Sunset Fair cancelled on Friday, 4th November

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SUNSET FAIR IS C A N C E L L E D THIS WEEK DUE TO PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. See you all on November 11th!

TGI a VERY long weekend!

This year, the calendar is our friend. Many people are planning to take Monday off work (Hallowe'en) to make the most of the public holidays on Tuesday, November 1st and Wednesday Nov. 2nd (All Saints/All Souls), with an extra half-day off on Thursday, November 3rd for many workers in Timor-Leste, too. So for some, a VERY long weekend starts here! Let's get in the mood at the Sunset Fair this Friday: great music from 5 de Oriente and a cheery, uplifting soccer-themed movie, "Goal!" from Cinema Lorosa'e. PLUS all of our favourite restaurants and handicrafts stalls. TGIF! See you there!

Photographers Kandhi Barnez (above) and Daniel Groshong (below)
on the other side of the lens for a change 

You just can't have too much Maubara basket-work
Christmas is coming.....

A pap-snap!

Fanning the flames for traditional BBQ corn

Delicious katupa rice parcels

Basil and Naomi Kitu Homa Rolandsen enjoy a cold drink 

The Venture team clown around between flipping burgers (below)

Sunset Fair: THE place to take the kids on a Friday

Fashionable young ladies queue for the bouncy castle
This week's sponsor: Aubergine Restaurant
Thank you, Sir Bouncealot!

Beach, "Balibo", Drums and Munchies

The Sunset Fair takes place on one of the very best beaches in Timor-Leste: Kristu Rei. With its pure, white sand and sparkling turquoise water, it's hard to believe that this beach is so close to the city centre.  Joggers often come here to run up the steps to the famous Kristu Rei (Christ the King) statue of Jesus, which looks down from the hilltop that dominates the landscape. At dusk, there is often a cluster of sports fishermen casting their lines from the rocks at the bottom of the hill - if they're lucky, they'll hook a tuna. If not, they can always get a delicious fish dinner at Ugo Lebre's popular "Billfish" restaurant, which serves up locally-caught seafood with style. The Sunset Fair location is its greatest asset: why not take advantage of the scenery, come down early, bring a couple of deck chairs and have a meal on the beach whilst the children play? 

This week, some of the Arte Moris drummers came down to add a bit of rhythm to the proceedings. Their traditional Timorese drum beats drew customers to the stall, which sells original artworks, cards and very cool t-shirts printed with original Arte Moris designs. They also set up a collection box for donations to go towards the cost of running this free art school, which has become a much-loved institution in Dili and a tourism attraction in its own right. 

At this week's Sunset Fair everyone seemed to be munching: popcorn, satay, ice cream, rissoles, burgers, katupa rice packets.... there's a snack or a meal to suit all tastes, with smoothies, fresh juices, icy cold beer, sangria and wine to wash it all down. 

With dinner out of the way, it was time to settle down to a movie: this week the much-anticipated film "Balibo", which has been a real blockbuster at Cinema Lorosa'e's free movie screenings around the country.  

Blue skies, white sands

A walk on the beach, misty hills above Dili

Someone should open up a Sunset Fair stall selling buckets and spades!

Jesus looks down from the hilltop

THIS is why it's called the Sunset Fair!

Wilson models an Arte Moris t-shirt and learns some Timorese rhythms

TGIF! The crowds gather for Sunset Fair sundowners

Let the munching commence! Satay, fried chicken, katupa....

I scream, you scream, we all scream for Ice Cream!

Popcorn and a movie from Cinema Lorosa'e

Happy customers at the Billfish restaurant

Making salsa the traditional way

The one that DIDN'T get away: locally-caught tuna steaks

Decisions, decisions... what to eat next?

Cure that snack attack! Rissoles and samosas

Haleluja! The Maubara minibus that brings down the baskets every week

Photographer Daniel Groshong and friends enjoy a drink

Dive tourists having a well-earned beer

Look what I bought!

Renowned "Friend of Timor" Robb Wesley-Smith on a visit to his favourite
country with Tourism expert Christine Cabasset and
 Maria do Ceu Lopes (Federer), co-founder of Timor Aid

Sunset Fair regulars Lisa and Milissa:
should we bring in frequent flyer points?

A budding Sunset Fair entertainer

Quality time with Daddy

Say it with flowers

Hand-thrown Manatuto terracotta pots

Alola Foundation's multilingual language cards for kids

Arte Moris drummers raise funds: buskers are welcome

The Cinema Lorosa'e projectionist screens "Balibo"

Thanks to Hiro Motor Cycle for sponsoring this week's Bouncy Castle!

"Balibo" Screening this week / Last week's photos: 5 de Oriente, Ugo's fish dinner, shopping frenzy....

The movie "Balibo" will be shown at the Sunset Fair this Friday, 14th (in English).  Whether you've seen it before or not, it's definitely worth coming down to Kristu Rei for it: there's nothing quite like watching this movie in Timor-Leste, on the big screen, under the stars, sharing the experience with the Timorese public. 

This season, the Sunset Fair has become THE place to meet up and celebrate that "TGIF" moment... last week was certainly no exception to that rule!

It's a good  place to go when your family comes to visit...

Pets are welcome

5 de Oriente - Sunset Fair's regular band

That's not the regular drummer!

THIS is the REAL 5 de Oriente drummer 

... and this is the guitar player. But they are a multi-tasking kinda band!

Bouncy castle sponsored this week by L'Aubergine Restaurant - labarik hotu-hotu haksolok!

Bele Kria's latests product - even nappy-wearers like to be fashionable

A snazzy kiddy suit  from Bele Kria 

Snack attack! Banana chips and other crunchy delicacies from Hafoti

Hafoti's coconut oil - cook with it, condition your hair... or use it
for a great, stress-busting massage after a long week in the office

Living Art = Arte Moris 

Beachside Hotel's Cathy has a great eye for local art

The Association of Timor-Leste Women Entrepreneurs display their wares

Timor Coffee - some of the best in the world

Gotta have it! Matches your dress perfectly....

That's Cathy again! What an eye for a bargain... 

Shopping advice...

Get your own personal mini-Kristu Rei statue

Yummy snacks to nibble during the movie 

Have a healthy smoothie.. those avos look GOOD!

Ugo from "Be-Dik" restaurant prepares his special
fish kebabs... first, chop one LARGE Timor chilli...

Delicious, freshly-caught fish from Timor-Leste, beautifully served! 

May the force be with you! See you on Friday!