Archive for March, 2008
Paintball Bali
Guns and I just don’t mix. Besides disliking violence of any kind, I will never understand why anyone could even hunt animals or simply collect guns for pleasure. I’m not talking about killing people or animals here but rather the craze of Paintball. This game has captured the imagination of the world and people of all ages take part in these games where two opposing teams compete using CO2 Paintball makers and go around trying to eliminate the opposing team members. Basically, Paintball is an exciting version of “capture the flag”. The game is won by successfully returning the centre flag to your team’s flag station. And the paintball, well, it’s a gelatine shelled capsule, will simply splatter on impact. Seems like fun to me but it’s the idea of carrying a weapon that I don’t like. However, each to his own.
Date: March 25th, 2008 |
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Strawberry Fields: Nangkojajar, East Java
Farmers in Nangkojajar, a hilly area in the Bromo-Tengger national park in East Java, grow an abundance of fresh produce that is sold in markets across Java and in Bali. Some of the best vegetables grown in the area include cabbage, broccoli, carrot, potato, lettuce, aubergine and beet varieties, to mention a few. But despite the fertile soil and fresh mountain air, farmers in Nangkojajar, it seems, have given little attention to growing fruit varieties. That was before Subagyo came along. Subagyo, a 67-year-old researcher from Pasuruan, in East Java, managed to establish his own strawberry farm. Speaking from his strawberry fields in Nangkojajar regency, Subagyo said he decided to start a strawberry farm after hearing complaints from tourists and visitors over the limited varieties of fruit from the area. Subagyo, who has a passion for research into high-yielding fruit hybrids, said he knew this open niche in the fruit market required a fast-yielding crop with sustainable output over a fix period of time.
Date: March 25th, 2008 |
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Kampoeng China: Cibubur, Jakarta, West Java
Kampoeng China (Chinese Village), located at Kota Wisata housing complex in Cibubur, East Jakarta, is full of miniatures resembling famous places in China — Beijing’s Forbidden City or the Great Wall. Everything is painted red, the most important color in Chinese culture. There are also plenty of dragons and other traditional Chinese beasts. The site is free to the public, including the lion dance. Chinese dishes familiar in Indonesia — such as siomay (fish cake) and noodles — are for sale in the pavilions according to a small article in the Jakarta Post. At the …
Date: March 24th, 2008 |
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Poinciana Resort: Tembok, Bali
Located in the small village of Tembok, situated on the north-east coast of Bali is the truly magnificent Poinciana Resort. Far from the madding crowd of the tourist mecca in the south-west of the island, the resort offers a unique place to chill out and relax. I say that because there are no televisions, radios or the ilk to annoy you in the room you reside in whilst you are there – just pure peace. Delightful!. Having never been there before, I was indeed curious as to what kind of resort it was going to be as we drove down the narrow leading off the main north-east road. The first thing that struck me was the seclusion and the beauty of its natural location right on the beach. Instantly, any reservations I possessed about the place dissipated immediately.
Date: March 23rd, 2008 |
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Garuda Releases Holiday Guide
Great news for tourists wishing to visit the island of Bali. Now there is no more trudging down to your local travel agent to obtain a copy of the Garuda Holidays Book or copping the usual hype from these folk telling you the best place to stay on the island and things to do. All you have to do now is get on the computer!. Australia-based Garuda Orient Holidays (GOH) has released the latest electronic version of its comprehensive guide to holidays in Bali and Indonesia. The downloadable e-version of Garuda Indonesia’s widely acclaimed “Bali on any Budget” (Boab) brochure has been launched as Australian interest in Bali has surged by more than 50 percent, with the total number of Australians arriving in Bali during the first half of the year rising to 85,860 from 52,574 in the same period last year.
Date: March 23rd, 2008 |
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Bali Triathlon
In June of 2007, Bali hosted its first triathlon – an epic race combining 1.5 km of ocean swimming, 40 km of cycling and 10 kms of running - all undertaken either individually or in teams of three. Drawing over 200 athletes to an event that began and finished on Bali’s picturesque Jimbaran Bay, the inaugural event was a success by any standard, a fact further emphasized by Bali’s selection as “Best Triathlon Destination” by the prestigious Competitors Magazine (U.S.A.). In keeping with the organizer’s concept, the Bali race presented a distinctively Balinese event combining races along the Island’s picturesque southern peninsula passing traditional villages, where sarong-clad race marshals stood guard, and included a traditional blessing of the bikes and their riders by a Balinese priest.
Date: March 25th, 2008 |
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Street Kids in Yogyakarta: Central Java
You will see them anywhere you travel in Indonesia and the tourist island of Bali is no different. I was staggered to read the statistics that more than 1,000 street children, including children under five, have been found in Yogyakarta, but the local government is having difficulties dealing with the problem. According to data at the municipal social affairs office, of 1,065 street children, 175 are under the age of five. The majority of the children do not attend school and have no home to return to at night after begging at traffic lights and shopping centers in the city. Some children are sent out to beg by their parents, while others were orphans unable to find places in the city’s few orphanages. Most of the street children enter Yogyakarta from troubled families outside the city and to try and earn enough money to survive.
Date: March 24th, 2008 |
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Emmanuel Foundation: Jakarta, West Java
The unfortunate side to the demise of Soeharto is that abject poverty and slum areas have increased immensely and the gap between the rich and the poor, worsened. Even more intolerable is the apathy of the Indonesian government and those in private organisations making any headway to solve this crisis. It is all left to NGO’s who, incidentally, are sadly lacking in financial support. Poor sanitation is one product of this crisis. So what has actually gone wrong in the new democracy of Indonesia?. There are a thousand arguments and discussions that could be brought forward, but, until poverty and poor sanitation is eradicated in Indonesia [or near enough to] then feet will be dragged on and on infinitum.
Date: March 24th, 2008 |
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Tour de East Java
When it comes to the media broadcast of cycle races, I tend to be glued to the television watching the races and, especially the Tour De France. There is just something that I find fascinating about the race as man and cycle battle the elements. I admire these guys and whenever I get on the road with my new mountain bike or on the track, then there is definitely no emulating them!. Another cycle race that I admire is the Tour de East Java. Indonesia is set to hold its fifth Tour de East Java, …
Date: March 23rd, 2008 |
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BMG to Operate Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre
Recently when I visited Bali we had a few weeks of intensely thunderous weather. Quite out of context for that time of the year. Sure, there is the usual rainstorms at the end of the wet season, but none like the lashing Bali [and a lot of Java received] at the time. Of course the surfers loved it because great swells were generated. And, as always, Australia was blamed for having cyclones off the north-west coast of Western Australia. It happens every year. Now, the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) in Indonesia is to commission a Tropical Cyclone Warning Center (TCWC).
Date: March 23rd, 2008 |
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