Merdeka!!

17 Agustus 1945.

Today is my country's national day. 61 years ago today we got our independence. Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, also the country in which Bali is located.. suddenly I'm reminded of a friend of mine who met a stranger in an elevator and had this conversation:

Stranger: where you from?
Friend: Indonesia
Stranger: Oh.. yeah I've been to Bali, where in Bali is it?
Friend: No, Indonesia is the country, Bali is in it (deep down inside.. 'whaaaat')

It's quite funny but true.

I'm sure different countries celebrate its national day in different ways (ceremony is of course, universal). WE mark the day with different traditional lomba (competition). Everyone will be out on the street ready to play, me and my two siblings are regulars. When we were still back home, every year we would wake up early to participate. And while the adults go for lomba panjat pinang (see picture below) the three of us found a certain satisfaction in competing with the 8 year olds.. and bash those kids (not literally.. I love kids) and won at least in one of the lombas.

Talking about the competitions, the most popular one (and my fav) is lomba makan kerupuk, translate that to English.. eating-crackers competition. Ohoho.. I'm the queen of this particular one, unless someone else finds the trick ;)

www1.bpkpenabur.or.id/kps-jkt/tkk8/hutri.htm

lomba makan kerupuk (eating crackers competition) - lomba balap karung (you dont need english for this one)..

www.lumajang.go.id

www.balipost.co.id

lomba panjat pinang - see the left picture? they put prizes on the top, the one who can climb to the top the quickest and get those prizes is the winner. They will normally rub the tree with oil to make it slippery for you to climb, not in these two photos unfortunately.

I haven't been home for two years now, this day kinda bring back the memories. Merdeka!!