Love Island Travel

Bali’s Tourism industry is currently experiencing a strong resurgence as a great number of foreign tourists are once again visiting the most famous holiday destination in Indonesia after a number of poor years in the wake of the devastating bombing in Kuta October 02. the beaches in the south of the island are again proving to be a powerful magnet for the younger crowd seeking sun, sand and a variety of hedonistic pleasures, while older and generally more affluent tourists head cooler climates from the center of Bali, where they are able to enjoy the rich cultural traditions of the island in places like Ubud.

However, none of these places will appeal to those who want to leave the bustle of everyday life. But there is no reason to despair. Because one of the little known secrets of Bali will prove to those willing to make the effort to get there :. The northeastern beautiful coast

hidden wonders of Tulamben

No trip to the north coast of Bali would not be complete without a visit to Tulamben . Although visitors may not be particularly impressed by his rather mundane than a kilometer long pebble beach, it is actually much more to the place than meets the eye.

For close to shore, hidden from view, is the wreck of a merchant class American Liberty ship. Torpedoed in the Lombok Strait by the Japanese during World War II, Tulamben became final resting place of the ship as it failed when it was towed to the Balinese port of Singaraja. The ship remained on the beach until it was pushed away from the shore and in deeper waters by lava after the eruption of Gunung Agung in 1963.

Today, the 0-meter long wreck is only about 30 meters wide, making it easily accessible for snorkelers alike. It lies at depths from nine to 30 meters and the point of the stern is higher than about 4 meters below the surface. And although broken, most of the original features of the ship - such as firearms, boilers and the anchor chain - are still clearly identifiable for divers. But best of all, being in very plankton-rich waters, the wreck has become a haven for a wonderful array of marine life. Schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish and more than 400 species of tropical fish have made their home.

And even away from the wreck, and a few meters from the coast, diving is still superb as a shallow coral reef stretches along the bay. Expect to see many tropical fish species butterflyfish bright colors, as well as angelfish and probably the most easily recognizable fish idol of all coral reef fish in wonderfully Moorish form. There are even huge triggerfish. But beware: this very territorial fish might bite if you get too close

The coastal tranquility Amed

In Tulamben, Amed is only a short! Drive half an hour away. Follow the road to the small town of Culik, then take the left turn towards. Although this part of the coastal road is often referred to as Amed by many tourists, it should be noted that Amed is actually just one of a number of small fishing villages nearby.

Substantially poorer than the rest of Bali, do not be surprised to see the local villagers bathing by the side of the road that fresh water is a scarce commodity here given the very dry climate of the region . Besides the panoramic salt and subsistence agriculture, there are few job opportunities, and many people earn their livelihood from fishing. The many brightly painted jukung (small traditional Balinese fishing boat) make for a picture postcard image, especially at sunrise when they come back to earth after a long night of fishing.

around eleven kilometers along the road is Culik Lipah Bay, a prime remote location. Near the shore is the wreck of a Japanese steel cargo in 6-12 meters of water. To find it, just go down the steps that are right in front of the chalets Eka Purnama the black stone beach. Although tiny in comparison to the wreck freedom, this small wreck is nonetheless ideal for snorkelling. Being in these shallow waters, the coral encrusted wreck is a mini-ecosystem in itself and snorkeling here is like a big aquarium. In this bay are some of the most beautiful coral fields in Bali. The large sea fans are a sight to behold.

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The reason why so few tourists go to the north coast of Bali is its inaccessibility. Shuttles have long ceased to attract tourists here, and since it is a good two and a half to three hours of road south of Bali, a taxi costs a small fortune. So if you really want to explore this region of Bali, then there is little choice but to hire a car or take a group tour. The best place to find a reputable car hire company at Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali.

car rental options Much cheaper are available at places like Kuta and Ubud, although the testing of some of the cars may be questionable, and it can be difficult to know if the car is actually performed or not! Also remember that to rent a car in Bali, you must either have international driving license or a driving license Indonesia. Once on the road, extreme caution when driving in Bali - oncoming vehicles were infuriating tendency to drive on the side of the road! Amed coastal roads are very twisty. So do not be tempted to drink and drive or you'll end up in the sea!

