Saipan Part 1

After 7 days straight of long work days I can finally post more of the excursion.  Wifi here is sketchy sometimes.  The work site is usually good but this morning wifi was not working at my favorite hipster coffee shop.  So I'm back in the hotel room where the wifi seems good enough this morning to upload lots of fun.

JFK airport is a parade of international airlines from everywhere.

First class menu!

When the hostess handed me a hot cloth before the meal, it sank in that yes this whole excursion is going to be different in unexpected ways.

Here is what I learned soon afterward was the first of two appetizer courses...

Because after second course was cleared (how about the fine linen?)  the hostess came by "we'll be bringing the main meal to you soon" .  

Grilled trout. Could be the best fish meal I ever had.  How about that porcelain china?

Custard

Crossing the Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia

Focaccia

Approaching Tokyo

Tokyo, another parade of int'l airlines.  Thai Airlines looking majestic.

The airline seats are in booths that are kind of like cubicles.  You get a side table and your feet can stretch out underneath the next person's table.  So you have both a side table and a rectractable front table, plus electricity and USB so you can play with all your devices.  Your seat then fully retracts flat to a bed.  At one point the hostess came by "would you like a cardigan" another instance of this new situation to which I need to adjust.

After a four hour flight from Tokyo to Guam.  The "cultural center" isn't much more than a nice gift shop.   A variety of macadamia nut products.

Turbo prop from Guam to Saipan (ready to board in Guam at like 3AM local time), a 50 minute flight.

Saipan... my hotel is a short walk from this

 Stood here and just lost myself

 The construction site I am working at is adjacent to these resorts

Seriously

I'm staying on the main drag.  One of many gift/beach supply stores

Rented a Toyota CJ Cruiser for half a day.  Battle memorials many places on the island.

Many Japanese jumped to their deaths in fear of not so friendly treatment if captured.

Japanese memorials at what is known as "Suicide Cliff":

The eastern side of the island has rougher seas. Trade winds always from the east.

Construction site

A crew of four drill the soil probes. My task is to make detailed measurements of the recovered soil, and collect specimens for laboratory analysis.

One of a few Chinese meals with the management team, whom are Chinese from Hong Kong, Singapore, and Macau.  This spread below is Southern Chinese.  We went for Northern for New Years Eve with a big crowd. Neither was anything like in the US!  I much prefered the Northern because Southern uses more exotic seafood and animal parts that were not easy for me to be accustomed to.  The Chinese have been very hospitable, so the best way to be diplomatic was to accept their hospitality and try most of what was offered to me.  There was often a language barrier, but a good time could be had because for me the saying held true that ninety percent of communication is nonverbal.  Nods, smiles, and raising your glasses in good cheer.

just doing my job

Myself with John, the project archaeologist.  He is in charge of collecting artifacts found during excavation for the hotel foundation.  He is Chamorru which is a local Pacific Islander. There are Micronesians, Melonesians, and Polynesians.

Flashy cars are rented by many places here

A shell once used as a carving blade that John found in the excavation.

The orange jeep-looking car is my rented Toyota.

Pieces of coral that we found in the soil probe about 30 feet below ground.  The islands here are on coral just as we are on clay and glacial sand and boulders back home:

 UXO, unexploded ordnance from WWII are common here. this is a Japanese beach mine ("baby mine") because it's relatively small. They are old and harmless due to decades of rain and decomposition.  Care is still taken before hauling them offsite.

John opening a coconut, islander style. The juice is a natural source for electrolytes.

Lizard on construction equipment

Another view of my seat on the Tokyo flight

lounge act

JFK Terminal 7

Experiences as a first-time First Class passenger....

"sir, this is the emerald club" The counter attendants looked at me incredulously. I had come up a short escalator then walked by the counter, into the first class lounge, without showing the proper credentials.  Plus I am dressed for coach class as always, unbuttoned shirt, fleece vest and all, and dressed for my travel purpose which is outdoor work. This is the British Airways lounge with very fresh juice and fruit, somewhat fresh pastries, latte/cap machine, and of course tea.  The First Class set, as I see it here is subdued in dress and manner.  A stray Coach passenger! the attendant must have thought.

the above fountain mesmerizes with its somewhat pulsating splashes

The attendants waved me through to the lounge,m after a vigorous inspection of my passport and complimentary lounge pass.  I was given the complimentary pass at the baggage check due to being a first class passenger.

I board for Tokyo in an hour.  So far, there have been none of the usual pre flight hardships. First Class doesn't feel like traveling as I have known it.   Separate shorter line for baggage check-in, and again for the security screen.  The lounge I would say is cosmopolitan with an assortment of armchairs of various leather, velvet and brocade appearances.   In Coach I would be crammed in those benches where there are usually two outlets for all the passengers to charge their phones and computers.



With everyone traveling for the holidays, today there is an ocean of cars in long term parking.  My travelers tip is to photograph where you parked for when you return.

Drama Someday

 

One does not stumble on to half-constructed amphitheaters every day.

 

"The architect made the plans, then everyone else changed things around, took out the fountain, so they had to plan the whole thing out again...." Steve said more than once (name changed from another Greek-American-sounding name to protect the innocent). He was tending landscaping tools and guarding the open-air amphitheater site to make sure "nothing funny" goes on around there. Funny things apparently go on at college campuses.

 

After dropping my step son off nearby, I drove behind the UConn Greek chapel to explore around the chapel.  In front of me was the construction, which has been going on since 2003.  Picture driving around back somewhere nondescript to park, but beyond the parking, it opens up all glowing marble and columns.  "Look around as much as you want!".

 

 

 

The Greek library and chapel have been around a while.

 "It might see a play in a year or two"

"It was originally designed so that the sun would be behind the audience, as they built them in ancient times.  Then they changed the plans and it got rotated and changed again. The audience will get hot with the sun baking that marble."  "Why do they keep changing things, adding things, taking things out??" The quotes are Steve's.



center stage



 "It's funded entirely by donations, the guard rails came up from around Milford (Conn.) and were put in by volunteers... the town asks when will it be done, and the builders say, when you and everyone stops changing things around and let us finish!"



Greek Library with new UConn parking beyond



The concrete columns are to be covered by curved pieces of marble. "In Mobile, Alabama, they built a replica of the Delphi amphitheater. University of Southern Alabama. Go Jaguars!  For the columns they used pieces of marble, carved in Greece, stacked to form the columns exactly like in ancient times. There isn't enough money to do that here".



The Tholos replica



vines behind chapel

UConn chapel

The original photo above shows the mood. The version below, I photoshopped to highlight the architecture.





UConn Chapel photoshopped
 







I didn't get to know much about Steve, as he had so much to say about the construction.



Huge area of new apartment, stores, restaurants next to campus!