Jaunt to Java

 Indonesia includes more than 17,000 islands.  There were islands everywhere as we entered the port in Bali.  We quickly left Bali and arrived in Java after a ninety minute flight.  Bali is full of tourists with its beautiful beaches, hotels and restaurants.  Java is the real Indonesia.  Java seems like a very poor country with crumbling sidewalks, dilapidated buildings and substandard housing.  This street scene shows a small portion of the thousands of motorcycles that jammed the streets where there seemed to be no road rules.  We went for a walk after checking into our hotel in Yogyakarta.  Crossing the street in a crosswalk is a life threatening adventure.  There are no pedestrian lights for crossing and traffic continually moves through the intersections in all directions even when there are traffic lights.   We survived four intersections alive but then Ruth Ann tripped on the uneven sidewalk and went face down so quickly I feared she was seriously injured.  Luckily, she suffered only hand and knee abrasions with swelling which is being iced as I write this blog.

            With tens of thousands of motorcycles, there are motorcycle shops on every block.

                                                            Some transport coconuts.

                                               Another repair shop on the main street into town.

                                          Small shops like this lined the streets for miles and miles.

                                                        Rice patties dotted the landscape.

Our luxury hotel is surrounded by sights like the photographs shown above.  The elevator is so nice it has a bench where Ruth Ann could rest her knee on our way back to our room.

Calum Scott sang in At Your Worst;

You know I love you at your worst (at your worst)
Be right beside you when it hurts (when it hurts)
Don't you know I would die for you?
The least that you deserve

You know I'll always put you first (put you first)
Do anything to make it work (make it work)
I would go anywhere for you

Across the Universe