Cianjur 2: religion

Most people here and in Indonesia period are Muslim. I've been woken up by the call to prayer two days so far. The other morning I was dreaming that I was telling someone about it and I said, "And just when you think it's over, it starts up again," because that's what was happening. They pause for like 30 seconds and you're turning over to snore and then it starts up again. It's really loud, like the PA system at a public school but outside. It just started up again and every time it blows my mind. My host family just walks around doing their thing while it's happening. The other day we waited 'til after the last call to prayer to eat dinner. Maybe it's like church bells in the States? You just sort of ignore those. They kind of mark time.

There was also a very loud speech that sounded angry about God (so I was told) last night. I can't tell if it was actually angry or just impassioned. It was more surreal that there was a speech coming over the neighborhood PA system. There is nothing equivalent to this at home. Maybe if you took a talk radio show and broadcast it from everyone's radio at once in your neighborhood. And then you took away everyone's control dials. The more I think about this the crazier it sounds.

The food here, by the way, is ridiculous. It's hot like nothing I've ever eaten. I'm pretty sure there are Scotch bonnet peppers involved. (Even if there aren't, I'm saying there are. My face melts every time I eat the chili sauce.) There are lots of fried vegetable cakes, different kinds of soy bean cakes and tempeh stuff, lots of chicken (even at breakfast!) and fried bananas. I've made it my personal mission to eat as many fried bananas as I can, and to hit the daily mango quota of three. So far, so good. The local tea, of course, is fantastic. The coffee is all instant.