The call to prayer woke me at 4:30a this morning. The four mosques in this neighbourhood broadcast tinny chanting over outdoor loudspeakers. I heard before I left that Canada that the government was cracking down on the sound levels in residential neighbourhoods. Can't imagine what it was like before if this is the new volume!
I returned to Makassar yesterday with my driver Ramat. Our very long ride was broken up with a lunch stop at a restaurant with a nice city & sea view.
A couple of curious things happened. First, there were a few tables of westerners in the place, the waitress thought that I was travelling with the white man sitting alone two tables away from me. !!!?, thought I. Second, and I could see this brewing across the dining room, two women came over for some photos. I could see them talking across the dining room seeming to say, *you* ask her, no it's *your" turn, *you* ask her. Eventually they made their way nonchalantly over and when they got to my table looked at me in surprised like they just spotted me and asked if they could take a photo. Sure, says I but it turned out to be many photos. Then my food arrived and they sat and watched me eat while taking turns trying on my Tilley hat over their hi-jabs (with much giggling) and posing with me eating. A man then joined us and chatted for a bit. They were all with a group of I.T. professionals on a "motivational seminar" upstairs at the hotel. Apparently I was more interesting than the world of I.T. as even more photos ensued. I found it a bit odd that they they wore such heavy makeup with such modest clothing - the effect made initially think,from across the room, that they were men in drag. And also, the shorter of the two looked strikingly like America Ferrera in Ugly Betty.
Just before Makassar Ramat got a call from Dodo telling him to stop and let me have a look at some interesting rock formations before we got into the city. Off the main highway on the edge of a rice was an amazing grouping of rock that looked as if it had stood in hot liquid for some time. Could have been two types of volcanic rock cooling at different rates as the base was smooth and worn and above a definite line it was rough and craggy.
There were many gravity defying shapes to be found!
Just waiting at the Makassar airport for my flight to Palu where I meet up with my cycle group. What a lovely introduction I've had to Indonesia. People generally are warm, welcoming and very considerate - none more so than Dodo Mursalim aka Dodo the Penman.
A couple of curious things happened. First, there were a few tables of westerners in the place, the waitress thought that I was travelling with the white man sitting alone two tables away from me. !!!?, thought I. Second, and I could see this brewing across the dining room, two women came over for some photos. I could see them talking across the dining room seeming to say, *you* ask her, no it's *your" turn, *you* ask her. Eventually they made their way nonchalantly over and when they got to my table looked at me in surprised like they just spotted me and asked if they could take a photo. Sure, says I but it turned out to be many photos. Then my food arrived and they sat and watched me eat while taking turns trying on my Tilley hat over their hi-jabs (with much giggling) and posing with me eating. A man then joined us and chatted for a bit. They were all with a group of I.T. professionals on a "motivational seminar" upstairs at the hotel. Apparently I was more interesting than the world of I.T. as even more photos ensued. I found it a bit odd that they they wore such heavy makeup with such modest clothing - the effect made initially think,from across the room, that they were men in drag. And also, the shorter of the two looked strikingly like America Ferrera in Ugly Betty.
Just before Makassar Ramat got a call from Dodo telling him to stop and let me have a look at some interesting rock formations before we got into the city. Off the main highway on the edge of a rice was an amazing grouping of rock that looked as if it had stood in hot liquid for some time. Could have been two types of volcanic rock cooling at different rates as the base was smooth and worn and above a definite line it was rough and craggy.
There were many gravity defying shapes to be found!
Just waiting at the Makassar airport for my flight to Palu where I meet up with my cycle group. What a lovely introduction I've had to Indonesia. People generally are warm, welcoming and very considerate - none more so than Dodo Mursalim aka Dodo the Penman.
If you are a guest of Dodo's you are immediately part of his family. He arranged my car, driver, guide and guesthouse in Toraja and arranged an airport pickup for me here. Then, I stayed in his home with breakfasts and tons of cakes that his daughters make for their Instagram baking business - for free. This morning I got a tour of the Dutch Fort Rotterdam and port area enroute to the airport. I have don't think that I've encountered such hospitality before.
I loved our little stop at his cousin's school where I was an important guest who the kids could practice English with. A couple of other teachers stole me away to talk their students as well. The kids were great - smiling and laughing and wanting to take pictures with me (they all have cell phones.) One brave young girl asked why I came to Indonesia and I said "to visit you!" This was met with peals of laughter. I now have her Instagram name and have committed to joining up to share our photos.
Dodo does some magic tricks to help teach the kids nouns and is a very popular guy at the school always smiling and joking with everyone.
Anyone thinking of a visit to Indonesia must come to Makassar and use the services of Mr. Dodo!
The people sound so very welcoming! Please post your picture with the class. Everyone who has seen it love it. You look so happy and stress free!
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