October 2016

Trip Of Wonders

A Brief Affair with Bali and Alila Seminyak

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Trip Of Wonders

Labuan Bajo, Futures, and Believing

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Trip Of Wonders

Of Lombok and Admissions

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Laid-back was the first word that came to mind upon setting foot in Lombok. It was high noon. The sun blared above, and below were rows of restaurants. Caucasian tourists donning flip-flops and sun-burnt skin ambled around either on foot or on scooters. The vibe in this side of Indonesia was very tropical, a bit hippie too, and, to me, had the makings of (if not already) a party town.

We arrived right on time for lunch where El Bazaar would be feeding us. It was a humble place with walls of unpainted cement, at least near the entrance. Farther back, a circular space had walls painted royal blue. It was arguably one of the top places we dined in. And not just because it looked effortlessly beautiful in pictures. The food was superb too.

Words And Wanderlust, everybody!

The meal was Moroccan. We were served good-looking dishes of sausage, couscous, blue cheese, pita, and other tasty elements laid out on pastel-colored ceramic plates. We dined communal style, with arms crisscrossing as we reach for morsels. Later, Potpot called and we flocked to a couple of ladies selling woven shawls. I purchased four, and I forgot how much I paid. This was one of those delightful moments when the memory of it does not involve how much money you spent.

Read: 5 Cool Places to Dine in Bandung

Afterwards, we boarded our bus and drove to Sade Village. Located on the southern part of Central Lombok, Dusun Sade houses a large concentration of the indigenous Sasak tribe. Here, traditional is the operative word. The 700 residents continue to uphold their customs and practices – from kidnapping their soon-to-be-wife to wiping cow dung in the floors of their homes.

As soon as we stepped off the bus, the thump, thump of percussion permeated through the Rembitan air. A colorful handwoven scarf was gingerly placed round each of our necks and, one by one, we were ushered inside the village. In the wide open space, we gathered. Sauntering their way after us was a pair of men sporting identical garbs – blangkon on their heads, white shirts on their backs, and batik around their hips. Both were also wielding a gendang beleq. Big drums.