CHEESEGRATER

The Sleeping Dragon

2010-04-08T02:03:00.000-07:00

Next week:

Southwest U.S.A.

2010-03-20T01:57:00.000-07:00

Brandon, Alex and I decided it was finally time to see the Grand Canyon:

We left the Grand Canyon and drove to Las Vegas via the Hoover Dam:

The drive home took us through Death Valley:

Jawbone Canyon

2009-12-13T16:48:00.000-08:00

I went mainland in August. Goat Hill aka Costa Mesa, CA.

Over the Thanksgiving holiday the family went camping at Jawbone Canyon. Near Mojave, it borders Sequoia National Park.

Trailers at our campsite in the distance:

Court Staff

2009-08-01T03:45:00.001-07:00

Sadly, Levetina, Ned, and I are all leaving the court this month.

High Court & District Court staff (Temu really doesn't want me to go):

Tina, Esther, Me, Aliiao:

Airport Beach, Again

2009-08-01T03:40:00.000-07:00

As my time here winds to a close I've been spending a lot of time at various island beaches. A leisurely stroll to Airport Beach for the nicest time of the day:

Front Page News

2009-07-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

Big news in the territory (outside of our own quarter) is the closing of one of the two tuna canneries. That's not what caught my eye. Check out those eclipse-watching glasses:

Sunday Morning...

2009-07-20T00:07:00.001-07:00

Along with a bike ride, NPR podcasts, Dodgers Gameday, and heavy amounts of Black Sabbath, this is how I spent my Sunday:

Independent Samoa

2009-07-13T02:21:00.001-07:00

Back in January, Ned and I took a trip to Independent Samoa.

Sliding Rocks:

Activities include sliding down the waterfall and jumping off the wall:

Transporting a whole pig:

Lalomanu:

Decent clarity:

Classic beach activity in any culture:

My Dad calls this the nicest time of the day:

Evidence of a post-pisupo (i.e. canned corn beef) cooler drag:

"Scrub It, Kook"

2009-06-24T01:26:00.000-07:00

Sunday was setting up perfectly; nice-sized south with a long period, well-timed tide, and offshore winds. My first wave turned into a wall of death which I somehow escaped unscathed after getting sucked up and over the falls, much to the amazement and amusement of Jason and Xavier. The next 2 hours produced some incredible in and out barrels.

Unfortunately, my last wave of the day didn't treat me so well. There's video somewhere which I'll try to upload. For now, enjoy:

"Heavy scab, bra. Scarred for life..."

World Famous Lasagna

2009-06-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

Our friends Polu and Moi invited us to their house in Leone for some of Moi's world famous lasagna and to meet their new baby, (who has the honor of being graced with the best name of anyone I personally know), Fa'amomoi Masaniai IV.

Leone Bay:

Coastline:

Ned, summoning Poseidon:

Waves:

Ned, Polu, and Moi IV:

Moi w/ the W.F.L.:

We made a valiant effort to take down the W.F.L.:

Ofu Memorial Day

2009-06-17T03:20:00.000-07:00

A group of us returned to Ofu for Memorial Day weekend. Until I get around to uploading my pictures, I'll leave you with these taken by Ned and Sarah.

Riding in the truck:

Hanging out:

My slow style front flip:

Aunu'u Snorkeling

2009-05-19T20:28:00.000-07:00

Tutuilla (as viewed from the water off Aunu'u):

Coral:

Boat Ride

2009-05-10T20:16:00.000-07:00

For the visiting judges and clerks the High Court Marshall arranged an around-the-island boat ride with the Marine Patrol. Ned and I gladly invited ourselves to join.

We left Pago Pago Harbor around 8:00 a.m. heading east towards Aunu'u, then around the north side, arriving back in Pago Pago after 3.5 hours. A large amount of the north side is inaccessible, thus we were able to see parts of the island we never would otherwise.

Ned, Judge Tashima, and Dan:

Navy divers are currently attempting to remove aviation fuel from a long-ago-sunken ship in Pago Pago Harbor:

Aunu'u:

Dan and Marshall Nix off Afono/Vatia:

Pola Island / Cockscomb Point:

Waterfall cascading directly into ocean:

West End (a/k/a "Palagi Beach"):

On the dock:

Appellate Session

2009-05-10T19:58:00.000-07:00

The High Court recently held its Appellate Session. As the court's staff is limited two off-island judges came down to help out; The Honorable A. Wallace Tashima of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and The Honorable Dean D. Pregerson of the Central District of California.

As a thank you for their service, the court held a fiafia which was attended by all the judicial branch staff along with the Governor and Lieutenant Governor.

Fire dancing:

Important ladies dancing:

The ladies of the High Court (Alii, Tina, Roseanne) doing what they do best:

Governor Togiola:

NOAA Observatory

2009-05-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) maintains an observatory station on the eastern end of Tutuilla. The station's location is a quick hike from the main road. It offers great views of the island with some rocks and cliffs to hike down below.

The building:

Cliffs:

Me on cliff (photo by Ned):

Me and Ariel (photo by Ned):

View towards Aunu'u:

Fa'afafine Pageant

2009-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

From Lonely Planet:

In general Samoans tend to share the attitude of other fundamental Christians and dislike gay men and women, but this is tempered by a tolerant but teasing attitude to fa'afafine - men who dress and behave like women. They see themselves as women trapped in a man's body, and have traditionally been outsiders who played the role of satirical jester and entertainer.

