"They had no bathing suits on and were swimming in the pool completely in the nude," said Miranda over the phone, "as bare as the day the lord made them."
Larry listened to his wife speaking to the ship's staff, recounting how earlier she had gone to the pool and found herself in the middle of a rowdy naked bunch.
"I see... yes, oh my, I did not know that," she said putting her hand on her forehead. "How could this error have been made? One second. Let me ask my husband."
Miranda turned to Larry and said, "did you know that this was an adults-only cruise ship?"
"What?!" said Larry with a mix of horror and shock on his face.
"No, my husband didn't know," Miranda continued on the phone. Then there was a pause as she listened to the person on the other end of the line. Finally, she hung up.
"Can you believe it?" she said. "That's why everyone was naked down in the pool. This is a cruise ship for... those kinds of people. Gosh, Larry, we can't stay here."
"But we left port already," said her husband looking at her with very wide open eyes.
"They said there is an island enroute, where they deliver supplies, so we could disembark there and wait for another boat going back. The only thing is that the island is a bit out of the way, and a boat wouldn't be able to pick us up until three days from now."
Larry sat on the bed with a stunned look. "Is any of this even legal? Naked people running around. Mystery supply runs to islands. What's going on in this boat?" said Larry with a shake of his head.
"I don't know but we have to go along if we want to get off it," replied his pragmatic wife. "As they say, when in Rome..."
"I wish we were in Rome."
The waves were rough that evening with a cloudy sky, and the wind that blew from the southwest. The ship rose then sank, groaning and plunging into the depths with its stiff metallic body.
Larry sat out on the balcony and marveled at the turmoil in the ocean.
"What in the world are you doing out here?" Miranda said poking her head through the balcony door.
"I was just admiring the ocean," replied Larry, "and the sturdiness of the ship as it ploughs through the waves."
"Well, you better not catch a cold and ruin our vacation. Why don't you come back inside and help me pack up?"
She disappeared back inside without waiting for a reply.
For his part, Larry stared at the turbulent sea for a little while longer.
Miranda was relieved when she saw that the sky had cleared the following morning. She felt refreshed and happy to be finally leaving the carnal cruise. She tried not to make eye contact with the other passengers when disembarking onto the smaller boat.
"I must warn you," said one of the men on the boat, "this island is rarely accessible to travelers. Only local people."
"As long as they keep their clothes on," said Larry with a chuckle. "We're gonna be alright."
Miranda slapped his arm. "Pay him no mind. He's a clown," she told the crewman. "We appreciate that you're accommodating us in such short notice."
The young man seemed about to say more but just smiled and then began steering the boat towards the island.
Oh, how glorious! Thought Miranda looking at the sunlight so bright falling on the palm trees, and the hazy blue of the mountains rising in the distance. Around her, the water was crystalline turquoise, she could see the pearly white sand beneath it, ghostly marine shadows accentuating its beauty.
"How amazing!" she said.
"I just hope I don't get sick from all this rocking," said Larry looking a little pale.
On the island, they were greeted by several village children and curious onlookers. Some of the taller boys asked the couple to follow them while the little ones grabbed their bags and luggage. They deftly maneuvered through the sandy alleys of the quaint seaside village.
People peered at them and smiled shyly. What stood out to Miranda was their eyes that glittered so bright and vivid like black pearls. Curious. There was something very soft and pleasant in their stare that made her feel at ease.
On the outskirts of the small village, they came upon a simple but clean cabin overlooking the sea.
Miranda and Larry looked at each other. They were used to more upscale places, but the quaint rustic look of the place was enough to win them over.
"Welcome!" a lean young woman emerged from inside and greeted them with a beaming smile. "I'm Aneeta, it is a pleasure to meet you."
She was the daughter of a village leader who owned the guest house in which the couple was planning to stay for the next three days.
Larry and Miranda introduced themselves to the amiable girl, who listened to them attentively as they described their endeavors (minus the x-rated parts).
"It is nice that you are here," she said in her accented voice. "It brings us all pleasure to have visitors at this special time of celebration. I hope you can join us for the festival tomorrow night."
"That sounds fantastic!" said Larry. "I love cultural festivals."
Aneeta smiled warmly at Larry, then proceeded to show him and his wife the rest of the cabin.
"I think it's so cute!" said Miranda looking around at the wooden walls decorated with colourful designs. There was a very organic feel about the room that gave her a warm cozy feeling.
"I'm so glad they made exception for us," said Miranda after Aneeta had left.
"Remind me to leave them a good tip."
"It's not a hotel, Larry, perhaps gifts would be more appropriate."
They looked at the beach, and the sea beyond the swaying palm fronds.
"That was quite the adventure," said Miranda. "I think I'm ready for a nap."
Larry took one last look at the sea and shook his head as if he could see the randy boat sailing away on the horizon.
Larry was dreaming of mermaids when he was awakened by Miranda's shrill scream.
"What? What is it?" he said bolting upright half asleep.
