This 'N That

Cheechucks (actually a phonetic spelling of the Indonesian word) are very skittish.  Capturing them on film (ok, the digital equivalent), can be tricky.  But I was able to get a picture of one in my kitchen.  I will include the progression of photos so you can see that he (why do cheechucks always conjure up the male gender?) was actually quite small.  (Wow, four parenthetical phrases in this paragraph. English teachers - too many?)



Close up

 

 

A little farther out

 

All the way out.  As you can see, he is very tiny. 

 

As I was waiting for these photos to download, one of this critter's relatives sauntered across my dining room floor and stopped in the doorway.  Before I could get my camera out and creep over toward him, he had scuttled off.  They are fast and that is what spooks me about them.  I really don't mind them - even in the house because everyone tells me that they keep the population of unwanted insects down.  And that must be true because I rarely see a cockroach.  Better a cheechuck than a cockroach.  I just wish they wouldn't move so quickly - it freaks me out.

 

Off of lizards and onto something else.  A couple of Sundays ago, the church I attend asked everyone to wear their traditional clothing.  You need to know that in Kalimantan (Borneo) there are many different people groups.  The largest group and the most Christianized are the Dayaks.  Many of the members of this church are Dayaks.  Here is a picture of a group in traditional  Dayak dress. 

 







Notice the gentleman in the center with the large headdress - he is a very talented musician; plays the keyboard for worship. 
 

Although I cannot understand what is going on in church, I enjoy going.  I continually remind myself that one day in heaven, I will meet these lovely saints and then I will be able to talk to them and join them in a universal language praising God.  I actually get tears in my eyes when I think about it. 

 

One last thing that might interest you.  On my walk down the hill to the grocery store, I spotted these tall gray buildings.   Their only purpose is to attract the birds whose nests are used in bird's nest soup, a delicacy in Chinese cuisine.  These kind of buildings are all over Tarakan - just tall empty concrete buildings for attracting birds.  I've heard tell that one bird's nest is very expensive.  A kilo of nest can go for around $2,000.  No wonder there are so many of these buildings around town. 

 

 

 

 These are all shots of the same building - just different angles. 

 

That will do it for today.  I'm trying to post every Sunday.  So check back next week.