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Country Guide > Australia and South Pacific > Guam | |
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Social Profile Food & Drink Guamanian cooking is very similar to Spanish cuisine. Typical Guamanian dishes include red rice, shrimp patties and kelagven (a dish of chopped chicken, lemon juice, grated coconut and hot peppers). The wide selection of restaurants features American, Chinese, European, Filipino, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean and Mexican food. Nightlife A range of nightclubs feature music and dancing. Major hotels frequently stage shows with musicians from the US mainland, or local performers including the Guam Symphony & Choral Society. There are a number of cinemas in Tamuning, including at least one 14-screen cinema, most showing recent US films. Dance shows and dinner cruises are also available. Shopping There are many shopping centres in Agaña, Tumon, Tamuning and Dededo that offer an array of retail items. The main malls include the Hagåtña and Gibson’s Shopping Centers – the former with a 14-screen multiplex cinema. Micronesia Mall has recently undergone expansion and has the distinction of being the island’s first indoor mall. Good buys in Guam include watches, perfume, jewellery, alcohol, china, stereo equipment and cameras. Shopping hours: Generally Mon-Sat 1000-2100, Sun 1200-1800 but hours do vary from centre to centre. Special Events Each village has its own fiesta to celebrate its patron saint. They are celebrated on the weekend closest to the Saint’s Day and show the strong Spanish influence on local culture. The following is a selection of special events celebrated annually in Guam: May Malojloj Festival (the most famous of the patron Saint’s days), Inarajan. Jul Island Carnival, Y’pao Beach Park. Jul 21 Liberation Day (celebrated with fireworks, feasts and one of the year’s most impressive parades). Aug Merizo Water Festival (various watersports events). Dec 8 Immaculate Conception (celebrated with an impressive parade). Social Conventions Western customs are well understood – for the visiting Westerner it is quite likely that it will not be the customs of the locals that have to be observed, but those of the visiting Japanese who make up around 90 per cent of the island’s tourists. The most evident Chamorro legacy is the Chamorro language and a range of facial expressions, called ‘Eyebrow’, which virtually constitutes a language of its own. Tipping: 10-15 per cent is standard for taxi drivers, in restaurants and hotels. Where a 10 per cent service charge has already been added to the bill, tipping is optional. |