Spectacular views from above

HOW long have you been in the island? 10 years? 20 years? 30 years? If you have lived here all your life and performed your daily routine all these time, have you ever paused for a moment to wonder what the island looks from up above?
If you love swimming or diving, you may have already seen the underwater wonders of the island, and if you are an explorer, you may have already explored all the nooks and crannies and followed all the roads — paved, rough and even the rarely used jungle roads at one time or another. But have you seen what the island looks like from up above?
If you are one of those individuals who doesn’t care what seat is assigned to you whenever you fly in an airplane, or go to sleep immediately even before the seatbelt on sign is turned off, you may have missed a lot.
Even short flights like going to Tinian, Rota or Guam can offer you spectacular views you wouldn’t have thought about.
As much as possible, I always ask for a window seat upon checking in, and my first glimpse of the islands when I arrived here over a couple of years ago was a long strip of unpopulated jungle areas with a few roads going around and through it, bordered by pristine aquatic blue waters from all sides. My first thought was that the pilot made a mistake and we were going to make an emergency landing in a jungle but we flew on over the blue oceans for a few minutes before I finally spotted another island — this time occasional buildings and roads. My seatmate told me the first island I saw was Tinian.
In highly urbanized cities where the airports are located right within the city limits, you may even consider pilots as geniuses for finding the exact spot where to land, but in the CNMI, it’s an entirely different story. You can enjoy the view of this tropical paradise from your window seat — an island wrapped in lush greenery, pristinely blue waters and white shores marred only by a few touches of modernization.
You don’t have to necessarily board an aircraft to view the islands from above. You can drive up to elevated places such as Navy Hill or Mt. Tapochao to get a 360-degree view of the whole island, but on board an aircraft will give you a more thrilling view from a higher angle.
I haven’t had the chance to go around the island onboard an aircraft to take aerial shots yet, and I bet most haven’t done so too but if you browse the internet, you will find various Web sites with spectacular aerial photos showing the beauty of the islands.
An aerial view of the islands at night is another totally different wonder — one you should not miss when you have a chance.

Remains of an old church

SOME old structures, when repaired, come out beautiful and vibrating with a new life, but some, especially those that carry historical significance and bear witness to a glorious past, should be preserved or restored to its original form as much as possible.
In the center of San Jose village on Tinian stands one of those structures — an old bell tower — the remains of an old Catholic church.
The bell tower may look out of place in the modern and developing surroundings, but the contrast adds to the mystic of this pre-war structure despite its dilapidated and crumbling state.
The Tinian bell tower, a central landmark on the island, was the only portion of the historic San Jose church that survived the fury of the war. Over the years, this piece of history continues to attract thousands of tourists and has been one of the most photographed places in the CNMI.
Photos posted on various Web sites showed that a small plaza was built around the tower a few years back.
The old church was built by Father Pellet and parishioners in 1936.
The old bell tower in San Jose is just one of Tinian’s many historical attractions.
The island is  littered with history — latte stones, World War II relics, crumbling architecture, shrines, old abandoned Japanese buildings and the two pits where the two atomic bombs that were dropped on Japan were loaded.
During the few times I visited the island, I always experienced the same eerie feeling of intruding into a sacred part of history —knowing that every brick and mortar, every piece of nail and bar in the abandoned buildings were mute witnesses to a bloody war that shook the entire Pacific over six decades ago.
It always felt like a sin to leave footprints on the grounds and your mere presence in the historical sites seemed to be an “incursion.”
Aside from its historical wealth, the island is a paradise surrounded with spectacular vistas, secluded beaches, clear waters for scuba diving and snorkeling, and friendly people.
To get to Tinian, you can fly via Freedom Air for $69 per person, or charter a flight with Star Marianas Air. On Tinian, you can rent a car or a scooter to visit the historical and natural sites, and take you around the island.
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Celebrating Saipan’s Katori Shrine

