Chocolate Houses and Latte Stones

My time is coming to an end here in Guam and I have mixed feelings.  I am ready to get home and see my family but know that I will most likely never be back and I have made good friends here that I will miss!

This past weekend, I did more sightseeing - I find that I think I have seen all there is to see and then I look on the internet and see that I still haven't seen it all!  My biggest regret is that since I am alone, there are some hikes that I haven't gone on  - or boonie stomps as they say here.  Yes I realize that my hike the first weekend was a bad idea - but I wanted to see those bomb holes!!!  I am very lucky that I didn't fall or turn my ankle....yada yada yada......Anywho - Saturday I went to the Chamorro Cultural village named Gef Pa'go.  There are advantages to being a lone tourist and not being with a group - I got my very own guide!  I learned how the ancient Chamorros extracted salt from sea water - they use a bamboo fire and the water evaporates and leaves the salt at the bottom.  Then the salt is put in the sun to bleach and turn nice and white.  It's amazing to see how they got what they needed - things that we   

take for granted - like salt!  I was also shown how to make coconut candy - and got the recipe!  It is fresh coconut, sugar, and corn starch - the sugar is caramelized then it's all mixed together and made into little balls and it is delicious!

A sweet man named Frank showed me how to make a rope from a hibiscus plant - all with the same tools that the Chamorros used.  Three twisted fibers were woven together by using a crank and a deer antler to keep them straight.  I have to stop and tell a funny about Frank.  While we were making our rope, I told him that I had been enjoying Chamorro food - when he heard that he asked me if I was a Miss or a Mrs.   I asked him why?  He said "Because I have a nephew in Tennessee that needs a Mrs.!!!   Sorry Frank....The lady below was weaving palm leaves to make baskets, hats and other things.  She made  three fish and two
little birds just for me - I am concerned about the birds making it home ok - they are "3D" while the fish are flat.  AND since I was getting the VIP treatment, we walked around the village of Inarahan and I got to see the historical house there.

After visiting with the people at Gef Pa'go, I went on down the road to find the Inharahan pool.    This is a "swimming hole" used by the locals.  It is really beautiful there.  It is an enclosed pool fed by fresh water and ocean water.  It is enclosed by reefs - the reefs act as a filter and the water stays clear and clean.  There are many little fish there and one local assured me that no sharks could get through....don't know if he was kidding or not!!!  However, there are warnings not to go beyond...and there have been shark attacks reported here - but I am not going to test the theory of where the sharks are.  The water is deep in the pool and it gives it a beautiful color. 

I am amazed at the beauty of Guam.  I seem to find treasures every time I go out.  The Inarahan Pool was definitely worth seeing.

It was lunchtime by now and the southern end of Guam does not boast any "chain" restaurants.  I stopped at little Vietnamese restaurant - what I would describe as a "hole in the wall" restaurant (they usually have the best food).  I had Kudu and Loompia - translated - soup and egg rolls.  The loompia here is wonderful!   You take a piece of romaine lettuce in your hand, add some rice noodles, then add bean sprouts and basil.  Then you lay the egg roll on top of that and roll it up in the lettuce....YUMMO!  After lunch I took a break and rested under a palm tree and read a while.

I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful that was - just to relax and read with a slight breeze....and the ocean....aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh.

Break's over - still stuff to see!  I headed back to the capital city of Hagatna - right across from where I am working - I have seen it everyday, but have never gotten over to see what it was all about.  Now I was headed back in time again - long before the world wars - to a time of pirates and conquistadors - to the time when the Spaniards ruled Guam.  Hagatna or Agana (same place - Agana is the ancient name) has always been the capital.  Right across from the building where I have been working is the Plaza de Espanza.  It is the site where the Governor's Palace used to be and the ruins are still there.  Surprisingly (especially with all the Typhoons and earthquakes) there is a gate of three arches still standing.

The terrace of the palace is still there as well, but as you can see, it is falling apart.

What interested me the most was that there was a gazebo type structure that was called The Chocolate House.  The Spaniards LOVED hot chocolate and would retire to the chocolate house in the evenings to drink it.  It is hard to imagine in this heat that anyone would want HOT chocolate!!!

Right across the street is the Latte Stone city park.  The latte (pronounced lat' ee)stones are the symbol of Chamorro culture and are somewhat of a mystery.  They have been likened to the strange statues on Easter Island.  They believe that they were used as a base for their houses.  I spoke to my guide at Gef Pa'go about them.  She told me that they are all over the jungles in Guam.  The Chamorro are very respectful of their ancient relatives.  If they come across a latte stone or a rock where a latte stone was cut from, they leave immediately.  It is not good to disturb the ancient ones.  They know that when they find these, that an ancient was there and may still be there.  How did the ancient Chamorros make

these stones and how did they get one on top of the other?  Who knows?  Probably they used the same techniques as those that carved the statues on Easter Island or the ones that made the pyramids.

The latte stone park also boasted more dark Japanese caves!!  And you know me - I was too chicken to go in because of the gates.  (I am pretty sure that ghosts will lock me in), so again I stepped in and did the flash picture - you know, just to check for any ghosts of Japanese soldiers.......

I have one more Saturday here to explore.  Believe it or not, there are still a couple of things that I haven't seen.  I will drive back around the southern end of the island again.  I have to drink it all in just one more time.

I will leave you with my favorite picture of the day.  I think I may frame this one.  It is the path from the chocolate house to the garden house at the govenor's palace..