in the lap of luxury

"you don't have to die and go to heaven to know what paradise is. no, pia zadora, gorgeous and alluring during her heydays, is wrong, it's not a fantasy created by dreamers like me. it's an hour plane ride away, somewhere in bohol, where the sky is always clear and blue and summery, and the sea, mysterious and beguiling and deep. that's true, that's where......" mahatma gandah.

i must have done something right in the past few years while i was contemplating about the universe, and the reasons why i am still alive.

a week ago, i was invited to an all-expenses-paid trip to bohol and stayed in panglao island's most expensive resort, eskaya beach resort and spa, where the cheapest villa (they don't have rooms unlike in other resorts. just private villas, most of which have their own private pool) goes for around five hundred twenty five us dollars a night (excluding taxes)!

the welcome from one of eskaya's staff at the tagbilaran airport was already one for the jetsetter's book. right after we boarded the van, the driver gave us very chilled bottled waters and cold face towels that were really freshening.

then when we reached the resort's reception area, we were handed out garlands made of fresh kalachuchi flowers -- whose lovely scent reminded me of long ago summers at our old house inside the military camp, where the flowery trees abound -- right after we got off the ten-seater van.

the refreshing scent of the flowers, the calming embrace of trees that surrounded the resort like an army of young, gorgeous soldiers in green uniforms sent to defend the country's honor in a battle were enough to soothe our tired muscles after an hour's flight from manila and a thirty minute travel from the airport to the resort.

aside from trees, mostly bamboo, coconut and kalachuchi, the entire resort (all sixteen hectares of them), were also planted with flowering plants that were found in most filipino backyards such as bougainvilla and gumamela in lively colours that reminded everyone of summer and made me long for ice cream and halo-halo of our childhood -- strawberry red, mango yellow.

they added to the homely feel of the estate. as though you were just visiting a wealthy relative's rest house built on a generous land, and not staying in a vast resort and sharing the space with strangers from all over the world.

these flowers adorned the pathways, and the gardens of the villas.

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after checking in, we were assigned to our own villas. as i mentioned earlier, the resort does not have rooms. only villas. so far, only fifteen of them, but eight more are under construction to accommodate the rising demand from tired, sleep-deprived city dwellers and rat race survivors who are longing to escape the maddening crowd, pollution, and noise of the blight urban jungle.

as though by magic, i was assigned to villa (or "balai" in the local dialect) number ten. more on that later. each villa has a waist-high lamp post at the entrance so you won't get lost, especially at night when it's all lighted up like a valiant knight in shining armor guarding the security of your home.

the villa has its own private pool and surrounded by tall bamboo trees for privacy. no picket fences here, by the way, in keeping with the filipino theme.

the villa is made of bamboo, wood, cogon grass, and other native materials, still consistent with the filipino design of the entire resort. it's bahay kubo for the modern times.

while the balai assigned to me does not have the enviable view of the sea (like the one below), villa number ten is right next to the resort's restaurant, and a few steps to the infinity pool and the beach front.

(a villa with a view. that's villa number five for you.)

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the interiors of the villa is luxury redefined. it's modern with touches of the old world. it's like stepping inside your great grandparents' old house in far away province with modern amenities like wifi, tv, dvd player, mini ref, airconditioner, and if you don't like it, there's the ceiling fan. i preferred the ceiling fan, in case you want to know. so i had the airconditioner turned off the whole time i was there.

the wooden floor does not disappoint either. it's shiny and smooth like a baby's skin.

what will immediately catch your attention right after entering the villa is the canopy bed (minus the posts) -- elegant, timeless, classique, romantic, and classy. it will make you look back to bygone eras when the philippines was still a colony of spain, and when ladies wore long gowns and fanned themselves with abaniko, while men wore barong tagalog and a hat.

the old world charm of the bed won me over and i almost did not want to step out of the villa. this would be perfect for lazing around, reading a book, while listening to the endless rhythms of the waves, or the wind, or the gentle swaying of the bamboo trees.

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a surprise awaits visitors at each of the villa's toilet and bath area.

it's open!

but don't worry, the area is still adequately covered by a not so tall bamboo fence, thick plants, and bamboo trees. also, since the villas are built far from each other, and most guests prefer to stay indoors, at the beach or at the infinity pool, then there's no danger that some perverts will be watching you while you take a bath, a shower, or bathe under the sun naked.

but for the adventurers like myself, why not?!

still, the toilet and bath is divine! it's like being in one's garden because it's open. instead of concrete floor made of tiles, there are stones to soothe your tired feet.

true to its luxurious nature, the toiletries are from asprey in london (soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion) and crab tee and evelyn comb, among others. too, there are expensive bathrobes, towels, bath mats, right under the sink.

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each villa has its own terrace with two huge day beds. this is where you can sit all day, staring at the blue sky with a dash of cotton whites. or you can have your meals served here.

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aside from the occasional humming of the birds, and of the leaves, the entire resort is too quiet, which is just perfect if you want to catch up on your sleep, or have endless intimate moments with your lover.

the serenity, seclusion, privacy and the overall romantic atmosphere make eskaya perfect for honeymooners, or those who are rekindling romance in their marriage.

there are guests who never leave their villas, especially the couples, says general manager richard lim jr. while others, especially businessmen and executives, simply spend their days sleeping, resting their weary bodies, souls and minds, he adds.

but i won't advice it. not leaving your villas.

because the resort has plenty to offer.

just walking around under the cerulean sky, and entertained by the sight of trees, is enough reason to leave the comforts of the villa. that's what i did every morning that i was there, right after i woke up. then after a thirty minute walk, i would have my breakfast at the restaurant, then take a long, contemplative shower or bath (depending on my mood) in the open toilet and bath area.

then there's the infinity pool. another reason to stay outdoors.

just the sight of its deep blue waters can take the pressures of life away. in an instant.

if the view is stunning during the day, it's even prettier at night, when the lights are on, or just the moonlight. imagine sitting under the umbrella, sipping red wine, and just staring at the gorgeous face of your love one. not talking, just holding hands. with the dark sky illuminated by a shy quarter moon, as thin as sliced lemon, and a few scattering of tiny stars.

just below the infinity pool is the beach. just as gorgeous, with a few kilometers of powdery sand, smooth as johnson's baby powder under your feet. smells like it too. (haha!)

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tanned, lighter from walking and swimming, we left eskaya with a heavy heart. on the way to the airport, i looked back at the gate and whispered a silent prayer, giving thanks to the universe for giving me a rare opportunity to sleep in the lap of luxury and rest at the bosom of nature's great beauty.

life, indeed, offers a few surprises. and some kindness. even if sometimes undeserved.

(more eskaya stories in my next post ladies, fairies, bitches and witches.)