Taman Permai and the Coconut King

 

 

Coconuts have received a bad rep around here these days, after the Malaysian president

took a pair of them on his "magic carpet ride" to try to discover the location of the mysterious

missing plane. Although the coconuts didn't seem to help in that case, I do believe in the

wonder of the majestic coconut palm. Is there any tree more gorgeous, fascinating and thrilling?

 

I think not.

 

 

Every morning, when I wake up, I check out my window to make sure the coconut

tree across the street is still there, still full of all its yellow fruit and still waving its

frilly, shiny leaves. To me, he has become a sort of icon or status symbol, not of

wealth, but more of health. He presides over the chicken coop and keeps watch over

the other fruit bearing tees.

 

 

 

 

To the Coconut King's right and left are mango trees. To the right, you can see

several banana trees.

 

That white thing at the bottom of the picture is not a washing machine, as you may

think, but it's a garbage bin (on the bottom) and a mail box (on the top). The bottom

part has become obsolete with the arrival of the modern garbage bin (seen to the left of the

white box). However, the mail box is still in use.

 

 

 

Here's a close up of His Majesty.

I am not a tree hugger. I don't think I've ever hugged a tree in my entire life. But, a tree like this one
deserves some respect, wouldn't you think? It's just bursting with coconuts. I've counted over 27 of them and I can only see one side of the tree! This one tree could feed a whole battalion. Or brigade. Or troop. Or whatever you call them. One hundred soldiers. Or children.

I suspect that, one of these days, someone will manage to get all those coconuts down. There will be a feast then! (I hope I'm invited!)

The Haze is Back

Don't you love it? That white veil of haze that makes you feel like you're gasping for air? It's back, thank you, Indonesia!

Hey! I thought burning palm trees was illegal? Isn't it? Or did they stop trying to enforce the law over there? When you look at an aerial view of SE Asia, it seems most of Indonesia and part of Borneo is ON FIRE. What's with that?

I have taken to wearing a surgical mask for the first time ever. It may be hilarious to see a White Westerner trucking around with her face covered up with sunglasses and a mask, but it's necessary. Besides, maybe somebody will get the message.

But not.

Health doesn't seem to be a major concern around here. I'm sitting in my kitchen, playing the guitar, when an ugly, deep, rumbling noise rudely interrupts me. I quickly put down the guitar and run to look out the front window.

As I had feared, a huge cloud of white chemicals is rolling up to my front door!

"No! No! NO!"

I clamber to pull the upper windows closed but white gas has already seeped into every crack and crevice. I get the bright idea to go and open the back door to let some of it escape but, as I do, the rumble is approaching at the front of the houses behind mine, letting go another cloud that bellows towards my house.

Then, five minutes later, the chemical bomber is dispersing more DDT in the alley directly behind my back door causing a complete white-out! Now I'm fully covered ---in DDT!

I wonder how toxic this is. Is it my imagination, or are my muscles seizing up? Well, at any rate, this must be preferable to Dengue Fever, or Malaria. Right?

Where did I put that surgical mask?