News From Guam

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: GUEST
Date: 28 Jun 03 - 10:29 AM

I remember flowers strung around the horns of the carabao. Photos of things like that is what I mean. I brought back a couple recipes from Guam...like the kaliguen. You might want to get the recipes of the things you like. A lot of it's really simple stuff. Like the one (forgot it's name...maybe just sesame noodles)...angel hair pasta with soy sauce, honey and sesame oil and a few sesame seeds. Served room temp. Good, inexpensive and exotic dish to take with you to functions when you return to the states...conversation piece.

I enjoyed the small Filipino restaurants. All kinds of exotic food, and at the first one I went in the owner said 'You want that fried rice with or without?' 'With or without what?' (Incredulous look from owner) 'Spam.' Seems Spam made such a hit in the islands during WW2 that it was incorporated into the local haute cuisine.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 07:49 PM

Carabao are a small domesticated water buffalo. They were brought in over the years to help with farming and now are kept by some families as pets. I saw two on the trip. They were tied out in yards.

The air has an odor but I've been unable to dfine it yet. I've heard people in the tropics talk about the odor of the jungle being an odor of rotting vegetation but that is definitely not it. The air is humid and heavy so that may be part of the problem.

There are thunderstorms but none that are really terrific. I have heard thinder rolling but not seen anything yet. I asked about it once and didn't hear anything that would indicate a dramatic weather event. Generally the only weather event that people are concerned about is the typhoon.

Interesting point, the locals universally do not like the heat. I am talking about people born and raised on the island. In fact, our guide yesterday mentioned that he grew up here without a/c and never noticed the heat until he started living in air conditioned cool air in his home and car.

Unfortunately, Kat, there was no latte at the latte stones [grin]. Actually the word is pronounced LAT'-ee. Maybe that's why there are no coffeeshops named after them.

The latte stone shape is everywhere on the island. Even the bus stops carry that shape.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Giac
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 12:30 PM

Thanks, Brett! Talk about taking a trip and never leaving the farm ... **Grin** Sure do appreciate the tour.

How does the air smell? And, is there thunder, lightning and wind, or just straight down rain?

Glad you're enjoying the place -- and equally glad there aren't more of those snakes.

Mary

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 10:45 AM

Latte stones? Did they serve up real latte?**bg** I'm loving this travelogue and the CD sounds wonderful!!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: MMario
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 08:10 AM

CARABAO plows? on Guam? Really?

never mind - just looked it up - my mistake in spelling.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 27 Jun 03 - 02:37 AM

I went on a tour of the island today. What beautiful place. I heard some wonderful stories from our Chamorro guide, Dave, and saw some dynamite countryside. I have now seen brown tree snakes, latte stones, Spanish forts, Chamorro arts and crafts, and tourist junk shops. And I have eaten more Chamorro food.

The first stop of the tour was at the museum on the base. It is, unsurprisingly, devoted to WWII on Guam and in the Pacific. They have exhibits of weapons and photos of soldiers (Allied and Japanese) and combat conditions. There are uniforms and models of ships and aircraft. And out front they have a Japanese two man midget submarine.

Then we stopped at the USDA shed where we got a lesson in the animals of Guam and the brown tree snake. They showed us pictures of the birds of Guam, a live monitor lizard, and a live snake. The monitors here on Guam apparently get up to 5 feet long. They have very sharp claws and will scratch pretty badly if cornered or annoyed.

The snake population is controlled around the ports, shipping and airports. They have traps baited with live mice. The mice are in a separate compartment in the center of the trap. The snake climbs in, cannot reach the mouse and cannot get out either. They say they catch about 12,000 snakes a year. They brought out a live specimen, he looked to be about 4 or 5 feet long. It was hard to tell because he kept writhing about the man's arm. They showed us the teeth and the fangs.

Every ship and plane that leaves the island has to be inspected for snakes. The use small dogs, Britanny and Jack (something) terriers. We got a demonstration of the dogs at work. There were six cardboard boxes set out with snakes in two of them. Sure enough, when the little dog got to the snakes she sat down and was rewarded with a biscuit. Then they took us out back to see the snake pit. I was expecting a massive ball of writhing snakes. Instead it was a set of cages with about five of the snakes. Four of them were sleeping. The fifth was the one we had seen earlier. He was not a happy camper and kept striking at us.

After that we drove down around the southern end of the island stopping at various scenic overlooks. We saw Ceti Bay and Umatak with it's Spanish fort, Cocos Island, the Inarajan tide pools, Talofofo, and Ylig River. Then up through the middle of the island up to Two Lovers Point, a scenic overlook high on a cliff. Then it was off to the Chamorro Village for lunch. The Chamorro Village is a misnomer. It is actually an outdoor shopping area with touristy shops and restaurants. I got a fiesta plate consisting of rice, pancit, shrimp kelaguen, cole slaw (made with red cabbage), chicken and pork barbeque, and an item that can only be described as a shrimp flavored hush puppy. Other choices appeared to include whole tilapia (fish).

