DoraMac has a new website!
www.mydoramac.com
You will find Ruth's blog along with photo albums, a little history, the route they are taking and some information about the boat.
This will be the last posting on this blog. Hope you enjoy the new site!
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tana Toraja
August 29 around early afternoon
Skulls, bones, house roofs shaped to look like ancient boats, livestock markets where wizened men with skinny legs covered by colorful sarong skirts and younger men in jeans bargained for dozens and dozens of pampered water buffalo and even more dozens of fat, squealing, sad, soon to be slaughtered pigs. Colors, noises, calls to prayer from the many mosques, scenery, food; your senses are overwhelmed taking it all in. And each has its own Indonesian, Makassan, Buginese or Tarajan word to describe it. Learn one phrase and forget one phrase...that's how it went. But it was all very "biak!" which means good in at least one of those places.
It is 350 kilometers or about 210 miles from Makassar by the sea to Tana Toraja in the high mountains. The drive takes 8 hours but there are many stops along the way to see bamboo processing, a simple native home, local snack stops, to try sticky rice candy and not purchase dried fish preserved with formaline; lunch stops and scenic mountain view stops. All along the way, our extremely knowledgeable, warm, interested guide Rusli Amin taught us about the 3 distinct cultures of the area; Makassar, Parepare and Tana Toraja. I wish I could explain all that Rusli told us, but alas, it is a jumble in my head and will stay that way until I sort it out at a later date. But now I will be able to see what I read and that makes all the difference.
I took about 400 photos! I could have taken more and it would be an artist's dream to have time for painting. But with just a day to go, one to stay, and one back we had to pick and choose. Randal and I are already daydreaming a month here during our next circumnavigation. It is a tourist destination but it hasn't been Disneyfied yet. The people allow you to browse the small shops and bargain for that special one thing you just have to have. But no pressure, no begging. We stayed in a "resort hotel" with a 2 star room, a 4 star setting and depending on the meal, 2 to 5 star food! Combine all of that with cool, great sleeping weather and it is the perfect place to explore and just stay a while. I must admit I was starting to look for totem poles; you'll see why. Randal and I give it 2 thumbs up!
The photos I am sending now are ones Randal took. He focused on the highlights of the area. I'll start with those.
We were lucky enough to be in Rantepao for Pasa Bolu; market day. Each week men walk miles to town with their water buffalo. Pigs are trucked in too. Tana Toraja culture is based on the importance of the funeral ritual. Families save for years to buy water buffalo and pigs to slaughter for the funeral celebration. The more buffalo and pigs, the more honor to the dead person and his/her family. Until they die, water buffalo are treated as sacred animals and are pampered, fed, bathed. They are killed in the quickest and least painful way. Pigs are not so lucky and watching them caught, bound, tied to a carrier and hauled out for a funeral celebration, I found it disturbing and sad. I know now where the phrases squealing like a stuck pig comes from. It is not my culture and I am not a vegetarian; but I felt sad watching the treatment of the pigs. If a water buffalo price is not met or one negotiated, the animal is led home for more pampering until the next market day.
This little piggy went to market and it was not a pretty sight to see. Notice the blue plaid cloth wrapped around the man on the left and the purple/brown plaid on the right. Also the man with the gold cloth hanging from his shoulder. These are sarongs that are almost the size of twin bed sheets. Men wear them for warmth over their shorts. Rusli said the sarong indicates the man has not yet had time to bathe for the day. After someone buys a pig it is caught and bound onto a bamboo holder.
Families save for years to be able to have a huge feast for their honored family member. This may take place a year after the death. But bodies are mummified and preserved until they are taken to the caves for burial.
This family was hosting a funeral. July and August are the traditional funeral holding months. No rice harvesting I think so there is time. These women are drumming the news that people are welcomed to the funeral celebration to be held in the next day or so when the family has all arrived. The home is draped with the red bunting. It was the most amazing drumming sound, hollow and rhythmic. Wooden carved boat like structure is used to carry the body to the cave. The roof of houses and rice barns are also constructed with this boat shape. The mountains were once part of an ocean and the ancestors had taken their boats from the water and used them to build homes thousands of years ago.
This is the home of the dead person's family. Many buffalo horns indicate great wealth. The family could afford to buy and slaughter them for the funeral feast. Other families would donate buffalo or pig to the feast but then they must be paid back when there was a death in the donor's family. Pig jaws were along one home at another site we visited. Family honor is completely tied to these funeral ceremonies and generations save and contribute. The really elaborate funeral celebrations are mostly for people who have lived into their 70s. They may have saved their money but also educated their children who could then earn more money to help provide a bigger funeral. It is the main celebration of family existence.
A cave burial site. The people of Tana Toraja or Tarajaland are Christian, maybe from the Dutch colonizers. But they still follow the old burial traditions. The open umbrella shade those carrying the body also shades the body. It is assumed, I think, that the dead person is with them in spirit. Carvers come to the stone and carve caves ordered by a family. Apparently anyone can use stone anywhere, one doesn't have to own the property. Lots of things are abundant like these stone places, bamboo, bananas, and other fruits so anyone may take for free. One might ask the land owner, but permission is almost always granted. Rusli says here a man gets bamboo for free while in Makassar each man must buy his bamboo where it is not abundant.
Skulls, bones, house roofs shaped to look like ancient boats, livestock markets where wizened men with skinny legs covered by colorful sarong skirts and younger men in jeans bargained for dozens and dozens of pampered water buffalo and even more dozens of fat, squealing, sad, soon to be slaughtered pigs. Colors, noises, calls to prayer from the many mosques, scenery, food; your senses are overwhelmed taking it all in. And each has its own Indonesian, Makassan, Buginese or Tarajan word to describe it. Learn one phrase and forget one phrase...that's how it went. But it was all very "biak!" which means good in at least one of those places.
It is 350 kilometers or about 210 miles from Makassar by the sea to Tana Toraja in the high mountains. The drive takes 8 hours but there are many stops along the way to see bamboo processing, a simple native home, local snack stops, to try sticky rice candy and not purchase dried fish preserved with formaline; lunch stops and scenic mountain view stops. All along the way, our extremely knowledgeable, warm, interested guide Rusli Amin taught us about the 3 distinct cultures of the area; Makassar, Parepare and Tana Toraja. I wish I could explain all that Rusli told us, but alas, it is a jumble in my head and will stay that way until I sort it out at a later date. But now I will be able to see what I read and that makes all the difference.
I took about 400 photos! I could have taken more and it would be an artist's dream to have time for painting. But with just a day to go, one to stay, and one back we had to pick and choose. Randal and I are already daydreaming a month here during our next circumnavigation. It is a tourist destination but it hasn't been Disneyfied yet. The people allow you to browse the small shops and bargain for that special one thing you just have to have. But no pressure, no begging. We stayed in a "resort hotel" with a 2 star room, a 4 star setting and depending on the meal, 2 to 5 star food! Combine all of that with cool, great sleeping weather and it is the perfect place to explore and just stay a while. I must admit I was starting to look for totem poles; you'll see why. Randal and I give it 2 thumbs up!
The photos I am sending now are ones Randal took. He focused on the highlights of the area. I'll start with those.
We were lucky enough to be in Rantepao for Pasa Bolu; market day. Each week men walk miles to town with their water buffalo. Pigs are trucked in too. Tana Toraja culture is based on the importance of the funeral ritual. Families save for years to buy water buffalo and pigs to slaughter for the funeral celebration. The more buffalo and pigs, the more honor to the dead person and his/her family. Until they die, water buffalo are treated as sacred animals and are pampered, fed, bathed. They are killed in the quickest and least painful way. Pigs are not so lucky and watching them caught, bound, tied to a carrier and hauled out for a funeral celebration, I found it disturbing and sad. I know now where the phrases squealing like a stuck pig comes from. It is not my culture and I am not a vegetarian; but I felt sad watching the treatment of the pigs. If a water buffalo price is not met or one negotiated, the animal is led home for more pampering until the next market day.
This little piggy went to market and it was not a pretty sight to see. Notice the blue plaid cloth wrapped around the man on the left and the purple/brown plaid on the right. Also the man with the gold cloth hanging from his shoulder. These are sarongs that are almost the size of twin bed sheets. Men wear them for warmth over their shorts. Rusli said the sarong indicates the man has not yet had time to bathe for the day. After someone buys a pig it is caught and bound onto a bamboo holder.
Families save for years to be able to have a huge feast for their honored family member. This may take place a year after the death. But bodies are mummified and preserved until they are taken to the caves for burial.
