DAY 57 - GUAM, MARIANA ISLANDS, U.S. TERRITORY - MARCH 25, 2010

BEFORE BEING ABLE TO EXIT THE SHIP WE HAD TO CLEAR IMMIGRATION. OUR REPORTING TIME, BECAUSE WE HAD AN EARLY TOUR, WAS BETWEEN 7:00 AND 7:30 IN THE LOUNGE. UNFORTUNATELY THE SHIP WAS NOT SECURE AT THE PIER UNTIL 7:15. THE LINE LEADING TO THE LOUNGE STRETCHED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE MAIN DINING ROOM.

WE HAD TO PRESENT OUR PASSPORTS, DECLARATION FORMS AND OUR TOUR TICKETS AS WE ENTERED THE LOUNGE. FORTUNATELY HESE GUYS WERE SO EFFICIENT WE MADE IT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS IN 20 MINUTES.

WE WERE OFF THE SHIP BY 8:20 AND ON THE BUS AND OUR ‘DISCOVER GUAM TOUR.’ ABOUT 90 PEOPLE POURED INTO 3 BUSES AND WE HEADED SOUTH ON THE ISLAND FOR THE GEF PA’GO CULTURAL VILLAGE. WE DROVE ALONG THE OCEAN FOR SEVERAL MILES BEFORE HEADING OVER THE LUSH ISLAND HILLS TO THE CULTURAL VILLAGE. NARROW ROADS, SINGLE LANE BRIDGES AND A FUNERAL MADE THE TRIP SLOW AS WE PASSED THROUGH TINY TOWNS AND VILLAGES.

OUR GUIDE, TONY, TALKED NON-STOP AND VERY LOUDLY OVER THE SPEAKER SYSTEM. ALTHOUGH WE DIDN’T KNOW IT AT THE TIME SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKED HIM TO LOWER THE VOLUME, WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE CULTURAL VILLAGE WAS NOT MUCH TO WRITE HOME ABOUT BUT THE SCENIC BEAUTY WAS GREAT.


WE BOARDED THE BUS FOR OUR SECOND STOP, JEFF’S RESTAURANT & GIFT SHOP. IT WAS JUST LIKE MOST GIFT SHOPS BUT THE SEA SIDE VIEWS FROM THE BEACH PROVIDED ANOTHER PHOTO OPT.

AS WE TRAVELLED TO JEFF’S, GEORGIA YELLED FORWARD TO THE GUIDE ASKING TO LOWER THE VOLUME. THE RESULTS WERE NOT VERY NOTICEABLE. AS WE BOARDED THE BUS FOR OUR THIRD STOP GEORGIA AGAIN ASK IF HE COULD LOWER THE VOLUME. HE GAVE SOME COCKEYED STORY ABOUT THE BUS BEING NEW...WHATEVER.

AS WE PULLED AWAY THE GUIDE STOPPED USING THE MIKE. THE FIRST THREE ROWS PROBABLY HEARD HIM, BUT I DON’T THINK ANYONE CARED WHAT HE SAID.

THE THIRD STOP WAS FORT SANTA AGUEDA. THE SITE OF FIRST SPANISH MISSION IN THE MID 1600’S. THE ONLY REMNANTS ARE A FEW CANNONS. THERE IS A NEW MODERN CHURCH ON THE CURRENT SITE. WE DIDN’T ENTER IT. THE CANNONS ARE HIGH ABOVE THE CORAL BAY AND THE HOTEL DISTRICT IS FAR OFF TO THE RIGHT IN ANOTHER BAY.

OUR LAST STOP WAS TWO LOVERS POINT, WHICH HAPPEN TO BE IN THAT FAR OFF BAY TO THE RIGHT I MENTIONED. THE POINT OVERLOOKS THE BAY AND THE CORAL REEF LINING THE COAST IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. THE DROP IS APPROXIMATELY 450 FEET AND THE WATER BELOW CHANGES FROM TRANSPARENT TO LIGHT GREEN, TO LIGHT BULE AND EVENTUALLY TO DARK BLUE. THE CORAL PATTERNS TWIST AND TURN THROUGH THE WATER. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT OF FISH I’M SURE THIS HAD TO BE A HAVEN FOR THEM.

FOR THOSE ON THE EXCURSION WANTING TO SHOP, THE BUS DROPPED THEM OFF AT THE HYATT HOTEL. THE REST OF US TRAVELLED BACK TO THE SHIP. THE 30 MINUTE DRIVE FOLLOWED THE SHORE AND INTO THE PORT OF GUAM.

WE ARE FAR FROM BEING UNDERNOURISHED BUT TODAY WAS AN EARLY START AND LUNCH AT THE BUFFET WAS ON TAP. I MIGHT ADD SO WAS A NAP.

THE DINING ROOM IS VERY RARELY ON OUR AGENDA ON EXCURSION DAYS AS WE ENJOY THE RELAXED ATMOSPHERE AND WE HAVE BEEN DOING DINNER AT THE BUFFET. ON DAYS WE ARE IN PORT THE BUFFET STAYS OPEN UNTIL 8:30 AND GIVES WAY TO THE BISTRO. ON SEA DAYS THE BISTRO STARTS AT 5:30.

TONIGHTS SHOW WAS THE SECOND PERFORMANCE OF JON BELL. HE IS AN ENGLISH GENT, IN HIS EARLY 70’S. A VERY TALENTED MAN WHO SINGS, PLAYS BOTH THE SAX AND CLARINET, AND CAN TELL JOKES NON-STOP FOR HOURS. ALTHOUGH WE DIDN’T ATTEND THE SECOND SHOW THAT EVENING I’M WILLING TO BET VERY FEW OF THE JOKES WOULD HAVE BEEN THE SAME. THE ACCENT AND HIS PRESENTATION ADD TO THE STORIES AND PUNCHLINES.

BEFORE HEADING TO THE DECK 9 PRIVATE VERANDA AND THE EDIT/VIEWING OF OUR PICTURES, WE WENT UP TO THE SUN DECK TO OBSERVE THE BEAUTIFUL STAR FILLED NIGHT SKY. THE CAPTAIN HAD ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE OPEN DECKS TURNED OFF MAKING THE SITE EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR. WE HIT THE SACK AFTER MIDNIGHT FOR THE SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW.