Kerupuk



As far as I can figure kerupuk literally means ‘cracker’… but it usually refers to something that has been ‘dried’ first, then fried…

The first time I tried kerupuk was actually in Canada… AGES ago at a nice Chinese Restaurant with my grandparents in Belleville – SHRIMP CRACKERS!!! Light, fluffy, … it’s still one of my favourites. Right up there with banana crackers…

So basically, this is what they look like before frying:



... and this is what they look like after (ready to be eaten):




Of course, they come in all variety of shapes and sizes, colours and flavours, depending on the base... so there's always a new taste around the corner!

HOLY MANGOS!

Our brief return to Manado this time (on the way to the CUSO Cooperant Conference) was full of action and fun and MANGOES … more-so even than our recent holiday!

Other than hanging out with the Latin Contingent most days, and ‘clubbing’ with them a few evenings (lucky for me the theme was ‘beach party’ since club wear isn’t really part of my wardrobe!), we also took them to see the mini-monkeys, and introduced them to the wonders of reflexology and ‘the cream bath’. They don’t really go outside their norm… they spend their days going from the hotel to the stadium to the mall… they’re not really explorers, so they like it when we force them into new experiences.

The previous week when we had blown through Manado, our friends at Bintang Laut said that mango season had begun, but I was disappointed when I went to the market looking for them, but came up empty-handed. But on this trip I found myself pleasantly surprised to see overflowing bins of SIX different types of Mangoes in the produce department on a quick visit to the supermarket! I didn’t even know there were so many different shapes and sizes and smells of mangoes… so I bought one of each, and brought them home to try. The names range from Mangga Madu (Honey mango) and Mangga Harum Manis (Sweet aroma mango) to some that aren’t very descriptive (have no meaning) such as Mangga Kuini, Mangga Dodol and Mangga Gole.



Then when I got to chatting about mangoes with several different folks around town (and in Jogja as well), I found out there actually may be hundreds of different types of mangoes!!! YUMMM!!!!

Upon arriving at the house, we saw our neighbours’ mango tree… exploding mangoes!



I guessed that they would no doubt be by later to get the latest gossip on us, under the guise of bringing us mangoes.... and I was right! See, not only are mangoes sweet, delicious treats, they also bind together society!

More Online EyeCandy from Raja Ampat
(even though we're actually back in Jogja for a few days!)

You may be starting to think this might be a subtle coercion tactic to get some visitors coming this way... and although that would be fabulous, I really just want to share the uniqueness of Raja Ampat with all of you. Since it takes hours to upload my own pics, this is the best way!

Sea Life of Raja Ampat Slideshow from pictures taken by CI Communications team.

... and another slideshow this one showing the species that were auctioned off at the Blue Auction.

National Geographic has featured Raja Ampat in their latest issue (the link which I provided you before)... they have expanded their online offerings... you can now explore the sights, sounds and stories from them online. Use the side navigation bar to explore the various pages!

A REAL Shuttlecock

A closer look at this 'birdie' from a badminton game on one of the islands really does make its namesake clear!



More unique than the plastic version nowadays, and a lot cheaper (unless you're paying an hourly wage to make it)!

Pupuan Birds

The bird life here is incredible... and incredibly at risk.

You know, those beautiful tropical birds with the colourful plumage that most of us only see on cereal boxes or in the zoo... well, here in West Papua, there are actually some of these birds left in the wild!




Last time we were at Waiwo, the CI Field Station, I counted 26 squawking parrots flying above the canopy... at ONCE! The twitters and tweets of many of these birds can be heard right from the breakfast table (where we can also now access internet!)

Sadly, the only time I've had a really good look at some of these creatures is because the locals sometimes keep them as pets.






Much more devastating to their populations is the illegal wildlife trade; locals capture the birds, but they have been contracted to do so by wildlife traders, who intend them directly for sale, usually through the conduit of Java, and then often to the international bird market.





... or, like these unlucky endemic birds of paradise, they are killed simply for their feathers...



... to make souvenirs...




Please don't keep these birds as pets! They weren't meant to live in captivity. I read a true story about the Bird of Paradise - that it has never been successfully been kept alive in containment... they always die after a few days, and no one can figure out why. I figure it's probably a broken heart, or spirit.

