Finding my culture...a Solo morning

Today was my fourth morning in Solo...and what a beautiful morning it was. I wanted to share it with you, the view from the room I am staying in at Novotel Solo; a stone throw's away from the house where Bapak and my aunts and uncles spent many years growing up and in their teens with my grandparents.

This is the first time I am spending a few days in Solo, and I am really enjoying it. We're running the first in a series of training workshops in three provinces on building creative communities in Indonesia. It's been exciting, challenging, and very rewarding.

Our first stop has been Solo, the city of my father's birth. And I have found myself discovering parts of my cultural heritage, through the participants in our workshop... On the first day, for example, I was reminded of the name of a game I used to love playing when I was small... "bentik".

Yesterday we went to Yogya to visit a very cool restaurant and gallery, and then stopped by Prambanan as well. Sadly, I was unable to visit Nandi...my favourite statue...but was happy to learn that she survived the earthquake. I can't wait to visit her when the complex has been totally renovated.

So it's been a good and enriching few days. I love that I am having the opportunity to bring my passion for anthropology, culture, archaeology, arts and facilitation all together in one activity!

Thank you, Kelola...for giving me this gift...