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!