At Two Lovers Point I went into a gallery of Chamorro arts and crafts and saw some wonderful stuff including some original old artifacts, machetes and woodworking tools, and old carabao driven plow, and wood carvings and ceramics. I bought a book about Chamorro master craftsmen (men and women).

Later at the Chamorro Village I made an important discvery. I found a CD of traditional Chamorro chants but I'd spent so much on the book I couldn't shell out the $35 for the CD. However, I know it's out there so I am on my way.

After lunch we drove up to the Plaza de Espanol where we toured the old Spanish governor's house and then we walked over to see the latte stones and some Japanese caves. The plaza included the gardens, now just grass and hedges, and the original chocolate house where the governor would serve hot chocolate to his guests. The latte stones are the foundation stones of the old Chamorro homes. They were of different heights depending on the social status of the owner. These were seven feet high. There were 8 of them in 2 rows.

Then we were off to the heights to look down on Tumon Bay where the invasion came ashore in 1944. It's quite a view from up there. You can see the whole sweep of the bay with Agana laid out on the shore.

And, finally we came home. I had to wait out a rain squall before I rode my bike back to the room. I got here just in time. It is raining now. It was a wonderful trip and I am very glad I went.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: M.Ted
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 12:32 PM

Don't forget to take your instruments to the fiestas!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 11:26 AM

It's sounds beautiful, Brett. I love your descriptions and it also sounds fascinating. Thanks!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 08:31 AM

Brett-

It's hot and humid here in Maine, two days in a row over 90. Guess we'll have to live in the van for a while...

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 26 Jun 03 - 04:11 AM

I'm finally on line at "home". No more posting from work!

Guest, you are right. I need to make a list so I can film it later. But then, until I get off the base I cannot see much that strikes me as unusual. The base is a microcosm of the god ol' USA. There are some sad people who come to Guam and never leave the base.

Sorry Sinsull, but I didn't eat Kentucky Fried Chicken in Maine. I'm sure not going to eat it here in Guam when I can get so much else.

The people here apparently don't have traditional music. Much was lost while the Spanish owned the island. There was a concerted effort to stamp out the Chomorro culture. The Chomorros lived in a matriarchal society with clan villages when the Spanish arrived in 1521. By the time the US took Guam in 1898 the old life style was gone, all the surviving chamorros had been rounde up from all the Marianas islands and installed in barrios on Guam. Whole islands had been decimated by disease, warfare, and forced removal.

But there are many customs and practices that have survived. The elderly are still honored. The fiestas, now often a religious celebration, appears to be a hold over from the earlier tribal practices. A Chomorro will not go into the jungle without a mometary hesitation while s/he appeases the old forest spirits. And while in the forest there is no loud talking, singing, or any other behaviors that might anger those spirits.

I just spent the day in an orientation class and I learned a lot. I'll spare you the details of the services available on the base and give you the neat stuff about the island.

Guam is near the peak of the world's tallest mountain if you measure from the base at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. That mountain, Mt Lamlam, is over 38,000 feet tall. The peak is 1,338 feet from sea level which makes it only 190 feet lower than Maine's tallest peak. But there's no snow on this one!

We are in Typhoon Alley. We are always in COR 4 which means we are always within 72 hours of typhoon conditions. (COR = Conditions Of Readiness) There is no month of the year that has not seen a typhoon so you cannot say there is really a typhoon season but June to December is generally considered to be the season.

There are two climate seasons, the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season only averages 4 to 6 inches of rain a month. The wet season runs up to 14 inches a month. Basically it rains almost every day but there are rarely days with a heavy cloud cover. The rains come in squalls that last a short time and move on.

Guam was the site of the banzai charge of WWII and the last. It was also the place where the last Japanese soldier surrendered in 1972. However, as it turned out, he did not go into the jungles when the Americans landed and drove the Japanese army into the hills. Rather, he deserted when the bombs started to fall. He stayed in the jungle for all those years because he was ashamed.

All the land mass in Micronesia, if accumulated in one place, would only equal 2/3 of the lad area of Rhode Island.

Those are the bare facts. We had presentations by representatives of various commands and facilities available to us on the base. Some of the women who spoke to us are very beautiful. The Chomorros are descended from the Australasians rather than the Polynesians. These are the same people who crossed the land bridge and became the American Indians. Having learned that I can see some physical features they share.

