- A True Balinese Experience will  take you to visit the Bali Elephant Camp in the village of Carangsari where you can take a full explorer trek or short trek on one of their Sumatran elephants. Go whitewater rafting down the Wild Ayung for a 6 kilometer, Class 4 run from the highest navigable point on the Ayung River to the Bali Elephant Camp for $68, or a three hour run, $119. They can arrange cycling through villages, rice paddies or mountains. Wait, we’re not through yet. They offer jungle trekking, horse riding, and…

extreme Bungy jumping around Seminyak Beach, Bali

How about getting married at the elephant camp? Pay different fees, get wedding license, blessing by a priest or celebrant, bridal tent pre-ceremony, flower arrangements, flower girls, umbrella guards, and traditional balinese music. After the ceremony, newlyweds travel by elephant to a tent in a private area for a luxury picnic with butler service, champagne, wedding cake. You can also opt for a makeup artist, wedding dress (traditional Balinese or Western), professional photographer, video and even more. How about them apples? It sounded like such fun, I thought about scheduling a fast renewing of vows with Steve.

- Learn to surf with Pro Surf School or Rip Curls School of Surf. I can’t even begin to tell you how many surfers we saw along the entire beach. These schools schedule courses according to tide conditions and individual skill levels daily. Warning: It is dangerous to swim along Kuta/Legian/Seminyak stretches of beach because of undertows and riptides. The only people in the water were people taking surf lessons. Wise others stayed in the shallows.

- Canyon tubing and buggy/quad with Bali Buggy and Bali Quad. You can drive your own ATV 4 wheelers and buggy through different terrain, or go tubing. Where spots in the tubing stream are too difficult for tubing, you bypass the sections by either zip lining or taking a wooden foot path.

- Contact Telegade Water Rafting for more about white water rafting.

- Extreme bungy jumping was operating when we visited Bali, but this venue has since closed. The site is being developed into apartments.

bungy jumping tower on Seminyak Beach, Bali (now closed)

- Scuba Diving? Way too many operaters to even begin giving links. There are more than 20 dive sites to explore. One, in particular, explores the wreck of the U.S. Liberty, a cargo ship that sank during World War II.

Click here to view the embedded video.

- Special Events. Bali Bike Week 2011 was taking place on the beach with motorcycles, bikers, biker paraphernalia, tattoo booths and entertainment.

line up of motorcycles, Bali Bike Week 2011

unusual motorcycles on display at Bali Bike Week 2011

boots for bikers at Bali Bike Week 2011

- How about a Marine walk? That’s right. Special “Seawalker” helmets are placed on your head connected to a fresh air hose. Walk down stairs to the bottom of the sea with fish surrounding you. An instructor accompanies everyone during the activity, age limit, 9-70 years old. It’s impossible for me to believe that we are now at the top of the age limit. How did that happen?

Since we are considered too old for a Marine walk, just sitting on the miles of beach watching the goings-on or walking in the sand while enjoying Bali’s vibes sounded good to us…

on Seminyak Beach, Bali

The 89 rooms are set back from the beach in two parallel blocks facing each other. Pelangi Bali Beach & Spa offers Superior, Deluxe, Super Deluxe and Suites. None have views except for the suites, but who cares. Are you going to spend all day in your room and, would you want to front noisy, lively Seminyak beach? The answer to both should be a resounding NO! The hotel also has a spa (of course), International Restaurant, swimming pool, rooftop bar and scheduled activities/entertainment. Steve and I go into humid, tropical climate mode with just enough energy to chew food.

Pelangi Bali Hotel & Spa, Seminyak Bali

Penalgi Bali Hotel & Spa open air restaurant, Seminyak, Bali

A typical buffet breakfast with rice, noodles, vegetables, eggs cooked to order, fruits, etc.; tanked up and ready to go as soon as stores open around 10:00a. Jl Raya Seminyak is the main street that runs from Seminyak all the way to Kuta Beach. A 10 kilometer/6.2 mile stretch of road filled with more shops than is possible to visit. Granted, most carry the same items for sale but it was lit up and crowded when we arrived last night. I must see what it looks like during the day, and we’ll return to the hotel walking along the beach. Bali is major “civilization” after the remote Lesser Sundra Islands.

