The warmth and humidity of Indonesia could definitely be felt as we ventured outside to have breakfast on deck of the National Geographic Orion this morning. As we navigated between lush mountains and extinct volcanoes to find our anchorage, local fishermen passed close by in their colorful wood-planked boats in order to get a closer look at their visitors for the day. After a brief clearance from the local authorities, the Zodiacs were dropped and we were on our way for yet another adventure in this capital city on the island of Flores. Upon reaching the dock it was obvious that Larantuka is a central hub for this area that was once a colony of Portugal for 300 years. The hustle and bustle was impossible to ignore and almost overwhelming with motorbikes, buses, cars and people everywhere. Making our way through the crowds, we managed to find our local guides and be on our way to a local market.
The market was full of almost anything and everything one could possibly need, and plenty of things that one probably wouldn’t as well. Not only were there an abundance of fruits, vegetables, fish of various states and live chickens, but you could also find plenty of household goods from toys to clothes in any every corner of the market. Navigating through the different stands and stalls was an adventure in itself, for one never knew when a motorbike would come buzzing through a walkway at any given moment.
Our final stop at Mudakeputu Village would be only a few kilometers away and our arrival nearly caused a traffic jam on the barely two-lane road. The welcome procession was definitely a grand event with chanting, dancing, and sharing of both food and drink. The school in the village was teeming with young life as children flashed bright smiles and peace signs for our cameras. It was evident that not many foreigners visit this capital city since they all were just as eager to take pictures of us as we were of them. It was difficult to say goodbye, but we had to get back to the ship and be on our way for our next adventure.
Once back onboard, we settled into the afternoon at sea with a demonstration by our pastry chef and brief interruption of Christiana’s shark presentation with a power outage. But the diligent crew of the National Geographic Orion quickly solved the problem and we were on our way again, eager for the next stop at Komodo National Park.
