The majority of people living in Indonesia are Muslim. Indonesia is made up of about 17,000 islands. Of which about 6000 are inhabited, with the majority of people living on 5 islands. These five islands are Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi and New Guinea. Bali, which many of us are familiar with is a smaller island and is an outlier as it has a majority population who are Hindu. Sumatra where Medan is located, is a majority Muslim island, but it does have a large population of Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians as well.
The Ramadan holy period of Ramadan runs from February 17 to March 18 this year. Muslims do not eat or drink from sunrise to sundown. They break the fast at sundown with an Iftar meal. You can have a formal Iftar meal on any evening during this period. The Medan consulate held its formal Iftar meal on the evening of 3/5 in the home of the Consular General, Lisa Podolny. Since we were staying in the home we got to experience our first Iftar and a formal event featuring our daughter.
My last two posts showed how we spent out morning and early afternoon. Our last stop was at the flower shop to pick out flowers for the house. Back at the house preparations were in full swing.
The dinning room is being converted into a buffet.
This is the second, more formal living room.
The first living room. Michael is standing by the large entry way. Across the room from Michael is the formal living room.
Formal entry way.
Table is set - ready for the food to arrive.
Center table in entry way is moved to corner and topped with the guest book, which all guests signed.
Lisa and Tim stand in front of a panel with a U.S. shield on it, ready to great their guests. The rest of the people in the room are Consulate staff members. The first guest has arrived!
Smiles and conversations ready. As the two of them stand waiting to greet guests -
The rest of us mingle.
With the Consular General of Indonesia.
Many Muslim ladies - I don't remember what any of them did.
These two stuck together. I thought their outfits were so colorful.
Then it is time for Lisa to make some formal comments inviting people to her home and expressing appreciation that they would honor her by coming and breaking the fast with her.
Lisa made her beginning remarks in Bahasa Indonesian, then switched to English. Her staff member on the right then translated her words into Bahasa Indonesian.
I somehow ended up in the inner circle. The white guy on my left is her second in command. The man on my right is the Sultan of Deli.
Most of the important Indonesian guests are in the center of this photo.
Shortly after she spoke it was sundown and time to break the fast. It is frequently broken with dates and water. That is what is on the tray. The buffet was then opened and everyone got their fill of food.
That is the signal that it is OK to leave the affair. People usually want to get home to their families. But first everyone must have their photos taken with Lisa and Tim next to the backdrop. Then their must be more conversation and long goodbyes before that couple or group gets out the door. And the sequence repeats itself with the next group.
Of course we had to get in on the action - but minus all the conversation.
And as the Sultan had graced us with his presence, we could get a photo with him as well. Yes this is the same guy whose photo we saw as a 9 year old at the Sultans Palace.
And one more photo by the formal photographer who is a member of Lisa's staff.
Everyone left early enough that we had a couple of hours to relax and unwind. And Nicholas was able to come out of hiding in his room.
Any photos in this post where I am in the photo were taken either by Tim or the formal photographer.
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