Gadao’s Cave
I visited Gadao’s Cave for the first time. It was super easy to get to and I was surprised to see other pictographs on the walls of the cave because all I’ve ever seen are pictures of the one famous pictograph. The cave is located on Inarajan bay, on the opposite side from Gef Pago. If you’re coming from Gef Pago, drive to the other side of the bay, take the right turn there and go all the way down to the private property sign. Park on the side of the road outside the private property area and the trail is on the right.
I was very glad to not see any trash or graffiti around inside the cave. I hiked down to Pagat cave a few weeks ago and was so disappointed and disgusted to see so much trash, appliances and abandoned cars along the trail. I even saw pile of christmas decorations that had the Guam Seal on them and it looked like someone had tried to burn. When I got to the entrance of the cave there was a large group of locals getting ready to go inside and I saw they were carrying two cases of beer with them. I hope with all my heart that they took all their trash with them when they left.
A group of volunteers went down to clean up the area on Valentine’s Day which was a good idea. It’s not easy to argue that you want to keep an area of land open to the public because it’s treasured historical property when it looks like an illegal dumpsite.
I never got there. Glad you got to. I know someone who helped with the clean up on V Day. Great idea.
When you grow up around amazing or beautiful thing and don’t know anything different, you can take it for granted. Growing up in Chicago, in the cold, made me appreciate every warm day I had on Guam and EVERY sunset. People on Guam don’t understand how great they have it until they get off the island.
They also don’t know what it is like to live in a neighborhood that is litter free. If you grow up around litter, you just get used to it and then don’t notice it. Like the roosters. If you grow up listening to roosters everyday, you don’t hear them anymore. 🙂 It is a shock to outsiders.
I hope you can start a movement about keeping the island clean. Hope you got great pictures of the pictographs. Would love to see them. J
Unfortunately I didn’t get great pictures of inside the cave. I was in Inarajan with some friends for a meeting (sort of) and one of them took us to the cave since it was just across the bay. I’ll have to go back with a proper camera and take some pictures. 🙂
If I’m recalling correctly, the other pictographs in the cave are constellations. Eric and I visited the cave just before we left the island (one of the many hikes we went on as sort of our grand farewell), and were so surprised at how easily accessible it was. Too bad more people don’t make the time or effort to see more of the hidden gems the island has to offer, but I’m glad for those that do!
Hafa Adai Josie, I saw you the other day at Meskla and recognized you from your blog. I thought about going up and introducing myself, since we’ve followed each other’s blogs before but never met, but the table was full and didn’t want to intrude.
I love the photo, its one of the best I’ve ever seen of Gadao’s Cave, which is one of my top two favorite places on Guahan!
Did you know that Gadao’s Cave has the distinction of having more pictographs than any other cave on Guahan? It’s true! And it is the only cave with the a pictograph that looks anything like the famous “Gadao figurines.” There are several pictographs in Gadao’s Cave that are similar to ones found in caves at Ritidian, Talofofo, Fadian, etc… but those figurines are only found in Inalahan.
There are some caves on Naval Magazine, that sadly locals are no longer allowed to visit (thank you for that, Uncle Sam, she said with fully intended sarcasm), that also feature a pictograph that is unlike any other found in the Marianas. I’ll have to dig up the photo I have and send it to you, it’s pretty neat!
Love you heaps, my sister from another mister!