Hotel on the Hill

Tweet This is probably the nicest hotel in Timor-Leste. The Pousada sits on a hill overlooking Baucau.

Heal

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The Road from Baucau

Tweet In the distance, you can see a man walking with a young boy. The man is carrying a rooster in his arms. As he passed our SUV, the little boy's mom ran out and grabbed the boy -- apparently trying to keep him from going to the cock fight. The boy grabbed the man's leg and refused to let go. I'm not sure how it wind up. We pulled away amid the struggle.

Still Recovering

Tweet There are hundreds and hundreds of buildings in Timor-Leste that look like this one. Many were burned after the August 30, 1999 referendum in which the vast majority of East Timorese citizens voted for independence from Indonesia. Just after the referendum, anti-independence groups, organized and supported by the Indonesian military, launched a scorched-earth campaign.

Dust Storm

Tweet A woman crosses the road trying to reach her truck and escape the dust storm. Just a 100 yards further along, the dust reduced visibility to just a few feet. We encountered this storm near the town of Manatuto -- between Baucau and Dili.

The Tamarind Seller

Tweet I met this elderly woman along the road from Baucau. For one dollar, you can buy a lot of tamarind. For those who have tried it, it starts out tasting a bit sweet, but then, after a few seconds, tastes sour. The tamarind is in the date family.

Lovely Baucau

Tweet Baucau is Timor-Leste's second largest city. It is cooler and more beautiful that Dili, the capital. The trip to this beach is through a canopy of tropical trees along a narrow road that twists and turns down to the water. Baucau sits on the hill, overlooking the water. This is the warning that awaits you at the foot of the hill -- at the beach.

Machete Shop

Tweet This shop is located about five kilometers west of Baucau. You can also take a rest after a long, hard day of work.

Snake on the Beach

Tweet This cute little guy was on the beach near Dili. He slithered up out of the sea, checked out the dunes, and then slipped back into the water.