Indonesia - Day 8 - May 8, 2011

Day 8 -- May 8
Location: Bandung, Java


Where do I begin -- maybe from last night.


We did finally leave Bali -- around 10:00 PM -- it was less than a two hour flight to Bandung. Our hosts were there to meet us and after a little confusion with sorting out which hosts went with which ambassadors, we made our way "home" -- about a half hour drive for me & MJ. Our host insisted on feeding us, so it was about 1:00 by the time we got to bed.


Wake up at 6:30 and we just got home about half an hour ago -- 7:30. Long, amazing day.


Our home for this week is very nice -- large, built 16 years ago, in sort of a gated community. I took lots of photos -- a picture IS worth a 1,000 words --  I'm not in Kansas anymore!  Only downside is that there is no hot water, which makes for a brisk and very short shower. Bear in mind that people from Jakarta come to Bandung b/c it's a cool mountain environment. I think the water is one step away from being glacial run off. :)




One of the seating areas in the big central room.




This is where we had breakfast each morning.

 We met up with three or four other host/ambassador sets of people and were on the road by 8:30 AM to visit a volcanic crater with a huge sulfur lake, which was absolutely beautiful.




The sulfur lake -- in the volcanic crater.



The water was the most beautiful, milky turquoise color.




I don't know which was more fascinating -- the crater lake or getting there. It was a two hour drive through Bandung (which has a population of about 2.5 million and is a traffic phenomenon like I've never seen before -- a snarl of cars, motor cycles, scooters, horse & carts, bicycles and every size and shape of portable vendor stand known to man. John, if you think FL traffic is a wild scene, you ain't seen nothing!!!!  What a scene, but I didn't see one accident, so there must be some method to the madness.   No traffic lights was a notable feature.


Once out of the city we drove for over an hour through rice fields, villages and a hugh strawberry growing region with one incredible view after another. Our destination was the crater lake, where we stayed for about an hour. We parked a few miles from the crater and packed into these crazy vehicles that took us up to the crater. It was a beautiful sight.


On the way back into the city, we stopped for satay at a very 'traditional' restaurant -- lamb & chicken.



It was raining when we got to the restaurant.
Across the street was a horse in its raincoat.



We thought that was the end of our day, but not so. About an hour after our lunch, we arrived at the home of one of the FF hosts where there was a celebration in progress -- welcoming a new baby to family, friends and faith. This was an extraordinary event for us to be a part of and an evening I won't soon forget.



Quite the ceremony to walk in on.




And then, don't you always sing kareoke at major celebrations? :)




Home now and definitely time for bed.
No energy to proof this tonight-- hope there's not too many typos.
I could leave tomorrow and feel like the year worth of planning was completely worth it. Wonder what tomorrow will bring. Time for sleep now -- 6:00 AM will be here soon.