The island is now a memory

My trip to Guam was about as perfect as a business trip could be. While Guam is way out in the middle of the Pacific, the flight wasn't too terribly bad (it's 7 1/2 hours past Hawaii...for those who don't know).

Guam has a very unique history, and one that I'm certain that many Americans are not familiar with. Long ago, it was ruled by the Spanish. The Japanese occupied it during WWII, and it is now a US protectorate territory. Between now and 2014, the US will be closing Japanese military bases (like Okinawa) and moving thousands of military personnel and their families to Guam. I'm hopeful that this will help build the local economy and strengthen the infrastructure.

Click here to read a pretty good overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Guam

Guam is a lot like Hawaii, but the economic conditions are considerably worse. We took a trip around the southern tip of the island and saw many of the villages. It's very clear that most of the economic action on the island takes place in the central and north.

Regardless of north or south, village or city...the scenery and the people were beautiful. I'm appreciative of the opportunity to meet people at Guam Community College and the University of Guam.

Here were a few pictures I took at Two Lovers Point (a very famous cultural landmark).

Click here to read the legend of Two Lovers Point: http://www.twoloverspoint.com/legend.htm

It sure is beautiful.

Tumon Bay: A view from Two Lover's Point

This last picture is of me at the property on Two Lovers Point by the symbolic representation of the latte stones: the iconic symbol that represents Guam. The stones remind me of a challis, and they are everywhere across the island. Click here to read about the stones: http://ns.gov.gu/latte.html