Under the deep blue sea

FOR a non-diver or non-swimmer, the surface of the ocean may seem nothing but a long expanse of water with a terrifying mystery in its depths but here is a chance to prove that underneath those rolling and crashing waves, there’s a whole world down there.

Diving into the blue depths of the Saipan Lagoon does not necessarily require you to be a certified diver, or an expert swimmer. You can explore the depths and stay dry aboard the “Deepstar”, Saipan’s newest and only submarine tour.
A motor boat transported us to the submarine moored a few miles off Managaha Island on Saturday. From a distance, we could see the Deepstar bobbing on the water, looking seemingly small and I had doubts about going down in it.
I braced myself and descended 12 steep rungs through the main hatch into the interior of the submarine. I was in for a surprise.
The belly of the Deepstar was comfortably spacious and air-conditioned. Plush seats lined both sides of the submarine and we quickly filed in.
With hatches closed and cleared to dive, we descended to the bottom of the blue lagoon, the flashing numbers on the monitor telling us we were already from 16-20 meters deep.
Gone was my initial fear of the water as I peered through the large viewing portholes into an amazing aquamarine world filled with coral formations, schools of colorful, tropical reef fish and diversified marine life.
The view down is something I only saw in the movies. The tour gave us a chance to view the sunken wreck of a Japanese warship and the remnants of an airplane from the World War 11.
Diving into the deep sea aboard Deepstar submarine is the perfect way for those who don’t want to get wet yet curious of the underwater. Indeed, it’s a memorable experience especially for those who have no idea of the spectacular beauty that lies at the bottom of the ocean.
An audio narration translated in different languages gave us an idea where of where we where and what we were seeing during the tour.
Deepstar is fully certified and inspected by the American Bureau of Shipping, and United States Coast Guard, says Pacific Subsea Saipan Inc. vice president/general manager, John (Jack) McClure.
Pacific Subsea Saipan is the largest marine tour operator on Saipan. Over 17 years providing marine tours, Subsea has served over one million passengers aboard their various vessels.
Any trip to Saipan won’t be complete without going on a submarine tour that is recognized through out Asia as a “must-not-miss” tour
Pacific Subsea has 30 reliable people behind its force, sharing the same goal of providing guests an experience of a lifetime.
Deepstar has a capacity of 48 passengers and makes several dives a day on an hourly schedule, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. McClure said they also offer services like providing Managaha transfer vessels. (http://www.mvarietynews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2875%3Aisland-explorer&Itemid=23)

For more photos click here.

A Hike to Old Man by the Sea

Island explorer

The spectacular rock formation resembles the figure of an old man crouching on the seashore, and this is the first thing that catches your attention the moment you emerge from the thicket and step into the grassy clearing. We were at the Old Man by the Sea, drenched with sweat and our lazy bodies a little bit shocked by the unexpected hike.

The trail is a little bit challenging because we presumed that the Old Man by the Sea is that accessible anytime that when you stop your car, you’re there but we were wrong. A short hike is necessary (that is if you call 30-45 minutes jungle trek a short hike).

The trail involves going up steep slopes and going down cliffs which could get muddy and slippery if it rains. There are portions where you have to hold on to ropes or hang on to the roots of the trees for support, and you have to duck to avoid having your hair or your head get entangled with the low twigs. If you don’t pay much attention to where you’re going, you may get confused and lose your way in the thicket but you will find the trek well worth it when you get there.

The beachside is spectacular with unusual rock formations and huge waves washing over the rocks, a perfect place to commune with the sun, sea and sky, indeed. Here is one haven where you can sit for hours, forget time as you relax and listen to the sound of the waves breaking on over the reefs, or wade in the cold, knee-deep waters near the shore.

Legend has it that an old man was fishing at this beach one day, and he cursed the ocean for not giving him any fish. The ocean reached up and plucked the old man away, but his image was left on this rock as a reminder for everyone to respect the sea.

For those of you who have only seen pictures of the Old Man by the Sea, get up and visit the place because the lens could not exactly describe the breathtaking splendor of the beach. Take some drinking water, snacks, sunscreen or a hat. A set of and extra clothes could come in handy so you’ll be free to go for a dip.

