All of Java: part 2

Indonesia feels like a long ways away, mostly because there’s snow in the air as I type this.  But our pictures from the second half of our trip need to see the light, so here are some highlights from Jepara and Yogyakarta.

Jepara is a city by the sea known for its wood carving and we definitely had Indonesian wood on our minds.  Joel and I have started a company called Raya Exchange and our focus is on supporting small businesses in Java by importing handmade, home goods that we sell via our web store and Charish.  So far, we had been concentrating our efforts on handwoven textiles- pillows, throws and runners- but this trip was planned in order to expand our efforts into teak furniture and planters.  We visited our furniture partner in Jepara to check out the progress of our order and we were thrilled to see our products coming together so beautifully.

All over Java: part one

Vendor at Car Free Day

Singapore Slinging

We didn’t actually drink a Singapore Sling (a drink I envision to be similar to a Long Island Ice Tea), but Joel and I did go to Singapore together on our long trip back to the US.  We’d each been many times on our own, as it’s the closest place to renew your visa when you’re living in Indonesia.  But because we had moved on different dates (him first and me following a few months later) our visa schedules weren’t in sync and we always took these trips alone.  It was fun to explore the city together, show one another our favorite spots and finally visit the place we’d been saving for our couple’s trip- the Buddhist hell museum at Haw Par Villa.

Capping off Asia in Kuala Lumpur

Crabbin’ the summer away

Moving back to Washington just in time for summer has proven to be a solid decision.  These past few weeks of 75 degree days have been just what I’d been craving during our time in Indonesia.   We’ve taken advantage of the pleasant temperatures with lots of dining al fresco and strolls on the beach.  But our best outdoor activity thus far has been our days we’ve spent crabbing.  My husband Joel grew up coming to the beaches in northwestern Washington so he’s an old hand at this crabbing thing.  But the experience was new to me and I learned a lot after a couple of trips out.  Here’s what I’ve picked up so far.

Night in Waterville

Eastern Washington RV Adventure

First week home

USA here we come

The time has come for Joel and I to triumphantly return to Washington after two years living abroad.  I’ve already listed all the things I’ll be missing about life in Indonesia, so I thought it only fitting to do little round up of what aspects of life in the US that I’m most looking forward to.

Favorite Images: Indonesia

Initially my idea for this post was to make a top ten list of my favorite images of Indonesia, however that soon proved to be impossible.  Scrolling through two years of blog posts there were too many memories and snapshots of unforgettable destinations for me to narrow it down to a mere ten.  So my top ten became a compilation of pretty much any image that I was fond of starting with our fantastic honeymoon in Kuta and Ubud.  I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed compiling them.

Two weekends in Solo.

The time I went to the market with Annie and made a slew of new friends.

I’ve never been anywhere quite as special as Karimunjawa.

 

Meeting the makers: batik and tenun

Checking out forts and trains in Ambarawa

Trips to Jakarta

Exploring our city, Semarang

Discovering Jepara

That time we went to Borneo

So many trips to Jogja

Temples, temples and more temples.  And one more temple.