Tag Archives: indonesia

ERIN GO BALI

March 16, 2025 – 6:58 am

My first trip to Bali was in 1990. Kuta Beach was the island’s most popular tourist destination for sea, sun, and fun. Being a pseudo-intellectual I opted for Ubud, an idyllic village of Legong dancers, ornate temples, and non-disco evenings. I rented a small house off the Monkey Forest Road surrounded by verdant rice paddies. […]

By Peter | Posted in 90s, Drinking, holiday, indonesia | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

SEA LEGS by Peter Nolan Smith

September 24, 2024 – 6:50 am

The oriental lore of processing roots, seeds, and bark into spice inspired ancient western travelers to seek various detours around the Arab middlemen profiting from the lucrative East-West trade route. Adventurous voyagers stood to reap fortunes from their success. Failures were many. Adventurous voyagers stood to reap fortunes from their success. Failures were many. In […]

By Peter | Posted in 90s, Asia, photo-romans, semi-fiction, Travel | Also tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

March 6 1991 – Palu, Sulawesi – Journal

September 5, 2024 – 2:25 pm

After a week’s diving on Bunaken I was lucky enough to catch the KM Karuna from Bitung, the port for Manado, at the top of Sulawesi. The liner cruised the jungled shore heading east to Borneo. The German-built ship is spacious and only one other Mistah is aboard. A Dutchman. Even after fourhundred years of […]

By Peter | Posted in indonesia, journal, Travel | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)

NOTHING LIKE IT AT ALL – FEBRUARY 28, 1991 – TERNATE – JOURNAL ENTRY

July 8, 2023 – 11:17 am

Nothing like it Standing at the stern of a ferry The wake fanning out a ‘Selamat Tingaal’ To Ternate and Tidore The Spice Islands. We are crossing the Moluku Sea Nothing like it As the evening mist rises from the gentle waves And electric light illuminate a shore village The twin volcanos rising from the […]

By Peter | Posted in indonesia, Poetry, sea | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Dog Yum-Yum

May 11, 2023 – 1:35 am

The islands of Ternate and Tidore had been the destination of European explorers seeking to circumvent the Ottoman Empire’s spice trade monopoly . Only one ship from Magellan’s fleet returned from their historic voyage around the world and the spices purchased on these islands paid off the cost of the trip and enriched the investors […]

By Peter | Posted in 90s, Asia, Food, semi-fiction, Travel | Also tagged , , | Comments (0)