The Paths of History

Boys and girls alike grow up piecing together a history of violence with their plastic people. Barbies and little green soldiers, armed with plastic spoons and their fathers watch, fight the battles their great grandparents lived with near harmless tumbles and no actual shrapnel. I watch my children play and I feel in constant awe that almost anywhere we put our feet here was once a war zone.

For me it was different, although I cannot say I walked up hill to school in the scolding arctic winds I will say that the clues of what had transpired in the near past seemed to seek my hands as a child. Angaur Island had been the scene of much bloodshed during World War II and the relics of these events rested under the thin layers of phosphate and soil waiting to be remembered. Even my grandmother's stories were those of her life during the war, there was no time for fairy tales when so much history was waiting to be told. In the backyard of my family home, which had once been a hospital, I found the vials that had once held medicine, shell casings, grenades and other relics. There were never many sleep overs at my house as a child because the whole town believed that our house was haunted. Maybe it was, I never met anyone I could see through.

In 1999 my mother came home from the mesei (a traditional wetland area for cultivating taro) with a weathered steel canteen in her basket, she had effectively harvested history. I noticed two names, a man's and a woman's, scratched into the canteen as well as an address in Wisconsin, I decided to look them up as soon as I could, wondering if it were possible that the man had survived the war. Perhaps he would want this link to his past returned. I wrote the man a letter and was surprised when he responded, I could still talk to the past, these pieces of the puzzle I picked up now had voices. The man lived not far from the address he had scratched into the canteen and had even married the woman whose name, scratched then so long before their uncertain union, remained preserved as a love letter encased in mud for five decades. I mailed the canteen back and the man sent me the article from his home town paper, we are all so surprised at the connections that have been made. The man was a marine during the invasion of Peleliu and so we have no clue how his personal effects ended up 7 miles away in Angaur, that is a question not easily answered. I continued to follow this thread, when my family took a road trip across the U.S. I wrote and asked if we could visit. Soon my history lesson went from a mere phantom possibility to having a face and a home which I would find myself visiting, albeit under less dire circumstances than the man's visit to my country.

When we crossed the threshold of the man's home, my family and I were traveling back in time, finding ourselves that much closer to the stories echoed by our elders. We were meeting this marine and seeing the samurai sword he had carried home with him, a souvenir of his journey we had the privilege of encountering. Everything was kept in the basement, away from prying eyes, underground available only to those willing to dig.It was heavy, heavier than I had expected and when I held it in my hand I found myself surprised at the lack of tarnish, how little had eroded away. I am referring to both the sword and the connection we had made. We spoke only superficially about his role in the war, i enjoyed hearing tales of a airplane drop tank converted into a boat for exploring the ocean. There were moments like these that must have displaced the drudgery of the marine's mission to win. Seeing his commander take a shot to the head just inches away seemed always to be buried below the surface, it was only later when I read an historical account of this incident (the man never wished to discuss these matters with me, I respected his privacy) that had been published in a book that I realized how he must have suffered.

While the man had travelled already, his history in Palau long finished except for this final thread, the canteen, which now rested in a box of photos and other memories, many he may have wished to forget, in a box in the basement. Later his daughters wrote me, saying indeed I had unearthed something in their father and memories once entombed now emerged. I had kicked the dust off of something, as I often do on Angaur, and found a larger story lies underneath.

These are a few of our favorite things

                                                              Mocha at Okeanos





Welcome to our new holiday tradition: The Ungil Sils annual top three best of Palau list! We are not just service providers here, we are consumers. Yup, that is the spirit of the holidays, spend thy money. We are fast approaching the busy season here and we wanted to let you know what we have loved this year.


Top 3 places to get a massage (minus being offered a little extra....):


1. Melusch a Dil: locally owned and affordable (just like us!) massage in a clean and professional environment. If you are local the going rate for a massage is $20 for an hour, haircuts are $5 and they have a fun car chair for nervous kids.
2. TSP: This is the only place to go if you have truly twisted your spine. Torsten is a German physical therapist who does not so much provide a relaxing massage but he can put your body back into alignment, plus he is a witty guy. This does not come cheap, however, be prepared for the sixty dollar an hour charge!
3. Mandara: this chain spa operates out of two large luxury hotels, Palau Pacific Resort and Palau Royal resort, prices are sky high but the service is clean, friendly and respectable.....plus you get to drink tasty ginger tea before your treatment.


