Love Island Travel

The the recent revelation that Gunung Padang, a megalithic site in southern Cianjur, West Java, almost certainly hides a step pyramid dating back beyond the ice age, attracts a substantial amount of interest in the form of articles, books, videos and visits.

These columns are actually millions to tens of millions of years after it was formed naturally cooling lava through a process known as columnar jointing name. The site itself is well worth a visit for its haunting beauty remotely, its green surface dotted with hundreds of basalt columns, as if a giant had opened and scattered a box of dark gray matches. Fortunately, the road to the site is now well signposted and there was also seized on GPS.

I went with my daughter Gunung Padang Rianti her husband Cas, and our driver Pak Setu, driving an SUV. We planned a return trip to the exterior via Cianjur, Sukabumi via inbound. Our early morning was delayed, therefore, leaving at 9am, we arrived for lunch at the Hotel Puncak Pass about 13 hours. This is a convenient stopping point for travel, with its view southeast memorable in Cipanas and Gunung Gede looming above west area.

We continued through Cipanas, Cianjur Sindanglaya up. Here, it's time to activate your GPS - if you have one. In Cianjur, you must turn right (west) and get on the road to Sukabumi. Once you get on the Cianjur-Sukabumi road (very busy because it connects Bandung and Sukabumi) continue for about 7 km, using GPS, until you come to the village of Warungkondang (be careful to avoid a turn Cibeber front left). Just after the village, you will see an intersection with a left (south) tower and a green sign saying 'Gunung Padang. Now you're on a narrow, but well made road surface towards the hills, with the local minibus coated with an intriguing and smart money. The route is typical of rural West Java, through bamboo and teak plantations, still surfaced, but with many curves. Gunung Padang signs are visible at intersections. Then you come across something unexpected, a remote railway station, Lampegan.

De Lampegan the road winds up in the middle of the glorious tea plantations. This kind of landscape with its vast green carpet of tea will be familiar to those who know, for example, the tea plantation Malabar region south of Bandung. In good weather, it produces a stimulating sensation, as you climb to the watershed between the North and South rivers flowing in Java. Just beyond the horizon are those long deep valleys, leading to the southern coast still relatively remote.

We felt our destination was not too far away (7 km from Lampegan), we dropped down into a small pocket of a valley, then through a village. We swept up in a parking lot, with, of all things, a large digital electronic clock telling us he was 3:06:47 p.m. red numbers and four portable toilets locked in bright blue colors. Fortunately, a more conventional toilet with plenty of clean water was available. There were two guides smile and a handful of people in the village outside a row of about ten warung .

We were given a young girl guide, Pak Yusuf, impeccably dressed in black traditional clothes with blue turban Sundanese. He first introduced us to a small source of water, where swimming your face is supposed to ensure a long life. And then the bottom two entries flights of stairs. We could choose between a direct-old, 400 andesite robust steps on a very steep gradient, or another easier, but longer and more tortuous.

The choice seemed to have been done to me, and, at 72, plus a Welsh mountain goat, I found myself be cajoled, pushed and pulled by my four companions cardiovascular two more. It did not help to have Pak Yusuf regale us with stories of students who had collapsed, vomiting, tourists were taken to hospital, and military officers who missed the course. Well, of course I did, but, seriously, if you have heart disease or similar, take the longest way round.

It was well worth the climb though, to rest up between green grass and gray columns. The light was clear, through the mountains, and the playful breeze. The summit of Gunung Padang is a kind of wind watershed, and a poetry piece floated in my head, "an old man among wind areas", although my feeling could not be more opposed to the pessimism of TS Eliot [ Gerontion

site level was lower than expected and less crowded Certainly it was lateish and the site closes at 16.: 30. There were some people in the village, some workers, probably the geological team of Pak Danny Hilman, on the top (fifth) level, and a character in full traditional Sundanese threads and bling, which are presented as " Eric. "

the site of Gunung Padang

But all I wanted to do was enjoy the brightness, clarity and spirituality of the place. No matter all the chthonic forces and relics way down under my feet.

Pak Yusuf said specific arrangements of columns for devotions in the form of samadhi and prayer, which occurred continuously since the hero of the West Javanese, Prabu Siliwangi, dedicated this site early 16 ^e century.

musician Cas was intrigued by a hollow column which emits musical notes. It was also fascinating to see how the alignment of Gunung Padang points directly to Gunung Gede, the highest mountain in the region.

We descended through the easy steps Rianti were some selfies taken with the villagers, and we hit the road house. The route Sukabumi night was long and unpleasant, with traffic jams, road repairs and truck convoys that bring bottled water to the bottom of the mountain. We were able to speed after hitting the toll road Jagorawi south of Ciawi, arriving home at 21 o'clock.

Travel advice

• Go on a weekday , avoiding the traffic from Friday to Sunday Puncak hideous. If the weekend via Sukabumi is probably a better option.
• When traveling Sukabumi , take Cianjur road and turn right (indicated) just before Warungkondang.
• Bandung , the head of Cianjur, Sukabumi and take the road.
• If driving, is the best 4WD, SUV's OK and a sedan is not recommended.
• Many visitors rented minibus Sukabumi and Cianjur.
• now , it may be best to get an early bus as far as Bogor to catch the 7:55 train from there, avoiding the crowd Jakarta commuter train, or spend the night in Bogor.

I spotted my first orangutan high in the trees in the early morning. I heard him before I saw him. I woke up to cracking branches and some pretty furious tree shaking going on. Fortunately for me, I'm on a boat, at a safe distance from the huge, hairy, red orangutan who was working himself up into a right state.

I was on the Sekoyer River National Park Tanjung Puting, Central Kalimantan, and my trusty guide, Nanang assured me, "You are quite safe. Orangutans can not swim, so we simply can relax and enjoy this show. We are very lucky to see it. He is the king, that guy. large males fighting for dominance and territory and the territory they have a harem of females . this is how it works for them. "

I am in total admiration of this great primate of the jungle. He swayed in the very upper canopy that towered 30 meters into the sky. The words sounded Nanang true that we soon spotted three other orangutans; much smaller King females. They were wonderfully camouflaged and difficult to spot, wrapping their branch members as around trees and blending perfectly into their environment

Orangutans and proboscis monkeys in a treetop. | Photo by David Metcalf

Within minutes of watching orangutans, proboscis monkeys, a family joined in this show early.

