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The Road Report
Chuuk: Up at Xavier
March 20, 1999
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Here I am, an early Saturday morning-- rain all night and not the best photographic conditions but I figure the grey will get me back in shape for Syracuse!! This is where I'm staying, Xavier High School. It was a Japanese communications center during the war but when the Japanese had to move out they held this big garage sale and we got the bunker. There are also lots of ships in the lagoon but, since they were mostly sunk, the Japanese had trouble moving them. Here's what the place looks like in the dawn's early light.
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The view from my back proch-- I think I'll just stay here!!!
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The view from the end of my front porch-- The "Blue Lagoon" has nothing on this place!
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The mountains of Chuuk.... very lush with coconut and breadfruit and assorted tropical species.
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An artsie picture of some sea birds..... they would not stay still so I moved the camera along with them, thus blurring the background (I realized this only after I saw the picture-- but it sounds good!).
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I'm on the second floor of the boy's dorm.... high school students below and male faculty above. This is the athletic field at the school-- open spaces are a rare commodity on these islands (unless you're on water and then it's hard to play croquet).
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The lighthouse built by the Japanese..... I'll get up here soon-- it's supposed to be a spectacular view!
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Iron shutter on the Japanese communication bunker-- note how thick it is-- very effective for keeping out rain and American bombs.
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Another shot at the bunker.... not much for design but very durable!
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A flame tree taken from the roof of the bunker-- really beautiful, no?
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Close-up of some of the flowers on the flame tree.
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Another shot at the bunker. Two Jesuits are buried here (note tombstones)-- word is that when they were planted all the students locked the iron shutters-- very effective for keeping out the spirits of departed Jesuits!
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Traditional hut-- they have a Palauan Hut, and Yapese Hut, a Chuukese Hut, and Marhsalese Hut but no Pizza Hut-- Thank God!!
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The local dogs-- I went out one night at 3 AM to enjoy the stars (spectacular at this latitude) and woke them all up.... they, in turn, woke up all the boys in the dorm..... it went down hill from there.....
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View of the lagoon and some new classroom buildings from the roof of the bunker-- note the rotting wind generator-- great for the skyline.
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A view of the lagoon and outlying islands.
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Another view of the lagoon with a larger island behind (I think it's Australia.... maybe).....
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General Index of Travel Photographs
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