Lombok Montage
November 17th, 2020
Today we’re in Lombok ~ a beautiful isle of Indonesia. We spent a few nights here in 2002 in a town called Senggigi on the northwest coast. We rented a motorbike and explored Mataram, and loved the horse carts, crafts and slow pace of the island. I hand-carried home an enormous mask made by a local artisan, and it still hangs on our wall today.
During our stay, we enjoyed the biggest meal we’ve ever eaten called rijsttafel, or rice table. As defined by Wikipedia, rijsttafel is “an Indonesian elaborate meal adapted by the Dutch following the hidang presentation of nasi padang from the Padang region of West Sumatra.” The colonial origin of the meal may be why it’s rarely served these days. What we enjoyed about it was trying so many Indonesian specialties in one sitting, during our first time in the country. The meal was five courses, with four to eight small dishes within each course. Has anyone else (Bama?) tried this meal? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I think I’m still full.
If you’re dreaming of a small island getaway, not too remote but more quiet than Bali… Lombok might be it. We loved it here.
More from Bali tomorrow — just a ferry ride away. Here’s where we’re checking in!
Kelly
Post of the Day: Adding a bit of light to the darkness as we get through the pandemic together. This series features travel photos from my archives, shared with you while staying close to home.
Villa 207
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Both in the choice of photos and the written commentary, it is a blend of local traditions and tourist facilities. This is what is needed for an inspiring visit.
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I agree! A little bit of comfort and a lot of local color always makes a great escape.
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I have never actually tried rijsttafel, but you can find the same concept in everyday life here in Indonesia. At local food joints, customers simply point at what they want to have out of a wide selection of dishes — the choices vary from one region to another, but usually there’s always things that are deep or stir fried, in thick broth (either with coconut milk or a lot of spices or both), in soup, grilled and boiled. What’s served as rijsttafel is usually a combination of different dishes from different parts of Indonesia. I think it’s convenient for people who have never tried Indonesian food to try this Dutch adaptation.
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Ahhhh, the time and place of such adventures seem so far away! I long for these forays into the unfamiliar – the foods and scenery, art and activities. Thanks for the short swerve out of the U.S. to keep us itchy to travel as soon as we can!
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Ha! Love the swerve analogy. It is accurate! I, myself, was tiring of red rocks and dust. Needed to flee the country for a week. Plenty of time to get back to it since everything is going downhill again. Hope you’re staying sane and healthy! xo
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I can see why you loved it here . . . so colorful, vibrant.
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A wonderful read and great photos as always Kelly. Thanks for bringing back my memory of our one and only rijsstafel experience many years ago. 💕
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Rijsttafel sounds very interesting and yummy. A great way to sample Indonesian cuisine in one seating. It would be very very heavy and best had during dinner during travel I think, followed by a good sleep. I can’t imagine having so much and then travel and see places during the day. I was checking out the individual dishes served and they sound so interesting, have to try cooking some of them.
Thanks for sharing another possible obsession Kelly 🙂
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So beautifull sun set and lovely beach!
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Thank you!
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