Beautiful Indonesia

I had no idea what to expect when we first came to Indonesia. My uneducated impression was that we would be in an impoverished, underdeveloped nation - plain and simple. Admittedly, most Indonesians live well below Western standards of living, but that's not to say that Indonesia is not a beautiful country. First of all, the people are beautiful in that they are very friendly, respectful, and accommodating. We have a few locals around us daily that are wonderful people and they have been a blessing to know. Although they live with fewer possessions, they don't seem to miss the clutter that westerners often accrue. Their lives are simpler in some respects.

Indonesia is a tropical island nation with nearly 250 million people. The people are scattered over some 13,000+ islands (some books say 17,000) and live in diverse geography. Although locals may have a more simple life with fewer possessions, the high population for an island-based nation is challenging. Overcrowding occurs in many cities and other places are so remote that the locals live in tiny villages that have no connection with the outside world. That extreme difference is as significant as the geographic diversity of Indonesia. The country boasts some of the world's finest beach islands - Bali for example - some volcanic islands, and some agricultural islands. The lush tropics bloom with unique trees and an abundance of beautiful flowers and creatures. As we posted after the trip to Malaysia, here are a few photos of some of the flowers we've seen in Indonesia.