STRANDED IN PARADISE
I stayed in a hideaway where the rainforest embraced the sea and the limestone cliffs shaped by millions of raindrops tower over the green canopy. White sand beaches, clear waters, and the soft pounding of the waves made me think that I was in the island of Robinson Crusoe.
I was the audience to two birds, one brown and the other white, playing and chasing each other, and making loops and turns just above the water. I marked my time with the chirping of green parrots, the locals called them Pikoys, as they nibbled on berries near my cottage window.
By the beach, I watched with interest a brown leaf that gracefully floated and swayed with every gentle wave. I dipped my hand into the water to get the leaf, but it moved away! The “leaf” turned out to be a fish. It was a good time to be amazed by nature.
A walk along the coast, through the forest and over wooden board walks through a limestone forest brought me to a cave half filled with water. I had to ride a small banca to enter the cave and to witness the wonders created by God but seen only by few people. I heard the silent drops of water from the ceiling while thousands of bats and birds flew about and squeaked as they tried to find their way in the darkness. Only the thudding sounds of oars dominated our silent intrusion into the heart of the cave. "Look at that!" the boatman said as he pointed at the portion called the Cathedral, a huge pillar and limestone formation resembling the interior of a huge church. The stalactites seemed to grab me as our boat passed beneath them.
All these happened when I got stranded in St. Paul Subterranean River National Park in Palawan. It was that time when I had to take a two-hour jeepney ride, then another three-hour (now only 15 minutes) boat ride to reach the park. The boat I took could only return on the third day and all I had for company during those three days were the park rangers and the crew of Jacques Cousteau who were then making a documentary of the cave. Most of the time, I had the park, the beaches, and the forest all by myself and I kept thinking that God really made a very beautiful world.
Having no food for two extra days, the park rangers invited me to eat with them. Afterwards, we talked and told stories about life, the park, the cave, how they
take care of the place and what they feel about their forest home.
One night, one of the rangers invited me to catch some seafood in the shallow part of the sea. Night had settled in. There were only three of us in the place: I carried the lamp, Jessie took the bucket, and Mang Rudy brought a bolo. I never imagined one could catch fish using a bolo!
I then realized how it was like living near the bounty of the sea. When some fishes got attracted to the light, Mang Rudy hacked them with his bolo. We also picked up some seashells. I clearly remember when we saw a small octopus. Mang Rudy grabbed it and to my surprise, he placed it over his mouth with the eight tentacles smothering his face, then he bit the mouth of the octopus! "To make it weak and immobile," he said to me as he pulled off the octopus with its one wriggling tentacle broken off and still attached to his cheek. I was the one who was weakened by the sight. It had become very dark and were about 200 meters from the shore. The only thing that eased me was the tiny speck of the light coming from the lamp placed along the beach.
For three days I was stranded with barely enough food but I survived, thanks to the hospitality of the park rangers. Even for a while I found a refuge that thrived on simple living and very far from the complication of urban life. And with conviction, I can call it my little piece of paradise.
I was the audience to two birds, one brown and the other white, playing and chasing each other, and making loops and turns just above the water. I marked my time with the chirping of green parrots, the locals called them Pikoys, as they nibbled on berries near my cottage window.
By the beach, I watched with interest a brown leaf that gracefully floated and swayed with every gentle wave. I dipped my hand into the water to get the leaf, but it moved away! The “leaf” turned out to be a fish. It was a good time to be amazed by nature.
A walk along the coast, through the forest and over wooden board walks through a limestone forest brought me to a cave half filled with water. I had to ride a small banca to enter the cave and to witness the wonders created by God but seen only by few people. I heard the silent drops of water from the ceiling while thousands of bats and birds flew about and squeaked as they tried to find their way in the darkness. Only the thudding sounds of oars dominated our silent intrusion into the heart of the cave. "Look at that!" the boatman said as he pointed at the portion called the Cathedral, a huge pillar and limestone formation resembling the interior of a huge church. The stalactites seemed to grab me as our boat passed beneath them.
All these happened when I got stranded in St. Paul Subterranean River National Park in Palawan. It was that time when I had to take a two-hour jeepney ride, then another three-hour (now only 15 minutes) boat ride to reach the park. The boat I took could only return on the third day and all I had for company during those three days were the park rangers and the crew of Jacques Cousteau who were then making a documentary of the cave. Most of the time, I had the park, the beaches, and the forest all by myself and I kept thinking that God really made a very beautiful world.
Having no food for two extra days, the park rangers invited me to eat with them. Afterwards, we talked and told stories about life, the park, the cave, how they
take care of the place and what they feel about their forest home.
One night, one of the rangers invited me to catch some seafood in the shallow part of the sea. Night had settled in. There were only three of us in the place: I carried the lamp, Jessie took the bucket, and Mang Rudy brought a bolo. I never imagined one could catch fish using a bolo!
I then realized how it was like living near the bounty of the sea. When some fishes got attracted to the light, Mang Rudy hacked them with his bolo. We also picked up some seashells. I clearly remember when we saw a small octopus. Mang Rudy grabbed it and to my surprise, he placed it over his mouth with the eight tentacles smothering his face, then he bit the mouth of the octopus! "To make it weak and immobile," he said to me as he pulled off the octopus with its one wriggling tentacle broken off and still attached to his cheek. I was the one who was weakened by the sight. It had become very dark and were about 200 meters from the shore. The only thing that eased me was the tiny speck of the light coming from the lamp placed along the beach.
For three days I was stranded with barely enough food but I survived, thanks to the hospitality of the park rangers. Even for a while I found a refuge that thrived on simple living and very far from the complication of urban life. And with conviction, I can call it my little piece of paradise.
posted by Caloy at
12:34 AM
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