Capturing Batanes

Pastureland as far as your eyes can see, undulating emerald hills, boulder-strewn beaches and the changing colors of the seas from turquoise to lapis lazuli blue. The Ivatan historic stone houses in Sabtang built to stand the lashing winds from the north — these are the islands of Batanes.

Noted photographer Mandy Navasero is smitten hard by the charms of Batanes, and so are her photography students, varied in age and profession and bonded together by love of photography and travel. Navasero welcomes again interested parties to join her on this marvelous trek with priceless views everywhere from May 6 to 10.

Last year’s student May Bernate relates that "the photo safari took us across not only natural attractions that abound in Batanes, but also to the heart of its quaint villages." And this includes a store that is run on sheer honesty. The buyer simply gets the goods when the shopkeeper is not handy and leaves behind the exact amount.

For lawyer Noel Liok, three days were not enough and hinted only at the unforgettable experience. "I sorely hope to be back," he says. "Against every pattern, hue or vista, there was the resonance of the sea." Indeed, the waters stretched endlessly, powerfully magnificent.

It’s your turn to experience the glorious exhilaration and freedom that is Batanes. The trip is unforgettable.

Everyone should see Batanes.

(For inquiries, call 899-1767 or e-mail [email protected] or drop by her studio at Rm. 227, LRI Business Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel Air II, Makati City, Metro Manila. Interested parties who wish to help sustain Batanes Heritage Foundation, Inc.’s effort to save stone houses in Batanes, the beauty of which is legendary, may e-mail [email protected])