Hafa Adai! As in “half a day”? But make that the whole day for a more leisurely drive. There’s really no rush but the coastal road brings you from the Philippine Sea to the Pacific Ocean coast. North to South. West to East. Just be sure to bring water or any beverage along with snack food to tide you over since the dining places are not that many. Fret not though since the distances between points are very short. Guam is a tiny island that it’s a chore to manage to get lost!

We started rather early not so much to cover more ground but to beat the sweltering heat. It showers intermittently here but when the sun’s out, it can get uncomfortably hot. From the Liberty Statue, the Lone Sailor, Plaza de España, Two Lovers Monument, historic Tollai (bridge) Talaifak, Cetti Bay Overlook, Magellan Monument, Nuestra Señora de Soledad Fort, Fort Santa Agueda to the Dulce Nombre de Maria Basilica and the Guam Museum. We met, and in fact made friends with, some Japanese and Korean tourists. Young travelers from countries just 2-3 hours flight away. They make car rental a flourishing business here in Guam and I just love how they are partial to top down sports cars in neon colors! In case you are just as inclined, be sure to slather a generous amount of sunblock or BURN!

It is fascinating that Guam and the Philippines share similar war histories. Very interesting to note that while Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines on March 16, 1521, his expedition actually made a stopover in Guam 10 days prior. In both the Philippines and Guam, the unholy alliance of government and religion ruled for over 300 years. Both were likewise sold off under the Treaty of Paris to America and both were “abandoned” by US of A and suffered Japanese occupation, only to be later “liberated” by Uncle Sam after heavy bombardment to weed out the Japanese. The timelines are almost the same. And both cultural traditions and national identities heavily damaged by the foreign conquests. Same fate? For over two centuries too, the 4-month voyage of the Acapulco-Manila Galleon Trade made stopovers in Guam or the Marianas Islands on their return trips to the Philippines. A Magellan Monument stands in Umatac by the bay, a stone’s throw from the Nuestra Señora de Soledad Fort where presumably, the Spaniards kept watch against sea pirates. The sentry tower and cannons in this fort look almost identical to the fort features of their equivalents in Manila and Cebu in Philippines.

Two Lovers Point is a popular seaside cliff that overlooks Tumon Bay and the Philippine Sea. There is a legend of two doomed lovers and their forbidden love that ended with both leaping — with their hair tied together in a single knot — to their deaths here. There are many versions of the story but somehow, the romanticism and tragedy are further amplified by a “heart lock wall” where young pairs write their names on heart-shaped love locks to hang here. Much like those you’d see in Paris, Seoul Tower, Brooklyn Bridge, Rome, etc. Yes, this “sells”. Some distance away and without the crowd, we found this heart-shaped photo opp. Just as romantic, but without the tragic story. 💕😍