Hotels and restaurants

Given the remoteness of the northeast coast, some fresh food to be brought to the nearest town, Amlapura. This may go some way to explain why the food in this region of Bali is often very poor - and in some cases inedible - while being very expensive compared to Indonesian standards. No chance to find wonderful restaurants Padang here! So be very careful when choosing a place to eat. Some of the restaurants in the busiest hotels are probably the best bet.

Regarding accommodation, there is plenty of choice, although most of the old hotels and guesthouses are rather dilapidated. However, as food, accommodation here is much more expensive compared to the rest of Bali. Discover the possible places to stay in Bali seeking excellent information www.Balitravelforum.com up tourism before coming.

Also keep in mind that Amed is dead as a dodo in the night. There is very little chance of any entertainment at all, except perhaps a discreet Balinese dance at one of the local restaurants. But what the heck: it is a small price to pay. After all, you are here to get out of there, did you not?

The Komodo National Park, an area of ​​1,817 square kilometers consisting of three main islands, Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as several small, was earlier this year awarded the prestigious title of one of the new seven wonders nature. A protected area where you can find gigantic prehistoric lizards, turquoise blue sea, white (and rose) to the sandy beaches, pristine islands, a rich ocean fish, coral reefs and even dolphins, it is hard to believe that this kind of world still exists. The best way to discover this paradise is on a life on board and if you want to be the one where you arrive as friends and leave as family, I suggest you try the Batu Bolong.

Owned by Jon Elliot (an Australian geologist), Pedro Restrepo-Pace (a Colombian geologist) and Danny Beak of Labuanbajo, the Batu Bolong is a quiet beauty. Its 23 meter long skeleton was found in Sulawesi, where she was working on a number of months to become what it is now; three levels with an upper deck for dancing and lounging and an outdoor seating area at the rear of the upper deck, where can sleep eight in four double beds without walls, a central platform where the kitchen cum shaded seating area can be found, and two double cabins with bathroom downstairs. My advice would be to sleep on the floor because it can be quite stuffy there, especially when the generator is turned off at midnight. But that's what makes it different from other boat; you sleep without the sound of a generator nagging in your ear, and instead of the sounds of the wilderness while moored in a bay where barely a ripple can be seen on the surface of the ocean.

Batu Bolong is fully equipped for diving excursions and take you to some of the best dive sites in the world. Also was aboard our dive instructor, Adrienne Salcau, who knew these parts like the back of his hand and enthusiastically shared his expertise with us. The pre-dive briefs Adrienne were complete and clear, which meant fun and safe dives, and she encouraged us to try gently strong current dives (known in these waters) so we can live the best diving here has to offer, and become ourselves through.

The best site was Castle Rock, which was valued at sunrise to avoid sharing with other divers. However, we share the area with the dolphins, curiously dipping in and out of the water around our boat as we edged towards the drop site. Entering the water through the negative input we went straight down to about 25 meters and were immediately hit with a strong current, forcing us to stick to the rock to avoid being dragged away . This site is special because it is filled with all the big things - white and black tip sharks of up to three meters long, sharks, tuna, giant trevally and Napoleon wrasse (known to weigh up to 150 kg) and thousands more fish on a binge. When parking on the ocean floor, standing and feeling the current explosion in your face, you can just watch their world go by as if you were watching a giant aquarium. I would return to this one site Komodo. It is an exhilarating action diving filled to the brim with life.

Another major attraction for divers in these parts is the Manta Ray. These gentle giants are the largest of their kind here (three meters long) and we came into contact with at least six to Manta Alley. At a maximum depth of 15 meters, this walk can be enjoyed by divers, and although the current can take you very far on the surface. A manta, particularly slowly swooped and hovered a meter above us to bask in our bubbles and it was an honor to be able to get close to these beautiful animals are poached at an incredible pace off the east coast of Bali and elsewhere.

