A Night In

I sat beneath these palm trees.

In the Movie, The Princess Bride, there is an ongoing joke in which a subdued hero on a mission to avenge his fathers death continues to say, "Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

Today, while snorkeling in Obyan, I was followed around by a small parrot fish. It was probably the length of my hand from finger tip to wrist. Its round greenish head and pink stripes were brilliant as they crossed over the green which blended into yellow. This little fish kept coming up to me and looking at me. It would quickly swim away as soon as I would reach for it.

After the third time that it approached I began to imagine that I could hear it's thoughts; "Hello. My name is Manuel Anthony Camacho Villagomez Cabrerra. You ate my father. Prepare to die."

Oh! How I love the sea! This morning I drove around the south side of the island. I found Lucy and Manuels old house from four years ago in Kobler. I looked at the cement, never been finished Korean hotel. I made my way to Obyan beach. I promised Claud that I would not go there alone, but I needed the sea.

When I got there the security guard was happy to have my car right next to him. Then on the beach was a happy looking middle aged Japanese couple. They may have been enjoying a quiet time together on this desolate beach, but, I chose to sit right by them so that I could tell my beloved Claud I was not alone.

It was a fantastic snorkel. Kathy had told me that her office had done a lot to rebuild that reef, and that the coral was coming back. She was right! It was wonderful to see the coral and the fish and to float in the swell that was coming up over the reef.

After my ocean time, I came home with Karen where we had a nice chat over a cold drink and some truffles. Heaven!

Then we took the kids to my favorite new restaurant; Himiwari. A Japanese Restaurant Deli. It is what I wish New Sagaya could be. Very real. Reasonably priced. Absolutely fantastic. Can you believe they would not sell me a T-shirt? They said "Solly...Staff Onry." I said, "Well then, can I have a job?"

They pretended they didn't understand me.

Let me show you pictures of what you can get for $5.00.

Poke

Noodle Soup, One Bowl

Spicy Tuna Rolls

Quintin and Colin took pictures for me.

It was fun to hang out with these guys.

Then afterwords, I got in the car and drove over to Claud's house for a quick chat. We had a couple good chuckles while Leo fell asleep on the couch. This is a shrine her partner Paul made. It is really cool.

Vince, look what else I found hanging on her wall after all these years: Do you recognize it?

Just don't threaten Parrot Fish

The Ramsey's Wild Teenaged Daughter

These are my friends Colin and Quintin Ramsey with their parents Gary and Karen. They have a very nice, mellow, comfortable life. They don't have an answering machine. A medical doctor without an answering machine? That's the kind of good life they have.

And then, Typhoon Alana arrived.

You can imagine that the intensity of the house has increased slightly since my arrival. The phone rings for me quite often. Often enough for Gary to just begin answering it by saying, "Alana's Phone". My friends keep me up quite late and I usually roll in when everyone is asleep. I don't work. The maid is doing the house work, so I don't have much to help with in that department. Luckily, I've not gotten grounded yet, so...

Karen and Colin play a quick game of ping pong after tennis lessons at PIC

Karen and I are in a "Driving Miss Daisy" scenario, in which I take her car all day while she works and then pick her up when she is done. Usually after work we come back to the house and spend some time on her lanai having a cold drink and a few chocolate truffles. Today, we went to Pacific Islands Club where we picked up Colin from his tennis lesson.

For those of you who are wondering, Pacific Islands Club or PIC is a tourist resort with a fun water park. This is what Anchorages H2Oasis was shooting for, and might be if it did not have to be enclosed. (No, I'm being overly optimistic here. I think H2Oasis would still be a germ swirl.) There are club mates everywhere to help you and play with the children. There are food and drinks.

For as long as I've known the Ramsey's they've had a membership here, not unlike a membership at a health club. She can come anytime and drop her kids and they can stay with the club mates playing all day.

She sends $5 with the kids for lunch. They take lessons for any sport, including tennis and rock climbing. She can bring her friends (like me and my family) for $10 a day. She can sit here and enjoy a cold drink and enjoy the sunset while her kids are out playing around, being fully supervised.

Look at the fantastic kiddie pool! I finally got bold enough to ask her what the going rate was for a family of four for a membership like that...

about $100 a month. Yea, I know...you don't have to even say it.

Last night I went out to dinner with my Carolinian sister, Claudine Atalig. After promising to take an entire week off of work just to hang around with me, Claud finally managed to find time for me after I called her at work and gave her a guilt trip. Oh sure, she had the wrong phone number and no clue where the Ramsey's live... but still.

PLEASE READ YESTERDAYS COMMENTS FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW I HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A ALBINO CAROLINIAN SISTER, A TITLE THAT I WILL HOLD DEARLY FOR LIFE.

