Indonesia

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia. There are approximately 260 million people living in Indonesia. The official language is Bahasa, but English, Dutch, and Javanese are also widely spoken. There are more than 700 hundred languages spoken in Indonesia! The majority of the population practices Islam … in fact, this is the world’s largest Muslim country.

Major exports of the country include mineral fuels, animal or vegetable fats, electrical machinery, rubber, and mechanical appliance parts.

Bali, also known as the “Island of the Gods”, is known for its mountainous landscapes, volcanic hillsides, and flawless sandy beaches. In Bali, each village is required by law to construct at least three temples—the pura puseh (temple of origin), the pura desa (village temple), and the pura dalem (temple of the dead). Make sure to visit all three before you leave! Bali is also known for its scuba diving, massage therapy, and museums. Adventurers in Bali will be sure to play, learn, and relax during their stay!

I had a great time in Jakarta! I did a night foodie tour sampling the best Indonesian foods.

Jakarta street foodie tour

Next day checked out the colorful scenes in Fatahillah Square. The Alila was a great choice in Jakarta! I intend to go back to Indonesia’s remote islands—like Sumatra. Susan wants to go to Bali … hopefully soon!

Equatorial Guinea

One of many beautiful waterfalls in Equatorial Guinea Country Information: Fun fact about Equatorial Guinea: its name is derived from its proximity to the equator and the Gulf of Guinea. Capital is Malabo, and there are ~ 1.4 million people living here.  The official...

Slovakia

Country Information: The capital of Slovakia is Bratislava. There are approximately 5.5 million people living here, and the majority of Slovaks practice Roman Catholicism. The official language of Slovakia is Slovak, with Hungarian and Roma as minority languages. ...

Portugal

Beautiful castle outside of Sintra Jim and Kenan in Lisbon On the coast outside of Sintra Visited Portugal with my son Kenan in 2109, although I had briefly crossed the Spanish/Portugese border briefly in 1989. In Portugal, the capital city is Lisbon. There are...