Top 3 Places to hang out your kids:

1. The new park under the KB bridge: this is a pretty great new addition to Palau, it is really the only outdoor park where every moment does not present a dire risk of tetanus. There is a sink outside for messes, small swimming hole and a brand new park courtesy of the Republic of Taiwan! They also have wireless for the parents of kids older than mine who are allowed to sit down....bring sunscreen and skip it if the weather is bad because the area is open to the elements.

2. The aquarium: the fish will momentarily distract from all worldly troubles, a good rainy day activity for all ages.

3. The kids room at Palau Royal Resort: It is hot out, you are desperate for air conditioning you would cry if your fairy godmother said "for ten dollars a kid you can play in an air conditioned padded room filled with colorful balls. Oh, and kids under six are free!" Go there. It is not a mirage. The front desk may try and confuse you, explain that you know the pool fee covers the game room and you will not be bamboozled. Also, we advise that you do not eat the buffet there, we think that this can be summarized in one appetizer: hot dogs and melon in a shot glass......



Top 3 places for a sunset picnic:

1. Palau Pacific Resort nature trail summer house: Try not to make eye contact with the security guard as you drive in to make use of the PPR nature trail (they occasionally will have you check in at the front desk before proceeding) and park near the managers apartments and head up the steep road to the summer house. The trail takes about thirty minutes total, bring a flashlight if you are a slow walker! On the way down you will end up at the poor man's beach after making your way through a very eerie tunnel of bamboo. We always enjoy trying to guess what the resort keeps in the air conditioned containers that are trailside on the way out....

2. Ulong island: A relatively short 14 mile trip from dock to destination this rock island with its expansive view reminds us that sunset is the perfect time to be in awe. You can see the 70 islands that so many tourists mistakenly believe they will be touring and the cluster of rocks concealing the jellyfish lake, the full tilt boat ride back at dusk is a fine time to take in all these treasures.

3. Angaur Island: Seeking adventure? Get yourself a tent and brave the 4 hour state boat ride to my home island. The only place you can surf a good sized wave while listening to the crazed shrieks of invasive macaque monkeys in the background. I would recommend camping along the shore, just wear some salt water crocodile repellent.....oh, that doesn't exist yet....hmmm.



Top 3 places to go have a beer: (if we had a babysitter we would join you!)

1. Red Rooster Brewery at Palm Bay: Clean taps, frosted mugs and $8 dollar pitchers every friday night, try the only local brewery! Delicious beer, especially the Wheat beer.

2. Kramers: This place has character, run by eccentric German expat Rene (do not ask about his recent boat trip to the Phillipines....) and lovely wife Jane you will surely be entertained should you find yourself drinking there in this seedy corner of Malakal.

3. Mingles: Although we do not go there much this place has established itself as the glittery intoxicated go go dancer of the downtown area. There is an open balcony where you can smoke or angrily throw your sworn enemy to the pavement below. We do not advise this, but it has happened.....


Top 3 places to drink a decent coffee:

1. Okeanos: We are pretty serious about our coffee (that is pretty much all we get serious about, the wife is a former Starbucks employee and the best coffee around is actually made in my kitchen) so when we went in and noticed the espresso machine of a value that exceeded all of our family cars combined, we were hopeful. This is the best place to get a quality hot espresso beverage, owned by Fish n' Fins and serving LaVazza brand beans this is a winning cup of joe.....and for over five bucks a cup it damn well better be! We are sad to report that this fine establishment does not open its doors until after ten in the morning, this is a thing here, coffee shops that open past proper coffee consumption hours.

2. Lius: On the days where the sun is of such an intensity that you are marinating in your own sweat just typing your blog (Today! Please, if you are reading this send iced coffee!) you may want to ice your energy drink. Lius is a newly established shop in the Rur/Rock Island tour conglomerate whose in house roasted beans are quite drinkable. We advise that you do not buy your drinking coconuts (mengur, in Palauan) there due to the hefty four dollar price tag....if you like coconut go to one of the small stores and get yourself one for just over a dollar.

