So I walked into breakfast--a buffet with lots of rice, vegetables and hot soup. I sat down and began to eat as one of the hotel staff tended to the buffet by lighting a stereo votive.
I wasn't much alarmed when the stereo began to flare and sizzle nor was I alarmed when the hotel worker--a twenty-something girl went for a small rag to put out the growing flames. Then suddenly---fire (bars). The counter was on fire like cherry jubilee. The girl screamed as she ran into the next room. After briefly dismissing the idea of documenting the whole thing, I rushed in to assist.
I went to the nearest table cloth and began, went to the water cooler and waited what seemed like an eternity for the water to trickle out. I picked up the sopping table cloth, thre it over the chicken soup and moved the soup onto the floor. The floor promptly caught fire as well.
After beating the floor and soup owl, the fire was extinguished. The two workers looked at each other, covered their mouths and laughed.
With flames extinguished we visited a community mosqu constructed entirely with funding from the Bangkinese people and in an architectural style unique to Bangka. Curios about the azan (call to prayer) I asked if a muezzin (azan caller) climbes the minaret.
The imam said no but invited me to climb the minaret and observe the view, which I did.
Fifteen steep flights later...
I reached the top.
I came down to receive my new fans. :)
Fireman and muezzin all in one day.