Ceramics

I wanted to share a neat experience about a local pottery village I went to a few weeks ago.  After a long 2.5hrs in the car through tiny streets filled with hundreds of people, we finally made it to Mustika Keramik.  This small factory still until this day makes all their ceramics by hand, no machinery on site.  And we're not talking little vases for your table, there are 6,7, even 8 ft floor vases which have to be done in 5 stages to complete.  Some of the employees have been doing the same job for more than 50 years.  The crazy part of this experience was after the tour was done, and we were then able to purchase their works.  After watching how much physical labour goes into each vase, I was taken back by the fact that I was paying $15 for a 3ft floor vase.  Once done at the factory, we also stopped along the streets where other small shops were selling their ceramics for the same prices.  A very eye-opening trip (and a trunk full of ceramics!).

 

September Already

Where has the time gone?  We have just returned from an incredible holiday in Ottawa which luckily lasted almost 7 weeks for Maya and I!  Still very jet lagged and sleep-deprived, but eager to update all the crazy events which have occurred in our life. 
Most importantly - we bought a house!  OK, well, I sort of bought a house and then Jared saw it and luckily loved it as well.  We are over the moon about everything this house has to offer and can't wait to move in next year.  Thankfully, after much stress, the house is also rented for the duration of our time left here in Jakarta.  Things are really falling into place. 
We had a great holiday in Ottawa.  There is something so amazing about Canada in the summer which we realized we've missed incredibly.  The patios, long days, cottages, BBQs, swimming pools, get togethers with friends ... the list goes on and on.  You know you've had a great holiday when you come home with an extra 6 lbs of weight! 
So here we are back in J-Town with less than a year to go!  A year in which we hope to take advantage of the amazing perks of living abroad and discover new places.  Meet new friends and unfortunately have to say good-bye to others. 

A True Jakarta Moment

Last weekend along with some wonderful friends, we decided to head out to dinner on a Saturday night.  After a few margaritas and grub, we were ready to go home.  Unfortunately there was not a taxi in sight!  Although we were not that far from home, walking through the streets of Jakarta on a busy night was not going to be an option.  We contemplated taking the "Ojek" which is the local motorcycle taxi, but two white ladies in dresses on a motorcycle just didn't seem like the best idea either. So our fluently Indonesian speaking friend Jeremy chatted up a bus driver who had his bus parked on the side of the road.  Next thing you know, we are hopping into the back of a 1940s beat up old bus for our private ride back to the apartments.  Six dollars later, we made quite an impression on the security guards and locals walking by to see four foreigners getting off this old empty bus.  Only in Jakarta ....   

Cublak Cublak Suweng

Ok, so the literal translation to this traditional Javanese children's song is "Put in the Earring".  Not all that interesting but when you're watching a bunch of adorable 3 year-olds sing and perform, it's the most captivating thing you've ever seen! Plus, look at those adorable outfits that they all get to keep!  Needless to say, Maya was a star.  She was actually asked to stand at the front of the stage to perform as the lead, but due to a little trepidation, opted instead to perform with her classmates by her side.  That smile she is wearing in the photo above did not leave her face for the entire performance!  As tech crew was setting up the music, the room got quiet, Maya standing on stage couldn't see her dad.  When she finally did, she yelled out "Daddy, are you going to look at me?", the entire room came back to life with laughter.  Great performance Maya Bear!!!

Vietnam Trip

While Granma was visiting, we decided to take her on an adventure to get a glimpse of the beautiful Vietnam.  We began our journey in Ho Chi Minh, which the locals still call Saigon.  A busy city of 9 million people with plenty of motorbikes and street vendors.  The intriguing thing we found was despite the hustle and bustle, the Vietnamese still maintain a calm and relaxed composure while commuting.  We packed as much as we could have in 2 days, including a boat ride to the Cuci Tunnels, two motorbike tours and of course the local market.  In the morning, we were quite ready to hop on another plane which in a quick 30 minutes, took us to the magnificent and laid back Phu Quoc Island.  There, we spent the following 4 days vegging by the pool, on the beach, stuffing our bellies with Pho and other yummy dishes (which included fresh baguettes and ham, which I ate every day!).  Jared got to do his first official dive after getting his license while I snorkeled and sunned.  The day before we left, Lynn and Jared decided to be adventurous and took off for a few hours to explore the island on motorbikes.  Now, if you want more details on this story, you will have to call Lynn yourself! What a treat being able to explore yet another country, unique with its own traditions and landscapes. 

