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Indonesia Travels
Just returned from a two week journey in Bali and Java with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
caseopaya. Haven't been checking livejournal/dreamwidth so if there's some important news I've missed out on, please mention it. Meanwhile, a summary of this eventful and interesting trip..
Left Melbourne early on August 4, arriving Bali airport around midday. Made our way to Sanur, a place that is much cheaper than Nusa and far less brash than Kuta. Lodged in a fairly average room at Hotel Ramayana as my preferred losmen was booked out. Spent the next couple of days exploring the surrounds, including a visit to the Le Mayeur Museum, a Belgian post-impressionist artist. Also caught up with Les and his partner from my Thursday night D&D group who had coincidentally booked holidays at the same time.
After that we headed to Taro, in central Bali, to visit the Elephant Safari Park before staying overnight in in the town of Ubud, a rather well-known cultural and artistic centre. Dined at the French expat cafe cum-bookshop "rendezvousdeux", chatted with the owners, listened to some fine music and picked up an Indonesian copy of Marx on Religion. Stayed at an excellent bungalow accommodation complete with three pet rabbits hopping about. Following morning visited the Sacred Monkey Forest.
Next leg of the journey was a shuttle bus through Singaraja to Lovina on the north coast. From there we flagged down a local bus, complete with a rooster, everyone smoking etc, to Gilimanuk on the west coast and took the rusting ferry across to Ketapang. A charming local gave us a lift to Banyuwangi where we stayed at the simply named, but very good value, Hotel Selmat. Following morning took one of the excellent Indonesian trains to Surabaya where we spent a small fortune at the Hotel Majapahit whose restaurant was the one and only place that we received a mild dose of food poisoning. The Hotel is famous for being the site of the 'flag incident' which kicked off the biggest battle of Indonesian war of independence, which makes it worth visiting, but certainly not to stay there.
With the staff at the Majapahit unable to find us transport in pure desperation we took a taxi to Semarang; the helpful driver probably received a week's wage on that single trip. We booked into the New Metro Hotel, which has a combination of modern facilities, deco styles and helpful staff. Within two hours of our arrival I was visited the Indonesian Unitarians, including Dr. Tjahjadi Nugraha one of the country's most well-known theologians. Most of their work seems to be in building bridges between Indonesia's Christian and Muslim communities and working in interfaith activities. Over the next few days they showed us around town, including an ancient Gendong Songo Hindu temple, the Chinese Sam Po Kong temple, the maternity hospital they've built, the school they are building, their publications, and asked me to give an address at an impromptu service! For my part I've offered to help them set up a website and to correct English-language editions of their books prior to publication. I suspect we're going to have a long-term working relationship.
From Semarang took a bus down to Yogyakarta, the cultural capital of Java. We stayed in the very well-located Mutiara Hotel, a place of fading glory and helpful staff. Requisite visits included the Sultan's Palace, and day-trips to the great Buddhist monument of Borobudur and the equally great Hindu temple complex of Prambanan. The visit to the latter culminated in dinner and watching the Ramayana Ballet (Youtube video) after sunset; one of the greatest cultural experiences one could hope for.
From Yogyakarta took a very late night flight back to Denpassar and stayed in the pretty dire Hotel Ratna in Kuta for one night. It would probably make a good "hour by hour" hotel, in the Indonesian vernacular. Following morning made a hasty exit to Sanur where we stayed in the delightful Swastika Bungalows; I derive some small pleasure that they are so close to the German consulate. The final days were spent doing very little at all, apart from watching the spectacular kites flying overhead as part of a local festival. Departing on a midnight flight after Independence Day from Denpassar (and after buying some expensive alcohols), my first aid certification received some work as a young Australian, well-tanned from his holiday, passed out on the plane with the blanket over his head and had gone into convulsions. With no doctors, nurses or anyone else on board with any superior medical qualifications I had a duty of care to ensure that he had good oxygen flow and slowly rehydrated; he seemed fine after a while.