Fa'afafine are quite common in daily life -- from bartenders to bank tellers to hospital employees. Back in December, we attended the Fa'afafine Pageant at the H. Rex Lee Auditorium in town. The portions of the evening included "Las Vegas Showgirl", "Talent", "Evening Gown", and maybe one other?

The reigning Queen:

Peacock costume:

All contestants (Las Vegas Showgirl portion):

Talent competition. What it lacked in actual talent, it more than made up for in entertainment value:

Our favorite eventually took the coveted crown:

AmSam Amateur Boxing

2009-05-06T03:30:00.001-07:00

Awhile back, we went to the Table Tennis Club to watch the sweet science: American Samoa Amateur Boxing. The pugilists ranged in age from about 5 to 18+. Some great fights, a few knockdowns, a shoulder dislocation, and enthusiastic fans made for an exciting day.

AS Boxing:

Unflappable:

Left hook:

Going to work with intensity:

Awesome shoes:

Kid in red had a serious size disadvantage, but held his own:

Full extension:

Knockdown:

Attacking:

Dancin':

English Garden Party

2009-05-06T03:02:00.000-07:00

Because we're either bored or very creative, palagis (white people) tend to have a lot of theme parties. A few weekends ago was one of the all time greats. Lucy decided to throw a traditional English Garden Party in honor of her birthday & her father's visit all the way from the U.K. Oscar was kind enough to host at his swanky pad, Lucy's Kiwi fiancee Phil manned the croquet grounds, and everyone dressed in their best finery.

Oscar and Lucy:

Pimm's and Gingerale:

Bulldog:

Couple of Fancy Lads:

Croquet Players:

While a few attendees did lose their cool (particularly during the highly contested "biggest splash" contest), the majority maintained their manners and decorum throughout, making for the social event of the season.

A Visitor & Ice Cream

2009-05-06T02:31:00.001-07:00

My friend Scott decided to stop by the island during his 3 month South Pacific surf trip. He'd been in Hawaii, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, and Samoa, so the pressure was on to provide an excellent experience.

We got skunked (twice!) getting into the American Samoa Community College production of the Lion King, which I'm told was excellent (really). We did get great surf the last 3 days, and Scott was able to get in a round of golf on Sunday.

The highlight, as always, was Samu Ice Cream. As the erudite Phil Murphy, the island's resident southerner, once said: "Samu's ice cream is just down right, slap-yo-momma good."

Nothing like partying in a gas station parking lot on a Saturday night. (L to R: Kayla, Voj, Jeremy, Ashley, Scott, Yours Truly, Lisa (hiding), Sarah):

By the way Phil -- I too got the shaft on ordering the Almond Rum. I'll never make that mistake again. Snickers, Rocky Road, and Oreo from here on out.

Speaking of ice cream, tonight I scored 3 boxes of San Francisco's finest -- Mint flavored IT'S IT, one of my all time favorites. Who says you can't get good food on the island?:

Fiji

2009-05-06T02:12:00.000-07:00

I spent 11 days in Fiji partaking in various activities: I watched the Pago Pago Yacht Club paddlers make the territory proud in an outrigger race in Suva, caught some smallish surf at Wilkes Passage near Numotu and Tavarua, saw some great coral and marine life while diving, and relaxed in between all of that.

Our cabbie did a meticulous job washing the van window. At first I questioned his attention to detail. Once he started driving the ill-balanced vehicle at speeds upwards of 80 MPH on winding, two-lane roads, I was happy with the care he took:

River:

Ladies Team with a medal-worthy finish:

24 Hour Grog Shop, for that 4:00 am bowl of Kava:

Green Machine:

Ned and Doug get some reading done on the Coral Coast:

Mamanunca Islands:

Mana Island:

Tough Living:

Samoa

2009-05-06T01:50:00.000-07:00

On my way to Fiji I had a one day layover in Samoa. I booked a place near the airport and spent my day walking around the villages and taking in the sights. I walked quite far in one direction, so I caught a ride back with some friendly locals who tried to convince me to visit their small island off the coast.

Boats:

Mama Pig was not happy with my presence:

Bottled Coke:

Airplane:

Old Truck:

Voice of Christ Gospel Choir was practicing as I walked past, so I stopped and listened for a bit:

Coastline:

Fiji

2009-04-10T01:24:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I catch a flight to Upolu, Samoa. After a one day layover, I head to Fiji for 11 days, with Viti Levu, the Yasawa Island Group, and Beqa Lagoon as my likely destinations:

Aunu'u Redux

2009-03-29T18:36:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, I headed back to Aunu'u, the island off the SE coast of Tutuila with a group of friends. A fun and relaxing time was had by all.

Aunu'u Harbor:

Church:

Tree:

A few of us tested out the lake of quicksand, including Amity:

Maamaa Cove:

Tidepools at Maamaa Cove. Great for relaxing in and getting splashed by the waves. Potentially life-threatening when the tide and waves are high:

Lava field by Maamaa Cove:

Loaded boat arriving from Tutuila:

Heading back to Tutuila:

Leaving Aunu'u behind:

Around The House v.2

2009-03-23T22:57:00.001-07:00

Patriot and amateur weatherman:

Map:

Shoes up high so the cat won't destroy them:

Dive tanks:

My view:

Cars Get Crushed

2009-03-23T22:50:00.001-07:00

Last week was eventful.

I almost broke my foot, but X-rays showed no fracture. I got painkillers and limped around all week.

