Monday, January 28, 2008
Fajita Meat, Water Buffalo Style
So we thought we’d try our hand @ the closest thing to beef here – water buffalo – it tastes like chicken…just kiddin’ – just like beef actually, yummy!
Private Beach
A 10 minute trek over rock & thru tall grass opens up to this gorgeous little bay w/ not a soul in sight…don’t need volume on this one, you’d just hear the wind blowing around. At the very end of the clip, J’s on a rock in the distance waving – a bit hard to see, but go for it. :)
Mie Goreng
Swimming Bay
Kami Baru Hamil
Break On Thru To the Other Side
Our Daily Bread
J Hard @ Work
Awkward Load Crossing
Awkward Load
Rush Hour
Big Men In a Little Becak
Backyard 'Bow
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Snack Raid
We got the munchies one night so we decided to scour a local shop for sweet things. This is the booty we brought home spread out on our cement floor: Saltcheese Cracker Biscuits, Chew-eez choco, Smiling milk chocolate beans, Apilo Ball, and Marie Saluut. For the most part they were ok, but there was one that was pretty nasty…any votes?
Arachnophobia
This pix was taken in our bathroom which is not yet screened in from bugs…some bigger than others! This guy was about as big as our hand & the 3rd to grace our presence…Jason sliced the first one in half with a broom – half his body literally flew over his shoulder, and the second one is still at LARGE.
Makeshift Bridges
Everything on a Motorbike
On our way back to Calang, we got a kick out of how amazing the Acehnese are – does this motorbike look incredible or what? Funny thing is, when we passed him, he was holding yet another large box on his lap…!
After the motorbike box guy we saw a veggie guy - basically a variation on the same theme. We feel a little wimpy w/ our loads now ;) We’re thinking a fun coffee table book would be “How Most of the Stuff in the World Gets Around: Motorbikes the new beasts of burden” Did we mention we saw a man carrying a +- 5 foot swordfish on the back of his motorbike too?
After the motorbike box guy we saw a veggie guy - basically a variation on the same theme. We feel a little wimpy w/ our loads now ;) We’re thinking a fun coffee table book would be “How Most of the Stuff in the World Gets Around: Motorbikes the new beasts of burden” Did we mention we saw a man carrying a +- 5 foot swordfish on the back of his motorbike too?
"24 Jam"
Here’s the CAMA vehicle we’re borrowing for the next several months while the other CAMA couple’s on break. The sign in the background says at the bottom “24 jam” which means 24 hrs, however, there wasn’t a soul in sight at this MBO station when we tried to get gas for our early trip back. This prompted the next pix…
“Kotak Saran” means “suggestion box” – which of course we had…! Then again when I talked to our Acehnese workman about it, he said you can’t expect the station to be open all the time because the workers have to sleep some time. Good point, who wants to pull 24 hour shifts day after day!
This Ain't No Cold Stone...
Cold Stone Creamery
J’s 30th
In all the craziness of moving, we forgot to post pix from J’s bday last month…better late than never! This pix’s taken in front of a intricately carved wooden door in front of a Moroccan restaurant in Jakarta where we celebrated.
If our good friends John & Caitlin (currently living in Rabat) always eat like this, we’re jealous :)
Who’s mimicking who?
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
1st Week Highlights
Besides our pix, here’s a few highlights since we arrived to our new home on Thurs, Jan 10:
1. Many of our neighbors have stopped over in the 1st few days to meet us & check out the 1st foreigners living in their community :)
2. A Sunday swim in a beautiful cove where the water’s so clear you can be up to your neck in water & still see your feet.
3. Getting our water semi-working! We have a well, but had to install a pump and have been filtering the water temporarily to bathe, wash dishes, etc. until we can get permenant plumbing put in.
4. Our 1st full day in Aceh ended with a walk to the same beach where we spent many mornings in summer of 2005 talking together about moving to Aceh. Not only was there a gorgeous sunset, but a double rainbow directly behind us – the 1st rainbows we’ve seen since moving to Indonesia over a year ago!