This family was hosting a funeral. July and August are the traditional funeral holding months. No rice harvesting I think so there is time. These women are drumming the news that people are welcomed to the funeral celebration to be held in the next day or so when the family has all arrived. The home is draped with the red bunting. It was the most amazing drumming sound, hollow and rhythmic. Wooden carved boat like structure is used to carry the body to the cave. The roof of houses and rice barns are also constructed with this boat shape. The mountains were once part of an ocean and the ancestors had taken their boats from the water and used them to build homes thousands of years ago.
This is the home of the dead person's family. Many buffalo horns indicate great wealth. The family could afford to buy and slaughter them for the funeral feast. Other families would donate buffalo or pig to the feast but then they must be paid back when there was a death in the donor's family. Pig jaws were along one home at another site we visited. Family honor is completely tied to these funeral ceremonies and generations save and contribute. The really elaborate funeral celebrations are mostly for people who have lived into their 70s. They may have saved their money but also educated their children who could then earn more money to help provide a bigger funeral. It is the main celebration of family existence.
A cave burial site. The people of Tana Toraja or Tarajaland are Christian, maybe from the Dutch colonizers. But they still follow the old burial traditions. The open umbrella shade those carrying the body also shades the body. It is assumed, I think, that the dead person is with them in spirit. Carvers come to the stone and carve caves ordered by a family. Apparently anyone can use stone anywhere, one doesn't have to own the property. Lots of things are abundant like these stone places, bamboo, bananas, and other fruits so anyone may take for free. One might ask the land owner, but permission is almost always granted. Rusli says here a man gets bamboo for free while in Makassar each man must buy his bamboo where it is not abundant.
We visited a small village famous for its unique native architecture and for the burial caves and hanging graves sites. This structure is a pig shape. It holds the bones and skulls of women.
This one is for men and is shaped like a water buffalo.
These are tau tau, images of the dead who are placed in the cave. The wealthier you are the larger tau tau you have. This one family of the woman in purple were in one large cave behind a metal fence.
Caskets placed in caves. Our guide Rusli, sounds like Bruce Lee.
Another burial site. Each square is a carved burial cave.The wooden structure in the lower right carried the bodies to the cave.
Tau Tau representing those buried in the caves.
Tau Tau carver. He learned from his father. Families pass the skill to the next generation. He wants his son to get a good education so he can get a better job. The small carvings were amazing. He has been carving them for 20 years. That's me in the photo. I am wearing a shirt bought in K K that has sleeves. I did see many European women tourists sleeveless and no one was pointing or making a big deal. I guess because this area is Christian and not Muslim. Our guide Rusli couldn't eat with us at the recommended local "tourist" restaurant because they included pork in their cooking. Rusli is Muslim. We had some great discussions about the world and its issues.This is just a tiny tiny bit of what we saw. The mountain and rice field scenery was beautiful. The stilt homes totally unique. I will try to do another email before we leave here. It is 1 am Saturday, August 30. Our wifi is far too slow with many disconnections so that odd hours work better. I will try to send this now.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Makassar, Indonesia
August 26 6:17 am
Hi Everyone,
Our coodinates are 05 08 228 S 119 23 912 E. Maybe you'll see us. Off into the "supposed to be very scenic" mountains to Tana Toraja in about an hour. Homes there are built in the shape of boats or buffalo horns. Also famous for their elaborate funeral rites. Supposed to be a "must see" according to our Rough Guide. We have a driver/guide to take us there. Be gone 2 nights and back by Thursday evening. Not sure of the wifi situation. Hope we don't get altitude sickness after being at sea level for so long!
Makassar very interesting. Foreign and familiar at the same time since in many ways it reminds me of China. More when I can send an email from my computer.
Ru
Hi Everyone,
Our coodinates are 05 08 228 S 119 23 912 E. Maybe you'll see us. Off into the "supposed to be very scenic" mountains to Tana Toraja in about an hour. Homes there are built in the shape of boats or buffalo horns. Also famous for their elaborate funeral rites. Supposed to be a "must see" according to our Rough Guide. We have a driver/guide to take us there. Be gone 2 nights and back by Thursday evening. Not sure of the wifi situation. Hope we don't get altitude sickness after being at sea level for so long!
Makassar very interesting. Foreign and familiar at the same time since in many ways it reminds me of China. More when I can send an email from my computer.
Ru
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Indonesia - Arrived!
August 23 7:30 am is when I am writing this.
Hi Guys,
Randal wrote .....
Arrived safely at anchor 6:45 AM in Makassar at 05'08.228S 119'23.912E. Yesterday was terrible and the price for the boat got down to make an offer. We had heavy winds and waves just about all day. When we made our turn toward Makkassar we had in excess of 20 knots winds on the nose and building waves. It was 9:00 PM last night and it took us nearly 10 hours to work our way through the reefs and a million fishing boats.
I think both Ruth and I are wired and tired. Too wired to try to sleep but too tired not to want to. From the water front this place really looks interesting. Lots of bars and restaurants along the beach and just north of our anchorage is the ship terminal. We look forward to exploring.
Ruth wrote.......
Randal did a great job never complaining a bit when I woke him up during all but one of my watches so he had to be up part of mine as well as all of his. Last night coming here was beyond me except for about 2 and a half hours. Randal did all the rest. I was just too pooped and too scared of all the fishing boats surrounding us. Luckily I had driven more of the daytime. Now we are beyond tired and are just waiting for customs to notice us. If not, eventually we'll go find them. A boat taxi led us to an anchor spot. We thought he was customs. He saw us as customers. It does look like an interesting spot.
This passage was a lot like doing Outward Bound. I didn't love it and it was almost too hard and at one point I did say I couldn't do something. But in the end I was really proud that I had done it. Same with this passage. Now I know we can do it and know how to do it better.
Randal is looking through the binoculars at the people eating in the Dunkin Donuts! A big water taxi just went by and everyone is looking at us.
"This is what cruising is all about, I reckon." Randal, after hearing what I had added.
The end!
Hi Guys,
Randal wrote .....
Arrived safely at anchor 6:45 AM in Makassar at 05'08.228S 119'23.912E. Yesterday was terrible and the price for the boat got down to make an offer. We had heavy winds and waves just about all day. When we made our turn toward Makkassar we had in excess of 20 knots winds on the nose and building waves. It was 9:00 PM last night and it took us nearly 10 hours to work our way through the reefs and a million fishing boats.
I think both Ruth and I are wired and tired. Too wired to try to sleep but too tired not to want to. From the water front this place really looks interesting. Lots of bars and restaurants along the beach and just north of our anchorage is the ship terminal. We look forward to exploring.
Ruth wrote.......
Randal did a great job never complaining a bit when I woke him up during all but one of my watches so he had to be up part of mine as well as all of his. Last night coming here was beyond me except for about 2 and a half hours. Randal did all the rest. I was just too pooped and too scared of all the fishing boats surrounding us. Luckily I had driven more of the daytime. Now we are beyond tired and are just waiting for customs to notice us. If not, eventually we'll go find them. A boat taxi led us to an anchor spot. We thought he was customs. He saw us as customers. It does look like an interesting spot.
This passage was a lot like doing Outward Bound. I didn't love it and it was almost too hard and at one point I did say I couldn't do something. But in the end I was really proud that I had done it. Same with this passage. Now I know we can do it and know how to do it better.
Randal is looking through the binoculars at the people eating in the Dunkin Donuts! A big water taxi just went by and everyone is looking at us.
"This is what cruising is all about, I reckon." Randal, after hearing what I had added.
The end!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Crossing the Equator
Hi Everyone,
Randal sends out a noon report to our friend Nick Spence in Subic. Nick takes the readings and translates them into a projected weather report for us. We get sailmail weather, but Nick's is better. I am having Red Sox withdrawal pains not being able to follow the game or read every news bit about them. But I did help them along last night in my own way. Randal wrote this report of us "crossing the line," as crossing the Equator is called.
From Randal
8/21/08
12:00 Noon
01'01.39S 118'52.94E
SOG 6.0 Knots
COG 191 (COG is "course over ground" showing the line in back of you up to you and projecting where you will go. Heading is where the boat is pointing but maybe because of the wind and current pushing you around, not where you actually were or are going to go. Clear?)
Wind W at 3 knots
Seas Flat
Skies Partly cloudy
Temp 84F
Conditions Calm
At sunrise this morning we had 12 to 15 knot winds on our port beam with building seas. But by 0800 the wind had died to zero and within thirty minutes the waves disappeared as well. Now there is just a little side to side movement of the boat, the paravanes are hardly having to work at all.