The Old Man by the Sea is accessible by following the Talafofo Road toward Kingfisher Golf Course in Capital Hill. The trail begins just after the Egigi Road intersection and before the San Igancio Road intersection. There is a parking space on the side of the road.

Marianas Variety
(www.mvariety.com) June 11, 2008

A living memorial on Saipan

Island explore

ONE of the must-visit sites on Saipan is American Memorial Park in Garapan, a huge park which serves as a bank of World War 11 memorabilia and a recreation park rolled into one.

National Park Service Ranger Nancy Kelchner said AMP gets a fair share of about 10,000 tourists and about 50 field trips a year.

“Majority of the tourists who drop in are from Japan, Korea, China, Mainlanders (U.S.), Russia and other countries, while the field trips are from the different schools in the CNMI and Guam,” Kelchner said. She said the AMP is designed to be a living memorial for all those soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the island.

The AMP Visitors Center and WW11 Exhibit Hall just turned three years old on May 28 but already, it is gaining a steady stream of visits from locals and tourists.

A brief tour of the Exhibit Hall brings poignant memories of what transpired during the bloodiest battles fought in the island during the World War 11. You can’t help but feel goose bumps as you go through the pictures, recordings and artifacts on display, remnants of the bloody war that claimed thousands of lives years ago.

The Exhibit area has three sections--the Pre-war life, At War on Saipan and After the Battle section. Here is one hall where the chronology of the battle was recorded with artifacts that were mute witnesses of the actual events. Exiting the exhibit hall brings you to an atrium where you can reflect on the war and its impact on the islands. Opposite the reflection wall where you can see the Court of Honor and the Marianas Memorial is the Recovery Wall where colorful pictures are depicted indicating the “recovery from the ashes of the war”. This is indicative that there is life after the war.

A small library is available to help researchers and scholars, a bookshop containing English and Japanese books, videos and other merchandise related to the WW11 and the National Park Service, a 120-seater auditorium which is available for meetings, conferences, film showings, lectures and presentations.

Within American Memorial Park are amenities that the community finds useful like the Amphitheater, Micro beach pavilion, a jogging bike path under the shades of the ironwood trees, Marina and Microbeach restrooms, tennis courts, the Carillon Bell Tower where you can sit for meditation or relaxation, and the whole park which is also home to mangrove forests, native birds and other species.

The Visitors Center is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyday. Admission is free for everybody. For more information, please call (670) 234-7207, fax 234-6698, or email amme_administration@nps.gov.

Taste of the Marianas 2008

All traces of the usually-quiet American Memorial Park grounds were gone and the whole place was turned into a beehive of non-stop activities as the 10^th annual Taste of the Marianas International Food Festival and Beer Garden kicked off with much pomp on Saturday night.

The smell of the scrumptious and delectable food wafting from the different booths were enough to tantalize one’s taste buds the moment they step into the clearing which has been transformed into one huge village-type restaurant, and the visitors doesn’t need prodding to purchase tokens to avail of the wonderful spread all within their arm’s reach.

Here is one event nobody should miss. It’s that once-a-year affair when the island’s top chefs from the top hotels and restaurants go out from the confines of their kitchens and show themselves to the public to prepare delectable and affordable food.

It’s one of those rare nights in a year where locals, tourists and people from all walks of life rub elbows with each other and share in the fun and laughter as they sample and share the island’s diversity of culinary showcase.

Free entertainment from local artists and performers added sizzle to the festive event that is characterized by the unique warmth and hospitality in the island.

Guests had the chance to sample the widest array of local food and flowing drinks by hopping from stall to stall and partook of the specialties offered by this year’s participating vendors.

And for the night’s bestsellers:

Hyatt Regency Saipan: Chicken pajetas and the Shawarma, which made its debut to the island made an instant hit with the guests.