They're so much more beautiful in the wild... although hard to spot! Can you spot the red parrot in the photo below??? Court took it at the CI Field Station, Waiwo, while he was here for a visit in September.

Waiwo
(a few of the critters that live there)

To my delight, when the CI Field Station was built, the critters in the jungle didn't head for higher ground... instead, they just adopted Waiwo as part of their home.

This little skink landed in the laundry (yes, Waiwo even has a washing machine!!!)... he must've been going for a swim in the water tank!? I'd seen him around previously in his dull brown shade, but I guess his trip through the water hose gave him a bit of a fright... he turned electric blue! I have since learned his name is Ronald.



Spiders are not an uncommon sight... how many do you spot in this pic?



This guy is probably the king of all grasshoppers...



...but this one takes the cake for kookiest (and best camouflaged - he is identical to a leaf from the side!)...



Then there are a variety of bugs of all shapes, sizes, colours and descriptions...



There are also two Soa-soa (monitor lizards) that play in the compost heap in the early mornings... however, they have remained largely elusive whenever I have my camera handy!



Getting a picture of the birds is equally challenging!

Waiwo
CI Field Station, Raja Ampat

CI couldn't have chosen a better site for their first field station in Raja Ampat. A lovely little white-sand beach with mangroves...



...and it's own small healthy coral reef right out front.




The dock is nice for photos, although, like every other dock I've ever seen in Indonesia, it's completely ridiculous... WAAAAY too high, even at the highest of high tides!



The most wonderful place to read a good book is out there under the shade hut, with the ocean breeze to keep you cool!



Waiwo is actually a full-service facility! There are:

A Mess and several cabins



with 'rustic rooms'



kitchen and dining area (also used for internet picnics!)



scuba equipment



several offices (and Satellite internet connection)




as well as a conference/meeting room



and LOTS of coconuts!



aaaahhhh....

My MUSLIM Bathing suit

The Manado/Bunaken area is not Bali, most people wear shorts and a t-shirt to swim, they don't use a bathing suit, and they CERTAINLY don't wear bikinis! Only foreign women wear bikinis, and, well, that's because they're loose floozies (at least this is the impression all the Hollywood movies - the only experience of foreigners for most Indonesians - have given them). So, because I'm working with children, and want to respect the local culture (and maybe make them change their mind about stereo-typing all foreign women as sluts; hey, I'm no floozy!), and also because I want to respect the sun's power and capability of causing skin cancer (!), I decided to look for more modest and appropriate swim wear. I had been wearing shorts over my swim suit, but this still received many stares (probably they were just thinking, man that's a lotta WHITE!), and even though I was applying superfluous amounts of sunscreen, I was still winding up sun-burnt.

My search for a 'lycra' or 'rashguard' to wear with my shorts came up empty - no surf gear in Manado! But the search lead me to one of the most amusing encounters I've had so far in Indonesia.

I was at the Matahari, one of the 'modern' department stores in Manado, looking for a lycra. When I spotted a whole section of what I would call 'skin-suits', only not the price you would normally pay at a dive shop! There were ones with full sleeves or short sleeves, full legs or shorts (a few even came with caps!), in all variety of colours and patterns. I figured right away these were for the muslim population, but it suited my purpose just fine! I noticed the stares when I started looking through the rack in earnest. (But stares are normal, so I connected it with the fact that I 'shine' here (as Martin says), not with the fact that I was looking at muslim bathing suits).



When I found one that I liked (obviously NOT the one in the above picture) and asked the sales women if I might try it on, she looked at me in complete disbelief and the following conversation went something like this:

Sales Woman: "You can't buy that."

Me: (stunned silence... running through the possible reasons why not and coming up with nothing viable (maybe it's the last one and they need it for display?)) "... uuuh, why not?"

Sales Woman: "Well, it's for MUSLIMS."

Me: "Yeah, I know, but I like it and I'd like to buy it. Would you mind if I tried it on?" (I knew she'd never believe me if I just simply said I was Muslim, although it probably would have stopped her in her tracks!!!)

