oddities

1. yesterday we were driving home from work and we saw a group of men walking down the road. not unusual. someone is always walking to the river or to the neighbor's for something or another. but we got closer and realized they were carrying something - 4 of the 6 or so men were carrying a long log on their shoulders, two in the front, two in the back. and in between them? - a dead wild boar hanging from the log by its feet! i was so mad i didn't get a picture...

2. today i visited the retreat house of the governor's secrety for the first time. it's up near our property on top of the mountain. he has almost 5 acres of orange trees and we were hungry, so that was our main reason for stopping. we were invited onto the porch where there was a whole MOUNTAIN of just-shy-of-ripe oranges. the workers pointed to the pile and said "silakan. makan." (please. eat.) so we did. wow. best oranges i have ever had in my life... then they took us around back and showed us around. they have a passion fruit garden, and we got to pick those off the vine and eat them. then they showed us their rabbit operation. they have english spot, mini rex, netherland dwarf, angora, etc - many of the breeds i used to show back in my 4H glory days! weird.

3. today, i was riding home in the back of the pickup truck. and as we neared a valley where the local river (which is more of a ditch that runs through some rice fields) is (which is used for bathing, laundry, washing dishes, and a source of drinking water), i heard a bunch of little girls screaming their heads off. so i looked down into the valley, and saw the last of several naked men hurtling themselves under the bridge. apparently, they had seen me coming... and apparently, when grown indonesian men are buck naked and see a white girl coming, they scream like little girls and run like the wind. they all poked their heads out and watched us drive over. i waved. it seemed the appropriate thing to do.

4. we're going to the famous hot springs tonight. but not until after i eat some butter honey mahi-mahi with rice. 3 of the steaks cost $1.50. so hurrah for that!