Partying in Bandung

I had no idea that'd I'd be going on a trip so soon after I got here. Spent what? two nights in my room and then left for Bandung on a 10 day family visit. Cool but surprising. In Bandung we stayed at my mother's family's house. At the house lived her mother, her sister. and two nephews. I roomed with Nanda. The house was incredible because it had the greatest view ever. During the day you could look out over the whole city with the mountains framing it and at night wow all the lights would come on and the fireworks would start and I'd want to stay outside forever. But I couldn't so instead I'd sit right across from the glass door and watch. Also bandung is considerably cooler than jakarta temperature wise.
  We went to Bandung to celebrate the end of Ramadan and idul fitri but I'll talk about that later. I had a lot of first experiences there. The day we arrived I went to my first Indonesian mall. Very much like an American mall but the shops are tinnier and there's aisle like walking space in between. I got a notebook for all my new Bahasa words.
The third day (I think) I went to a traditional Market. We were there to buy glasses for caca and my mother ended up buying that and a mirror and new sheets. The glasses place seemed so random in the street. But you give them your number, choose your frame from the case and then voila! new glasses.
    Another day I ate a traditional meal with my father's family that is also from Bandung. Going down the entire legnth of a room were bamboo leaves. Brown rice was atop along with the rest of the food. Food was just sprinkled everywhere. You'd sit on the floor and eat with your hands and it was very cool looking. I tried pete there too. It's this huge bean that has a really strong smell. And guess what. It also has a strong taste. Like at first it doesn't taste like anything but the end is bittery and sharp and will live in your mouth (and memory) for-ever. Not my favorite. Actually probably my least favorite food. I have to tell you about food. Really I do.

Pete. Not a normal vegetable. Looks are deceiving.

Movie watching time. Piracy is big in Indonesia which I'm low-key liking (Sorry film people). I got to see Xmen and sadly sat through the Japanese version of Paranormal activity 3. They come out pretty quickly here and are really good quality too.
Trip to the bakery. This was my first experience with Jakarta-like heat and crowds. This was actually one of my last days there and it was crazy hot. I was actually wearing my pajamas because the day had just started out as a quick walk to a cousins house for breakfast. As I had already eaten I decided to go with the cousin to the bakery instead. It was soo packed. The line was out the door and you couldn't move without touching someone. We were probably in the store like an hour and a half with the hour being the time we stood in line. This how I learned the lesson that maybe when going out in the very hot crowded city you should maybe eat something more than French fries and an apple.

The best parts were probably the time I spent chilling with my family. Them making fun of my Bahasa Indonesia (ngantuk and banget are really hard to say), Me teaching them random english (digging in your noise always gets a laugh, and drag queen. That was another new experience. Another time Another time.) And Lebaran well of course that gets its own post. Love

View from blacony. Me with my host mom. Ooo

*Really late. A month late. Don't blame me. Blame laziness.