This morning, we hopped into the Zodiacs right after breakfast and headed ashore to Madura, a relatively quiet and little-visited island off the northeast coast of Java. After a welcoming ceremony in which several of us were presented with traditional Javanese headdresses, we boarded coaches for a short ride to the town of Sumenep. Here we were greeted again by a happy throng of children, wizened elders, and a wonderful band that combined a gamelan orchestra with an enthusiastic brass band. They led us to the royal palace, where we were treated to a fantastic cultural performance and a wonderful spread of local food and drink.
The morning was made complete with an opportunity to browse a wonderful selection of batik fabric and gorgeous traditional Kris knives before we headed back to the ship for a restful afternoon at sea.