Guests at the hotel were busy going through the usual “hotel in the tropics routine”; staking out preferred beach chairs around the pool by laying towels and books on them. Whenever Steve and I traveled with our family, we’d take turns being the designated early riser who would gather enough beach chairs in the prime sun spot and keep watch to make sure no one walked off with one of them.

a small portion of Sheila's preferred breakfast, Bali

The main road heading south will give you a hearing loss in one hour thanks to the hundreds of motor bikes, scooters, motor cycles, and taxis (all leaning on horns). Factor in the heat, humidity, noise level and a nervous breakdown won’t be far behind. We stayed in Seminyak two years ago at Sarinande Beach Inn, a few short blocks north of the Pelangi Bali. Sarinande is also air conditioned, has big rooms, swimming pool and friendly staff. The Oberoi, Sofitel and a few other luxury hotels were also north of the Pelangi Bali Hotel & Spa.

delivering flowers on Seminyak's main street, Bali

shoes for sale in a Seminyak shop, Bali

Fed up with the noise level, clothing prices, and heat, we turned onto a road parallel to the beach and couldn’t believe our eyes. Miles of restaurants, bars, surfing classes, vendors plying their way down the beach, massage parlors, massage stands on the beach, and lounge chairs for rent. So much to see. So much going on. A pleasure walking on the clean sand along the breezy sea.

rent a lounge chair on Seminyak, Legian or Kuta Beach, Bali

plop yourself on a beanbag, order a beer, Seminyak Beach, Bali

Click here to view the embedded video.

Is it any wonder Bali is so popular?

Maumere is the center of Sikkanese language and culture, and has been a center of Catholic activity since Portuguese Dominicans arrived 400 years ago. However, there’s nothing of importance to see, Internet was excruciatingly slow (I finally gave up in disgust), and the one and only souvenir cum antique shop had nothing of interest. It certainly didn’t help that the woman in the shop didn’t speak English and couldn’t tell us anything about any items.

fly Batavia Air from Maumere, Flores to Denpasar, Bali

The Hotel Wailiti was located outside central Maumere on the sea, and had several cottages in a lush, green garden with swimming pool; a beautiful stretch of calm beach with, once again, nothing to sit on. They gave us a little cottage facing the swimming pool. The hotel was clean, air conditioned, had hot water (if you waited long enough), and good food. Goodbyes to Ricardos and Nikolas, our last set of Lesser Sundra Island guides and drivers. Hotel Wailiti would transport us to the airport.

Check in with Batavia Airlines who allowed 20 kilos/42 pounds of luggage per person, and carefully weighed each piece before hand-loading on the plane. Paid the usual domestic departure tax; through security where you do not have to take out computers, and liquids are allowed. Our flight arrived in Maumere only 30 minutes late and was quickly turned around. Almost all inter-Indonesia flights make more than one stop on routes, and today was no exception. Less than one hour to Kupang, Timor where the majority of passengers got off and transit people stayed on. The plane filled up with more passengers and took off for the 1-1/2 flight to Denpasar. After Denpasar, this flight would continue to Surabaya, finishing in Jakarta.

Click here to view the embedded video.

beach map area of Bali, Indonesia

Touch down in Denpasar, Bali around 5:15p. Now, we needed a hotel for three nights. There were at least six different hotel booking kiosks, car rentals, in the baggage area. I wanted to stay beachside, and had a list of hotel possibilities in the Legian Beach area The first two kiosks didn’t represent any of the hotels on my list and were less than helpful.