Sales Woman: "But it's a MUSLIM bathing suit!"

Me: "I know. But it's just exactly what I'm looking for, it will protect me from the sun, and I'd like to try it on, please." (I thought I might have her here, since all Indonesians hide from the sun in order stay as white (ie. beautiful) as possible.)

Sales Woman: (somewhat haughtily, while indicating where the fitting rooms were) "Well, if you think so."

Me: "Yes, thank you."

(I tried it on, it fit)

Me: (moving up to the cash register with the suit, where there was now a group of saleswomen waiting) "Perfect. Just this, thanks."

Sales Woman: "You're sure?"

Me: "Yes, Thank you very much. Have a great day!"

Sales Woman: (still in disbelief, I think) "Shalom"

Me: (with a little giggle) "Take care."

PINANG - Part Two
(Beetlenut)

The first time I wrote a blog about Beetlenut I hadn't actually tried it myself... I had just been fascinated by the brilliant red mouths smiling at me around Raja Ampat, and by the trails of bright red sputum lining the sidewalks of Sorong.

This time, I am writing from a new perspective! I have tried chewing pinang several times now, and although I can't say I actually like the sensation, it's certainly unique.

Pinang, or beetlenut, might be the Papuan equivalent to chewing tobacco, but natural and untreated. Betelnut is actually the fruit of a type of palm tree (betel palm); a reddish-brown 'nut' encased in a green husk. Papuans rip off the outer husk with their teeth to get to the inner-goodness... then pop the middle part into the mouth (with a little bit of the fibrous husk as well) and chew. The initial effect is instantaneous, the salivary glands are immediately stimulated, and you spurt saliva. But wait, it's not over yet... in fact, it's only just begun! The beetelnut itself doesn't create that lusty red colour!



The next step is to take a small stick of 'siri' (I have no idea what this is called in English... it's a small 'fruit' that grows on vines, and adds its very distinctive smell to the experience), dip it in lime (calcium oxide), and position it in the middle of the mass that the betelnut has now become... continue chewing the pulp until red (for me, both my face AND my mouth)! Only when all three of these ingredients are present in the correct proportions can you achieve that perfect colour/texture combination which inevitably turns the mouth and teeth bright orange!



This is a common practise throughout Papua, from the young (I've seen kids as young as 5 years old chewing the stuff!) to the very old! There isn't anything much funnier than the men of a village here looking like they're wearing lipstick!

Pinang is sold in all the markets here, usually already packaged with siri and lime.

I've read that betelnut is a mildly euphoric stimulant (due to the presence of alkaloids)... and folks here say it's habit-forming. Although the majority of times I've tried it, I've felt nothing of this natural high except my face got red, the most recent time, I actually got quite dizzy, although only briefly. (Friends said it was because that particular pinang was 'wild' as opposed to being 'cultivated'!)

Pinang is also said to have the added bonus of strengthening teeth... 'Nature's toothbrush' (most people here don't actually use a toothbrush and paste). It's true that most people who chew pinang still have all their teeth, and there is a very low incidence of dental problems (of course, no one goes to the dentist to actually check!)... These bonuses, though, are somewhat outweighed by the fact that chewing betelnut has recently been linked to oral cancers. AND... every elder I see chewing it has a mouthful of awfully stained teeth and gums that look like they belong on a monster in a horror movie!

Airline Adventures

Our most recent trip on an Indonesian airline was the most eventfully and unforgettable yet…

It’s Idul Fitri, the end of the fasting month, which, in a country of 80% Muslim population, mean folks are all “pulang kampung” (home for the holidays)… so flights are booked solid. Two weeks ago, when we found out we were going to have a holiday, and we booked our tickets, we were on the waiting list!

We were flying with Wings Air (which is actually the same things as Lion Air), on a Dash-8 (300), a little twin prop airplane which seats about 30 people…. Or at least, that’s the NUMBER of SEATS on board… This time, it was actually seating several more than the capacity – with 3 people sitting in 2 seats in several places around the plane! When I mentioned this seeming discrepancy, the flight director tried to brush me off saying, no, no, it’s all ok. When I was a little more adamant about this (illegal) overloading, he still maintained that all was ok, and proceeded to spare up another seat by asking another person to triple up. By this time there were 5 extra passengers (which of course means all their luggage, and at holiday times, this is usually more than average… and on a plane of this size, amounts to a significant increase! Like 30%!)

