Batanes

Jong has just returned from a two week sojourn in Batanes. After building up the suspense with just a single image uploaded on Monday, (as a reaction to my own joke that he was going to gag us with a million and a half pictures of Batanes) he finally resumed uploading the rest of the million and a half pictures from his trip.



Batanes consists 10 of the 1,700 islands of the Philippines. The three bigger ones being Itbayat Island (95 sq. km.), Sabtang Island (41 sq. km) and Batan Island (35 sq. km). Batanes is located at the extreme north of Luzon. It is the smallest province of the country, and because of the miles of rough seas that surround it, is also the most isolated. And thus it is an island where time has stopped. It is charming, romantic and laid back. And it is also weather-beaten, the path of many typhoons that hit the country. These do not make for a bitter land and people. In fact, it has shaped a people to be laid back, more accepting of the weather and life’s unpredictability. And its land is like no other. Long stretches of rocky shores, rugged mountains and breathtaking vistas that will remind one of Ireland.



I have never been there. Always dreamed about it, planned and talked about it but never really had the chance to actually visit. Now that I am on the other end of the globe I can only admire it from the Jong’s photo-blog site.



There’s more where it came from. See his pictures and be captivated.

[ALL IMAGES FROM JONG'S SITE]