A Weekend Celebration in Kampung Dukuh!

 It all started on Saturday evening at 9 pm ~ a weekend of celebration for the people of this community we live in DUKUH (kampung) A Big tent covering was put up and large stage right

 on a street here in the village.  We walked over there and already heard the music!  Lots of people sitting down and were ready for the Wayang show and Gemalan music.  People were welcomed and...
 show began!  What is lined up there on the stage left & right are the Wayang puppets.  The man in the middle there has a microphone attached and he is also doing the puppet show with his two hands!

 Here is a close up of the stage and the story begins with a good guy and a bad guy....of course!
The people on stage play the different instruments....many gongs & drums and there was also 3 ladies dressed in the traditional clothes and singing! 
The story goes on - with all the puppets being used!  We stayed till 12 midnight and sat with our friends & neighbors Pak Jono & Kasum!  Kasum invited us to come and meet her friend who lived on the very street this was held on - to come have a cup of tea...Bu Sido & her husband were to welcoming and kind to invite us into their home!  They had tea ready and snacks!  They we went home to get some rest for the next morning the parade would start around 8 am!

It was Sunday morning and Kasum said the people from the village would begin to gather between 8-9 am.  

 

There was flags put up even right there on our corner!  

 We all headed toward the beginning point - where everyone would line up! Here are the ladies that I met with the other day - at the local RT (Kampung) meeting - they were all dressed in their village outfits!

 They men in turn - the group that Nick has met with - were also gathering and they had made a big Catfish on a cart - the theme from the parade was giving thanks for the bounty of the year's harvest!

 Here is the group of gals...all so very friendly and I was excited to take a picture of them together in their traditional wear and with their sign!

 

The sign says "Village House Peacock" 

I think it represents the name of the group.  

Oh by the way there in the middle is Kasum on her knee...she is a sweetheart!  Teaches me Indonesian and she lives 2 doors down from us with her husband Pak Jono and they are ever so helpful and always ready to help or explain things to us! 

 Here they come.....

 Yes ballons for the kiddies.....lots of color!

 

This was a nice decoration that hung from the light fixture..all made from a corn stalk we think! 

 This is a plate of food - traditional - when there is a special celebration!

 Birthday's, holiday's, Remember the ladies from the hotels that we give English lessons to..also gave me this for my Birthday?

 

There is Pak Jono and Kasum daughter too - with her girlfriends! She has her hands on her hips...

Hi Intan!!!!

 We still see many women carrying their goods like this on the streets! Especially in the pasar(market place)

 Oh Look how cute these gals are! Also carrying the bounty of fruits and vegetables!

                                             A cute pose for the photography! Say "cheese!'

 The little train had lots of produce hanging from it and it was full of children..what fun for them today!

                           This little guy was all dressed up and held the Indonesian flap in his hand!

 

Oh Look at the ladies all dressed up - pretty huh? Lots of warm smiles!

These two kids were sitting up high on a horse and cart...they looked pretty serious when this tall person with that light here showed up!

                                    Lions and Tigers and wild animals were at the parade too!

                                                                 A pretty butterfly???

                                                      She sure seems HIGH up there! 

         The ladies with their drummers both girls and boys! Look how cute they all posed for me!

 Here is little Mohammad - remember?  He is 3 yrs old and the grandson of our landlord...He called out "Pak Nico! Pak Nico...it is me Mohammad....Pak Nico!!!!" He is very fond of Nick! He was all smiles there in the train..and sis Karina too was in the train...(purple)
look at that little guy next to Mohammad....was he surprised or what?

 There is our "dokar" driver who brought us home with our groceries!  Salamat Pagi Pak!

 

Hi William and Stacey...you both look wonderful all dressed up!  

They both are teachers at the Mountain View Christian High School (SI)

 We raced ahead to the house to see them pass by!

 There is Pak Jono in the blue

 

"RT" in the white shirt is our Village head...and he is the one Nick & I went to - to introduce ourselves when we first moved into the community!  He is really nice and stops by to chat with a Big smile! 

