To Semarang for our Extension!

 Well - we got our passport visa extended without having to leave the country....YEAH! So now we can stay another 6 months.  We are pleased!  Andreaz on staff with Kawan Kitchen, took us to Semarang!  He has lived & worked in Semarang for quite a long time so he was quite familiar how to get around.  That was great!  It was very busy in town because Semarang is a much larger city then Salatiga.       Semarang ~ Click on this Link

Andreaz took us to the old Dutch area of town.   We parked the car and took a rest stop and enjoyed seeing this very BIG and old church from the colonial days! 

 And then he took us to a really great place to eat...very close to where we had stayed in the hotel 2 months ago when we had to come to Semarang to catch an flight to Singapore!

This "warung" food stall - was tucked away off a main road and they served the original Gado-Gado that we so' enjoy!  Andreaz knew the place to take us...!

 The people were friendly checking us "tall" Blanda's out wondering why we came...YES to enjoy your cooking!  I think Andreaz knew them well. He said he came here often himself when he lived in town some years ago!  Way to go Andreaz!  We shall come back here when we are back in this town! 

  

 Elisha had friends arriving at the airport from Singapore - visiting here for Christmas - so we met them at the airport to shuttle some of the family back to Salatiga.  The plane had been delayed so we all arrived at the airport and were ready to pick up the family.  On our way home - it was VERY VERY busy getting out of Semarang - and the weather - well it began rain.  This man on his motorcycle had most likely packed up his goods and was heading home too! 

 We could hardly believe how he had loaded up all his boxes - bless his heart....totally wrapped around his back seat and tires!  Amazing how people use their transportation here!  I prayed a prayer that he would make it home safely!  The boxes on the bottom were getting so wet from the splashing

from the wheels...oh my, once those boxes get soak....oh oh....all that weight!  He was just sitting there behind the truck...waiting! Because it was bumper to bumper...getting out of town to the main highway.  It took a while to get back to Salatiga - rain, traffic etc.  But made it safely and our friends Elisha & Beppie were happy to see their good friends & family again!

Andreaz did a wonderful job of driving us and we appreciated his company and companionship today!  Plus we have our extensions - Wow pretty neat huh?  So good to know we don't have to leave to travel either to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur,  Malaysia! 

Nick & I bought some tables yesterday - 2 to put our suitcases on so we don't have to sink down to the floor to get our clothes out of the suitcases.  No closets in the house - and to go buy a clothing cabinet - well we didn't want to do that either!  So this will work out nicely and we can always sell these pieces to another family when we leave here!

We also purchased a hot water heater - electric - to mount in the bathroom - we are going to give this
Ariston Hot Water heater (wall mount)    a try because well - taking a pail into the bathroom every night and scooping the warm water over you - it just seems like the bathing is over too soon! I guess I could take two pails in there...hmmm....never thought to do that! Ha!

So this way we can enjoy a REAL shower for the next 6 months in the house! NICE!  Nick will have to do the hook-up but he is pretty handy that man of mine!  So who knows in a few days - we might be REALLY spoiled....!!!!! Ah I can feel it now already!!!! Continuous warm water flowing...sound good huh???!!!!!!!  I remember when I lived in Holland they had these hot water heaters...they were marvelous - the kitchen had its own and the bathroom - and it was a ongoing heat right there!

This weekend there is a BIG celebration here in the village - starting at 9 pm this evening and  running to 3 am and then tomorrow morning a parade in the village - with music and dance and a Indonesian puppet show!  They will be doing a Wyang theatre show Wayang Click here to read up on this  

The gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included.

The term refers more to the set of instruments than to the players of those instruments. A gamelan is a set of instruments as a distinct entity, built and tuned to stay together - instruments from different gamelan are generally not interchangeable.

The word gamelan comes from the Javanese word gamels, meaning "to strike or hammer", and the suffix an, which makes the root a collective noun.
It is mostly played by traditional people. This Gives you a little insight of the dance & music!

Right now it is raining hard outside - 5 pm...oh oh...hope it dries up for this evening!  There is a BIG tent set up for the players - better get there early so you can sit undercover!  We hope to go have a look to experience it - of course! - but gosh why start it at 9 pm in the evening?????

Well we will see - !!!!  We are also trying to find out what the occasion is for the parade, music and the gathering in community!  Hopefully I can get that to you as well! It might even be Mother's Day celebrated here in Indonesia on the 22 of December!  At least that is what I found on the Net!

This Link below has all kinds of info on this country - for you History buff's have a look!

Indonesia - Very Informative Link on Indonesia -