3. Coffee Berry: This is owned by Hana Tours (we swear they own most of Koror at this point) and also boasts LaVazza beans, if you need your fix in the morning this is the only place open that makes the fancy stuff. (beware the times when they are dropping off a whole bus load of people there.....this place boasts free wi-fi but the connection speed is snail pace.


Top 2 places to surf the bandwidth:

 1. The park under KB bridge: It is strangely amusing to be surfing the information superhighway while perfecting your tan....you will need a PNCC internet card.

2. Okeanos: This place is almost never crowded and when it is it tends to be love birds gazing into each others eyes. More bandwidth for you. Be the loner with a drink and a gadget. Buy yourself a PNCC wireless card before you get there in case they are out. If you get your card there make sure you bring cash, they do not accept credit for internet card purchases.

3.   We would love to hear your suggestions on this, we are really can't think of a third location!


Top place to eat some fish:

 Drop Off Bar and Grill: Owned by Palau's most beloved millionaire fisherman, Shallum Etpison, this is fish done by Palauans for everyone. We love the variety of fish available on the menu including Snapper, Blue Fin and Mahi Mahi. Also, a mighty tasty burger is served here.



Top 3 places to buy actual locally made gifts:

1. Belau National Museum: The museum truly supports local artists and keeps the importing of outside made souvenirs to a minimum. Locally made jewelry and Pandanus crafts are available at reasonable prices. We also love the pottery, story boards and tools for local food preparation.

2. Island Navigator Gifts: We like to support this place because it boasts local ownership, which is a rarity, and a prime location on the downtown strip.

3. The Prison Gift Shop: If you can get past the smell of urine(no seriously) I doubt that any organization needs your money to make improvements more than the prison. Recently uncovered as a violator of pretty much every basic human right, they are finally beginning the process of making their solitary confinement less like a form of slow death. Besides, nothing says I love you like a pair of turtle shell earrings carved by a heinous criminal. Stay local folks.



Best NEW restaurant:

over the past six months we have seen what qualifies as our downtown turn in to a strange glow of Chinese characters that are the new gift and dining locations introduced from overseas. We would like to point you in the direction of something that is NOT shiny but is delicious (not BurgerSea....) if you love Thai food try Jasmine Thai, located above the sparkling 'Seafood Ramen House' across from the local monolith of Surangel you will find, up a set of steep metal stairs that are reminiscent of boarding a ship, a local Thai woman who has established her own eatery. You will not even notice the lack of decor as you try to people watch through the heavily tinted windows to see what the people who eat at the shiny places are doing. P.S. We drank an iced coffee after five pm and did not sleep until the next day, if you need to go turbo try the iced coffee!

Water water everywhere.....

What happens when the city water supply suddenly dries up? Amoebas, but, we'll get to that. Water is something that I tended to take for granted, since I am surrounded by it......this years El Nino conditions reminded me to really conserve!

Maslow's hierarchy reminds us what the basic needs of survival are, Koror gives us the circumstances needed to appreciate how much comfort is afforded by meeting these needs. In early october I was in the yard watering our plants when the water slowed to a drip and then stopped entirely. Minor problem, I thought to myself, certainly the water provider (a semi-goverment organization in the most over governed nation in the world, who had just dared to raise prices yet again...) was just performing maintenance. Hours later in the post lunch apocalypse that is having two unwashed children and a sink full of dishes in 85 degree weather I made the only sensible decision I could based on the pyramid's infinite wisdom and went to a hotel. Alright, technically my wife made the decision after hours of sweating in our non air-conditioned shelter and many expletives.....

"I have no requirements that you buy me designer purses* but I am going to have to mandate that we stick with the running water convenience unless some serious advance planning happens." We are no strangers to running water outages, every time a typhoon is scheduled to hit the water providers stop the flow of water, but these outages are planned and every family I know has developed the ability to live comfortably during these times. After the storm passes families cook outside with their portable stoves and wash dishes in tubs of water gathered from before the storm struck, the atmosphere is like camping amongst the fallen debris from hours of intense winds.


