mini break #1......

We, will I, finally got to leave the country for the first time since arriving three months ago. And it felt good. Perhaps it's the knowledge that I'm not actually trapped here. But whatever it is, I feel more of a relief. Maybe it's even knowing where the boundaries are, geographically and emotionally.
But it worked. I had bought a Groupon for a 2day, 1 night stay in Batam. Palau Batam exactly. It's a small island off the southern tip[ of Singapore. Now I'd heard of Batam, or was it Bintan? And this is where the fun begins. Both are islands to the south, but they are different. Hearing what I thought was Bintan, I eagerly bought the Groupon. Turns out Batam is Bintan's poorer cousin. This is the fun of our adventure here. But it all works out well.
The tour included the ferry both ways, the 1 night stay, a tour of the city, a massage and a catered lunch. such a deal! All for S$55 (US$44). wow. SO we order a taxi at 5am cause the travel agency books us on the 8am ferry over. It ends up only taking 30 minutes instead of the usual 1 hr, cause no one is up and driving at this time. We are dropped at the cruise terminal just about the time they are popping on the lights for the day. The terminal is new and lovely. just needs some big cruise ships to really get me excited. so we ( hubby and I) putz around till the ferry country opens at 7:00. But we're getting hungry and need something to nibble. A few of the vendors have begun to open their doors for business. We decided to eat at the busiest.

mystery package for breakfast

Yum, rice, peanuts, fish and a spicy sauce

Soon we are off and heading around Sentosa ( local Disneyland area of SIN) toward the Straits of Singapore and the famous Tanker parking lot.

view of Sentosa

sky cars taking people to Sentosa

getting a move on

Tankers in the Strait

After 45 minutes, we are there. Our arrival is fairly easy as we can buy the required Indonesian visa at the terminal there. Then into the immigration queue. Once on the other side, we find the tour company and Vito our guide ( turns out he's only 20, but knows his stuff. Speaks English, Mandarin and Bahasa). We then wait on the bus. And wait, and wait and wait. Turns out it's a full buss (49 of us) and we are waiting for later ferries and their passengers.

Indonesian Rupiah

hot bus waiting. Thank goodness there are curtains

Hubby actually reading a book!!

But finally we are off. Just a few hours of the city tour, and we can enjoy our hotel. WRONG!!!! Truns out this tour will lasts 10 hours. Again proved Western, cause I was using my American thinking. Oh no! We are in Asia now. They listed the activities but didn't expand on a timeline. So my assumption that we tour , then hit the hotel with pool and massage is completely wrong. Jokes on me. But...we were pleasantly surprised.
First stop is Chocolate House, where they had local chocs and more familiar ones from around the world. then off to the Largest Buddhist Temple in South East Asia ( so he claimed). getting a bit peckish now and bought some snacks. Couldn't get a few, so they filled up a bag. well darn, now we have to eat all this yummy ness.

The Temple

One of many courtyards

my favorite statue

beautiful artwork around the temple

Then back into the bus and now for shopping!  Shopping? Ok, I guess. Where are my shopping sisters when I need them. Karen would be so proud of me.  We headed toward the Ralph Lauren outlet, which sells other knock offs as well. Vito says these are seconds, but I have to wonder. I know these are manufactured in Indonesia and he says they are brought here to sell. But usually they want to destroy the boo boos and really, they have enough to fill a shop???! Using my Western logic again. I do buy a few knock off bags though. One can never have enough. Plus Christmas is coming.
Time to eat again. The 1000 layer cake is famous. I didn't bother trying it as I was still full from the "snack". Hubby did and said it was fab. I smelled it and it smelled awesome.

street view

1000 layer cake bakery

I had to put this next photo in. There is such creativeness here. Not only are they entrepreneurial, they can improvise to make their modest motor bikes a traveling snack shop.  This is not a bike next to a cart. The cart is attached as a sidecar and he moves it around town.

