Airborne: java sea

“Listen to your parents and you will get what you want. God will respond.”

-Habib Tahir Alhamid

For the moment:

Passenger Seat-Stephen Speaks

Naturally, your thoughts braise when your laptop battery run out and have no means, to use the archaic expression, to jot down. Jot I did, on a few pieces of paper with an instrument commonly used not too long ago. A blue ball point pen.

I will divulge what I manage to write down airborne, some other time.

There was a great number of things that I observe in Surabaya. Top on the list: hospitality. The number of people asking my family

• to stay at their house
• why are we staying in a hotel
• where are we going next/following day, and if they can bring us there
• to come again, and stay their house on our next visit

Some who offered have at one time or the other stayed at our house, or have met us before somewhere, or only have heard about before.

More in pictures, less in words. The rest that I observed in this region of East Java:

Boys playing football.

 

Spot the trishaw in the middle of a junction, transporting a goat.

Beef cutlets barbecued. To be eaten with gravy. Depending on which part of the country (Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) you’re in, the gravy varies. Here, the gravy is sweet kicap.

Pronounced as goo-lay. Usually lamb with in a simple soup. Very common roadside dish.

As I was there during the Haj (pilgrimage) holiday, which is also in relation to Prophet Abraham and Prophet Ishmael’s incident, you would see a lot of goats in the city and urban area waiting to be slaughtered. It is not uncommon for families to do it themselves.

A Putu Bamboo vendor on a rickshaw. A snack. I think it is made of coconut and maybe sugar?

If directly translated ‘Fun Soda.’ The drink will be served with a tall mug which contains condensed milk, syrup cordial and blocks of ice. Alongside soda water in a bottle. You will have to pour the soda water yourself into the mug. You will be provided a long spoon but no straw. The sweeter/stronger you want the drink to be, the more you have to stir.

Surabaya, the second biggest city in Indonesia, is not dirty like the biggest city, Jakarta. This trash bin made me really notice it. One bin for dry trash, the other for wet trash.

 

It is a kind of ‘porridge’ one might say. Middle Eastern. It takes about 24 hours to cook. A delicacy indeed. I’m not sure how often they have it here in Indonesia, but for me, I usually only get to have it 3 times a year. 2 of which (home cook ones), I have to go to Singapore to get it.

In this case, it was served on a large plate/tray. With custer sugar. Much like how they serve Poffidges in Holland and Belgium. But here, 4 men sat on the floor, ate it all using their hands. Finished with a broad smile. Pragmatism makes life easy.

It is custom after the festive prayers that we make rounds visiting the respected elders. Especially those knowledgeable and respected in the community. His house, is usually open to all.

White rice. Beef Empel. Ayam Penyet (Flattened Chicken).

It is not common for a trishaw rider to put on a hat like that. Precisely why I took the picture. In most alleys like this, only trishaws, bicycles and motorcycles can come in.

I came across this trishaw rider. He had another pair of paddles on another part of the bike. When he paddled that pair, music would come on and those miniature cars/ducks would move.

Another example of simplicity. While visiting the elders, this one house invited us to have lunch with some other guests. Food was served on the floor. If this was a restaurant, I doubt requesting “a table for 8 please” would be appropriate.

This one amused me. I’m not sure how to explain, but in Arabic and Malay, ‘Jin’ is a being of another form and dimension. I guess you could say ‘the unseen.’ Not the angel or the devil. Not the mutant or the muggle.