"There is a little man hanging on the window!" she said.
"A little man?" he said suddenly awake at the prospect of a man leering at his wife's intimacy.
He peered and saw a shadow moving back and forth in the morning sunlight.
"There he is!" shouted Miranda.
The shadow of the little man suddenly jumped and swung from the wooden pane.
"What the devil!" said Larry, his heart pounding.
Then they heard voices calling outside, and the little man jumped off the pane.
A boy and girl appeared on the window with the little man cling to the girl's shoulder.
"It's a monkey!" said Larry.
"Oh dear," said Miranda with an embarrassed laugh.
"Sorry, mister. Sorry, madam," said the girl. "I'm Lasa. This is my brother, Huan. And this is Toki."
The little white faced monkey looked up at Miranda with curious and mischievous eyes.
"Toki looks like a very naughty monkey," Miranda said walking over to the window to look at the curious creature.
The boy and girl laughed.
"I came to tell you breakfast will be ready soon."
"I sure could use a stiff drink about now," said Larry from the bed. He didn't seem too keen on getting close to the creature.
"Larry!" said his wife, and then turning to the children with a smile, "thank you for letting us know, Lasa. We'll be there in a moment."
The boy and girl put their hands together, bowed politely, then left with the little monkey in tow.
"They're so adorable," Miranda said to her husband. "Did you see how they bowed respectfully?"
"Good for them," said Larry. "Youth today are something else. At least ours turned out all right."
"Which reminds me," she said. "I'll give them a quick call, and then we can go down for breakfast."
"Sounds like a plan."
Breakfast was on the beach, where their hosts had placed an impromptu diner with tables and chairs on the sand.
The villagers looked at them with curiosity but gave them their space, approaching them only when appropriate to ask them a few questions in broken English.
Larry noticed just how industrious they were without losing their smiles. They went about their tasks in a highly focused manner but still had the demeanor of laid back detachment. Back home, people huffed and puffed as they went about their daily labour, brows furrowed, putting out fires here and there, scheduled by the clock. But out here, there was not a single watch to be seen, and cell phones were used minimally, certainly the children seemed to have no use for them as they played games on the miles of sand.
"This is so wonderful!" said Miranda. "These people are so friendly. The food is delicious. So authentic. The juice, the salads, oh and that lobster. Imagine that, lobster for breakfast."
Larry was not particularly fond of foreign spices, but he had to admit that the flavours in this place were much to his liking. The monkey incident earlier that morning had given him a bit of a headache, but once he tasted the corn soup, his head immediately cleared up.
It was the local habit to eat food with one's fingers, and Larry wasn't looking forward to it, but seeing how naturally it seemed when others grabbed their food, he took a few morsels with his own digits and began eating it that way. His face reddened a bit. Yet, it was such a delightful thing to do. The food seemed more flavourful than when using utensils. It was like a discovery of his senses.
"I feel like I'm five years old," said Miranda giddily, "why did we ever stop eating with our fingers?"
"Civilization takes the fun out of being human," said Larry as he grabbed a piece of lobster tail.
He looked around him and saw the villagers enjoying their meals, chatting and laughing, their faces glowing in the morning sun. They were obviously not very wealthy, and yet every inch of the island was impeccably clean and well kept. Even their beaches were free of debris, which was quite abundant in other places he had seen. There was an order and harmony here that he had rarely encountered in other places.
"Should we explore the island after breakfast?" Miranda asked Larry. "Lasa mentioned that there were some old ruins nearby."
"That works for me," said Larry licking his fingers. "I need the exercise to burn off these calories."
"I'm not even worried about that," she said. "This food tastes so nutritious and healthy."
"Utterly delicious," he said and scooped up the remaining sauce with a slice of coconut bread. Contentedly, he put the food in his mouth and chewed as he stared absentmindedly at the wide blue sea.
As it turned out, they were not able to go hiking that day because clouds formed over the sea and moved inland like flying mountains. Soon the whole island was drenched with crystal clear rain, drumming on the guesthouse rooftop and arousing tender longings.
"I never knew it could be so mesmerizing," said Miranda as she watched a pond nearby fill up with water- lotuses and lilies floating under the gentle rain.
Then as quickly as they had gathered, the clouds parted revealing the gleaming sunlight of the afternoon. Cows meandered placidly throughout the narrow village streets. Workers returned to the flooded fields, where they tended the rice and other crops. Along the coast, the sugarcane stalks glistened like emeralds under the brilliant sunlight.
Larry saw a system of tanks scattered throughout the village in which rainwater was captured and processed. They had been painted with colourful art denoting flowers and abstract figures that looked vaguely human.
"Do you hear that?" Miranda asked Larry.
He listened.
"It sounds like a flute."
They followed the narrow path, marveling at how life began to stir anew as the locals once again ventured outside to put things back in their place, run errands, head back to work, or off to the sea in long lean canoes.
The sound of the flute was all around along with the sound of voices and laughter.
