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Posts tagged ‘Sulawesi’

Jun 1

12 Comments

Ten Years in Indonesia

I’ve never been one to make a big deal out of an anniversary, but May 20 marked 10 years to the day when I left Hong Kong for a new job and a new life here in Jakarta. The milestone passed quietly while I was on assignment in Rote, a small eastern Indonesian island known for its surfing. I remember that first night after I landed, and how it felt to lie in bed as a wave of trepidation and uncertainty suddenly washed over me. It came with the stark realization of all I had left behind: family, home comforts, familiar surroundings, a city with a world-leading public transit system and easy access to the great outdoors. Then the question crossed my mind: “What am I doing?” Read more

Jun 22

16 Comments

South Sulawesi’s ancient secrets

RR_1

The outboard motor thundered and kicked up a fountain of spray as it propelled us between rows of water palms, their luxuriant fronds aglow in the early morning light. Just one and a half hours outside Makassar, the provincial capital of South Sulawesi and the largest city in eastern Indonesia, we were cruising a placid green river in search of karsts and prehistoric handprints. Read more

Apr 12

75 Comments

Eating Indonesia: not just ‘nasi goreng’

Indonesia Eats_1

In a small restaurant down a nondescript Hong Kong street, I found myself with a group of friends discussing the merits of Indonesian cuisine. Three of us were quick to agree, but there was one dissenting voice. I looked on in horror as a friend wrinkled her nose and gave us a disapproving frown. “I think it all tastes the same.” Read more