Granma comes to J-Town

We love, love, love having visitors, but no one makes little Maya smile brighter than Granma!  (Mommy doesn't mind sleeping in most mornings either) Granma is awaiting her flight at the Jakarta airport as I am typing this post.  We had such a wonderful time with her visit.  Lots of play time, swimming, visits to the park, Zingo games, cuddles and kisses ... and that's just with Maya.  We enjoyed most of all the fact that Granma was able to spend a few weeks the same way that we spend our day to day lives here.  It's really special to be able to share this experience with someone from the "outside". Especially someone as close to us and as wonderful as Granma. We love you lots and see you soon! 

Catching Some Zzzzz's

On a recent tour of the Old City of, amongst other interesting sights, including a rodent or two, not only are these guys taking a little siesta in the mid afternoon - they full out have their mattresses out in the middle of the street!  Only in Jakarta ...

Long Neck Tribes of Northern Thailand

This is one of my favorite pictures from our recent trip to Thailand. It is a photo of a young Padaung girl who has already began wearing the traditional brass rings around her neck. As she ages, there will be more and more rings added to her neck. The most I have heard of is 30 rings. I had the opportunity to try one of these on and let me tell you, they are definitely brass and definitely heavy!

It's Been a While

I apologize to all my dedicated followers for the lack of blog entries in the last few months. What can I say, other than the things I once found so interesting to blog about have now become my everyday life. Nontheless, I will try to update you more often on our countless adventures.

I recently said good-bye to my little bro who ventured out to the Big Durian once again this past February. Maya thoroughly enjoyed having her Wojo Peter around, and even gave mommy the boot a few times preferring to spend time with him. His holiday began with a shopping spree for a new wardrobe (my specialty!), a trip to Chinatown, some golf, a night out with some of our friends and of course a big Sunday brunch. Jared and Peter then took off for a few days to climb the active Mount Bromo. After a 3am wake up for a sunrise that they never saw, they returned back to Jakarta with some interesting stories to share.

A few days of rest and then off we went to Phuket, Thailand. Relaxing on the beach, filling our bellies with yummy Thai food and one crazy night in Patpong (of which I still don't know all the details) was how the bulk of our time was spent. Peter and I then had to say good-bye to Maya and Jared and off we flew to Chiangmai. First event - ATV tour up a 1400 meter mountain! I can't remember being this adventurous. With shaky legs afterwards, we shopped, shopped, shopped at the Night Bazaar. The next few days we explored the town and surrounding areas such as Elephant Camp and Tiger Kingdom. Our last few days were in Bangkok - crazy busy city but a must see. Beautiful temples and active nightlife later, and we were ready to go home. A quick but sad good-bye later, I was en route to Jakarta while Peter awaited his long journey back to Ottawa.

A lot of great some not so great (thanks Andy!) memories. Thanks for a great visit Peter!

Sawadeeka

Maya's 3rd Bday Party

On Saturday Feb 11th, we celebrated Maya's 3rd birthday. A little early, but her bestest friend Leo was off to Australia the following morning for a few weeks and what would a bday party be without your BFF!

What a great day it was! Filled with face painting, tattoos, balloon making, a surprise visit from Big Aussie Bob and band, snacks, cake and most importantly, great friends! The biggest thanks goes to our own Asing Idol for the amazing serenade of Maya's own song! What 3-year-old has had a song written especially just for them??? What an amazing memory she will have for the rest of her life.

Thanks everyone for making our little angels' day as miraculous as she is!

Singapore Sans Children

Our new pals Jon and Laura joined us for a fun-filled weekend at the nearby glamorous Singapore. My wonderful husband surprised me at Christmas with tickets to see "Wicked" at the famous Maria Bay Sands Hotel (the one that looks like it has a boat on top). He and Jon planned the weekend entirely including flights, hotels and restaurants. It was such a nice change not to play travel agent! We spent the weekend shopping, walking (I know, what a novelty!), eating X2 (there was a lot of this) and occasionally sipping on a few cocktails. And all this while being able to hold more than a 1 minute conversation without hearing "Noooo", "I don't want", "MOMMY!!!". Despite Maya not being around, she still managed to take home the most gifts from Singapore. Thanks guys for a great weekend!

A few Holiday Faves

A Note of Thanks

I just want to thank our amazing family and friends for welcoming us with open arms, adjusting their own hectic schedules to make room for our visits, and most importantly, making us feel incredibly loved and missed. This being our 3rd departure from Ottawa, we can honestly say it was (and still is), the hardest. Our holidays were so amazing, we miss you and love you all soooo much!

The crazy things that have become fairly normal

As I drive past the construction on the side of the road, it no longer boggles my mind that the "construction" workers are wearing flip flops, t-shirts and shorts as they jack-hammer the road. What???? Oh, I forgot to mention that this construction is currently being done on one of the main roads as a way to prevent flooding during rainy season .... hello? it is rainy season!

Camera Child

No explanations required ... we have a child who adores the camera!

