No Boat? No Problem!
August 23rd. Today was another super laid-back day with zero concrete plans.
You might be wondering why I'm staying in Ambon for so long. Well, it turns out my next boat doesn't arrive until September 2nd!
I briefly thought about island-hopping, but dealing with ferries is always such a time-consuming hassle. So, I figured, why not just stay put and really get to know this one island deeply?
To kick things off, I scoped out the local minibus routes heading to Tulehu, a town on the east side of the island. The terminal is right near the port, and apparently, it's about a 40-minute ride. I'll definitely head out there when I have some free time.
Good Vibes at the World Peace Gong
Next up, I visited the World Peace Gong.
It wasn't just a regular gong. The design featured flags from all over the world, and right in the center, there were symbols representing various religions like Judaism, Shinto, and Islam. It felt incredibly peaceful and inclusive!
I also loved the Timor-style motifs surrounding the flags. Seeing religious and cultural symbols used like this for peace was really refreshing.
Oh, and nearby, I spotted this weird tree. It looked like a palm tree but was growing what looked like bananas? Still no idea what that was...
Closed Bookstores & Bus Stop Speakers
I also tried to visit a bookstore to find a book for learning the local Maluku language, but since it was Sunday, it was closed. I'll have to try again tomorrow!
On my way back, I saw something hilarious: a full-blown music sound system set up right at a bus stop! You'd never see that in Japan (laughs). It just screams "City of Music"—music is literally built into their everyday infrastructure.
Red Bean Soup & My Favorite Local Warung
After getting back, I had some amazing red bean soup. Seriously, so good.
For dinner, I headed back to my now-regular street stall (warung). I ordered the usual: Nasi (rice) and Ayam (chicken). I didn't have a fork or spoon with me, but the staff quickly hooked me up. So sweet of them!
I originally started going there just because it was close, but the food is legitimately delicious, and experiencing that local kindness makes me feel incredibly lucky.
