Our fourth day in Batanes spelled – FREE DAY! It’s the
only time where we can do practically anything we wanted to do. Some of my
friends originally wanted to rent a bike or a scooter to roam and savour the
serene beauty of Batan but they ended up swimming this beautiful place called “Blue
Lagoon.”
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| My only shot of the "Blue Lagoon" |
I and Karen (my travel/climbing buddy) pushed through with our Mt.
Iraya climb. Check on this link to view my Mt. Iraya climb blog.
We arrived back to our hotel past lunchtime. After a
quick lunch at the hotel’s restaurant, I rushed off and took a quick refreshing
bath because the reservation for our next destination was set at 3pm. Yep, if
you’re not a guest staying at Fundacion Pacita, it is required for you to
arrange for a reservation before going to the place. The resort management do
not accept walk-ins. An additional note courtesy of our driver, he said that
the management requests all visitors to minimize their noise while inside the
premises as to not disturb the resort guests. Sounds reasonably fair to me!
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| signage from the main road |
The van arrived 5 minutes past 3pm. We easily hopped in
and travel our way to Fundacion Pacita. Situated atop a hill overlooking the
charming Mt. Iraya and its neighbouring islands, Fundacion Pacita was just a
sight to behold! Considered as the most high-end resort in Batanes, Fundacion Pacita
was actually the home studio of internationally-acclaimed artist, Pacita Abad. Though
a bit pricey, the proceeds and earnings of the resort fund the education of
Ivatan artists and other heritage conservations being done in Batanes.
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| my first view of Fundacion Pacita |
One thing that made this place more attractive is the colourful
paintings hanging all around the dining hall. The interior was just brilliant
and I couldn't help but admire such artistry that was Pacita Abad. I even took
a picture of the elegant chairs gracing the dining area. That’s got to be made
of narra tree because it’s too damn heavy! Everywhere you go, there’s mural
depicting the life of Pacita; her dreams and achievements enveloping every
space. The place was a celebration of life itself!
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| Pacita Abad, a great artist! |
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| the dining hall inside Fundacion Pacita |
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| the charming chair! (narra, I believe!) |
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| fell in love with these bright blue bench outside Fundacion Pacita! |
We requested our snacks be served outside to take
advantage of the beautiful sunny afternoon. The food was great and the
locally-made brewed coffee was fantastic. The muscovado (unrefined brown sugar
with a strong molasses flavour) that goes with the coffee was of its right sweetness.
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| a light snack enjoyed on a sunny afternoon |
The group had a good chitchat of our almost 4-day stay in Batanes. And since we
rented the van for 8 hours, we agreed to spend the remaining time going back to
Rolling Hills.....and of course, never leave a place without any ‘pasalubong’ (souvenir/homecoming treat).
Before I end this post, below is our actual budget for
the airfare, hotel and tour accommodations.
Airfare (via Pal Express) – P 8,432.00 (roundtrip)
Hotel Accommodation (5D/4N) – P 10,850.00/person
(rate given is for 8 pax; tour included)
Tour
Inclusions and Restrictions:
- Hotel accommodations
- Basco Tour
- Batan South
Tour
- Sabtang Island Tour
- Full board meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Land
transportations
- Boat transfers
- Tour guide
- Municipal fees
- Airport transfers
- All tour fees
- Tax Included
- Tax Included
Till then!
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