Then, two prisoners escaped from the prison next to my house. One a murderer. Eventually the police caught up with them, although I'm told it was after they got drunk and turned themselves in.

Then a tree fell on some cars:

Finally, there was widespread panic due to a tsunami warning. School let out, court was canceled, traffic backed up, kids roamed the streets:

Clocked In

2009-03-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

Some shots from the office.

Art:

Research:

Map:

Surf Shots

2009-03-23T20:33:00.000-07:00

Lack of a water-proof camera or locks on my car doors prevent me from getting any pictures on days when I get in the water. So, I stole some pictures from WannaSurf.com for the reader's viewing pleasure.

Here's a spot called "Sliding Rock". About 15 minutes from my place, it picks up variations of south swell, but seems to work best on a SE. Land-mass to the east keeps it protected pretty well from trade-winds. It is one of the more convenient and consistent spots on the island. As such, it gets pretty crowded (which means about 8 people, tops).

I've heard it called "Mini-Teuhupoo" and can kinda understand why.

ASBA Xmas Party

2009-03-22T21:04:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah. 3 months late on this one. Way back in December, the American Samoa Bar Association held their Christmas party at "2 Dollar Beach" aptly named because it usually costs $2 to go.

American Samoa Christmas party:

Someone let Doug hold a baby. Neither I nor Jeremy, it seems, are sure why:

Even the non-lawyers were allowed to attend. Simon went snorkeling, while Naomi looked on, and Vojik contemplated something in the distance:

Everett demonstrated his excellent rock-climbing ability:

A few gentlemen enjoyed the warm water and night air:

View west:

View east:

Bodyguard

2009-03-22T21:01:00.001-07:00

Along with being a friendly companion, Sadie doubles as an excellent bodyguard. Case in point, the drowned centipede she proudly displayed to me one morning:

Return to Pago Pago

2009-03-06T02:47:00.000-08:00

After a very nice week I unfortunately had to leave Hawaii and return to the real world. Well, not really. I came back to another tropical island.

Leaving Honolulu:

The flight was uneventful until our approach to Pago Pago. As I watched out the window, I suddenly noticed a large swath of lights on the island go dark. "Weird", I thought. As we passed over McDonald's I thought we looked way too high to land. Turns out I was correct. There was a power outage (including the runway lights), and the plane had to abort the initial landing and try again. Classic:

Sharks!

2009-03-06T01:52:00.000-08:00

As mentioned, we went shark "diving" while on O'ahu. It wasn't actually diving; more like floating in a cage behind a boat. Fun, nonetheless.

Hale'iwa Harbor:

Heading out:

Looking back to shore:

Another shark boat:

The crew preparing the cage:

Dark shapes:

Jaws-esque:

Others in the cage:

The sharks were all Galapagos sharks, ranging from about 6' to 10' in length. Our underwater disposable camera worked pretty well:

Underwater:

Erin with shark in the background:

Close-ups:

Hawaii

2009-03-04T00:37:00.000-08:00

The President's Day holiday plus Valentine's Day found me and Erin in Hawaii for a quick vacation at the half way point between American Samoa and California. I arrived earlier than her, so I took the City Bus into town for breakfast:

I jumped back on the bus and headed west to my favorite (non-Civil War-related) American historical site, Pearl Harbor:

I always enjoy taking the USS Arizona tour, so I grabbed a ticket and got on the boat - a nice twin-screw shore-boat style job run by the Navy. No pictures of the boat, unfortunately:

USS Arizona Memorial:

Artsy shot of the USS Arizona Memorial flag:

There were Pearl Harbor survivors signing books! Just looking at these guys gave me the goose-bumps:

USS Bowfin:

USS Bowfin motto. Hard:

I left Pearl Harbor, picked up the rental car, and went to Chinatown for lunch at Little Village Noodle House (1113 Smith Street). Headed over to Ala Moana for a quick swim, and a check of Point Panic (which definitely didn't look like this):

After that, I watched the sailors and paddlers in the harbor, went back to HNL to grab Erin, then across the island to the North Shore:

My friend's Joel and Iris were kind enough to let us stay at their place in Waialua while they were on the mainland. Over the week we went to the shops at the former sugar plantation (the highlight was the soap factory); hung out, shopped, and ate in Haleiwa; barbecued and jacuzzied at my friend Joey G's place in Pupukea; enjoyed dinner at the Outrigger Canoe Club with my Aunt and Uncle; and relaxed on the beaches of Ehukai, Pipeline, Waimea, and Waikiki.

Shrimp truck, Haleiwa:

Erin excited about said shrimp:

Ehukai shorebreak provided some fun bodysurfing barrels:

Weird Haleiwa graffiti. What's the scribes agenda? Homophobia? Pro-God? Anti-cellular technology?:

Haleiwa's famous bridge:

Enjoying Matsumoto's:

Windward side:

Makapu'u:

We also went shark diving, but I'll save that for the next post. To be continued...

Independent Samoa

2009-02-22T20:01:00.000-08:00

While my Mom was visiting last September we took a trip to Independent ("Western") Samoa. Why it took this long to post these pictures I'm not quite sure.

