some incredible aerial formation. I even noticed a different species of birds. I do not know how are those called but just seeing how they catch the fish was a sight to behold. Sadly, I do not have DSLR with high powered lens to catch them in action. I think I should start saving now. I chased the ducks to swim away in the lake because I think its a better subject for my photos. But I failed to do so because they swim so fast. I was trying to get a nice angle of Taal Volcano but it seems too far away that day and the sky was a bit gray in that part. Perhaps the most favorite photo I have taken is the “sunset”. It captured my attention as it slowly hiding in the western hill, making the lake water glitter in gold and silver. I took a lot of shot, but my mom called us because we need to visit my father’s tomb before it gets darker.

the water sparkles in gold as the sun hides in the western hill

Im now looking forward to spend more days with my family. Now I truly understand why some people choses to stay in the province. I know deeply understand what laidback really means. No pressure, unhurried, and plain easy. More importantly, that weekend was well spent and best enjoyed with my family. I just realized, even if you choses to go somewhere, time will come and you will find reason to go back to where you really belong. Indeed, there’s no place like home.

Club Balai Isabel



 

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BATANES: The Perfect Escape From Urban Inferno

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Its not a dream anymore. I have already awakened. This time I need to be serious about it. After the Boracay tour I had a lot of memories to ponder. I’ve met a lot of strangers who now became my friends and travel buddies. I’ve been to places which I haven’t thought I would be. How will I forget the first time I ride a plane? Thanks to SEAIR, a great airline company that sponsored our trip and took us to our destination very fast and safe. It kind of erase my imaginations of fear of riding a plane, like those of what I have seen in movies showing crazy crash, explosion and hijack. SEAIR had helped me erase my paranoia and let me experience my first ever flight worth-remembering.

During our tour in the white sand beach, its kind of weird to know that most of us are still dreaming to experience Batanes even if we were already in one of the most popular island in the world. Well perhaps Batanes has its own natural encouraging beauty, that no traveler can refuse or take for granted its God-made charm. Stories of experiences by some travel bloggers even inspire us more to one day set our foot in that northernmost part of our country. We even asked and teased the “smiling man of SEAIR”to give us a Batanes Trip as our prize after winning the games in the team building activities.

BATANES: Travel Henyo word, Go! Brenna (philippinetravelogue.com)

Batanes, perhaps is one of the most dreamt destination of every traveler, locals or even tourists. Im sure about this because as I have said during our previous trip in Boracay, most or all of us was suggesting Batanes as the next blogger destination.
I’m not sure if they will still accept my entry in this tour. But I still want to give it a shot. I dont know what words to be used just to please the judge to encourage them all to choose me as one of the lucky participants in BATANES Winter Bloggers’ Tour. Its crazy that I am forcing myself to think of adjectives, form some thoughts and write the best composition I can create just to get the panel’s attention. Its crazy that I am forcing myself again to finish this entry even if I still have a lot of backlogs of previous travels.

 

Basco Lighthouse in Naidi Hills

 

I failed to go up in Patar Lighthouse, maybe not in Basco…

While I was in one of our trip in Bolinao, after seeing their lighthouse and being amazed with the great rock formations I begun asking myself, what if I am in Batanes while taking pictures of this breathtaking wonders, Am I going to feel the same or I can get more than these? Who wouldn’t love to see the romantic sunset, as I chase it while walking the grassland and climbing the rocks just to get a picturesque shot? I felt a bit sad after knowing that we cannot go up the Patar lighthouse because the stairs are weaken by time and typhoon. Our tour guide told us that it might be too dangerous for us if we try. After that very disappointing moment in Patar,I just realize, maybe a trip to Batanes lighthouse will give me the chance to experience the feeling of being at the top, as if floating softly in the sky, watching freely the views of rolling hills, green pasture, and raging sea waves.

 

On my way alone going back to Manila which took me almost six hours inside the bus, seeing the sunset reflects on the rice fields, as the dark covering up the mountain, the rain started to fall, my body started to chill. I can’t sleep for I dont want to miss everything in the road, I started thinking where my foot will set me next. Then all of a sudden SEAIR‘s contest, BATANES WINTER BLOGGERS’ TOUR popped out in my head and I started to think how can I create a unique idea. Just any other poet’s/writer’s style, a rhyme of words started to come up and a draft for a narrative poem was created, It took me so many weeks to gather and finish all the information I need about Batanes. And here it goes…

*********************************************************************
Things are getting kind of heavy these days…

tryin to figure out what road to take
there are many decisions to be made
and the only time I feel ok
is when I’m in a perfect escape

I have a complete faith
that everything will be fine
As I move away from homeland
Leaves are waving me goodbye

Wondering while wandering…

One good thing about the road
is that it opens up my eyes
to realize what things I will miss at home
and everything that lies behind

Still thinking where my foot will bring me
As I chase my dream, as time passes by
When Im feeling lonely, hopeless
then I wonder how imagination brought me…

Overlooking the neighbor; Formosa, Taiwan
SEAIR carried me to the land of Ivatan
Batanes is the name of the outcast island
only inhabited, lil’ lands of Itbayat, Sabtang, Batan

And then I hear, an inviting sound…

I saw Mt. Iraya beyond the blur,
and I beheld the sight so pure
Below the misty mountain clouds,
a spell binding magic made me vowed

There’s a lovely shining silver bay
“Falowa” floating almost everyday
Raging waves of South China Sea
Hugging Pacific Ocean so incredibly

There I met living epic of “Malakas and Maganda”
Names are Marcelo Hostallero and Florestida Estrella
Both survived the test of nature’ wrath and time
living safely in a house made of cogon and stones of lime

Or perhaps they drink the water from the alleged “Fountain of Youth” in Diura?

