Another day, another adventure. Today we headed for Tawangmangu, but on the way stopped off for a cycle tour around the nearest town. This cycled tour was interesting as we were visiting the local home industries. On our bikes we cycled through the town, winding in and out of alleyways, past rice fields and through traffic. Our first home industry we saw was the production of rice crackers. I never knew how they were made but now I do. It's like a big loaf of doughy rice pretty much which they slice to make the crackers. After frying and packaging off they go to the local market. Really cool how this was all done within a house with chickens and all sorts running around. Onto a Gong (instrument) home industry. This was awesome. Hidden within this house was a huge fire pit with coal and ash everywhere. They would heat scrap metal and then hammer the metal once it was hot to mould the shape of the Gong. It was crazy, they weren't wearing any shoes, no gloves, no goggles, nothing! They were pretty much standing on hot coals! Madness! Next up was roof tiles. Sadly roof tiles had gotten expensive so the market for roof tiles was not very active. Then onto alcohol. This was cool. Barrels upon barrels of fermenting sugarcane were in the backyard of this house. We even got to try some. It was disgusting! Like vodka and liquorice! Yuck! Hahaha! However they were making this alcohol for medicines and local pharmacists. That was cool. It was lunch time now so onto another local home which produced the most amazing food. In these countries the home cooked food is to die for! Really really good! Bike tour over it was time to get back on the bus and arrive at Tawangmangu. We were higher in the mountains now so the rain was pouring. Coats on, Laura and I took to the village to have a look around. Nothing much to this village but nice to see the mountainous environment. Back for dinner and then off to bed! Mount Bromo bound tomorrow!Â
