Luba, A Traditional Ngada Village

Luba Village (pop: 200 people) was small, quiet and had just a few villagers sitting around. Ricardos referred to them as “Ladanese” ethnicity but even by surfing, spelling “Ladanese” differently, I couldn’t come up with any information. Ngada villages are composed of wooden pile houses with shake roofs that surround a main square. Organization has a lot to [...]

Bajawa: Traditional Ngada Villages and Volcanos

The best part of arranging an private trip, or traveling independently, is the ability to change your itinerary; exactly what we did. Guide Ricardos constantly offered to stop the car throughout Flores at different overlooks and viewpoints, repeating, “Tourists come to Flores for the mountain scenery.” Sorry, but how many mountain visuals can a person [...]

How to Make Arak (potent firewater) in Flores

What is Arak? Arak  is a highly alcoholic spirit and traditional home-brewed beverage in Indonesia. Think…stills, firewater, hootch, moonshine, red-eye, rotgut and you’ve got it. Imported alcohol can be taxed 400% in Indonesia so locals brew their own. Chances are you’ll be offered a drink of Arak somewhere in Indonesia. I strongly suggest you take a [...]

Easter Sunday in Flores

It was a sunny Easter Sunday in predominately Catholic Flores. A big day for the locals that also meant nothing would be open in town. The breakfast room at Susteran Bunda Maria Hotel was “filled”; two Danes and an American from San Francisco were sitting there, traveling in the opposite direction towards Labuan Bajo, using public [...]

Where to stay and what to see in Ruteng, Flores

It was now 2:30p, and we were starving. Ricardos took us to Agape Cafe in Ruteng (pronounced Rucheng). This restaurant is also recommended by Lonely Planet, and was the only place his agency considered suitable for western stomachs. Good lumpini (egg rolls), so-so bland noodles that tasted better when we added lots of chili sauce. Ruteng [...]


Luba, A Traditional Ngada Village

May 17th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

Luba Village (pop: 200 people) was small, quiet and had just a few villagers sitting around. Ricardos referred to them as “Ladanese” ethnicity but even by surfing, spelling “Ladanese” differently, I couldn’t come up with any information. Ngada villages are composed of wooden pile houses with shake roofs that surround a main square. Organization has a lot to do with your clan, and its status in the pecking order. We entered Luba, registered, paid a 10,000 IDR donation and Ricardos got sidetracked by a man making machetes. A long discussion with him until Ricardos placed an order for a machete that wll be hung in his house to ward off evil spirits. I guess Machetes serve more than one function in Flores. Meanwhile, machete maker’s 90-year old mother sat in the shade sorting through her stash of betel nuts in preparation for a fast chew.

The Ngada are Roman Catholic, but still cling to animist beliefs: ancestor worship and sacrifice. Family members are buried next to their houses with an occasional bottle of Arak and other libations placed on the graves.

Bajawa: Traditional Ngada Villages and Volcanos

May 16th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

The best part of arranging an private trip, or traveling independently, is the ability to change your itinerary; exactly what we did. Guide Ricardos constantly offered to stop the car throughout Flores at different overlooks and viewpoints, repeating, “Tourists come to Flores for the mountain scenery.” Sorry, but how many mountain visuals can a person take before overload followed by boredom? We now know why the Lesser Sundra Islands is “the road not often taken by tourists.” Omitting local encounters that we love, Flores was boring. Our poor tour guide was appalled when we decided to cut the trip short, if feasible. Skip Soa Hot Springs and Riung, a beach stop for snorkeling. With that, Ricardos grabbed his cell/mobile phone and went to work changing the flight out of Maumere to Denpasar along with all hotel reservations. A done deal.

Another sparse breakfast at the Hotel Bintang Wasata. We’d lose weight if it wasn’t for all the junk food runs into mini-marts to supplement our diet. Into the car for a one-hour ride into the mountains surrounding Bajawa and past Inerie Volcano. The landscape is rugged and full of active, and extinct, volcanoes like Inerie. Inerie last erupted in 1882 and 1905; a perfect cone towering in the sky at a height of 2,245 meters/7,365 feet.