Leaving:

We stayed at the very nice Coconuts Beach Club, an all-inclusive resort on the south coast of the island of Upolu:

The south-island road:

Our fale (outside):

Our fale (inside):

The view from Coconuts:

Relaxing at the restaurant:

Over-the-water fales:

Coconut harvesting demonstration:

Great 'floating' conditions out front:

We visited the Black Sand Beach, one of the nicest beaches I've ever seen:

As Joe P. would say -- "I wonder what the poor people are doing?":

Drove down to Lalomanu on the SE corner:

Stopped at the To Sua Ocean Trench:

Inside the trench:

Through the pouring rain I saw a breaching whale and some potential greybeards rolling in:

The storm continued back at Coconuts:

We took a bus over the cross-island road to Robert Louis Stevenson's estate. The road to Vailima:

Vailima:

My friend Eddie stands to inherit a zebra rug and an elephant foot umbrella holder. This would add nicely to his collection:

RLS's trunks:

View from the porch:

Coming from American Samoa, Apia feels like New York City. The population of Apia alone is almost equal to that of all of American Samoa:

Apia church:

Stopped at the famed Aggie Grey's for a drink:

Unfortunately, we were never able to ride the "Legalise It" bus:

Christmas

2009-02-22T19:28:00.000-08:00

I came to the conclusion that leaving this tropical paradise for cold and rain would be a good idea. Well, I guess it rains here a lot so I just traded too hot for too cold. Of course, the real reason for my trip had nothing to do with weather, but was to see all my loved ones for the holiday season (and eat sandwiches).

Erin picked me up at LAX and took me to her place in Brentwood. L.A. was a culture shock, to say the least. Freeways, lots of lights, malls, skinny people - it was all very strange.

Luckily, Erin had a friend getting married in Monterey, so we skipped the big city for nicer, quieter environs. Winter storms had dumped a few feet of snow on the grapevine:

We left L.A. early so we could spend some time at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Me enjoying the jellyfish exhibit:

I forced my traveling companions into viewing John Steinbeck related sights, such as Ed "Doc" Ricketts' Western Biological Laboratory on Monterey's Cannery Row:

The morning wedding (great idea, by the way) was located at Spanish Bay off Pacific Grove's 17-Mile Drive, a beautiful setting to get hitched. It seems good Samoan living has caught up with me as demonstrated to me by the fit of my suit-pants. Luckily, the chilly weather allowed me to keep my jacket on the whole time. Erin, me, and my ill-fitting suit enjoying the view of Monterey Bay:

Surf

2009-02-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

Waves have been picking up on my side of the island lately. South swells mixed with north winds result in nice conditions. Here's a shot of me sponging clean Coral Heads. In hindsight (via this picture), I should have gone left:

In and Around Fagatogo

2009-02-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

A few shots in and around Fagatogo, the village where the High Court of American Samoa is located.

Dwarfed by the High Court Marshall, Michael Nix:

High Court:

Entrance to the Port:

Docked boat:

Advice:

The ubiquitous Rainmaker Mountain:

My view at work:

Sliding Rock

2009-01-24T20:36:00.000-08:00

Sliding Rock consists of a natural volcanic rock pool fed by ocean waves. When the tide is high, the waves crash over the rocks and create a fun current that flows through the pool. When the tide is low, the pool is calm and relaxing.

The walk there:

There's a good surf break nearby. This spot is too rocky, but it's a nice picture anyway:

Out front is a popular fishing spot:

Approaching the pool:

The pool:

Ned and Lisa demonstrating relaxation:

Me:

Great advice on the drive home:

West End

2009-01-24T20:21:00.000-08:00

My Mom and I took a trip through Leone to the west-end of Tutuilla. Leone is one of the largest villages on the island, and the landing place of John Williams, the first Christian missionary on Tutuilla. It's also home to the oldest church on the island. Welcome to Leone:

Leone village:

Classic image:

Further west were some nice beaches and another church (they're everywhere):

Great view:

Around sunset every day, the island's bats start coming out:

Since my truck lacks tail-lights and seat belts, we turned back when it started getting dark.

East End and 'Aunu'u

2009-01-24T19:47:00.000-08:00

While my Mom was here, we drove to the east end of Tutuilla.

Entering Sua County:

Celebratory wall:

Shipwreck:

We decided to take a trip across the channel to 'Aunu'u Island off the south-east coast. There's a village with a few hundred people, a couple churches, and an elementary school. The island is about 1 mile long and 1/2 mile wide:

This requires catching a boat at the landing:

Dock lines:

The boat leaves when the Captain decides it's time. Obviously, it wasn't time:

Me:

Mom on the boat:

The boat also transported cargo (there's a fish in the bag):

Landing on 'Aunu'u side:

Rusted items on beach:

'Aunu'u Elementary School:

Beach:

There's a quicksand lake, although it's not as impressive as one would hope:

Palagi Beach

2009-01-24T19:32:00.000-08:00

All the way back in September, we went to Palagi Beach at the far west end of Tutuilla. As you can see, it was low-tide at the time:

Gwen, Pirate Chris, and me:

Howard Dean

2009-01-14T00:52:00.000-08:00

In his role as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean vowed to visit every state and territory of the United States. As his tenure ends in about 10 days, he barely made it to the last stop in his quest -- American Samoa.

We went to see him speak at a fundraiser for the American Samoa Democratic Party and were impressed with his knowledge of Samoan culture, customs, and laws (not to mention the fact that he flew coach; if you've ever been on the Honolulu - Pago Pago flight, you know what a risky decision that can be).

Hanging with Howard Dean in my man-skirt and beads:

Governor Dean charming the locals:

They served an excellent Samoan buffet. Matt, enamored of Doug's charm and wit during dinner:

It was exciting time for American Samoa to shine in the national spotlight. Next up, our own quarter!

