#123 A Humble Home in Mahatao

In the town of Mahatao in Batanes is a house of stone, the only one left behind by the steady march of progress. We stopped to take some pictures, but it was those taken inside that I thought were more fit to become this week's postcard.

The stone house is over a hundred years old, with a leaky grass roof that stained the walls inside. The floor still had some tarred planks, well worn by generations that lived there, but momentarily covered by modern vinyl. On one end of the room, a blackened round wok sits atop a stone embankment, with a crude grill nearby. There's a mound of coconut shells for starting a fire, as well as a pile of firewood to keep the flame going. They mostly grill or boil their food because cooking oil is a luxury. On one side is a small table where they keep everything they own. The center of the room is where they alternately eat, sleep, and live. You can tell some modernity has arrived: plastic pails, bottles, basins, chairs, and toys. Where the past meets the present, it's still out there if you look hard enough. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: The stone house itself has been over-photographed. I thought I'd show you another dimension, one that showed the world its occupants lived in. Lit by available light from a nearby window, I metered off the floor and underexposed it by 1/3 of a stop. The rest of the dynamic range were revealed by the magic of Photoshop.) 

Where in the world is Batanes?

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly by email 

Past postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...
For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)