                                     Well the parade is coming to the end now...and down our street they go!

 Yes it was a great morning and celebration!  Everyone had a good time!

 

The End ~  We went into the house and later that afternoon there was still another event but for a younger crowd...mostly teenagers.  

 

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 -

Some REALLY good Snacks!

 

We have just recently discovered the best place to get a fresh Lumpia (egg roll) and it is good!  

 Loempia  (click on Link) (old spelling)

We also came across Wonder Bakery the other day and walked inside...to see what they might have and YES! they have fresh

Lemper ayam!!! 

(because it is considered a snack here - they sell it in the bakery shop)

Lemper (click on this link)

We bought some to try and took it home to eat and 

WOW.... it is right on! 

The BEST we have had yet in Indonesia!!!

Taste WONDERFUL!

(A shredded chicken with a spicy flavor in it surrounded by sticky sweet rice. Oh my goodness - 

so' good!

Yes - you Indo's out there I bet you are getting pretty hungry about now!   Nick said he will not tell anyone about this place - so whenever he is in the mood (hey wait a minute - me too Diemel!!!!!)....he can go over there to get one!

Come on now - be kind and share Nico!

Well it's not all about FOOD you all ...(sometimes it sure seems like it huh?) but you know in our upbringing we always enjoyed these special snacks - growing up and even in our adulthood in the Bay Area when there was a pasar malam!  Nico's Mom who was a great cook knew how to make them and my father too enjoyed these delicious snacks!  So it was always a yummy treat for us!

Now 'these kids' have grown up and are here in INDONESIA...

what do you expect?  We do need to spoil ourselves a little bit with the Indonesian cuisine...yes? YES!

Enak Sakali! 

(very delicious!) 

We were So Blessed Today!

Today we get a knock on the door and heard voices in the garage...and here comes Endah with her daughter Karina and son Mohammad and they had a gift for us!

The house we are renting needed an house number - so Endah made one for us  us!!!!

                                  .....With Nico Diemel on it!

Oh my, Nick & I were so' flattered - that Endah would take so' much time to make it for us!  Just look at the work she put in - and so colorful!  Here family, Karina who is in the 5th grade and little Mohammad who is 3 years old and speak English - came to give us the gift!  When Endah and her father - who owns the house, came over the other day ~ we signed a contract to extend our stay here in the house~ but we did not have a house number (we would usually explain to people "Rumah merah"-red house) so Endah thought we needed a house number and we too thought that would be nice...so with that said - she got busy and made us a personal one! 

Again - we were flattered and blessed for her kindness and effort!  We are truly "spoiled" but such kind gestures and feel so very welcomed in our neighborhood Dukuh!  

Sweet and so' Thoughtful! 

Thank you Endah!

A Birthday Celebration here in the Kampung!

         ~~~~~A week gone by!

 Jessica and her friend Richard came by to be sure and invite us to a Christmas gathering!  She wanted her "oma" and "opa" included she said!  Oh Jess - we will try - it is our plan to do so! 

"Thanks Jessica for coming by and checking to see what our plans were!" 
 Richard was helping out to carry some items needed for the potluck they were having!
The group Solafide usually meets on Friday evening but on Saturday they were going to do a special Christmas afternoon and evening!  We relaxed for a while intending to go and THEN it began to rain....oh my goodness - so very hard...and did not stop!!!! Oh Nico - do you still want to go out?
We will be drenched on the bike?  At 4 pm I had a SKYPE appointment with my son Jas and little Skyler! I would need to be back by that time.  He would be waking up in Holland and starting his Saturday  -

 .....well it rained and rained ....so we stayed home!  Oh Jessica - "sorry we didn't make it after all!"

 

Our neighbor Pak Wasis does maintain the yard for us once a month...and does a really good job too!  He has a very sharp knife with a long blade and squats down and does the whole yard like that - 3 sides.  We are thankful for his help and we appreciate how neat he is too!  Pak Wasis lives right across the street from us.