A'oloau Bay

2009-01-14T00:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday, Ned and I planned a hike to Massacre Bay on the north side of the island. We drove up, past the great views, to the top of the mountains:

We found the trailhead and starting hiking down the steep trail through the jungle. Luckily, I had my trusty machete:

What I didn't have was a map. Had I, we might have realized we weren't hiking to Massacre Bay but to A'oloau Bay. Not that it mattered as we eventually came upon this:

Aoloau Bay:

Aoloau Bay:

The steep hike back up was exhausting. Fortunately, at the top we ran into some Samoans rolling a log up a hill (really). They stopped their project and opened some fresh coconuts for us to drink, providing me with refreshment and an excellent new coconut-opening technique. Basking in my post-coconut glory:

Me vs. Durian

2009-01-14T00:17:00.000-08:00

Alden was given a durian fruit and was kind enough to share it with the palagis. I was very excited, but I can't say the same for anyone else. While Alden ate bite after bite (while grinning and proclaiming it the "fruit of the gods"), I was able to gulp down about five bites, and everyone else about one or two. It tasted like a mixture of onions and rotten cream.

Me and durian:

Alden cutting into it:

It smelled sweeter on the inside than the outside:

Snowy is extremely famous in Lions Park (where I live). His life is the stuff of legend. He was not effected by the durian smell, as to be expected from one who has experienced what he has. A true gentleman canine:

Check out Andrew Zimmern attempting, and failing, to eat durian on Bizarre Foods:

News and Weather

2009-01-06T00:30:00.000-08:00

For my off-island readers who would like to follow life in American Samoa, check out these links:

Samoa News

Weather, Marine, and Tide forecast

Thanksgiving in Ofu

2009-01-05T23:45:00.000-08:00

A group of friends decided to spend Thanksgiving on the American Samoan islands of Ofu and Olosega. We stayed at the Vaoto Lodge which provided first-rate accommodations and an excellent Thanksgiving feast prepared by the Malae family. Reaching the Manu'a Islands (of which Ofu and Olosega are part) requires a 30 minute plane ride from Pago Pago International Airport to Ofu.

Leaving Tutuila:

The plane is very small, as shown in this picture of passengers and cockpit:

View of Pala Lagoon (which is located in front of my house) from above:

Looking down at Pago Pago Harbor:

'Aunu'u Island with Tutuila in the background:

Once we landed I failed to take a single picture for 3 days, so I must 'borrow' some pictures to show the rest of our vacation. Ofu Beach:

Channel between Ofu and Olosega Islands:

A bridge connects the two islands (photos by Ned):

Ofu Jim and I decided to have some fun. He's a local, so I figured this was safe, right? Demonstrating my style:

Jim:

LTM's dive wasn't as successful:

Veterans Day - Cannons & Beach

2009-01-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

American Samoa government employees have every U.S. federal holiday and all American Samoan holidays off work. On Veterans Day, a group of us decided to take advantage of our freedom by hiking to some WWII era cannons located on the east side of the harbor:

Ned at base of cannon:

The view of Pago Pago Harbor in foreground, Faga'alu Bay behind that, and American Samoa's highest peak, Matafao (2142 feet), slightly hidden by clouds:

After the short cannon hike, we headed to the beach at Tula (furthest east beach on Tutuila Island). Here's some fales and other structures lining the beach. Note the large Samoan gentleman relaxing in the fale:

Giving Newport Elementary a run for its money:

Samoan family taking advantage of the day off:

Palagis relaxing:

Naomi and a school chair enjoying the waves:

Looking north-east towards Cape Matatula:

Larsen's Cove

2008-12-12T00:02:00.000-08:00

Back in August, Erin and I hiked to Larsen's Cove, one of the better beaches on the island. After a relatively easy 30 minute hike, you come upon a beautiful, secluded beach:

Climbing down the rocks:

Entrance:

West side of cove:

Fagatele Bay

2008-12-11T23:51:00.000-08:00

Looking out to sea:

Interior:

A Harty Halloween Party

2008-12-04T00:33:00.000-08:00

The Harty family hosted an excellent Pirate-themed Halloween party at their beach front house on Coconut Point. Ned [co-clerk] and I decided to forgo the Pirate costumes and don our newly made bespoke "Safari Suits".

Hangin' tough:
Our friend Alden cares for injured island fruit bats in a cage behind his house. Appropriately, he brought one of the bats to the Halloween party for all to enjoy, which we did thoroughly:
As I was too lazy to bring my camera, much appreciation goes to Kelly Dixon for the [unauthorized] use of her photos.

Paddling Races

2008-12-02T22:42:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to stay in shape, make friends, and avoid island fever, we started an outrigger paddling team through the Pago Pago Yacht Club. We're all above 6', so our team is called U'umi which, loosely translated from Samoan, means "Tall Team".

We practice 3 days a week by paddling varying lengths and speeds inside and outside the harbor. About a month ago we were paddling down the coast, when we stopped for a breather and were rolled by a wave. The outrigger flipped, dumping us into the water. Normally, this isn't a major problem as you simply flip the canoe upright, grab the bailer (a laundry detergent bottle cut in half) and bail out the water. Normally. It seems we forgot the bailer, so we began bailing with our hands -- a tedious process. Full of water, the boat can only accommodate 2 people, so the rest remained in the ocean, steadying the boat. Normally, this would be fine. Normally. However, when you've unknowingly flipped into a smack of jellyfish (yes, a "smack" is the proper term), a problem arises. Luckily I avoided stings, but a few of my teammates weren't so lucky. 20 minutes of jellyfish avoidance and hand-bailing ensued. Then the boat flipped again. Seriously. After another long, painful, and tiring process, we finally regained our boat and were able to limp to shore.

