Rainy Season in Manila

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Bennett and I stroll around the community. Pinabayaan nga kami no'ng tourist guide namin kanina. Everytime I look at Bennett, lagi siyang nakangiti at feeling ko deep inside, isang malaking fulfilment 'yon na makita siyang gano'n kasaya. From what he has been through, I guess he deserves this kind of happiness. Gano'n din ang naramdaman ko nang makakilala kami ng mga local at kung ano ang sinabi nila sa amin at pina-experience.

May isang grupo pa kaming nilapitan dahil tinawag nila kami kasi may ipatitikim daw silang pagkain na sa Batanes lamang namin matitikman. Ito iyong Uvud balls na gawa sa finely-grated corn mula sa trunk ng banana at hinaluan pa ito ng pork and some added beef, at tinatadtad na isda. At first, hesitant kaming dalawa ni Bennett, but because we don't want to offend them to their culture, we tried, and over time na nakukuha namin iyong lasa at umaayon na rin sa panlasa namin. It was very good though.

Tinanong din nila kung anong ginagawa namin sa Batanes, we only said we're here for a short break and to celebrate Bennett's birthday. Binati naman nila siya at nang pabiro kong sinabi na artista siya, hindi naman sila magkamayaw na magpakuha ng litrato gamit ang phone ni Bennett. Natatawa na lamang ako sa reaksyon ni Bennett dahil gusto na niyang umalis pero nakikisama lamang siya dahil ayaw niyang maka-offend kaya naki-ride na siya sa kalokohan ko.

After getting along with the community, we spend strolling more down to Naidi Hills all the way to Vayang rolling hill just to see the very beautiful landscape of Batanes. There was so much green to anywhere we look. Cows can found anywhere and there it was, the breath taking view of the Pacific Ocean. We spend more than half an hour there just to appreciate the beauty in it.

We even lay down on the grass as it's clean and the air is just so fresh. Ang sarap manirahan. Kung maaari lamang na mangyari na after I graduate ay rito manirahan because who wouldn't want some peace in their life? Lalo na 'yong ganitong kagandang view. I would spend much of my day looking at the vast ocean. I couldn't ask for more. This is the best place for me.

Before we could go on our next trip sa Valugan Boulder Beach, we had our lunch first sa Pension Ivatan Hometel and Restaurant. Bennett told me that our lunch for today is already pre-ordered so I may like it or not, he already paid for it. Good thing, I wasn't allergic to sea foods kaya super na-enjoy ko ang lunch naming dalawa. Nahihiya na lang din ako sa kanya kasi todo picture, kain, at halakhak na lang ako sa paligid niya habang siya 'yong gumagastos. He even planned we should pursue 'yong pagpunta sa Itbatan bukas ng maaga. Ewan ko kung anong sumagi sa isip niya pero nasa sa kanya ulit ang desisyon, magpahahatak lang ulit ako.

But now we're already heading to our next destination. Mabilis lang din naman ang magiging biyahe namin. It will only take us ten to fifteen minutes at mararating na namin ang unang beach na mapupuntahan ko rito sa Batanes. Though we won't be able to have a swim there dahil medyo pantay ang lupain at malakas ang hangin kaya hindi pinapayagang lumangoy.

Hindi rin naman katagalan ay nakarating kami sa Valugan Boulder Beach ay hindi ako makapaniwala. The view is even more breathtaking. I was only smiling the whole time because that's the only thing I can do, to appreciate the beauty.

From the little waves meeting the shore and hearing how the splashes of water makes your mind a little more relax. Napupuno ng bato ang paligid. Kung ang karamihan ng mga beach ay napaliligiran ng mga white sand o kung ano pa mang klase ng buhangin, this one filled with so much rocks na hindi dahilan para hindi ma-appreciate ang beauty. Malinis ang paligid at sariwa ang amoy ng hangin. If we could just swim, I would run to it and that'll be fun for us, though because we respect the rules and we're only a tourist here at 'wag magaling, we just strolled around made some rock formations.

Naaliw kaming dalawa ni Bennett sa pagpatong-patong ng mga makikinis na bato. Though kanina muntik akong madulas dahil sa maling pagkatatapak ko sa batuhan, mabuti na lang ay agad akong nasalo ni Bennett which makes me feel so glad dahil kung hindi, bagok ang ulo ko kapag nagkataon.