There were seven of them and they were swinging with wild abandon through the trees, grabbing the vines and thin branches on their way. They disappeared quickly in the dense jungle, and I was left holding my morning coffee, which had gone cold, amazed by what I had just seen.

To discover the National Park Tanjung Puting, you need to take a boat. You fly in Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan, and from there you meet your guide and take a short car ride to meet your boatman. You need a minimum of three days. The park, which was created in 1982, remains a truly wild and natural place. Your final destination is Camp Leakey, a rehabilitation center for orangutans set up in 1971; the oldest Orangutan Conservation Centre of research and the world. The camp looks after stray orangutans that have been forced out of their natural habitat due to deforestation, forest burning and encroachment of agriculture, including the expansion of oil palm plantation.

Photo by David Metcalf

most camp orangutans are bottle-fed, and some arriving as orphans are in a very distressed state. Younger require physical handling and feel just like a human baby, and managers orangutan rock those little children, sometimes for hours. Finally, they are fed to the health and learned to fend for themselves in the wild and in search of food, but before that can happen, they must acquire the skills to survive in the jungle. In this transition stage, they have a little help, and three supply platforms are positioned in the jungle.

I was only ten minutes from my trek when I heard a crash through the trees and found myself sharing the forest trail with three orangutans. It was very exciting and a bit nerve-wracking at the same time. The park ranger who accompanied our group assured us that we were very safe. We came swinging through the trees and two others heavily behind us walking on all fours using their hands and fists. Picking up speed as they walked past painfully, they made a beeline for the platform, which was piled with bananas. Soon more orangutans gathered for a diet. They ate, tossed banana skins, scratching their armpits, looked around and socialized.

When we were back on the boat cruise up the river looking for a place to dock for the night, we were lucky to catch a glimpse of some gibbons, who ended the day very well. As the sun was setting, a beautiful solitary Hornbill gracefully crossed by a stream of air steamy jungle.

Discovering the Tanjung Puting National Park on a slow boat is a peaceful way to connect with nature, birds and wildlife. Having the ability to get close and personal with an orangutan, which shares 97 percent of our DNA, leaves you with a very humbling feeling that we are somehow close in many ways to these great primates.

In short

province Central Kalimantan

population 2.3 million (2014 )

size 153,564.5 km2 - about 1.5 times the size of Java

Getting there: regular flights from Jakarta and several cities to Pangkalan Bun, Central Kalimantan

Where to stay: Houseboat or The Rimba Orangutan Ecolodge (now supplied over 0 percent solar), National Tanjung Park Puting

What to bring: repellent, sturdy shoes, long shirt and trousers for protection against mosquitoes at night, hat, umbrella and camera

tour guides :. www.orangutandays.com - contact Yomie www.visitorangutan.com - contact Nanang

other hiking spots in Kalimantan: Gunung National Park palung and Sebangau National park

Orangutan Facts

Orangutans are endemic to Sumatra and Borneo. These great apes are found to be very smart and follow a cultural model. Borneo species are larger and more lonely compared to their cousins ​​Sumatra. They have round faces and adult males develop large cheek flanges as they age. In nature, they live about 45 years, but in captivity, they can age up to 60 years. Males can reach 100kg and 1.4 meters tall, while females can weigh up to 50kg at a height of 1.2 meters.

Borneo orangutans feed on fruit, including figs, durians and bananas, leaves, bird eggs, honey and insects.

Borneo has the largest population of orangutans, still their species is endangered due to habitat rapidly shrinking caused by forest fires and the expansion of human settlements, the palm oil plantations, mining, as well as being hunted to be sold as pets.

David Metcalf organizes cultural visits to Kalimantan. David leads a tour on 18 to 23 May 2016 Dayak cultural festival, the Festival Mulang Isen, with 17 Dayak tribes. This trip includes a visit to see the orangutans and attend three days Tiwah (Dayak traditional funeral).

Sightseeing www.davidmetcalfphotography.com/cultural-tour

The the most amazing experience when entering the Netherlands Field of Honour Menteng Pulo (Menteng Pulo Ereveld) is silence. Just beyond the door is the noisy bustle of Jalan Casablanca, but here among the white headstones silent, the sound of motorcycles and scooters has given way to birdsong.

Menteng Pulo aerial view | Photo by PH van der Grinten

Fields of Sacrifice, or war cemetery with rows of tombstones almost identical - slight differentiations indicating sex differences or religion - on a sea of ​​grass cut close, are a fairly recent phenomenon. Given the fact that humanity has fought wars for thousands of years, the first officially supported war graves dates back only 100 years. It was in September 1914, during the early months of the First World War, the mobile unit of the British Red Cross commander, Fabian Ware, noted the absence of any mechanism for marking and registration of graves of those who fell in battle. He created an organization within the Red Cross for this purpose. Six months later, the work of Ware received official recognition when the unit became part of the British Army as the Graves Registration Commission. Just in time, it could be argued, as in October 1915, the Commission registered more than 31,000 graves of British and Imperial troops, and 50,000 in May of the following year.

Perhaps it is the brutal efficiency of technologies used in modern warfare, which revealed the need to record the number of victims. Losses of Russia Napoleon's campaign - to 422,000 from the countryside, a mere 10,000 back in France - pale in comparison to all of the two World Wars of the 20 ^e century. At the end of the First World War in November 1918, a total of over 9 million soldiers had been killed, while for the Second World War, the figure is 20.9 million - two-thirds, or 14.3 million , the allied side and 6.6 million on the side of the German / Japanese axis.

In 1917, the British recording Graves Commission was, by Royal Charter, transformed into the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC). Its responsibilities are to commemorate those who died in the designated war years (World War I and II) while in the military service of the Commonwealth, or from causes attributable to service.

In total, the Commission is responsible for 1.7 million graves and memorials worldwide. The Commission also supports, in agreement with the relevant governments, more than 40,000 non-Commonwealth war graves and tombs more than 25,000 civilian and non-military war.