A third kiosk represented one of the hotels who could only accommodate us for one night, tonight. Forget that hotel. I explained my hotel preferences; not too big; on the beach with breakfast included; and budget. She handed over three beachfront hotel brochures with rates in the Legian, Seminyak area. Discussion, phone calls back and forth until we chose the Pelangi Bali Hotel & Spa in Seminyak.

Outside to the taxi window where we paid 70,000 IDR (less than $10 U.S.) for a flat rate taxi to Seminyak. Flat rate is the only way to go or public transportation because you won’t believe the road congestion. The entire distance of 10 kilometers/6.2 miles from just Kuta to Seminyak is lined with stores, restaurants, bars, tuk-tuks, taxis and jowl-to-jowl people. Imagine what it would be like, sitting in a metered taxi going nowhere, just watching the meter tick away..

Pelangi Bali Hotel & Spa was nice, a little bigger than my usual choices, laid out well even if it had no views. Unpacked, into the open air restaurant for dinner and free Wi-Fi.  (You have to buy telephone cards to use Wi-Fi in guest rooms.) Sandwiches for dinner, our first western-style meal in weeks, and while chowing down, we noticed hotel guests walking to and from the beach area. What was going on out there?

a restaurant along Seminyak beach, Bali

Seminyak restaurants move onto the sand at night, Bali

Outside the walled and guarded Pelangi Bali Hotel was a narrow strip of tarmac running along the sand. This strip, as far as the eye could see, had hotels, restaurants, bars on one side; more restaurants, bars on the beachside with music blaring from them all while men stood outside each place inviting you to come in. People sat on beanbag chairs in the sand; drinking and eating. Ah, the sweet smell of commercialism. All this activity was a big culture shock after the quiet, Lesser Sundra Islands. I loved it!

Welcome back to Bali…

One last day in Flores began with a decent breakfast of black coffee, pancakes and dish of fruit before leaving for Maumere. Ricardos hoped to be in Maumere by noon to swing by the airport for a new e-ticket. He had quite a few conversations with Batavia Air who suggested this to avoid problems. Proactive trumps reactive when traveling.

“Three little pigs” walking along the road; men inserting a stick in fish, grilling and selling to drivers; a big local market; a long stretch of road where women sat on the ground doing something with coconuts. I asked Ricardos to stop for a closer look when he said they were making Copra, whatever that was.

the "three little pigs" in Flores, Indonesia

local market on the road to Maumere, Flores

grilled fish for sale on Flores, Indonesia

Several women sat in the grass, hacking coconuts into pieces with a machete, and prying out the white meat. Piles of white coconut meat in one area, pieces of coconut drying on mats, and even more stacks of just the coconut husk. Neighbors from other houses materialized, and a few cars stopped to see why two “Bulay” (white person/albino) were standing there. Tourists may wave to people while driving along the road but never stop to interact. It’s difficult to explain what a big moment this was for them.

Flores locals excited to visit with us

Copra is the dried meat, or kernel, of the coconut. Coconut oil is extracted to be widely used in cooking, certain medicines, and to feed livestock. Piles of coconut husks are sold to restauranteurs who believe it imparts a delicious taste to satays; others use the husks for fuel. Making Copra involves removing the shell, and breaking up the white meat to dry in the sun, the easiest method in the tropics. All you need is a mat to place the meat on facing the sky, either still in the shell, or pried out to dry (the more laborious version). Copra can also be dried by smoke or in kilns. These women were doing both; digging out the white meat; switching to let pieces dry naturally when they tired.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Most locals then sell the Copra to companies who extract the coconut oil with oil expellers. Ricardos spoke to a young man and the next thing we knew, he was shimmying up a coconut palm to knock down a few more coconuts that thudded to the ground. (One of those heavy suckers could easily kill a person.)

climbing a coconut palm outside of Maumere, Flores

The local gave a fast whack with his machete, cut it in half, drank the coconut milk and began scraping pieces of fresh coconut out for us to taste. I found it amazing that they don’t eat the white coconut pieces like we do, or even shred it to be sold for cooking. They only eat the inner layer of a young coconut. Ricardos bought two to go as a good will gesture, ingeniously tied together with pieces peeled back on each husk. I tried to do a bicep curl with two, heavy coconuts and couldn’t get them past my elbow.

tie two coconuts together, Indonesia

FYI: Copra is classed as a dangerous good due to its spontaneously combustive nature. Can you picture an exploding coconut?