Of course, a trip to Komodo Island would not be complete without meeting some of the locals - the Komodo dragon. We took a morning excursion to Rinca Island National Park and enjoyed average walk, meet many great mothers guarding their nests, a large male on the prowl, after a buffalo of water wherever he went, and almost a dozen lazy dragon dozing beneath Dapur island (kitchen). This park is kept so well, with not the slightest trash seen anywhere and the guides speak English very well, protect us effectively, although primitive big fork sticks. The national park has experienced a significant increase in tourism, as it was declared New7Wonder with 40,000 visitors met during the first quarter of this year.

Life aboard the Batu Bolong is multidimensional, and welcomes non-divers and children, with diving excursions Snorkeling escorted available on a whim. Other activities include short hikes where you can watch the beautiful sunsets, barbecues on the beach and swimming in the crystal waters of remote islands

The crew was really on top. from the moment I got in touch by email until the time we left, we were caught. Coordinator, Santy, was a barrel of laughs, welcoming me with open arms, Captain Hassan sailed wearing a pirate hat and always had a smile on his face, as co-owner Danny (also a Dive Master) and Nur chief delicious cooked healthy food throughout our time on board. The sailors were quiet but diligent, and there was even a life on board masseuse kneading on those pesky knots. Nothing was too much trouble and we felt 100% relaxed and above all, safely.

When asked if there were plans to expand the business, Elliott said, "We have no plans to extend. We would like the boat to pay its way, providing on the job for our team to Labuanbajo and offering our crew opportunities to develop new skills such as mechanics or dive masters. We also plan to take the boat to other parts of the archipelago in the off-season after this year, as Raja Ampat. "

————————————————————————————————————————————————-

Getting there :.
It is better to take a flight from Jakarta to Bali tonight and spend the night near the airport
morning flights Denpasar Bali to Labuan Bajo can be organized by the team Batu Bolong

recommended length of stay: ..
3 nights - 2 just is not enough

You must bring:
Many sunscreen and a camera Clothes option

Contact..:
key.me77@yahoo.com
Danny 0852 3933 4873/0812 3720 7579 Santy
http: //www.divingkomodoflores.com/

The Borobudur Temple is considered by many as one of the wonders of the ancient world. We have all probably heard raves for its majestic landscapes at the break of dawn, the timeless beauty of its reliefs, or physical challenge "spiritually rewarding" to reach its summit.

standing 13 centuries, the largest Buddhist monument in the world is bound to have mysteries. It is rather difficult to understand its construction 100 years in the 8th and 9th centuries, these perfect structures produced with this simple technology. Nobody knows who ordered the construction of Borobudur, although tradition attributes to Syailendra dynasty, which probably meant two to three kings whose Samaratungga. And outside of the obvious religious function of the temple, researchers have long hypothesized surprising alternative functions.

Professor Agus Aris Munandar, an Indonesian University archaeologist who studied the Javanese temples for 30 years, confirms that there are many unsolved mysteries of Borobudur. Some of them show how smart mindbogglingly old Indonesians.

"There is so much finesse in Borobudur the early Dutch archaeologists refused to believe that the Javanese people did. It must have been the Indians who came to Java to spread Hinduism and Buddhism," he said Professor Agus. "But the Indians [polymath] Rabindranath Thakur visited Java in the early 20th century and said:" I see India throughout Java, but I do not know where, "which means that as long as there has strong Indian influences in the Javanese temples, they are also very different from those of the Indians.

According to Agus professor, one of the greatest mysteries of Borobudur is the hidden base, also known as Mahakarmavibhanga. Hundreds of beautifully carved relief panels are completely covered a few meters underground, except for a section in the southeast, the Japanese blew up in the 1940s by curiosity. Previously, Dutch archaeologists had unearthed for research and re-covered it.