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How to Make Arak (potent firewater) in Flores

May 15th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

What is Arak? Arak  is a highly alcoholic spirit and traditional home-brewed beverage in Indonesia. Think…stills, firewater, hootch, moonshine, red-eye, rotgut and you’ve got it. Imported alcohol can be taxed 400% in Indonesia so locals brew their own. Chances are you’ll be offered a drink of Arak somewhere in Indonesia. I strongly suggest you take a pass unless you are 100% positive your glass of Arak was brewed safely, and carefully. Four foreigners died of alcohol poisoning in July 2009, a few days after our Java/Bali trip. At last count, 23 tourists have died in Bali and Lombok from Arak while other foreigners and locals have been taken ill. Victims drank Arak tainted with methanol, known as wood alcohol, and used in rural Indonesia as fuel for lanterns.

It is illegal to sell alcohol without a license in Indonesia but according to Ricardos, the government looks the other way because it is part of the culture. No important event, ritual or ceremony takes place without Arak. Different varieties of Arak are distilled from grapes, anise, grain, molasses, plums, figs and potatoes in other parts of the world. You may know these libations as: Arak, Ouzo, Raki, Mastika, and in Iran, “Dog’s sweat!”


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Easter Sunday in Flores

May 14th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

It was a sunny Easter Sunday in predominately Catholic Flores. A big day for the locals that also meant nothing would be open in town. The breakfast room at Susteran Bunda Maria Hotel was “filled”; two Danes and an American from San Francisco were sitting there, traveling in the opposite direction towards Labuan Bajo, using public buses on backpacker’s budgets. According to the Danes, the best diving in Flores is around Labuan Bajo – better than Sulawesi and even better than the Philippines. The three also agreed that this little hotel run by the monastery was a miraculous find compared to dirty, bug-laden dumps they usually stay in for the same price, 15,000 Rupiah a night (less than $2.00 U.S.) including breakfast. The “hotel” section is a convent with 30 nuns and many novices.

Breakfast was on the skimpy side. One fried egg, rice, two pieces of toast and coffee but what do you expect for $2.00 U.S. a night? Too bad they didn’t kill that damn rooster crowing from 4:00a on, and serve it for breakfast!  Bajawa, today’s destination, is expected to be the highlight of Flores with its traditional villages.

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Where to stay and what to see in Ruteng, Flores

May 13th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

It was now 2:30p, and we were starving. Ricardos took us to Agape Cafe in Ruteng (pronounced Rucheng). This restaurant is also recommended by Lonely Planet, and was the only place his agency considered suitable for western stomachs. Good lumpini (egg rolls), so-so bland noodles that tasted better when we added lots of chili sauce. Ruteng has two other restaurants recommended by others but Ricardos had his instructions, and no tour agency wants their clients to become ill.

Ruteng is a cool, clean city surrounded by volcanic hills and rice fields. Most tourists stay for one night only before heading back on the road. The only interesting sight in Ruteng is its market, a central meeting point for the local Manggarai people. The Manggarai weave, and wear, a typical sarong that I was only interested in seeing, not buying. With that, it was into the very stinky market thanks to vast amounts of dried fish.

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The Spider Web Rice Fields of Lodok Cara Village, Flores

May 12th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

Each day held surprises since the itinerary was sketchy. Nikolas pulled off the road at a small house that said, Lodok Cara Village, and I asked Ricardos, “What are we doing here?” “Going to see a view of rice fields.” “Where?” He pointed uphill. Confused, we followed him into a dark house where he instructed us to give the village head man a small donation, Steve signed our names in a register, and we walked outside with Ricardos and head man following.

Grabbed walking sticks and began climbing up mud steps on a the hillside path, hanging on to bamboo railings, through vegetation, to the viewpoint. And what a viewpoint it was! Looking down, and as far as the eye could see, were concentric rice fields that resembled gigantic spider webs. These fields were built by the Manggarai people. The Manggarai have a political system built on clans; each clan gets a piece of the land called Lodok by the local people. The field wedges looked unequal but looks were deceiving, as explained by Ricardos…

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Are you Interested in a Luxury Cruise?

