Indonesia About Indonesia
News Week Ending 05/10/08
It has dominated the news this week. An Islamic militant on death row over the 2002 nightclub bombings on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali pledged ” retribution” Wednesday if his execution goes ahead. Only time will tell but, if this retribution goes ahead then it would b the downfall of foreign tourism into Indonesia. I did find this article interesting though. Idul Fitri and Christmas bear a substantial similarity to each other: their human side. It is true — from a theological perspective — that both celebrations have to do with a man’s business with his God. However, the texts used are totally different. I was a tad worried about another article as I am a fervent devourer of Mars Bars. Mars Inc has said it has “significant reason to question” results by Indonesian Government scientists that claimed to show some of the US company’s best known chocolate brands were contaminated with melamine. Perhaps I had better stick with chocolate biscuits!
Date: October 4th, 2008 |
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Idul Fitri
Today marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadhan and the beginning of the two-day celebration of Idul Fitri. I would like to take this opportunity to express to all my Muslim friends across the archipelago…
SELEMAT HARI RAYA IDUL FITRI
MOHON, MAAF, LAHIR DAN BATIN
Date: September 30th, 2008 |
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Five Great Reasons to Visit Indonesia
Indonesia is a vast archipelago with over 17,000 islands and rich not only in cultural treasures but also a country steeped in history. It is a country extending 5,120 kilometres from east to west and 1,760 kilometres from north to south and, it is the largest archipelago in the world straddling the Equator between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Amazingly, it has roughly 108,000 kilometres of beaches. The Indonesian climate is simple as it has no spring, summer, fall, or winter but only two seasons: rainy and dry. While there is significant regional variation, in most of the country the dry season is April to October, while the wet season is November to March. Put all that together with the varied plethora of bird and animal life then you have a fantastic place to visit, all year round.
Date: September 24th, 2008 |
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News Week Ending 21/09/08
Sad beginning this week with at least 23 Indonesians were crushed to death Monday while trying to collect $4.25 in cash handouts from a rich family at a charity event marking the Islamic holy month. Eight others were critically injured in the stampede. Yes, it is sad because poverty in Indonesia is rife and these poor people were only trying to get some money for the upcoming Idul Fitri celebration. There will be no celebrations in Bali if the new porn bill goes through. Bali is up in arms over a new pornography bill which some say threatens Hindu traditions and the bikini-clad tourism industry. Westerners bask in skimpy swimmers and put that together with its famous easy-going lifestyle and sensual charms, it is no wonder the Balinese are worried.
Date: September 20th, 2008 |
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Try Breakfast at the Local Market
I have a penchant for traditional markets and you will find these in every village, town and many in the cities in Indonesia. The majority of traditional markets start at dawn and are usually over by midday, except of course those markets where the majority of vendors sell clothes and the ilk, and household items. Foreign travellers in Indonesia tend to visit these places around mid-morning and by doing so miss out on the magical atmosphere that surrounds these markets. Early in the morning whilst most of them are catching up on a few hours extra sleep or nursing a hangover from that bitter brew from the previous night’s activity when they really should be down at the market where one can buy fresh fruit and imbibe in the culinary delicacies of the city or town you are in. It’s fascinating to watch the locals setting out their piece of canvas on the ground and laying out their fruits, spices and vegetables for sale, and the kaki lima hustling for a good position with their carts. It is also interesting to watch the local patrons of these markets bargain for goods in an effort to get the product at the best price.
Date: September 15th, 2008 |
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Bambu Nusantara 2 World Music Festival: Bandung, West Java
I was reading an interesting article today and if you are a connoisseur of Indonesian culture and especially music then the upcoming Bambu Nusantara 2 World Music Festival is one attraction that you really can’t miss. It is n international bamboo music festival and as you know there are various types of bamboo instruments played in the islands across the archipelago, each region or island having its own. For instance, on the island of Bali it is the Angklung and very popular with tourists buying them as souvenirs. Angklung also has a special place in a gamelan orchestra. My favourite is the saluang or flute from West Sumatra. Of course there are those bamboo instruments that are a percussion type such as the calung from West Java. Other types are the kulintang from North Sulawesi. The list goes on. Bandung is the perfect setting for this festival as it is the cultural centre of West Java and steeped in the arts.