Siem Reap, Cambodia

Jared and I once again ventured out on our own to the magnificent Siem Reap. For those out there not quite sure as to why this is one of the most amazing places in the world, this is the home of Angkor Wat - one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Photos and videos just don't give this place justice. How can you explain miles of countless temples, each having their own uniqueness and beauty. We had the privilege of spending 3 full days exploring the temples, the Cambodian countryside and the city itself. What incredible people live here. After so many years of war, tragedy and a continuous problem of exploding landmines, you see the devastation with the large amount of amputees living in the country. Despite all, their friendly faces greeted us at every restaurant, shop and tuk-tuk ride. Every meal we ate was delicious and we sure enjoyed those $2 pitchers of beer! A few firsts - ATVing through Cambodian countryside after a night of heavy rainfall (a bit messy but so much fun!), consuming frog legs (taste like chicken), and taking a tuk-tuk as our airport transfer. Thanks to our amazing hotel staff for the best service we have ever had. This is an experience we will cherish forever.

Little Ones

Here's a little clip of Maya with her friends at the playground. This was so cute, she wanted to be the one to push the girls on the swing and nothing made her happier than them wanting to go "Higher!"

Land of the Kangaroo

We did it, we made it, we still can't believe we were in Australia! I guess it was always one of those places we never thought we'd make it to. Although we were only able to visit Western Australia, it was still an unforgetable experience.

The trip began by attempting to drive our rental car from the Perth airport to Fremantle (only 20km away), on the LEFT side of the road. I can't even count the number of times Jared had the windshield wipers on when he was trying to signal. After practically moving in to the wrong house (we had a bit of a scare as this place was a real dive!), we finally found 32 Tuckfield and were settled in for the week. Oh what a joy being able to BBQ once again! Our week began with a few days in "Freo", as the locals call it, exploring the original architecture of the town, the harbour, the yummy fish and chips hotspots, and ofcourse the local playgrounds. We couldn't resist but to spend the day at a Wildlife Park where we all got to pet a koala, chase the kangaroos and discover a number of new animals we've never seen before. It was then time to get back in the car and drive down the coast to Margaret River (popular wine region in West Aust). After the GPS took us on an extended tour (1.5hrs longer than expected, although very scenic), we finally stopped along the ocean in a small town known for it's 2km long jetty that literally jets into the middle of the ocean. We saw a few humpback whales splashing around in the distance from a 100-year-old lighthouse, sampled some wine at one of the local wineries and just enjoyed the spectacular views from incredible view points along the ocean. A day in Perth wondering around King's Park, and another day bumming around Freo enjoying some delicious homemade curry and meat pies and ofcourse the local Little Creatures beer, and we were done. Thanks again to our wonderul friends for lending us their home. G'day mates!

Singapura

Why did we wait a whole year to see you? What a place! Everything you hear about Singapore is sooo true; the extreme cleanliness, the stunning skyline, the diversity of the people (including the amazing food), the high end shopping, and the incredible order and strategic planning that goes into every aspect of this city ... we were blown away.

We had a very busy 3 days in Singapore this past weekend. Tried to see as much as we could towing a 2 1/2 year old around in 35C weather. "I want to go to the hotel" - that was pretty much Maya's favorite part of the weekend ... with the exception of the water park at the Zoo (oh yah, and the ice cream stops). Loved the Marina Bay Sands Hotel-well, from the outside anyway. What amazing architecture to create a ship on top of 3 buildings, it really is spectacular to look at. We thoroughly took advantage of the sidewalks, fresh air and clean water that we've been craving for so long. Oh and did I mention they have Subway-we ate it twice! What an advantage to be a 1 1/2hr flight away from this place. Scratch another one off the list ... although once is never really enough.

Girls Weekend!

What a great idea! A weekend away from the kids, husbands and the hustle and bustle of Jakarta. Sheuwen, Gina and I escaped the big Durian early Thursday morning to Ubud, Bali. We spent the first day shopping at the local market (what a surprise), and just walking. I know that may sound strange to most, but living in Jakarta we really don't get many opportunities to just walk outside. Day one ended on a high with our incredible dinner at Mozaic. I tried describing the food to the girls before we arrived, but words just don't do justice to how you feel when you bite into something that sends shivers down your spine and makes your mouth want to explode with flavour. I know, I know, it sounds very food critic of me, but it really is true. The following day we spent the morning hours touring through the local fruit and veggie market, some stunning rice paddy fields nearby and then on to our cooking class. After chopping and mixing, we were finally treated to a wonderful Indonesian lunch. The evening began with a massage and facial, followed by another great meal. Last day in Ubud we watched as the Balinese people paraded through the streets in their traditional wear as they celebrated their bi annual holiday called Kunningan. We spent the rest of the day exploring the town, finding some treasures (amazing gelato place!!!) before heading back to the airport. Thanks for a great weekend girls!