To my real surprise, NO ONE else on the plane seemed to have any problem with this, or at least no one was making any noise… even the people who were being asked to triple up didn’t mind being shuffled and uncomforted!

Anyway, that was TOO much! ESPECIALLY given the safety track record of airlines in Indonesia… Martin, completely stressed, grabbed his bag and deplaned, while I, for the 5th time, had a word with the crew. This time a little louder, and a little more forcefully. I tried to explain to them there were reasons for the load limits imposed on airplanes, and although they are well within safety limits, they have no authority to decide to disobey them, and that this was completely UNSAFE, etc, etc… That they have no right to take the lives of all these passengers into their own hands… and did they not value their own lives? And why did they think Indonesian airlines were in such a predicament anyway!?

When it seemed like nothing was getting through I finally took a more adamant stand, saying their plane wasn’t flying with me on it if it was overloaded, and if I wasn’t on board when it took off they would have other problems.

I just stood on the pulldown stairway/gangplank until they offloaded the extra passengers (and when these groaned and gave me the evil eye, I just asked them if it wasn’t better to be alive). By this time Martin was almost back at the terminal and they had to go retrieve him, which they did, and we settled into our seats, quite disgruntled. I apologized (for the delay… although, of course, we were already 1.5 hours late anyway, normal in Indo… so the 5-10 mins I caused was nothing!)

Once we were mid-flight, I noticed something funny in the cockpit – they were being awfully careful about the curtain closed between the cabin and the washroom/galley/cockpit; they didn’t even leave it open during take-off and landing, which breaks some other regulation, I’m sure! In the end, it turned out they had stashed one of the extra passengers between the 2 pilots! (I later found out she paid an additional 2 million rupiah on top of the regular ticket price!!!)

THEN, when we got off in Manado, the 4 other extra passengers deplaned – from the BAGGAGE compartment!!!

You’re F’ING KIDDING ME! So, although we were lucky and arrived whole, I will not be letting this lie!!!

Recently (within the last 2-4 months), there were huge investigations in to the safety and security of Indo Airlines – Three carries were subjected to heavy fines and most their flights grounded until they were able to comply with a series of discrepancies between their status quo and the regulations. This one, WINGS AIR, was one of the ones that had a few mechanical issues with their fleet… great! Just imagine!

So, when I went to report the ‘incident’ to the Lion/Wings Office, one of the kids working there seemed to think this was funny, which of course, got me more riled up! I told them that I wanted to make a formal complaint and report… they said in order to make a report, they would call Sorong, the origin of the flight, to check if what I was saying was true (!?!) Yeah, what reason do I have to lie!?!?!? It’s really likely that they’re going to admit to having broken about a dozen rules, putting passengers’ safety at risk! I told them if they couldn’t believe me, that there were 30 (in fact 35!) other passengers that were witness to same, and would be able to confirm! And if they really wanted the truth, they’d have more success by checking the pockets of their employees in Sorong – for the extra millions they were extorting from the additional passengers, to break the rules!

I got nowhere with them, and I realized that they weren’t the right people to complain to anyway… I’m in the process of drafting a letter to the high commission of airline safety in Indonesia, and at the suggestion of my dad, will be copying it to IATA (the International Air Transport Association), and maybe even the Aviation Safety Foundation of Australasia. Let’s just see if that gets their attention; maybe now they’ll take my complaint a little more seriously. Do they think a couple hundred dollars extra is enough cause to risk a whole planeful of people’s families grief at the major holiday of the year if their little plan backfired!? Gee, they really value their customers!

Airplane Food in Indonesia

You can't expect much from budget carriers in Indonesia in the way of a mid-flight meal or snack. Most don't serve anything but a plastic cup of water. There was a surprise for us on our last flight from Bali to Makassar - a 'boxed snack'. What the box contained was even more of a surprise!



A boiled egg, and a fish-filled roll.

We're flying back to Manado on Wednesday, and then our holidays begin on Friday... but I bet there is nothing more to look forward to on the flights!

