Indonesia - Day 11 - May 11, 2011

 Day 11 - May 11
Location: Bandung, Java


Today the schedule includes a trip to an ATM and money changer. That is not as easily accomplished here in Bandung as in Bali. I had to actually work it into the program. Now we'll see if it really happens.


Dewi, the woman that I communicated with from Bandung early in the planning of the exchange, joined us for the first time yesterday -- she's had some personal issues so couldn't be with us sooner. It was so nice to have someone with good English skills it made a huge difference. Some of the ambassadors have had problems getting their needs/desires known to their hosts, and I think we were able to clear a lot up.



It was really nice to meet Dewi in person.


Everyone seems to be having a great time -- with one exception, and I think she's a bit of a pill and maybe isn't a good candidate for FF in general. Her friend that she is traveling with is experience with FF, but she isn't and seems a bit put-off by most things. I will talk to her today to see if she's ok.


One couple's host won't let them go to bed at night -- wants to do karaoke before letting them go to bed and wouldn't leave the restaurant/lounge where we were in last night b/c she wanted to dance more. This couple is not the karaoke/dance type. Too bad the couple that was on the exchange to Chile a couple years ago isn't here and matched with this host -- they wanted to be up partying and their host didn't cooperate.

It's so interesting to see the different personalities.


I'm hearing the buzz of morning prayers. It's been fascinating to be in a culture that officially prays five times a day. Any time one of the hosts or out driver is MIA it's assumed they are off praying somewhere.


I will sign off for now and add more after the day's activities unfold.
We all met at Ani's this AM and then went to the Bosscha Observatory -- Indonesia's only observatory. They are very proud to show us such things.

Me at the Bosscha Observatory

We then had lunch at a Sudanese restaurant. The schedule is so jam-packed every day that there was no other time to take our hosts out for dinner, so we arranged to pay for the hosts' lunch today. We had our host order b/c the menu was not in English. Very little is in English here and we see few people that look like us.


Myrna ordered:
Fried fish, cooked crispy and they eat it bones and all. Just the small bones.  It all sort of crunches up in your mouth.
Coconut drink, which I was reluctant to drink, but did try b/c I love coconut so much. Hope I don't get sick.
Chicken satay, w/ peanut sauce, which was good. And a Vegetable dish w/ lettuce and tofu in a sauce to have over rice. Rice at lunch and dinner every day. It was a little confusing to get the bill paid for lunch, but once again it all worked out.

Check out that fish -- it's done!

First stop after lunch was at Tangkuban Perahu mountain. Unbelievable -- the size, the view, etc.  Mother Nature and our earth are quite amazing -- steam is venting out of holes and the whole place has an other world feeling.


Tangkuban Perahu Mountain





Next stop, Ciater Hot Springs.  More confusion that involved getting out of the cars, and then back into them and then driving to a different part of the resort five times. All I can say about that part is that it actually got quite humorous as we went back and forth. We did finally get to the right spot and it was incredible -- HUGH pool that was totally spring fed and at about 100 degrees. It was like a giant sauna. The water is supposed to be very healthy -- it's a sulfur pool. We hung around in the healing waters for a couple hours and then had dinner. No shortage of food on this trip.



The water was at least 99 degrees



The two extremes of dress -- us in the pool and our hosts
covered head to tow.


Home a bit earlier tonight, so we had a chance to talk with our host Myrna and her daughter, Defa.

Tired now, MJ is asleep already. Good night here -- good morning to you.