Holidays: Adventure in Surabaya

Baby Boy had a treat by his grandparents, who brought him for a short holiday to Surabaya, Indonesia.

Interestingly, the name Surabaya came from "suro" (shark) and "boyo" (crocodile), two creatures that fought each other in local legend.

One of the highlights was to visit a factory, which is like Disneyland for Baby Boy. There were tractors and forklifts and cranes.

Watching the tractors at work

Getting a personal tour of the plant

And a special ride

Comparing his miniature crane with the real thing

Another highlight was a visit to Sidoarjo, where a "mud volcano" erupted in 2006 (and is still erupting, albeit at a much slower pace). It's also known as "Lapindo", named after the oil and gas exploration company that was deemed responsible for triggering the mud eruption.

The mud flooded the entire area and elevated the ground by some 20 feet. Embankments were built to contain it from spreading further. You can read more about this extraordinary phenomenon here.

The train track is normal ground level. The higher ground is the height of the mud-covered area.

Up close with the mud

Trying to be artistic

Still letting off gas

Souvenir by very enthusiastic peddlers

Flight delay meant more time watching planes go by

As part of his homeschooling exercise, Baby Boy got to write about his experience.

Journal writing exercise

This is his "Thank You" card to his grandparents because he's so, so blessed.