Guam 2020: Post 2 - First Full Day on Guam

I'm doing pretty good, jet lag wise for the first day. I was able to sleep until 4:45 this morning. On past visits to the island, I woke up at 2 or 3 AM and was unable to go back to sleep. I've been busy all day. We took a hike with our friends, Roger and Amy Krum, and their children Nathan and Alyssa.

There is a mural at the parking area that wasn't there before.  It depicts the traditional sailing boat of the Chamorro people, and the ancient latte stones.

We went south on the highway, just a little ways to the viewpoint for Cetti Bay.  Then across the road is the trail to Mt. Lam Lam, the highest point on the island.  It was such a beautiful afternoon with temperatures in the low to mid 80's and a nice breeze off the sea. 

The trail goes up through grassland savannas with trees and flowers along the way.  We saw the Bamboo orchid that grows in the grass. There were some little blue pea family flowers and some yellow pea family flowers.  

One plant they showed us has tiny white flowers and the roots smell a bit like wintergreen with a touch of sassafras.  I have no idea what that one is.  We saw an orange butterfly.  Later when I looked it up and found an article in the Guam newspaper about it from January last year. 

It is called a Gulf Fritillary.  It is new to Guam, native to SW USA and Mexico.  They are wondering if it will become an invasive species.  We also found a caterpillar.  I looked it up and it is not the caterpillar for the Gulf Fritillary, which I had guessed, so I don't know what it is.  We didn't go too far up the trail.  We will go all the way another day.

After the hike we went to their house for lunch.  Amy made a delicious Thai soup with chopped carrots, onion and chopped green papaya.  She added a bundle of lemon grass from her balcony garden into the cooking water.  Once the veggies were soft she put in a can of coconut milk, some cooked broccoli, and softened TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein), and salt.  It was so delicious.  I don't remember eating cooked green papaya before, but I will add it to my cooking when I have it available.  

After lunch we went back to the house.  I showered and got out of my sweaty hiking clothes, and changed into some nicer clothes so I could go to the airport with the Krums to airport.  Alyssa was flying to Palau on her first trip with out her family to attend the Guam Micronesia Mission young woman's retreat.  Other people were at the airport with their daughters, including some people I've met in past visits to Guam.

Afterward, I went to the Agat church where they are having meetings for the Chuukese church members.  Amy was still at the airport so I gave a health talk in her place. Maverick translated for me.  I talked about how to keep your thoughts healthy praying, giving thanks, singing, going out in nature for exercise.  When faced with something negative that you can't get out of your mind.  You can choose to change your thoughts.  Ask yourself, what else is true?   There are plenty of positive things still in your life.  Think about those things, and be grateful.  I enjoyed the music there, the island voices and harmonies.  I might have to worship with the Chuukese often so I can hear their singing.

I got home about 8:00 PM, starved.  I have only stopped briefly at one store on the way to the airport and got a few vegetables and tofu.  AWR gave us some oatmeal and fruit, and a few other things to get started, but really there wasn't much food in the house. and made some sauteed carrots, celery, onions, garlic and tofu for supper. About the time it was ready I discovered there is no salt or soy sauce in the house.  This was a very plain stir fry, but I ate it anyway, as I said, I was starved.

Early in the morning when I got up, I wandered around the yard in the dark with my head lamp.  I saw shiny bright eyes shining the dark at me.  Closer inspection showed the lawn full of toads.  

I found that the wind had blown a cluster of plumeria flowers off of the bush.  So I picked them up and brought them in.  My first island bouquet is now sitting in the center of my table, with more flowers getting ready to open.  I need to get an watercolor table set up and start painting what I see on Guam.  

I started a shopping list. Tomorrow going to the grocery store is my main goal.  Tomorrow I'll go find some brown rice, too.  Rice would have been very nice with my stir fry.  I was in bed by 9:00 PM.