These people are very friendly. One of the presenters saw me come into the dining room at the club and invited me to join her and her friend for lunch. She didn't know me from Adam but that meant nothing to her. We were also advised to make a point of going to some of the local fiestas. We were told to take something, soda, chips, or a dish of food. Note, this is a village affair and back home would be a relatively private thing. Here they say we will be welcomed, pushed to the head of the food line, and be handed a large plate of food to take with us when we leave.

Tomorrow I get off the base again to see more of the island. We are going on an orientation tour. I am really looking forward to this. More later.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Jun 03 - 05:56 PM

Cereal and PB&J? Don't they deliver pizza and Chinese there? Careful of Colonel Sanders. Rabbit in Australia, cat in NYC... brown snake in Guam?

PM me with an address and phone #.
Mary

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Jun 03 - 11:04 AM

The colors ARE unbelievable, aren't they? The turquoise water is amazing. The reef fish are amazing, too.

Seems most of what I heard in the way of music when I was there was Jimmy Buffet. I asked once about 'local' music and got more specific...Chamorro or islander music...and I was able to turn up a tape of a local guy singing Freddy Fender in Chamorro. That's about as far as I delved into the music.

Swimming is good exercise for leg muscles, so maybe your knee would benefit from snorkeling. If you're into the whole fishing thing, get a spear (but stay in the shallow water while spearing...sharks). That'll supplement your diet. Check out the edible varieties at a local fish market first, though.

I was there just as video cams were becoming a big thing and wished I'd had one. If you can buy or borrow one, I suggest making a list of what you find exotic right now, before you become accustomed to it, and get some film of it. Like the local 'convenience stores' with the eyeballs in jars and dried fish hanging from the ceiling and signs in ten launguages. And is the Colonel Sanders statue with the slanted eyes still outside the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Agana? And the Oriental-featured John Wayne statue outside the Agana shooting club? Stuff like that. You get used to those things after a while, so if you find it unique now, maybe write it down for later photographing.

I remember a lot of signs on the island like "No beer sold to miners". One time I was in line and looking over the shoulder of a short woman who was reading a letter, left to right, some oriental script, and when she saw me looking over her shoulder, she hugged the letter to her chest, like I could read the damn thing.

Strange the things you remember. I sure wish I had photos or video of the things I saw there, though. So you might want to give that a thought...taking pictures.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 25 Jun 03 - 07:26 AM

How great to hear from you, Brett! Keep this thread alive- we want more! And pictures now would be great, even if it is in the 90s here in New England!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 25 Jun 03 - 01:04 AM

I am getting closer to getting online from my room. Hopefully tonight I can really get things rolling. I will be spending the next two days in an orientation and tour of the base and the island. I will eat some more Chamorro food and see some of the sights. I wonder if I should post some pictures somewhere? Or maybe I'll wait till our Northern climes are covered in snow before I send in pictures of me lolling on the beaches.

Mark, I expect I will be sending some quality time in Hawaiilater on this year. There are a number of meetings that may require my presence. Hold open a place in the circle.

Cool Beans, I work with a Fred Crisostomo. I'll ask if he knows him. Is there any real world name I can give him?

Yesterday I sat down to lunch with some of the office staff. they invited me to share their meal. It was corned beef hash cooked up with onions and hot peppers served over rice with fine dene sauce. Fine dene (pronouced feenay dehnhe)is a vinegar and soy sauce mixture with a combination of onions, peppers and spices in it. Very tasty. None of them had ever heard of eating hash and eggs for breakfast.

I mentioned a number of the stories I'd heard before arriving on the island. We all got a good laugh out of them, including the snake density. While the brown tree snake is an ecological catastrophe none of the locals have seen them more than a few times. One of the gus mentioned being bitten once but you have to go looking for them to find them. On the other hand I have seen the rare Guam Rail, a flightless bird, twice now (at least I think I have).

I'm planning to go snorkeling this weekend. I hope it doesn't rain on me... [GRIN]

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: catspaw49
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 12:18 PM

Me and Mario need to know!!!

Hope it goes all your way Brett. Bound to be some problems at first but let's hope they work out quickly. Stick with creamy PB just in case you prone to diverticular problems......ne need to add in anything like that too!!! (:<))

Spaw

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: MMario
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 11:41 AM

Are the reports about the snake population dnesity greatly exaggerated?

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Cool Beans
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 11:35 AM

If you run into Manny Crisostomo, the most famous person in (on?) Guam, tell him his old compadres in Detroit send their good wishes.

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 10:30 AM

hey Dad! good hear you're doing well. :-) i'm dutifully practicing my flute and printing out all the music i can find online. :-)
talk to you soon.
love
kelli

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 09:03 AM

A friend once told me about a summer she existed on cornflakes and gin . . . (is there a song there someplace?)