House of Dakay warmly welcomed me
they treated me like a God whole-heartedly
they served the guest with “tatus” and “Palek” wine
the taste I felt that life is like so divine

Before I leave I vowed with respect
they answered back with love and a gift
they crowned me with a nice “Vakul”
to protect myself from weather so hot or cool

Most noted for its zero crime rate
amazingly til now, no heinous record update
best example, Cafe that oblige your honesty
try to lie and be punished by invisible fairy.

For so many years…

Naidi sacrifice to hold the guiding light
Basco lighthouse shining bright at night
haven that attracts lovers to hangout
to witness romantic beauty without a doubt.

Oh How can I neglect you in my mind,
island that looks like lost in another time
with your alluring and virginal beauty
I hope one day you’ll promise to again see me

before I bid goodbye to you lovely Ivatan
I’ll pray for the prehistoric Burial Cave of Turungan
Recall Radar Tukon before being abandoned by time
Capture the volcanic aftermath, the Boulders of Valugan

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Philippines is 7107 islands, then Where is Batanes?

Our country is an amazing archipelago with seven thousand one hundred and seven islands. It so sad that some photos of Philippine map doesnt include these northermost islands of our country. How are you going to call it Philippines, if some islands are missing? More specially if you are neglecting/deleting from the whole frame one of the most magical and peaceful, the blustery islands of Batanes.

They said that being in Batanes is an adventure itself. As a travel blogger (in the making), who wouldnt want a unique and memorable adventure? But aside from this adventure, thrill and gastronomic voyage (coconut crab, uvod, and local variation of paella), I travel for a “purpose”. And if given a chance to be included in this tour, I will do my purpose.

As I’m learning more of Batanes, I found two things (or should I say, two persons) very interesting. The man whose age is more than a century named Lolo Marcello Hostallero and the popular and most photographed woman, Lola Florestida “Ida” Estrella (House of Dakay).

‘The Great Ivatans

Lolo Marcelo is undeniably a healthy man. An inspiring man who can still work despite his age. A man who never complains of how simple or difficult life is. It made me think that I shouldn’t complain when I encounter heavy workloads because this Lolo never complains even if he is not as strong and as capable as me. On the other hand, Lola Ida‘s story even got my attention most. Being the photographer’s most favorite subject, she never fails to share her stories. She’s very hospitable and her kindness never expects something in return from her guests. According to what I have read, she rarely saw the photos of her. So I am planning to have our picture taken, print it and give to her as a remembrance of how unforgettable my “hopefully” Batanes trip is. I also read that some photos of her won awards and photographers even “get paid” for their photos of her and she, being the subject gets “NOTHING“. So aside from the printed copy of her photo, I would like to give her something in kind. It might be food like bread and milk, some sort of groceries. As we all know, she’s not rich, has no income, and especially she’s getting old. She needs someone who will show care and love even just for the moment you meet her. Lets be sensitive and show her some respect, talk to her, know her inspiring story, and treat her not just an object of photography. Remember, she’s HUMAN as well. But the main reason why I would like to meet and help her is because she reminds me of my Lola Mameng, which we havent seen for so long when they went to Pangasinan until we lost any contacts of her together with my Lolo who took care of my lost father. That’s one of my reason why I joined other bloggers in that Pangasinan tour, but unfortunately I failed.

 

Indeed, Batanes is a living museum, a real testament to the rich culture and history of a province that for many decades was left to develop on its own. Even if there
are possibility of howling winds, impenetrable fog and sometimes cancelled flight, these will never hinder a traveler who is eager and very much interested to learn and break the usual norms of wandering…

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Double Daily Flights For Batanes Winter Season

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Letters to Passengers to Basco, Batanes (An Important Reminder)
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The Treasure Tracker’s travel habit (leaving a mark of his adventure)

*I want to do this in Batanes.

 

Note: Photo credits
Philippine Yearbook 2008 (Next Destination, Basco Lighthouse in Naidi Hills and Philippine Map)
SEAIR Website (Double Daily Flights For Batanes Winter Season)
Micaela Rodriguez (Patar Lighthouse)
Estan Cabigas (The Treasure Tracker’s Travel Habit)
Brznf Yu ( Lolo Marcelo Hostallero)
Marian Peralta (Lola Florestida Estrella)

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