I took some much needed time off before ringing in the new year, and am very glad I did. I got caught up on a lot of reading and movie watching, which was nice. I didn't spend the entire time making a dent in my couch though! I've spent the past 2 weeks traveling around Micronesia. It was an adventure, indeed! The islands of Micronesia include Kosrae, Pohnepei (the capitol), Chuuk, and Yap. For my adventure I visited Kosrae, Pohnepei, and Yap. Here are some of the highlights:
Kosrae
This was my second trip to this beautiful place, known as the Sleeping Lady Island. There wasn't much sleeping going on though. My travel buddy K and I hit the ground running. We were off the plane for about 20 minutes when we were whisked away for a hike up to Menke ruins. It was so nice to be in the jungle again and smell that fresh river smell. The ruins themselves are pretty basic -- stacks of moss covered rocks shaped into rooms. The hike itself, however, is a delight, crossing the Menke river at least 5 times. We ended our hike with a dip in that same river, which was wonderful and refreshing.
Our next venture in Kosrae was a hike to the beautiful Sipyen falls. It's a short hike to this beautiful site. We splash around in the freezing water and then sunned ourselves on the surrounding rocks.
Another highlight of the trip was a visit to Yela forest, where the amazing Kah trees of Kosrae grow. These trees were traditionally used for canoes, but Yela forest is now a protected area. It has been called the redwood forest of Micronesia, and I could definitely see why.
Pohnepei
The next hop on my trip took me to Pohnepei. This is definitely the urban center of Micronesia. The swathes of green of Kosrae were replaced with a bustling downtown. Pohnepei still brings the green though. Just a few minutes drive out of town and you will see some of the most amazing views. The biggest highlight of this trip was a tour K and I took to Nan Madol. Nan Madol are the famous stone ruins of Pohnepei. The tour was an all day affair that started with a stop at a beautiful waterfall.
The big highlight of the tour, however, was seeing the amazing ruins of Nan Madol. No one really knows how these large stones were transported to the area, as they each weigh several tons. The Pohnepeians say it was wonani (magic). Elder Pohnepeians actually consider the area to be cursed, and for that reason it is not maintained by anyone. At some point it will be taken over by plants and ocean.
Our last adventure in Pohnepei was a very muddy hike up Sokez ridge. Sokez rock is one of the first things you see from the plane in Pohnepie. The view of the rock from the ridge was amazing.
Yap
This was definitely the wildcard of the trip. While I had heard a lot about Pohnepei and had visited Kosrae before, I didn't know much of anything about Yap. Yap is known for it's stone money, which are large round limestone slabs with holes in the middle. They look like gigantic stone doughnuts, and they are still used as currency on the island. Yap is the most traditional island in Micronesia. People still live in villages and practice the customs of their ancestors. Unfortunately Yap is where my camera decided to go caput, but here are some the souveniers I got while there.
This a picture of a traditional Yapese lava lava. In the past these were made of banana fibers, but these days women use cotton thread. Each lava lava is hand woven on a back strap looom using thousands of threads. Only women of the outer islands are allowed to make these lava lavas and they can be used as currency.
This is a traditional Yapese neck adornment, called a lap. They are made from hibiscus fibers.
This is a re-print of a painting by a Yapese artist. It shows what a Yapese village looks like. K and I had the chance to visit one of these villages, Kedai, while in Yap. The stone path is made of uneven stones, so a person has to concentrate on walking and not look around at other people's yards and houses. In the background is the community house. Each village has a community house where people can come to rest and also where people can meet. Each village also has a men's house that looks similar, but it is just for men. The round stone is stone money. The woman is dressed in a traditional skirt made of hibiscus fibers.
I really enjoyed my vacation-hop, but it was also nice to be back home. I'm also really happy to be in a new year. I'm truly optimistic about 2012. Hopefully I'll be able to use this blog as a way to sound board some of the things that I hope 2012 will bring.
What adventures have you had recently?
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