Last night at 01:37 we crossed the Equator. I had asked Ruth to prepare (a ceremony) while we were still in KK. It happened ("the crossing") on my watch and I awakened Ruth 10 minutes early as per her instructions. She fetched a package she had prepared for the donation to King Neptune. The package included a piece of left over fruit cake Ruth had made from a mix* but Ruth never follows recipes and when it went in I saw the tide drop 3", a can of turkey Spam, some coins, a Dora Mac business card, a big sea shell from Clarendon Island, a piece of sea glass, Ruth's broken lucky Red Sox ring**, all wrapped up in an American flag bandana. I hope he is appeased.
Ruth also painted a commemorative document, worthy of framing, with all the necessary information and a drawing of Dora Mac. We have to fill it out yet though. I'm sure you'll see a picture of it on our web site when we reach wifi land again.
Just before the chart plotter read 00'00.000, I asked Ruth to take a picture of it. She tried several times but couldn't get the focus right. I got my camera but I couldn't get a good photo either. I stepped outside the door because I was feeling queasy looking at the camera I guess. When I came back in Ruth was still fidgeting with her camera not realizing the plotter now showed 00'00.135S.
I just took a shower after three days and it is beyond comprehension how much it has raised my spirits. I can tell when my spirits get low because I start fantasizing about someone offering me a large amount of money for the boat and me selling it. The large amount is directly proportionable to my low spirits, the lower the spirits the lower the offer. But now I'm clean and the offer is one million.
* This is not the Official Roanoke County Public Library Fruitcake. This mix bought in K K came with no fruit included though the picture on the box showed fruit included and it called itself Fruit Cake. Who would have guessed. The direction on the back show you adding a bag of fruit into the mix at step 3. Hope Neptune likes it better than Randal did. I added my own fruit and nuts.
** I bought a "Lucky Red Sox" red bangle and red ring in Subic Bay just before we left. The ring broke, bad luck, toss in ocean!
Ruth
Randal sends out a noon report to our friend Nick Spence in Subic. Nick takes the readings and translates them into a projected weather report for us. We get sailmail weather, but Nick's is better. I am having Red Sox withdrawal pains not being able to follow the game or read every news bit about them. But I did help them along last night in my own way. Randal wrote this report of us "crossing the line," as crossing the Equator is called.
From Randal
8/21/08
12:00 Noon
01'01.39S 118'52.94E
SOG 6.0 Knots
COG 191 (COG is "course over ground" showing the line in back of you up to you and projecting where you will go. Heading is where the boat is pointing but maybe because of the wind and current pushing you around, not where you actually were or are going to go. Clear?)
Wind W at 3 knots
Seas Flat
Skies Partly cloudy
Temp 84F
Conditions Calm
At sunrise this morning we had 12 to 15 knot winds on our port beam with building seas. But by 0800 the wind had died to zero and within thirty minutes the waves disappeared as well. Now there is just a little side to side movement of the boat, the paravanes are hardly having to work at all.
Last night at 01:37 we crossed the Equator. I had asked Ruth to prepare (a ceremony) while we were still in KK. It happened ("the crossing") on my watch and I awakened Ruth 10 minutes early as per her instructions. She fetched a package she had prepared for the donation to King Neptune. The package included a piece of left over fruit cake Ruth had made from a mix* but Ruth never follows recipes and when it went in I saw the tide drop 3", a can of turkey Spam, some coins, a Dora Mac business card, a big sea shell from Clarendon Island, a piece of sea glass, Ruth's broken lucky Red Sox ring**, all wrapped up in an American flag bandana. I hope he is appeased.
Ruth also painted a commemorative document, worthy of framing, with all the necessary information and a drawing of Dora Mac. We have to fill it out yet though. I'm sure you'll see a picture of it on our web site when we reach wifi land again.
Just before the chart plotter read 00'00.000, I asked Ruth to take a picture of it. She tried several times but couldn't get the focus right. I got my camera but I couldn't get a good photo either. I stepped outside the door because I was feeling queasy looking at the camera I guess. When I came back in Ruth was still fidgeting with her camera not realizing the plotter now showed 00'00.135S.
I just took a shower after three days and it is beyond comprehension how much it has raised my spirits. I can tell when my spirits get low because I start fantasizing about someone offering me a large amount of money for the boat and me selling it. The large amount is directly proportionable to my low spirits, the lower the spirits the lower the offer. But now I'm clean and the offer is one million.
* This is not the Official Roanoke County Public Library Fruitcake. This mix bought in K K came with no fruit included though the picture on the box showed fruit included and it called itself Fruit Cake. Who would have guessed. The direction on the back show you adding a bag of fruit into the mix at step 3. Hope Neptune likes it better than Randal did. I added my own fruit and nuts.
** I bought a "Lucky Red Sox" red bangle and red ring in Subic Bay just before we left. The ring broke, bad luck, toss in ocean!
Ruth
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Malaysia to Indonesia
August 19 12:23 pm
Just crossed from 4' to 3' 59" It was kind of exciting. 360 degrees around us is the Celebes Sea, sun, fluffy white clouds, some wind and some waves.
We're going 6.1 knots and the sea is more than a thousand feet deep. Pretty amazing. Will be in Makassa in about 4.5 days.
Love,
Ru
Just crossed from 4' to 3' 59" It was kind of exciting. 360 degrees around us is the Celebes Sea, sun, fluffy white clouds, some wind and some waves.
We're going 6.1 knots and the sea is more than a thousand feet deep. Pretty amazing. Will be in Makassa in about 4.5 days.
Love,
Ru
Friday, August 15, 2008
Malaysia to Indonesia
Hi everyone,
We are anchored off a lovely island just now and it's my favorite part of cruising. Just quiet and pretty and no noise and no karaoke. Of course, no wifi and no Sox scores! Last time they did well when I was unable to follow them on a daily basis. Hope that works again.
From Randal...
"Anchored last night in Kudat. Now have arrived just north of an island by the name of Palau Jambongan. Location is 06'45.404N and 117'24.368E. Real nice cruise today, never out of site of land. Tomorrow will be our first overnight passage with just Ruth and me aboard. It is 135 NM. We will leave tomorrow morning about 10:00 AM and at 6 knots should arrive at our next anchorage, Dog Nose, at 8:30 Sunday morning. This is a 22.5 hour passage. We have to leave late because if we leave early we will arrive before dawn and we want to arrive during daylight.
If you look at our schedule you'll see our next passage after that is 346.1 NM but we are thinking of running all the way to Makassa which is 677 NM and 113 hours, four days plus 17 hours. This is a little hard to plan because we're not sure of the boat speed. According to climate charts we will be facing a headwind but a one knot current going with us. We could plan on arriving at 12:00 noon but that would mean leaving our anchorage at 7:00 PM, well after dark.
There are a number of things we could do. I have anchorages laid out all along the west coast of Saluwesi we could duck into as we neared Makassa to hold up."
Me again
At some point very soon we will cross the Equator. Tonight we are 6.45 degrees north of the Equator. Each degree is 60 miles so we still have a way to go. It was my task to find out how cruisers celebrate the event called "crossing the line." We will take photos and make a big deal and I will tell you later.
Friday, August 15 3:44pm
We are anchored off a lovely island just now and it's my favorite part of cruising. Just quiet and pretty and no noise and no karaoke. Of course, no wifi and no Sox scores! Last time they did well when I was unable to follow them on a daily basis. Hope that works again.
From Randal...
"Anchored last night in Kudat. Now have arrived just north of an island by the name of Palau Jambongan. Location is 06'45.404N and 117'24.368E. Real nice cruise today, never out of site of land. Tomorrow will be our first overnight passage with just Ruth and me aboard. It is 135 NM. We will leave tomorrow morning about 10:00 AM and at 6 knots should arrive at our next anchorage, Dog Nose, at 8:30 Sunday morning. This is a 22.5 hour passage. We have to leave late because if we leave early we will arrive before dawn and we want to arrive during daylight.
If you look at our schedule you'll see our next passage after that is 346.1 NM but we are thinking of running all the way to Makassa which is 677 NM and 113 hours, four days plus 17 hours. This is a little hard to plan because we're not sure of the boat speed. According to climate charts we will be facing a headwind but a one knot current going with us. We could plan on arriving at 12:00 noon but that would mean leaving our anchorage at 7:00 PM, well after dark.
There are a number of things we could do. I have anchorages laid out all along the west coast of Saluwesi we could duck into as we neared Makassa to hold up."
Me again
At some point very soon we will cross the Equator. Tonight we are 6.45 degrees north of the Equator. Each degree is 60 miles so we still have a way to go. It was my task to find out how cruisers celebrate the event called "crossing the line." We will take photos and make a big deal and I will tell you later.