AN altar perched on top a flight of cemented stairs at the foot of a jungle area at the far end of Sugar King Park in Garapan caught my attention the first time I visited the place a couple of years ago. I was with a couple of friends who had been on Saipan for several years and they were eager to show me around.
It was almost dark and the park was deserted. I could not stop the goose bumps that crawled up my spine as I ventured farther beyond the altar.
Out of habit, I fished out my camera from my bag and started taking photos without thinking if it was allowed or not. I knew the place was sacred and held some piece of significant history.  I returned later in broad daylight to get brighter photos.
My friends just told me that the place was Sugar King Park, but it was not until much later that I learned its name: Katori Shrine.
Information from the Internet showed that the original Katori Jinja or shrine was built on Saipan in 1911 during the Japanese era.  Fire destroyed the shrine in 1944 during World War 11 but 40 years later, the then-Marianas Visitors Bureau and the Katori Federation joined hands in re-establishing the site.
Tomorrow morning, the spotlights will be focused on the Katori Shrine as it hosts dozens of religious followers and visitors from Japan for the annual memorial ceremony.
If you have been around for a long time and have not visited the Katori Shrine, think about taking some time off tomorrow to join the rest of the visitors in celebrating the shrine’s 25th anniversary.
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Apparition at Santa Lourdes Grotto

THE date was December 26, 1995, and it was his visit to Saipan. Manny Duenas, born on Guam but whose family moved to the mainland in the early 1970s, was touring the island with a friend following a business meeting.
Duenas told the Variety that his friend suggested visiting the Santa Lourdes Shrine on Capitol Hill to which he immediately agreed.
“We arrived at the grotto about 1:30 in the afternoon, and I felt the very peaceful and calming nature there,” Duenas said.
He said that he immediately felt the presence of the Virgin Mary so he began his prayers with her at the altar.
As he was praying, he said a busload of tourists arrived at the grotto and everybody wanted to have souvenir photos at the altar. Duenas said he waited until the tourists left the area, before he asked his friend to have his picture taken at the altar, too.
“We took several pictures at the grotto before our journey home.  It wasn’t until I had those pictures developed, that I realized how “special and sacred” that grotto is,” Duenas said.
He said that each picture came out with fine color and detail, but when he came across his picture at the altar, he felt truly blessed and deeply amazed.
“The Virgin Mary was there with me, it wasn’t just a feeling,” Duenas said.
“I believed the Santa Lourdes Grotto and my spiritual experience is a sign that the Virgin Mary is still calling us to gather and pray for peace and to remember our Faith in God and the Holy Trinity,” Duenas said.
One of Duenas’ spiritual revelations was aired on Fox40 news back in March 9, 2008. In the interview, Duenas told Sacramento reporter Jamie Soriano that he found the image of the holy virgin in a palm branch in his backyard in Citrus Heights, California.
Duenas said that he was doing some yardwork when he saw what he believed was the image of the holy virgin with the baby Jesus cradled in her arms.
“I was just doing my work but for some reason, when I got to the second branch, I had the goose bumps when I saw the image, so I shared what I saw with my family,” Duenas said.
The interview, viewed by almost 10,000 people and which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bXA3hmYXnM got a fair share of comments and reactions from people who believe and those who don’t believe in him.
Duenas said he is planning to come back to Santa Lourdes shrine on December 26 and offer a mass or rosary to commemorate the 15th year anniversary when he saw the apparition there.
Duenas was born in Dededo Village on Guam with 12 siblings. He had been to Guam only on four occasions since his family moved to California in 1972 and his last visit on Guam was in 2004. He now resides in northern California East of Sacramento. Duenas is married with seven children and three grandchildren.

