Saipan 2013

That's right-- Saipan.  I did not misspell Spain.  :)

Just in case you didn't know where Saipan is, it is part of the Mariana Island archipelago, located north of Guam.  You would have to travel by plane for 50 minutes.  The one we rode was so tiny that my friends and I would joke that it was our private plane.  ^__^

I went there for work- Pacific Educational Conference.  It was a great learning experience.  We also presented.  But the best part was bonding with my co-workers and by the end of the trip, we were friends. ^__^

Saipan is a beautiful island, and it is much cleaner and more quaint than Guam.  Going there really felt like going to the countryside, where there aren't any large buildings and my friends would find these little houses that were actually stores known for famous local treats like apigigi (dessert like rice cake) and ice keki (popsicle).  It was such a cute place.  But after doing most of the tourist-y things, we were like, "We miss Guam!  We miss the Mall!  We miss GPO!  We miss the restaurants back home!"  T^T

Mandatory bathroom shot.  I'm so neat ^_^

Mt. Tapochau
We forced our rental Corolla to do 4x4 off-roading feats to get to the summit of this mountain.  Poor car T-T  

Bird Island
Unlike Guam, Saipan still has its native birds. Sadly, Guam's native birds have nearly been annihilated by snakes brought in by (I'm guessing) US military ships at the end of WWII.

A nearly perfect symmetry

My no make-up face.  This was at the American Memorial Park.

Banzai Cliff
This was the site of where many Japanese soldiers committed suicide by jumping off the cliff when they learned of the Americans advancing and winning in the War in the Pacific during WWII.  Today, all that remains are memorials erected in the memory of those who died.  You will also hear the thundering surf pounding against the cove.

Russian apple pie for dessert.
I tried Russian cuisine for the first time in Saipan.  I had a beef soup called solianka before this dessert.   

That's all for now, friends!

Good night! ^_^