I told her because I was a princess I could afford to take her anywhere she would like to go. She picked Coco's Steak house in Garapan. Whew! Pricey! We were sitting at a table when we found out the prices and she could not relax and chat knowing she was about to spend a bunch of money for food.

So, I lied to the waitress and we got out of there.

Then we went to Korean Barbecue on the beach and it is no longer a buffet, and Whew! it was expensive!

So, I lied to the waitress and we got out of there.

We ended up at what used to be called the Nauru Building. Someone has repaired the rooftop restaurant, and it spins completely around. I can not begin to guess how many years that restaurant sat up there not revolving. Can you guess the name?

We were able to stay and relax because we were pretty much the only ones there. (Note to future Saipan visitors, save this restaurant for the daylight. Saipan really has no skyline to enjoy while you spin in the dark. The island is not that wide and the ocean is dark at night. Just a reminder.)

When we got there I put my purse on the windowsill. I don't know why I thought that the entire top of the building spun. It looks like a spaceship sitting on top of concrete, I just figured it spun before take off. So the waitress said in her nicest Filipino accent, "Mame, your purse...the window." and me... "Yea..." "Your purse is going to be moving..." and me... "What?" and here is where I love Claud, "Move your Purse!" I love Claud for her directness. Sure enough in that short amount of time my purse had already just about made it to the next table. Thank goodness I have so many cultural ambassadors around to assist me in life!

The meal itself was remarkable only for it's "Only on Saipan" weirdness. We ordered steak with a peppercorn sauce on top. In my Homer mind I'm thinking...a peppercorn cream sauce. When it comes it has a gravy with whole green peppercorns in it. Taking a bite with 5 or six peppercorns in it made me feel like I was putting a can of bear repellent spray in my mouth and pulling the trigger. Then the desert, ice cream scooped on top of apples. Not cooked apples like pie, but chunks of raw mealy apples. What?

The memorable part of the meal will be the laughter and the depth at which I am blessed to share my friends life.

After dinner, we went by her place in Oleai so that I could hug and kiss Leodine. 16 years old now! Wow! She has finals this week and so we pinkie swore that we would spend the whole night together on Thursday.

Then Claud brought me home. We were finishing our chat in the drive and the dogs were barking like crazy. She said, "You'd better go hush the dogs." I said, "Dogs around here bark a lot, and anyway. We'll only be another minute." Sure enough Karen got out of bed to find out what was going on... "Oh, it's just you..." She said. I'm spoiled daughter.

After all these years, Claud is still willing to share her heart with me... I am so blessed.

This is a video that we made for Mel and Marc. There is a part one, but after reviewing it Claud and I felt it looked too fake. So we made this one. Love you guys!

Princess Alana

Gary took my picture on their lanai as I was walking out the door for the beach. Notice the rip stick at my left. This is part of my new 'rearing children on islands' theory that I am working on. Yes, I am nearly through Twilight.

I just went to the Jollibee Restaurant (a Filipino equivalent to McDonald's-with just as much popularity but no documentary about it's lack of health benefits) and had the most wild burger: The Aloha Burger. It was like a regular bacon cheese burger with tons of processed cheese and then this pineapple on it. There was a splendid amount of trans fats and as I sat looking out at the turquoise sea enjoying this; "Would Be Disgusting Meal if I were in America" burger. I thought of my dear friend Erik who says; "If it is made in Asia and the writing on the package is Asian, all nutritional laws become inactive and it is immediately like a health food." Or something like that.

I finally got into the ocean today. I forced myself out of bed and took Karen to work so that I could have the car. Gary snapped my picture as I was heading out of the house. I didn't want to take my camera to the beach for fear of being robbed. Sadly, we must consider these things. The wind is blowing hard today (for here) and the surf was crashing over the reef with some force, but that did not stop me from being safe and protected during my snorkeling inside the reef. If I had a moment to be the slightest bit creative I would write an ode to tiny coral loving fish...but I fear that there are other obligations to tend to first.

Like posting pictures of fun and food.

These past couple of nights I've been having a bit of insomnia. Those who know me will find this strange, as I can fall asleep pretty much anywhere anytime after 9pm. Well, I've been having the unusual problem of BEING AFFECTED BY CAFFEINE and Chinese New Year Fireworks and howling Boonie dogs and air con blowing...it's all been a bit much. I over slept on Monday after not sleeping, worked a bit, and then I got a call from my friend Veni who invited me to lunch with her.

She took me to a Chinese restaurant because she wanted to eat traditional food. She is Chinese/American in the Amy Tan Style and speaks Cantonese even though she does not feel one ounce of Chinese in her soul. Her husband is Alaskan and so walking in to the restaurant with her was like being with a goodwill ambassador.

We were put in an unideal table next to the soda fountain and the perfect table was next to us with a 'reserved' placard on it. Veni, without even the slightest conscious, moved the placard and got us the perfect corner seat. She made some comment like, "American courtesy rules do not apply in China." and the owner of the restaurant came quickly to greet her.

