On the Move Again - Southeast Asia

 It is already Monday evening here in Medan, Indonesia.  We have been here a little over 3 days and I feel like I am just catching my breath.  We have not done much at all so far except eat wonderful mostly Chinese food.  All the Indonesian restaurants are closed during the day as it is Ramadan.  They only open after sundown.  Then they are crazy busy and noisy.  

My daughter Lisa, who lives here, had booked a private room in an  Indonesian restaurant last night.  But when we got there we were shown to the prime table in the room - the one all other tables surrounded in the middle of the restaurant.    The restaurant culture in Indonesia is loud and boisterous.  You go there to be noticed.  And we could hear and see everyone else at the other tables.  The large table next to us was a very excited birthday party for a young woman.  They didn't have any food yet, but were constantly getting up and arranging themselves for photographs time and time again.  There was much loud singing of the birthday song and other songs!  We left shortly after figuring out that we did not have the private room.  Michael with his hearing issues would not be able to hear a single word that was said and the rest of us not much more.  We ended up at a much quieter restaurant aimed at Westerners, with Westerners prices.  

Going to a new area of the world always requires getting used to what is "the usual way of doing things here".  Like loud restaurants, hearing the Muslim call to prayer five times a day, experiencing the slow way of travel as you ooze along the road - changing lanes very slowly as motorcycles dart here and there all around your car to get in front of you at the stop light.  

It is now Tuesday just a little before noon.  Last night we went to a restaurant that specializes in chicken.  Nicholas's favorite restaurant where he always gets the parmesan chicken on spaghetti.  And - as has happened at all restaurants we have been to so far - we are the only white people there.  It hasn't bothered me so far - and most people don't seem to be staring at us.  But sometimes a child will - as happened last night - a young girl seemed to be intrigued by us.  But I can see that living life like this all the time - being the only ones that look like you, must be grating after a while.

If it seems that all I am doing is talking about food - that is because that is about all we have been doing.  There is one other thing.  Michael and I went to see Lisa's doctor.  They have a contract with him so she can take anyone in her family to see him.  I went because I have a strange hard bump in the palm of my right hand - that started maybe 4 days ago as we were traveling here.  Since it has been about 3 months since my hand surgery, I am thinking it is related to that.  He is sending me to the hospital to an orthopedic specialist to see what they think.  We will have to pay for that visit - but even without insurance it will not be that much.  

Michael asked the doctor about his gout and neuropathy on his right big toe.  He is going to go to Bangkok to a couple of specialist to be sure his one kidney is still working OK as well.  Lisa's doctor concurred that that was the best thing to do.  Lisa is arranging the appointments through her people at the consulate.  So we will be experiencing medical tourism!

And now instead of just talking about food - here are a few of the things we have tasted!

Appetizer Platter - Top-crispy shrimp chips, Right-fried chicken tenders, bottom-dumpling like with vegetables, some cucumbers, top left - weird cone with filling (I didn't taste it) and in the middle a scallop dish.

Lazy Susan filled with first course.  bottom - hot tea, right bottom fried fish as below, Appetizer platter at top.  I think some fried rice and a noodle dish.  There were many more dishes that arrived later.  They like to take the extra's home for the next meal.  The takeout food is so cheap here that it hardly pays to cook.  Lisa does cook on weekends just because she enjoys it.  And can make more western dishes to get some variety.

Fish dish.  Actually the fish flesh has already been removed from the bones and has been deep fried and added back to other ingredients.  Fish head for effect.

Fried rice with beef

Below are photos of our view out the window of our second story private room.

Per Lisa and Tim, this traffic is nothing!  It is Ramadan so no one local is going to eat lunch.  We will not experience the usual awful traffic as we are only here for a week.  Ramadan this year is from Feb 18 to March 20.

Just a few photos as we are driving in the car heading home.  

There are a lot of Chinese in Indonesia.  Lots of stuff still up for the Chinese New Year - the year of the horse.

2025 10-30 Polop

For some reason our GPS took us down a small two lane road instead of the interstate.  The views were better - so here are a few photos of our trip there.

We found our parking lot on the outskirts of town with no problems.  This is the view from there.  

Our first stop was at Plaza de los Chorros - It has 221 water spouts with the fountain running all around the plaza itself.  

This is one side of the long fountain.  The correct name of the town is Polop de la Marina.

Right next to the fountain is the house of  Gabriel Miro a famous Spanish writer.  The quote above translates to something like this.  Village water, from this village which Siguenza drank twenty years ago as a sweetness with a slight after taste, but truly chemical, which is more lyrical truth -1924.

The fresh water comes down from the mountains.  There is an irrigation system called Reg Major de l'Alfes - which we were to tired to find at the end of our day.  The locals still use the water for drinking purposes.  There were only 2-3 spounts actually working when we were there.

Gabriel Miro House Museum

We then headed toward the church and the castle ruins - we are still a long way away.

We did not take the time to go to the Museo Pequena Costa Magica.  It, like a lot of small museums contains a mixture of things someone has collected.  This one has some vintage vehicles as well as miniatures, farm equipment, trains, etc.

This restaurant is all decked out for holloween.

Many of the signs in this region are in both Spanish and in Valencian.  The bottom sign has the Valencian spelling for Plaza de los Chorros.

A narrow street.

There was a street mirror to help people see if anyone is coming around a blind corner.  These workman were placing a ladder next to it - which made for some interesting photos.

More street scenes.

We did not actually see that many cats on the streets of Polop.  But this old photo of women preparing food outside shows a lot of cats gathering to catch the droppings.

A lot of this area of town seems to be in the process of restoration.  The picture on the deck railing looks to be the Lords Supper.

This place looks finished.

Door Knocker

And right next door is this.

We arrive at the Iglesia Parroquial de San Pedro Apostol.

Many streets lead to scenes like this one.

Back to the church.  It was closed.

Shop across the way.

At the other end of the parking lot next to the church is the start to the walk to see the castle.  The path leads on the top of the wall on the bottom and winds up to an area where there is a bar cafe.  Then you continue up the hill back to the left and then turn to go right to end up at the top.

Rooftops from the level of the bar.

We stopped here for lunch - 3 tapas.  Michael had to try the eel salad - the one right in front of him.  It was the same thing as the Ensalada Russa he always orders - except instead of tuna it had eel in it.  The dish on the right is ham and cheese croquettes.  Our last dish of chicken fajitas came much later and we forgot to take a photo.

Views from the bar cafe.

There is a lot of farming in the area - I don't know what they were growing in those tents, but the area is known for citrus fruit, avocados, olives and almonds.

After lunch we headed up the last two switch backs.

The building at the very top is actually a cemetery.  Here is a glimpse through the bars.

Here is a small section of excavated castle.

After we got back down, we sat on a bench behind the church.  This cat was sitting on the edge of the balcony railing for a long time.

Notice the series of staircases going up the hill.  They do love steps in Spain.

And finally - Christmas decorations.  We found Polop charming and easy to get around.  A really enjoyable day.