A Dream That Is Batanes

The earth is green and the landscape uneven. Mountain slopes are everywhere, and the skies, wide.

The wind blows quietly around my ears as a lone cow rests by the roadside. A stone’s throw away is an old man who seems to be calling my attention. He looks different in his native garments and I cannot understand his language. I don’t know why.

When I looked on the other side, I was back in my room – dark, humid, and alone – on my bed. It was a dream. I was in Batanes.

But was I really in Batanes in my dream? How can I know that for certain since I haven’t been there?

Back To Reality

My knowledge of Batanes upto now relied on reading online sources, travel blogs, and amazing stories from my friends.

Aside from the fact that the Batanes Islands were missing from the map in the new set of Philippine bills, I wonder what is it truly like to be in Batanes? Would the hills be as rolly? Are the people as friendly as the visitors say?

Wikipedia describes the Batanes Islands as the smallest province and “the northernmost islands of the Philippines.” Travellers say that it is one of the most beautiful places in the Philippines.

But I want to say that for myself and from my own experience.

I want to roll on the green hills of Batanes.

I want to feel the chill of Batanes’ winter morning even without snow.

I want to see the Ivatans beyond the coffee TV commercial and actually converse with them.

I want to shout out my dreams in life from the top of my lungs atop the cliffs of Bataness towards the infinite ocean.

One of My Travel Goals

One of the travel targets I have set for this year was to finally go to Batanes and Bohol. With eleven days left of the year, I guess neither one could be fulfilled.

But alas, there is hope at the onset of the new year – the SEAIR Batanes Winter Bloggers’ Tour! It is in that hope that this blog was written.

I’ve also known a similar and prior SEAIR blogging contest for Boracay, but I did not particpate in that. I’ve already been to Boracay and decided to give way for the other travel bloggers who would be in Boracay for the first time.

But in this opportunity, I feel strongly for Batanes. I had to take and seize this chance. I hope that on January 28, 2011, I will be able to set foot on the soil of Batanes as part of the SEAIR Batanes Winter Bloggers’ Tour.

To have the similar opportunity to join, check out the SEAIR website and the SEAIR Facebook Fan Page.

Thanks to my friend Alvin Chua for allowing me to share three of his photos for this entry. I wish that in my next blog about Batanes, I will be able to share my own photos of Batanes whose angles and frames are captured in my perspectives and experiences.

A dream that will cease to be, very soon.