Indonesian children are wonderful to hang out with. They’re generally well-behaved and best of all, they’re fun. They seem to live in the moment…naturally. And most like to play games. But not the kind you might think. Certain kids, neighbors I met while staying/volunteering in a village (Tiakar Guguak, Payakumbuh) in West Sumatra for a…
One minute, I’m walking down the street. The next, I’m marching…with Balinese kids I don’t know. An hour later, I’m in their classroom—teaching them. How the heck did that happen? Read on and discover how Random Travel Moment #7 landed me in a classroom! Where: Amed, Bali I’d been staying in an area known as…
This photo is of Indonesian students’ images reflected on a whiteboard at a school in Sumatra. Tricky right? Well, someone came very close to guessing it. How? By following these steps. 1. Look at the Photo/Study the Details 2. Guess what/where! What is it? Where was I traveling when I saw it? And if you…
Today’s photo is of a monkey enjoying the sunset at Uluwatu cliff in Bali–a scene that that I must say surprised me. Most of the other monkeys were jumping and climbing on the tourists, but this was one sitting quietly. ‘Pura Luhur Uluwatu’, built in the 11th century, is a Hindu temple set on a…
Aging gracefully is something we hear about a lot. In Indonesia, it was something I frequently saw. I found these women, locals I met while traveling, to be truly beautiful–they were lovely, classy and full of dignity. When I photographed them, it was sort of random and I wasn’t necessarily planning a post. So, unfortunately,…
I met a lot of great people in Indonesia while there—many of whom were men. Nice guys who were both welcoming and helpful. I found a number of them to be exotic looking and quite handsome, too, and definitely enjoyed photographing them. I’d now like to introduce them to you here—on the C Bus. Not…
Today’s photo is of a rare Sumatran tiger, also known as Panthera tigris sumatrae, a tiger subspecies that is critically endangered. It’s native only to the Indonesian island of Sumatra, and even there, the numbers are limited. Approximately 200 Sumatran tigers are currently living in zoos in various parts of the world, according to this…
Today’s photo is of ‘Nandi,’ Lord Shiva’s/Siva’s holy cow and vehicle, found inside one of the temples (Candi Nandi) at Prambanan, the largest Hindu temple complex in Indonesia, which was built in the 10th century. Most Shiva temples have this bull, which is both sacred and protective; it is considered a guard and gatekeeper. According…
How did a simple chat about my phone with a man–a complete stranger (see below)–lead to some crazy shopping in a busy market and then, eventually, to me taking a 17-hour overnight bus ride with him and 20 teenagers a few days later? Read on to find out! Part I: Chatting at a Cafe Where:…
Got a minute (OK–1.5 minutes!)? Then, check out this video I made of a parade at the Yogyakarta Arts Festival–aka, Festival Kesenian Yogyakarta–which I recently saw in Indonesia. I created it so that you’d have a quick vicarious sampling of the colorful cultural experience I had. Note: My favorite part is at 0:30–the jesters! (Video…
