betel nut

In Timor, as in many countries in Asia, people chew areca nut, commonly referred to as betel nut. It grows in much of the tropical Pacific, Asia, and parts of east Africa. 

When I took a trip to the mountains a few months ago I was excited to try it with a local family. It is usually shared in a group of people who want to be more authentic in their conversation. In some of the sucos (sub-districts) they will sit in a circle and chew betel nut before an important community discussion or decision. It is a mild stimulant and causes a warming sensation throughout the body.

The betel nuts are sprinkled with lime powder. 

Then they are wrapped in betel leaves.  

Much like chewing some good ole' Copenhagen or whatever kind of dip you prefer, the little package is placed next to the cheek along the gum line. As your mouth fills with saliva due to the acrid reaction among the organic materials in your mouth, the liquid starts to soften the nut and you slowly chew.  Forever. With a smile on your face. Because you are with a lovely family and this is special for everyone. And an honor.

It produces the brightest amber spit that unfortunately stains the teeth of most if its devotees (women), and is totally disgusting.  

sister love

jaco island

I was lucky enough to go on a spectacular road trip this weekend to visit Jaco Island.  Jaco is just off of the easternmost district of Timor-Leste, called Lautem and the village closest to Jaco Island were I stayed is called Tutualaa.  I am proud to say that Mitsubitchy made it down the treacherous 8.8km “road” (navigable only by a 4WD) and enjoyed 2 nights of camping on Valu Beach.

Here are a few pictures to document the journey.

Baucau- after a 3 hour drive from Dili, we enjoyed this Thursday night sunset and rising full moon.  We ate at a tiny beach restaurant after I recovered my stolen ipod from (child) criminals after some savvy detective work and a cash reward.  That, and not being hit by falling coconuts during our dining experience were worthy of celebration with several ice cold Heinekens.

Friday morning we left Baucau for another 4 hour drive to Jaco Island.  Around kilometer marker 200, I finally saw a Timor crocodile.

It was nearly 5 meters long.

This photo gives some scale.  Such a thrill.

Along the way there are beautiful Fataluku houses, which are traditional homes in the Lautem district, particularly in Lospalos.  These were decorated with ropes of beads and shells.

The beginning of Irasiquero Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Timor.

The view from the Pousada at Tutualaa.  The water is crystal clear even from the top of the ridge.

We enjoyed a full moon over Valu Beach.

On Saturday we took a ferry over from Valu Beach to Jaco Island.  We enjoyed a lunch of freshly caught yellow-fin tuna and another white fish that were both tasty.  My friend purchased 2 fish ($40 total) from the fisherman who ferried us over in the morning and they grilled them for us.  After a morning of hard snorkeling it was divine.  Sitting in the soft white sand, we ate the fish steaks with our salty fingers reveling in our good fortune (our view of the crystal water) and delicious feast.

Jaco Island is part of the famed Coral Triangle, an underwater area that holds the world’s greatest diversity of both corals and coral reef fish, and is protected by the Nino Konis Santana National Park. The island is considered a sacred site by locals and is uninhabited. There are no permanent structures on the island, camping is prohibited, and its only regular visitors are fishermen and expats from Dili like myself. 

There are not enough adjectives and synonyms for the word beautiful to describe this beach. 

The closest thing I could find are the words of Abhijit Dutta:

As a beach, it’s a brochure writer’s dream: Every cliché about blemish-less white sand finer than powder is true; every licentious poem about color-crazy seas, is true; every incredulous story about water so clear naked eyes can spy its bare heart, is true. But Jaco also has a certain silence, almost a spiritual calm.

Quite a special place.

pic of the day

yoga, legong dance, and massage under a full moon

I am a bit behind on my postings, but here is the continuation of my last entry.  

After leaving Café Wayan I continued to have an amazing day in Ubud.  I wandered back to my hotel where I checked in and happily discovered that my room overlooked a sparkling pool and beautiful rice fields in the distance.  Nice view ey?  

I spent the afternoon walking up and down the streets of Ubud in search of the Yoga Barn. After turning left based on the recommendation of an almost nonexistent, faded street sign I followed the tiny street and walked into the first of many buildings in time to join the 4 pm vinyasa flow class.  The facility took my breath away and upon stepping inside the complex I felt immediately right with life- no exaggeration. The whole area, much like the rest of Bali, is surrounded by lush tropical plants.  The first building (below) was one of 12 or so on the grounds. I followed the stairs down into an area facing a 2 story outdoor pavilion.  

I paid the fee for the class ($10) and walked upstairs into the main pavilion which overlooked rice paddies and more lush foliage. There was incense burning and yoga devotees walking around in their shanti shirts and dreadlocks with their green juices in hand. I was in heaven. There was a Buddha altar at the front of the room with a fresh marigold garland, tea candles, and more incense. After the hour and a half class I walked to a vegan café where I enjoyed raw jicama and cucumber slices and vegan nut butter with a glass of kombucha. 

