What the hell is this?, originally uploaded by reyn1979.

If you follow me on-line in various places, you may have noticed the Café Chimp has faded to be replaced by Oriental Bento Colonel Sanders (Kombo 5 on the menu), I love this for so many reasons:

1. This is an actual product sold at KFC in Indonesia
2. Apparently the word "Oriental" isn't offensive to Indonesians. Not sure what it means to them, perhaps just East Asia (China, Korea, and Japan)
3. The Colonel is clearly wearing a Chinese outfit, but "Bento" is a Japanese word
4. It says "Bento" but it is clearly a bowl

What this isn't is Dragon Ball Z's Master Roshi drinking tea (good guess Koosh), but such a wonderful mix of confusion, and I'm glad to see that it isn't just Americans who get mixed up with east Asians and can't tell them apart.

I'm sure I'll get bored of this at some point, but the more people I let in on the fun, the longer I think Oriental Colonel will be around, so enjoy!

[ Fiesta Asia! ]

Don't say I didn't warn you, you have 1/2 a day to plan on going yourself...

Sarongs are worn by both men and women in many parts of the world, but especially in south and southeast Asia. This long, brightly colored fabric can be worn on a hot summer day, while lounging around the house, sitting by the pool, and even while entertaining guests for a casual, backyard dinner. Sarongs are extremely comfortable, striking, and versatile, and you don't need to be in an exotic locale to wear one.

[ How to Wear a Tube Sarong (Men) - wikiHow ]

I maintain, however, that the gentleman in these pictures is wearing it backwards. The stripe of extra color was worn in the back by every single Indonesian I saw in Indonesia, which makes sense because then the seam would be hidden in the folds in the front, a much more elegant solution.

We're back from Indonesia, and I've finally renamed and commented on my photos. Yaty's a bit slower on her photos, but I'm sure they're coming.

It was a great trip, a bit too long to be away from "life", so much to catch up on with mail, and bills, etc. Way too short a trip to really enjoy. In three weeks I learned a ton of Bahasa Indonesia, I'd love another month or two to finish learning. It was a joy to get to know the family better, and Za really loved meeting everyone, but three weeks flies by so quickly, wish it was three months.

We are all now nursing sicknesses and injuries, traveling 1/2 way around the world really can take a toll on you, especially when you ignore the sores on your feet...

Two of the things that most impress me about Indonesia is its diversity and its Pancasila:

On June 1, 1945, during the final months of the Japanese occupation, a young Sukarno delivered a speech that sought to provide the foundation for a new independent nation. He defined the five principles as nationalism, humanitarianism, consensual democracy, social welfare and belief in one God.

[ The Jakarta Post - Petition seeks to reaffirm Indonesia's diversity ]

Sure, Indonesia has had a bit of a rocky road, but what democracy hasn't?

Indonesia is a big place:

Yeah, it's a long distance from Aceh to the New Guinea border

[ Joe Grossberg ]

But I live even farther than that. My wife was a tiny bit concerned that stuff would be hard to find. We found a few places on-line that sell Indonesian groceries, and when in California stopped in on another. But her friends at IUC have pointed us toward a goldmine:

Vietnam Imports
Oriental Food & Gifts
922 West Broad Street (Rt 7)
Falls Church VA 22046
Ph. 703 534-9441
Hours: 10 am - 8 pm (Mon-Sat)
10 am - 7 pm (Sunday)

Vietnam Imports is an odd name for a place that carries mostly Indonesian grocery items. There are some Vietnamese and a few Thai, but they even carry Teh Botol! It goes without saying that my wife is rather pleased.

And, for those who don't know, Teh Botol is the #1 bestest iced tea in the world.