I think the title was actually translated as "Official Off-Island Beach Bum, Suffering Greatly from Dreaded White Skin Disease" or something like that, still not very good with my Chamorro linguistics.
The Chamorros, indigenous peoples of the Marianas Island chain, really love eating! We had a four pig fiesta meal at our wedding catered only by the family and friends. We fed 750, I knew only about 10 (inflated by a few fellow Reservists I dragged along from the Anderson AFB with nothing better to do that Sunday). Every weekend there's another birth, death, baptism, graduation, or holy day celebration excuse for yet another fiesta. A lot of Guamians appear portly. The last king-like leader of Guam died at the hands of the Spanish centuries back, but I do have a brother-in-law who is now Chief Justice of their Supreme Court or something like that, drives a nice corvette and does a great barbeque.
Snorkeling/diving are outstanding, but the currents are dangerous. Numerous incidents of "lost" persons, leaving only a beach towel and shoes to mark their point of entry and disappearance. Sunsets marvelous. Can stay in the water all day long, much warmer than Oahu both in the water and out, but Mike's correct a lot of hotels for the Japanese and a lot of military influence, with Anderson fields in the north and Big Navy in the West Central. The southern end is most traditional but gets wiped clean by typoons annually or so.
I second the vote for Tahiti. French Polynesian culture and island climate seems unbeatable to my tastes. The flowers, birds, rural ambiance are truly exceptional. Don't know Tahiti really, but Moorea and Bora Bora are fabulous. Quite expensive though. |