Chinese New Year miracle number one...we were just in time for the dragon show and that this blessing will surely bring good luck for our new year.

What an amazing delight! The food was fantastic. No, you will not find any of these dishes at the Safeway deli. I don't know what they are called or how a person would make them again, but I do know that the most scrumptious thing on the buffet was the Parrot fish. Their little faces looking up at me made me a little...well... But OH! Parrot fish twice in one week....

And then the dancers arrived. What a show. They came through the restaurant. They lit off tons of firecrackers. The drums were beating. It was amazing.

At one point Veni and I were laughing so hard that the owner pointed at her and said something like, "Wow! You laugh so hard!" and Veni pointed at me and said, "It's her!" Then the owner brought over an envelope with money for Veni. I suppose Veni has good status, because now she will have a lucky year.

That evening I was invited to our old friends Ted and Kathy's house. They live on the West side of the island, in a community of expats. The last time we were at their place it was cement and rubble. Sometimes these island construction projects take a lot of time. I pulled up into their yard and was blown away by the place. The vision that Kathy had described to me all those years ago has come to full fruition. I was walking around the place looking like a Japanese tourist trying to take pictures of everything. This dark picture is of their living room. See the open style. Yea...

The garden was filled with the fan palms and the flowers and the ginger torches. The rooms with the lighting and the colors, and all eco friendly. I am going to have to go back in the daylight to document the most fabulous inside spaces... The bathrooms with their open ceilings and deep wooden tubs brought over from Japan are especially noteworthy.

Finally, I must post a picture of the infamous water saving toilet that EVERYONE who has ever discussed toilets with me knows that I have been coveting since the first time I saw such a thing.

Kathy and I had a great time catching up and then she took me to her friend Pam's house (right next door. Pam is to Kathy like what Irene is to me.) Talk about out of this world! How could I go from drinking power aide in fabulous glasses at the most beautiful house to drinking water with lime at a more luxurious house in an equally fabulous glass. Pam and Mark have friends over from Seattle and so we all sat around and visited and told stories to each other until I knew I was going to fall asleep at the wheel on the way home.

It had just finished raining when I left their place, and the drive back from Kagman area through the jungle with the windows down was the most refreshing sensation. I have always believed in perfect moments. Last night, on that drive, after a day with fun friends, I realized I had had some...

Saipan!

It has been a wonderfully busy weekend with the Ramsey's. Friday I jogged on the beach and I was surprised at how happy I was doing it. Although occasionally I missed my Wii jogging mates. It was nice to have a day to rest and reflect and follow Karen around. She is a fun friend. Very refined and sweet, she has made me feel very welcomed in her home. Karen has two boys, fourth and fifth grades. They are super boys and yet this house is so quiet! I am developing a theory about hot climates and concrete houses that I will have to develop more fully before going in depth about it, but it has to do with heat and being outdoors subduing the spastic ways of children. This is a picture of Santa and the Virgin Mary on the rooftop of Karen's neighbor.

Here are some of the highlights of the weekend in pictures.

Papaya from a patient at the hospital. Delicious! Some of Scratches 29th Cousins.

Saturday I got my first manicure and pedicure. I walked in the door and this hairdresser shouts out to the room, in Tagalog accent, "Whew, Look at Ms. Prada bag stepping into our shop!" Don't tell me designer knockoff handbags don't pay off...

It was actually just a good polishing and I mostly just had fun talking with the gals in the shop. There were good omens there, including this guy, who had a Flight of the Concords, "Business Time" t-shirt on.

The party (aka the reason I am here) went well. Americans on Saipan are nice people. There are cultural differences however, and it is funny when I think of what they are. For instance, even though this is "socially inept, fat, balding, white guy paradise" as you are constantly seeing these guys with super hot Asian women, people don't really acknowledge it until I point it out. I guess denial is a good thing. I will have to continue working on my stand up routine.

I couldn't tell afterwords if people had a good time, but fortunately, gossip is really rampant around here and the word is that the word is that yes, indeed they had a good time. Whew!

Sunday, I had lunch with my girlfriend Kelly. It was fun to catch up on the Paag/Stephens family and to have someone to share grief with over our friends passing.

Then I came home and took a really long nap. When I woke up the phone was ringing and it was Veni and Greg calling to see if I wanted to come and pick nick with them at Micro beach. You Bet! Greg is from Haines and I will say... Talking with them was like being in my culture. Greg could totally relate to wood gathering OCD and small town politics.

It is Chinese New Year today and at Midnight the fireworks started going off. That only lasted over an hour. I've been having a bit of insomnia brought on by CAFFEINE...can you imagine my shock! Too much chocolate...too much black tea...add to that fireworks and dogs and a small head cold and I am finding myself over sleeping and being kind of a mess. Veni just called and she is coming over to pick me up for lunch. That ought to help snap me out of this weird la la land I am finding myself in.

