Anak Krakatoa Erupts: West Java

November 9th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Sending a boom across the bay, the offspring of the fabled Krakatoa volcano unleashes another mighty eruption, blasting smoke and red-hot rocks hundreds of feet into the sky. Even on its quiet side, the black sand on the now-forbidden island is so hot that a visitor can only briefly set foot on it. This week’s display by Anak Krakatoa — or “Child of Krakatoa” — is impressive, yet it is a mere sneeze when compared to the blast in August 1883 that obliterated its “father” in the most powerful explosion in recorded history. That blast was heard as far away as 2,500 miles and choked the atmosphere with ash and dust, altering weather patterns for years. Some 36,000 people were killed in the eruptions and ensuing tsunamis.

Sangiran Museum: Sragen, Central Java

November 9th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

A student group entered Sangiran Museum in Sragen, Central Java, and enthusiastically looked at the various fossils on display, which date back from hundreds of thousands to millions of years ago. All of the fossils are kept in 15 vitrines at the museum, which is also called the Conservation Center of Early Man Site.

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Blitar – A Range of Attractions: East Java

November 9th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

There are many tourist attractions in Blitar, a city located right at the foot of Mount Kelud, and 167 kilometers from the East Java capital of Surabaya city, so it would be a pity if you miss it. Apart from the grave of Indonesia’s first president Soekarno, visitors can see a tourism village that sells jimbe drums, a product of Blitar’s home industries that are successfully breaking into export markets. It is better if you cancel any planned tour to Mount Kelud, located on the border between Kediri and Blitar regencies. This is because the volcano’s status is on high alert; the famous green lake in the caldera, a major attraction, has been closed to tourists.

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Sumbawa Horse Milk: West Nusa Tenggara

November 8th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The milk of wild horses has been prescribed as an effective remedy to various illnesses since the 1990s. Many people believe it cures severe illnesses such as cancer, leukemia, pneumonia, bronchitis and typhoid fever. Some maintain it enhances stamina and virility in men.

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Purbalingga Reptile and Insect Park: Kutasari, Central Java

November 5th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Thousands of dried beetles and butterflies are arranged neatly in glass cases. There are also various kinds of dried grasshoppers and scorpions that have been placed artistically on shelves. Information about the insects is provided but visitors who want to know more can always ask the guides who will be only too happy to help.

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Paying Homage to the King of Banawa: Sulawesi

November 5th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

Bearing gifts, a group of Tobaku and Sarudu traditional leaders approached the house of Datu Wajar Lamarauna, son and heir of the late king, Adam Ardjad Lamarauna. As per custom, the gifts included betel nut, a sack of rice, 14 eggs, four black and white chickens and a white cow.

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Rewriting Lives in Recycled Paper: Jakarta, West Java

November 4th, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

There is a power of healing in recycled paper. A great one, according to some street children. For them, recycling paper is a way to recover their dignity as human beings. “We recycle waste paper with banana fronds, cogon grass, water hyacinth, onion peels and other organic stuff that is mostly thrown away,” said Hendra, 20, who lived on the streets of Jakarta for six years before joining the workshop. “My life is just like the paper recycling process. I was saved from the streets. I learned to become a person with more dignity by participating in this gallery,” Hendra said at his shelter, the K’Qta gallery, in Kampung Bendungan Melayu, North Jakarta.

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Mangrove Park: Bali

November 2nd, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

As a small island, Bali is prone to erosion, but protection of its vast beaches and mangrove forests, have helped save much land. The mangrove forests along Jalan Bypass Ngurai Rai to Benoa Peninsula in Nusa Dua, for example, are known as a greater forest park, said Sudrajat Wirapraja, head of the program section of the Denpasar Mangrove Forest Management Agency. The park initially had a coverage of about 1,700 hectares, but the road works and other public facilities have reduced this to 1,100 hectares.

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Guardians of the Sacred Legong Dance: Bali

November 2nd, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

A dozen beautiful girls danced together in the courtyard of Payogan Agung Temple in Ketewel village, Sukawati, near Ubud in Gianyar in early October. The dancers were dressed in gold with crown-like headdresses adorned with fresh flowers. Other girls wearing similar costumes sat patiently in a corner of the temple waiting for their turn to perform. Ni Kadek Dewi Puspayanti and the other girls are members of a legong troupe that was not formed to entertain tourists or dance enthusiasts but to serve in life cycle rites, ceremonies and celebrations. The troupe was rehearsing for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Payogan Agung Temple celebration.

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Warung Mak Beng: Sanur, Bali

November 2nd, 2007 | By Barrie | No Comments »

The 86-year-old Mak Beng, or Ketut Tjuki, is a living legend in the Balinese culinary world. She has inherited rare recipes for authentic Balinese dishes from her mother and mother-in-law. Since opening its doors in l941, the modest Warung Mak Beng has been one of the most popular places to eat in Sanur. Located near the Grand Bali Beach hotel, the eatery attracts a mixed crowd of foreigners and locals.

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