In Indonesia CWGC takes care of six gravesites with 2,605 identified and 657 unidentified graves. One of the cemeteries is located in Menteng Pulo, adjacent to the Netherlands Ereveld. The Netherlands Oorlogsgravenstichting-OGS (War Graves Foundation) has similar duties and responsibilities, but due to the neutrality of the Netherlands during World War I, and its small size, on a very small scale.

OGS holds 50,000 graves worldwide, of which 25,000 are located in Indonesia seven cemeteries on the island of Java. Originally, there were 22 Dutch war cemeteries spread throughout the archipelago. In the 1960s, however, at the request of the Indonesian government, the tombs on the outer islands were exhumed and buried in the seven cemeteries on Java. These cemeteries are: Menteng Pulo and Ancol in Jakarta; Candi in Semarang and Kalibanteng; Kembang Kuning in Surabaya; Leuwigajah in Cimahi; and Pandu in Bandung. The other 25,000 graves are spread over 50 countries on five continents.

The total number of Dutch victims during the Second World War was 180,000, of which only 50,000 have found a place in a war grave. The rest of 130,000 deaths at sea were namelessly buried in mass graves, cremated in concentration camps, or went missing.

The Ancol Field of Honour, containing over 2,000 tombs, is located on or near the place where those involved in the resistance against the Japanese were executed and buried in mass graves without no registration or the registration of their names.

Many Ancol graves and headstones are marked GEËXECUTEERD (Executed). In cases where the identity of the executed were known, but their remains could not be identified individually, a collective tomb ( VERZAMELGRAF ) was erected with their names on the headstone.

stelae differ according to religion and gender. For Muslims a __gVirt_NP_NN_NNPS <__ tapered slab with a conical top divided into three; Christians are buried under a cross, while a cross with rounded ends indicates a female Christian; Jewish tombstones are decorated with the Star of David; and Buddhist stone tiles are straight with a round top

Christian tombstones both male and female. | Photo by PH van der Grinten

Unlike the vast majority of public civil cemeteries where burial sites are rented for a limited time, the fields of honor are forever . A plaque on Ereveld Menteng Pulo says

the land on which the cemetery is located is a gift from the people of Indonesia for the place of perpetual rest of the sailors, soldiers and airmen are honored here .

This is very pleased that this small peaceful but sad corner of Jakarta produces strong emotions. Not only buried the parents, even the third generation affected emotionally, but casual visitors without any relationship are affected by its sheer size and the atmosphere authentic and solemn. Rows of white tombstones, with dates of death for four years, and too many "unknown" where a name should be made to understand how immensely wasteful war.

OGS has developed an excellent website with a searchable database of the names of dead people and burial cemetery. The database is accessible by https://oorlogsgravenstichting.nl. CWGC operates a similar database on http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx.

In 2015, some 10,000 people have visited one or more of the seven CGO cemeteries.

There are not a lot of green space left in Jakarta. Perhaps more than people realize, but very little. What remains is worth preserving, not only because it is nice and offers some photo opportunities, but because it can be a vital resource in the education of children.

Muara Angke is home to a tiny mangrove belt in northern Jakarta. Hemmed subdivisions and row after row of shophouses, Muara Angke Jakarta that is used to look like before developers were allowed to do their part.

Sitting on the west bank of the River Angke mangrove is perhaps the last area of ​​its kind in our capital. Incredibly, it is home to some 91 species of birds and monkeys, reptiles and amphibians. It is as dirty as waste accumulated from up the river brings in the creeks and pools animals call home.

It is probably fair to say not many Jakartan residents are aware of the mangroves on their north shore. Muara Angke but is famous in the community of bird watching around the world with twitchers, as lively among them are known, willing to travel long distances to catch a sight of rare Javan Coucal which can be found in only a few places on the north coast of Java.

Jakarta Green Monster is an NGO that aims to increase awareness of children of what is around them. Taking children along the bridge, they emphasize the species that call this piece of land home. The water and trees are alive with the sounds of animals, especially first thing in the morning as the wildlife awakens from his sleep and seeks breakfast. Just a few meters, Jakartans head to their places blissfully unaware of the nature of their work door.

SMP Santa Laurensia is a private school of the middle class fairly typical crosstalk Jakarta. Most children live in bubbles of air conditioning, blissfully unaware of the vitality almost in their own backyard. On a recent field trip to Muara Angke students saw a Jakarta they were unaware, saw a mess they knew only too well and have learned how we can prevent damage to our environment more far.

The day began with Hendra Aquan of JGM give some basic information on children - information that was likely lost in the excitement of seeing monkeys close. It was a steep learning curve for these children of the city. Watch Discovery Channel is fine, but there is nothing like going out and about, inhaling the smells, see the animals and understanding of dirt.

Splitting into groups, each led by a volunteer JGM, the children put on their appointed task. In the manner of school children everywhere, they groaned. It was too hot, nothing to do, boring. Complaints are universal, but gradually, one by one, they wrapped themselves in the experience. Whether the enthusiasm and knowledge of the voluntary or whether it was simply because they were out and about in nature, they took their binoculars and cameras and began recording their day.

seeing herons and egrets frightened flee his 35 adolescents was a highlight for children who rarely see the birds in their natural environment. Rarely a giant egret attracted much attention when flying to the horizon. Everything was new and the natural inclination of children around the world to learn fought and defeated the doubts and previous complaints.

Amidst the finger pointing and yelps of joy was a lonely Australian gentleman with binoculars. He had traveled from Sydney just to spy a little Javan Coucal and had relied on the enthusiasm of dozens of children to keep them well hidden birds.

After a well deserved lunch, they were caught in a canoe along the Angke River to see for themselves how the trash so casually thrown upstream of not only wildlife effects, but also fishermen who live opposite the mangrove. They 'oohed' and 'aahed' the, elegant large birds that lined the river and the lower branches as they sought their lunch in the dirty water.

Back on land, he took a couple of presentations, then came the little fun. Children around the world love to get dirty and these guys were no exception as they launched their shoes and jumped into the swamp yet to pick up some garbage collected. The area covered in proportion to the whole site was minimal. The trash collected filled several bags, but there was more there. Much more.

Cleaning other people waste is a thankless task and the key lies in education. Working with Jakarta Green Monster students learned a lot about the environment and how their actions can impact it. Children Santa Laurensia not change anything. Not by themselves. As one student said, "My brother always throw waste on the ground. When I told him not to because it looks ugly and bad for the environment, he says he does not care, he does not live there. "

But if more schools get involved in this type of activity, whether Jakarta Green Monster are able to involve local communities so maybe slowly but surely an environmental awareness can develop in Jakarta at the base and the word will spread

More information :.

