I'm leaving tomorrow very early in the morning to go to Borneo, and I was reading the guidebook in excitement and it said that two of the animals found where I am going are crocodiles.... and..... pythons. I knew there were "large snakes" there, and while I am not the kind of person to voluntarily seek out the company of pythons, the guidebook also said that I "probably would not see them from the boat" which is how we will be traveling, so I hope that I will not find myself singing the "oh gee it's up to my knee, oh heck it's up to my neck" song.
Please keep your fingers crossed that I don't meet any. Or see any. Or even pass by any without even knowing it.
Senin, 26 Desember 2011
Rambutan Season
Rambutans are basically the reason I fell in love with Indonesia in the first place. These red, spiky fruits are peeled to reveal firm yet juicy flesh, kind of akin to an oversized grape. And I am not the only one who can eat them by the pound--the locals are also quite susceptible to rambutan fever.
Lucky for me, it is now rambutan season. And even luckier, there is a gigantic tree that grows right next to Khadir's house. Luckier still, Khadir loves to climb trees and knows how to wield the gigantic rambutan picker crafted out of bamboo.
Lucky for me, it is now rambutan season. And even luckier, there is a gigantic tree that grows right next to Khadir's house. Luckier still, Khadir loves to climb trees and knows how to wield the gigantic rambutan picker crafted out of bamboo.
The Chubbiest Cheeks in the World
And no, I am not referring to mine. I met this adorable and fierce six-year-old on a research-related field trip.
Minggu, 25 Desember 2011
Merry Christmas From Indonesia
Here is me with the Indonesian version of Santa. Just kidding, it's totally not Santa. It's a Balinese King. But he has a white mustache!
Tucker wins Third Place
A couple of weekends ago Khadir entered his Holden Tucker into a vintage car expo. We went to visit Tucker on the grounds of the show, and saw all manner of totally awesome classic vehicles--Fiats, De Soto's, Plymouths, Vespas, and more.
I took a particular liking to a Bel Air from the fifties. It might have been because the hood ornament looked like an airplane or because the steering wheel could fill up a whole studio apartment.
Tucker won the prize for "Best Station Wagon," which also meant that he (she?) won third place out of the whole bunch. Not bad!
I took a particular liking to a Bel Air from the fifties. It might have been because the hood ornament looked like an airplane or because the steering wheel could fill up a whole studio apartment.
Tucker won the prize for "Best Station Wagon," which also meant that he (she?) won third place out of the whole bunch. Not bad!
My Birthday/Christmas Present
For my birthday, Khadir bought me this classy three-speed bike. Basically, nothing beats riding this beauty through the surrounding rice fields and past the small old-fashioned villages in the area. My steering has improved, as I am often dodging deep sinkholes in the asphalt or dirt roads, and my composure has also improved as Indonesian vehicles like to pass VERY CLOSE on the right. I do not yet have a name for Betty Blue's Indonesian relative. Maybe it should be Teeny, short for Supartini.
My littlest friends
These girls are part of a gaggle of young children who hang out at one of my favorite food stalls in Yogya. The one on the right is Mita, and she's the ringleader. When she sees me coming she rounds up the gang, and they keep me company while I eat, peppering me with questions, showering me with compliments (a cultural practice that I guess I'll never get tired of), filling me in on local neighborhood and elementary school gossip, and practicing their English. Oh, and of course, engaging in shenanigans and playing with my cell phone.
Village Graffiti
Loose translation according to Khadir: Let's go cut grass in the fields! Live life cutting grass!
Kamis, 08 Desember 2011
chewing betel
Last night we stopped by Khadir's friends Rinto's house, which he shares with his family including his kindly grandma. As we chatted, she was also hanging out watching TV and chewing betel nut, which is actually a combination of betel nut and chewing tobacco wrapped into a neat package of a sirih leaf. I knew that Indonesians liked to chew betel nut, but she explained to me that her mother taught her how to do it and it used to be mandatory for young women because of the benefits of keeping your teeth clean and strong, turning your lips an enchanting red, making your body feel refreshed and strengthening your aura.
I figured that my aura could use some strengthening, so I asked to try some and she made me a little bundle. I have to say that I enjoyed the taste and my teeth did indeed feel refreshed (and turn orange), but I don't think it will become a habit.
Here is me with this sweet sweet woman, first kneeling down so it appears that we are the same height, and then exhibiting our true height difference.
I figured that my aura could use some strengthening, so I asked to try some and she made me a little bundle. I have to say that I enjoyed the taste and my teeth did indeed feel refreshed (and turn orange), but I don't think it will become a habit.
Here is me with this sweet sweet woman, first kneeling down so it appears that we are the same height, and then exhibiting our true height difference.
I could have been famous!
White people, or bule's are still fairly few and far between in Indonesia, and hence a very hot commodity when say, for example, famous Indonesian film directors need to make a historical film about the first Indonesian bishop (or something like that) who was also key in fighting for independence from the Dutch.
I was invited to be an extra for this film, directed by Garin Nugroho. What this meant was I arrived at the film location, an old Dutch sugar factory, at approximately 7 AM in the morning, was dressed in a rather dingy-style '40's dress and hat by 10 AM, sat around chatting with the rag-tag bunch of other white people, including three charming exchange students from Poland, an American traveling all of Southeast Asia, an outgoing Italian from Turin who came to Indonesia for his brother's wedding to an Indonesian and met his own Indonesian wife at the ceremony, and a Spaniard who looked exactly like a pirate (sorry no picture). At 6 PM we were told that our scene would not be shot, ate an Indonesian dinner, and were sent home $50 richer. Not a horrible way to spend a Sunday.
Here were three of my lovely "co-stars."
Here are some behind the scene shots: a man gets his flesh wound applied on the fly, and the fires of Independence burning in the distance.
I was invited to be an extra for this film, directed by Garin Nugroho. What this meant was I arrived at the film location, an old Dutch sugar factory, at approximately 7 AM in the morning, was dressed in a rather dingy-style '40's dress and hat by 10 AM, sat around chatting with the rag-tag bunch of other white people, including three charming exchange students from Poland, an American traveling all of Southeast Asia, an outgoing Italian from Turin who came to Indonesia for his brother's wedding to an Indonesian and met his own Indonesian wife at the ceremony, and a Spaniard who looked exactly like a pirate (sorry no picture). At 6 PM we were told that our scene would not be shot, ate an Indonesian dinner, and were sent home $50 richer. Not a horrible way to spend a Sunday.
Here were three of my lovely "co-stars."
Here are some behind the scene shots: a man gets his flesh wound applied on the fly, and the fires of Independence burning in the distance.
The Beaches of Gunung Kidul
Sorry guys I have been blog delinquent for almost a month. I plan to create a barrage of updates in the next hour. Get ready. Here are some photos from a recent weekend trip to a series of beaches about two hours away (much closer than Karimun Jawa). You still couldn't swim, but these beaches were really gorgeous, with coves and caves and right past the sand were little clusters of traditional terraced farm and rice paddies.
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