Learning so Much

I'm sure you weren't expecting a post from me so soon, but I have visited 2 very different and unusual places in the past week and I was afraid I would forget some of the details or the excitement I felt.

Five Sea Days after leaving the Philippines we arrived in Ternate, Indonesia. Pronounced Ter-Nah-Tay. It is my first Muslim country. It was a one day visit and we were advised to be good citizens. Women could not have bare shoulders nor wear trousers above the knee. Men were advised to wear long trousers. Even though it was 87 degrees, we were good. It was a Saturday morning - around 11am and the town was buzzing. The 1st thing we had to do was get some Indonesian Rupes (money). Get this!! one US dollar = 16,572 Rupes. We got $40.00 US which was 662,906 Rupes. Thank goodness for the Currency exchange app on my phone! Motor scooters everywhere and lots of families walking around the open markets along the boardwalk and waterfront. The Music from the mosque was calling people to prayer (I think) but no one seemed to be in a rush.

The very first thing I noticed was a lady with a young daughter in the park in front of us. I was sure she was taking a video of us, and my first thought was that she was going to follow us and maybe harass us. But then she stopped, gave us a big smile and a hello and then bent down and told her daughter something and then the little one smiled big and said hello. As we continued down the street, more and more people smiled and said hello. We sat down on the wall in front of the Mosque just to people watch and listen to the music. It was very haunting.

Across the street was a line of tiny stalls selling all kinds of fruits and veggies. They have a small fruit about the size of a pecan and dark green like a ripe lime. Thank goodness for Google Translate on my phone or we wouldn't know anything. I asked what the fruit was and she answered "dkgjhuh" and even Google couldn't figure it out. So she pealed it and gave us a bite. It was pink inside and tasted like a tart Clementine orange. By the time this conversation was over we had 4 people around us, smiling and saying hello. One young man was able to ask us where we were from and we said "The Ship". Lots of "ohh's". But then I said Texas and they

all nodded and said Texas. Guess they understood that. Then we wandered down the street some more and saw all the baby chickens that had been dyed different colors. Hadn't seen that in a ton of years.

Across the street was the huge covered market. Lots of different things for sale. Clothing, electronics, umbrellas, and stuff I had no idea what it was. What I did not see was anyone sleeping on the sidewalk or in a doorway. I did not see anyone asking for money. We went into the covered market and had a great time. We finally remembered that this really was a small fishing town, off the beaten track, and a Cruise ship had never been there before. Not only were they not used to tourists, they weren't used to non-muslim white people coming to visit. They were fascinated by us, wanted to communicate with us and especially have their picture taken with us. They were genuinely happy to see and talk with us.

After about 2 hours of walking around we really wanted an ice cold beer. Opps, Muslim country. No alcohol. But we did see a nice hotel with a Cafe so we went in for a bite of lunch and the hope of a beer. Cafe was closed and no beer. But we did enjoy a nice fruit drink. Sharon's was Passion fruit, orange and apple juices. Mine was Apple and pineapple. Both were good.

We continued our exploration of the market and found bakery items. Fresh homemade bread, with chocolate inside, date cookies, coconut bars, even gluten-free. One young man came over and helped us chose a selection of items - 1 loaf of bread, 2 coconut bars, three date things, and assorted cookies. The small loaf of bread was 5000 Rupes or 30 cents. And it was delicious. I had it for 3 days with my morning coffee. We also found a Witches Broom for a lady on the ship who wanted one for her Halloween costume. It was perfect and cost 3000 Rupes or 18 cents. We felt like we were robbing them and felt really bad. But they would smile, say hello and wave us goodby. We bought some things just because they were so welcoming.

We stopped for an ice cream cone on the way back to the ship. Sharon's Goals are: Be nice to people, eat more ice cream, and see the world. I like those goals.