So there we stayed, exploring the tourist life from our local perspective, until the water hours began three days later. It was glorious to be able to shower and wash laundry in the shiny air conditioned hotel where they had their own rain water collection tanks and that water that emerged from the faucets remained clear. When we did return home, which is in an area of town that was most affected by the outage, the water ran with little pressure and was brown in color. We collected large tubs of water to shower, wash our hands and flush the toilet. It was amazing how much it changed the dynamic of the day the water would remain on from 6 am to 12 pm which meant that right around lunch instead of eating that was a flurry of indoor and outdoor water hoarding. Signs went up at one of the major hotels here saying that the bathtub plug had been removed from the rooms in order to cooperate with the government....that's one way of putting it! The locals adapted, having been through many a typhoon we are used to the power and water fluctuations that accompany islands lives but our health and sanitation suffered! It took over a month and 1.2 million dollars to restore the water shortage that had been caused by an underwater leak.

Truth be told, what I would really love to see is a collection of data that reflects the changes in heath that we experienced during the time of unclean and infrequent water supply, when hand washing becomes unavailable even at major business establishments where there exists a very certain need for sanitation. My own family's graph would reflect a steady decline, we are certainly overjoyed to be emerging from the dark days of water hours.

Now, as I write this, in the aftermath I will tell you, despite all the thankfulness in my last post, all Thanksgiving feasts at this downtown Koror household have been cancelled until the amoebas leave the residence.

It must be something in the water!

*My very grateful wife actually was gifted her very first designer purse in a surprise package from my cousin, I am pleased to report that no additional requests for designer items have been made!

 Lets begin our virtual tour of Palau's beaches and snorkel sites at 'Lee Marvin'. This is the most accessible beach, whatever the tide or conditions on the outer reef we can almost always get there. Beloved by locals and tourists alike it has a sheltered area for picnics, a restroom, a view of a particularly striking cave and a great lagoon you can reach by swimming around the corner. As with any beach in Palau I would offer you this important advice: do not linger under the coconut trees.....you really don't want to experience coconut hail! I like to drop people off here for a day at the beach because it's cheap (30 dollars for up to five passengers round-trip) and since it is so close on voyage back customers like to enjoy a beer and watch the sunset. If it's just me and the kids we like to fish on the way back. Our last trip proved a bit disheartening because my wife chose the lure......and I actually caught several tiny groupers that we threw back and one one spot emperor that later became 'bedakl' or fish soup for the kids. My wife's lure choosing philosophy works like this: she is convinced that if she finds the lure sufficiently cute the fish will respond similarly. This method, although seemingly unlikely, seems to work for her. So, over the years we have become fishing partners.

There isn't much coral to speak of over at Lee Marvin, but the current is gentle and the sand and peaceful lagoon make up for this in the opinion of the weekend warriors!

We recommend a cooler and a hammock for maximum enjoyment of Lee Marvin!

Here we are, approaching the beach, you can see the cave off in the distance.

This is the beach, white sand and plenty of shade!

If you swim around the corner, away from the cave, you can enter this lagoon.

Another beautiful shot of the lagoon.

Akoiiiiiiii (relaxing in Palauan)

Looking out of the lagoon, there are also more beaches tucked away in here, definitely worth exploring!

'Rur' in Palauan, the graceful white rock lily, which you can find dusting the rock islands.

All aboard!

A blue brittle starfish, rumor has it that if you flip one over it will begin to rain. We didn't take any chances.

Okay, not my biggest catch.....we let this little 'chimirorech' in Palauan or baby grouper go shortly after his moment of fame.

That means I still have to catch something for dinner.

Here's the bedakl, a small 'itotech' or one spot emperor.

My holiday spirit

My wife and I met in Honolulu while attending college, united by our mutual love for coffee. Coffee is a magical substance allegedly discovered by goats. Myth or not, every time I see a goat i feel a little bit grateful. Speaking of grateful it is approaching Thanksgiving and i wanted to share with you some of the cultural differences my wife has expressed her gratitude for over the years of transitioning from Alaska to Palau. It is always difficult and isolating to change cultures, especially when one of the items on the list is the inability to get a good cup of coffee for under five dollars.