Alam Jakarta by Ady Kristianto

www.jgm.or.id

http://www.jakmangrove.org/

Wet Bridge Aerial view

Wondrous. Other world. Wow, what a whale of a time. Welcome to W Hotel, Seminyak, Bali, a place where dreams. This huge 8 hectare resort should not be a mean feat to develop and it is one of those places that make you say.. "Human beings are smart enough, really" What a wonderful world

The entrance this playground is dramatic with a capital "D" - a giant W welcomes you before a long path between a water feature on each side, then through the gardens leading to the front of the main building and a hall impressive. the main building itself reminds me of a modern Colosseum, but instead of giving gladiators and wild animals, balconies on the beach side overlooking the WET pool, inspired by the shape of rice fields covering more than 170 square meters. meters where seating customers, sip cocktails and enjoy life by the waves breaking on Seminyak beach. What more could you ask for? Wait, it gets better

Service with a capital W is what you get here -. It is like no other. The staff is extremely professional and speak English very well, and we even spoke to one of the boys to the pool that sounded like he was educated at an international school. Our doorman asked us how we were and called by our first names. Inside the elevator lights fade in and out, throwing you the first time, but becomes a cool little feature for the remaining time. The corridors are all open to the wind and a bit sterile, but it adds to the grandeur of the place. When the friendly doorman escorted us to our room, he turned the Bose surround sound system and the Empire of the Sun greeted us on the stereo. If this is not enough to say this is a place of hip, I do not know what is.

Spectacular Ocean Retreat Face

Even the names of the rooms are wow W. ours was the spectacular Ocean view Retreat on the 3 ^e floor with a view of the ocean and the W gardens below. Retirement is large, with an aquatic green theme, simulating sea around Bali - white bedcover cotton is hand sewn with leaves, hanging beaded side lamps resemble fishing nets and headboards are made of synthetic leather embossed in green shagreen skin. Even if retirement is very modern, it has a vintage feel in green retro sofa and carpet. Everything is designed. The room includes his and her closets, extra vanity mirror, wall sockets at three pins, a snack basket that includes a camera underwater use and eye makeup remover, face wash, Earl Grey and English breakfast tea, not instant coffee (I was beside myself!).

There is no door to the bathroom, comprising toilet with glass window, two green water sinks and a shower room open top, separated by a glass panel , with a large tub and slate shower standing, so if you are shy or stay with someone unknown, it can be annoying. There are, however, cleverly nestled panels that can separate the bedroom from the bathroom if you need sliding privacy.

After checking the retreat, we threw our bikinis on and hit the pool. Pool boys greet you with, "Hi, how are you?" and offer to carry our towels for us, we find the perfect place to relax. They respond to our every whim, keeping us entertained along the way. in our little corner, I notice that W is not just a hotel, it is a tourist attraction. anyone who comes to the lobby of the upper deck poses for a picture and I do not want everyone! as the sun begins to take the DJ to turn Woobar progressive house and the lights are on, creating a whole new atmosphere. pool boys place electric candles on each table and kiss pillows.

Some of the best storytellers in the world are divers. Fishermen, hunters, they simply can not compare. There is nothing like sitting under a thatched roof after an unforgettable snorkeling, sipping Bintangs sweaty and stretching your arms wide to sketch the mola mola unique shape or replaying friends what it was like to sit like Buddha on the ocean floor, craning your neck at the surface while a manta rays crowd skimmed jet meters from your mask, casting shadows on the white sand below.

Mola mola and manta rays resident near the top of the bucket list of every diver, so if a boat 45 minutes to Nusa Penida, just south of mainland Bali, is all it takes to catch a glimpse of some of the most memorable of the ocean and similar advanced beginner divers encounters are looking for a place to register.

Fortunately, Nusa Penida, the most popular diving spot in Bali, many operators run out of the main island every day in search of mola mola and mantas.

Getting to Nusa Penida is also easy swing open the door to a dive shop. The operators of Sanur Candidasa off anywhere between 8 and 8:30 every morning champing at the bit to prevent boats crowd who moor up some of the most popular dive sites such as Crystal Bay and Manta Point.

Nusa Penida, with its rocky cliffs and rugged terrain is home to much beyond the diving spots that are hidden below the high ridges. A quick scan of the horizon offers a bit more sparse vegetation and an overview of a stray goat or buffalo strayed. Divers have begun flocking to the island off the southeast coast of Bali in 1975 to see the mola mola unique shape, famous for growth up to 4 meters high and weighing almost 2,300 kg. For three decades Nusa Penida was the first stop for divers who visit Bali. Most divers that have been certified in Bali have completed their course off the coast of Nusa Penida where the water temperature can vary between a cold 19 degrees Celsius and a wet suit shedding 27.

tourists who prefer to stay above the waves can travel to the island for excursions and thus label that people who visit the temples and caves of the island. Some other tourists looking to escape the crowds on Bali choose to stay the night in some hotels offering austere rooms on Nusa Penida. But if you want to leave Bali good and spend the night near Nusa Penida, most recommend friends to spend the night on the perfectly secluded Nusa Lembongan rather than risk on Nusa Penida.

And during August and September have been designated as the "season" to see mola mola out of Nusa Penida, most dive operators will tell you that sunfish, rising from their normal depths of 0 meters to only 30 meters for a quick day spa, where little fish clean parasites from their scales begin to appear in July and sometimes staying as late as October.

Nusa Penida is actually home to more than 10 different dive sites. Depending on the time of year and you ask, recommendations vary between Blue Corner and Batu Abang Toyapekeh and Sekola Dasar or SD, aptly named because you can see a local primary school of the boat. So you are not just married Crystal Bay and Manta Point, although the divers for the first time will want to check these points to make before moving to places like Batu Abah and SD.
Meanwhile, other dive sites along the island -with names that vary according to the operator that you immerse have been known to serve everything from whale sharks to harvesters and hammers.