Friday, August 15 3:44pm
Monday, August 11, 2008
Romblon continued
August 11 6 pm Monday Kota Kinabalu
Back again to Romblon........
After we left Tony's house Avon drove us further along the coast. During our lunch stop, I went snorkeling though the warning to watch out for the jelly fish, "but they won't bother you," made it a tad bit unenjoyable so I got out sooner rather than later. We had a nice lunch and it was there that we met Toffy Padua. He had kayaked over from his home. Toffy and Avon were long-time friends from their school days in Manila. Toffy invited us to his family's compound to see his environmentally friendly sustainable tree home.
We drove and he kayaked and we all got there at about the same time.
First the outside. Toffy's dad has his own house. Toffy's sister has her own house. Toffy has his own house. We didn't see his dad's but we did see both his and his sister's.
Back again to Romblon........
After we left Tony's house Avon drove us further along the coast. During our lunch stop, I went snorkeling though the warning to watch out for the jelly fish, "but they won't bother you," made it a tad bit unenjoyable so I got out sooner rather than later. We had a nice lunch and it was there that we met Toffy Padua. He had kayaked over from his home. Toffy and Avon were long-time friends from their school days in Manila. Toffy invited us to his family's compound to see his environmentally friendly sustainable tree home.
We drove and he kayaked and we all got there at about the same time.
First the outside. Toffy's dad has his own house. Toffy's sister has her own house. Toffy has his own house. We didn't see his dad's but we did see both his and his sister's.
See my pictures of Toffy's environmentally friendly/sustainable tree house with sleeping loft.
I loved Toffy's treehouse and his sister's Zen like home. Both Toffy and Avon would like to see Romblon develop in an environmentally friendly way.
http://touristsinmymind.blogspot.com/ is Toffy's web site. He seems a real creative guy. He was a wonderful host who was willing to take his time to share ideas with us.
After the visit with Toffy we went back to Romblon Town and Avon drove us around to find cases of Gatorade and then dropped us off at our dinghy. We had taken much more of his time than we had contracted for, but he also enjoyed visiting friends. With all of the visiting we didn't make it to the local fort up behind the town. Next time. Romblon is a place we hope to revisit.
I also want to share the photos of our visit to the marble works. But that will have to wait for another email.
K K with Valerie
August 11 11:05 am Kota Kinabalu
Hi Everyone,
Just a quick bunch of photos from my "luck and chance tours" with Valerie. You'll see why as I tell our story.
Here are Stephen and Valerie. We had just been to the State Mosque and were walking past these group of homes built over a canal. They were quite poor but picturesque. Not the best photo of Stephen and Valerie, but at least it is from the front.
Stephen and Valerie were going to the Mosque and invited me along. Randal was doing boat things. Unfortunately no photos were allowed inside. Both Valerie and I had on our mid-shin pants and wraps. Hers was a lovely, wispy peach color and mine was my huge tie-dye green cotton sarong. Stephen wore shorts and just offered to wait outside while Valerie and I went in to explore. We left our shoes and walked on the cool tiled floor through the building.
We wandered around outside and inside and felt as if we weren't getting much from our experience. We found a small room with women praying wrapped head to toe in shawls and robes. We didn't want to interrupt and it was warm in that room wrapped in my green tie-dye. But we also didn't want to just leave. So when the men started leaving their huge air-conditioned prayer hall, we asked if we could go peek inside. We were answered with smiles and passed along until the exact right man told us that he was in charge of tourists and he would take us into the huge prayer room and explain about the prayers and mosque. But first we had to put on tourist robes so that everyone would know we were tourists. Valerie guessed the robes were there so tourists would be adequately covered. I think she is right. So I put on a huge robe that looks like a choir robe and then my huge green tie-die shawl over my head. Rats, no photos since I'm sure that I looked a sight. Valerie looked just fine in her wispy peach scarf tied perfectly over her head. My bouncy hair wasn't helping any, either. But vanity aside, we walked back to the big prayer room, robes dragging behind, and our guide showed us how Muslim prayer was performed and told us the 8 principals of the prayer. He told us how men stand shoulder to shoulder and how they must not move around and disrupt their concentration. If they must move it is 2 small steps and then pause and 2 more if needed until they are where they need to be. He showed us how they place their hands and feet and head when they pray. He told us about the decorations in the hall and how many tons the giant chandelier weighed and why tourists aren't allowed to stand under it, just in case. Most interesting to me was the hexagonal beehive symbols all around the wall. Inside the hive, tilted a bit was a 6 pointed star which to me is a "Jewish star." Valerie asked him about the hexagonal design and he mentioned the beehive symbolism. But he also mentioned the Star of David saying that the Jewish religion, like all religions had symbols and good points and should be respected. I don't know how we all thought before 9/11, but since then I wonder if we respect the Muslim religion as much as they seem to respect our religions and us as people. I hope that Muslim women from Malaysia who wear head coverings are treated as well as I am here not wearing a head covering. My Sox hat doesn't count.
Another day Valerie and I went to the State Library Reference Library
http://www.ssl.sabah.gov.my/ is the web address. I had already been to the State Library lending library which I guess now is the City Library..... But since this was the newer library, opened in 2004 I wanted to see it. It isn't on any of the maps so with just the street address we took a taxi and hoped for the best. The helpful security guard and desk staff at the marina had told the taxi driver where it was and with only one small mistake we got there. Luckily I had seen a picture on the web site. I had been looking for the information about the library in town that I had visited and found this site and was really unsure what library was what since the sign outside the city library said State Library as did the map. Old sign, old map... But I recognized the pink building and in we went. Needs have obviously expanded since 2004 because the library is building up to add more space.
Another day Valerie and I went to the State Library Reference Library
http://www.ssl.sabah.gov.my/ is the web address. I had already been to the State Library lending library which I guess now is the City Library..... But since this was the newer library, opened in 2004 I wanted to see it. It isn't on any of the maps so with just the street address we took a taxi and hoped for the best. The helpful security guard and desk staff at the marina had told the taxi driver where it was and with only one small mistake we got there. Luckily I had seen a picture on the web site. I had been looking for the information about the library in town that I had visited and found this site and was really unsure what library was what since the sign outside the city library said State Library as did the map. Old sign, old map... But I recognized the pink building and in we went. Needs have obviously expanded since 2004 because the library is building up to add more space.
Saturday and Sunday the library hours are 9 am until 2 pm. But there is just a small staff and the front information desk isn't staffed.
Guards took my backpack so I am not sure who uses the blue lockers on the left side of the photo. But they are a good idea so you don't have to worry about leaving your stuff unattended. None of the signs offered any English translations. But they do use Dewey Decimal System as our library at home, so I could find the art books. And most of the books were written in English!
Guards took my backpack so I am not sure who uses the blue lockers on the left side of the photo. But they are a good idea so you don't have to worry about leaving your stuff unattended. None of the signs offered any English translations. But they do use Dewey Decimal System as our library at home, so I could find the art books. And most of the books were written in English!
Lots of computer access but most students were using the paper materials available. I recognized many titles that we have in our library and many paper sources like Facts On File that we no longer update in paper format and neither do they.
Where there is a library, there will be a library display!
They had an up-to-date, varied, and interesting magazine collection. Some written in English and some not.
From their version of Glamour Magazine
Because it was Sunday, most staff were not there. But I found that none who were there wanted to chat about libraries. In China, in the Public Library and High School library, the librarians were very interested in exchanging ideas and answering my questions. The library staff in the very small Olongapo library also responded when I said that I worked in a library in the U. S. But in neither of the libraries here have any staff shown any interest discussing libraries with me. So I can't tell you any more than you see in the photos or the web site. Sorry. I will do another email about my trip to the City/State Library.
After the library Valerie and I walked back to the museum complex that we had visited previously. The art gallery was having a water color exhibit. It didn't look so far away on the map so we walked. We left the library and walked to the main road and took a left. Should have taken a right. We asked a man having his car repaired for help. He offered to drive us and we both had no doubts that it was quite safe to agree. So in about 10 minutes we were off to the Art Gallery. We had to buy entry tickets to the museum, unfortunately. There were about 30 paintings and I enjoyed seeing them. They were all better than I could do, at least most of them. But nothing made me go wow. Too bad. http://www.sabah.gov.my/artgallery/ is an interesting sight about current art in Malaysia
Since it was cheaper to get a taxi from the hospital down the small driveway from the museums, we walked there and saved 5 or so ringgits. It would have cost more to have a taxi sent to the museums to get us as we found our last visit. Though it was less than $3 US we still felt like a cheaper taxi down the drive made more sense. We walked, got the taxi and returned to the marina. Valerie came to Doramac for a cool drink and one last chat. She and Stephen would be off to Sandakan for 3 days to visit Agnes Keith's home, see the wildlife and other sights and wouldn't be back till we had left. Or we thought we would have left. Now our lost package coming from Australia seems to be in West Malaysia. If we can wait an extra day for it, we may so I'll be able to hear all about their trip.