• That the postal service does a damn fine job getting things too and from Palau. Better late than never. This relates to getting the much cherished care packages (coffee) and books from Amazon.
• That is not a homelessness problem here, in fact I believe there are currently no homeless people in Palau.
• There is no McDonalds, Walmart or other large shopping center where one can get trampled in an over zealous attempt to purchase discount electronics on black friday.
• The dentist does not yell at her for having shamefully decayed teeth because almost everyone else there to have their teeth repaired has been chewing betel nut for decades.
• The taro patch is a wonderfully muddy crop to cultivate.
• Grandmothers say very bad hilarious swear words in Palauan.
• Her college training in the Japanese Language is actually pretty useful here. Just recently she helped a very distraught Japanese man buy pants. no, really.
• Palau is demilitarized and citizens are not able to carry firearms, hence no school shootings.
• Palau is a tolerant community and People are not generally beaten or shamed for homosexuality. 
• The variety of different excuses to eat coconut milk.
• That there is sea glass on many beaches in large quantities.
• That coconuts cost just over one dollar and do not come packaged in little things that resemble juice boxes bearing the mysterious 'gluten free' affirmation and costing upwards of four dollars. (Also, the brown ones available in the grocery stores in Alaska turn out not to be something good for drinking if you live within a thousand miles of an actual coconut tree.)
• The snail paced internet speed means that people still make eye contact instead of looking at sparkling electronic devices where they can instantly be connected to 20 different people all more interesting than the one standing before them. (We still love technology, but it is a tenuous relationship...) 
• Different varieties of bananas and learning that the banana tree itself must be fully cut down to harvest a bunch after a nine month wait.  
• Illegal dvds. Initially feeling the unamericaness of supporting such flagrant piracy wore off and after agonizing over a lack of movie theaters and the cost prohibitive Netflix option...... The 'no pants' required three dollar illegal copy of varying quality became a way of life. 
• The rock islands and the fantastic ability to get there by boat and find the secluded corners, before anyone else even wakes up.
• Palauan women and their amazing toughness. I have never even met one who needed drugs during childbirth. One day Mango (this is my wife) and I came home and my mother was complaining that her teeth were rotting, but she said she hated the dentist so she just reached in, gave a solid tug and through the rotten troublemaker out the window. 

I am just thankful for my lovely wife and daughters this thanksgiving. I am grateful that even while she rests, recovering from her tonsillectomy, that she has not forgotten the beauty she has found here in spite of her struggles. If you see someone who seems out of place please try to be kind and give them a chance to adjust, this is what I have learned from my own experience living in Hawaii and my wife's experience adjusting here.

Above all, happy thanksgiving and welcome to Palau!

Sharky

Here in Palau we often forget that we are sharing the top of the food chain with 2 very large predatory animals. Well, to be fair, my wife never forgets.....every time we take the kids out she will say something like "John, taste this new kids sunblock and tell me if you think it would be something you might rub on tender children as a seasoning for sharks....." I usually blow her off, dismissing her concerns as hyperventilating mother worries. She is American, after all, they tend to blow every little shark attack out of proportion.

"John, what is that frequency that attracts sharks and does it sound anything like toddlers farting underwater???!!!"

"Read your arm." I suggest. My wife has a tattoo that reads 'Don't Panic' on her arm, i find its presence both convenient and comforting at moments like these.

Palau is a shark sanctuary, it is easily documentable that sharks have more rights than my foreign wife (and many immigrant workers, it would seem, as Palau still struggles with human trafficking) who will never be a naturalized citizen. Shark finning and other commercial practices threatened to push the population into rapid decline and Palau responded accordingly with measures to assure their protection. It is truly wonderful to see these marine resources continue to receive the much needed laws to ensure their continued existence. I have had many beautiful and heart beat quickening experiences with sharks while fishing and I have no desire to face one in hand to hand combat. Leave that sort of thing to the Chuck Norris types.

We have a breed of people who wishes to perform stunts involving your otherwise disinterested (previously) friendly neighborhood reef shark. This is a problem on many levels, the most irritating of which is now my wife thinks she is right; sharks, in her opinion, are dangerous and furthermore they are jerks.