5. Tracking down folks to help w/ renovations like fully installing our water, toilet, area for kitchen, etc.
6. Scoring w/ Oreos! This was huge as there’s not a lot of Western foods available here yet ☺
7. Last but not least, E finding an Indonesian coin as she swept out our place before we moved in…the coin story continues!
1. Many of our neighbors have stopped over in the 1st few days to meet us & check out the 1st foreigners living in their community :)
2. A Sunday swim in a beautiful cove where the water’s so clear you can be up to your neck in water & still see your feet.
3. Getting our water semi-working! We have a well, but had to install a pump and have been filtering the water temporarily to bathe, wash dishes, etc. until we can get permenant plumbing put in.
4. Our 1st full day in Aceh ended with a walk to the same beach where we spent many mornings in summer of 2005 talking together about moving to Aceh. Not only was there a gorgeous sunset, but a double rainbow directly behind us – the 1st rainbows we’ve seen since moving to Indonesia over a year ago!
5. Tracking down folks to help w/ renovations like fully installing our water, toilet, area for kitchen, etc.
6. Scoring w/ Oreos! This was huge as there’s not a lot of Western foods available here yet ☺
7. Last but not least, E finding an Indonesian coin as she swept out our place before we moved in…the coin story continues!
Crocodile Dundeeish
We’re becoming friends w/ another NGO in town - FHI (Food for the Hungry Int’l). They have a similar work philosophy as our own. They’ve been so great w/ letting us stay at their guesthouse, eat meals with them, drop off laundry, & crash while we were getting our own place setup. In this pix, we were trying to open a can of spaghetti sauce w/o a can-opener…this is can opening Indo style – with a machete! Crocodile Dundee would’ve been proud.
Pier (not so) 1
Date Nite
Butting Heads
So, it’s kinda weird ‘cuz we live at the ocean but there’s farm animals roaming all around (cows, chickens, water buffalo, goats, etc.) The other day a male goat was gutsy enough to come over so we started playing w/ him. We’d push on his horns & he’d push back – he hung around for a good 10 min. just wanting to butt our hands – our new neighbors thought it was quite humorous ☺
Guest Bedroom
1st Breakfast
Big Centipede
Fruit Bats
On our way into Aceh, we stopped by Indo’s 3rd largest city, Medan, to buy a few essentials that can’t be found in Aceh. As we were walking on the sidewalk, we came across this cage of bats for sale for traditional medicine– weird! Notice in the background a woman going by on a motorbike in heels…normal here.
2nd pix's a closeup of the fruit bats…they’re actually really cute!
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Catchin' Up
Well, we've officially left Bandung now & are on our way into Aceh. The last couple weeks have been crazy with moving 'n all so we're just catching up to our blog. Lest we forget, a new year has begun & thus a new month of things to celebrate :)
Jan 2 Happy Mew Year for Cats Day
Jan 5 Fruitcake Toss Day - does this mean pitch or toss to a friend?!
Jan 10 Islamic New Year Day
Jan 21 Not just MLK Day, but Squirrel Appreciation Day too!
Jan 23 National Pie Day - we'd suggest trying a pb pie - excellent
Jan 24 Belly Laugh Day
Jan 28 Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day - what would we do w/o good 'ole BW?
You can find more holidays on brownielocks.com - hope your New Year's was great!
Friday, January 4, 2008
New Year’s Celebration
E with Poppy’s Mom
Puffy Paintness
Final pix with Bandi Fam
Saying Goodbye Sundanese Style
We promise we didn’t pose this picture, but it sure looks like it. Here J is “shaking hands” good bye by clasping both a man’s hands between his own. Elissa is doing another variation on the same theme by shaking a man’s hand with her right hand while holding her right arm with her left hand. Greeting is acceptable with both hands or your right, but nothing should be done with your left hand only!
Pak Bandi & Crew
Perpisahan – “A Leaving”
A Sundanese tradition when coming or leaving a place is to invite your neighbors in & share a meal together. Here’s a pix of our livingroom cleared of all furniture, etc. & covered with carpets (donated by our neighbors) to make room for our neighbors. Elissa along with some other women are serving the men their food in this picture.
Pak Bandi Rocks!
Moving Day
Wow!
Christmas Gift
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