May 11th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

I am, but need a substantial cash inflow before I can afford one of these three fabulous West Africa Cruises. Just because I can’t take one doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t hear about it and, hopefully, have the resources to go. Judging by my travel magazines, offering a plethora of hotels beginning at $1,000 a night for two, plenty of people do have the cash. G Adventures is offering three West Africa Cruises scheduled for April, 2013 (perhaps I’ll win the lottery by then or cut out eating to economize) on the M/S Expedition; a small ship offering space, comfort and expertise to no more than 131 passengers.

The M/S Expedition was completely refurbished in 2009, has spacious cabins with portholes or ocean-facing windows and private en-suite facilities. Of course the ship offers: an observation deck, guides, fleet of 14 Zodiacs, lounges, restaurant, gym, computer room with internet where available, and even rents mobile phones. Read more »

On The Road to The Hill Town of Ruteng, Flores

May 11th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

New guide Ricardos and driver Nikolas arrived at Golo Hilltop Hotel, promptly at 8:00a. Ricardos referred to us as Ibu Sheila and Pak Steve, a term of respect to elders. Into the car for the 140 kilometer/87 mile ride to Ruteng, the first large town near Labuan Bajo. The road will wind through the mountains of Flores all week; in relatively better shape than Sumbawa, but slow. Twenty-five ton trucks routinely ply this Trans-Flores highway on a road meant to be used by vehicular traffic weighing less than seven tons.

Ricardos proceeded to fill us in on a mish-mosh of Flores information while driving along:

-  “Labuan” means harbor. That explains why there is a “Labuan Lombok”, Labuan Bajo, etc.

- Flores is a poor island. Only people who work for the Government, Civil Service and Chinese businessmen do well. The rest of the people survive on anywhere from 7-10 million IDR’s ($700-1,000 U.S.) a year.

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Golo Hilltop Hotel, Labuan Bajo, Flores

May 10th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

Another one-nighter at the Golo Hilltop Hotel in Labuan Bajo. A car from Golo Hilltop came to the harbor and transferred us up the mountain to the hotel. Much indecision since neither the hotel nor us knew anything about Flores plans going forward. Always carry the local telephone number of your tour operator for emergencies. Golo Hilltop called the tour agency, and was told new driver and guide would pick us up tomorrow morning at 8:00a to begin our Flores Island exploration. That settled, staff showed us to a nice room with hot water and air conditioning.

Golo Hilltop Hotel is situated on top of a hill (duh…), about 1 kilometer/.6 mile from the city center in a quiet, relaxing location. All rooms are in long bungalows on different hill levels with a sitting area outside each room. The bungalows come with either fans or air conditioning, hot or cold water, to suit any budget. Golo Hilltop is Dutch run with a restaurant that served “average-tasting” food. However, the restaurant was open, airy and had beautiful views of the bay, little islands and dive boats making their way across the sea. Quite a few guests use Golo Hilltop as a base, and spend days diving in different locations. Whale sharks inhabit the waters in this area. Others use Labuan Bajo as a base to visit Komodo and Rinca Islands.

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Hot off the Press – A Bargain Trip to China

May 9th, 2012 Sheila Simkin

I’m telling you, travel e-mails have got me so excited that I just have to pass them on to you and if I hadn’t already been there, done it, would consider jumping on this China tour myself! An e-mail today from Adventure Center (one of my favorite operators who represents Peregrine and Gecko among others) has a “Legends of China” 12-day trip to China for, are you ready for this, $675 U.S. (plane fare not included).

Note - Departures: May 27, June 10, June 24, July 8 and July 22; deposit must be made between May 9 to May 16.

Have you visited Shanghai, Xian, and Beijing? How about Shaolin, the birthplace of Kung Fu, also called Wushu? Steve and I visited interesting Shaolin Temple a few years ago and watched a Kung Fu performance; read the details on Travels With Sheila and watch one of the videos below.

Surf any of the commonly used websites for the least expensive fare to China, get a Visa and go!

 

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