Guam

1. Rotidian Point, 2. Beautiful rolling hills

We stayed in Guam for 3 days: One day before continuing on to Yap and Palau, and 2 days on the way back before returning to Seoul.

Guam is the southernmost island among the Marianas, and a territory of the United States. If you're an American expat in Asia who's feeling a little homesick, hop on over to Guam: browse through the aisles of Kmart, pick up some sugary cereal, get re-aquainted with inane American hip-pop on the car radio (Leona Lewis, Madonna, Jordin Sparks and some idiot named Schwayze, were on CONSTANT ROTATION) -- just like the States, but sunnier. And with more Japanese tourists.

Guam also feels like it's really close to the equator. At noon, it's like the sun is right on top of you. So don't forget to wear a lot of sunscreen... The photo set is here.

We slept
Ohana Oceanview Guam
Since we were arriving in Guam after midnight on Saturday early morning, and leaving in the evening for Yap, we really just needed a place to crash for a few hours. This hotel won't win any awards for decor -- it's still stuck in the flower-print Laura Ashley trend of the 80's -- but it was clean, comfy and affordable.
Hotel Nikko
We stayed here for two nights, two days. The Guam branch of this Japanese hotel chain isn't for those seeking a luxury hospitality experience, but it's got simple, tasteful decor and it's spic-and-span. The wave-like shape of the building ensures that every room has an ocean view. The pool is pretty big, there is a separate kiddie pool as well as a popular water slide, and there's a private beach which is connected to the adjacent, public Gun Beach. At both beaches, waves break close to the shore and the swimming is a bit choppy. The Westin Resort next door seems to have a better slice of real estate, beach-wise.

We got around
In a rental car
If you want to explore Guam beyond Tumon Bay (where all the resorts are), then you'll need a rental car. Hertz, Budget and Avis all have counters at the airport, and you can reserve your car online. On the other hand, if you just want to stay in the resort area, you can get around by taking the Shopping Bus. There is a public bus system, as evidenced by the numerous concrete bus shelters, but during our time there I never actually saw a public bus...
The roads are well paved, so you won't need a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
With maps
The map from the rental car company was pretty useless, but the map inside the Island Time magazine that we picked up at the Guam airport was invaluable; try to get your hands on one.

We relaxed at
Ritidian Beach
A beach on the northern tip of the island, a long drive past the Airforce Base. It's a big, secluded white sand beach, perfect if you want to get away from civilization. The water is very shallow, even at high tide.
Ipan Beach
A laid-back beach on the southeastern side of the island. It's located near Jeff's Pirate Cove and seems like a popular spot for family barbeques, especially on weekends. Good swimming at high tide.
Inarajan Swimming Hole
A refreshing salt-water pool with a diving platform. Local teenagers were having a blast diving into the pool when we were there, so we also took a cool dip too. When we climbed out, we spotted a sign mentioning that it might not be safe as bacteria levels were "currently high." Oh.
The War in the Pacific National Historical Park
This national park has some remnants of WWII battles. There are some Japanese anti-aircraft guns and crumbling bunkers. Also: a stretch of pebbly sand, clear blue waters, picnic/barbeque shelters, and a large parking lot.

We saw
Spanish colonial ruins
Spanish settlers first arrived in Guam in the mid 1500s and the Spanish colonial period continued until the U.S. took control after the 1898 Spanish-American War. There are still a lot of ruins from that period throughout the island. In the village of Merizo you can find a convent and tower built at the turn of the century. The Plaza de Espana was the residence of the Spanish governor. And Fort Nuestro Senora de la Soledad and Fort Santa Agueda also date to that era.
WWII ruins
Japan occupied Guam from 1941-1944. Sunken WWII tanks and ships make popular sites for visiting divers, and rusting Japanese anti-aircraft guns and bunkers can be found along the western coast at the War in the Pacific National Park and Gun Beach.
Latte Stone Park
The stones here are some of the few remnants of pre-colonial Chamorro culture on Guam. It's somewhat of a mystery, but researchers think that these might have been the support structures for ancient meeting houses.
Guam Greyhound Park
My first time at the races! Guam has a popular dogracing track, where greyhounds chase the speeding mechanical rabbit every night except for Mondays and Wednesdays, and onlookers place their bets. After studying the racing form for a bit, we tried our hand betting on several races. I won twice when betting for a win: Sincere Sarah won the first race, and I got $12.50 back after placing a $3 minimum bet. Red Intention won Race 5; I got $7.50 back for that bet. When we tried some fancier betting options: place, quiniela, boxed quiniela and trifecta, we lost. Race 7 also presented the option of placing a superfecta bet (predicting 7 dogs in the correct order) but we decided that was too risky. The entrance fee is $10 for non-Guam residents, $2.50 for local residents, and $1.50 for military personnel. Gates open at 6pm and races start at 7:30pm.
Talofofo Falls Resort Park & Yokoi's Cave
Gavin and I thought this "resort" was a thoroughly depressing rip-off. Firstly, we were astounded by the $20 entry fee. Our hopes that this would be worth it were dashed when we entered and found a ridiculous array of "activities" that the owner gathered together in the hopes of making money off of poor Shoichi Yokoi's memory. Gathered together in this park are: A fun house, a merry go round, a child train, a cable car, a shooting range, an erotic themed garden, and, of course, Yokoi's Cave. None of the structures seem very sturdy (most alarmingly, the cable car) and generally look like lawsuits waiting to happen. You can also buy animal feed to feed the pigs and ducks that are roaming around. I felt bad that this was all that was left of Yokoi's 28 years in hiding. Here's some footage so you don't have to pay the entrance fee yourself.

