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| Jakarta (another entry authored by Alissa, thank goodness) As we have received several e-mails pointing out the lack of new postings, I guess I’ll write one. What have we been doing, you ask? Mostly we have been watching you, Rita, Katrina, the too-soon-exodus from Houston, and trying to keep track of who has electricity (Houston) and who doesn’t (my parents). I spent a bit of time on Wednesday finding a hotel that I could pre-pay for my parents as they have been without electricity since Saturday when the trees started falling down and taking out the power lines. My parents live in the Entergy area, and today’s Chronicle says that some areas may not get power on again for a month. But did my parents tell anyone they were without power? No, that would make us worry. Luckily, my brother went up on Tuesday just to make sure they were as well as they said. So mom and dad are now ensconsed in some boutique hotel in downtown Houston. All the hotels closer to their house are filled up with the 7000 electricity workers brought in to repair the electrical power grid. Here? Everything is fine. We are watching the news carefully as the government is raising the fuel prices tomorrow and this type of action often leads to protests, which can in turn lead to riots. We don’t want to find ourselves in the middle of a riot, even if we have played “The Worst Case Scenario” games and I have read all about getting away from riots. Lucky for us, the riots and protests tend to always happen in/near the same streets, so the goal is to avoid driving near certain streets. Annaliese is part of the play at school (props and costumes) and opening night is tonight. Arianna, Christopher, and I will go out to eat and then on to the theater. Alas, it is a musical. Bye-Bye Birdie. Arianna had her first track meet last weekend. Her long jump was 405 (over 13 ft). She also has first in the 100 meter and the 400 relay, we’re pretty sure. We’re still waiting for the official results. Christopher and I are (pending the protests and such) are going to the Historical Society’s dinner/auction Saturday night. Another black tie event. Good thing we had that tuxedo made for Christopher. The auction is all artwork – great timing, because we could use some art on the walls. We left all our art in storage in Houston. Christopher is becoming very involved with the Historical Society. They plan tours around Jakarta, the surrounding areas, and Indonesia. He is part of one group that is focused on “how Jakarta works” so perhaps he will be able to discover just what does happen to our trash! I’m fine, too. But mostly I work (and discover things like: my brassieres have been ironed, which explains why they seemed a bit stiff and scratchy and icky - Don’t even start thinking too hard about why anyone would ever iron a brassiere. It’ll just give you a headache. It did me…) and I don’ t ever talk about work. I will say I’m enjoying it and that it is LOTS of good work. |
Swirly Mean Clouds
But perhaps you've seen
enough of this sort of image.
But perhaps you've seen
enough of this sort of image.
Transportation Department
These two helpful young fellows
are soliciting funds for the
improvement of the street I was
traveling on. From what I've
deciphered, the people along
the street get a small amount of
money to fix the street, but
they need to supplement with
contributions from those who
actually use that street. Our
driver says it's on the up and up,
and we have dropped money in
the bucket before.
These two helpful young fellows
are soliciting funds for the
improvement of the street I was
traveling on. From what I've
deciphered, the people along
the street get a small amount of
money to fix the street, but
they need to supplement with
contributions from those who
actually use that street. Our
driver says it's on the up and up,
and we have dropped money in
the bucket before.
Alissa's Place of Employment
A quiet and inconspicuous landmark.
A quiet and inconspicuous landmark.
TrackstArianna
Bringing home the gold
Bringing home the gold
Our many egg options
I suppose we could buy eggs from the open-air streetside restaurant
above (such an interesting and yummy blue color), but we opt to buy the
ones below, from the unrefrigerated cabinet in the middle of the upscale
grocery store. How could we resist the clever marketing ploy?
I suppose we could buy eggs from the open-air streetside restaurant
above (such an interesting and yummy blue color), but we opt to buy the
ones below, from the unrefrigerated cabinet in the middle of the upscale
grocery store. How could we resist the clever marketing ploy?
Illegal Logging
Big problem here, y'know. I am tragically under-
informed about it, but vast tracts of orang utan
habitat (among other species) are being hacked
down at an alarming rate.
Note: this tree is not an actual victim; it was in
the well-protected grounds of a botanical park.
Big problem here, y'know. I am tragically under-
informed about it, but vast tracts of orang utan
habitat (among other species) are being hacked
down at an alarming rate.
Note: this tree is not an actual victim; it was in
the well-protected grounds of a botanical park.
Not an OSHA-administered Workplace
Tons (or tonnes) and tons (or tonnes) of lumber
were carried across this 6" x 6" beam as I watched
at the port in Jakarta. The gentleman below
seemed to be keeping tally -- or hip-hop dancing.
Tons (or tonnes) and tons (or tonnes) of lumber
were carried across this 6" x 6" beam as I watched
at the port in Jakarta. The gentleman below
seemed to be keeping tally -- or hip-hop dancing.
Javalogue 12: 5 - 30 September 2005
the Javalogue
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Further Culinary Adventures
With the money we save on the "Free Salmonella" we could complement
our egg meal with something from this section of the store.
With the money we save on the "Free Salmonella" we could complement
our egg meal with something from this section of the store.
Phonisi Schooner
This is the type of boat that might ply that trade,
but this boat is typical of the local trading fleet,
no matter the cargo. Also known as Bugisi
schooners, these vessels have served pirates of
the Bugi culture. If I may believe a number of
oral and written sources, this explains the phrase
"the Bugi man will get you."
This is the type of boat that might ply that trade,
but this boat is typical of the local trading fleet,
no matter the cargo. Also known as Bugisi
schooners, these vessels have served pirates of
the Bugi culture. If I may believe a number of
oral and written sources, this explains the phrase
"the Bugi man will get you."
Batik imprint
Each individual dot you see is a flattened copper filament.
I haven't learned exactly how batik is made, but it involves
putting wax in a pattern, dying the cloth, removing some
wax, dying it again, removing more wax... I'll write more
after I tour a home-industry batik studio/workshop.
Each individual dot you see is a flattened copper filament.
I haven't learned exactly how batik is made, but it involves
putting wax in a pattern, dying the cloth, removing some
wax, dying it again, removing more wax... I'll write more
after I tour a home-industry batik studio/workshop.