Banda Ashore
Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Wed 27 Jul 2016 22:47
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Banda
Ashore
 Time to explore the
town.
 Neighbour to our left.
 Neighbours to our right – Bruce and Deb
(Matilda) heading in to shore. The black beach and the
local ferry dock behind them. The children love to wave from the shore and when
they are out and about in their little canoes that seem to require constant
bailing.
  Stepping ashore behind the rally boats at the wharf Bear
was thrilled to present his trigger finger. Next stop
the well organised Tourist Office, set up under the gazebo long the way. We
booked a snorkel trip for tomorrow and the spice tour in a couple of days
time.
 Gunung Api
Island (or Fire Mountain), we are anchored to the
right.
   We found ourselves at the back of a hotel, now being
used as our base for the time the rally is here. Colonial splendour, ladies
toilet complete with bailer and the hotel rooms
beyond.
   Walking through the bar admiring the local art, it was quite a surprise to see To Des All
the Best Diana 2/6.94
  The view from the
bar. The ‘big girl’ wharf to the
left.
  The trigger finger was out once
again.
  Out in the high street we found quaint houses.
 The only mosque in
the area makes for a lovely sound as it doesn’t compete with any others. We
thoroughly enjoy all the calls to prayer.
   We got no further than the ‘rally fleet
favourite eatery’, served by an American who is engaged to a local. My new hat
was test driven by Deb and backed
up by Anne. Bear’s food arrived and everyone
tucked in. My chicken and chips were clearly being
sourced from another island...... I had asked for plain chicken and when it did
finally arrive it was still coated with garlic and spice. Handed on to Bear who
enjoyed the extra, it was time to really explore.
  After our bimble we settled at five
o’clock on the hotel porch. Simon (Nicha)
thanked the assembled children and handed over some
gifts. Each student stepped forward and told us their name, nickname, family
name and welcomed us, all in English.
 They danced and
sang, we cheered and then they all came to shake our hands.
  Later in the bar Bear and Karen (Soul) deep in conversation. Deb and Bruce pose, my hat once more involved.
 The five pound a head buffet dinner went down well with everyone enjoying soup,
mains and a fresh orange.
 Bear tucking in
to his soup. After our meal the Spice Islands video was shown. Introduced
by Kate Humble it took us through the nutmeg story, the massacre of the elders
and how each family now owns anything from fifty to two hundred nutmeg trees.
The labour intensive collection, drying and separating, sadly Europe buys from
Grenada as the Indonesian crop fails safety levels of aflatoxin. The Jakarta
Globe reported in 2015: The European Union has banned imports of nutmeg from Indonesia
after it was discovered the spice exceeded the safety limits for aflatoxin, a
natural toxin produced by certain species of fungi which can cause liver
failure. Indonesia’s nutmeg contains 200 part per billion aflatoxin, far
exceeding EU’s required limit of 15 ppb. What a
shame.
ALL IN ALL A REAL MIXTURE IN
A FUN DAY
VERY FRIENDLY, HELPFUL
PEOPLE |