Friday, 19Jan07
Highlights: Marine Party
I spent the entire day stuck in front of my computer, trying to synthesize everything about Sumatra that I saw, or should have seen, on my trip there. Backing up all my observations with internet research,,, pulling statistics,,, reading more in-depth reports about illegal logging, transmigration, population densities and ethnic composition of the various provinces. It’s fascinating stuff… but eating time as fast as I can get through a bag of M&Ms.
Whew… for a break, I took the Embassy Marine Security Guards up on their invitation to a beach party they were throwing at the Marine house. They like to throw theme parties. Ha ha. They’re a great bunch of guys, and I was embarrassed I hadn’t been over to their house before, so this was perfect.
The 90 minute cab ride got me there after the ambassador had left, but the Marines weren’t kidding about the light atmosphere & beach theme. There was a room of Sergeants with their metaphorical hair down,,, floaty rings around the waist; inflatable arm floaties firmly attached (I think the sticker reads “for children 5 and below” there SSgt!) ha ha. Sun-glasses, baha shorts, flip-flops and blended drinks… the scene was fantastic. I have to comment on the one Navy guy in the room, who didn’t want to be outdone,,, so he produced a speedo, white nose cream & sunglasses, and sipped his martinis in his ultimate swim fashion. Ha ha. It was funny. The girls liked it.
There’s not a ‘barracks’ facility in the Marine Corps inventory that I’ve seen which doesn’t have a certain ‘institutional’ feel to it. The Marines here did a pretty good job covering that up as well as possible. I’m most impressed with the pool table in the back, and the twin, sliding door beer refrigerators stocked like a general store! (= Way to go Marines! Keeping our reputation in tact! Ha ha.
It is pretty cool to throw a party and have the ambassador drop by to knock a few back with the guys. I’m sorry I missed that. But then again,,, the boss’s early departure is the signal for the best half of the night to begin. Let’s party boys!
I described some of my trips & the joys of speaking the local language well enough to hold down a conversation with some of the Marines & the ambassador’s secretary, who wants to do a diving trip in Manado if she can slip away from the office long enough.
Highlights: Marine Party
I spent the entire day stuck in front of my computer, trying to synthesize everything about Sumatra that I saw, or should have seen, on my trip there. Backing up all my observations with internet research,,, pulling statistics,,, reading more in-depth reports about illegal logging, transmigration, population densities and ethnic composition of the various provinces. It’s fascinating stuff… but eating time as fast as I can get through a bag of M&Ms.
Whew… for a break, I took the Embassy Marine Security Guards up on their invitation to a beach party they were throwing at the Marine house. They like to throw theme parties. Ha ha. They’re a great bunch of guys, and I was embarrassed I hadn’t been over to their house before, so this was perfect.
The 90 minute cab ride got me there after the ambassador had left, but the Marines weren’t kidding about the light atmosphere & beach theme. There was a room of Sergeants with their metaphorical hair down,,, floaty rings around the waist; inflatable arm floaties firmly attached (I think the sticker reads “for children 5 and below” there SSgt!) ha ha. Sun-glasses, baha shorts, flip-flops and blended drinks… the scene was fantastic. I have to comment on the one Navy guy in the room, who didn’t want to be outdone,,, so he produced a speedo, white nose cream & sunglasses, and sipped his martinis in his ultimate swim fashion. Ha ha. It was funny. The girls liked it.
There’s not a ‘barracks’ facility in the Marine Corps inventory that I’ve seen which doesn’t have a certain ‘institutional’ feel to it. The Marines here did a pretty good job covering that up as well as possible. I’m most impressed with the pool table in the back, and the twin, sliding door beer refrigerators stocked like a general store! (= Way to go Marines! Keeping our reputation in tact! Ha ha.
It is pretty cool to throw a party and have the ambassador drop by to knock a few back with the guys. I’m sorry I missed that. But then again,,, the boss’s early departure is the signal for the best half of the night to begin. Let’s party boys!
I described some of my trips & the joys of speaking the local language well enough to hold down a conversation with some of the Marines & the ambassador’s secretary, who wants to do a diving trip in Manado if she can slip away from the office long enough.
posted by jonathan adventures at 1:23 PM
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