We ate at
Winchell's
Mmmm... Doughnuts....
Denny's
There was a Denny's in the Micronesia Mall, just a few minutes drive from our hotel. We went there in the early morning when other restuarants were still closed. I clogged my arteries with an All-American Slam (scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage and hash browns). It was the first Denny's I'd ever been to, but I don't think I'll go back for awhile. Not bad, but predictably greasy.
Proa
We came here for a late dinner after watching the grayhound races nearby. The tuna tartare we had for the appetizer -- a combination of tuna sashimi and guacamole! -- was very tasty, and Gavin and I both enjoyed the soft-shelled crab sandwish and pan-fried local fish that we ordered. The guide in Island Time magazine said that Proa served "Chamorro food haute cuisine style," but I didn't really detect any Chamorro flavors in the food -- just inventively prepared dishes of fresh, local ingredients.
Jeff's Pirate Cove
Apparently, The Cove is an island institution. The restaurant has been around, in one form or another, since 1953. They've got a lot of kitschy pirate paraphernalia -- remnants of a village and ship left by Malay pirates had been found in the area -- and a souvenir gift shop, but it's more than a tourist trap. It also a family-type restaurant that large groups and local families seem to favor, and was particularly crowded on Sunday afternoon after church services... We ordered their Chamorro Fiesta plate, a pile of barbeque (chicken, beef, ribs) and kelaguan (fish, squid) served with two scoops of red rice. It wasn't a huge plate, but the two of us shared one and were quite satisfied. Don't forget your free cone of frozen yogurt after your meal!
Benkay at Hotel Nikko
Benkay is the Japanese restaurant at Hotel Nikko. We had some natto and sashimi there, and weren't disappointed. The uni was fantastic.

We shopped
Pleasure Island
A cluster of malls and chain restaurants near the Outrigger Guam Resort is rather cheesily named "Pleasure Island."
I'm not really a big fan of brand name luxury goods, and I don't really see the point of shopping at widely available chain stores when I'm traveling, but on our last evening in Guam we decided to poke our head around Pleasure Island to see what we could see. The Plaza is a smallish mall attached to the Outrigger Resort: they've got some teenybopper shops, a Hard Rock Cafe, and a hairdresser, but nothing fancy. Across the street you'll find a DFS Galleria complete with the usual suspect luxury logos: Hermes, Ferragamo, Prada, LV, etc. Also in Pleasure Island, you'll find an aquarium, a Planet Hollywood, and a Sand Castle theater. Ultimately we didn't end up buying anything, but we settled into the lounge at the Outrigger Resort for one of our favorite activities while vacationing in Asia... yup, listening to Filipino lounge singers do covers of hits from the 70's, 80's and 90's....
Payless Supermarket
Some might think I'm weird, but my other favorite activity when vacationing is going to supermarkets. Especially after living in Seoul for a while, where there isn't much diversity in the groceries available, I could just wander the aisles for hours in awe, marveling at all the different products and how CHEAP they are. (Yes, compared to Seoul, Guam is actually cheap.) Payless is a local chain but the stock reminds me a lot of what I might find in a supermarket in Queens, NY. Spanish, Filippino, Indian and Chinese ingredients, all side by side with American products. We stocked up on cheeeese and decided to smuggle one sausage.
KMart
Ok, I've heard rumors that this is the largest Kmart in the world, so we were eager to see it. After noshing on some Little Caesar's (Pizza! Pizza!) we roamed the aisles for a bit and concluded that if this is the largest KMart, then that doesn't say much for the size of KMarts in general. Turns out that the truly largest KMart is in Ohio. Guam's was average-sized by American standards. After living in Seoul for a while, I was somewhat tempted by the selection of sugary cereals and cheap shampoo. Wow, hair and skin care that doesn't cost over $15 a bottle! I could start a black market...

Guam was our gateway to some other island trips. Our stays there were stopovers before and after going to Yap and Palau on Continental Micronesia. More Pacific Island photos and travel guides coming up...!