As if my day could have gotten any better, it did.  I walked up to a traditional Bailanese dance show and enjoyed it for about 20 minutes.  An hour and a half of yoga was great, but this dance wasn’t able to captivate my attention in the same way.  But I did enjoy the technical movements and orchestrated live music.  

I loved this guys feet.  His toes curled up when he walked.  Obviously he needed Stabilizing Orthotics.

No idea what was going on here but lots of flower petal tossing and kneeling and bowing.

The beats of the music were hard for me to follow initially, but  I eventually got to anticipate the rhythm and enjoyed it a bit more (though not much).  Like anything, it’s harder to connect with something in the beginning when it is so foreign.  Commitment prevailed.

After the show I walked back towards my hotel and before I turned in for the night I stopped off for a nightcap massage.  Though only 30 minutes, Kayman Spa impressed me with the flower footbath, followed by a 30 minute tension relief massage focused on the upper back.  The citrus oil was soothing and refreshing. The cost of this luxury treatment was $6.50, which included a chilled tropical fruit plate and fresh ginger tea at the end.  

I got back to my hotel and laid out a few of the trinkets I purchased that day.  Under the full moon the paddy water was shiny and glassy- enough to see my reflection.  The sky was bright and I reflected how grateful I was for each experience I enjoyed that day.  When I made my plans to travel by myself it was exciting because I didn’t plan anything- no agenda.  The experience of traveling brings me such great joy it is often difficult to articulate it to people.  I live to travel.  I work to travel.  The people I meet, the warmth, and connections I have with others feed that part of me that otherwise feels unattended to.  I am most alive and myself when wandering the world. 

temples of ubud and cafe wayan

Parliamentary elections are taking place right now in Dili.  I am so excited for Timorese to participate in this democratic privilege, and though I am sorry to be missing it, I am happy to report that all is well here in Bali.


Today I am in Ubud, located centrally on island of Bali, in the Indonesian archipelago.  


I left Seminyak this morning and on the way here I passed this temple- one of many like it.  So gorgeous and intricately carved stone, statues and walls.

This little guy welcomed me.

I arrived in Ubud around 11.30 am.  I wandered around Monkey Forest Road (named after the adjacent Monkey Forest) and into Cafe Wayan.  This is my first live post while traveling (they have wi-fi!) and I am excited to say that at this very moment I am on a raised wooden platform sitting on a cushion at a Bailenese carved teak wood table overlooking a beautiful fountain and pond.  The cafe spans the entire alley of a (village) block and though it is long, it feels homey and intimate because of the way each of the raised patios have been secluded from the next with beautiful tropical plants and fountains.  They are all hidden like little secret gardens and you feel like a king.  My waiter, Ketut (no.4), asked me my name and what number I was.  When I told him I was only the first person in my family to have my name he looked a bit disappointed but told me that being the first of my name was good luck. People here are so friendly and lovely.  Everyone smiles at you and makes you feel welcome and as though they are genuinely glad to see you.  

Frangipani flowers fell into the gurgling fountain as I ate my Nasi Campur- a sampling of tempeh, tofu, saffron eggs, sautéed coconut, green beans, vegetarian curry, and corn fritters- served with fruit crackers. Out. Of. This. World. And for only $3.80.

I will unabashedly wax poetic so consider yourself warned.  The sun glinted off the scales of the orange and white carp in the fountain's pool and the algae and tiny leaves that form the blanket of green over the water moved gracefully with the breeze.  

Life really is beautiful here.

Next activity: yoga.

dare memorial

A few weeks ago I had a visit from a chiropractor friend from Australia.  He and his sister were traveling through Timor and he happened to see my previous blog post about missing my chiropractor.  

The miracles of technology are amazing, I tell you.  After our first breakfast meeting, we decided to head about 5km south of Dili to the Dare Memorial.  The Memorial is private and dedicated to the people of East Timor, built by Australian Forces that fought in Timor during WWII.

During the war, “Sparrow Force”, 2/2nd and later 2/4th Independent Companies conducted guerrilla warfare against advancing Japanese forces across Timor.  The success of the guerrillas in East Timor was only made possible by the support they received from the local Timorese. In 1969 the 2/2nd Commando Association established a memorial at Dare to help the people and show them that the diggers had not forgotten their help.

A spectacular view of Atauro Island across the Wetar Straight, and Dili at a distance.

The memorial was refurbished in 2008, thanks to Australia's Department of Veterans Affairs, to honor the veterans and their helpers. Additional school facilities were erected on the site using local/NGO funding to help the people of East Timor.