Sunday, July 26, 2009

Last Weekend!

So this weekend was the last...

Here was the rundown:

Friday was the end of the education conference. My last session was given by an Israeli woman living in Palau who is trying to stop shark fining in the area. They explained that they were going to give presentation in the schools to spread out knowledge of shark's importance in the local ecosystem...There was a guy in a shark suit...

Then the closing ceremony was filled with Palauan dances, singing and food! Was awesome!

Shark Suit:


Palauan Dancing!:


Then Friday night we decided to throw our own CMU party in the apartment. Lots of games, sho chu, and taro wine roulette...(ask me about it when I get back). at the time of 12am we decided to go swimming at long island. It was so much fun swimming in the warm waters of Palau in the middle of the night.

Saturday was going to be our 2nd to last trip to Baebeldob (the last being to the airport). We first visited this Japanese monument that was built pre-WWII. However, this one is not taken care of. So there is moss and vines growing all over it. It was a very creepy, but cool, site to see. Sorta felt like aliens placed it there as a landing beacon...haha.

We then traveled more up north to Ngarmelagui (NAR-ME-LA-GOO-EEE). There we found an old plane crash site and an abandoned pineapple factory. Random aye? Apperntly the pineapple factory was started by the Japanese to make canned pineapple. Anyway more rusted gears and furnaces taken over by jungle.

We then headed up north to the most norther tip of the island, Ngaard (nard). We left the paved road and arrived on the lovely dirt roads of Palau. We saw these stone monoliths which have no explanation, which is what makes them so cool. they are sorta like Easter Island, no one knows why they are there, but they mean something to the ancient cultures. Then we headed even more up north to a destroyed Japanese Lighthouse. coolest thing EVER. It was all collapsed and jungly and had the most beautiful view of...well...nothing but Pacific Ocean.

Japanese Monument:


Again:


Pineapple Factory:


Stone Monoliths:


Look, I could touch them...


Pretty view!:


Lighthouse:


Lighthouse:


Eating Local Sashimi


Thus ended our lovely Saturday. We bought some bootlegs and headed home to relax.

On Sunday I still had my certificate from the open water swim that I won. Brandon and Kate and Deanna went to the Hair Salon at PPR (best resort of the island). And Mi and I frolicked on the beach/pool/hot tub. It was then time for....BRUNCH. By far the best brunch of my LIFE. All you can eat Sashimi, fish, eggs, soup, desert (which was all delicious)...ANNNDDDD All you can drink Mamosa...for only 25 dollars. Yes please.

After a looong brunch I fell asleep on a hammock and then Mi and I played in they water some more and then headed home to relax.


Mamosa!


After a long meal


zzzzzzzz


Was an awesome weekend again, and I think its now: 5 days till I start the voyage home...I am not looking forward to it, but it will be nice to head home. More on this later.

Have a nice week!

-Tom

1 comment:

  1. My favorite thing that I miss the most about Palau is swimming at Long Island in the middle of the night...so invigorating!!! Lucky you!

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