This Year in Books 2014 Living in Indonesia was good for my reading. With time being so loosely approached, I often found myself sitting and waiting, sometimes for a few hours. We’re going to the immigration office? Let me get my book. You’re inviting me to come to a conference with you that I can’t … [Read more…]
*Warning: Not Safe For Appetites* I live around the corner from a warung, a local street-food stand that is famous for serving one specific dish. At jam 3 sore, three in the afternoon, they start building the tented structure that soon becomes a mini roadside restaurant. By 8pm they are usually sold out and have … [Read more…]
King of Fruits, the true test of a fruitphile, a delicacy, Durian is an assault on the claim of all other fruits to their categorization, and it only grows in Southeast Asia. The fruit is most notable for its pungent smell that has been compared to rotting flesh, and heaven. The odor is so abrasive … [Read more…]
If I ever fall off the face of the Earth and you really need to get hold of me, I’ll be basking in a bungalow on Gili Air. Dig through the archives to find this post, and come search for me. The only flaw in your plan will be you mysteriously forget why it was … [Read more…]
Two weeks ago Mt. Kelud, a volcano roughly five hours away from my home in Yogyakarta erupted spewing ash hundreds of miles. Wind carried the ash all the way to Yogyajakarta where it shut down roads due to visibility issues and laid down a layer 4 centimeters thick. At the time I was in Bali … [Read more…]
On our trip to Labujan Bajo, a city on the island of Flores Max and I went through the four day process of getting our Padi Scuba certification. The photo above is of the descent during our first open-water dive. The first day of the course is spent in the classroom going through all of … [Read more…]
A few weeks ago I travelled to a city called Labujan Bajo on the island of Flores. It’s a lazy harbor kind of town with one main street reminiscent of the deadwood towns of the wild west. The only difference is instead of guns and saloons you see cameras and SCUBA diving centers. Right off … [Read more…]
Hidden in a valley between a few mountains and volcanoes about an hour outside of Jogja sits Candi Borobudur. This 9th century Buddhist temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, claims to be the biggest Buddhist monument still standing today, and is the most visited tourist site in Indonesia. If you want to avoid the … [Read more…]
In 5th grade my father bought me a textbook-size copy of The Hobbit with 48 brightly colored illustrations to lose myself in when my eyes were too tired to continue reading. Before then, I remember liking books. I enjoyed the Famous Five and the Secret Seven. I laughed at The Phantom Tollbooth. I had never … [Read more…]
Indonesian lifestyle and culture is beautiful. Each member clearly contributes to society as a whole and deeply cares about those around them. I never go a day without a complete stranger offering a quick smile and bow. I love being a part of that for just a little while. There are many things I have … [Read more…]