Crystal Bay, the most popular dive site on the island, is a pleasant drift dive so long as you keep the reef on your right and the conditions are right. While some anxious divers could complain that there is little to do until you get down to 35 meters and gather in the hope of a harlequin, others point out that Crystal Bay, with its unpredictable currents can allow divers the chance to see anything from fish to reef sharks huge frog, the size of footballs.

"SD is a drift dive with a beautiful coral garden," said Nicky Wirawan, which owns and operates Bali Marine Sport, based in Sanur. "In addition, you'll see more fish out there you want in most other dive sites in Indonesia. Meanwhile, Blue Corner is quite difficult to explore and offer many chances to see a number of pelagic fish. "

Blue Corner is a favorite of Priska Widya Raharjo, a journalist with Dive Mag Indonesia, as well." Blue Corner is a famous place for drift diving, "said Priska. "The current can be very strong. I would say it is more suited for all adrenaline junkies and advanced divers. You see a lot of sharks, mostly white tip, and there mola mola rays if you are lucky. the temperature of the water can be very cold as 15-22 degrees Celsius. If the currents are strong and you do not stick with the advanced divers, you can derive in blue, hence the name, Blue Corner. again, sometimes there will be no current and Blue Corner will be as calm as Sleeping Beauty. "

so while most divers and operators will begin their stories of Nusa Penida with stories of mola mola elusive in Crystal Bay and acrobatic ray at Manta Point, keep in mind that there are many other diving spots there, and many other stories to tell.

The sun is shining, the weekend ahead. What better way to spend free time that the course away from the stress of urban living by catching some rays on the beach or cooling on a mountain slope?

The people of Jakarta are spoiled for choice when it comes weekend. There are beaches, nature, indigenous tribes, volcanoes and all close enough history.

Anak Krakatau by Angela Richardson

It must be great to wake up one morning and decides yep, I really need a beach and decides to leave Anyer and Carita on the west coast of Banten province. Feeling the sand between your toes, watching the sunset is definitely one of the advantages of living in Southeast Asia. What makes this more special fishing villages is to know that just on the horizon looms the mean and moody Krakatau.

For the installer, it is a journey into the Baduy home country in Labak in the foothills of Gunung Halimun. They can no longer be isolated tribe they were ten years ago. A growing number of visitors came and left their mark on the Baduy people with increasing signs of modernization in the more accessible villages.

They are still far from becoming a good human zoo. It is possible, with a guide, trekking in some of the villages and attend a life clinging to its old habits. Young barefoot scamper up and down steep slopes with agility and confidence of a mountain goat anything up to a dozen durians across their shoulder carrying.

For the most part, they carry on their lives by taking little interest to visitors who come, take pictures, buy the obligatory shirt before leaving if increasingly opting to spend the night in a rustic, austere villages that allow clients.

Birdwatchers flock World World Pulau Dua which houses many spectacular species. Although the best time to visit is time March / April when a large number of migratory birds stop to rest on their long journeys, it is enough to keep any moderate twitcher interested for several hours in the morning.

Of course Pulau Dua with its numerous feathered creatures, civets and various reptiles is no match for Ujong Kulon claiming the Javan rhino among its residents. Not many of them, of course, and chances are they will not show as easy, but the greatest chance of seeing it ensures a steady stream of visitors to the remote peninsula.

Yeah, lots of things to see and do right at the door of Jakarta.

The problem is that while the Indonesian economy was chugging along very well thank you, investment in infrastructure has failed to keep pace. Foreign investors have long complained bottlenecks at ports and airports. And if Jakarta, the capital, has been struggling to cope while the price the rest of the country pay?

Banten province, home to Surkano Hatta, is strategically located between Jakarta and the neighboring island of Sumatra. The infrastructure connecting the two if the struggles to cope. New delays in the port of Merak on the Sunda Strait are a regular event. The toll road that feeds traffic to the second most populated island of the country is filled with buses and trucks, turning him into a crazy race to the next exit.

Go down this street and things get much worse. The Cilegon road south to the beaches of Anyer and Carita suffers from heavy goods vehicles serving the factories in the region. Many other "main roads" are the width of a Jakartan band and the weekend, they tend to fill up quickly as the markets are overflowing on the road and cars parked reduce the flow to a single lane.

In this context, it is small wonder Jakartans look elsewhere for their rest and relaxation. Since the deregulation of the airline industry in Indonesia and the introduction of budget airlines fortunately those looking to get out of town are faced with more and more options.

Bali is of course an obvious choice. Two hours from the airport and you can be driving through sawah photogenic. Two hours outside Jakarta and you're always stuck behind a truck belching noxious black smoke.

Budget airlines are closer to the region as well. direct connecting flights to destinations such as the beaches of Phuket, the history of Penang, Kota Kinabalu mountain and even Ho Chi Minh City.

There are no expatriates, of course. Indonesians are increasingly looking at foreign travel and they are not interested in all the malls and buy fridge magnets.

Why not? For all its faults, the Jakarta airport works well enough and why stay stuck in traffic for hours just to go a few hundred miles when, at the same time, you might be showered and refreshed in another country to enjoy your downtime.

There are large billboards urging people to visit Banten and its attractions and it is quite easy there to keep people occupied for days. Unfortunately, infrastructure, or absence, made many people think twice and it's a shame.

Strong eruptions are normally a danger to people living near the volcano. In 1963, the eruption of Mount Agung, Bali's sacred mountain, killed more than 1,500 people and destroyed several villages.

In the midst of all this destruction, it happened that there was a ship abandoned the land to the village of Tulamben fishermen and lava flowing from Mount Agung moved from the shore by running to few meters from the beach. The ship has been there since the Second World War, when it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine, while sailing in the Strait of Lombok bring a cargo of railway parts and rubber.

For that person to that point could even imagine that the ship, the USS Liberty, would become one of the main attractions of the island 40 years later. Located in the northeastern part of Bali, Tulamben is still a distant village, but now almost every day, hundreds of divers come from all over the world to dive the USS Liberty, due to the strategic position, easy accessibility, even for beginners and impressive marine life that have colonized the wreck.

