Pacita often talked about Batanes and kept a home studio there. This has now become the Fundacion Pacita at Tukon. I visited Pacita's resting place on our recent "photo safari" and it was the highlight of an already amazing trip to Batanes.
It must be one of the most peaceful places on earth. The building is surrounded by gardens which contain Pacita's gravesite and a memorial to her parents. There are also several guest rooms where you can spend the night and enjoy the peace and quiet of this part of Batan Island.
Just across the road from Fundacion Pacita is this quaint office. I went inside and almost fainted. There was a woman standing there who reminded me so much of Pacita.
It turned out to be be Pacita's sister, Victoria Abad Kerblat, who is herself (among many other accomplishments) an artist. She has just published a book of watercolors entitled "Javid sawen nu Vatan" (How Beautiful is Batanes). I loved talking to her about Pacita, the Fundacion and her own life and travels which have taken her to many parts of Asia, Africa and Europe.
Our small photo group wandered around the gardens and galleries of Fundacion Pacita and had coffee in the large dining room there. I poked my nose into one of the guest rooms where you can spend the night. The photo below shows the stunning view from the room.
Room with a view
At the end of the afternoon, we had our photo taken with Victoria. That's Mount Iraya in the background. It figures in many of our photos and also sits at the end of the runway at the airport. When the plane lands, you think you are going to crash into that mountain as you roar towards it!
I do hope that I have another opportunity to visit Fundacion Pacita. Next time, I would like to spend a couple of days there with Regee, wander around that part of the island, look much more closely at all the artwork of Pacita and other Ivatan artists that has been collected there and sit in the garden reading.
Through her art, her family and her friends, Pacita lives on. God bless her and may she rest in peace.
You can read more about Fundacion Pacita at: http://www.fundacionpacita.ph
and about Pacita Abad at: http://www.pacitaabad.com
This is an especially interesting post. What an amazing place! Would love to see it myself. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteIan, Great read. Very touching. For those interested to join Mandy Navasero Batanes Photo Safari, pls. visit http://mandy-navasero.blogspot.com. Schedule for 2013 is posted.
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