We left the little Copra mom-and-pop industry behind; locals still laughing, excited over an encounter that they will always remember as once in a lifetime experience, as will we.

What did we like best about the Lesser Sundra Islands?

- Lack of communication with the outside world! How wonderful to be totally disconnected with no telephones in rooms, no newspapers, no English television, and infrequent Internet;

- Interaction with the locals. High school students in Bima; Copra women; children attending Easter Sunday Church services; and local wedding in Lombok;

- Just three sights made an impression: Puri Lingsar Temple, Lombok; Komodo Dragons and boat journey;  Luba and Bena Villages in Flores;

- Indonesian food. Our favorite gado-gado whenever a cook felt ambitious enough to pound peanuts into a paste. However, we were both getting a little tired of rice and noodles; and

- Pigs in sties and along the road. Can’t help it, I love the intelligent and sociable pigs.

The scenery throughout the trip was beautiful but… monotonous.

The drive continued past a small village of Leo people in Detasuko where one house and a “sitting grave” was visible from the road. Way back when, people were buried in a sitting position. The driver pulled up in front of the most uninspiring hotel to date; the Hidayah with six-rooms, next to the main road, and the second best in Moni. The room was clean, electricity wouldn’t go on until 6:00p so we sat in this dark room, sulking. The bathroom also had the most unusual spigot I’ve ever seen, laying on its side. ‘Tis a puzzlement…

Why bother even coming to Moni? For the multi-colored lakes of Kelimutu Volcano. On a clear day, the three crater lakes change color due to varying mineral content in the water. The colors can be blue, green and red, or even turquoise. One never knows. Once an important spot for rituals, people believed souls of the dead found their last resting-place in these lakes: old men in one lake, young men in another, and witches in the last lake. Tourists usually head up the mountain around 4:00a to see the sunrise over the lakes. There is a road up from Moni to a car park. From that point, you walk up stairs to the highest lookout point from where all three lakes are visible.

Detasuko Village with a "sitting" grave, Flores

local Ikat around Moni, Flores Island

local transport around Moni, Flores Island

You can also walk down to Moni through small villages from the top of Kelimutu which takes around 2-1/2 hours. The village is strung along the road to Maumere and perhaps your visit will coincide with the Monday Market in Moni.

Please, listen to this advice. Tourists have a better chance of winning the lottery than seeing a sunrise over the multi-colored lakes of Kelimutu Volcano. Think…lucky, lucky, lucky. The best chance of seeing them is to stay two nights, watch the weather, and get up at 4:00a to see if the mountain is in fog. If so, go back to sleep and wait until afternoon. Watch to see if the clouds have disappeared and, if so, hightail it up the mountain. We talked it over with Ricardos and told him to wake us immediately if the morning dawned clear. I awoke at 5:00a, looked out at cloud-covered mountains and went back to sleep.

liters of gasoline for sale in Moni, Flores Island

Hidayah Hotel, the second best in Moni, Flores Island

even the Hidayah faucet gave up and played dead, Moni

A couple from Singapore, in the room next to us, did make the trip up Kelimutu and got a brief view of the lakes before the clouds rolled in again. They sat around freezing for another hour before they gave up and came down the mountain.

Dinner last night at a restaurant close to the Hidayah for, what else, rice and noodles. We did try to order gado-gado but the electricity was off and the cook couldn’t use a blender to mash peanuts for the peanut sauce. Whatever happened to do-it-yourself?