From their version of Glamour Magazine
Because it was Sunday, most staff were not there. But I found that none who were there wanted to chat about libraries. In China, in the Public Library and High School library, the librarians were very interested in exchanging ideas and answering my questions. The library staff in the very small Olongapo library also responded when I said that I worked in a library in the U. S. But in neither of the libraries here have any staff shown any interest discussing libraries with me. So I can't tell you any more than you see in the photos or the web site. Sorry. I will do another email about my trip to the City/State Library.
After the library Valerie and I walked back to the museum complex that we had visited previously. The art gallery was having a water color exhibit. It didn't look so far away on the map so we walked. We left the library and walked to the main road and took a left. Should have taken a right. We asked a man having his car repaired for help. He offered to drive us and we both had no doubts that it was quite safe to agree. So in about 10 minutes we were off to the Art Gallery. We had to buy entry tickets to the museum, unfortunately. There were about 30 paintings and I enjoyed seeing them. They were all better than I could do, at least most of them. But nothing made me go wow. Too bad. http://www.sabah.gov.my/artgallery/ is an interesting sight about current art in Malaysia
Since it was cheaper to get a taxi from the hospital down the small driveway from the museums, we walked there and saved 5 or so ringgits. It would have cost more to have a taxi sent to the museums to get us as we found our last visit. Though it was less than $3 US we still felt like a cheaper taxi down the drive made more sense. We walked, got the taxi and returned to the marina. Valerie came to Doramac for a cool drink and one last chat. She and Stephen would be off to Sandakan for 3 days to visit Agnes Keith's home, see the wildlife and other sights and wouldn't be back till we had left. Or we thought we would have left. Now our lost package coming from Australia seems to be in West Malaysia. If we can wait an extra day for it, we may so I'll be able to hear all about their trip.
Getting ready to go
August 11 7:28 am Monday Kota Kinabalu
Hi Everyone,
It never fails. I get itchy to leave, then get to know the place better, make friends, and then, just at that point, it's time to go. In this case, because we have signed up for Sail Indonesia we have no choice. Actually we should have left a week ago, but computer issues that are partly resolved, got in the way. We think we will leave tomorrow. I am sending an excel file of our stops, but we may change that as we go. We have several overnight passages which eliminates the need to negotiate shallow anchorages and lets us cover more ocean more quickly.
Our sailmail may or may not work. Our cell phone will stop working when we leave Malaysian waters and cell towers. So for the 2 or 3 weeks we are traveling you probably won't hear from us. Don't worry. I will joke and say our EPERB will save us if the boat sinks or in a dire emergency I guess we could stick it in water and the coast guard would come. But that would have to be a terrible emergency and that won't happen. We can also speak with passing ships on our vhf. Actually, our sailmail had stopped working between the Philippines and K K and we had no problem. We anticipate no problems this time. We have fuel, lots of fruit and veggies, fresh and canned, and our chart plotter and autopilot to help. We'll be fine.
Our British friends Valerie and Stephen are off to Sandakan and won't be back until we have left so we said our good-byes Saturday. Valerie, always up for an adventure, had gone with me to the other State Library and then to the Sabah Art Gallery in the museum complex where there was a small water color exhibit. I'll write about these adventures, but just now I'll say that Valerie is a kindred spirit and between the 2 of us we made the only possible wrong turn walking to the gallery from the library so were driven there by a kind Chinese man. We had stopped to ask directions from a man having his car fixed at an engine repair shop. He was kind, told us we had gone left when we had needed to go right. He said his car would be done in 10 minutes and he would drive us. His car was done in 10 minutes! and he drove us to the gallery! It was nice having someone to explore with. Sort of like when Sallie came to visit in China. It's touring by luck and chance. When we go with Carol there is planning and organization and we see way more than we would have. If we're lucky and get to Thailand when Carol can join us, we'll get some great touring there too! While we still have phone connection I will text Carol and she will email Harriet and Harriet can email all of you. Great system in a pinch.
Last time I lost contact with the Red Sox they jumped in the standings. Hopefully that will happen again.
When you look at the excel file, there is no place called Dog Nose. It is just shaped like a dog's nose below his ear. The ear is near Teluk Sumangat and the nose is near Tangung Sugut. Teluk Balesang is our first location in Indonesia.
All of this is on paper and in the chart plotter, but we might make changes on the way.
So I'll send this now. I will try to send some email with photos of here before I leave.
Ru
Hi Everyone,
It never fails. I get itchy to leave, then get to know the place better, make friends, and then, just at that point, it's time to go. In this case, because we have signed up for Sail Indonesia we have no choice. Actually we should have left a week ago, but computer issues that are partly resolved, got in the way. We think we will leave tomorrow. I am sending an excel file of our stops, but we may change that as we go. We have several overnight passages which eliminates the need to negotiate shallow anchorages and lets us cover more ocean more quickly.
Our sailmail may or may not work. Our cell phone will stop working when we leave Malaysian waters and cell towers. So for the 2 or 3 weeks we are traveling you probably won't hear from us. Don't worry. I will joke and say our EPERB will save us if the boat sinks or in a dire emergency I guess we could stick it in water and the coast guard would come. But that would have to be a terrible emergency and that won't happen. We can also speak with passing ships on our vhf. Actually, our sailmail had stopped working between the Philippines and K K and we had no problem. We anticipate no problems this time. We have fuel, lots of fruit and veggies, fresh and canned, and our chart plotter and autopilot to help. We'll be fine.
Our British friends Valerie and Stephen are off to Sandakan and won't be back until we have left so we said our good-byes Saturday. Valerie, always up for an adventure, had gone with me to the other State Library and then to the Sabah Art Gallery in the museum complex where there was a small water color exhibit. I'll write about these adventures, but just now I'll say that Valerie is a kindred spirit and between the 2 of us we made the only possible wrong turn walking to the gallery from the library so were driven there by a kind Chinese man. We had stopped to ask directions from a man having his car fixed at an engine repair shop. He was kind, told us we had gone left when we had needed to go right. He said his car would be done in 10 minutes and he would drive us. His car was done in 10 minutes! and he drove us to the gallery! It was nice having someone to explore with. Sort of like when Sallie came to visit in China. It's touring by luck and chance. When we go with Carol there is planning and organization and we see way more than we would have. If we're lucky and get to Thailand when Carol can join us, we'll get some great touring there too! While we still have phone connection I will text Carol and she will email Harriet and Harriet can email all of you. Great system in a pinch.
Last time I lost contact with the Red Sox they jumped in the standings. Hopefully that will happen again.
When you look at the excel file, there is no place called Dog Nose. It is just shaped like a dog's nose below his ear. The ear is near Teluk Sumangat and the nose is near Tangung Sugut. Teluk Balesang is our first location in Indonesia.
All of this is on paper and in the chart plotter, but we might make changes on the way.
So I'll send this now. I will try to send some email with photos of here before I leave.
Ru
Read this document on Scribd: KK to Labuan Bajo
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Romblon 3
August 7 4:30 pm Kota Kinabalu
Where we still are waiting for a second package. The first one came with a part for Randal's seatek computer but it didn't fix the problem. This afternoon a boat neighbor Terry on Valhalla came to try to fix our AIS boat identification system. It wouldn't fix. We may never leave K K! Luckily the Sox won! You all won't believe this, but I would have preferred the computer work and the Sox lose. See what winning 2 Series does to you. Me anyway. Actually, we really are discouraged by the computer issues. Not sure what plan C is or when we will leave to get to Indonesia by the first week in September. This is also typical boating life.
We are rejoining our friends in Romblon for this post.
Tony Parkinson
Our second full day on Romblon was a tour of the marble works, stops at various resorts, the local cathedral, and visits to the homes of both Tony Parkinson and Toffy Romero. We had a very full day indeed! I'll write about all of our friends first and then do an email about the marble works and one about Romblon in general.