Contrary to the desires of all my American friends, I think I am going to rent a scooter and zoom around the island tomorrow...stay tuned!

Alana's Pan-Pacific Expo, Days 3 and 4

On the morning of the second day in Guam, I gave Stacy the camera. This posting is going to be a pictorial description.

Manuel is a security guard and works the night shift at the employee parking lot a big hotel. He picked us up after working and took us on our first important mission of the day, putting in the application for a new apartment. We went by and visited their cousin Rose at the apartment building and saw her new baby. We went and talked to the apartment building management. By this time Manuel was looking totally wasted and so we came back to the ranch, started to prepare the bar b que. Lucy taught me how to make green papaya pickles while the kids played in the yard. Another cousin gives them outdated food to feed the pigs and so Stacy and I fed the pigs some hostess powdered donuts. The pigs loved it!

When we were done, we went back to the hotel and swam while Manuel got some sleep.After a significant amount of sun, Lucy and I enjoyed a cold drink on the patio. Then back to the ranch for Barbecue!

The owner, "Pop" was there and was instructing the men on how he wanted the ladder to go up to the sleeping loft in the 'wind room'. I told Lucy that when I have my land I will hire her and Manuel to come and build me a 'wind room'. It is fabulous. "Pop" comes by with soda for the kids. This darling girl loves soda. Isn't that shocking? "Pop" likes giving them soda.

Lucy cooked some hot dogs and got the other food together while I was watched by the hungry eyes of cute Yapese babies.

Oh, I make it sound like I was the most interesting thing there. I was not, I was just the whitest. More interesting was a tiny boonie chick who "Pop" kept giving to the tiny girl. My belief in reincarnation was validated as I watched this little chick getting manhandled by the baby. I was running through the list of minor and major offenses that this little chicken could have been guilty of previously... it was not really enough for OJ.... but perhaps too harsh for Ted Stevens....

One of the first things I got to hear from "Pop" was how he had adopted Manuel's cousins son. I looked over at the boy with his video game and new shoes. Pop kept talking about his wonderful farm and the party they are having next Sunday for this beautiful girl who he "was going to take but he is too old now." I like to think that it's just the vernacular and the precision of language...that each word has such nuance that there is no way a person could speak three or four languages and realize the power the word 'was' can have....

He then cleared his trachea tube.

Vince asked me if I called him on his.,..well, you know... But I told Vince, "What do you say? The guy is no different than many other old Chamorro guys, lived through the war, thinks he is doing this great service, loves being the chief... Like he would listen?" Vince knows what I mean.

Meanwhile, "Pop's" wife and the cousins and I enjoyed a wonderful meal, the chicken was fabulous. The rice perfect. The papaya... uh...Stacy said, "Nu (Willie's Yapese name) is going to be jealous!" and I will say, yes, he will... so she took this wonderful picture.The next day Manuel came to the hotel and enjoyed an honest sleep while the kids watched TV and Lucy and I went to the school to find out what was going on with Jermaine and his IEP. (This is where I must say that if you are an American reading this blog and you have friends who are Islanders and you are in Micronesia, take the time to accompany them, anywhere. Go with them to any place where they need something and prepare to sit in awe of the blatant racism that you will get to watch.) It is incredible what a white lady who uses a sweet voice and the sentence, "Gosh, according to Disability Law, we should be able to call an IEP meeting at any time, and we are here to do that today." can get accomplished.

Then we took the kids back to the pool at the hotel and they swam while we filled out paperwork. When we left the pool the lifeguard told Lucy and the kids, "Anytime you need to swim, if I am working you can come here, please, no problem. For the kids, it was quite an honor.

"Pops" offered to drive me around the island and tour me, but unfortunately, there was not time for that. (Manuel and I laughed in the car, "He thinks I would come all the way here so that I could drive around with him?") Instead, I got to be with this wonderful family as they took me to all their favorite places. They took me to the store and the beach. We went by the military base which is an enormous part of the island. Manuel stopped the car so I could try to take pictures of butterflies on what Lucy calls the "I Love You" flower. They took me to Lucy's brothers house so that I could meet her mother. This is a woman so poor she gave birth to Lucy alone in the boonies squeezing a coconut tree.

Lucy always tells people, "Kim and Alana are like my sisters." and I hope that there is a way that I can show her that I feel for her the exact same way.

Saying good-bye to them, not knowing when I will see them again, was painful. I take comfort though in knowing that it won't be nearly as long as last time and that their lives in Guam, although challenging, is much much better than what the life in Saipan had been. (Can you imagine?) Times like these, I like saying Aloha instead of Good-bye.