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Java is the only island in Indonesia that has a train system. And it's a pretty good one. We had to laugh as we passed a sign at the entrance to the station prohibiting weapons, drugs, alcohol, live chickens, and durian, which is a large, popular fruit that has such a strong smell it's not allowed on any mass transit vehicles - not just here in Indonesia - but all over Asia.

In years of travel, every place we've lived or visited has their own term for foreigners. In Italy we're stranieri (strangers). In Mexico we're gringos. In SE Asia we're falangs. I've never found these words to be pejorative. I use them myself, about myself. In Indonesia the word is bule (pronounced boo-lay) which literally means "white skin". And we have yet to meet anyone in our travels who has not been wonderfully charming, considerate and helpful and who has not gone out of their way to make sure we "bules" have an easy time of it.

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