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  4. SAIPAN 2012

APRIL 8, 2012: NEAR LAOLAO

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Funny, the things we drive by over and over again without even knowing they are there. Mark James ( <a href="http://underexposed.us/">http://underexposed.us/</a> ) posted some photos of this place and got Bev and I interested in seeing it. This is between the LauLau picnic area and the dive site. I'm reasonably sure that Bev is looking at an ancient Chamorro grinding stone. The large round stone is basically an early mortar and the small stone in Bev's hand is the pestle. This was probably used to grind grain, rice, and fadang nuts (Frederico nuts: The seeds of a local cycad {So no, you don't have to feel sorry for Frederico}).
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Funny, the things we drive by over and over again without even knowing they are there. Mark James ( http://underexposed.us/ ) posted some photos of this place and got Bev and I interested in seeing it. This is between the LauLau picnic area and the dive site. I'm reasonably sure that Bev is looking at an ancient Chamorro grinding stone. The large round stone is basically an early mortar and the small stone in Bev's hand is the pestle. This was probably used to grind grain, rice, and fadang nuts (Frederico nuts: The seeds of a local cycad {So no, you don't have to feel sorry for Frederico}).

grindingstone

  • Funny, the things we drive by over and over again without even knowing they are there. Mark James ( <a href="http://underexposed.us/">http://underexposed.us/</a> ) posted some photos of this place and got Bev and I interested in seeing it. This is between the LauLau picnic area and the dive site. I'm reasonably sure that Bev is looking at an ancient Chamorro grinding stone. The large round stone is basically an early mortar and the small stone in Bev's hand is the pestle. This was probably used to grind grain, rice, and fadang nuts (Frederico nuts: The seeds of a local cycad {So no, you don't have to feel sorry for Frederico}).
  • Nearby, a turret. Likely once the base for a Japanese canon. Notice the little "plug" near the center of the wall.
  • EVERYTHING else is totally rusted together and immovable. But that little plug still detaches quite easily!
  • I'm not sure what the contraption to your left was. Likely something Japanese having to do with defending the island from the Americans in WWII.
  • Welcome to my house! Actually, an entrance to a Japanese bunker.
  • And HERE is what you find inside!
  • Perhaps a bit larger than your standard Smith and Wesson. However, I guess with the bunker around it, one could argue that this is a "concealed weapon."
  • I've not heard any of the history of this canon. From it's location and size, I assume it's an anti-ship gun. Looks like the concrete wall of the bunker is thick enough to hold up to some pretty intense bombardment.
  • That's LauLau Bay in the background. Bev found an interesting twig wrapped around a twig.
  • And another!
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