|
After our week on the Palau Aggressor II, we spent a few days on Palau looking around and checking out the local culture. As most photographers
will tell you, Murphy is always close at hand. Just as we started touring Palau, the shutter mechanism in our land camera failed. So, we have some suggestions and comments, but no photos!
STORYBOARDS:
The Micronesian history is told in fables, many of which are recorded on storyboards. A storyboard is an intricately carved piece of wood which has all the clues to remind a storyteller of the details so that the stories will stay (relatively) similar in the retelling process. They make great wall art and are a frequent souvenir of a trip to Micronesia. Folks told us that they were less expensive on Yap than on Palau, but we didn't buy on Yap. They were plentiful on Palau, but about double the price of Yap ($100 vs. $50 for 7" x 15"). However, we found the Palau Senior Citizens Center on Koror which sells works made by its members through its Ormuul Gift Shop. The profits go to support senior citizens activities and projects. We got a storyboard of very nice quality for about $70. Any taxi driver can get you there. It's almost across the street from the Supreme Court. Phone (680) 488-2165
 ACCOMMODATIONS: We stayed on Arakabesang Island
(across a bridge from Koror) at the Sunrise Villa Palau. We had an excellent room with a great view for a (relatively) reasonable price!
The restaurant was very good with reasonable room service. They provided friendly shuttle service to the airport for the 2:30 A.M. departure, thank you Continental
Air Micronesia! It is even walkable to the well known (and very pricey) Palau Pacific Resort, where we did have one lunch and enjoy the surroundings.
THE BRIDGE: The airport is on the sparsely inhabited Babeldaob Island. The capitol and most of the commerce is on Koror Island. The road between them runs about 10
miles. To get between the islands, a bridge was constructed in the early '90s. On September 26, 1996, the bridge totally collapsed with a minor loss of life and property.
As a temporary connection, a pontoon bridge spans the channel next to the ruins of the KB Bridge. Plans are underway for construction of a replacement. Now the remnants of
the old bridge are a tourist attraction! Talk about making lemonade out of lemons!
Other places to visit in Palau are:
- The Crocodile Farm
- The Belau National Museum (History and customs of the islands - where my camera took a powder)
- The Shell Museum (a very commercial, but interesting place)
- Sunrise at the Sunrise Villa Palau.
- Sunset at the Palau Pacific Resort.
- The Japanese World War II infrastructure - both those items still in use and those in ruin!
|
