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Published: March 13th 2012
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Northern Rock Islands
These uninhabited islands off the north coast of Babeldaob, called to us for a private picnic and snorkel. Alas, not a fishing boat could be found for an impromptu hire, so we hope to someday return and try again. It’s spring 2010. Expo Shanghai is crowded and hot. Kirsten and I venture into the South Pacific pavilion to escape the crowds and get a taste of island life. Numerous little grass huts are scattered in an air conditioned arena. Tahiti, Fiji, Vanuatu, Guam,....and Palau?? Hmmm, what is this place, Palau? Pictures of swimming with jellyfish and beautiful azure waters tweak my curiosity.
Flash forward to fall, 2011. Matt and I are seeking a warm February getaway. That jellyfish picture calls out from my memory. And now the discovery begins! Every twist and turn throughout our journey reveals to us a place of surprising ease of travel, familiarity, and yet exotic pleasures. First it’s location: a mere 5 hour direct flight SE of Seoul AND using frequent flier miles, free for Matt! Widespread use of English language, US$ currency, and the same time zone as Korea make for a quick, easy adaptation. Couple that with finding 2 beach front locales: 1 remote, spartan, and full of local flavor, the other offering the finer things in life, like internet connectivity and wonderful buffet breakfasts and dinners. VOILA! The perfect vacation!
For such an unknown place, this
Our beachfront cottage
1 of only 4 cottages and set beachside. Constructed out of local mahogany. small group of islands sure has a lot going for it. In the esoteric diving world, this place is WELL known. It contains one of the top 5 dive spots in the world. For snorkelers alike, Palau boasts world class status. For eco-tourists, this place also makes its mark. Palau can boast in being the first shark sanctuary in the world. We also discover there are many eco minded sites around Palau with well maintained nature trails and identification signs for various species of plants. It made that $15 “green fee” required for departure feel like it was well put to use. Perhaps what most surprised me was the evidence that Palauans have integrated eco consciousness into their everyday lives. Along the road, outside of homes, are raised wooden platforms with crudely labeled containers for aluminum, plastic, and garbage. This is very unusual for a relatively poor island nation.
Like the U.S., Palau is run by a democratic government. But they also have a chief who handles the “cultural” aspects of life. And what a wonderful culture they have! Even our 17 year old snorkel assistant spoke in a positive way about living there. “It’s the culture.”
North Beach Cottages beach
At low tide, we walked for more than an hour on the soft sandy bottom, stepping over sea slugs, and lulled by the pounding ocean roar at the reef way out from the shore's edge. He said. “When a couple has their first baby, everyone gathers and throws them a shower with gifts and money. If there’s a funeral, everyone comes together with food and help.” We observed evidence of that when we attempted to visit the “state office” to obtain travel information. Sorry, closed for the day due to a funeral. After a lovely beachfront wedding, one of the Palau women attending told me that weddings in Palau are very simple and traditionally sealed through a food offering from the bride’s family and a gift of money from the groom’s. Of course, IF the couple wishes, they can go to a court for an “official” document and now an “American type wedding” is becoming popular where there is a ceremony and gathering.
Perhaps what I most enjoyed about the culture of Palau was its friendly, outgoing nature. As we drove around Babeldaob Island for 3 days, almost without exception, when we passed someone, they would wave. “It’s small here, so many people know each other” our snorkel guide explains. I found it easy to adapt to that! After a short time, Matt and I found ourselves waving out the window without
Matt's Tahitian beauty
ok, he MADE me include this in the blog and the title as well...... abandon. At MJII grocery mart, as we purchase our simple supplies for the day, in walks a customer. Immediately he extends his hand, “Hi, I’m Robin.” I felt like saying, “Pleased to meet you. Mick Dundee. Australia.” I also enjoyed the non-violent, safe feel of Palau. “If there’s one murder per year, that’s a real news item”, our kayak guide explains. Even petty crime is relatively low. One of the benefits of having imposed gun control and a small native population (around 20,000) who carry a laid back and forgiving character.
While Palau feels very familiar with many American food products and even the same road signage as America, there are two aspects of Palau that lend a bit of exotic vibe to the experience. Palau is a place filled with legends. There are legends around the ancient remnants of human activities (e.g., the monoliths) as well as the natural formation of the lands and the marine life around it. Even their most representative souvenir, a storyboard, is comprised of local carving handiwork combined with depiction of legends. Check out my photo captions for a couple legend examples. Secondly, the Palauans, like the Fijians with their Kava,
Beachfront wedding
Sunset after the wedding. enjoy a local natural stimulant, Betelnuts. Sold fresh in the grocery stores, it’s a green nut about the size of a large walnut. They chew it with “lime” (baking soda?? Not fruit lime) most of the day long. “When you chew it, you feel all warm inside”, I’m told. “If you’re feeling stressed or bothered, after chewing it, everything is ok.” Anyone, teens and older, can partake. And yes, it is mildly addictive. Chewing is accompanied by periodic spitting of the brown liquid and will leave their teeth stained a very unsightly chocolate brown. Ok, this is one aspect of the culture that I think you have to be native to truly understand.
Going to market in Palau is not like any Asian or American market I’ve attended before. It consists of 1 or 2 tables under an open sided hut in the shade. Arrive early and you can observe the local women coming in with their homemade goodies. Sort of like a bake sale with everything presented on paper plates or simply wrapped. There’s a plate of steamed crabs, $1.25, and packets of steamed tapioca wrapped in Betelnut bark for $1.00 each. The quick seller is
Palau Pacific Resort
Beach on the left, dock toward right, where we met our boats for snorkeling and kayaking adventures. The waters were filled with coral life and wonderful snorkeling. We snorkeled with a sea turtle and saw a velvety giant clam as big as Sheri! the large, still warm tubes of freshly cooked and crushed tarot. How about some dumplings in coconut cream or maybe fried tiny bananas or deep fried banana spring rolls? Of course, on the side there are fresh fruits like guava, papaya, sour sop, and more baby bananas ($1.50 for a large bunch). The atmosphere is laid back and the goodies quickly disappear as locals come in for their favorites and hang out awhile to rest and chat. Matt and I try just about everything that looks interesting and find ourselves returning for more.
So much of our Palau experience is on or under the water. Unfortunately, this cannot be captured on my Nikon camera. Without pictures, I still can’t forget that this is the first place I snorkeled with a sea turtle and a shark just under my belly. Also, unparalled is the experience of snorkeling amidst a population of 10 million stingless jellyfish. It was like being in a dream, surrounded by pulsating, pink peaceful jellyfish. I held their gelatinous bodies in my hand and smiled as they bumped around my legs. Also, I wish I could’ve recorded the fun of paddling over coral reefs and
Palau Shark Preserve
A group of world traveling sand castle builders came to PPR and worked for days to carve out this elaborate sand castle. Look for them in a future TV special as a filming crew came along with them. around our hotel while standing on a surfboard. I passed by boatloads of waving Asian tourists and received encouraging comments and thumbs up from locals and divers passing by on their boats. And last, the experience of hand feeding a sting ray with bits of raw tuna. Little teeth, like a vacuum, whisk the food off of my hand and away he goes. Of course, much of the experience in retrospect I wish I would’ve photoed. Nonetheless, there are lots of fun photo memories from our “empty nest” getaway to Palau. Check them out and enjoy an escape to Palau!
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Laura Smith
non-member comment
Sheri's photo
Okay, I have to vote for Sheri's maiden photo compared to Matt's jump off the cliff shot...teehee! Sheri you look great!!! Miss you guys!