Kalabahi is the only town on Alor Island and has a population of about 60,000 out of a total of 145,000 on the island. Given the small population, it is amazing that more than 15 different indigenous languages are spoken here. This is a rugged, volcanic island that the Dutch once governed and valued for its vanilla, tamarind, sandalwood and almonds.
On arrival, we were greeted by a group of young dancers on the dock. Do you get the feeling that we are dancing our way across Indonesia?
After a visit to the market, the coaches traveled into the rugged interior where the Melanesian people still live a very traditional life. We visited Takpala village for dances and demonstrations of handicrafts. Actually, I should say that Mike visited the village because I decided to take it easy on board the ship this morning, so the pictures below are courtesy of Mike.
The afternoon was spent on a beach with opportunities for snorkeling, diving, or going out in the glass-bottom zodiac.
Dinner this evening was a seafood barbecue out on the deck. The variety of shellfish, from shrimp to lobster, was impressive as was the table of desserts with everything from chocolate mousse to baked alaska! For those who don’t like seafood, there was also grilled chicken sate and beef tenderloin. It was all quite festive with candles on the tables and a slight breeze blowing, so it was a fun evening.