“You’re the weirdest Batangueno I have ever met!” declared my friend Andre after learning that I didn’t know how to swim. We were on the way home.
“Wow, jumping to conclusions,” I objected.
“Well, for starters, you don’t have the accent,” he explained. “Batangas is known for beaches and dive sites; you don’t even know how to swim. Batangas produces the best beef in the country; you dislike beef. Batangas is home to kapeng barako; you’re not a coffee fan. You haven’t even been to the Taal Volcano.”
Hmmm. As hard as it was to admit, he was right. (Except for the coffee part. I love Kapeng Barako.)
But that single declaration from a friend who always told me the most brutally honest words had a huge effect on me. It got me thinking about and reflecting on my being Batangueno. I always say that I am a proud Batangueno but I started to wonder how much of Batangas I had explored, how much of the culture I truly appreciated, and how much of our heritage and history I was familiar with.
Asia's largest basilica --- Basilica de San Martin de Tours in Taal, Batangas
Cape Santiago Lighthouse in Calatagan
I spent most of my life in Batangas, in the small town of Lemery. I had traveled to many islands in the country, from Ilocos to General Santos, and even abroad a couple of times. Admittedly, other than neighboring Balayan, Calaca, Lian, and Taal, I had not “experienced” other parts of my home province. Such a shame.
After that conversation with Andre, I quietly planned a trip to Batangas. I wanted to see, really see, and experience other municipalities and cities, not just the usual passing-through journey. One weekend. A good start. And so it happened.
Gen. Miguel Malvar Monument and Library in Santo Tomas, Batangas
Apolinario Mabini Shrine in Tanauan, Batangas
The coffin that carried Mabini's body and his handwriting
The Lipa Cathedral (San Sebastian Cathedral) is one of the many religious places we visited in Lipa City
Casa de Segunda in Lipa City, house of Segunda Katigbak (Jose Rizal's first love)
Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and Plaza Mabini in Batangas City
Casa Rap, a hidden gastronomic paradise in San Jose, Batangas. We had breakfast here!
Tapang Taal from 'Casa Rap' (San Jose) and Bulalo from 'Rose and Grace' (Sto Tomas)
Kapeng Barako by Cafe de Lipa (Lipa City) and Seafood Bilao by Kainan sa Dalampasigan (Nasugbu)
Ancestral houses in Taal, Batangas
Immaculate Conception Parish in Balayan, Batangas
Beaches in Calatagan, Batangas
Kainan sa Dalampasigan in Nasugbu, Batangas
These are just some of the places we visited in the three days that we toured Batangas. I will be narrating my experiences at each place in detail on my travel blog. I just need to find time to write.
So, does this weekend trip make me a better Batangueno? Hmmm. Maybe. I don’t know. But I’m sure of one thing — Batangas is more beautiful than I imagined. And it made me prouder.