Here and There

sidewalk sales

Sometimes (often) I'm really not in a blogging mood. I am not a writer, because writing doesn't come easily for me. But as I'm sure you've noticed, I do like to take a lot of photographs. I rarely go anywhere without my camera over here. However, I often end up more frustrated than not because a large percentage of the photos I take are from the back seat of a moving car. There's nothing more frustrating than missed photo ops and they are everywhere!

At right, sidewalk merchants are putting out their wares early in the day. The woman in the back is selling fake hair, the style that Muslim women wear under their hijabs. It strikes me as funny that they would need a particular hair style since it is going to be covered up anyway. But there is a definite "look" that can be achieved by attaching one of these hair pieces to one's own hair.

pharmaceutical, consumer and health care distributor (wonder what's in there?)

While sitting still in traffic, I noticed this sign nailed to a tree advertising Al-Lathif Islamic International Preschool. It says (and I quote) "Expand Children Talent To Be Generation Who Behave and Thinking Globally." Yes, that's what it says and yes, it is a preschool.

Yesterday while stopped in traffic, I was thinking it odd that laundry was hanging outside this tiny sidewalk kiosk. Then it dawned on me that the owner (and family?) lives inside the adjacent quarter, thus the laundry hanging out to dry. Unfortunately, this photograph doesn't show much of a sense of scale, but the room on the far left is (generously) 4x5.

At left is the ever popular street food which Indonesians love. We have been warned not to eat it, mainly because of the unsanitary conditions under which it is prepared and kept. Most of it is not tempting anyway.

boiled somethings

All of these are random shots that I've snapped as I've been out and about in Bandung this week. None could be considered great and few are even keepers, but hopefully together they give you an idea of what life is like on the streets of Bandung - a glimpse of average people going about their normal day.

The guy at right tried his best to sell me some type of boiled legume (front left). When removed from its shell, it looked and tasted like a very large, undercooked pea.

Too many people in this city are handicapped and must resort to begging to survive. One cannot go anywhere without seeing them. Some are able bodied enough to move about in stopped traffic; others must lie on the sidewalk in hopes someone will drop money in their cup. To be honest, I rarely photograph them because most of the time it is too painful to see their plight, much less record it.

 

Barbie fan

This darling little "Barbie" was waiting with her mother outside a restaurant we visited today. Yes, Barbie is popular with Indonesian girls too. Last week I even saw a Muslim Barbie (Barbie dressed in Muslim attire). 

blind leading the blind?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Usually blind people are led by a partially sighted (?) friend or family member, helping them hold out their hand to stopped motorists. This was different, as these people were nicely dressed and appeared to just be going somewhere together. The woman in front (using cane) is leading 3 blind persons behind her, each with their hand on the shoulder of the person ahead of them.

 

musicians playing traditional instruments as they walk past market

how many soccer balls can you carry on one motor?

friendly becak driver