Aqua Resort Club: Beef Tinaktak, flat bread pockets with beef and Tinian hot peppers

3’s Hula Girl: Native delicacies and sweets

Ty & Tia: Pearl shakes, fruit mixes and chillers

Herman’s Modern Bakery: Double chocolate Oreo cake which disappeared in no time at all

Hafadai Beach Hotel: Barbeque, sushi and Oden, a Japanese delicacy consisting fish cake, raddish, eggs and garnish.

Pacific Islands Club: Banana crepes- fried banana rolled in lumpia wrapper and garnished with grapes, strawberry, cream and syrup.

Tony Roma’s Capricciosa: Pizza and rice croquette, a fried ball consisting of rice, green peas and stuffed mozzarella cheese dipped in savory meat sauce.

Saipan Grand Hotel and Fiesta Resort: Chinese and Korean combo

Thai House: Five choices of vegetable and seafood menu

D’ Elegance Café: Typical Filipino dishes and the ever-present pork lechon and dinuguan

Mariana Resort & Spa: Mixed serving of international taste from Mexican burritos, Chinese spring rolls and others.

World Resort: Tasty barbeque and other dishes

Palms Resort Saipan: Teppan-yaki and a set menu of three choices

Poon’s Restaurant: Chinese cuisine

Nothern Marianas Bartenders Association: Never-ending orders of all drinks, beers, Carlsberg, and Mangorita which for four tokens, you can avail of a tall, iced glass of fresh green mango juice with sugar and a shot of tequila.

Food lovers who flocked to have a taste of the local and international dishes and flowing drinks went home sated yet craving for more. The Taste of the Marianas is one of the much-anticipated events in the CNMI. The event is a chance to lose yourself in the “food and drink wonderland” for the four Saturdays for the month. Don’t miss it!

Of paved roads and heaps of twisted metal

The grumbling of my stomach and the sudden build-up of traffic brought me almost to the edge of irritation as the car I was riding rolled to a complete stop near a busy intersection at the Middle Road last week. Traffic very rarely build up in this island where the paved roads are so wide it practically takes forever if you want to cross to the other side.

It was two o’clock, I had to write my stories and rush on to another interview in a couple of hours. Waiting for almost an hour for somebody to pick me up from the wharf where I inhaled all the smoke and dust from the container trucks did nothing but to cool my rising irritation.

I craned my neck to check what caused the traffic when a few cars up I saw four wheels sticking out in the air from something which looked like an SUV. Instinctively, I fished out my camera and dashed out of the car as I instructed the driver to wait for me at the next street. Forgetting the heat, I ran towards the vehicle which seemed to be tired of running and decided to lie on the road. At the shoulder of the road beside the overturned SUV was a white Toyota Sienna van with a crashed windshield. In front of it, a woman with bloodied knees was talking to a policeman. But there was more to see.

A few meters down across the road, a white Ford FISO pickup had plunged into the drainage after colliding with a Toyota Echo, trapping the passenger of the Toyota inside the car. I kept pressing the shutter, having the side of the road all to myself because in this island, people don’t flock to the accident site and block traffic. Everybody stays a safe distance away.

Judging from the positions of the cars I could not understand who hit whom, or whose fault it was. What I know was that my knees were shaking as I surveyed the shards of broken glass and car parts scattered on the street and blamed it on the advent of modernization. I began to think that if the roads were not that paved and wide, cars would have run more slowly and accidents won’t happen.

It was gross to think that in a split of a second, four shiny and expensive cars were reduced to a sorry-looking heap of distorted and bloodied scraps of metal. Luckily, all the drivers and passengers sustained just minor wounds, thanks to the strict implementation of seatbelt rules. I had been in the island for two weeks and it was the second road accident I had witnessed, the other one involving three cars.

I have learned to buckle my seatbelt every time I ride not because of the $25 fine if a police catches you without strapping one, but because drivers in this island doesn’t seem to recognize the words “Slow Down”.

Ah, how I miss Davao and its small and crowded single-lane streets. I wouldn’t mind choosing the narrow roads with pot-holes and one-inch distances from one car to another. It is ironic but I feel comfortable in not having to bother with seatbelts (they don’t have any, anyway) every time I ride a car to anywhere. What a price modernization has to pay!

(For more articles, please visit www.raquelcuaresma.multiply.com/blogs)

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