Fwd: Backstage at last!

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From: "David Hill" <rhythmhill@gmn-usa.com>
Date: August 23, 2012 3:24:52 PM GMT+08:00
Cc: peg  <peghill6@gmail.com>, Craig Brown <cbrown@tor.fasken.com>, anne  <aoh@rogers.com>, jenniferbrown  <brown_jennifer@rogers.com>, <VE3MZL@Winlink.org>, David  Hill <dhill057@gmail.com>, georgia  <grennick@airdberlis.com>, Jeremy  <hilljeremy8@gmail.com>, Joe  Aziz <joeaziz787@gmail.com>, joe bro  <joeaziz@dophes.com>, John Hill <jvhill@rogers.com>, Josef Kates <josefkates@gmail.com>, Leslie  <hobbsleslie@hotmail.com>, Margaret Hill <margaretgsmith@sympatico.ca>, Mary Fraleigh <mfraleigh5420@rogers.com>, Olivia Hill <olivia.katherine.hill@gmail.com>, pats  <paziz@rogers.blackberry.net>, peg  <peghill6@gmail.com>, philippa  <p.janehill@gmail.com>, Squeak  <antoinette.ridout@gmail.com>, Stephen Smith <stephensmith1@sympatico.ca>, Sue  Aziz <azizsue@gmail.com>, wendy  <wendylyons@hotmail.com>
Subject: Backstage at last!
Reply-To: "David Hill" <rhythmhill@gmn-usa.com>

Same Bay Different Day,
Man oh man,David and I just returned from a shore barrage,a superlative  mob scene,....I can only imagine the feverish juiced up crush   that would have rocked like rolling stones velocity in  this wee village if the beautiful young blond Kelly and John had been with us.! Believe this;I had teen-aged boys wanting to have their picture taken with me!!!!! Thats about as close to a compliment as Ive had in a very long time..WE would have needed to be armed if Kelly or Olivia was with us,haha..
 I'm left with an odd mix of feelings. From the moment we waded our dingy in near the village at low tide,feet touching sand and my mind back in the lonely planet about what NOT to step on, we were greeted with meteoric celebrity .
Last night we talked as the sun set ,on the bow,drinking in the phenomenon of us being in this incredible place,How did we get here? The new waxing moon had appeared,already high and the shifting light revealed this shadowy dimension of topography,a depth of field,like a child's picture book, in differing shades of shadow;at the back-the volcano grand and proportioned,then the dry rolly  hills,and at the forefront, layer of green  palms before the black sand beach. To the west,the sounds of the bustle of village evening activity enfolded us closer.WE felt connected and cozy and very lucky.  We saw fires,big big bon fires aglow scattered about the surrounding hills like the aftermath of a bomb strike without the percussive fear.It was all very beautiful  .
   WE must explore!We don't need to have the rally to escort,to be our camp councilor! WE can forge forth-we want to hike,to climb!To let legs live land!Indonesian land!    We plotted our days adventure. We would get up early,pack lunch,bug spray,sunscreen,all that,etc. We would walk through town,and out,we would find a path! We are intrepid!   
To follow up for a second on the previous email ,sent yesterday. I must add that if our dugout man had not come and escorted us to this fine spot to anchor,we would indeed have found our way.We have done and we will do. And,for the perspective of team work,and to hasten to not belittle myself,I will describe the tables turned. I am referring to my intelligence in the navigation,computer- t-o life and compare ;in turn,an illustration of what I can do, what I do know.ie: Banana bread. I can make it. This morning while I made the rice salad ,David made the Banana Bread. He really doesn't know much in the arena of baking,like where the ingredients are and that one mixes dry ingreds together separately from the wet. So,there we go,we are both humbled in this ship of dissolving job delineations.

