Guam2002

Our first vacation of 2002 was special because it was Renee's first trip outside Korea. We visited Guam, an island in the western Pacific ocean approximately 1600 kms east of the Philippines (see map and country information at the bottom of this page). The vacation was a short one - just three days in Guam - but it was fun despite some inclement weather.

Our hotel had some nice facilities, including two swimming pools (more like wading pools), a waterslide, and a swim-up bar. I couldn't help but notice that not many people were ever in the pool at one time. When I entered the pool myself, the water was very cool - much cooler than a swimming pool at a hotel in the tropics should be. In any event, at least the pool looked nice.

On our first day, we took a guided tour of the western coast of the island. There is truly some beautiful scenery in Guam, especially the ocean waters which are very clear. On sunny days, the ocean seems to blend seamlessly into the horizon.

It was quite warm during our tour. Renee slept through the entire thing. Heather and I enjoyed seeing some of Guam's historical sites, however. Included in the tour was a visit to a memorial wall of people who died fighting the Japanese in World War II, and a visit to a hill that still has some cannons left over from the war. One thing I didn't enjoy was getting stung on the foot by an insect.

Later in the day, we began our shopping spree in Guam. Because of the poor weather on days two and three, shopping became our main pursuit.

One thing we discovered is that the people in Guam are very friendly. It started with the immigration officer who told me that Canadians can stay in Guam as long as they like because, well, the USA thinks of Canadians as being like Americans. It was quite the warm fuzzy to start the trip. The bus drivers all talked to us and smiled and generally exhibited the kind of behaviour that one would rarely see in Korea (at least on the buses). I guess when you live in the tropics, you've got reason to be pleasant.

Guam is also well-known for its marine life. Scuba diving is a popular attraction because of the coral sea and the tropical fish.

To be honest, the photo to the left was taken at an underwater theme park. Many people, though, have guessed that I was actually in the ocean to take this picture. Call me a smart photographer, I guess.

Overall, Guam was a very satisfying destination. The shopping alone is a reason to go there, but I would enjoy going back sometime when I can enjoy the various watersports.