We hoped our luck would improve a few weeks later when U'umi took part in an international paddling competition against teams from American and Independent Samoa. It didn't. We lost.

Pago Pago Yacht Club:
Outriggers:
Outriggers:
Kids sailing in front of the Yacht Club:
U'umi:
Doing my best as steersman of the blue boat:
Post 10k exhaustion:

Amalau Camping

2008-11-16T19:25:00.000-08:00

A group of palagis drove to Amalau on the north side of the island for fale camping. Fales are open air, wooden structures with a roof that are common in Samoa. Amalau is a secluded bay, surrounded by tall cliffs, between the villages of Vatia and Afono. The campsite provides nice facilities including a number of fales, full bathroom, running water, showers, and cooking facilities. Activities included snorkelling, football, beach bonfire, BBQ, and my favorite -- floating in the ocean a few hundred feet offshore.

View from the pass over the mountains:
Fale with mosquito netting:
Michael's bivouac:
Chris manning the bonfire:
View from above and to the west:
View of Vatia:

Election Day

2008-11-16T18:46:00.000-08:00

Election Day in the territory was exciting from an national and local standpoint. Governor, Fono seats [local legislature], and American Samoa's non-voting member of the U.S. House of Representatives were all up for grabs in a hotly contested election season.

Local campaigner:
You can't buy votes, but you can buy lunch. Candidates provide their supporters with free plate lunches:
Supporters:
One of my favorite candidates was Fagatogo Steve. He seemed disappointed when we informed him we weren't local voters, but was gracious enough to offer us free lunch regardless. Sadly, he was defeated by just a few votes:
A number of island Palagis [a/k/a white people] eagerly awaited the Presidential returns at the Pago Pago Yacht Club:
Sale of alcohol is prohibited on election day. Probably a good idea [see free lunch picture earlier]:

Drive To Work

2008-10-27T01:30:00.000-07:00

The drive to work consistently offers a variety of sights - most interesting, some confusing, all wonderful.

The airbrush shop sells great t-shirts. The common themes seem to include "Stuntin' Is A Habit", Bob Marley, and high school football:
One of many island churches:
Flowerpot rock:
Roadside fish, lobster and octopus salesman:
Aiga bus (public transportation). One of the buses has an eagle carrying a briefcase in its talons. We call it the "business eagle" bus. I'll try to get a pic:
Bon Jovi graffiti (in honor of French Bon Jovi graffiti post on Jay's Cho Tsumetai blog):
Another church:
Campaign posters:

Tisa's Barefoot Bar

2008-10-19T20:55:00.000-07:00

Tisa's Barefoot Bar, a South Pacific institution, is one of the highlights of American Samoa. Located directly on Alega Beach, it is a restaurant, bar, semi-hotel with a "castaway" vibe, great food, and an excellent Pina Colada.

Erin and I attended Tisa's "Umu" which is the Samoan version of a luau. A large hot rock oven is built and covered with banana leaves. The oven cooks various meats, fruits, and vegetables. The following documents our journey there.

Besides the mountains, the most prominent feature of Pago Pago Harbor's east side is the tuna canneries, which happen to be American Samoa's largest employer outside of the U.S. Government:
View of Pago Pago Harbor from the east side:
Erin next to a sign indicating unknown things:
There are a lot of churches on the island, this one being my favorite. At sunset, from the west side of the harbor, this church is one of the last things to stay illuminated by sunlight which gives one the impression that it's slightly more blessed than the others, although I'm sure the other island congregations would disagree with my assessment:
View from Alega Beach:
Pulling food out of the Umu:
Extremely excited to eat:
Dinner (pork, chicken, lamb, turkey, octopus, spinach, shrimp, breadfruit, corned beef, plantain, etc...):

Airport Beach, Redux

2008-10-19T20:36:00.002-07:00

An earlier post told of the "Trash Walk" to Airport Beach. Fortunately, there's another route, and once I had a car we were able to enjoy the much more scenic "Blowhole Walk" to Airport Beach.

The path leads along ocean cliffs and blowholes made up of volcanic rock:
Erin stopped to enjoy the beautiful blue water:
Sadly, a local crab fisherman recently fell off these cliffs and presumably drowned. His body was never found. Fortunately, a similar fate did not befall Erin or me. In more upbeat, ridiculous news, recently discovered Vietnam-era explosives were "safely" disposed of near this path. Read about the discovery of said explosives (during road work) here.

Once at Airport Beach we spotted a black tip reef shark. Look closely at the picture:

Mt. Alava

2008-10-19T20:19:00.000-07:00

Mt. Alava is one of the mountains encircling Pago Pago Harbor, and has the distinct honor of being home to American Samoa's radio towers. It is also one of the best established and longest hiking trails on the island. While Erin was here we enjoyed the 6-mile round trip hike.

