Day OneHundred-Thirteen

Introducing Lucman-

Lucman is our driver.  It is often said your driver is your most important staff member.  You depend on them like no other, entrust your safety and kids safety in them, and look to them if you are EVER in any sort of accident.  Drivers in Jakarta have to have more patience then any human alive.  I'm not sure how they do it.  At least when I am stuck in traffic I can drown myself in my iPhone, Pinterest, FB, my kindle, iPad....WHATEVER.  But to sit and fight the millions of motorbikes and cars following no rules?  No thanks.  He gets us from point A to point B....not always on time and not always with ease, but hey, we get there, right?  After the mess of drivers we dealt with the first 6 months in Jak, I'm thankful (most days) that we have him.  I've been known to secretly want to strangle him more than once ....His favorite saying is "I don't know Mrs."...and I consider him one of the best dressed Indonesians around.

Day Eighty-Four

The "Day After" is always a bit depressing to me.  New toys and good to play with, yes, but the excitement and "spirit" the anticipation of Christmas brings is over and it's back to reality.  This year was a bit harder for several reasons:

1. Husband had to go to work.

2. I'm half a world away from home (where the "BIG" Finkel Christmas is actually celebrated on Dec. 26th (forcing Christmas to last a day longer than most!)

3. We leave for vacation in 2 days.  This is exciting, I know, but it means that decor really needs to come down so that upon our return in a couple weeks - all remnants of Christmas are gone.  Christmas until Jan. 1st is typical in my house, but Christmas on Jan. 10th...is a little much.

SO - the process begins.

And how better but to start then by adding some FUN to today's picture...Oh, so opposite to the not so fun task ahead.

Day Sixty-Nine

I was determined to put my tripod to use on this trip....and proud to report back it was used a fair amount. This picture was taken in the monastery of Mendut Temple.  This stop followed Borobudur, and was a welcomed change....quiet, empty and with a decent breeze.  And when a Buddhist monastery is empty...you just have to pose like Buddah.  The giggles and smiles were sucked in and held for the 10 second count down and then released like air from a balloon after that click went off!

Day Twenty-Five

Light at the end of the tunnel....just scared to actually go see what is there.

Kampung Tour

Day Twenty-One

Took the shot with this exact outcome in mind.  So exciting when that happens.  Inside the "center" of the Kampung (local Indonesian neighborhood).  "Parking Lot" of sorts....best part is the building in the background.  Definitely an example of the opposite ends of the Jakarta spectrum of life.