According to the advanced information – we were to arrive in port at 0600 and leave at 1600. Somewhere along the line, the departure time was moved up a couple of hours. Added to the hot & humid was the ship offering only one tour, an all day affair leaving at 0730 and getting back (I suspect actually after) right before all-aboard.
I was up early as always and
was able to watch both the sunrise, as well as our arrival in port
which was beautiful (and I think partly a result of serious pollution by the smoky smell of the air after we docked).
which didn’t take away the beauty of the sun coming up behind the nearest mosque minaret.
We waited till 0830 and caught the first shuttle bus to the “mall” –
which I deferred and instead walked to Fort Rotterdam (let us not forget the Dutch East India Company) and their colonial involvement in this region. Although not next door, I can highly recommend Simon Winchester’s book on Krakatoa which delves into the Dutch Colonial activities in this region. If your public library doesn’t have it – ask for it.
Any way –
with it’s walls, moat on one side, and areas of former canon emplacements –
facing seaward. The church in the center holds pride of place
with the rest of the buildings surrounding the central square. I skipped the museum as it was dark, few exhibits present as seen through a couple of windows and packed full of school children.
outside the walls –
I don’t get the large gong – and there wasn’t a plaque. The horse and rider? Isn’t there always a horse and rider statue?
There is free wifi in the arrival hall so I am going to take advantage of it to weed out my inbox. The current outside temperature is 91*F with equivalent humidity. Even looking at the temperature in *C isn’t going to make it any cooler.
Tomorrow is Komodo dragons.
And yes, we are expecting turkey for dinner. There are too many Americans on board not to do that…
