If you travel to East Nusa Tenggara then a visit to Komodo island is a must even if only to experience the other fauna and flora in the Komodo National Park. The residents of Komodo island are naturally the Komodo Dragon, the largest of all known lizards, and of course the park rangers live there too. These magnificent creatures (the dragons, not the rangers!) are also found in the nearby island of Rinca. The island of Komodo was declared a world heritage site in 1986 by UNESCO and at that …
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Currently underway in Bandung, the capital of West Java, is the Helarfest, a month-long series of events showcasing more than 30 events at different venues around the city. Organized by the Bandung Creative City Forum, it aims to “awaken” the city’s residents and its visitors to what can be found in the city. It is geared as an alternative to shopping and dining, both of which are a delight in their own right. However, some 1,000 communities working in the music, film, photography, architecture, fashion and handicraft industries, as well as those involved in traditional rituals and performances will make …
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It always pays to have the correct vaccinations and carry with you medicine for the prevention of illnesses when you travel in the archipelago of Indonesia. Here’s a good reason why. A diarrhoea outbreak in a remote area of Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua has killed at least 156 people and sickened hundreds of others according to media reports. And, at least 172 villagers have died in a cholera outbreak that has triggered unrest in Indonesia’s remote eastern Papua. Whether the two are related is anybody’s guess. Other bad news is that the testimony at a Corruption Court session on Monday that 52 legislators had received Rp100 billion in bribes from Bank Indonesia (BI) for the revision of a BI bill was big news by any standard. Yet, to many people the disclosure was not surprising at all because it only confirmed the publics long-standing perception that their parliament is one of the country`s corrupt institutions.
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All of us, at one time or another, have just gazed in awe at the beauty of the animals and birds in their natural environment upon our travels in Indonesia. There is nothing more delightful and exciting that trekking through a jungle and seeing a troupe of monkeys scampering through the trees or a flock of brightly-coloured birds splash across the lush green foliage. Sure, we can go to zoos or animal parks and see these species but it’s not the same as being in their habitat. Unfortunately it is a habitat that has gradually eroded over the decades due to forest clearance, and the latest killer, palm oil plantations. The upcoming conference will be held at the Sanur Beach Hotel from 27th until the 29th of August. Topics that will be covered are Animals in Research, Zoo-Check Work in Asia, Stray Animal Management, Farm Animal Welfare, Tackling the Wildlife Trade, Rescue Centre Operations, The Role of Government Agencies in Animal Protection, Media & Communication Strategies for NGOs.
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Let’s start the news off this week with a surprising poll. Results of an online survey conducted by international magazine TravelWeekly listed the resort island of Boracay in Western Visayas as the best leisure destination in Asia, beating other favorites such as Bali in Indonesia and Sanya in China. That has to be a slap in the face for Bali which for years has enjoyed top position as number one island to visit. Something just as unusual is the interference (that’s how I look at it) of Indonesia’s shadow puppetry performances bring given modern makeover by translating it in English. Shadow puppetry, or wayang, has been drawing crowds for over half a millennium with its distinctly Indonesian music, intricately carved protagonists, riots of color and plots based on ancient fables with their moral messages or stories from religious texts, such as the Ramayana.
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When you travel around the archipelago, each island, or in some cases towns, have their own renowned speciality, that special dish that sets them aside from the others. Lombok, located to the east of Bali and often called the sister-island to it has some beautiful and tasty cuisine. Some of it is transient from Bali and the regular fare you will find in most warungs or restaurants. However, it is the Sasak people whose cuisine I find the most inviting of the two islands. Being Muslims, the Sasak don’t eat pork and so you won’t find any of the Balinese dishes on the island such as babi guling. They do, however, eat meat and goat as well as chicken. Each of these ‘fleshes’ are combined with vegetables and spices producing some mouth-watering dishes.
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Guaranteed you thought I was going to write about bunches of hoodlums that are, occasionally, found in some of the streets in the big cities of Indonesia. Sorry to disappoint you. Rather, I was referring to the small laneways, alleys and narrow streets in Indonesia that are referred to as gangs in Bahasa Indonesia. In whatever city or town you are visiting, and, if you are the adventurous and explorer type, then these gangs often yield some delightful surprises and give you an insight into the normal daily life of the Indonesian people. It’s amazing how often I have struck up a conversation with one of the locals only to find out about a place that isn’t listed in any guidebooks. These include restaurants, warungs and even artisans that ply their trade in their own backyard producing high quality pieces of merchandise far better than you would buy in the main streets or shops. I can recall one very hot day in the Chinese quarter of Semarang when I came across a tailor (penjahit) sitting at his old Singer sewing machine on the front porch of his house. He noticed the beads of perspiration on my brow and beckoned me to sit in the shade with him, rest and talk. His wife even brought out food and water for me.
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Bandung is one of my favourite places in Java and is located in the cool of mountainous areas. It is the capital of West Java and is the fourth largest city in Indonesia and rated the fastest growing city in the country. Most of its residents are Sundanese and the Sundanese language is spoken a second language after Bahasa Indonesia and it is commonly used as an informal language for communication in streets and markets. Bandung has so many attractions and is colloquially known as ‘Jeans City’ for good reason. This is apparent with the cheaper fashion shops located in factory outlets along Jalan Cihampelas. The city is also known for its cultural and artistic aspects. Put that together with the friendliness of the local people and you know why I like this city so much. Bandung also has some interesting museums and galleries.
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I can recall many times when I lived in Cairns, Queensland, in Australia and going out in a boat owned by a friend of mine to do some big-game fishing. It was exciting, even exhilarating, but, when we finally hauled the large fish onto the boat, I almost felt like a criminal for invading the daily life of the poor creature. Naturally, all the fish that we caught were released back into the sea except the few we kept for a delightful repast. Sure, I enjoy fishing but I also enjoy the challenge of getting to a remote place to imbibe in this pastime. There are two guys, Michael Owen and Cyrus Boyum who have been successfully fishing the Islands of Indonesia for many years. Their choice of fish is one of the greatest sports fish, the Giant Trevally or as it is known in Indonesia, Ulua. Over time these two guys developed not only a unique friendship, but also a great company where guests could combine the passion of high adventure with fishing and developed the only fishing jungle safari offered worldwide - Jungle Ulua Fishing Adventures.
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Without a doubt Indonesia grows and produces some of the best coffee in the world. There are even some of the best coffee bean roasters and small businesses that are renowned throughout the archipelago. I’m not talking about Excelso’s coffee chain because that is an Italian concern but rather the little guy who has his own coffee shop and does everything from growing the beans to roasting and serving. A strong coffee history, and expanding middle and upper classes, have made Indonesia, the world’s fourth largest coffee producer, the next frontier …
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