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Published: November 22nd 2007
Snakeskin Fruit
I wonder why they call it that? It looks like garlic cloves, it has the texture of garlic cloves, but tastes like a cross between a pineapple and a pearA few facts and observations about Indonesia...
1. The most expensive coffee in the world comes from Indonesia. It is called Kopi Luwak, or Civet Coffee, and is made from coffee berries which have passed through the digestive tract of the Palm Civet Cat. The inner coffee bean is not digested by the cat, and it is thought that the resulting coffee bean tastes better. So folks, Civet Coffee is coffee from a cat's butt.
2. Indonesians are crazy about iced tea. Plain, lemon, orange, iced green tea, even carbonated! Carbonated tea, whatever next
3. Once upon a time on Bali, there was no concept of art. All the striking "artwork" that was produced was functional, and nothing had ever been produced previously just for aesthetic value
4. There are four different greetings in Indonesian. Before 10am you say Selamat Pagi. From 10am-2am you say Selamat Siang. From 2pm until the sun goes down, you say Selamat Siang. Finally, at night, you say Selamat Malam. There is also a fifth greeting which is exclusively used for one hour at dusk, but this isn't used much.
5. Much of Indonesia has "roving vendors". These are men who
Roving Vendor
Fast food - anytime, anyplace, anywhere carry two boxes attached by a wooden pole. One box contains cooking ingredients and pans, and the other box conatins a portable stove. The vendors walk around town asking people if they want food, and when they find a taker, they put their gear down and cook it for you there and then
6. Balinese babies do not crawl in their early days. Babies feet are not allowed to touch the ground until after 105 days, because the ground is considered unpure.
7. Indonesia is very much a smoking nation. You can smoke anywhere, including internet cafes. You could probably smoke in a doctors waiting room. The most popular cigarette is a clove cigarette, tobacco mixed with cloves. The smell of cloves all over Indonesia!
8. There are no limits on cigarette advertisments. They are advertised everywhere!! It would not surpise me if there were adverts on the sides of nappies.
9. There are some fabulous fruit which cannot be found in England, such as the purple Mangosteens, Snakeskin fruit and the mighty Durian. The Durian is famous for being the smelliest fruit in the world, and also one of the most expensive. Many hotels have
the infamous durian
spiky and smelly but utterly delicious banned their guests from bringing it onto the premises. But the taste is meant to be worth it. I tried some, didn't think it was that smelly, but it was delicious. It had a taste that I simply cannot describe accurately. It was savoury and almost meaty in it's flavour.
10. Indonesian Playboy magazine features women wearing much more than the average westerner on the beach. It still caused an uproar, and can only be bought now in major cities.
11. Locals like to have their photos taken with you! I was stopped on Java by a guy asking if his girlfriend could have her photo taken with me. I said yes and the snap was taken."And now me!" he said, handing the camera to his girlfriend and stepping beside me. I was stopped many times like this in Java
12. There is a rite of passage on Bali when a child becomes 16 years old. The local priest files his teeth to produce a pleasing line
13. People like to overload their vehicles here. I have seen trucks loaded up with crops to a wobbling height of five metres above the top of the truck!
bike overload?
this is not considered overloaded. This is the norm! Motorbikes with so much stuff strapped onto the back that you can no longer even see the bike
14. Bali and Lombok have a great plastic recycling policy. Most offer a refill of your plastic water bottle for a small price, rather than buying a new one
15. Names are confusing on the island of Lombok. The first-born child is always called either Wayan, Putu or Gede. The second-born is always called either Made, Kadek or Nengah. There are a series of names for the third and fourth children. For a fifth child, the cycle repeats and you choose one of the first-born names. In a typical village, there might be dozens of Wayans, Putus and Gedes!!! Most people adopt a nickname to avoid confusion.
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Jamil Syed
non-member comment
About Indonesia
Nice and informative observations. Nice pictures too...