To tell you the truth, the ship is very far from being intact. It was broken into several pieces and some "purists" of wreck diving is not like that. But swim between the vessel plates allows divers to see portholes, winches, guns, and even ladders. If you are lucky enough, you can even see pygmy seahorses, a large group of kingfish, parrotfish bumphead, barracudas and nudibranchs. A friend of a friend was also lucky enough to see a whale shark and sunfish (Mola mola famous) hovering over the wreck. My suggestion is to take it easy with Bintang or ask your doctor about the effects of nitrogen narcosis.

What no one said that the USS Liberty wreck is normally COMPLETE divers. And I do not mean around 20 or 30 people. I mean that there may be up to 100 divers at the same dive site. Considering that the ship is about 150 meters long, it can mean there is a dip every two meters of the ship. Worried? Many Tulamben dive centers have found the solution: jump into the water at about 6 am, long before the barbarian hordes of day-tripper South Bali invade the beach. Sometimes it happens that many dive centers in the area have the same idea, so you'll have a dive from the crowd anyway, but at least with sleeping divers who normally swim slowly. When you finally get out of your dive, around 8 am, you can already see the reservoir filling beach shirt vendors, Balinese women bringing tanks on their heads, sometimes both at once (seriously).

It's time to relax a little, have breakfast and get ready for another dive site there are many around the wreckage, most of them are muck muck diving and world class diving in my opinion. It is amazing how in every single dive I did in Tulamben I always photographed some undescribed species officially through science. Again, seriously!

Anyway, diving into the USS Liberty is an experience that should not be missed. If you choose the right time and the right guide, you will be impressed by the diversity of life surrounding the wreck. And maybe you can have the strange experience of attending an underwater wedding, or someone with a diving flag celebrating their 100th dive.

DIVER Stereotypes

A wide variety of divers populate the Tulamben beach. Normally, their origin is easy to distinguish from their habits

1) The Japanese :. responsible for the presence of the wreck (a Japanese submarine torpedoed the ship), they do not seem to regret it. They always have colorful combinations: red, yellow, orange or white are the dominant colors. Very often they have funny hoods with demons, the dragon tail or the dog's ears

2) Indonesians :. Since diving is become a popular activity in Indonesia, many divers from across the country want to dive the USS Liberty wreck. Normally, they have shiny new equipment, huge underwater cameras, the model of every high-end piece

3) Singaporeans :. Technology-geeks normally they bring their latest model underwater cameras even in the shower. New housings underwater iPhone allow them to share their photos on Facebook directly from the surface of the sea. Cool lah

4) The Russians :? They do not care about the wreck. They just want to see sharks, possibly aggressive. Do not try to tell them they can see a pygmy seahorse, unless you are prepared to swear that last week that killed pygmy seahorse almost a friend

5) Americans :. "Really, I can not pay for this shirt on the beach with my credit card?"

6) Italians: No matter what, they have to appear cool. Wearing colorful combinations is absolutely not an option; it does not match with the fins. Normally, they like the wreck, but they are even more interested in where they can have a good lunch

7) The French :. easily distinguishable because they complain about something. Mainly because they wear socks instead of boots and rocks on the beach are painful. But they always find something to complain about.

With a sea area of ​​93,000 square kilometers interwoven throughout the 17,000 islands, good strength of the navy should be a top priority for Indonesia. The strategic location sandwiched between two continents and two oceans means that the waters of Indonesia accommodate traffic many international submarine on a given day. In addition, Indonesia's waters are rich in biodiversity reserves, oil and gas, and spectacular diving -. It is hard to imagine how other countries might not want a piece of the pie

Therefore, Submarine Monument Surabaya became one of the must-visit spots in the City of Heroes. "Monkasel", as the locals affectionately call it, is actually the submarine KRI Pasopati retired, turned into an appointment in the museum.

I met Sugeng, who served aboard the submarine 1978-1989 as navy personnel and since 1998 as a tourist guide. Sugeng has many memories on this 1,300 tons Whiskey-class Soviet submarine. As a young sailor, Sugeng used to go on three-month assignments at a time. There is a gleam in his eye as he showed visitors around.

"This submarine has no air conditioning, so it was hot here when the submarine went under the water," he said. "We were going without showers for literally months because that submarine carries 11 tons of fresh water."

But even so, the fact Pasopati 1959 Vladivostok was an advanced technology at the time. Its features include propellers torpedoes over a human adult, sophisticated controls and monitors that almost look like a scene from a movie steampunk, powerful diesel engine rooms, crafty spy equipment, super-efficient bunk beds, and a chemical carbon dioxide solvent for recycling oxygen.

favorite memory Sugeng includes 1979 Operasi Halilintar, who sent the KRI Pasopati the South China Sea to prevent the smuggling of Indonesian resources in Malaysia and Singapore, and has helped resettle Vietnamese refugees Pulau Galang camp of refugees in the Riau islands.

The KRI Pasopati was then headed by the Captain and Commodore Soentoro Mardiono. Soentoro is famous for intimidating the military forces of neighboring countries of Indonesia, including in the collaborative security operations in 1974 Indonesian Malaysian in the Strait of Malacca. When Soentoro has the potential role of Pasopati in the operation, Malaysian Marine colonel Sidiq ridiculed the idea, perhaps to hide his fear of Indonesian submarines penetrating Malaysian territory.

Soentoro noted the comments Sidiq but Mardiono calmed down for the sake of good relations between neighboring countries. Nevertheless, Soentoro was determined to teach Malaysia a lesson. He then fear of the Malaysian navy having the submarine travel under the radar and show unexpectedly before the convoys of Malaysia in Penang and Sabang.

"Back in the reign of Sukarno, Indonesia had twelve submarines like this. Our navy was a powerful force at sea, and other ASEAN countries fear us," Sugeng said. The submarines, known Hiu Kencana ( "Golden Sharks") were named after mythical Javanese armory: Nagabanda, Trisula, Nagarangsang, Candrasa, Wijayadanu, Hendrajala, Bramasta, Cundamani and Alugoro. Pasopati is shooting the magical bow of Mahabharatan hero Arjuna.

"Now, Indonesia has two submarines. What a pity," said Sugeng. "On the retired submarines, not Pasopati is recoverable. The rest have become old junk."

The remaining submarines from West Germany in 1981 and has Cakra Nanggala which Sugeng Kiel recovered while undergoing military training for six months, followed by a 58 day homebound diving trip. Although Cakra Nanggala and are technologically ahead of Pasopati they have been in service for 32 years.

