That was pretty much the catch phrase of our trip to Indonesia. Prices are ridiculously low. So low in fact that we are not quite sure how anyone stays in business or makes a living.
We started our trip in Yogyakarta (which should really be spelled Jogjakarta so that it is more phonetic). Had a tour around the Sultan's palace and ate some traditional food. Well....we ate a lot on this trip. Indonesian food is SO yummy. They have a different kind of soy sauce that is sweeter and stickier than the usual stuff, and everything is served with peanut sauce. Mmmmmmm peanut sauce. Oh yeah - back to the trip...
We took a horse drawn carriage ride out to a village and saw how they make Krupuk (a traditional rice and prawn cracker), raise cows, grow rice, make Tempe (my new favourite food), hand make batik, grind flour, dry bricks, and about a million other things. Claire and I even kicked off our shoes and hopped into a rice paddy to try our hand at planting rice. As a side note - if I get malaria, I'm pretty sure it will be from that adventure! The mud was so soft and sticky under your feet. If it weren't for the blazing heat - it would be quite an enjoyable and quiet way to spend an afternoon - carefully planting little handfuls of rice sprouts every 15cm.
Next was the largest Buddhist temple in the world at Borobudur. It was....immense. And the carving....I just can't come up with words to describe how amazing it is to see the intricate carvings done by hundreds of men, hundreds of years ago, and how well preserved they are today. We walked up all hundred and something stairs of the temple, through level upon level of carvings detailing the life of Buddha. Once we reached the top 3 levels (which signify heaven, or having moved passed the desires and the goods and bads of life) there were no more carvings - because man cannot imagine or design what heaven would be like. Great symbolism eh?? In these levels there were many bell shaped covering enclosing identical statues of a seated buddha. One is sad to be lucky....so I rubbed his foot extra hard and made a great wish :) We walked around the top circle 3 times (required for good luck) and then headed for some shade before we died of heat exhaustion.
Spent 3 lovely days in a mountain town enjoying the ridiculously low cost spas. One day I spent 3 hours having a facial, and hair moisturizing treatment, head and shoulder massage, and blow dry for a grand total of $10. We also hiked up a mountain (well...part way up a mountain) to see some more Buddhist temples. The great part about this hike was that as we climbed a bank of clouds rolled in and literally engolfed us! I've never been in a cloud before....it was so cool. I felt like a should whisper and somehow be reverent and respectful of the nature I was inside. And then the cloud rained on us. Lol.
Finished off in Solo for some final batik shopping (I had to buy an extra bag to bring back all the fabric....Ray rolled his eyes of course). And now I'm home again in Songkhla! This week is Songkran - the Thai New Years. You start out by cleansing yourself (ie. massive water fight in the street all day long with all the people from the city laughing and dancing and dousing each other with water), then today you clean your house (mine is pretty clean so I'll skip that bit, but I did water the plants), then tomorrow you go visit older relatives and pay respects. The idea of throwing water to bless people comes from the tradition of washing the statues at the temple for a fresh start to the new year. Then people thought it might be a blessing to collect the water that dripped off the statues to wash each other....then it degenerated into a water fight. Pretty great idea for a holiday since it is the hot season and about 36 degrees everyday, without the humidex added in!
Now I am enjoying my new desk space near the back patio where I am starting work via the internet for my favourite clinic in Canada. I will be doing a couple hours each day of administrative and paperwork type stuff for them - which keeps my hand in medicine, and some pennies in my bank account ;) It's a great deal if you ask me!
Much love
Pamela
p.s. This weekend is Singapore! Look forward to tales from the Night Safari, the Wine festival, and the Orchid Garden. And of course - a trip to Raffles for a taste of my favourite drink from it's birthplace!!!!
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