OK,so,back to the beach landing. It was crazy and amusing. Our first greeters became our posse,boys boys boys! Little boys initially,as they are the ones out hunting for creatures in the low tide,they are exuberant ,curious,bright and willing to help.We all had a big chain gang chant as about ten of them helped heave the dingy as far up the muddy sinky sand as possible.Then with my camera out and reminiscent of India,the rabble rousers flocked in front of the lens. Again,boys big screen hogs.  It was fun teasing them in English,as they mimicked my words.  To Mr Handsome -who vain ,was vainly in beg- to let his face be my perpetual muse,Id say,How will you ever find a wife worthy for your handsome face?? It went both ways,I can assure you, That line that boys in a herd can cross did not pass me,in group shots I had my butt slapped,they kept asking for handouts. One adult man,of dubious character,all friendly shook our hands,asked David if he wanted his small black plastic bracelet,David declined,he turned to me,I accepted,why not?Id come prepared with freebies.He pointed to a decoy bracelet I wore just in case,and I said,you want?Oh yes! The posse watching and noting and then,this is the shady bit,he gave me a weird hand shake where he pressed his one  finger into my palm with lot of pressure. It took a split second but it was creepy- and we were friends.I wondered whose side I was now on??   
We continued walking on the dirt road through the small town,scattered houses,a few stores with cigs and candy-on with a strong entourage  -the kids,still mostly boys with only a  few shy girls   hanging back. I tried to get pictures of the girls but those hoi polloi boys were in-my-face!...I found my true personality totally rising far above my kind nice Canadian- rep. persona. Which never lasts anyway...I was bossing the boys to," get back "! When they touched me,my back I turned and said Don't Touch Me! Its like the teacher who divides the class,some like ,some hate...I will never know    . Then we walked,still focused on our mission to walk hike,explore. We had some school stuff-yes,Olivia,many of your coloured pencils-to take to the school.We did manage to get them to take us to the 2 schools,however,and duh-there was no school today.   .haven't these Muslims heard that Ramadan is over?Apparently,they missed the sign of the moon as I read the new moon after the Islam calenders 9th month and 29/30 days is the completion ,however,last night at 4:30am the beautiful sounds of singing were audible within the acoustical Bay ..

We never found the teacher and left the stuff with a cluck of cheery woman.All the kids,about 30 surrounding the presentation.The Mum cave me a hand shake,then kisses on cheeks. I was really hoping to give the girls a parcel of cosmetics that Magali had given us over a year ago.I also have a ton of stickers from the dollar store at home.How?How can I give them out in that swarm?The worst part,and why I felt mixed was that the boys new I was "holding" and it bugged them .We bought them all gum(date on huge plastic container is passed due) and ,as we aborted our trek and waded back to our dingy-that we didn't trust to the rising tide despite a small anchor,the ingrates actually splashed me ,with guffaws and slaps to one another as they skittered helternskelter."Oh is that nice?!" ,Do you believe I scolded saying," Is that Indonesia to Canada?!" ,and I confess to doing what I soo hate,I shook my head! In any language that is sooo bad- teacher,grumpy retiree,ahhhhhhh But,seriously,brats!.....Harmless brats.
Back aboard,hot and a little disappointed,word is out and now,we greet on a regular shift the dugout brigade of floating askers. WE have a boat load of bananas now...goodie,more bread.No fish offered . Constant chants,"Mistah!Mistah!" I better go help...David says its like halloween,and its true he is shelling out! WE have given out much fishing line and hooks,Tshirts and our huge endless supply of wrteched gum.    In regard to the identity here,they are essentially sweet,poor in worldy goods,simple in the precious child like way of not being plagued,as we are in Toronto,of self conciousness,the ever present "Big Brother" judger always looking upon us.     The lonely planet says this is "the murder island",in reference to the warring tribes-naturally religion based;Christian vs Muslim. I didn't feel it but I did note the separation between the woman and girls and the men and then the boys.WE noticed some shiny moped driving slick young men who avoided eye  contact with us-again,same the world over. I rest my case,it always comes down to hormones;venus,Mars..its that simple..
New plan,to keep evolving,is that as I tred water,which keeps the other side of my brain alert and David will have his," get to know the boat from a male perspective "seminar.Yesterday ,we began with"The batteries" Amps,etc....Cant wait.If the trick or treaters beat it...Getting too agggressive..
Miss you,forward to anyone who can/wants  read it all,Love Peg

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