August 17, 1945 was the day Indonesia declared its independence from Holland. Japan had been a colonizer too.
This is the 70th anniversary of that independence and big celebration were held everywhere.

Everyone decorated outside their houses with flags. I bought a couple of these to take home to Beaver, PA where I'm sure they will be a big hit.

 
I spent the morning of Independence Day with the teachers of my school at the Alun Alun (town square) in Cimalaka for a formal flag ceremony. 

The official mosque of Cimalaka is just beside the Alun Alun.

In the afternoon I went to Pak Yaya's house.  He is one of the Teachers I work with at SMAC1 Cimalaka. Just across the street from his house was where his section of the village was having their field games.  All kinds of field games with all kinds of people playing them.  GREAT FUN.

The pole was greased. 

I had a good lunch with Pak Yaya, his wife and daughter then returned to watch more games.

August 18 was the parade and carnival here in Cimalaka. Each section of the village was allotted one miles of parade.  route. There are 14 section of the village. It started at  8:00 and ended sometime after I walked out at about 2:30.

From time to time there would be a performance in front of the reviewing stand where I was sitting (I was on TV while watching the parade)

This guy had a long necklace of firecrackers while he set off the the reviewing stand.  He didn't appear hurt.

This guy stuffed snakes up his nose and pulled then out of his mouth. It was slightly disgusting

At about noon I went to the home of another English teacher for lunch.  This was the view from here roof.

After I had sat for as long as I could on the cement bleachers, I walked home following the line up for the parade to pass the reviewing stand.  I stopped along the way to visit another teacher whose house was along the route.  He has some very pretty fish in his pond. He offered to let me put my feet into the water to have the fish eat off the dead skin but I passed.

It was fun just sitting with this teacher watching the parade pass his house.

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