When friends call up and want to take a roadtrip, how can you not accept? Pak Johan (L of photo) and Pak Chairy (R of photo), two Indonesian friends who have lived in Kansas City since January, offered to pay for all my gas and food if I'd drive them to Chicago. How can you refuse an offer like that?
The steel rainbow in St. Louis was our first destination, as well as the Mississippi River across the street (see first photo).
Pak Johan and Pak Chairy had some business to take care of at the Indonesian Consulate. I tried to vote in the Indonesian elections (read red and white sign), but two years in a country doesn't qualify you for voting rights.
Walking around the Windy City, we had to guard ourselves against "masuk angin," an Indonesian disease that literally translates "enter wind." Americans tend to be resistant.
Giordano's Pizza, a famous Chicago pizza place, was great -even better than fried rice.
Even "boring stretches" of the road were interesting to my two Indonesian friends. They snapped pictures continuously, amazed by such incredible scenery and long, straight, smooth roads. It didn't seem all that photo-worthy to me... but that's probably what they thought when I was taking pictures of rice paddies in their country.
No American experience is complete without a trip to Famous Dave's for some BBQ, corn-bread biscuits, corn on the cob, and potatoes. Too bad Famous Dave's hasn't made it to Indonesia yet...
Even "boring stretches" of the road were interesting to my two Indonesian friends. They snapped pictures continuously, amazed by such incredible scenery and long, straight, smooth roads. It didn't seem all that photo-worthy to me... but that's probably what they thought when I was taking pictures of rice paddies in their country.
No American experience is complete without a trip to Famous Dave's for some BBQ, corn-bread biscuits, corn on the cob, and potatoes. Too bad Famous Dave's hasn't made it to Indonesia yet... 