We started from the trailhead at Fagasa Pass. I'm wearing the shoes I purchased at the supermarket:
View of the village of Fagasa:
Looking west on Tutuilla:
Pago Pago Harbor:
The trail leads down to the village of Vatia. We didn't have time to go, but I investigated the first few rope ladders leading down:

Airport Beach

2008-10-06T02:33:00.000-07:00

One of our first excursions was to Airport Beach, appropriately located -- you guessed it -- next to the airport runway. Accessible from Lion's Park (where I live), the path is covered with trash - detergent bottles, sandals (at least I can save money on footwear purchases), assorted plastics - making the 45 minute journey somewhat unpleasant, although slightly humorous in a morbid sort of way.

Initially you walk along Pala Lagoon, as Erin demonstrates in this picture:

Looking east on Tutuilla:

Erin, relaxing:

Sadie's By The Sea

2008-10-06T02:15:00.000-07:00

Upon arrival, my house wasn't quite ready (i.e. the "cleaning crew" hadn't had a chance to take all the good stuff the previous owner left), so the High Court put Erin and I up at Sadie's By The Sea, one of the nicer (see only) hotels on the island. It's located on Pago Pago Harbor, in the village of Utule'i, across the main road from the Governor's mansion. Notably, it is directly next door to the abandoned Rainmaker Hotel - one of the South Pacific's most legendary accommodations - which was once crashed into by a U.S. Navy plane after the plane hit the cables of an aerial tramway during a Flag Day demonstration in 1980. Here's the now dilapidated Rainmaker with its namesake, Rainmaker Mountain, in the background:

I took a swim out front:

American Samoa

2008-09-22T22:35:00.000-07:00

I moved to American Samoa in August, 2008 to work as a law clerk for the High Court of American Samoa.

The Court provides me with a house in the "Lion's Park" neighborhood of Tafuna Village near the airport. Government housing without the government cheese. Here is a picture of Erin preparing dinner in the kitchen:
The "backyard" has banana and coconut trees:
I am slightly inept at opening the coconuts, even with my Crocodile Dundee machete:
I bought a truck. 1995 Mitsubishi:
The truck-seller threw a cat into the deal. Erin and I named her Sadie after the hotel parking lot in which we acquired her. Here she is protecting my house from the scourge of gecko's:

India x March, 2008

2008-04-09T15:28:00.001-07:00

"It's Always Darkest Before The Dawn"... especially in India. It seems the sub-continent is either obsessed with late 80's / early 90's New Jersey melodic hardcore band Turning Point, or they have a penchant for naming things English words and phrases that don't necessarily make sense.

Embroidered jacket outside the Red Fort, Old Delhi:

Cafe in Agra (note the "Minimal Water" for sale):

Along with extensive people-watching and sight-seeing, Erin and I were able to enjoy a few culinary delights on our recent spring-break blast through Mumbai, Delhi, Agra and Jaipur (alas, we mostly avoided street food as our 10 day trip was too short a time to afford getting infectious diarrhea). However, restaurants of note we did try were the Oberoi hotel in Delhi (same owners as Cairo's Mena House) and the R.W. Apple, Jr. recommended TRISHNA in Mumbai's swanky colonial-respite Fort neighborhood. Here's an excerpt from Mr. Apple's final column:

MUMBAI, INDIA Trishna, Birla Mansion, Sai Baba Marg, Fort; (91-22) 2270-3213.

"This, I think, is the only truly remarkable restaurant I have ever discovered solely on the recommendation of a friend of a friend. Dubious, Betsey and I made our way there one night years ago and liked it so much that we went back 72 hours later. It was not the décor, which is shabby, or the service, which can be surly, and certainly not the menu, which is very nearly useless. It’s the food, stupid, the seafood.

Enormous king crabs fresh from the Indian Ocean, awash in butter, and seasoned with garlic and pepper until they make the lips tingle but not sting, draw an eager crowd of Mumbai businessmen and Bollywood stars to this little establishment on a crowded, noisy alley in the old Fort district. If you like, your crab will be brought to the table before cooking, still alive and dangling from a string held by a waiter.

These are among the world’s choicest crustaceans, and I say that as someone who lives 25 miles from the Chesapeake. But Ravi Anchan has plenty of other savory delights up his sleeve, including tender little pomfret (a kind of butterfish) barbecued in the style of Hyderabad, with black pepper; deep-fried squid; and gorgeous, never-frozen tiger prawns grilled with mint. Don’t mind the waiters; insist and they will bring what you want."

Calamari:

Crab, Prawn (the size of a soda can), and Garlic Naan:

Jama Masjid, Delhi - one of India's largest Mosques:

Finally, I've been trying to wrap my mind around this Nehru graffiti from Jaipur. As a founding father, would the American equivalent be George Washington graf? Or based on time would JFK be a more appropriate comparison? A problem arises when you consider that, although dominant, the Kennedy dynasty has nothing on the Nehru/Gandhi's. I propose it's like JFK graffiti if Nancy Pelosi was John, Jr.'s wife and wasn't in that plane over Long Island Sound. How's that?

Baghdad By The Bay

2007-09-05T00:15:00.000-07:00

The end of July found me in San Francisco for a number of reasons; Grinderman (Nick Cave's side project) was playing two shows (Great American Music Hall and Slim's), there was a possibility of Barry Bonds hitting #755 (tie) or #756 (record breaker), sightseeing, and the enjoyment of culinary delights with my friend Eddie.

