“South Sulawesi is home to fertile plains that are the most densely populated region in Indonesia outside of Java and Bali.Towards the southern tip is the provincial capital of Makassar, the largest city east of Java.  Further north, Parepare is the second largest port on Sulawesi and a stopping point driving from Makassar to Tana Toraja.  Tana Toraja, 400 km (240 miles) north of Makassar in the highlands of South Sulawesi lies in the region of Tana Toraja.  From June to September the local community holds its elaborate funeral celebrations to honor their ancestors.  Rantepao is the main town and location of the buffalo and pig market where animals are bought for the funeral celebration meals.    Cave burial sites are located at Londa and Lemo.”  Paraphrased from our info on our map of Sulawesi.  Some of the stops along the way were Maros, Pangkajene, Prepare, Enrekang, and the Rantepao.  Our hotel was in Makale just outside of Rantepao.  I believe we stopped in Parepare for lunch. 

Rusli said about 30% or the population is middle class earning between $25,000 to $35, 000 per year US.  Since there are about 10,000 Rupiah to $1,  what you earn and spend sounds staggering!   Most people are poor though not hungry or homeless.  We saw some of the local economies on our journey from Makassar

  Early in our first day we stopped not far from Makassar to see part of the bamboo industry.  Here bamboo is sold.  In Torajaland its abundance makes it free.

  Catching fish in the river near Nur’s house.  Lights are shown into the nets and the fish swim in and are caught.

Rusli and Herman, our driver  buying “lemons” from a street side shop.  We would call them grapefruit.  There are no speed limits and no real rules.  Just go as fast as you can around everyone else so you can get from Makassar to Tana Toraja in 8 hours.  Scary!  Luckily Herman has been doing this for years and knows how to deal with the road and other drivers. 

  Rice drying along the road near Nur’s house.  Rice has three stages and three names.  Padi with the husk, Beras with the husk removed, and Masi when it is cooked.  Pare Pare is rice in general, I think

  These small cakes had the consistency and texture of a flat corn muffin.  They were made from sticky rice, I think and cooked over coals in a heavy covered cast iron pan as you can see.  Very good.

  The shop/restaurant owners.  He wanted his photo taken, she was not so eager.  The home is located over the shops in many cases.  Ruko is the local term for the combined home and shop.

   Rusli explains to Randal about the fish “drying” process. These fish are tiny but we also saw large grouper.

  Look prehistoric don’t they.  Could be too since formaline is used to preserve them.  We were going to buy some but took a pass when we learned of the preservative.  Usually it’s just salt.

Rice workers.  I could devote more than one email to photos connected to the rice culture.  These are mostly “rental people” who will be paid with rice. 

Rusli giving them some lemon.  They had asked for candy, but we had none.  I bought some for the ride back, but the opportunity didn’t arise.

  Protection from the sun and also because they are Muslim women.  I was warm in just my tiny sleeves!  Sitting!!!

From the sea to the highlands.  So much to see along the way.  That’s why I have 400 photos.  It was hard to pick and choose.

  Lunch stop Parepare 

Our guide Rusli could join us for lunch here because it is a Muslim area so he knew there would be no pork in the dishes.  First, though he went off to pray and them came back and shared the vegetable and potato salads, squid and fish Randal and I had ordered.  Rusli requested rice because to him it is essential to a meal.  He explained that Asians don’t feel full unless they have had rice.

Rice field work of art.  The gleaners.

  Puncak Lawakan (Bambapuang)  Seen behind the red chair, Erotic Mountain  is called that because of its likeness to a certain unmentionable part of female anatomy.    It seems that the Sulawesi people are a bit less Puritanical than New Englanders in lots of ways.  And to quote Gump, “That’s all I’m going to say about that.” 

  The scenery at our hotel!  I loved the red flowers.

Terraced rice fields further up the mountain from Tana Toraja.  This area made us regret that we didn’t have a week to spen here hiking the mountains and relaxing in the clear clean mountain air.

  Rice fields near the “bones” cave burial site.  Too bad about the cell tower in the mid section.

I wish pictures didn’t take so long to send.  I will copy all of the photos from our Tana Toraja trip and send them to Audrey for the photo album.

Just one last note.  Any delays in the construction of our website are all caused by my role in getting it up and running.  Communications at sea and in remote parts of the world takes time.  Audrey has been patiently waiting for me to comment on the site’s construction and it takes me a week or more to respond.  So any parts that are “underconstruction” are still underconstruction due to my slowness, not Audrey’s.  www.mydoramac.com  Check it out and share it with friends!!

Early in our travel from Makassar we stopped at the home of the “widow” to see a typical lowland home.  Well, as Rusli interpreted our questions to Nur, we learned that her mother had died and Nur was now alone.  But she was in no hurry to marry and earned her living cutting hair and sewing.  Also we paid a small 2,000 rp donation.  10,000 rp make $1.  We liked Nur and she and her friends liked us.  The lady getting her hair cut admired my Kota Kinabalu public market blouse that I had bought for the sleeves.  We were offered a candy of sticky rice and had a second tiny helping.  It was good!  Nur is part of the newer generation that won’t rush to marry rather than be alone.  She has a home and can earn a living.  Most women might not be able to do that.  It was originally her parent’s home first.  Nur might not ever have been able to get one on her own. 

Oddly I only took photos of the inside and underneath of the house and not from the front. 

    The side of Nur’s house along the river.    

You can see it is up on stilts so that the “underneath part” can be used.    It isn’t because of possible flooding.

Underneath.  You can see a house in the left corner that is similar though bigger. 

Chickens and roosters live here and plants too.

  Tiny porch over looks the street.

  The front room and sleeping room.  All was swept clean and neat.

Lots of “stuff” that we would call “stuff.” Or collectibles.  I really wanted to look more closely but didn’t want to be rude.

  Nur cutting hair.  You can see the cut off hair on the floor.  The weather is never cold so the home doesn’t need insulation.  It does have electricity, but not running water.

   Sewing corner.  Beams held up the roof.  Those who sew can recognize the age of the machine.