Still heading east on the Island of Flores on the Trans-Flores Highway, we passed small communities harvesting rice fields. The entire village pitches in to harvest one field after another. Remote villages in this area use big, open sided trucks for local transport. It wasn’t long before Mount Ebulobo Volcano was in front of us, smoking up a storm. I’m sure you know Indonesia is located in the Pacific Ring of Fire. This Ring of Fire stretches for 40,000 kilometers/25,000 miles in a horseshoe shape, and is associated with volcanic belts and tectonic plate movements under the earth’s crust. The Ring of Fire has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes.

Indonesia has 130 active volcanos, more than any other country in the world. The Lesser Sundra Islands have 22-24 volcanoes (depends who you listen to), while Flores’ most active volcano is Mount Ebulobo (“Grand Father Mountain”). Ebulobo is a stratovolcano (a large, steep volcano built up of alternating layers of lava and ash or cinders), and always smoking. This volcano has eight former eruption sites and three lava plugs. (Steve and I had a great experience hiking up Mount Bromo in Java two years ago.)

local public transportation for remote villages around Bajawa, Flores

locals help each other in the rice fields of Flores

It is possible to hire a guide and climb Mount Ebulobo from Boawae. This usually calls for an overnight on the mountain. and then a two-hour, early morning climb to the summit. Again, Ricardos has been there, done it with many different groups. Boawae also has unusual boxing rituals from May to August during harvest festivities. Men put on gloves studded with broken glass…eeww… Don’t want to see that but did enjoy standing along the road, watching Ebulobo belch smoke.

Ebulobo Volcano is always smoking, Flores Island

A blue stone beach was next on the road to Ende. I noticed what I thought were sacks of blue stones along the highway, and people walking on the beach collecting them. They were naturally occurring blue stones. Some in the lightest shades of turquoise while others were a little darker. These blue stones are only found along this particular section of the Flores coast. Locals collect and sell for export to use in buildings and as building material. I was chomping at the bit to get out of the car and load up a bag with these beauties, but no sooner had the driver parked, and my feet hit the sand when the skies opened up. I scooped up one handful and dashed back into the car, mourning over blue stones left behind all the way to Ende. Steve was secretly thrilled, envisioning  a suitcase filled with rocks.

blue stones litter a section of beach before Ende, Flores Island

really blue stones along a Flores beach, Indonesia

Lunch at Mentari Hotel & Restaurant in Ende to slurp down a fast dish of fried rice before continuing to Moni. Ricardos stopped in front of a restaurant to show me a sign with pictures of a pig and dog. That kind of sign shows people exactly what is being served inside; pig and dog

dog on the menu at an Ende restaurant, Flores

Click here to view the embedded video.

The rain didn’t stop until we drew closer to Moni, the jump off point to see the colored lakes of Kelimutu Volcano. Visitors usually visit early in the morning but our thinking was to walk up now if it was clear (it wasn’t) since there is never a guarantee that you’ll actually see the lakes. No one has to tell us about rising early in the morning for sunrises, lakes, craters and whatever else! Every single one has always been a “no show” thanks to clouds, rain, yadda-yadda, while we usually stood freezing butts in the early morning air.

locals along the road of Flores

a casual ride on top of a bus, Flores

through a local Flores market

This was getting very depressing.

A road led from Luba Village down to Bena (pop: 300) where our driver sat waiting. Bena had 16 houses lined up on both sides of a rectangle containing a stone altar, ngadhus and bhagas worshipping houses. Signed the register, made a donation and began walking around the rectangle. Bena women sat on porches sorting rice, weaving Ikat sarongs and scarfs that were then hung on a bamboo pole to sell. A double take when I spotted one woman with what looked like blood around her mouth. And then she held up a Betel nut to show me what she was doing; just chewing away.