I think we spent a total of $35 US during our 5 hour visit to Indonesia. But we will be visiting bigger cities and more Indonesian Islands later on in our adventure. But this first one was beautiful, enlightening, and fun.

Three more Sea Days and arrived at Colonia, Micronesia. Micronesia is a region in the Western Pacific Ocean and is composed of over 600 islands. It has 4 states: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpel, and Kosrae. The island of Guam is part of Micronesia. Colonia is on the island of Yap and is the State Capital. There are about 7500 people living on the island and most have never left it. It has a fascinating history of being first discovered in the 1500's by the Spanish, who then sold it to the Germans in 1899. The Japanese took control of the island in 1914 and by WWII the Japanese population was more than 100,000 far exceeding the native population of 40,000. FYI, most people on Yap do not speak highly of the Japanese as they treated the Yap locals very badly during the war. In 1947 they became a UN Trust Territory and in 1986 they entered into a Compact of Free Association with the US. Their primary language is English but they do still speak their native language among themselves and the children are taught that language. Even on the same islands there are different words or pronunciation between the different communities. (sounds a lot like Boston or NJ and the South). There is no written alphabet. Their currency is the US$.

There are 4 different communities on the island of Yap and they WERE all connected by stone paths through the jungle. Along the wide paths are huts where the travelers could stop to get out of the weather or to rest on the dirt or wooden floor for the night. Each Community also has a community house. This is where they conduct meetings, resolve issues, or gather to celebrate or to mourn a loss. Most do not cook in their community house. They also will have a Men's House. This is restricted to only men 18 years or older. Men can bring their infant sons to the house but after "a certain age" they cannot come inside again until they are 18 and then all the men complete the teaching of manly expectations.

Every little girl is taught from an early age how to weave baskets from Palm Fronds. Some men learn how to make big baskets so they can easily transport their fish catch back home. If the husband cannot weave, the wife is expected to make one for him. I asked where I could find a basket or purse to buy and she shook her head and said "No, we do not make them for sale". Damn, I would have loved one.

Even though their current official currency is the American dollar, there is another form of currency on Yap. It is known as Yap Stone Money or Rai Stones. These stone "coins" vary in size - some up to 12 ft in diameter and probably weigh tons. Their value is determined by size, craftsmanship, and history. They may be owned by the Community, an individual, a family or business. They may be used as a dowery, a payment for property, an apology, or as a gift. Just because it is big doesn't make it more valuable. It is up to the owner how much a stone is worth. We asked a lot of questions about these stones - Are they ever stolen - Answer - NO. It has never happened. All these stones lining the path to the next community - Who owns them? Answer - Oh, everyone knows but right now I could not tell you who owns that one in particular.

There was a very nice Resort on the island and Odyssey was within 4 blocks of it. Food, drink, swimming pool, tours, the whole works. Manta Ray Bay Resort. It had an old Pirate looking boat behind the resort and it was a great place for a snack and an ice cold cocktail. We had 2 days in Colonia - the first day was my tour and the 2nd was a walk-about town. Not a lot to see but the shops were unique. Dresses, kids clothes, veggies, cold drinks, automotive stuff, chewing gum and snacks all sold in a store no bigger than a small storeroom.

I truly don't know how these people make enuf to live. I did talk with a young man who was 25 years and had never been off the island. Why should I go anywhere else? I have my small house (small room) with a tin roof, my only expenses are electricity, water, and cell phone. I work and at the end of the day I get paid in cash and it covers all my expenses. I fish and I trade for other food. I am happy and live in a beautiful place, Guess you can't argue with that.

I bought a fish finger strips lunch, 2 drinks which were yummy, 2 blouses, 2 floor mats, and a souvenir and it was less than $50. The history was amazing, the people were nice and fun, and the island was gorgeous. Another day in a different paradise.

This is why I couldn't wait to share my experiences this week. This is why I am on the Odyssey. I am so very thankful. I hope you enjoy the ride because I enjoy sharing it with each of you.