When we left the marble works and began our tour of Romblon Island, Avon asked if we wanted to see Tony Parkinson's home with its wonderful view. We said sure. Here is a quick intro to Tony.. "David Anthony “Tony” Parkinson, an Englishman, lived 28 years in Kenya. He came to the Philippines when the Calait Animal Reserve in Palawan was created in 1977. (The Safari Park in Illultuk Bay where we spent Typhoon Frank.) If you ask him, he will surely tell you stories about the translocation of eight species of big Kenyan mammals to a Philippine Island." Tony is a "retired" animal conservationist. In his working life he tried to place animals in settings where they would thrive, where they would be protected, and where more people around the world could come to see and appreciate them. He has worked with many of the world's major zoos. He is acquainted with many well known animal conservationists. Ultimately, knowledgeable people would be the animal's best protection.
See pictures from Tony's house.
We both found Tony fascinating and very cordial considering we sort of invaded his "view." We actually hadn't expected meet him, just see the view. We were lucky to catch him at home.
One of Randal's favorite books is West With the Night by Beryl Markham. She spent her growing up years in Kenya. Randal told Tony Beryl Markham stories and Tony told us Tony stories. Randal made a gift of his copy of the book to Tony and received a wonderful emailed thanks.
And we still had more adventures to go after we left Tony!
Where we still are waiting for a second package. The first one came with a part for Randal's seatek computer but it didn't fix the problem. This afternoon a boat neighbor Terry on Valhalla came to try to fix our AIS boat identification system. It wouldn't fix. We may never leave K K! Luckily the Sox won! You all won't believe this, but I would have preferred the computer work and the Sox lose. See what winning 2 Series does to you. Me anyway. Actually, we really are discouraged by the computer issues. Not sure what plan C is or when we will leave to get to Indonesia by the first week in September. This is also typical boating life.
We are rejoining our friends in Romblon for this post.
Tony Parkinson
Our second full day on Romblon was a tour of the marble works, stops at various resorts, the local cathedral, and visits to the homes of both Tony Parkinson and Toffy Romero. We had a very full day indeed! I'll write about all of our friends first and then do an email about the marble works and one about Romblon in general.
When we left the marble works and began our tour of Romblon Island, Avon asked if we wanted to see Tony Parkinson's home with its wonderful view. We said sure. Here is a quick intro to Tony.. "David Anthony “Tony” Parkinson, an Englishman, lived 28 years in Kenya. He came to the Philippines when the Calait Animal Reserve in Palawan was created in 1977. (The Safari Park in Illultuk Bay where we spent Typhoon Frank.) If you ask him, he will surely tell you stories about the translocation of eight species of big Kenyan mammals to a Philippine Island." Tony is a "retired" animal conservationist. In his working life he tried to place animals in settings where they would thrive, where they would be protected, and where more people around the world could come to see and appreciate them. He has worked with many of the world's major zoos. He is acquainted with many well known animal conservationists. Ultimately, knowledgeable people would be the animal's best protection.
See pictures from Tony's house.
We both found Tony fascinating and very cordial considering we sort of invaded his "view." We actually hadn't expected meet him, just see the view. We were lucky to catch him at home.
One of Randal's favorite books is West With the Night by Beryl Markham. She spent her growing up years in Kenya. Randal told Tony Beryl Markham stories and Tony told us Tony stories. Randal made a gift of his copy of the book to Tony and received a wonderful emailed thanks.
And we still had more adventures to go after we left Tony!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
more K K stories
August 6th 3 pm Kota Kinabalu
I am sharing the lovely email from Emilda for two reasons. One is so you can see her bubbly personality come through her words. The other is to correct the names of the young men. I hope I will learn from my mistake of not checking with them while they were here. Badri was the one with glasses.
Hello again!! Thank you for the lovely treat and great tour of Dora. I'm glad you enjoy the CONGKAK. That's a cool piece of mind and hand coordination game ya...We were all too contented that the ice cream and brownies lasted until the next day. I know I had the most ha ha ha...We cherished our new friendship and hope to cross our paths again in future. Your comments and wonderful description of us is super nice...Just a tiny weeny correction... it's Che Raiskandar or Rais for short and Mohamad Badri or Badri for short. I have forwarded your email to the guys. I am still here in KK, and will return to Kuala Lumpur on the 8th August. Do let us know your interesting journey.
I am sharing the lovely email from Emilda for two reasons. One is so you can see her bubbly personality come through her words. The other is to correct the names of the young men. I hope I will learn from my mistake of not checking with them while they were here. Badri was the one with glasses.
Hello again!! Thank you for the lovely treat and great tour of Dora. I'm glad you enjoy the CONGKAK. That's a cool piece of mind and hand coordination game ya...We were all too contented that the ice cream and brownies lasted until the next day. I know I had the most ha ha ha...We cherished our new friendship and hope to cross our paths again in future. Your comments and wonderful description of us is super nice...Just a tiny weeny correction... it's Che Raiskandar or Rais for short and Mohamad Badri or Badri for short. I have forwarded your email to the guys. I am still here in KK, and will return to Kuala Lumpur on the 8th August. Do let us know your interesting journey.
"Salam (greeting) manis (sweet)" - Sweet Greetings Salam manis,
Emilda Rita Sjahrial
PhD student in Built Environment International Islamic University Malaysia.
And as for the congkak game, it turns out that Randal's sister had one in the house and her two nieces went hunting for it. Theirs had the name Mancala on it.
I love the way it says for ages 6+ and I took forever to learn.
I love the way it says for ages 6+ and I took forever to learn.
Yesterday Randal decided to walk to town and it really was not a bad walk.
I timed my walk home and it took about 25 minutes. We had gone our separate ways at the Wawasan Mall since we had different things to shop for. It was the first time we had actually been to this shopping mall so both of us were also exploring. And Randal also wanted to go find a shave. When I walked back, there was more shade along the way. But I was pretty hot and tired when I got back to the boat.
I was at the mall hunting for tops that have not much to them but enough that I don't have to hide if someone comes onto the boat. And though the women of Sabah aren't all as tiny as they were in China and the Philippines, they are still pretty small. I did finally find something, so took two. They aren't so flattering so you might not get a photo, but they do their job.
While walking through the section of the mall that had "native crafts, etc." I saw two women playing congkak! I asked if I could take their photo. They thought I wanted to play. Since I am still sketchy on the rules and clumsy when I do try, I really didn't want to play in public. I managed to explain what I wanted and they were good sports about it. Then they made me have my photo playing.
I timed my walk home and it took about 25 minutes. We had gone our separate ways at the Wawasan Mall since we had different things to shop for. It was the first time we had actually been to this shopping mall so both of us were also exploring. And Randal also wanted to go find a shave. When I walked back, there was more shade along the way. But I was pretty hot and tired when I got back to the boat.
I was at the mall hunting for tops that have not much to them but enough that I don't have to hide if someone comes onto the boat. And though the women of Sabah aren't all as tiny as they were in China and the Philippines, they are still pretty small. I did finally find something, so took two. They aren't so flattering so you might not get a photo, but they do their job.
While walking through the section of the mall that had "native crafts, etc." I saw two women playing congkak! I asked if I could take their photo. They thought I wanted to play. Since I am still sketchy on the rules and clumsy when I do try, I really didn't want to play in public. I managed to explain what I wanted and they were good sports about it. Then they made me have my photo playing.
The 2 sales clerks entertaining themselves waiting for customers. They do jump right up immediately if someone needs service.
As clumsy as I am going clockwise, I was worse counter-clockwise which is how they were playing.
They do know more English than I know Malay (none but things can get confused. As you can see, many women cover their arms and legs. I don't think I could stand it, even short sleeves seem too warm. Of course, they might know something I don't. But I also think they don't want to get more brown, which we prefer.
Next email I'll write about my visit to the Public Library.
They do know more English than I know Malay (none but things can get confused. As you can see, many women cover their arms and legs. I don't think I could stand it, even short sleeves seem too warm. Of course, they might know something I don't. But I also think they don't want to get more brown, which we prefer.
Next email I'll write about my visit to the Public Library.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Romblon 2
August 3 6:43 pm Kota Kinabalu
Here we are back in Romblon again. Our first full morning in Romblon was with the visiting kids. But we had made a plan to meet Chris and Myline for lunch. We then spent most of the afternoon with them.
Myline and Chris during lunch at the Romblon Deli! Our table is marble. Food was quite good. Chris spent many years as a commercial fisherman in Australia. Myline is Filipino. She is also an accomplished sailor.
Their home is up a mountain with lots of lovely jungle all around. Randal and I had the fun of sitting in the back of the truck during our drive through town and up the mountain.
The view from the kitchen sink window. Who would mind doing dishes here! Much of the land seen from the window is theirs.
They had 2 very large rooms that were light and airy and cool.
Here we are back in Romblon again. Our first full morning in Romblon was with the visiting kids. But we had made a plan to meet Chris and Myline for lunch. We then spent most of the afternoon with them.