 

 And here are our dear friends (teman)and neighbors (tetengga)  that we are very fond of!  Pak Jono and his wife Bu Kasum and their daughter Intan.  Today is Intan's 20th Birthday!  And we were invited to come and celebrate it with the family!  Nick and I walked over and began to sing:  
"Happy Birthday to YOU...Happy Birthday to YOU...Happy Birthday dear Intan...Happy Birthday to YOU!" 

 

 Nick had the honor of cutting his own piece of the chocolate (coklat) Birthday cake!  (the letter "c" is pronounced "ch" here) so chok-lat - !

 

Pak Jono showed us the stuffed cow that Intan received as a gift!  What a wonderful & warm smile you have Pak Jono  !  

 Intan opened her gift and was very pleased with it...a shoulder purse and the color fit her T-shirt perfectly! Intan is a 2nd year student at the Christian University here in town and she is learning to become a Teacher! 

 We had a little something for Kasum - she is always full of smiles and ever so sweet and friendly!  It was a mirror in the shape of a heart with little sparkles on it!  How fun to let them know we care so much about them..."Mom" too was happy!  She said in English to me last week "I Love You" oh Kasum I love you too!  Precious! 

We wrote the card to Intan in English because Intan is our interpreter - she speaks well and she read the card and had a big smile..yes she understood! 

Kasum, her mom comes to our house and helps us learn to speak Indonesian...she is VERY patient with us!  You know, it takes a lot to learn a whole new language - especially at an older age (gosh I have to admit it - it seems the "brain" isn't  holding all those new words very quickly!) But we both admit the more we hear the more we are recognizing words and it becomes more & more familiar to us!

Terima Kasih - Thank you
Salamat Pagi - Good morning
apa khabar -  how are you?
khabar baik - fine good
ma'af  I'm sorry, excuse me
permissi - when you are leaving and excusing yourself (permission?)
nama saya Ellen - name my Ellen (My name is Ellen)
siapa nama mu - what is your name?  (what name you?)

The words are in a different sequence in the sentence...
so even though it seems strange to say it like that... translating it in my head - it is the right order.

suka - like
saya suka kamu - I like you
saya tidak mengerti  (one I use a lot!!!) I don't no (tidak means no)  understand

Well anyway - there are many words (kata) and we really need to learn sentences (kalimat) so that we can learn to ask, say, things in the right order.  Conversational Indonesian is the best way to learn.  The Language school here - makes the students go out into the stores daily to talk, ask and interact with the people ...and Nick & I actually run around too - shopping here and there but it is often
satu ini - that one   or we say dua itu  which is two of those.... ha!  Instead of: "salamat pagi saya mau dua mango silakan?" good morning I want 2 mango's please?

We needed a book the other day and Kasum helped me prepare: "Salamat sion Saya mau buku kamus Inggris-Indonesia /Indonesia-Inggris...ada?" good morning I want book dictionary English-Indonesian / Indonesia- English ... have?  They answered  Ada (have) tingkat atas upstairs - all I did was follow him because he nodded and I recognized the word - ada - have! Yippee! I was pretty proud to have walked in a store toko and have accomplished this - Oh Lord help our brains take in all this - and keep it there!

When we sit with our friends and receive such warmth and kindness - oh...both Nick & I so want to be able to communicate with them!  It seems we do with little words here and there...and they are ever so kind to understand these "foreigners" in their midst but still ...we hope to get a better hold of the language!  Our Indonesian neighbors are pleased to know we have some Indo blood in our veins and want us to be a part of their community!  We feel that so strongly!  This week on Wednesday - Kasum has invited me to a Ladies gathering from the Kampung community here (Dukuh) - so I will enjoy a special afternoon with the ladies here meeting in one of the homes.  We shall see how that goes!

Next week is Christmas - we are invited to have Christmas dinner at Elisha & Beppie's place on Christmas Eve...how nice!

