Perry's Big Day Out!

Perry and I had quite the adventure today.  After a couple of hours of de-VBS-ing a few of the rooms in the church that didn't need decorations for Sunday's program, Perry and I went on an adventure with our friends Melanie and Shauna. 

Our first stop was the Sheridan Resort.  I had no clue this resort even existed until the last week I lived on island in 2008. (It is hidden and not on the same strip with the rest of the big resorts.)  It was the location of our end of year teacher's luncheon. The views were spectacular.  I always told myself I would return, but just had never been there...until two weeks ago when Shauna had her graduation dinner there.  But since it was an evening meal, I still wanted to go back in the daytime to enjoy the view. 

Perry and I pose on the path through the fountains. 

We ate lunch at one of the places on the shore in the distance. 

Perry embraces his inner Chamorro and rides a carabao. 

I'm not sure why I had the bright idea to hike down a cliff, but her's a pic to prove it happened.

After our many stairs, Perry takes a seat at the beach bar.  He was disappointed to discover I wasn't buying him a drink.

After our Sheridan adventure, we were starving. We climbed lots of stairs and mountains to take all of the pictures, so we stopped at a relatively new restaurant on island call Tu Re's.  I love it, and the view is spectacular (as you can see in these two pics)!

He look...it's the Sheridan Resort in the distance...where we just were!

After a leisurely lunch, we needed to burn off the calories that we didn't get burned at Sheridan, so we headed off to Chamorro Village. Chamorro Village is a touristy shopping area with several food vendors.  On Wednesday night there is a giant street market and it is very crowded. The rest of the time it is pretty quiet.  

Perry gets even closer to a carabao. 

After I managed to squeak through Chamorro Village by only spending $1, we went to a lookout by the governor's complex.  What a view!

It's not every day you can be shot out of cannon. (Actually, if you were to look at previous blogs, you will see that isn't Perry's first cannon flight.)

Nor is it the first time for me to climb on top of a cannon. (But I have never been on this cannon.)

Symbol of Chamorro heritage--the latte stone. 

Ummm, Perry, you probably shouldn't sit there. 

After a long day in the sun, only one thing would do--Ice cream!  Shauna wanted Cold Stone. Melanie and I wanted Yogurtland, so we stopped at both!  Sadly, these adventures had to close because Shauna had to go to work.  Melanie, Perry, and I decided to regroup and meet back at 5:30pm. (By regroup, I mean take a nap.  I actually did work on some things for the VBS program. And I took a short power nap.)  This evening, Melanie, Perry, and I met a few more friends down at the beach for a sunset swim and picnic.  

I just said picnic. What food would you associate with picnic?  I hear sandwiches. I hear fried chicken.  Good answers.  Kathy made soup. Because when I think beach sunset picnic, I think a warm pot of soup! (Yes, Kathy, I know you are probably reading.)  It was delicious soup and fun was had by all.  

Nuclear bomb cloud pic over Hilton. 

VBS: Maker Fun Factory

I know I had been a little slow about posting about Perry and my adventures this last week, but it was VBS week. So instead of having time in the evenings to "waste" on my computer, I was at VBS (and then too tired to care when I came home).

This was year #13 for me to direct Guam VBS.  (This was Perry's seventh year to attend Guam VBS).  It was a GREAT week...as always. :) 

Here's a few favorite pics.

Two Lover's Point

My friend Kathy and I were driving back from breakfast.  Since the day was still young, she asked if I had been to Two Lover's Point recently. I hadn't. So the next thing we knew, we were playing tourist in Guam. 

What I will share in this blog is about the Two Lover's Point. However, I want you to know that the actual highlight of this entire adventure was when we were driving down the jungle road to get there, a giant...GIANT...hog ran out of the jungle, in front of our car, and back into the jungle on the other side of the road.  I was so disappointed that I couldn't get my camera out fast enough. :(

Two Lover's Point is the scene of a famous Chamorro legend.  Here's the basics.  It is the days of the Spanish Period in Guam.  Wealthy Spanish aristocrat marries Chamorro Chief's daughter. They have a daughter of their own.  She is arranged to be married to a Spanish captain. However, she's in love with a poor Chamorro boy.  The dad learns about the romance, so he demands she marry the Captain that night. So the girl sneaks away to meet her Chamorro boy. The father, captain, and soldiers follow after them.  They are then trapped between the people and the edge of a cliff.  They tie their hair in a knot, kiss, and jump off the cliff into the ocean.  Hence the name, Two Lover's Point. 

The sign here says don't jump.  Obviously the two lovers missed that. 

My friend Kathy. 

Ahhhhh...love the colors of the ocean.  (Side note: I have hiked along the bottom of the cliff many times.)

Added this pic because Kathy likes the bird flying by.  

Me taking a pic. 

I figured I should pose like the rest of the tourists--peace sign. (Two Lover's statue in the background.)

Guam Catch the Wave

Youth Retreat #4 of the summer has concluded.  I'm tired. Perry's tired. And we both look forward to not packing any more suitcases or switching beds until it is time to return to Oklahoma. (Since June 1st, we have slept in seven different beds and been on nine flights.)

The retreat was great! We again stayed at Oceanview Hotel in Tumon (the tourist town).  From our hotel, we have a great view of the ocean. It wasn't the best sunset ever, but still enjoyable.

We had sixteen teens and three adults attend.  I never got a picture with everyone at once, but here's a couple of beach group pictures.

In addition to our sessions, music, and prayer walks,

....we had some crazy games....

....and did a lot of swimming.....

....and ate a lot of food.  Here's a pic from Jamaican Grill which is a Guam favorite.  When I lived on island there were two of these restaurants.  The year I moved, the put one in about a half of a mile from where I lived to make three! 

I do love my Guam Catch the Wave retreats.  So many memories.  Some of these guys have siblings that have been coming since the first retreat in 2006! One of the adult sponsors has been to eleven retreats now as chief cook!  (Her youngest still has several years to go until he is old enough to attend, so we still have a lot of retreats together to go!)  For now, I leave you with....

Managaha Island

Managaha Island is a snorkeler's favorite place just a twenty minute boat ride from Saipan.

Perry had the chance to be captain!

We saw lots of fish...and lots of tourists!  I think it was the most crowded I had ever seen.  Thankfully, we have the tradition to head straight back to the back side of the island to get away from the crowds.  Besides fish there is a bit of WWII wreckage scattered about as well.

And the views are amazing...from every angel!

Perry took his first selfie (and broke a few rules)....

As we left the island, we asked the captain if we could go near one of the airplanes that crashed during WWII.  If you look carefully at the blob in the water, it is an old WWII airplane.