Mar
01
while it would be possible to start southward from the north, the more common route would be starting the drive from the more insular south through the village of Agat, which happens to be where my friends were staying. the Cetti and Cella bay overlooks were our first stops and just half a mile past the village proper...both offering sweeping views of Sumay with Mount Lamlam as the opposing back drop. there was a recent editorial published purporting that a development should be considered for the area. the audience was deeply offended and rightfully so. it brought to my mind the leo palace/manengon hills development that was an instant massive failure. it was a ghost town for more than a decade before signs of life eventually appeared. to this day, the development as a community never fully thrived. the hotel and golf course sustain that area while single family villas and tree-lined parks remain underutilized. i still consider it one of my favorite getaways on island. it is too bad we didn't have time to stop there on our around-the-island drive.
our second stop was a veteran memorial that looked onto the valley opposite the shoreline. i was amazed at the pristine and dense jungles plunging below where towering coconut trees crowded seemingly unchartered paths. there are countless memorials and war relics dotting the roadways that i would have never discovered on my own.
we next stopped at umatac's (humatak) rugged coastline and fort soledad uphill from it. it is the scene where i speak of my very best mythological "fiesta" table: the crispiest-ever roasted wild boar, fresh manahak kelaguen, and dagu titiyas that i had many years ago can never be rightfully relived. the umatac shores look frozen in time and belong in picture book- the concave shoreline, the fort up above, quaint buildings, and patches of green just steps away from the water are always picture-perfect no matter what the conditions are. a man selling coconuts from a pop-up tent was conveniently stationed where the road turned. the historical fort sits above the village shores, where an iconic sentry sits. the fort was restored in recent years and there are tables and a park to take a break in, reminding me that a picnic meal would have been perfect right about then. fort soledad was also famously featured in the pit stop during an episode of my most favorite show in the universe, the amazing race. below we could also see the village preparing for heritage week festivities. it used to just be "discovery day" to commemorate Magellan's discovery of guam. in 2014, it was recently renamed to "guam history and Chamorro heritage day", kick starting the entire month as "mes chamoru"
Malesso pier was just another 2-3 miles up the road and is the southern-most tip of the island. another seaside stop, it is also where ferry boats to cocos island . cocos island is in the distance and i've been trying to visit that place for more than a decade. we take photos on the very small stretch of pier and start to strategize our meal plan. there is an obvious lack of concessions and i start to google map our way to McKrauts in Maloloj...knowing fully that it is day 1 of my detox and i can't have any of it :(
before Maloloj we have to stop at the Inarajan Pools. many of my childhood weekends were spent here. my dad would dive off the planks that are in ruin now. there used to be a stair that would lead you out to a very rough and rocky overlook....it now requires a challenging trek over rocks and the ever-ebbing ocean, a nonexistent bridge, and a very questionable ladder propped up on uneven terrain. we opted to wade in the safe trickling waters closest to the edge as tourists easily obliged.
at this point McKraut's in Maloloj was a requirement to stave off our hunger. even when this joint used to be just a small shack or umbrella stand, i've never had the chance to eat there. this day would still not be my day to indulge in their famed bratwurst wrapped in basil bread. McKraut's is also the site of oktoberfest and an upcoming bier fest next week....i guess beer and sausage is their thing. our stop here ate up most of our time clock. the service was attentive yet slow. nobody complained when they got their food because it was freshly prepared and well portioned.
we made it just in time for Talafofo falls. we opted not to pay the $12 fee to enter the park. it boasts a gondola ride to the bottom of the river and a short trek to Yokoi's hideout. because we were a mere 3 minutes from closing, we were happy to just admire the view from the entry shelter in the company of sleeping dogs.
sadly there was no time for Manengon Hills, Asan Park, Latte of Freedom, Ritidian Point, or Two Lover's point...so we made an executive decision to beeline to Tumon Bay to catch the sunset. our friends were elated to be greeted by warm waters at their feet.