As if we aren't full enough, it's not time for lunch at Golden Prawn 933. But first, more shopping at the craft shop next door. We are dropped there to roam while Vito sets up the lunch service. Nicely done tour company. We buy local coffee for gifts of course.
The eatery is fascinating. Some young Australian girls on the tour are critical as 20 year olds are. I see the beauty in the place's simplicity and old world charm. It sits on stilts out over a pond with fish. It is open air and has huge tables for family style dining. I'm so full I vow not to eat much. Again, wrong! they start bringing out these yummy smelling dishes and I can't resist. I will burst today I'm sure.
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restaurant roofing

over the pond

dining room

Vito and server, more pond

some of the carnage

We had soup, rice, little conch shells, calamari strips, baked fish, veg dish, shrimp, chili crab and a drink. My stomach hurts thinking about it, yet my mouth is watering. It was delicious, but so much food. We had to leave some.
At this point I do need to mention the need to kick myself for not packing tissues. In Asia, it is wise to carry wipes or tissues cause toilets don't have paper. In fact here in Batam they use the traditional Indonesian loo.It's a porcelain hole in the ground which you squat to do business. Then there is a bucket of water with a scoop that you use to scoop a few times to "flush". Silly me. Here I am with nothing. Luckily I did bring a hankie, so I can dry my hands!! ( they have sinks for washing)
After lunch we roll across the parking lot to see the native show. it's performed by some not too enthusiastic local men, who look like we may have woken them up from a nap. It is hot today, but they perform amazing feats and are rewarded with a nice monetary collection at the end.

tearing open a coconut with his teeth

eating glass....why???

for a certain someone

Down the road a bit was the go-kart course ( to support the men who have had to put up with all the shopping) and a concrete zoo and miniature houses of different  regions of Indonesia. I found this quit interesting. Most of the animals looked a bit thin, but maybe they are here in this heat.

note the name on from. Bahasa for "lion"

And there is still more!! We are taken to a dry market. It sells all sorts of dried foods, which we have no idea of what they are and what do do with them. it was fun looking but at this point our brains are fried, it's too hot the bus' A?C is overwhelmed and I want a nap. But  more shopping awaits. Back over the hills to town and the batik center and an out let shop. We look around, but honestly I have so many clothes I could sell them some!! So I pass on the clothing but do pick up some batiks. These are not the hand made ones, but are printed in the traditional motifs. They still look nice and will be a nice memento of this trip.
Dusk is settling and it's massage time!! Oh thank you! We needed a lie down about now. There are too many of us, so we had to go to two different places. Naturally, we are in the second group. It was the communal type room with fabric dividers. I liked it. Keeps it honest! Hubby and I are placed next to each other. Of course we chatter through the curtains. I hear heavy breathing (snorts). He claims not....hmmm. It's not the best massage I've ever had, but for $16/hr who cares. It felt great. Nice and relaxed after that. Now the hotel drop off begins. Again, we are last. We arrive at our hotel at 9pm!! They are out of rooms and scramble to find us one. They do, but it has to be serviced. We order room service ( $10) and then go to sleep.

hotel lobby

more lobby

pointing toward mecca, on our room ceiling 

Next morning we swam in the rooftop pool before heading down to breakfast. The bus wasn't coming till  noon, so we explored the local streets. This hotel was not in the downtown area. It seemed as though the neighborhood had started development awhile back then it stalled. There were many abandoned shopping malls, amusement areas, business buildings. People were out and about and very friendly. Many wanted to talk - use their English I think. A guy on motorbike drove by and yelled "rock star". Some other guys just wanted us to take their pictures.
Back on the bus and off to the terminal. We were tired, yet refreshed with all the new sights and flavors of Batam. It's not for everyone. It's not glamorous like Bintan next door. But it's real. These are normal people, enjoying life and trying to eek out a place in their world. They were kind, smiling, not grasping or desperate. They wanted to share their world. It was refreshing. It helped center my internal compass, which I need every now and then. Like many places I have seen in the world it does suffer from that odd desire to look better than it really is. There is that "thing" which makes people and places seem grander than they really are. If you looked around, you could see that things were haphazardly put together or painted over to hid a flaw rather than fix it. I know this is a mental issue with me. I always want to go and fix things, make them correct, function properly no matter how it looks. It goes back to the phrase..." Be real, not ideal". Be what you are! Not who you think you need to look like or be. I appreciate realism even if it's not the best or grandest. At least it's real. But  Batam is very real. They strive to look like their rich neighbor, maybe to entice them to come and share they wealth.  I found the people in Indonesia wonderful. And I look forward to going back.