Guam 9: New Apartment, the Korean Airline Memorial Story and Tumon Bay

We enjoyed this sunny, warm, busy first week of February, and the first weekend in our new apartment.  Actually, it rained a lot.  Locals say it is raining much more than normal.  It is supposed to be the dry season, but we don't mind much, because it is warm rain and not freezing rain.  We love wearing short sleeves every day.

View straight off the balcony.  We are right up there with the coconuts.

On Tuesday, I moved the first items into our new apartment at the Inn on the Bay, on the north end of Agat.  We have a one bedroom apartment on the third (top) floor, with a balcony right off the bedroom.  On Thursday night we moved everything else into our apartment and spent the first night there.  We said good-bye to the Big House which we enjoyed for the last four weeks.  Rob called it the Palace.

View to the Left

Our new apartment has an amazing view, and it has dolphins to watch through binoculars while you eat breakfast.  I think we are going to be happy here, even with a few inconveniences.  The kitchen is tiny.  It has a a small sink, a counter as big as a dish rack, a full sized kitchen stove, oven and microwave, along with a 3/4 size refrigerator.  The only big problem with the kitchen is that the bottom of the cupboards start at my (Barbara's) finger tips.  Which means I can't even use the bottom shelf without climbing on something.  The other thing is that there are only two upper cupboards, besides some completely inaccessible ones above the microwave and refrigerator.  There are three drawers below.  To solve the problem we decided to buy a shelf.  We found a nice, sturdy, black one on sale at the world's largest K Mart, located conveniently on island.  Everything that I use regularly fits on the shelf.  Additional food can go in the upper cupboards.  I placed the small round table in the center of the room, right between the love seat, and the wall with the kitchen on it, so I can use it as additional counter space when cooking.  The other side of the table can be used by the person on the couch as a place to set papers or computers, etc.

The tree is really a reflection on the sliding door of what I see off the balcony.

On Friday morning Rob went to work, and I went over to the Big House, and started cleaning.  Close to lunch time my Friend Amy and her kids came over, and Rob showed up from work.  With their help, the rest of the house was clean in less than 30 minutes!  I was so thankful for their help, and so glad to be finished.

They invited us to supper and worship at their house that evening. They served smoothies that featured juice from the tangerines at the Big House.  Yummy!  I am so thankful for the Krum family.

On Sabbath we went to church and potluck at Agat.  We have done that every week.  It is nice to have a home church while on island, and make friendship with the people who attend there.

Ben and Cheryl Stern invited us to go with them on a hike in the afternoon.  We first stopped at a pond not far from the Marine Highway on the road the goes up Nimetz Hill, close to Piti.   They showed us where a longer hike starts from there.

Next we hiked to the Korean Airline Crash Memorial.   To get there, we got to slosh down a muddy, red, jeep road.

Mr. Toad thought he was hiding in that puddle. 

The mud has the admirable trait of sticktoitiveness.  A few splashes of it may be forever embedded into my shorts.

Next we walked on a one-lane, paved road that appears to be only open to those who can get through the sticky red mud, and toad lined obstacle course.

The memorial site has special meaning to Cheryl, who was scheduled to be on that very flight from Korea, but felt impressed that she should reschedule for another time.  Her travel agent told her that she didn't think it would be possible, because it was a busy time of year.  As Cheryl was walking out the door with packed bags to go to the airport, the phone rang.  It was her agent telling her that one seat had just opened up for another time and did she want it.  She said yes, and stayed at her apartment, not boarding the doomed flight.  Imagine her shock when the next morning she learned that the flight she didn't fly on, crashed in the hills of Guam.  There were 26 survivors of the flight.  Cheryl is a survivor too, because she listened to God, impressing her not to fly.

Before we left the Nimitz hill area, we drove over to another nearby peak that is covered with radio antennas.

We walked out to a rock to view the scenery as the sun set.

We could see the ocean on two sides of the island, and lots of beautiful scenery.  It was fun to be up where you could see so clearly that Guam really is an island.

Sunday we enjoyed getting a little extra rest.  Then for lunch we tried the salad bar at Ruby Tuesdays.

After a little shopping, we went to Tumon Bay and walked the sandy beach almost to the far end of the hotel strip.

It really was pleasant, and we enjoyed watching the children playing in the water,

Playing with toys,

and building sand castles.

Other people were out learning to sailboard, or snorkel or jet ski.

There were also a few small sailboats, and plenty of kayakers and paddle boarders out in the water.  I enjoyed watching this couple that brought along their lazy black dog.

A young Japanese couple were getting married, all dressed up American style, right there on the beach.

While we walked along, we saw flowers,

enjoyed the shade of big trees,

wandered over stairs,

and peeked through rock windows.

One of the nicest parts of the afternoon was sitting on the sand, in the shade of a rock wall, and talking on the phone to our kids on the other side of the Pacific ocean before they went to bed.  I am still amazed what a cell phone can do, and so thankful that we have one to use.

While sitting, we were entertained by a parade of interesting people walking by.

 The pretty lady in the blue dress was about to loose her hat.

The fancy dog with the blue collar was not as pampered as he looked. He waded chest deep through the water and calmly walked his lady down the beach.

Is the lady in the red dress a model?  And what is the role of the man with camera?  Husband or photographer or wishful thinker?

Nothing was bothering the little girl romping by.

Only the crab raised his eyebrow at us.