We stayed at a friend's apartment in Portrero Hill which is a nice, up-and-coming neighborhood where the hipsters go after getting sick of the Mission District. It's also a 20 minute walk to AT&T Park. I had purchased tickets to 3 games in hopes that Bonds would be nearing the record. While we didn't see the record-breaker, we caught #754 along with some enjoyable baseball at a beautiful stadium. McCovey Cove had a classic vibe full of boats, kayaks, and a floating putting green! AT&T Park has beautiful architecture, a number of baseball tributes throughout, a great view of the Bay, and excellent food. And the outfield is one giant party. Here's a pic of Bonds, appropriately alone:

As I said, one of the reasons for our trip was to enjoy what San Francisco had to offer on the culinary front. I've been a fan of SF's culinary scene since college (the late 90's), making a conscious attempt to sample something different with every visit. During my last trip I enjoyed the excellent Vietnamese cuisine at Sunflower on 16th in the Mission. The visit before found me at House of Nanking (Chinatown), and enjoying the tasting menu at one of America's great restaurants; Gary Danko. On this trip we ate one of my all time favorites - Jay's Cheesesteak (Mission). We also sampled chowder and an excellent assortment of oysters at Swan Oyster Depot (Russian Hill), lunch at Squat and Gobble in Lower Haight, breakfast at Dottie's True Blue Cafe (Downtown), Good Luck Dim Sum (Richmond), incredible Vietnamese at Tu Lan (6th and Market), Taqueria Cancun (2 locations), and El Farolito.

"There's some satisfaction in the San Francisco rain. No matter what comes down, the Mission always looks the same." - J. Garcia.

A Mission institution, El Farolito:

Visits to Alcatraz and Fort Point were highlights. San Francisco, as seen from Alcatraz:

Grinderman played the entire "S/T" album both nights with different all-Bad Seeds-song encores each night. The first night (Great American Music Hall) featured an obviously inebriated, ex-Bad Seed, Blixa Bargeld doing co-vocals on "Weeping Song" as well as "The Ship Song" and "Red Right Hand", while the second night (Slim's) featured Jello Biafra and Henry Rollins doing backing vocals on "Deanna", although neither seemed to know the song very well (Rollins center-stage, Biafra stage-left):

Two Harbors

2007-06-19T00:15:00.000-07:00

The recent fire on Catalina Island was confined mostly to the interior and east end (near Avalon), therefore the trip my family made to Two Harbors and the west end last weekend did not afford us an opportunity to witness the damage.

My mother, my brother and I left Newport Harbor aiming for somewhere around Little Gibraltar / Lava Wall (about the mid-point) on Santa Catalina. Our 24' Sea Ray flew across in one hour due to minimal swell and wind.

Little Gibraltar (w/ Long Point in the background):

Two Harbors (a/k/a/ "The Isthmus") is an unincorporated town with a population hovering around 300. As such, it provides a much quieter, more rustic Catalina experience than Avalon has to offer. We hiked west to 4th of July and Cherry Coves, enjoying the views of both from the road.

Isthmus Cove as viewed from the west:

I saw this boat in the Newport Harbor yacht anchorage a few days later (notice the water clarity!):

We spent our time hiking, reading, swimming, BBQ-ing, and relaxing. Life in Two Harbors runs at a much slower pace than almost anywhere else in Southern California.

Guernica

2007-04-27T00:32:00.002-07:00

Yesterday (April 26) was the 70th anniversary of the bombing of the Basque village of Guernica.

American Samoa

2007-04-01T17:07:00.001-07:00

I will be moving to American Samoa in August 2008. Why? Because I was offered (and accepted) a job as a clerk for the High Court of American Samoa. What's that entail? Basically, I research and write memos about issues before the court, then make a recommendation to the Chief Justice or Associate Justice. The High Court of American Samoa is what you would imagine; the highest court on the island of American Samoa. The job lasts for one year, so plan on visiting me sometime between August 2008 and August 2009.

Check out this blog by Michael Weaver, the current clerk (and one of the gentlemen who interviewed me); Weaver In Samoa.

Egypt

2007-01-11T22:53:00.000-08:00

Erin and I just returned from a 10 day trip to Egypt which included great sightseeing and good eating (Lebanese restaurant at the Intercontinental hotel on the Nile, and some great "street" cuisine). Our one day layover in London included lunch at the Picadilly Itsu (where Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned) and dinner at the River Cafe.

You really do see THIS kind of stuff in Egypt:

Beirut

2006-07-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

Sarah Mac over at COLOR AND TEXTURE turned me on to an interesting blog titled BEIRUT LIVE, a first hand account of what's happening on the ground in Lebanon.

Hamburg, Germany // June, 2006

2006-07-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

My friend Lars (Audiolith Records) and Norman came up with a plan. We would get on the bus towards one of the lesser neighborhoods of Hamburg (Wilhemsburg) and get off at the weirdest place we saw. We ended up at Milos' "bar" which was a thrift store that sold beer. This is Milos lifting a set of weights that were for sale.

Our quest lead us to a bar with a name that even the Germans could not comprehend.

"On and on South of the Elbe!" Lars and friend.

The Reeperbahn approximately 4 hours after Germany defeated Argentina in the World Cup. It was the biggest party in Germany since the Berlin Wall fell.

Harbor cruise on the Elbe River.

South America // February, 2003

2006-07-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a shot of Ciudad Del Este, on the Paraguay side of the "triple frontier" border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. The city is known to be a porous border town popular with smugglers. The legendary Foz De Iguazu is on the Brazil / Argentina border. That's me under the Panasonic sign and my friend Eric behind the white van.

Jeff and I scale a rock outside Cusco, Peru.