Southern Coast of Java

Balekambang has to be one of the most picturesque places in Indonesia. This Hindu temple is on the island of Pulau Ismoyo, connected by a footbridge to the mainland.  August 11, 2012,  we visited a member of the Church who lives about 2 hours from Malang, near this beach. Good excuse for some wonderful sightseeing! 

Talk about beautiful white sandy beaches!

Elder and Sister Kepler came along with us for our delightful weekend in Malang and the southern beaches.

On the road to our next member's home, Rhama pointed out some clove trees growing along the narrow highway. We stopped and bought a small bag of freshly dried cloves from this darling woman. As Steve took a picture of the woman and I together, I surreptitiously snapped the picture of her feet. We wondered if she'd ever worn shoes in her life. What a delightful stop that was!

Our second beach stop was at Sendangbiru--you can see the island of Pulau Sempu in the background. While we were walking along the beach for a few moments, Rhama struck up a conversation with some local fishermen. One of them asked what the "bules" eat for lunch. When Rhama told them that we had bread and jam (meaning, peanut butter sandwiches) for lunch, the questioner said, "See? Just like I told you! They eat bread and pills, just like the astronauts and they get full!" So there you have it.

 

Trucks full of chickens are a common sight, as are motorcycles with huge loads. This one is carrying sugar cane. We're constantly impressed with the nice highways, although there are many that need work.

A beautiful mosque in the middle of rice paddies.