There are two theories as to why the Mahakarmavibhanga is buried. "The first theory holds that when the construction of Borobudur was completed, the foundation became unstable. So to avoid collapse, builders had to fix the bases from all directions," said Professor Agus, adding that this is the theory that supports

the second theory speculates religious reasons the Mahakarmavibhanga depicts despicable human acts such as torture, decapitation, theft and begging -.. thus deemed inappropriate for the eyes secular. "But violence is only a small percentage of these reliefs, so I do not think it makes sense to cover the why," said Dr. Agus.

Borobudur can be divided into three levels from the bottom up: Kamadhatu (realm of ordinary people desire fulfilled) Rupadhatu (life on earth where the soul was purged of all desires), and Arupadhatu (the departure of the soul body and unite with the gods in Nirvana). Which brings us to another wonder :. Stupas holes at Arupadhatu and superstition that affects the Buddha through the holes make dreams

"Buddhist scholars philosophize form the shadows. Only Buddha shadows are visible, because the Buddha exists in a another area, as a relic housed in a stupa, "said Professor Agus. "Similarly, no one can see relics of Buddha on Borobudur protected, except for its strange shadows under sunlight or full moon."

Prof Agus is perhaps best known for research on proxemics relief panels of Borobudur. In communication sciences, proxemics is the personal space between individuals, indicating the level of privacy. In Borobudur, proxemics refers to the distance and the most comfortable angles to perceive each panel in its entirety and understand their message. The greater the distance required to reach this goal, more spiritual level (ie "closer" to Buddha) of the public to which the panel is intended.

"It took us 10 expeditions to fully decode Borobudur," said Professor Agus. "Buddhist scriptures come to refer to the 10 stages of Bodhisattva. I do not think this is a coincidence that Borobudur is designed as such that it would take 10 times to find his" path of enlightenment. "

. while we're on proxemics, note that the inter-stupa distances are unequal, however, on a plan view map of Borobudur stupas look positioned ordered Prof Agus said that Borobudur is supposed to look like a mandala -.. a circle meditation developed in a square, with symbols strategically coordinated gods to create harmonious patterns

This phenomenon has been studied by Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) team archaeoastronomy s'. According to astrophysicist ITB Evan Irawan Akbar , uneven spaces stupas were supposed to mark the length of the shadow of a gnomon during different times of the year. in other words, Borobudur is a giant sundial. Except that if this hypothesis were true, the gnomon that casts the shadow of the sundial is missing, and its dimensions are unknown.

Prof Agus said that former Indian stupas were often CHATRAS (umbrella-like structures) and yasthis (pillars on which are erected Chatras). A yasthi disappeared today could function as a sundial gnomon for this hypothetical Borobudur, he said. In the 19th century, the Dutch established a gnomon on the top of Borobudur, but withdrew after being struck by lightning. The population has never liked anyway, and based on an unproven hypothesis gave the Dutch no strong reason to keep him there.

Nevertheless, Borobudur may have served as an ancient astronomical observatory. A study of 1930 Dutch ethnoarchaeologist J.L.A. Brandes found that the 8 century Javanese mastered astronomy, which dictated agricultural and marine practices. archaeoastronomers ITB also noted the importance of celestial orientation in Borobudur construction.

Due to the rotation of the earth and pumping on its axis, the stars visible from the sky from the North Pole changes every two centuries. "When Borobudur was built, Polaris was visible from Java. Gunadharma (architect traditionally credited to Borobudur construction) ascend Mount Menoreh and educate its builders aligned the building with the star "true north," which moves neither is nor west, "said Evan. Nevertheless, the North today on the magnetic compass is north of Borobudur at the time because he was affected by the rotation of the earth.

Another astronomical curiosity Borobudur ships reliefs on the east. They represent a double canoe sailed under celestial objects, presumably commemmorating a trip to Africa. At the time, the ancient Indonesians have crossed an ocean unmapped without compass, based solely on the stars for navigation. In 03-04, a wooden replica of the ship sailed Borobudur Jakarta Cinnamon Road in Accra (Ghana) to demonstrate the commercial ties trans-Indian Ocean old Indonesians favored with older Africans. Now housed in the Museum Samudra Raksa in the northern part of Borobudur Archaeological Park, the ship is a testimony of the Indonesian maritime millennia and astronomical genius.