"Shit. It really happened. There goes Sharky!!! Look at that huge bandage on his arm!!!"she whispers loudly with unconcealed victory. Sharky is the name we have given an especially foolish guide who decided to feed the sharks at a popular snorkeling spot(Ngermeaus) to entertain his guests.....it didn't  go so well and one overly excited ravenous shark mistook Sharky's arm for a tender morsel. The no longer entertained tourists fled in horror and boarded the boat leaving their fearless guide amongst his toothy friends. This happens to be the same beach where a tourist who was snorkeling was bitten by a barracuda who was expecting him to toss snacks his way. Please google barracuda teeth and try not to cringe.Wrapped in towels and dripping blood Sharky and crew proceeded to the next stop:Jellyfish Lake. This is a major destination and the only place with onsite rangers. Sharky told his story willingly to the rangers who promptly wrote him a ticket (feeding sharks is not legal, with good reason) with amused looks on their faces. While they were writing the ticket there was a commotion at a nearby boat, it turned out another guide had jumped in to catch a turtle and had proceeded to flip the turtle on its back to be photographed by his tourists......another ticket was written for disturbing the marine wildlife.

Now, these things do not make it into the paper, much like the crocodile sitings at Milkyway (another very popular snorkel site) because they are bad for business. Indeed many local people are angry with Sharky because getting caught has stopped an important source of keep quiet moneyfor them: underpaid local boat operators are being bribed by the foreign bosses to violate marine laws for the entertainment of their customers.

Why are we telling you all of this when it is so bad for business? These practices make the sharks likely to be attracted to people and if you are in Palau and you end up on a boat where you are taking part in these destructive practices I urge you to report the company to the state ranger office (where you bought your permits to use the rock islands/jellyfish lake) so that you and I can remain at the top of the food chain here in Palau and even the irresponsible likes of Sharky can keep all of his limbs.

(Moral of the story: do not feed something that could bite your face off and please tip the boat operators, they are paid crap to keep you safe.)

What it means to be small business

Ungil Sils Water Taxi was started as a budget option for open water transportation by husband and wife team John and Treya Swords when we realized something important; you, as a tourist, are paying too much for too little. If you find yourself on a larger boat (12-18 passengers) you will be taken to snorkel sites with boat loads of other strangers and guided in a timely fashion to swim between buoys. Sure, there are reasons for this, one guide and one boat operator must keep track of many people who likely do not understand a word he is saying. Without the structure there would be accidents or death....there have been. I will tell you honestly there are very few safety regulations dictating how a business of the tour variety operates here. Boat operators are not drug tested or licensed in many cases (although many are quite capable) and most are paid poorly for their services. I think this is both dangerous and disheartening, Palau should respect that tourism is the main source of income for our nation and act accordingly. We are a developing nation, I hope these changes will come with time and action by smaller businesses that demonstrate improved ethics. We also realized that locals cannot afford a tour service, we think this is a shame. Koror is not a lovely city, but we are surrounded by pristine rock islands and breathtaking beauty that many a local resident, who is not fortunate enough to own a boat or have a friend willing to take them out, is unable to enjoy fully. The local minimum wage here is $2.75 per hour, this fact alone does not provide for a great deal of leisure as the average resident of Palau.

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you what is important to us as a micro business here in Palau:

As mentioned above we believe the availability of our services to local residents is important and this belief has greatly affected our prices. We do not try to take more than we need.

That we follow practices that do not harm the marine ecosystem.

That we respect the government mandating permitting. (There are fees outside of our services for using protected areas such as the rock islands and jellyfish lake)

That we never operate the boat in a way that endangers your safety. (We will never drink on board or operate the boat unless we can claim complete sobriety.....we have very young kids of our own, so such activity is pretty much non existent anyways)

We have been first aid trained and maintain a current business license and government issued captains license.

We are committed to keeping our prices reasonable and do not charge by the person but instead per trip. So have a date night or bring 4 other people, the choice is yours!

We will not rush you unless the weather starts becoming questionable.

We will always help you find another tour company with ethical practices to meet your needs if you require a larger boat or other features such as diving tours that we do not offer.


Phew. Now that we have discussed the business let me take a moment to give you some insight about what to expect from our future blog postings. We will be giving a photo tour and description of some of our favorite spots to snorkel and picnic as well as updates on local conditions. (insane storms,fascinating corruption, delicious food, what locals do when there is no running water, how to poop in the jungle, Palauan lessons and last, but not least, where to get a massage where you will not be offered sexual favors)

So stay tuned!