1st Night in Paradise

 After a 45 minutes ride in a motorized banca, we arrived at Dimakya Island by twilight.  The blue tinted sky seemed to blend with the sea and the beach sand, giving the vista a surreal hue.  It  reminded me of blue-tint monochrome photographs.  Resort staffers helped us get off the boat as we walked down a narrow wooden plank. As soon as we set foot onto the beach I felt the welcoming water and the sand.  We proceeded to the main lodge where a waiting group of staffers greeted us with a welcoming song in Tagalog, complete with guitars.  We reached for the "welcome" tropical beverage handed to us and took a sip.  Yum!  Right then, I felt I had been transported to some sort of a fantasy island.

 After completing our check in at the front desk and with some briefings, we headed to find our special cottage by the beach.  By the time we got to cottage #20, which was the farthest unit on the sunset-side of the island, twilight has turned to darkness.  Anxious about the view we have outside our 'home' for four nights, I went out to explore the nearby  surroundings, strolled towards the beach, which was a mere hundred of steps from our porch.  Although dark, you can manage to walk around a starry night.  I stumbled upon a white, plastic lounge chair by the beach front and sat down.  The air was slightly humid and I could feel a warm but fresh gentle breeze.  All I can hear was a soothing sound of the surf.

 I gazed up to face the darkened view in front of you.  Imagine a picture frame divided with an imaginary horizontal line slightly above the middle.  Below that line, you could barely see bank of clouds like a panoramic curtain that extended to the ends of your peripheral vision.  You can see gradient hues - from dark gray to black.  Just below the cloud curtain, you can see the silhouetted curvy edges of Busuanga.  Below that, you see the water that separates the bigger island from Dimakya and from me.

 Intermittently, flashes of lightning emanate from within the clouds, brightening a spot or two at various locations of the cloud "wall." What a light show I was witnessing.  With each flash, you could trace the edges of the multitude of cloud, exposing that the massive wall was really a bunch of cloud formations.  Yet, there were no sounds, not even any distant thunder.  It rather puzzled me since my past comprehension states that when lightning strikes, a sound of thunder follows.  I was witnessing mother nature's lightning dance show. And from my vantage point, it was all worth the prize paid to get to this island.

 This is almost a Hollywood special effects.  Perhaps, the scene may be eerie for some.  If you were a scary-cat, you could have likely just headed back to the cottage, tucked under a blanket (and crying for mommy!).  I was captivated as I continued to observe what was in front of me.

But, this was just half of the picture frame.

 As you slowly tilt your head higher and overhead from the 'imaginary' horizontal line, you pan the black sky from where you see glittering millions (and millions and millions) of stars.  This could never be seen from any city with many man-made light sources.  Familiar star clusters, such as the Big Dipper and the Orion, were much harder to find as they are joined by an infinite number of stars of diverse intensity.  Somehow, it made me wonder about the extent of space and of our earth's place in the universe.  It made me realize where my own existence fits into the big picture.  And I become more humbled.

 I was in a trance. No drugs or drinks induced my natural high.  Many thoughts came to mind about some omnipotent being, a creator of all these (God?), has once again shown me nature's beauty and its balance with power and serenity.  Yin and Yang, again presented naturally.

 Catherine came over and sat by my side.  Holding hands, we looked on for what seemed to be an eternity.  Paradise was unfolding in front of us.

~ Tommy Bombon

Club Paradise is the exclusive resort at tiny Dimakya Island, off Busuanga Island, which are all part of the Calamian group of islands located north of Palawan.  To get there, save some bucks and hop on a SeaAir prop plane from Manila's Ninoy Aquino Airport to Busuanga Airport.  A 30 minute limo ride in a private jeepney on gravel roads is followed by a 15 minute walk through mangroves via elevated wood planks to a waiting boat.  You need to pre-arrange your trip.  Carry light luggage.  Excellent scuba (including training and PADI certification), snorkeling, hiking trails, flora and fauna, food, and staff.  Views and overall experience - heavenly divine!