Having spent time there during the Independence Day I must confess more than a passing interest in the political future of the Malay archipelago: Is a unitary state really desirable? What about West Papua? A future with Malaysia? I note that prices have doubled since my last visit (except in Internet costs), but economic development is very uneven. I have made some firm friendships with the people in Semarang, which I believe will be lasting and have made some preliminary investigations with historical vulcanologists concerning a pet theory I have regarding Borobudur and Prambanan. This Sunday coming I will be giving an address at the Melbourne Unitarian Church on the Religion & Culture of the Malay Archipelago. Despite a most enjoyable journey however it's great to be home.
caseopaya. Haven't been checking livejournal/dreamwidth so if there's some important news I've missed out on, please mention it. Meanwhile, a summary of this eventful and interesting trip..Left Melbourne early on August 4, arriving Bali airport around midday. Made our way to Sanur, a place that is much cheaper than Nusa and far less brash than Kuta. Lodged in a fairly average room at Hotel Ramayana as my preferred losmen was booked out. Spent the next couple of days exploring the surrounds, including a visit to the Le Mayeur Museum, a Belgian post-impressionist artist. Also caught up with Les and his partner from my Thursday night D&D group who had coincidentally booked holidays at the same time.
After that we headed to Taro, in central Bali, to visit the Elephant Safari Park before staying overnight in in the town of Ubud, a rather well-known cultural and artistic centre. Dined at the French expat cafe cum-bookshop "rendezvousdeux", chatted with the owners, listened to some fine music and picked up an Indonesian copy of Marx on Religion. Stayed at an excellent bungalow accommodation complete with three pet rabbits hopping about. Following morning visited the Sacred Monkey Forest.
Next leg of the journey was a shuttle bus through Singaraja to Lovina on the north coast. From there we flagged down a local bus, complete with a rooster, everyone smoking etc, to Gilimanuk on the west coast and took the rusting ferry across to Ketapang. A charming local gave us a lift to Banyuwangi where we stayed at the simply named, but very good value, Hotel Selmat. Following morning took one of the excellent Indonesian trains to Surabaya where we spent a small fortune at the Hotel Majapahit whose restaurant was the one and only place that we received a mild dose of food poisoning. The Hotel is famous for being the site of the 'flag incident' which kicked off the biggest battle of Indonesian war of independence, which makes it worth visiting, but certainly not to stay there.
With the staff at the Majapahit unable to find us transport in pure desperation we took a taxi to Semarang; the helpful driver probably received a week's wage on that single trip. We booked into the New Metro Hotel, which has a combination of modern facilities, deco styles and helpful staff. Within two hours of our arrival I was visited the Indonesian Unitarians, including Dr. Tjahjadi Nugraha one of the country's most well-known theologians. Most of their work seems to be in building bridges between Indonesia's Christian and Muslim communities and working in interfaith activities. Over the next few days they showed us around town, including an ancient Gendong Songo Hindu temple, the Chinese Sam Po Kong temple, the maternity hospital they've built, the school they are building, their publications, and asked me to give an address at an impromptu service! For my part I've offered to help them set up a website and to correct English-language editions of their books prior to publication. I suspect we're going to have a long-term working relationship.
From Semarang took a bus down to Yogyakarta, the cultural capital of Java. We stayed in the very well-located Mutiara Hotel, a place of fading glory and helpful staff. Requisite visits included the Sultan's Palace, and day-trips to the great Buddhist monument of Borobudur and the equally great Hindu temple complex of Prambanan. The visit to the latter culminated in dinner and watching the Ramayana Ballet (Youtube video) after sunset; one of the greatest cultural experiences one could hope for.
From Yogyakarta took a very late night flight back to Denpassar and stayed in the pretty dire Hotel Ratna in Kuta for one night. It would probably make a good "hour by hour" hotel, in the Indonesian vernacular. Following morning made a hasty exit to Sanur where we stayed in the delightful Swastika Bungalows; I derive some small pleasure that they are so close to the German consulate. The final days were spent doing very little at all, apart from watching the spectacular kites flying overhead as part of a local festival. Departing on a midnight flight after Independence Day from Denpassar (and after buying some expensive alcohols), my first aid certification received some work as a young Australian, well-tanned from his holiday, passed out on the plane with the blanket over his head and had gone into convulsions. With no doctors, nurses or anyone else on board with any superior medical qualifications I had a duty of care to ensure that he had good oxygen flow and slowly rehydrated; he seemed fine after a while.
Having spent time there during the Independence Day I must confess more than a passing interest in the political future of the Malay archipelago: Is a unitary state really desirable? What about West Papua? A future with Malaysia? I note that prices have doubled since my last visit (except in Internet costs), but economic development is very uneven. I have made some firm friendships with the people in Semarang, which I believe will be lasting and have made some preliminary investigations with historical vulcanologists concerning a pet theory I have regarding Borobudur and Prambanan. This Sunday coming I will be giving an address at the Melbourne Unitarian Church on the Religion & Culture of the Malay Archipelago. Despite a most enjoyable journey however it's great to be home.
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Transport Mister? Massage? Sunglasses? T-shirt? Maybe tomorrow?