I took a private boat trip out to the Metuker ra Bisech Yapese quarry area. Long ago, seafarers rowed from Yap to mine limestone "Stone Money" here on Palau.
Heading out from the Koror–Babeldaob Bridge
Limestone outcroppings
The Metuker ra Bisech dock
An abandoned piece of Stone Money
Graham with Stone Money
It's a very solid chunk of limestone
Cave entrance. Supposedly one of the quarry areas.
Palau: Airai Area
Airai Bai
Airai Bai
Airai Bai interior
Kabeki (War Canoe) A 20 seater, about 47 ft long
Remains of WWII Japanese communications center
Palau: Koror Area
Belau National Museum
Belau National Museum: Austronesian Expansion
Koror Area, from Central Hotel
Palau Capitol
Palau Capitol Oddly reminiscent of a US State Capitol
A symbolic "Money Bird" Holding "bread money" in its bill
Grand Rotunda
Looking up into the dome
Government HQ area
Constructed with help from Taiwan
Palau: Badrulchau Stone Monoliths
Enigmatic stone pillars & carved "faces" from around the 2nd c AD
Badrulchau Stone Monoliths
Adjacent Stone faces
Palau: Around Babeldaob
Odalmelech: Stone face
Odalmelech: Stone face
Aimeliik Bai
Ouballang er Ngebedech Terrace Prehistoric terrace, with "crown"
View to another prehistoric hilltop terrace
Yap - Land of Stone Money
The Micronesian state of Yap is home to the famous Stone Money. In Olden times the stones were quarried and transported, with enormous effort, from quarries on Palau.
Clean-cut edge on weathered stone
Smaller, but elegant Stone Coin
A Stone Money cookie with my lunchtime coffee
Around Yap
"400 year old" stone path around island
View of South-West coast
Mangroves
Men's House, in South-East Yap
Men's House inteior
West Yap Men's House In a mix of old and new styles
Village Meeting House
Reef view from North-East Yap
Yap Living History Museum
Yap: WWII Relics
Remains of Zero fighter
WWII Japanese gun (?)
Remains of WWII Zero fighter
Guam
Guam: Hagåtña
Guam's own miniature Statue of Liberty
Statue of Chief Kepuha (d 1669)
Spanish-era San Antonio Bridge (1800)
Statue of "Sirena"
Guam Museum
Statue of John Paul II Sadly it no longer rotates
American flag made during Japanese occupation
The modest Guam Congress Building
Hagåtña Catholic Cathedral
17th c (?) Latte Stones (hut foundations)
Bastion of Fort Santa Agueda (~1800)
Around Guam
Gorgeous Tumon Bay #1
Gorgeous Tumon Bay #2
View from Nimitz Hill, over USMC landing sites
Monument to Magellan's landing in 1521
Umatac Bay: Magellan's landing spot
Fort Soldedad (1810)
Ga'an Point: Japanese WWII coastal gun
Majuro, Marshall Islands
Cathedral Parish of Assumption
Uliga United Church of Christ
Alele Museum: Traditional Costume
View into Majuro Atoll lagoon
Another view inside the atoll lagoon
View to the Pacific #1
View to the Pacific #2 With loose stone seawall / breakwater
