May 18, 2010

 

In Jakarta.  We're having a great time taking a break from Papua: going to malls, waltzing through the Prada and Armani stores as if we shop there enough that we're bored with their selection,  drinking numerous cappuccinos, going to movie theaters...  ahhh, this feels good.  My favorite unexpected finds of the shopping trips: an anniversary edition of "The Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child, a 2-pack of Bounty paper towels (WOW!), and shrimp-flavored Pringles (which I did not buy).  Most ironic moment of the day: The bellhop was pushing our bags of corn chips and paper towels on luggage cart through the magnificent lobby of our hotel.  I could see the thoughts on all of the other hotel guests when they passed us as if they had the word balloons over their heads: "?????". Obviously none of them can relate.

 

 

jakarta downtown

 

The neighborhood around our hotel.  As you can see, there is no zoning here, and slums are next to banking financial centers, which are next to mosques, which are next to luxury hotels.  It makes travel through this city incredibly interesting.  

 

May 17, 2010

 

Our travel to Jakarta took an entire day:

woke up at 3:30

checked in at the helipad at 5:00

waited to get on the helicopter for 3-1/2 hours

arrived in the lowlands in a rainstorm,

walked from the helicopter to a bus where I was unintentionally holding my own wet t-shirt contest,

waited at the hotel for 4 hours,

got on the airplane and arrived in Makassar 4 hours later to find this in the bathroom:

 

makassar

 

 

The last one is my favorite...it means do not wash your feet in the toilet. 

 

After that, we departed for Jakarta, and arrived at 6:00 pm.  I can't wait to see what all happens on our way back.

 

 

May 9, 2010

The Cassowary Claw

 

velociraptor

 

 

 

 

Claw-cam view

 

 

claw cam

 

 

May 6, 2010

 

Our friend Pius came by yesterday with goodies for us.  He sold us a large hand-woven basket with a lid (all made by his sibling - he did not specify brother or sister), and I can’t help but think there are snakes inside every time I look at it, thanks to watching Indiana Jones far too many times.  And he brought us another ceremonial necklace as a gift (an entire Cassowary foot with claws – photos coming in a day or two), in exchange for the Polaroid that we’d brought back from the US.  He’s already burned through 50 photos!  He showed us one that he’d taken of his little boy, and one of himself dressed in traditional costume (koteka replaced by soccer shorts, in case you were wondering). He looks incredibly fierce and majestic with his head dress, rattan and feathered armbands and holding a bow and arrow, surrounded by the jungle foliage.  Even though I’ve only ever seen him in blue jeans and a button-down shirt, he seems to look more “himself” in the traditional garb.  The Papuans are very proud to be Papuan, and that becomes very evident when they have on the traditional dress.
 

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