A hiking trip to the Tangkubanparahu Volcano was one of the 4 outings yearned for by Asia Source II participants. More than half of the camp population joined the group and made its more than 4-hour trip to Bandung, Indonesia aboard two buses
Our bus was noise-filled with the usual pranks that each of us played on the others. Marvin and I were funny victims and so was a sleeping Fouad who got a "political" kiss from butty Jagadeesh. No one dared to sleep after this. Myra was targeted as the virgin to be sacrificed in a volcanic ritual.
Hours later, rows of pine trees, a sloping terrain, a sudden drop in surrounding temperature, a drizzle, and thick fog welcomed us. The sulfuric stench told us that we were at the crater lip of an active volcano, which last erupted in 1983.
Our bus was noise-filled with the usual pranks that each of us played on the others. Marvin and I were funny victims and so was a sleeping Fouad who got a "political" kiss from butty Jagadeesh. No one dared to sleep after this. Myra was targeted as the virgin to be sacrificed in a volcanic ritual.
Hours later, rows of pine trees, a sloping terrain, a sudden drop in surrounding temperature, a drizzle, and thick fog welcomed us. The sulfuric stench told us that we were at the crater lip of an active volcano, which last erupted in 1983.
A horde of vendors greeted us and repeatedly tried selling their wares to us tourists - rabbit skin bags and hats, local handicrafts, and these multi-colored flexible ala-Barbie ninja toys. I have a penchant to collect novelties and I have stopped myself otherwise I end up buying all of them. I just took a good photo of it.
I knew ninjas are of Japanese origin but are there Indonesian ones? Checking Wikipedia.org or a wild Google search did not turn up a convincing link. Anyway, I found this ninja "criteria" in an Asian cinema website that states that "in sum, to be considered a ninja, as we understand it through popular entertainment and modern ninjutsu masters, a ninja must: practice the art of concealment, engage in covert military operations, belong to a secret fraternity of ninja, wear black, and lots of it."
Hmmm... are my FOSSy friends resemble ninjas? I don't think so. Firstly, they don't conceal anything (it's open source); they don't engage in covert operations (it's a community for everybody, but some of them can be from the "friendly forces", too; there's never a secret fraternity (Track 5 members are no secret at all); and oh, they do wear black but it's more of a fashion statement. And lots of it? Yes, lots of fun and sharing. So there can't be no FOSS ninjas among my friends in Asia Source II.
How about being rainbow-colored ninjas? Rainbow-colored my friends are! True-blooded ninjas, I rather not. A teenage mutant turtle, perhaps. Miss you all, my AS2 Friends!
I knew ninjas are of Japanese origin but are there Indonesian ones? Checking Wikipedia.org or a wild Google search did not turn up a convincing link. Anyway, I found this ninja "criteria" in an Asian cinema website that states that "in sum, to be considered a ninja, as we understand it through popular entertainment and modern ninjutsu masters, a ninja must: practice the art of concealment, engage in covert military operations, belong to a secret fraternity of ninja, wear black, and lots of it."
Hmmm... are my FOSSy friends resemble ninjas? I don't think so. Firstly, they don't conceal anything (it's open source); they don't engage in covert operations (it's a community for everybody, but some of them can be from the "friendly forces", too; there's never a secret fraternity (Track 5 members are no secret at all); and oh, they do wear black but it's more of a fashion statement. And lots of it? Yes, lots of fun and sharing. So there can't be no FOSS ninjas among my friends in Asia Source II.
How about being rainbow-colored ninjas? Rainbow-colored my friends are! True-blooded ninjas, I rather not. A teenage mutant turtle, perhaps. Miss you all, my AS2 Friends!
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