Myline and Chris during lunch at the Romblon Deli! Our table is marble. Food was quite good. Chris spent many years as a commercial fisherman in Australia. Myline is Filipino. She is also an accomplished sailor.
Their home is up a mountain with lots of lovely jungle all around. Randal and I had the fun of sitting in the back of the truck during our drive through town and up the mountain.
The view from the kitchen sink window. Who would mind doing dishes here! Much of the land seen from the window is theirs.
They had 2 very large rooms that were light and airy and cool.
Chris has bought this house for Myline.
A marble table on the front porch. A great place to swing away on the hammock.
The road past their home.While we were having lunch at the Romblon Deli, Chris called a friend, Avon Romero, who does local tours and sells real estate and is into lots of things and knows about everyone it seemed. Avon introduced us to both Tony Parkinson and Toffy Romero. The people we met on Romblon were the best part of Romblon.
Next post, Tony Parkinson
Visitors!
August 3 7:25 am Kota Kinabalu (I will continue with the Romblon story later, but need to tell you about our new KK friends.)
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday Randal and I had lunch at the Restoran Mars. Having eaten there several times before, (it's Randal's favorite) I knew the "restroom" had a picture of a man outside the door. One day I had gone looking for a door with a picture of a woman and was told, "only one toilet and everyone uses it." No problem. It was the familiar Chinese squat toilet with a bucket of water and pail to flush and wash down the whole area. So yesterday when I saw some women looking around, I told them that everyone used the "men's room." The women had spoken to each other in sign language but I didn't assume they were both deaf. I did assume they were not particularly westernized since they were dressed in a more traditional Muslim style. One of the women turned to me and in perfect English said, "Oh unisex." I did a total re-evaluation just from hearing that one modern slang term and I know I looked startled. I know because Emilda told me later that evening when she and her team of architects came to visit us on Doramac. They were in Kota Kinabalu at the request of the KK government to evaluate the accessibility of the waterfront area for disabled citizens, pregnant women, women with baby carriages, the elderly, foreign tourists, or anyone not able to negotiate all of the everyday architectural obstacles. We got further acquainted as Emilda seemed to keep working her way to the end of the "restroom" line. While waiting, she decided to take a chance and ask if we would answer some survey questions. We said yes we would, so she sat down and we talked long enough for her to be left behind by her undergraduate assistants, Ph.D advisor and several volunteers with different disabilities who were exploring the accessibility of the waterfront. When she left us we invited her to come visit us on the boat. Happily she took us up on the offer.
Emilda is a lecturer and Ph.D candidate at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Dr. Fadzidah Abdullah is her advisor. They and Che Rahim and Ahmat Zairh undergraduates in architecture and Emilda's great friend Sibyl who lives in K K and teaches high school English all came to visit us last night. We had a wonderful evening and made more wonderful friends.
Emilda with her arm around Sibyl. They have been friends since childhood. Though both had on the same blouse, Emilda is Muslim and Sibyl, Catholic explaining the difference in their dress. Standing behind Sibyl is Fadzidah. Fadzidah earned her undergraduate degree in Lubbock, Texas and her Ph.D in the UK. She is Emilda's Ph.D advisor. Ahmat is standing and Che sitting. They are both undergraduates who hope to go on to do graduate work.
Emilda worked as hard as she could to teach me how to play CONGKAK. www.wikihow.com/Play-Congkak will do a much better job than I telling the rules. Emilda was amazingly patient. She explained and demonstrated; demonstrated and explained and finally, maybe I sort of kinda understand. When I read the rules on wikihow this morning, they did make sense so I must have learned something from Emilda's patient efforts. I vow to learn to play. The white are small shells that are used as playing pieces. It was a great gift! When Emilda handed it to me wrapped up, she said, if we already had one she would take it back. She was of course joking knowing no way would we already have one. I could tell from the shape of it we didn't already have one. Now we do and it will be a wonderful reminder of a wonderful evening. "Congkak is a game suitable for 2 players using a board which has several houses and 2 storehouses. The object of the game is to gather as many congkak seeds into your storehouse. It is a game played during one's free time and is normally played by women, especially liked by youths. The game, related to mancala, is commonly played in Indonesia, Borneo, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines." I do remember seeing the boards in the Philippines. I was intrigued by it and asked a street vendor who had one what it was, but only know understand his answer! Emilda brought one with shells rather than seeds because of our connection to the ocean. The shells feel so nice in your hand. Emilda loves to play and plays alone of with her daughter. Both Fadzidah and Sibyl had some knowledge of the game. The young men had no clue. But they both knew how to use the timer on their cameras.
Randal led the boat tours.
We took lots of photos. This was not only a research/ paid government project but also a chance for two friends to spend time together.
Fadzidah was quite an adventurer herself and had traveled in pursuit of her studies. She had to learn to understand Texas English and then British English. I know I had problems just learning to understand Tallahassee English when I went to Florida State for my MLS.
Randal and I took turns posing in group and individual photos. But you know what we look like. And in those someone was always left out because I don't yet know how to do the timer on my camera.
They were great sports about the bandannas. Fadzidah and Che wore them in the traditional Malay style.
They were such an interested and interesting group. I would like to sit down and have hours to "interview" them individually. And fun too! I had made some brownies and Randal and I had loaded up on ice cream grocery shopping after lunch, so we had snacks after the tour. Always snacks!
Sibyl and Emilda had gone out on the bow to do "Titanic" poses. Emilda especially was hoping "Captain Jack" Depp would show up rather than Leonardo DiCaprio.
When we said good night, I felt as if we had all known each other for much longer than one short visit. They wanted to know us and we wanted to know them. Hopefully our paths will cross again.
Hopefully I haven't made too many errors in telling this story. If I had, I do hope someone sends me corrections!
Hi Everyone,
Yesterday Randal and I had lunch at the Restoran Mars. Having eaten there several times before, (it's Randal's favorite) I knew the "restroom" had a picture of a man outside the door. One day I had gone looking for a door with a picture of a woman and was told, "only one toilet and everyone uses it." No problem. It was the familiar Chinese squat toilet with a bucket of water and pail to flush and wash down the whole area. So yesterday when I saw some women looking around, I told them that everyone used the "men's room." The women had spoken to each other in sign language but I didn't assume they were both deaf. I did assume they were not particularly westernized since they were dressed in a more traditional Muslim style. One of the women turned to me and in perfect English said, "Oh unisex." I did a total re-evaluation just from hearing that one modern slang term and I know I looked startled. I know because Emilda told me later that evening when she and her team of architects came to visit us on Doramac. They were in Kota Kinabalu at the request of the KK government to evaluate the accessibility of the waterfront area for disabled citizens, pregnant women, women with baby carriages, the elderly, foreign tourists, or anyone not able to negotiate all of the everyday architectural obstacles. We got further acquainted as Emilda seemed to keep working her way to the end of the "restroom" line. While waiting, she decided to take a chance and ask if we would answer some survey questions. We said yes we would, so she sat down and we talked long enough for her to be left behind by her undergraduate assistants, Ph.D advisor and several volunteers with different disabilities who were exploring the accessibility of the waterfront. When she left us we invited her to come visit us on the boat. Happily she took us up on the offer.
Emilda is a lecturer and Ph.D candidate at the International Islamic University of Malaysia. Dr. Fadzidah Abdullah is her advisor. They and Che Rahim and Ahmat Zairh undergraduates in architecture and Emilda's great friend Sibyl who lives in K K and teaches high school English all came to visit us last night. We had a wonderful evening and made more wonderful friends.
Emilda with her arm around Sibyl. They have been friends since childhood. Though both had on the same blouse, Emilda is Muslim and Sibyl, Catholic explaining the difference in their dress. Standing behind Sibyl is Fadzidah. Fadzidah earned her undergraduate degree in Lubbock, Texas and her Ph.D in the UK. She is Emilda's Ph.D advisor. Ahmat is standing and Che sitting. They are both undergraduates who hope to go on to do graduate work.