Asked if two submarines are enough to patrol vast seas of Indonesia, Sugeng sorrily chuckled and said, "Well, the men until he calls the shots. I'm just a sailor, and retired for that matter. "

Military analyst Connie Bakrie said that building a good Marine is an expression of the love of a nation for his country. The navy has everything to do with the sovereignty and security a country

"We all know the song :. Bukan Lautan, hanya kolam susu. "Connie said, citing the 1973 rock song lyrics Kolam Susu Koes Plus (" milk pool ") which refers poetically to Indonesia as a maritime utopia blessed with abundant resources and a sea calm

"But this song underestimate the importance of the defense of the Indonesian navy," she said, adding that Indonesia is blessed with three things nations go to war for.: . religion, resources and trade

Connie said she was angry to hear President Yudhoyono said that Indonesia was "a million friends and zero enemies" in his speech inauguration in October 09. "hundreds of foreign submarines were sunk in our waters. And water Tanimbar islands become the road of international submarine traveling between Indonesia and Australia. The route between Darwin and Tanimbar takes about eight hours. The waters have permanent natural gas reserves claimed by China and Japan, and the US Marines are deployed there, "said Connie." How could we say that Indonesia has no enemies? "

Connie said the government seems to have no problem splurging on politics, but fails to adequately equip a professional navy that effectively defends the country, the ruling "too. "Cheap Indonesian military have only two bullets in military training border. Indonesian Navy has no patrol boats in nearby waters, while the Chinese and African trawlers, backed by private military companies, make lucrative profits on fish stolen in Indonesian waters.

And Indonesia has only two obsolete submarines.

whether the future of the Indonesian navy will re-attain its past grandeur, with an adequate number of high-tech submarines and earn the respect of the countries want rich seas of Indonesia, it remains a question mark. Some say the chances are bleak, which is understandable.

But in the moment, the submarine Monument stands firmly by the romantic banks of Kalimas river Surabaya, offering visitors a walk through the past glorious of Indonesia and former Navy sailors who would gladly tell their adventures in good ole 'days patrolling the background of Indonesian seas. Whether you are a patriot concerned with the future of the thalassic sovereignty of Indonesia, or a tourist looking to have fun with pictures and sounds of vintage military technology, a visit to Monkasel would make an unforgettable experience.

Monumen Kapal Selam Surabaya
Jalan Pemuda No. 39 (next to the Plaza Surabaya)
Genteng
Surabaya Timur
Tel 031 549 0401
Open every day 08: 30 to 21 hours
Rp5,000 Tickets

Indonesia’s political philosophy is "unity in diversity" or "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" that every school child learns in the second year of primary school.

Just look at the statistics on islands inhabited (922 permanently inhabited more than 17,000), languages ​​(719, of which 709 are alive), religions (five constitutionally recognized), races (45% Javanese, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5% = 2 / 3rds of Java and Madura, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%).. to realize the country needs this basic political principle of "unity in diversity".

Now put that against the main causes of social unrest and it is not surprising that we find that land disputes (13% of all disputes at the national level) are the second cause of conflict in the country after the criminal activity (16%) and land disputes are more likely than other disputes turn violent. See graph below

the frequency of conflicts in Indonesia Type

living alongside "neighbor from hell" is not a recipe for a peaceful and harmonious life.

the main causes of land conflicts are border issues and denial of access to its own property. This can manifest as a neighboring door in your already strong gang insisting on putting flowerpots on "their" part of the band to embellish or worse, buying the owner of the land part of the land of the municipal band and then deliberately now legally use it to park their car (s) of the family on a part of what is considered the land of communal gangs and thereby denying access to all other residents along this band.

So how are these land disputes will be resolved to the satisfaction of everyone in our life

When there is a land dispute, the traditional - and more strategy frequently used - is to go to the Kepala Desa or Kepala Desa Adat (the village head or chief Village customary law) provided that they are considered to be impartial and not open to being bought. Built in the constitution and organization of Indonesian civil society is the idea of ​​rukun or harmony and musyawarah-mufakat or "meeting until a consensus of mutual agreement" is reached. Everyone cool, get involved parties - and above all listen to common sense - it is the age-old conflict that must be resolved peacefully so that everyone can go to meet their higher needs in life. See graph below

hierarchy of needs Maslow

Disputes over land, like religion, can divide families and neighborhoods into two or more factions.

Indonesian civil society has adopted the customary practices of consensual decision-called musyawarah mufakat (deliberation and consensus) as the basis of its democratic stability. This process allows each party to express their wishes and the reasons for its position, and labor negotiator, the supervisor customary law (Kepala Desa Adat) on behalf of the community, is to reach a compromise acceptable to both parties.

Many other companies, national governments and international institutions like the UN, the Organization of the NATO North Atlantic Treaty, and the heads of the European government adopt the same process that the transition to a majority vote after a long process of deliberation where no consensus or large market can be achieved.

This is the system of government throughout Indonesia, the banjar to local and national parliament, the DPR and DPRD. The past two years, more than the Obama administration has been like that - any major decision is over before a less optimal solution is reached a few days after the deadline has passed. Here, anyone can claim that they did not cave, and that this has been achieved at the end was the "best deal possible." - A big market

The rationale for adopting this principle or approach are many and varied [

In Javanese confrontation in society, and the loss of face for the resulting loser must be avoided at all costs.

In the education of its youth, Indonesia focuses on the development of its citizens menjadi warga Negara yang baik - be a good citizen in a country that celebrates its unity in diversity by being satu tanah air satu bendera, satu bahasa (Sumpah Pemuda) - one country, one flag, one language - as the first declared in the youth Oath adopted on 28 October 1928.

True its first two presidents "this political consensus abused by their authoritarianism. They placed people who owed their livelihood and positions of power - governors, members of the army and police, those of their own party - in the DPR to ensure they got their way

It is important to realize that. completion of the large market is the ultimate in terms of any solution, whether political, economic or in society in general: it is the best of all possible worlds. And in Indonesian politics, and society more generally, which is often achieved. Its main downside is that it is ineffective - take a long time to reach a consensus - but also the issues of the "too hard" category can be left open for years and lead to a feeling that the system itself , by the same token, no decision is made, is unfair, unjust.

