Sunday, May 31, 2009

Guam still...

At the Yokoi cave resort area they had this flower !  So huge and such a gorgeous center.
During a squall we took refuge under this shelter which was part of the tourist area.
Our dog guide was more interested in chasing the ducks than guiding us over to the cave.
The above sign was in the cable car!  Thought it rather funny as who would dump outside? (in my family's part of the world to dump means to do a big poop.!)
A clearer description of how Yokoi lived.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Yokoi Shoichi's

Getting on the cable ride, the cute mother dog jumped on with us.
Views from the cable ride.

Jack and I on the ride.  
Below is Shoichi Yokoi's photo taken from when he was honored later in life.  It is on a poster at the maid entrance.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Yokoi Shoichi's cave

From the Love Land of yesterday's post we took the cable ride for about 5 minutes over the falls (posts to come soon) and then from the other side walked about 10 minutes on a trail like above to come to the below lean too which was probably just made to protect from rain.
Yokoi Shoichi was the Japanese soldier who stayed hidden in Guam many years after the war was over.  I remember the news when he finally came out or was found.  This resort area is now made for tourists to visit his hideout.
Above the entrance to the cave and below the sign that won't let us crawl into it.  I asked the lady at the gate when we left, why the sign and she said it was for their protection and because it might cave in on us.
Very near the cave was this little stream where he could have gotten fish.  On the walk there were many taro potatoes and bananas so he wouldn't starve in all those years.  Also when we think of how we got to the cave.  Miles of pavement...several miles of rocky road...cable ride down the valley to the other side of the stream and falls...up another trail to the trail to the cave.  So many years ago with none of the  convenient transportation and trails, it would have been very easy to never be found.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Loveland

In Guam they have this walking park.  Here the kids pose at the entrance.  WOW.  They also have a sign that says NO PERSONS UNDER 18 PERMITTED.
This is kind of a dirty hands on sculpture.  Most were like white marble, but I won't post here as then I might get kicked off blogger.com as being an adult site.
These 2 I thought were nice harmless sculptures.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Guam pups and houses

On our drive around the southern part of the island we saw all levels of housing.

We all fell in love with these friendly puppies.  There were two mothers and 5 puppies and the pups would suck on either mother.  This black and white one you'll see with us on our tour of this place, the other mom is lying against the far wall.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Guam layover

SInce we had half a day free to wait for our flight from Guam to Japan after our trip to Yap, we rented a car and took the southern loop.  Above is the SDA church, on the left of above teacher is a restaurant and store where I bought some yummy veggie meats to bring back.

Below is the Navy hospital where Andy has a friend who he spent 3 years in residency with in Camp Pendleton.  However on this day she was at the clinic so he missed her.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

cooking outside

Luckily the rain didn't start until after the cooking was finished.

Here Uncle N is stirring the bamboo shoots, which will be sent back with Kyosuke's family to Tokyo.  The local relative can have bamboo shoots daily.

Iizuka kids at party

During Golden Week we had a BBQ at Jack's aunts house.  Here are some photos of the party.
Above are Jack's father's 2 sisters and the one's great granddaughter.  First great grandchild in the family.  She is a precious.
Above is Kyosuke Ono family with their 2 soccer playing sons and wife's mother.  They come out from Tokyo every Golden Week.  His mother was another Iizuka sister who died of internal cancer 26 years ago.
4 generations of Iizuka's.  The little girl is a twin to Nami our granddaughter.  Both were born on September 9, 2008.  Her father and grandfather are beauticians who have a popular beauty shop in our town.
These Iizuka's were not at the party, but their baby is another new addition to the Iizuka clan.  This one is a boy however and this photo was taken at his dedication.  His father is a policeman and a cousin to Jack....but age wise is closer to our sons.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Chiba University Hospital

Last Tuesday I returned to Chiba University Hospital to get the results of the biopsy on my ESD surgery of last month.  Well it was cancerous but they are almost sure it is all removed.  I have to go back in July for another endoscope to make sure there are no changes.  So far so good.  Above I took a photo with my doctor.  She was such a great help and encouragement to me.  The 10 days of hospital stay were made more interesting by her visits and some of the other nurses and head doctors.This was funny.  The nurse who was to explain to me how to take the medication for the next endoscope was taking me to her station to explain.  Andy and Waka were going along to translate for me.  Both Waka and the nurse started laughing and screaming each other's name.  Come to find out they were classmates in nursing school about 10 years before.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Rumung and Mary Goodbye

Here you see Andy's head in the boat and we are leaving Rumung and Mary standing waiving goodbye.  
Jordan translating for Mary and I.  I asked her how many grandchildren she had and she said she had too many she really didn't know!  Later I asked Jordan's mother her daughter how many brothers and sisters she had and she also didn't want to answer as it is so mixed up with so many different husbands.  Mary is such a sweet dear lady who has helped so many people on the island of Rumung.  Her husband who we knew died last year and now she is living and helping another old man on the island.  
Below I'm hugging Mary goodbye and behind her are other Rumung island natives.  Maybe they are grandchildren too?  This island is so rich in love and beauty...you can't buy that with money...only love in return.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Mary's home in Rumung


This was the house we visited in Rumung on our first visit.  It belonged to the then chief and his wife Mary.  He has now died and she still lives on Rumung but not here.  This house she wants the church to make into a chapel for the people of Rumung.

Jordan is Mary's grandson.  Here he is getting us coconuts.

We love fresh coconuts.
Tomorrow I'll show you Mary.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Rumung again

    See why we love Rumung?  It is just so beautiful and peaceful.  This road was a real road during the war, but after the ware when all foreigners were forced to leave Yap, Rumung people declared that Rumung was off limits to even other Yap people.    This trail is so pretty.  No cars, telephone or electrical wires or even bikes.Bananas grow in abundance here too.   Very few foreigners can now travel here and when we do we must have a Rumung guide and obey their rules.
Other parts of the road around the island are rock.  Here Jack is resting his feet in a stream by sitting on a rock.
Here we are with our guide Jordan at the meeting place for the villagers.  Below the kids are posing by a stone money.  These are very precious to the Yap people.  The largest are here on this island, but Jordan would not let us take a photo there.