This morning in church we were invited by one of the members to come to their home and enjoy a Christmas musical (27th)  & potluck.  They will be sharing in song
"The Handel's Messiah" - singing parts of these beautiful choruses- sounds wonderful!  We were pleased to be invited!  My Mom sang The Handel's Messiah in the church choir she was in for many years - and she had a beautiful soprano voice!

We enjoyed church this morning - after worship we broke up in groups and  talked about what we were thankful for and what our needs are...and went to verses in Acts.  After a wonderful time of fellowship - we enjoyed a potluck lunch - turkey with all the trimmings ...AGAIN!  It is so special to sit there under the cover at the picnic tables (remember we meet at the Christian High School) and enjoy so many special people and make new friends!  Nick & I feel blessed to be apart of it!  So many people from so many places - a true blessing! A special time & way to share and enjoy  Christmas this year! 

What's Nick Doing UP There?????

 Nick...you be careful up there!!!! We have a water tank (reserve) on the property.  And once in a while Nick climbs up there to keep an eye on it - and might add a little bleach to it to keep the tank clean. 

                                  It sure seems WAY UP THERE huh?  Be care husband!

Today - Wednesday - we woke up and I did a little wash, had  breakfast out on the porch like we do each morning ... and the Sun was shinning brightly!  Because we are in the rainy season - we might get the Sun in the morning time and then most likely rain in the afternoon!  You can see the rain clouds rolling in from the mountains...but first before the rain, comes the wind....it picks up - and then you know the rain is coming soon!  

But not this morning....so we decided to take a ride on the motorbike which it has been a few weeks since we had last taken a little outing!  OK where shall we go this time?

A few weeks ago we had planned to go to Bandungan - but ended up heading towards Yogjarkarta - remember and we met those people at the road restaurant?  

Well maybe we should try to make it to Bandungan this time...how about it?  About an hours drive?  OK let's head out! 
                   (You can read up on the town - that has a higher elevation then Salatiga!)

Bandungan A Beautiful little Town in the Mountains~  (click on this link)

                                                www.nugraha-wisata.nugraha-hotel.com  

 We came across this hotel and decided to stop and have lunch!  Gosh we were the only customers...well it is a week day!  It is a very nice Hotel decorated with a BIG Christmas tree and pretty poinsettia's....so nice to see!  Nick said this town is one of many towns that people will come to - to get away from the heat....2400 ft elevation -it makes a difference when it is 85-95 F with high humidity in Semarang, Yogjarkarta, Bundung, Solo! 

 We had a light meal and enjoyed a good Indonesian cup of coffee (kopi)


We always love to drive along the countryside - but on the way back we decided to take the highway (the weather was changing!!!) ...which is still just a 2 lane highway (sometimes 4 - but not often) Boy that Nick - he is getting pretty good on that motorbike...and I am holding on back there...comfortably!  But when it is time to get off...I feel like I have been on a horse...on a saddle!  Gosh my legs....really...! I have to laugh...because this is the way it is...but of course an hour + drive can make you feel like you are on a horse right? My sis would say "yeah sure Ellen!"

  Nick says his hand gets kind of sore holding the gas throttle  in the one position for all that time!  But we so enjoy our motorbike...it is fun to get around in!

We do fine getting all our shopping done...we lug everything on the motorbike - we have too! So we take little trips to the grocery store...and I have a zipper bag I will fill up with items and we set it right between us - on the drive home!  Yep it all get there in one piece too!  If families can get on these bikes with Dad, Mom and sometimes 3 kids at a time...we certainly can do the same and we do!  All our American friends are getting quite handy too with the motorbikes here...doing just like the locals do - kiddies in the front and back and in between!  Helmets on and off they go! 

I am sure you all are busy with shopping, all the activities of the season out there!  Enjoy this special time of the year!  

We too, enjoy hearing the Christmas songs played in some of the stores.  Winter has arrived in many parts now - I hear Bend got a big load of snow huh?  Here on the equator it doesn't get cold - we haven't experienced that yet!  So still in the t-shirts!

Well time to get off the computer - we are caught up now!  Nick is snooooooozing on the couch and I need to get into that kitchen!  

                                           Hugs to all!