Discovering a secret cove

IF you are looking for a long stretch of soft, sandy beach with gentle waves lapping on the shores, it is not the place you are looking for, but this beach located at the very tip of the southern part of Saipan is one of the island’s attractions that continue to draw in both locals and tourists each day.
The remoteness could be one of its added attractions because unlike the other beaches in the island, you have to drive it rough for a minutes past the landfill in Marpi and walk the last few meters down before you can get to the beach, or take the more scenic route and walk for an hour or so through the jungles in Banzai Cliff. If you go hiking through the jungle, seeing World War 2 relics scattered along the way, hundreds of butterflies fluttering among the flowers and hordes of other insects is a pleasant diversion.
Cow Town beach is not your ideal place for a day of fun in the sand. The shores are literally covered with sharp rocks and bushes. It is not a where you can run around or chase its other because you have to carefully pick your way with each step you take.
Huge waves rolling in from the Pacific Ocean produce a thunder-like rumbling each time they slap on the jutting rocks but I find the sound pleasant.
I got the chance to visit Cow Town beach one noontime a few weeks back with a couple of friends. Finding some shade for shelter was a mission impossible in the area. The tide was low so I braved the sharp rocks and ventured into the rocky ledge and discovered a cave-like structure behind some huge rocks.
The secret cove provided us some sort of shelter from the scorching heat and we rested for a few minutes before making our way out of the rocky ledge.
Unmarred by commercialization and the advances of modernization, you can enjoy nature’s best at Cow Town beach.
For years, the beach has made it to the headlines with reports of fishermen drowning or going missing, but the lure of the place is just irresistible. Visit Cow Town beach and see for yourself what this place has to offer.

Beyond Banzai Cliff

IF you have driven all the way to Banzai Cliff in Marpi, marveled at  Suicide Cliff from a distance, got fascinated by the huge waves crashing against the rocks below, and enjoyed the quiet yet eerie atmosphere and think that you have seen everything, you’re wrong.
At the far end of the parking lot obscured beneath tall bushes is a narrow but worn trail that will not only give you a chance to stretch your legs but open more doors of excitement.
I’ve seen this narrow trail many times in the last two years as the exit point of bikers and runners in several marathon events, but I never got a chance to check out where it led until a couple of weeks ago when we had to make a trail for the company’s adventure hike the following day.
Hiking on a Friday noon with the scorching heat burning my face and shoulders, the unforgiving bites of mosquitoes on my arms and legs, and my frequent yelps of fright every time my buddies Andrew and Eric disturbed a nest of insects ahead of me was not exactly my idea of fun but it was adventure just the same.
The trail, which I learned was an old Japanese railroad now frequently used for off-road rides,  is a paradise for nature lovers — a coral forest with colorful butterflies fluttering on plants and flowers, not afraid of strangers, spiders, snails, worms, and other occupants of the jungle.
Going off the main trail a few meters into the jungle will lead you into some caves littered with remnants and relics of World War II. Half the fun is in going down the caves — or mouth of the caves as we did not explore further inside. You have to find handholds and footholds and take extra care not to slip on the sharp rocks.
We had to clear off the bushes to find a way out before we emerged back to the main trail. Further down the trail, I finally found what I had wanted to see — the late multimillionaire Larry Hillblom’s boat, or what was left of it. Near the boat was an old building which housed huge cows.
Our trek took us around the Cow Town Ranch, and down to Cow Town Beach. The tide was out and we took shelter under a huge stone crevice before heading back to where we started off at Banzai Cliff.
For seasoned hikers, the trail from Banzai Cliff to Cow Town Beach will take less than an hour, but for those who want to take it slow and easy to enjoy the sights along the way, it will take about an hour and a half.
What are you waiting for? Get some time off and prepare to be stunned by the historical treasures that lies beyond the parking lot of Banzai Cliff.
http://www.mvariety.com/around-the-island/beyond-banzai-cliff.php?Itemid=0
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Takeshita street

As early as 10 a.m., crowds, especially the younger generation start to flock to Takeshita Street to see visit the long line of stores. The crowd gets thicker throughout the day and until 9 p.m. when most of the stores close.