Hey, the bike sounds like a good idea! To help take off the pounds that PB&J will put on. Might even prove more practical for local travel than your pickup.

Really good to hear from you -- and scaring up some music shouldn't be too difficult. There seems to be music everywhere including a number of homemade bands in Antarctica. The music you find should be "hotter"!

Linn

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Charley Noble
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 08:27 AM

Great to hear you're still in good humor. A good sense of the absurd should help float you through the next few weeks until you establish your base camp and friendship circle.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Alba
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 07:22 AM

Helllllllllo Brett.
Sounds like a bit of adjusting time will be required (from Maine to Guam, well of course it will! LOL) but I have Faith in you to seek out and find the Positives which will help to dispell any negs you may encounter.
It is great to hear about the Music...that must have been a bonus for you.
Thinking of you and sending you Healing energy for that damn Knee problem.
The Bike will be a help in getting about and it won't be long till your Truck is there and that will make a big diffrence I'm sure, especially to your menu. Nobody can survive on Cereal and PBJ sandwiches alone!:>)
It is great to hear from you. Looking forward to your next post.
Best Wishes coming at ye
A:>)

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Brían
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 07:08 AM

It is very nice to hear from you Naem'. The Press Room seemed strangely empty without out you. In fact as everyone was in Mystic it was strangely empty. So are you going to trade in your guitar for a banjo?

Brían

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Willie-O
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 06:30 AM

Yeah, keep those cards and letters coming, big guy.

W-O

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Allan C.
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 06:17 AM

Really do appreciate the update, Brett. I'm especially liking your personal glimpses. What a treat!

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Mark Cohen
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 01:32 AM

Brett, let me know if you plan to wander over to this part of the Pacific...we now have a monthly open-air bluegrass and acoustic jam session here in Honolulu!

Aloha,
Mark

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: Ebbie
Date: 20 Jun 03 - 12:16 AM

Thanks for the look. Stay in touch; I'm sure we'd all love updates. The best of luck to you.

Ebbie

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 11:50 PM

{{{{{{BRETT}}}}}} and big smooches, too! Thanks for letting us know how you are and for the tour. Sending some good, healing thoughts for your knee and spirits and for a more varied diet!**bg** Goodonya for finding the music!!

luvyakat

Subject: RE: News From Guam
From: wysiwyg
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 11:34 PM

.... thinking of you ....

~S~

Subject: News From Guam
From: Naemanson
Date: 19 Jun 03 - 10:12 PM

I considered making this a BS thread but this will be a musical journey as well as a life journey. For I have discovered "...thar's folk music in them thar islands!" I heard some bluegrass and other music on the local NPR station and called to talk to the DJ. I have no transportation until August when my little pickup arrives so we will be hard pressed to get together. Apparently he and his band are taking a couple of months off. But there's hope.

And, of course, I'll be headed for Australia and New Zealand while I am here so the Oz Mudcats can expect to see me sometime in the next 6 months or so.

Guam is a fun place to visit but I haven't made up my mind about staying. But I have been here a week now. Only 103 weeks to go… (Just so you know, I had to stop and do the math. I am not counting down the days.)

I haven't done much here yet but go to work and then back to my room at the end of the day. But I did get out this weekend, in a rental car, to see the island.

This is a very beautiful place. There are mountains. The pictures I downloaded from the web do not do them justice. The southern villages are merely groupings of houses in a general area, no real formation or plan. There are beautiful homes and there are squalid homes. They nestle side by each in the villages with neat yards bordered by overgrown piles of junk. Many homes and businesses were damaged in the typhoon last December and have not yet been repaired.

The northern villages are more urban in nature, with businesses creating strip malls and gas stations all over the place. There are real shopping malls up there as well as the tourist areas in Tumon. The tourist area is aimed largely at the Japanese so the businesses have signs in Japanese and English. There are Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Australian channels on the TV. There is even a channel called The Visitor's Channel that shows what to do and where to go on Guam. It is broadcast mostly in Japanese though so I cannot figure out how to find the things they advertise.

But things are not very rosy in Guam right now. I went into the tourist area and the place was a ghost town. Between the sagging Japanese economy and fear of SARS there are very few tourists in town. Guam is hurting.

I am living in the Bachelor Officer's Quarters out on the end of a road by the quarry on the base. I am surrounded by lawn and jungle out there. This is a good thing and a bad thing. I have re-injured my knee and it is proving to be a bother. Take my advice and purchase stock in any company that makes Ibuprofen. But I am buying a bicycle today and hope to be able to get out to the mini mart, a restaurant, and some of the other services available here. I am looking forward to that. Without transportation I exist on cereal and PBJ sandwiches.