Guam; Where America Begins Its Day!

Enjoying life on the "fantail"



I was thrilled to have 2 1/2 days to explore Guam.  Since the departure of the Mercy was delayed, we actually had a 3rd full day off the ship, however, there was no transportation off base.  I spent more than 6 hours at the NEX (Naval Exchange store) and LOVED it, which clearly indicates that I've spent way too much time on this ship!


Our tugboat as we prepare to dock on Guam



The first, and most important, thing I did in Guam, was to explore Spanish Steps.  It is the site of an old Spanish fort where the belief is that they dug a well near sea level and created steps down to the fresh water.  The steps are mostly gone now and it is a steep, rocky, muddy traverse down the side of the small mountain.  Someone tied ropes to trees that we held onto to help us down and back up again.  The path leads through a jungle with huge palm and coconut trees.  When you get to the bottom, the jungle opens up into a breathtaking lagoon complete with a rocky cliff, clear turquoise water and waves crashing on the rocks in the distance.  The small beach is made up of broken coral that has washed ashore. 





Because this place is located on the Naval base, there is no public access and it is very quiet and secluded.  In fact, I got a bit creeped out while snorkeling when I surfaced and found I was behind a large rocky outcropping and could not see the small beach.... and I was completely alone....except for the hundreds of fish I was swimming with!




















There were colorful trigger fish, bright yellow butterfly fish, fish with red stripes, cobalt blue fish, brillinat orange, black and white striped fish, fish with leapard spots, big fish, small fish, and fish in schools.  A few times, I found myself in the middle of a school of neon blue fish.  Several hundred of them swam around me at once!  The coral was beautiful in it's orange, green and yellowish colors.  It came in various shapes and sizes and provided a beautiful and safe home/ hideout for the brightly colored fish.  I held a bright blue starfish in my hand!  He felt like plastic and looked like it too, but he was alive!

While snorkeling, the rain poured and everyone's clothes were soaked through.  So, in our swimsuits,
we climbed the trail back to the road.  It was such a heavy downpour that it was less like a trail and more like a muddy stream.  We arrived at the top completely soaked, muddy and laughing.... it was fantastically FUN!

The reward at the bottom of Spanish Steps!










We then walked to "Gab Gab Beach" and had a cookout with LDS Charities and other friends from the Mercy.  The snorkeling wasn't as nice and the burgers were crunchy (did someone drop mine in the sand?) but it was a nice time with friends.

On our second day, Karen, Lynette and I took the Liberty bus into the city of Tamuning and rented a car.  We spent the rest of the day exploring the southern half of Guam.  Since Guam is only about 30 miles long and 4 - 5 miles wide, it was possible to thoroughly explore!  We stopped at all the scenic places and saw a waterfall and beautiful ocean vistas.  We drove through the little towns and villages and enjoyed seeing people's homes, chickens, goats, pigs, etc.  For lunch, we stopped at "Jeff's Pirate Cove" and enjoyed Greek Pitas and a cute little waitress born and raised on Guam who has neve been anywhere but Guam.  We checked out the little museum there and found interesting little artifacts like notes in bottles that had washed up on shore here.  We also learned of a Japanese man who was discovered in 1972 after living, in hiding, in the jungles of Guam for 28 years following WWII!  He eventually married and took his honeymoon here in Guam!  CRAZY!

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