Our Hometown
|
|
Greetings from Guam Ah, Hope! what would life be, stripped of thy encouraging smiles, that teach us to look behind the dark clouds of to-day, for the golden beams that are to gild the morrow. - Susanna Moodie, Canadian author. I am not really sure why I chose that particular quote other than the fact that I think it is pretty cool in a trippy kinda way. Actually, this quote pretty much reflects how most of us here feel regarding our island's economy. Things are tough all over in these here parts. If any of you mainlanders would like to help us, go out and get yourself a nice brand spankin' new, fully loaded LXZT- 450 Honda Accord or a nice cute and handy new SONY SUPER WIDE TRINITRON WITH DIGITAL MEGATRON! SUNDAY ONLY - SO HURRY! In case you didn't guess, I am no longer with the UAW...local 643...something about my attitude and my 'Buy Japanese' bumper sticker. Hold on, I am going off on one of those tangents again. Not to mention the fact that I have no idea what tangents are, seeing that I failed Algebra in ninth grade and swore off math forever. Anyway.... No really, this quote is perfect for Guam. We do have dark clouds - dark economic clouds - that have been hanging over us for two and a half years. Yet we endure, and place our human existence and all our meager wages on a greyhound named 'Ah, Hope.' He'll be running in the fifth race at Guam Greyhound. That's our local dog racing track, and gall-darnit if gambling weren't illegal on this island - except for Guam Greyhound and the cock fights...oh, and the video poker games that are in bars (someone reported that to me )... and the bingos at churches-n-stuff. And another thing, the Pachinko parlors - and I absolutely swear on a stack of Bibles, Korans, Torahs, and Karmas that I have never been in one of those joints! Amen. I think they are like slot machines (I am dead serious. I have no idea what these machines are or else I would most certainly inform all of you). I kind of forgot where all that was suppose to lead to? Okay, back to my point (yeah right, like this article will ever get to that - if there is such a thing), things are starting to get better. As a matter of fact: I've got to admit its getting better It's getting better all the time. Yes I admit it's getting better Getting better all the time. Get-ting so much bet-ter all the time. Just some stray lyrics I've been working on, and they too, like the quote, jibe with our outlook. We got this place called GameWorks located in the heart and soul of downtown Tumon. I know there are some other GameWorks located here and there around the world...I think. Actually, I'm not sure what the rest of the world has anymore. All I know is that we just got a Radio Shack and a Dunkin' Donuts, so yes, it's getting better all the time. But back to GameWorks. It's a Steven Spielberg gig. It's all this wicked-ultra-super-sophisticated yet simple-to-play video game modules and so much more. It's pretty near a gall-darn indoor electronic amusement park. Now, this place I have been in on many occasions. They've got virtual rides from Jurassic Park to climbing and rapelling down these huge trees. And they have food drinks that are pleasurable to both the pallet and the gut. They've got this crazy video golf game, a virtual batting cage and bobsled racers. Then they got this mind-warping ride (it's name escapes me right now, but it's like a mini-theater and people are strapped into seats and they play a video on the wall/screen in front and the seats gyrate and fly all over). The scenes/ rides are really weird. Like in one, you are inside a computer, flying through all the circuitry. Ahhh, I guess you have to experience it for yourself. Then, next door to GameWorks is Underwater World, an aquarium of sorts. This I haven't been in. It's kind of hard to rationalize spending 20 bucks to view fish in a big bowl when I can go snorkeling or scuba diving and see the same from a much better position. But the place looks nice just the same and I'm sure it is. Next, we have another famous eatery that moved to Guam - a place called Sam Choys, which is located, coincidentally, above Underwater World. It's this Hawaiian style restaurant. Do you think they serve fish? I doubt any Sam Choys have made it to New York...possibly the City, but not upstate. And Marriot is buying one of the hotels here and is going to set up shop on Guam. Marriots are nice. And an Outrigger Resort just opened a few months ago. So, maybe we are just now getting a glimpse of those 'golden beams that are to gild the morrow.' Hafa Adai Copyright © 1999 |
      Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information  |