Date: October 3rd, 2008 |
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News Week Ending 28/09/08
I thought we’d start the week with a bit of culture. Following the recent discovery of the Majapahit town square, archaeologists from various universities have been challenged to locate the palace of the ancient kingdom, believed to be the biggest across the archipelago. I Made Kusumajaya, head of the conservation center (BP3) in Trowulan, Mojokerto, said his office had given out the challenge to the team of archaeologists excavating the site and told them to continue their work there. Trowulan is proving to be an Archaeologists utopia. Continuing with the theme, the Arab-Indonesian community in Empang subdistrict, Bogor, has lived side by side with their uphill Sundanese neighbours for over a century. They even share food, especially during the fasting month of Ramadan. Whilst still on the subject, Idul Fitri is still a week away, but people are already queuing up at bus terminal ticket windows to pay their fares homes. It is going to be one mad rush as usual.
Date: September 27th, 2008 |
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Five Good Reasons to Visit Solo (Surakarta): Central Java
Solo, or Surakarta as it is formerly known, is located about 60 kilometres to the east of Yogyakarta in Central Java and is one of the principal batik centres in Java. Bordered by the longest river in Java, Begawan Solo, Solo has much to offer the traveller although oddly enough, it is less visited that its sister counterpart of Yogyakarta. The city is home to many traditional and heritage sites as well as many cultural and historic places. There are interesting museums, palaces and centres of art and culture. There are numerous shops that offer a variety of products and specialty items as well as excellent restaurants and cafes. It is a fun city to explore by becak or on foot and if you don’t have a clue where you are going then there are no shortage of local guides willing to tag along for a fee of course to enlighten you with the delights of the city.
Date: September 23rd, 2008 |
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Diving in Indonesia
It has been a while since I have been below the briny and I truly miss it as diving in Indonesia is an experience of a lifetime and with over 17,000 islands to choose from, there are copious amounts of dive-sites each with its own special delights and clarity of water. Interestingly, there are about four thousand species of fishes in the waters of Indonesia and that amounts to about one fourth of the total species of fish found worldwide. In fact, the wealth of marine life is amazing. The coral reefs off the islands in the archipelago are, in the norm, pristine and both patch reefs and barrier reefs can be found. I can truly state that besides the extraordinary marine life, Indonesia has the best coral reefs in the world. I have dived at a lot of locations in the archipelago but without a doubt, two of the best are Raja Ampat and Bunaken. Of course everybody has their own special place where they have enjoyed the best dive experience of their lives. As I mentioned earlier, there are literally thousands of dive sites and still a lot are yet to be discovered.
Date: September 19th, 2008 |
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News Week Ending 14/09/08
I have to start this week of with the latest form of tourism. Mud tourism is about the only thing that is flourishing in Porong, in East Java that two years ago became a disaster zone when hot volcanic mud began spewing from the site of a gas exploration well. Today, the inland sea of mud is twice the size of Central Park in New York. Enough mud to fill 40 Olympic-sized swimming pools spews out every day and has already displaced 50,000 people, submerged homes, factories and schools. And, it is gathering popularity with the goggling tourist sector. What next you might ask! A totally different matter but one that I feel is important. Is religion more important than preserving the nation’s history? There will be a million and one debates over this but renovations to a mosque in a village in Malang regency are hindering archaeologists in their attempt to excavate and preserve the site of an historic Singosari kingdom township, believed to be under the mosque. Blasius Suprapta believes the mosque could be relocated to a nearby area, allowing the walls and township of the former kingdom to be reconstructed, a move that would enrich the country’s heritage. The outcome will be interesting, to say the least.
Date: September 13th, 2008 |
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