Spirit of Volcano Town

RABAUL, PAPUA NEW GUINEA--Sunday, March 21, 2010

Help! We need some new superlative adjectives for our blog. What can one say when visiting a town that's claim to fame is being destroyed by a volcano in 1937, being rebuilt and than having 80 percent of its buildings leveled by another volcano in 1994, and then is the highlight of our trip to date? Unbelievable!

After getting dressed to meet Perla and Joe's tour (Cruise Critic friends), Sara went out on the balcony to wave to the dock works. When she went back in our room, all the mirrors were foggy. The temperature was already in the 90s and the humidity matched it. However, we soon learned it was a beautiful day in the neighborhood. It had rained the previous day so there was no dust from the ash on the roads, the ash from the volcano had stopped falling in December, and the sun was shining.

Rabaul receives only 20 to 25 cruise ships a year. Tourism is a new industry for the island, and we promised our tour company, Paivu Tours, that we would highly recommend it to friends and family who may visit the island in the future. Just remember, that the air-conditioning comfort in the tour vans is provided by opening the window on one side of the van and then opening the window on the other side. Our tour guide Dorothy and driver Mickey told us that Rabaul means "place of mangroves." As we drove away from the dock, we saw the locals setting up a market for us on the ground, which is volcanic ash. No tables were used. We rode over an extremely bumpy dirt road that turned into a paved road and then back to a dirt road. Because it was Sunday, we saw many locals walking to church. The three major religions are Catholic, Seven-Day Adventist and Methodist--an interesting mix. Riding through Rabaul was a step back time with its low-rise buildings with tin roofs.

Participants in Joe and Perla's tour were Perla and Joe, MaryAnn and John, Mary and Ed, Naomi and Sergio, Betty Ann and Harold and yours truly. Our four-hour tour visited the following seven attractions:

1. Japanese Tunnels. After Pearl Harbor, it became apparent that the Japanese would attack Rabaul. In January 1942, the Japanese captured Rabaul and made it the major center of naval and air operations in the South Pacific. The Japanese had the local and Australian prisoners build a network of tunnels connecting their barges throughout the island. The tunnel that we saw was 200 meters from the water and contained the rusted-out remains of five barges. Going back into the tunnel was amazing.

2. Kopopo War Relics Museum. We traveled to the new capital of Kopopo, where the streets are paved, divided roads with sidewalks. It seems as if politicians take care of their own in every country. (Papua New Guinea is part of the British Empire so the country is ruled by Queen Elizabeth but also has a Prime Minister and a Grand Chief.) Ken was in his glory when we reached the museum with all its cannons, guns, other weapons and ammunition of the Japanese. He particularly liked the "naughty but nice" aircraft nose art. The reference manual for the aircraft systems was on aluminum pages to reduce the damage from water, oil and insects. Outside, natives were preparing for a Baining Fire Dance for another tour group. Their costumes were impressive.

3. Rabaul 1942-1945 Memorial and Montevideo Maru Memorial. Behind the impressive memorials is a rusting sign that asks people to "please do not litter"--an interesting juxtaposition. The Japanese ship Montevideo Maru, which was carrying Australian and local prisoners, was torpedoed during WWII with the loss of all lives.

4. Admiral Yamamoto Bunker and New Guinea Social Club. We actually were able to go down in Yamamoto's bunker where he developed his battle strategies and then tour the social club for Australians in Rabaul.

5. Tavurvur Volcano. We drove through the 1994 volcano area in which there was almost no vegetation and only ash. Dorothy explained that this area used to be covered with houses and part of it was the old Rabaul Airport. We stopped on an old runway to take photographs of the still smoking volcano. Definitely, it was like another world experience.

6. Japanese Plane Wreckages. Ken had an up close and personal experience with the two wreckages when he climbed down into the sites while the rest of us took advantage of the local vendors and talent shows. We appreciated the children's choir from Maliput Village (Rabaul's "Children's Tabernacle Choir") singing the national anthem of Papua New Guinea and a tiny dancer dressed like the Baining Fire Dancers. Ken also liked that we could just give money to the children who performed or wore their native costumes rather than waste time buying anything.

SPECIAL STOP. We stopped at the Lutheran Church that is supported by Betty Ann and Harold's church in Alberta, Canada, so Dorothy took take a photograph of them to show their church members. An example of outstanding customer service from Paivu Tours!

7. Rabaul Volcanological Observatory. Before entering the observatory, we overlooked the bay with a view of the Pacific Princess and the remains of ships destroyed by the sunken volcanoes. The station monitors 14 active volcanoes and watches another 23. The Manam Volcano erupts on the average of once every four years. Ed and Mary were impressed that Ritter Island, which is not far from Rabaul, had experienced volcanic activity. In the Recording Room at the observatory, we enjoyed air-conditioned comfort, which was a real treat that Mary Ann and John, who stayed with the van, missed. The recording of all these volcanoes is done in real time.

When we returned to our ship, Mary, Naomi, Sergio and I took advantage of the impromptu local market and photographic opportunities. We admired and bought some of the wood cravings, clothes, woven bags and jewelry. Peg and Pat, if you are reading this blog (and we hope you are), your souvenirs from Rabual are from the exquisite jewelry line, and they will be required wearing when we get together for our reunion in Chicago in June! You will love them!

Who would have thought that a country that needs to monitors volcanic activity 24 hours a day, is covered in gray ash and has ash piled like snow on either sides of its roads, and seems a throwback to earlier times could provide such an incredible tour. If you ever get the chance to visit Papua New Guinea, do not hesitate to sign up for the trip! You'll love it!