We continued along, admiring the wooden roofs in this beautiful, little village. Bena is one of the most traditional Ngada villages on the flanks of Inerie Volcano, and its stone monuments are a protected site. There are stone steps leading to the center stone altar at the highest point, above the male and female ancestor clan totems. Before the Dutch missionaries came, the Ngada worshipped a male high god and his female counterpart. Sacrifices (usually a buffalo) still take place on the megalithic stones in front of the high altar, and then the ngadhus/bhagas are smeared with blood.

a red mouth from chewing Betel nuts, Bena Village, Flores

Bena male ancestor "bhaga" in Bena Village, Flores

Bena Village megalith stone altars for sacrifices, Flores

Since Ricardos had already given important explanations about Ngada rituals and way of life, we didn’t spend as much time in Bena as we had in Luba. Took more photographs, chatted up whatever locals that weren’t working in the fields, and began the car journey back to Bajawa.

buffalo head skeleton decoration in Bena Village, Flores

great effigy on a Bena rooftop, Flores

houses, ngadhus and bhangas of Bena, Flores

There was plenty of time to Internet back in Bajawa on a good connection at Warnet, followed by an early lunch/diner at Camellia’s. Our motto? Stick to what is filling and what they do best in the Lesser Sundra Islands. With all the noodles and rice we’ve eaten throughout Indonesia, our bodies probably are sufficiently carbo loaded to finish an ultra marathon. Tomorrow brings Moni and Kelimutu Volcano…

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.

90-year old Ngada woman in Luba Village, Flores

making machetes in Luba Village, Flores

Many of the thatched roofs had unusual decorations on top; spears for protection, effigies, and small house replicas. Each had a meaning and was displayed on roofs of the most important clan members. I remember seeing a witch doctor’s house in West Africa with an effigy on top that, supposedly, could see visitors coming, and warn the witch doctor.

effigy on top of one roof in Luba Village, Flores

spears on roof for protection and ward off evil, Luba Village, Flores

Houses were decorated with buffalo horns and pig jawbones that showed the family’s prosperity (similar to Toraja-land in Sulawesi). Luba had four male ancestor parasols (ngadhus) in the center square. I’ll refer to them as “totems” for ease. Each belonged to a specific clan and had different rituals associated with them. Before a male totem is built, a baby pig or dog is sacrificed and buried in this spot. The totem is completed and big stones piled around the main post; representing this clan’s generations, male and female descendants. A water buffalo, a symbol of fertility, is then tied between the male ancestor symbol and a wall; its throat cut in a way so blood spatters on the totem; and the ceremony is over. Time to dance, drink Arak and celebrate

buffalo horns and pig jaws, Luba Village - Flores Island

more male ancestor houses along the road to Bajawa, Flores

the more buffalo horns, the wealthier the family in Luba Village, Flores

There were also three female ancestor houses (bhagas) opposite the male ancestor houses that resembled small rice granaries. Unlike the male totems, Female ancestor houses are only built when someone has a vision. The fourth bhaga had fallen apart, and until someone in the clan has a vision, it will not be rebuilt. (The embedded video will tell you everything!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

It was only a short walk from Luba downhill to Bena Village.

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.

Inerie Volcana near Bajawa, Flores

volcanos and traditional villages are everywhere around Bajawa, Flores

the Ngada village of Bena, Flores Island

It’s easy to schedule a climb of Inerie Volcano beginning from Watu Meze village on the north side near Bajawa, or Watu Village on the south side. A climb of approximately 10 hours roundtrip if you begin on the north side. Ricardos pointed out different volcanos during the ride through Flores with the great majority, climbable and difficult.

A viewpoint stop before Luba to admire volcanos, different Ngada villages with thatch roofs tucked on the mountainsides, and the blue Sawu sea in the distance. Tourists are able to visit many of these authentic villages; some are more difficult to access than others, and require a long trek from jump off points. Nage, Wogo, Langa, Bela, Luba and Bena are the most commonly visited villages. A few are more modern than others.