Emilda worked as hard as she could to teach me how to play CONGKAK. www.wikihow.com/Play-Congkak will do a much better job than I telling the rules. Emilda was amazingly patient. She explained and demonstrated; demonstrated and explained and finally, maybe I sort of kinda understand. When I read the rules on wikihow this morning, they did make sense so I must have learned something from Emilda's patient efforts. I vow to learn to play. The white are small shells that are used as playing pieces. It was a great gift! When Emilda handed it to me wrapped up, she said, if we already had one she would take it back. She was of course joking knowing no way would we already have one. I could tell from the shape of it we didn't already have one. Now we do and it will be a wonderful reminder of a wonderful evening. "Congkak is a game suitable for 2 players using a board which has several houses and 2 storehouses. The object of the game is to gather as many congkak seeds into your storehouse. It is a game played during one's free time and is normally played by women, especially liked by youths. The game, related to mancala, is commonly played in Indonesia, Borneo, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines." I do remember seeing the boards in the Philippines. I was intrigued by it and asked a street vendor who had one what it was, but only know understand his answer! Emilda brought one with shells rather than seeds because of our connection to the ocean. The shells feel so nice in your hand. Emilda loves to play and plays alone of with her daughter. Both Fadzidah and Sibyl had some knowledge of the game. The young men had no clue. But they both knew how to use the timer on their cameras.
Randal led the boat tours.
We took lots of photos. This was not only a research/ paid government project but also a chance for two friends to spend time together.
Fadzidah was quite an adventurer herself and had traveled in pursuit of her studies. She had to learn to understand Texas English and then British English. I know I had problems just learning to understand Tallahassee English when I went to Florida State for my MLS.Randal and I took turns posing in group and individual photos. But you know what we look like. And in those someone was always left out because I don't yet know how to do the timer on my camera.
They were great sports about the bandannas. Fadzidah and Che wore them in the traditional Malay style.
They were such an interested and interesting group. I would like to sit down and have hours to "interview" them individually. And fun too! I had made some brownies and Randal and I had loaded up on ice cream grocery shopping after lunch, so we had snacks after the tour. Always snacks!
Sibyl and Emilda had gone out on the bow to do "Titanic" poses. Emilda especially was hoping "Captain Jack" Depp would show up rather than Leonardo DiCaprio.When we said good night, I felt as if we had all known each other for much longer than one short visit. They wanted to know us and we wanted to know them. Hopefully our paths will cross again.
Hopefully I haven't made too many errors in telling this story. If I had, I do hope someone sends me corrections!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
K K with Valerie
July 31, 2008
5:30 pm
Hi Everyone,
About 5 boats down from us is a sail boat. Brits, Stephen and Valerie are the owners. I don't know the boat's name or their last name. But I like Stephen and Valerie very much and their boat is quite nice too. They lived 5 years in Hong Kong, some of it in Sai Kung and they kept a boat in Hebe Haven where we stayed. Stephen is retired. Valerie works in an elementary school with children aged 7 to 11. When teachers need help or will be away from the classroom Valerie takes over. She works part time and loves it; especially teaching art and physical education. Valerie doesn't love cruising so much so Stephen recruits crew and goes off and Valerie joins him during summer and other school vacations.
Valerie and I went off one afternoon to the wet market and the next morning to the different local museums.
Valerie in the white hat buying a pineapple. Just after this photo we each went our separate ways and then spent most of the time trying to find each other again. We each tried staying put and then decided the other was doing the same thing. Her comment that the vendors were probably as anxious for us to find each other as we were to find each other was quite funny. I guess it was pretty obvious that the two of us were looking for each other.
Local fashion statements.
Islam is the state religion though other than the clothing women wear, and the price of beer and wine, you don't really feel its influence as a tourist especially here at the marina/ hotel complex where most of the guests are Asian.
I bought mangoes and lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber , avocado and cilantro.
The next morning Valerie and I went off to the local museums. They had exhibits, but no tours or explanatory literature, so it was too hard to take much in. The part we liked the most was the Sabah Museum Heritage Village which has replicas of traditional homes of different indigenous groups around Sabah. Again, there was little literature and no one there to tell you anything, so not so educational. http://www.mzm.sabah.gov.my/intro.htm is the website for the museum complex.
One day I'll have a photo of Valerie from the front. She was in pink and white and the lady in the distance was in pink and white and the water lilies were pink and white.
This "ethnic village" looks much like some of the villages that we saw cruising the islands in the Philippines and the small islands in Malaysia.
Inside one hut. I kept waiting to fall through the floor.
The big sign says no smoking. The small one in small print says, remove your shoes. I had spent so much time looking for a "do not enter" sign that I missed the one that said it was ok if you took off your shoes. But I only went into one and no one saw me but Valerie and she was quite diplomatic about it. I told her about going into a hut and she said she hadn't wanted to remove her shoes. I said, "huh?" It needed to be in big letters like the No Smoking sign you can't miss. I guess matches are far worse than shoes with grass huts.
While we were there they were filming some costumed dancers. We could have waited and taken photos with them, but it was too hot and we had more museum to see.
It was lovely and fluid. Music was provided by a cd and boombox.
We also went to The Sabah Islamic Civilization Museum since all of the museums are together. Again too much stuff and no overall explanation or introduction. But now I know the difference between Muslims who follow Islam and Hindus who don't. I guess if I had really thought about it, but since I hadn't, Valerie explained that to me. Helps to go around with an elementary school teacher. Helps to have a public library which there isn't. I would imagine as we travel around Malaysia and Indonesia I'll learn more about Muslims and the Islamic religion. It will be interesting. Valerie has been to Indonesia and found it hard to watch women appear to have much less freedom than men. We'll see come September when we start to tour Indonesia.
Got back to the boat about 2:30 and made myself a mango/avocado/strawberry yogurt shake. Tasted healthy and not bad, but the yogurt made it too tart and the mango wasn't quite ripe. But it was ok.
5:30 pm
Hi Everyone,
About 5 boats down from us is a sail boat. Brits, Stephen and Valerie are the owners. I don't know the boat's name or their last name. But I like Stephen and Valerie very much and their boat is quite nice too. They lived 5 years in Hong Kong, some of it in Sai Kung and they kept a boat in Hebe Haven where we stayed. Stephen is retired. Valerie works in an elementary school with children aged 7 to 11. When teachers need help or will be away from the classroom Valerie takes over. She works part time and loves it; especially teaching art and physical education. Valerie doesn't love cruising so much so Stephen recruits crew and goes off and Valerie joins him during summer and other school vacations.
Valerie and I went off one afternoon to the wet market and the next morning to the different local museums.
Valerie in the white hat buying a pineapple. Just after this photo we each went our separate ways and then spent most of the time trying to find each other again. We each tried staying put and then decided the other was doing the same thing. Her comment that the vendors were probably as anxious for us to find each other as we were to find each other was quite funny. I guess it was pretty obvious that the two of us were looking for each other.
Local fashion statements.
Islam is the state religion though other than the clothing women wear, and the price of beer and wine, you don't really feel its influence as a tourist especially here at the marina/ hotel complex where most of the guests are Asian.
I bought mangoes and lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber , avocado and cilantro.
The next morning Valerie and I went off to the local museums. They had exhibits, but no tours or explanatory literature, so it was too hard to take much in. The part we liked the most was the Sabah Museum Heritage Village which has replicas of traditional homes of different indigenous groups around Sabah. Again, there was little literature and no one there to tell you anything, so not so educational. http://www.mzm.sabah.gov.my/intro.htm is the website for the museum complex.
One day I'll have a photo of Valerie from the front. She was in pink and white and the lady in the distance was in pink and white and the water lilies were pink and white.
This "ethnic village" looks much like some of the villages that we saw cruising the islands in the Philippines and the small islands in Malaysia.
Inside one hut. I kept waiting to fall through the floor.
The big sign says no smoking. The small one in small print says, remove your shoes. I had spent so much time looking for a "do not enter" sign that I missed the one that said it was ok if you took off your shoes. But I only went into one and no one saw me but Valerie and she was quite diplomatic about it. I told her about going into a hut and she said she hadn't wanted to remove her shoes. I said, "huh?" It needed to be in big letters like the No Smoking sign you can't miss. I guess matches are far worse than shoes with grass huts.
While we were there they were filming some costumed dancers. We could have waited and taken photos with them, but it was too hot and we had more museum to see.
It was lovely and fluid. Music was provided by a cd and boombox.
We also went to The Sabah Islamic Civilization Museum since all of the museums are together. Again too much stuff and no overall explanation or introduction. But now I know the difference between Muslims who follow Islam and Hindus who don't. I guess if I had really thought about it, but since I hadn't, Valerie explained that to me. Helps to go around with an elementary school teacher. Helps to have a public library which there isn't. I would imagine as we travel around Malaysia and Indonesia I'll learn more about Muslims and the Islamic religion. It will be interesting. Valerie has been to Indonesia and found it hard to watch women appear to have much less freedom than men. We'll see come September when we start to tour Indonesia.
Got back to the boat about 2:30 and made myself a mango/avocado/strawberry yogurt shake. Tasted healthy and not bad, but the yogurt made it too tart and the mango wasn't quite ripe. But it was ok.
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