September 21, 2025
I organized another food tour - this one STREET FOOD at the night market in Longshan. One of the originals now about 10 throughout the city, this one is close to the river, where the earliest people settled.
Here's the gang of 9 toast with winter melon tea! (L to R) Me, Colleen, Gary & Christy, Bosco , Sherrie, Bon & Sarah and Clark! Was a fun group and we had 11 different taste - some good - some not so much! See if you can guess the least favorites!!
Making coconut cream is such a big part of the Samoan culture I feel compelled to share the 4 step process we were so nicely shown. Every Samoan young and old takes part in this tradition, it is an intrigue part of their everyday lives.
The tour today was focused on the National Park but we also got a lot of insight into American Samoa's history and current day life. Our guide was Nini and she is a college student studying accounting and finance and works as a part-time guide.
Today we took the National Park of American Samoa Tour. It's a unique park - the only one south of the equator and where the U.S. Government doesn't own the land. Efforts to establish the Park go back to mid 1980 over concern about the decline of fruit bats and wanting to protect the tropical rainforests. On October 31, 1988 Congress established the NP of American Samoa. In 1993, a complex arrangement for a 50 year land lease years with seven villages and the Samoa government was signed. We got lucky with our tour - we were expecting an open air bus, but because we were a small group, we got a plush air conditioned van!