Ayam Lalapan di Sumber Urip
(Fried Chicken at the "Source of Life")


This is one of our favourite places for dinner, a little warung not too far from our place in Sorong. Warungs are semi-permanent street vendors that usually start to appear late afternoon or early evening for the dinner crowd. The structures are usually very simple: a metal-frame, tarp roof (often with numerous holes), and cloth banner 'walls' (which double as advertising space and menu). Offerings are usually fairly standard... you can see the Sumber Urip menu from the 'writing on the wall'!

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)
Nasi Ayam (Chicken Rice)
Nasi Ikan (Fish Rice)
Tahu Tek (Tofu with sauce)
Soto (Soup)
Mie Kuah (Boiled Noodles)
Mie Goreng (Fried Noodles)
Ayam Goreng Lalapan (Fried Chicken with Salad) - their specialty!

Warungs are one of the cheapest options for quick meals (other than the kaki-limas (vendor carts that remain in motion)). You usually find warungs in groupings, like this one near our house (below). Nicely-focussed picture, Ange... in case you can't tell, that's Martin standing by the motorcycles!



At the "Source of Life" warung, we've actually evolved an interesting relationship with the owners, a sweet javenese couple from Surabaya. They love having 'Bules' as regular customers... and it probably isn't bad for business either. I swear people walking by stop to eat there just so they can stare at the Bule!



This is what last nights dinner looked like:


Martin had Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice).



And I had Ayam Goreng Lalapan... Fried chicken, with steamed rice, super-spicy sambal (hot sauce), and a 'salad'. The salad consists of fresh basil, string beans, cucumbers and cabbage and is actually the only fresh veggies I've ever found available for meals! The chicken is scrumptious... I think Indonesia is the first time I've ever actually tried fried chicken!? I've had it BBQ'd, baked, shake'n'baked, broiled, and roasted... but I can't remember ever having it friend! It's a Suthen thang I guess?

Day-tripping to the Island of Doom

Last Sunday, once the monotony of going from home to office to home, and back again, with no break or change of scenery, even on weekends (because Sorong is a dive of a city; hot, sticky, dirty, uugh), I finally convinced Martin that we had to break the routine or I was going to go insane!

What better, uplifting destination that the Isle of Doom!? (Actually pronounced, and starting to be spelled, DUM) Their motto, as you can see in the sign below, is, Doom Kota Kami (Our City of Doom): Kecil, Aman, Menarik, Indah (Small, Safe, Interesting, Beautiful). In contrast to the ominous name, I found their claims to be true.



Pulau Doom is about a 10 minute, 20 cent, water taxi ride from Sorong.



It's a small, round little island that people say was the original 'Sorong'. As such, it has the complete set of social structures and facilities -- schools, government offices, church, mosque and market. Sorong was relocated to the mainland (I still say that even though they're all islands!) once the little island was all but overflowing; it is much quieter and greener than Sorong, as so won my immediate approval.



There are no cars, and few motorcycles -- only a parade of becak (tricycle taxi) travel the tiny cement streets on the island. We hopped on a becak, and were given the full tour of the entire island, both Martin and I riding cozily together in one (not an ideal state in the heat of the tropics). It cost us about two dollars.



Sometimes these becak drivers don't obey the rules!



And in the blazing mid-day sun, I think I saw more of them resting under the shade of a tree than working... it's too HOT!




I think we will go back again sometime, and now that we know there are several other islands all within reach of a day-trip from Sorong, maybe we won't go to the office 7 days a week! This is a picture of Pulau Buaya (Crocodile Island, so-named because of the distinctive shape, NOT the presence of the beast!)... maybe it'll be next weekend!?




Just a note: When looking for directions in the port city of Sorong you can't just accept the answer "pelabuhan" ("harbour", or "port")... as we found out when looking for the public transportation to the little island. You have to specify WHICH ONE! There is the fishing port, the tourist harbour, the 'regular' harbour, the oil & gas docks, and of course, the Pelni port (where the big passenger ships, Pelni, come to rest).


(In this pic you can see an example of the little yellow mini-vans that are public busses here in Sorong)