daredivas: A Walk in the Clouds

We've always dreamed of Batanes. Before B left for the US, we planned to go but time ran out on us. When B came home for a visit almost a decade after, we vowed to never let the chance pass.

I thought it would be long before I have my first encounter with a coconut crab but, on the day of our arrival, after an early-morning nap, there it was, held by our cook like a prized conquest.

Come dinner time, the crab was on my plate. Unlike a regular crab, I realized, there was hardly any meat to be had. And whatever flesh there was stubbornly clung to shell. The best part really is the stomach, where the eggs are stored. Cholesterol central but you only live once. EAT COCONUT CRABS. CHECK. (Note though that coco crabs are said to be on the preservation watchlist).

Although the crab was the highlight, there were other things we were able to try like the Ivatan Express (similar to Pinakbet), grilled dorado, and yellow rice (which gets its color from a locally grown ginger similar to turmeric). Most of the food were mildly seasoned, except the coconut crab served during lunch in Sabtang. It was bursting with flavor. I ate more than my fair share. EAT COCO CRABS AT PANANAYAM RESTO IN SABTANG. CHECK.

The first time I saw the stone house cottages of Batanes Resort, part of me wanted to move in. Not only were the cottages pretty, the view was spectacular. B and I stayed at Pension Ivatan (now Brandon's Lodging), which had clean, basic accommodations but not much of a view to speak of. What it lacked in view, however, it made up for in location. It was at the heart of Basco, walking distance to the square where the locals held their daily afternoon promenade. We found it relaxing to stroll in the afternoon or evening, passing by teenagers playing street basketball, women selling veggies on makeshift stands or their windowsills, kids holding fishing implements. And of course I loved the idea that the roadside barbecue was at walking distance. EXPERIENCE LOCAL LIFE BY SPENDING A FEW NIGHTS IN BASCO. CHECK.

One of the things I most looked forward to on this trip was going to Fundacion Pacita. So imagine my disappointment when we were told that we cannot go in because we weren't guests. In the end, they let us in when we said that we needed to use the comfort room. That gave us an excuse to look around but I'm not one to be satisfied by just looking around. I wanted to FEEL the place. I wanted to imagine what Pacita Abad must have felt when she painted her vibrant, soulful artworks. So I approached Allan, the caretaker who was also assistant chef of the restaurant-gallery, if we could arrange for dinner at the Fundacion the following day. He hesitated but I insisted on getting his number so that I could follow up. Several SMS messages later, he relented. The next evening, we were enjoying mushroom soup with bird’s nest, mixed salad with tarragon vinaigrette, and Parmesan-crusted roast chicken accompanied by a side serving of oyster sauce with limoncillo wine at the arts foundation. HAVE DINNER AT FUNDACION PACITA (and load up on Pacita Abad's books). CHECK.

My most vivid memory of every travel experience almost always revolve around food, so of course the lunch we had at Marlboro Country was another highlight of this trip. Although the meal paled in comparison to the previous ones we've had in the island, it had a sweet ending, thanks to J. Mora's bocayo (namit, indeed). The sweeping view of rolling hills and open sea quite literally unlatched my heart. It was as though someone unclasped my "invisible" corset and, for the first time in a long time, I could breathe. HAVE LUNCH AT MARLBORO COUNTRY AND BUY BOCAYO FOR PASALUBONG. 2 CHECKS.