But we must be realistic, too. It is common in Javanese culture to appoint an intermediary, a negotiator whose job is to find a solution acceptable to both parties. Often, a person who is respected by your opponent is chosen because they will be more easily accepted and will often be perceived as impartial, whereas in reality their job is to negotiate a solution that finally promotes their paymaster. The difference is that if you know you are screwed if you can negotiate even small concessions, you can feel appeased and that the effort was justified.

The process or strategy was at least Pluto the time and has been developed since the mid-twentieth century by mathematicians and has been applied in many areas of life. Mathematics develops a "pay-off matrix" whose function is to find the minimum you have to pay or lose to adopt the grand bargain of solution. Each party seeking the best solution for themselves and it streamlines the position of each party placing a monetary value or other on the big market.

the side agreements are allowed, where a party is willing to pay a lot is another party that is willing to accept a lower amount for both to get a win-win solution. This cost-effectiveness is sought by each player for all players eventually reach the least costly solution for them. Then the negotiator brings all parties together in public to show their clear support for the general market reached . This is also the essence of the theory of games where the goal is to reach a consensus for an optimal solution, the great market, in which each party sought and obtained the best result possible compromise. The theory also shows what is observed in practice that the more players there are, the less of a big market is reached. In this case, the trader goes to Plan B, the majority vote, where those who do not achieve their goal to lose completely and so often "opt out" of the majority of solution.

Back to our gang land dispute. You can either solve it peacefully, go to war, or sell and move!

Indonesia’s historical baggage in the last century and a half means that we raise headlong into this new fangled thing people call globalization, the educational infrastructure of Indonesia trouble catching the 1970s Forget concepts such as Internet, creative thinking and meritocracy, many students are still sitting in rows to learn by heart as the teacher, the epicenter of the learning experience, and even drones, list of facts, dates and formulas learned and regurgitated on demand.

While students in other countries are taught at home in several different languages ​​before the first break, think here is dictated by old notions of master and servant. Witness the recent expulsion of five students of a school of Sulawesi to have the temerity to have fun and post it online. The government aspires to the noble intention of spending 20% ​​of its budget to education, but it is good to remember the concept of learning for all remains in its infancy.

At the end of the 19th century, education was considered good enough only for the son and daughters of the Dutch colonial masters and their Eurasian offspring. Although there is a movement for indigenous elite to be educated to take over the Dutch day, people in kampungs have been carefully ignored.

In Surabaya, for example, attempts have been made to the education of the population with the opening of Nut van het tot Algmeen Mattschappij (reflected by the Society for General Welfare ) in 1853. This was a primary school in order to teach Javanese children some basics, but he only closed seven years later.

Around the same time a few places in the elite of Dutch language schools were opened to the offspring of the local elite, while in 1867, the government sought to develop local language schools elementary school students were only given three-year apprenticeship before being thrown into the world.

There seemed little desire to continue their education. At the time there was a grand total of two high schools (Hoogere Burgerschool) on the islands, one Surabaya opened in 1875 and by the turn of the century, boasted a mere local student. The teaching was certainly centered on the system in the Netherlands.

Despite the "expansion" of the 1870s, by 1896 Surabaya boasted a grand total of 12 primary schools, eight of which were managed by the government with participation extended to five years, while two were Catholic. For the vast majority of the population came all learning in traditional pesantren where respected Kyai taught students how to read the Koran.

While Europe is preparing for the first World War, the government of the Netherlands East Indies was the introduction of separate schools providing seven years of studies last year in Dutch. The Hollandsch Inlandsche (HIS) and Hollandsch Chineesche schools hoped to attract the rich Indonesian elite who tended to look down on local schools, and, in much the same way as they do today. For them, the Dutch language proficiency is key.

In the years following the First World War, more and more children going to school. In 1918, for example, only 407 students attended two HIS; In 1929, there were 1,857 go to nine different schools. Although the number of school-Europeans continued to rise and remained by far the largest single percentage, local people began to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them. 19 new schools were added to Surabaya during this period of 11 years with 15 of them targeting local communities.

The figures looked spectacular, but they were coming off a low base. In 1930, it was estimated that only 14% of children in the region were in school, compared to 97% in the Netherlands. There was still much work to do, but the financial crisis that hit the world was felt in India and the government responded by reducing expenses. In the case of education, it intends to concentrate on Dutch schools and pulling the other, leaving a void.

In this space came as Taman Siswa organizations and Muhammadiyah. Taman Siswa was founded by Ki Hajar Dewantara in 1922 in Yogyakarta. A fervent nationalist, he believed strongly in education as a means to empower local youth while keeping them close to their Javanese roots and was influenced by Maria Montessori and Rabindranath Tragore.

As Dick Howard explains in his Surabaya, City of Work, "Like the Indonesian doctors had brought modern medicine to Kampong families, nationalist organizations also brought modern education in Kampong children. .. like many young people of these children would become important in 1945 in the struggle for independence. the educated elites who led the independence movement thus helped to sow the seeds of the uprising " .

Post war in Indonesia was a mess because it came forward with a Japanese conquest, colonial master to and the problems of establishing a new state. The retreat of the colonial government education before the war meant a lack of schools while investments in teacher educators also suffered. In the heady days of Merdeka he was not "cool" to study in the Netherlands while the best teachers, schooled as they were in the Dutch method, do not have the skills and empathy to teach in Indonesian.

Dick said, "the state government was too far, too concerned about the national and international politics and not enough money to do what was necessary."

Signs It was not until the late 1960s and early 1970s the central government finally shows stability after decades of chaos, was able to devote time and serious resources education thanks to the influx of petrodollars. Schools began to be built up again and the number of children attending primary school rose as the government, unconsciously aping its colonial predecessor, seemed to adopt a policy of non-intervention in high school, allowing the sector private to take the lead with 70% of high school students who opt for private education.

Indonesia, however, continues to pay for this lost generation. Blighted by profession and the labor pains of nation education has failed to keep pace with a growing population and a booming economy. A system that has been sorely inadequate before World War creaked and crumbled throughout 30 years of chaos and neglect. At the time the investment has come back and start to have an impact, a whole generation has gone through an education that was painfully inadequate and old, influenced by events surrounding their school days are those of now struggling to adapt to a time that is very different from the one they grew up.