TAKESHITA Street, or Takeshita-dori in Jarajuku, Tokyo is a hub for the city’s younger population. There you can find McDonald’s, 7-Eleven, The Body Shop and a wide assortment of small fashion boutiques, cafés, restaurants and what-have-you.
The Takeshita Street is a pedestrian-only fashion street which starts from JR Harajuku Station’s Takeshita exit to Meiji Street (approximately 150 meters).
The stores on this street are mainly flashy fashion boutiques for young people including a variety of lineup from accessories, miscellaneous articles, character goods, and fast food and they are always crowded with mostly junior high and high school students. There also are many small-sized pioneer stores closely following the latest trends which indeed reflect Tokyo’s trend itself that changes rapidly. There also are many stores selling crepes with people standing in a long line in front of every one of them. Takeshita Street indeed lures a large number of people on weekends and holidays.
The first time I passed by the place was past midnight during my first night in Tokyo. Misako-san’s house is a few blocks up. Takeshita street looked like any regular side street with lots of colorful graffiti on the walls, so narrow that I was worried if the taxi we were riding could fit in the road. Miraculously, it did and we arrived at Misako-san’s condo unit.
The next day around 9 a.m. I got the chance to walk on the street on our way out to pick up the kids from their apartment in Koenji.  A few of the stores were preparing to open and the street started to spring to life. No cars were allowed in the street during the day.
Takeshita Street throbs with so much color and life and activity that there is barely enough room to move around.
By 11 a.m., I head the street gets really jam-packed, and you have to literally rub or jab shoulders with strangers to pass or get around. I got the chance to explore the street on my third day when I Misako-san told me we were free for the morning. Eagerly, I browsed the shops, getting in my fill of the sounds, sights, colors and smells of everything.
If you hate crowds and would rather not want to rub sweaty elbows with students and tourists from all parts of the world, this is not the place for you. But then, you will miss seeing the most extraordinary blend of hip-hop or punk fashion, vintage or the latest clothing trends, weird but nice- looking footwear especially those from a store named “Out of the World,” inexpensive trinkets, fancy jewelry and accessories, food, beverages and more.
Takeshita Street is home to the most unique sights especially on weekends. Individuals wearing red, green, pink or multi-colored hair and fancy costumes are a common sight.
Although the street is short, one day is barely enough to go around and browse the shops squeezed in. Don’t make the mistake of ignoring even the narrowest doors on the sides, and don’t fail to follow steep stairs that will lead you to the basements of the stores. You don’t want to miss a lot.
I spent two mornings on Takeshita Street during my week-long stay in Tokyo last month since it was just a block away from the house of Kinpachi Restaurant owner Misako-san’s where I stayed. Time was never enough. Except for buying some necessities such as a 700 yen wristwatch and some trinkets for friends, I spent more time taking photos than browsing in the shops.
I delighted in spending 400 yen on a glass of Hawaiian blue-flavored shaved ice and dug into it with gusto. I also went to a pizza joint located in the basement of a three-story store and paid 530 yen plus 10 percent tax for a pizza meal.
I ventured inside one of these corner stores displaying a wide selection of new and used knick-knacks– wigs, boots, shoes, bags, clothes, costumes and hordes of other items. Flipping through the jeans, a light blue maong jeans  with tattered knees and legs caught my attention, and even before I looked at the price, I knew i was never going to leave the store without it.
Going inside the fitting room, the jeans fitted me perfectly, as though waiting for my arrival. I blinked at the price tag–uhuhhh Y1,990 yen. Doing a mental calculation, the jeans costs about  $24 and I closed my eyes when the cashier rang up my purchase.
Squeezed among the stores and fast food chains and all the commercial hullabaloo going around, there’s this one house that breaks the tone, its tranquil facade presenting a total contrast to the hubbub of activities going on around it. The house should belong to a peaceful village somewhere with rivers and peaceful lagoons or fountains around it.
Everyday is shopping day at Takeshita Street, or so I learned during the week I was there. I grabbed every spare time I had to explore the street, taking photos of everything and anything, trying foods I’ve never tried before, and yet I never got my fill of everything. There is just so much to see and do but I was able to grab some items for pasalubong for friends in Saipan–a couple of shawls for an office mate, a watch for my roommate, rugs for my room, bracelets and other knickknacks for friends.


One notable thing about Takeshita Street is that despite the narrow space and hordes of people flocking the road, there is not a single piece of trash or even a cigarette butt on the sidewalks or anywhere. The street is notably clean.


Brightly colored shoes are among the most saleable merchandise at Takeshita Street.
Your Takeshita Street experience will never be complete if you will not try one of these world-famous, must-try ice cream crepes. Crepe stalls are everywhere and you can try the various fillings from Y350 to Y500 and even up to Y1,000 if you go for a combination of fillings and toppings. I tried the creme with fruits and nata de coco
Planning a trip to Tokyo? Don’t miss visiting Takeshita Street. It is located directly across from the Takashita exit of JR Line Harajuku Station.