Tag Archives: winter bloggers’ tour

Batanes Diaries: Chill-out with Mineovaheng

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Dear Batanes, 

You hold so much uniqueness. You gave us a first impression that would surely last a life time. Our first day in your land of beauty was laidback yet fulfilling. I saw the simple life in Mahatao, drank from the fountain of youth, captured the rustic appeal of Diura, listened to the waves at the Chawa viewdeck and watched the sunset at Naidi Hills.

But as you know, the fun never stopped there. Though your island is far from the party atmosphere, the winners of SEAIR’s Batanes Winter Bloggers’ tour still had the chance to chill-out.

We went to Shanedel’s Inn to check out the online world. Thanks to Tita Dely Milan who allowed us to use their wifi. Of course, we wanted to buy some food or drinks as a way of saying, “Thank you” for the free wifi. And then, we saw this bottle with red liquid on it. The label reads Mineovaheng but it was pronounced as [minyo-va-hang].

I learned that your mineovaheng is made of fermented sugar cane and yapo (natural yeast from blackwood tree). Tita Dely said that it was just newly fermented from Itbud, Uyugan. She showed us another wine bottle which was a lot older.

Of course, we tried to taste both wine to compare. The newly fermented one was a bit sweeter with a taste of vinegar. The older one had that “kick taste”. It had a stronger taste than the newer wine.

For the guys, they liked the older Mineovaheng. But for me, I liked the newer one. And when I looked closer at the bottle, it says 20% alcohol compared to the older with 5.78%.

But don’t worry, we didn’t get drunk. It was just pure fun to get a taste of your wine.

With Tita Dely Milan, her grandson and granddaughter, and the group

Till here,

Trip@dora

***Batanes Diaries are series of posts of my experiences in Batanes. This is my way of encouraging you guys to get to know one of the best places in the Philippines. Special Thanks to South East Asian Airlines for bringing us to Batanes as part of the Batanes Winter Bloggers’ Tour Contest. And for the warm hospitality, my utmost gratitude to Tita Lydia Roberto of Batanes Seaside Lodge & Restaurant and Hiro’s Cafe, and to DOT Region 2 director Bless Diwa for the assistance.

Batanes: A dream fulfilled

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Translation

I saw.

I heard.

I smelled.

I tasted.

I felt.

I experienced Batanes.

The dream has been fulfilled. South East Asian Airlines made the dream a reality. Joining the contest for the nth time paid off.

Finally, for the third try, I won their Facebook contest dubbed as the Batanes Winter Bloggers’ Tour.  Indeed, the saying, “Try and try until you succeed” was true.

My blog entry, Fulfilling the Dream, made me climb a Lighthouse, wear a vakul, interact with the Ivatans, taste a coconut crab, hear the whistling wind, smell nature’s breath, feel the warmth and hospitality of the Ivatans, and experience winter in Batanes along with Bless, Gay, James, Leon, Mike, and Joseph.

Winter? Yes you read it right. We have experienced winter in Batanes, which falls from December to February. Though the weather forecast recorded 23 degrees celsius, I felt my bones chilled.

Nonetheless, the welcoming smiles and greetings of the Ivatans whom I met in three days were like layers of jacket, which kept me warm.

Three days were not enough. Some of us even wished that our flight back to Manila be delayed. hahaha. Definitely, I shall return.

Batanes, the northernmost province in the Philippines, may be an island less traveled. But no matter how far it was from the mainland, Luzon, it was a treasure worth pursuing and protecting.

Adventure awaits those who seek for it. And so, we did find adventure in Batanes. I’ll tell more of that in my next posts.