Ngada man on the road, Flores, Indonesia

Ngada woman in Luba Village, Flores

Ngada man foraging outside his village, Flores

The Ngada people belong to clans and marriages take place strictly inside their own clan; cousins are allowed to marry; land is portioned out to clan members; and the oldest child receives the family inheritance.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Our driver let us out along a main road leading to Luba Village and drove away to park at Bena Village, the most visited Ngada village in the region. On the walk up to Luba Village, Ricardos related information about life in this area. We saw mangos, papaya, avocados and Cacao (where chocolate comes from). People cutting and carrying wild taro to feed their pigs. Candlenuts being collected and dried; a flowering tree common in Indonesia. Nuts turn yellow before dropping off, villagers collect the nuts, dry, and use the seeds inside with a high oil content to cook with. Parts of the plant are also used in traditional medicines, e.g. Candlenut oil is an irritant and can be used like castor oil.

Luba houses with candlenuts drying, Flores Island

We saw another variety of palm tree used by the locals to make Arak. These gigantic, and pendulous, clusters of small fruits are cut off first before squeezing for several weeks to get the palm juice out, and distilling

palm fruits used to make Arak on Flores Island, Indonesia

Luba Village, Flores Island

Welcome to the traditional village of  Luba.

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!”

Arak sold here, Flores, Indonesia

Stands began appearing along one particular stretch of road displaying filled water bottles. Indonesians used old water bottles to hold and sell everything. They obviously weren’t filled with gasoline/petrol (a deep yellow color that looks like urine), soft drinks or distilled water. The liter bottles were filled with Arak, made from the male fruit of a particular palm tree. The finished alcohol content ranges from 40-45% and more than 100 proof. Enough to knock the strongest person flat on their back if they don’t go blind first.

How to make Arak?

- Men climb a particular species of palm that bears male fruit, and squish the fruit daily while still on the palm tree for five days. (Squishing male fruit daily sounds obscene but that’s exactly what they do.)

- The fruit’s liquid drips into a bucket high on the palm tree.

- The Arak makers climb the palm on the sixth day to get the juice bucket which is then distilled over a wood fire.

- The clear liquid drips through a bamboo pipe into a 1-liter or 2-liter water bottle.

local Arak distillery along the road in Flores, Indonesia

The first dripping of Arak is the most powerful while the second and third proofs are only 20% alcohol and 15% alcohol, respectively; still enough to get a good buzz going. Ricardos insisted on igniting some Arak for us to see how strong it was. (I bet pouring Arak, instead of kerosene, around a dwelling could set off a nice fire). And then the owner offered samples of his strongest distillation, 50-63 alcohol content, 100+ proof firewater! Even though his Arak was supposed to be very pure, we nicely refused. (Entire process in the video below.)

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A liter bottle of the first dripping cost 100,000 IDR ($10 U.S.); 45,000 IDRs for a smaller bottle (less than $5 U.S.). Now that you know what we know about Arak, drink at your own risk.

Views of the sea, volcanos, and the hill town of Bajawa, situated at 1,200 meters/3,600 feet above sea level was in sight. This Ngada district is one of the most traditional areas in Flores. Tomorrow, we’d visit Luba and Bena, two megalithic villages. Our small hotel for two nights was Bintang Wisata, located in the heart of Bajawa next to the market, shopping areas and restaurants. This hotel was adequate, filled with tourists, had spacious rooms with attached bathrooms, and hot water.

Hotel Bintang Wisma, Bajawa - Flores

Lunch at Lucus, one of the three restaurants that cater to tourists; the other two are Camellia and Ditos. Lucas was the only game in town on Easter Sunday, and we settled in for noodles, rice and chicken sate while rain thundered down on the tin roof so loud, it was impossible to hear or talk over it. Eating lunch at 3:30p has one advantage: think of it as combo lunch and dinner to extend your budget.