Dinner, Sunset, Beach, and a Pickup

Yesterday evening my wife and I decided to go out for dinner, but instead of eating dinner in the restaurant or taking it back to the house, we decided to take our food to the beach and watch the sunset.

So we loaded the kids into the pickup truck, got our food, and headed to the beach behind Townhouse shopping center.  The beach is a favorite spot for the kids.  The water is usually calm and it's got great sand.

The breeze was blowing, the sun was setting over the horizon, and we backed our truck onto the beach.  Then we jumped into the back of the truck bed and ate our dinner while we watched the sun go down.  Instant picnic with a great view of the sunset.  Afterwards, the kids played in the sand for a bit.

We all enjoyed it.  Just another reason I Luv Saipan!

(Time-lapse video of our sunset yesterday evening)

Sunrise at Ladder Beach

(Sunrise over Naftan Point from Ladder Beach)

I was up early this morning and I headed out to catch the sunrise on Saipan.  I've always wanted to do this and I was rewarded with what I witnessed.

I headed out to Ladder Beach, which is on the southern part of Saipan, just south of the airport.  It's called Ladder Beach because sometime ago you would need a ladder (or rope) to get down to the beach below, which is a little cove, with two large caves.  The water is pristine, and the beach is a little rocky, but the rocks are really coral that has been washed onto the shore.  It's a beautiful beach, and you no longer need a ladder or rope to get down since steps have been constructed.

Hardly anyone goes to this beach.  It's just you and nature most of the time.  This morning, nature treated me to a spectacular sunrise at Ladder Beach.  I kept saying WOW and Oh My God!  Truly breath taking and so blessed to experience that sunrise.

And yes, it became another reason I Luv Saipan!

Here's a video I put together of the experience, and also more pictures below that.  Enjoy!

Ladder Beach Sunrise (photos)

AMP

(American Memorial Park Visitor's Center)

One of my favorite spots on Saipan is the American Memorial Park (AMP) in Garapan.  It used to be known as Micro Beach, but the National Park Service took over the area and made it into a national park.  It's the best thing that could happen to this area in my opinion.

AMP has a vistor's center that has an exhibit of the WWII  Battle in the Marianas.   The park has 2 monuments that commemorate those who died during the war: both military and civilian names are listed in the two monuments.  A small marina, called Smiling Cove, is also incorporated into the park, and sidewalks take you around the perimeter and within the park.  There are wide lawn areas for picnics and Micro Beach to swim.  This is the best spot for windsurfing on Saipan when the trade winds blow in the early part of the year.  And there's the amphitheater where ceremonies, concerts, etc. are held.

Many residents run, walk, picnic, barbeque at the AMP during the week and weekends.  My family and I love the park.  It's an attractive park.  It's a place that relaxes you and puts you in a good mood.

Just another reason I Luv Saipan!

(Video slideshow of a morning walk @ AMP with my son)

American Memorial Park (photos)

The NMI Quarter

On December 10, 2009, at American Memorial Park, Saipan, a special ceremony was held to officially introduce the Northern Mariana Islands U.S. Quarter into general circulation.  Presiding over the ceremony were the Governor, Lt. Governor, Chief Justice of the CNMI, and the Deputy Director of the U.S. Mint.

76 million NMI quarters were minted and are now in the general circulation.

Children in attendance received a commemorative NMI Quarter, and attendants were also able to purchase rolls of the new NMI quarter.  And yes, we got ours!

I must say, the NMI quarter design is beautiful.  It has the Latte stone, a traditional canoe, the Mwar, and two white fairy terns; all symbols of the Northern Marianas.

I Luv Saipan! We were able to witness a little piece of history.


Here are some pictures and video from the ceremony.

(Sorry for some of the shaky footage.  I didn't have my tripod.)

NMI U.S. Quarter Ceremony (photos)