As he rounded a corner, Larry realized that the melody emanated from a reed pipe that a young man pressed to his lips, standing beside a girl who held forth her hands towards a shrine adorned with figurines and flowers.
The music was melancholic in a joyous kind of way, as if it were reaching inside one's spirit.
Not wanting to disturb their auspicious rites, Larry and Miranda kept walking down the narrow path.
The day turned bright and warm as they followed a trail towards the fields away from the village. They encountered workers coming and going, carrying large baskets with dangling beads that were painted red, yellow, or green.
Miranda greeted a lady who was coming the opposite way. She asked the woman about the ruins.
The woman smiled at Miranda with twinkling eyes, gave Larry a furtive look, then waved her hands towards the forested mountain that jutted above the canopy.
The path ahead looked precarious. The island was not very developed. It was as if the locals had built a village for themselves, and it was up to the visitors to adapt to it, not the other way around. This meant that the trail leading up to the ruins was narrow, muddy, and full of thick vegetation.
"We didn't even bring proper shoes," said Miranda with a concerned look.
"Let's see how far we get," said Larry, his eyes glittering like those of child.
The vegetation grew thicker, bursting with colourful flowers.
"Those leaves look like giant hearts," Miranda said approaching the plant that towered above her.
"I feel like a dwarf," Larry said, inspecting one of the leaves on which he saw red little veins spreading like a network of rivers.
"...and those flowers!" said Miranda throwing her hands up and spinning.
Orchids spread out their sensual petals, delicate stamens protruding from their lips.
"That one looks like it's happy to see us," said Larry pointing at a red stem-like flower that stood erect at the edge of the trail.
"Oh, dear! Let us not be vulgar."
Larry chuckled and walked further down the trail with a skip in his steps.
"There!" said Larry pointing towards the foot of the mountain. Through the thick vegetation, he could see stone structures carved on the side of the exposed cliff face, the rest of which was hidden under branches, broad leaves, and palm fronds.
"It so magnificent!" said Miranda. "How come we never came across this island when we did our research."
"Beats me, but we're here now and just look at those ruins! You know how many men it would take to carve the side of that mountain?"
"Or women," Miranda corrected him.
"Oh please, let's not start."
"What? They're a different culture without the same prejudices as ours."
"Right..." said Larry, "anyway, let's go check it out."
Husband and wife stood in front of the ruins with astonished looks on their faces. It wasn't just the architectural and engineering work that had gone into carving what looked like a temple on the mountain rock. Covering the walls and ceilings were carvings of human figures and animals engaged in amorous play. Couples cavorting by streams where deer dipped their tongue in the water. Threesome and more-somes engaged in complex erotic calisthenics in pools of azure.
"I can't believe it!" said Miranda approaching the carvings that covered the walls and cavernous ceiling.
"Shh!" said Larry. "Do you hear that?"
He walked deeper into the cavern.
"It sounds like water," he said.
The sound grew louder then turned into a cascading rush of water, which gushed between the cracks and splashed into a frothy shimmering pool below. Shafts of light penetrated through gaps in the rocks and illuminated the chamber with a supernatural glow.
"Big enough for a large group," observed Miranda, the water reflections glittering in her eyes.
Beside the pool lay the carvings of men and women together in relaxed poses. Soft eyes and smiles adorned their faces.
It was an intimate celebration of sensual play and beauty.
Miranda reached towards one of the statues, a woman reclining on her elbows with one leg extended and the other casually bent up. She touched the smooth leg.
"It feels like marble," she said. "Go on, touch it," she told her husband.
Larry knelt besides his wife and touched the statue's intricately carved leg.
"It is so smooth!" he said massaging the statue.
"I think that's enough touching," his wife said placing her hand on his. "I'm starting to get jealous."
"Don't be, there's plenty of Larry to go around" he said with a laugh then suddenly pounced on her and with a growl, he buried his face in her hair.
"Ah!" Miranda laughed. "Larry!" She pushed him back with a giggle but unable to keep him at bay, she surrendered with a sigh.
Larry showered her with eager kisses, which elicited more yelps of pleasure and soft echoes in the radiant chamber.
Miranda laughed as she ran ahead of her husband, coming up to a lookout point where they could see the village nestled along the beach. Life continued its rhythms, but now it held new meaning, or so it seemed. The twinkling eyes, the flirtatious looks, and friendly smiles. Now it was clear. Every aspect of village life- food procurement, bathing, singing, working, and so on- was a homage to sensuality intermingled with the painful aspects of life like sickness and death. The rhythm was slow and unhurried like a lotus flower blooming in the morning.
"The festival is tomorrow," said Miranda looking coyly at her husband.
"I bet it's going to be a lot of fun," said Larry. "You could wear your white skirt that I like so much, the one with the pineapples."
"I thought you didn't like me to wear that one in public. It was too risqué, you said."
"Well it's very hot in this place, so showing a little skin is probably not a bad idea."
"Very well, sir. Your wish is my command," she said and threw her arms around him as if for the first time.
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