The puzzles Borobudur are still many. Some are scientifically plausible, as the likeness of the temple to a floating lotus in a former now dried lake basin. Others are legendary, such as the urban legend that Gunadharma slept on Mount Menoreh and became the giant-shaped mountain asleep now visible Borobudur. The researchers are not the answers. But perhaps it is these enigmas that continue to attract people to Borobudur with fear. They are called mysteries for a reason.

Candi Borobudur
Taman Arkeologi Borobudur
Desa Borobudur, Kecamatan Borobudur
Magelang, Jawa Tengah
Tel +62 293 788 266
Fax +62 293 788 132
Tickets @ Rp30.000 for Indonesian citizens, US $ 20 for foreigners

Visiting a zoo based in Indonesia is the best way to become familiar with the unparalleled biodiversity of the country covering 4,800 kilometers across two huge geographical areas. Bali is blessed with three zoos world-class well-established, all located in Gianyar District in the heart of Bali, the quality, professionalism and attractiveness make small population of the island proud.

The Bali Zoo

Built on a former coffee and cocoa plantation, the zoo Bali is situated on 5.5 hectares of natural landscapes filled with lush shrubs, lawns , waterfalls, big trees, long grass and vegetation of the thick jungle. The enclosures are clean and spacious, recreate in miniature the habitats of the respective animal is exposed.

Maintained by a staff of over 100, receiving 10,000 visitors per month during the tourist season, the zoo of Bali is home to 350 animals, including orangutans, gibbons, camels, hedgehogs, marsupials the binturong omnivores, the barking deer muncak and mouse deer (of Kancil) of romantic legend.

The zoo is also a center of learning, promoting environmental awareness and conservation of wildlife and educating children about endangered species. Plates in front of each speaker show a picture of the specimen Zoological provide accurate data both Indonesian and English, plus a distribution map.

Deep in the area, we spent tigers exhibitions Sumatran and Bengal, the heavyweights of the zoo and the crowd. pleasers To the delight of small children, small animals such as groundhogs and rabbits are not neglected. All along the winding path of zoo employees have encouraged us to take an exotic bird, snake or lizard. Visitors are even given the chance to feed the carnivores.

Suddenly I could hear two children crying as they rounded a corner. Before them was a great shaggy 22 years orangutan male only two meters. Children are able to get alarmingly close to the animals in the zoo of Bali, unlike European zoos where the specimens are kept at a distance.

Lethargic and falsely harmless, former overweight primate was quietly eating a huge pile of fruits, peel carefully tiny bananas and plopping into his mouth. On the way, while signing the visitors' book, I read a few other visitors comments: "I am disappointed that I could not touch the orangutan," and "This zoo needs more babies!" And "Better than Melbourne zoo!"

Jl. Raya Singapadu, Sukawati. Tel: 0361-294-357

The Art of Bird Park

There are twelve years old when I visited the Bali Bird Park (Cok Serma Jl. Ngurah Gambir, Singapadu, Batubulan, Gianyar, tel. 0361-299-352), it was a drive in the country, but now it is just an exploration of 25 minutes north of Batubulan. Although park parking lots were full of cars and buses, the Edenic easily absorbed all passengers and still feel half empty.

We started our walk through the lavishly landscaped grounds, ponds and caves of the jungle in the cool of the morning, when the birds were most active. I could hear the gurgling, chirping, drawling, sad, hard, hollow, throaty, plaintive, staccato and ecstatic cries of hundreds of bird species. Used to being around humans, cockatoos and parrots were sitting in the branches of trees, and peacocks and cranes roamed freely.

Then came the surprisingly colorful macaws holding cages, followed by hornbills worthy, cassowaries looking mythological Beady piercing eyes and eagles, little owls, pelicans wading. So well camouflaged are some species that were hard to see in broad leaf cages. In the middle is a cultural icon of world renown, an authentic house Toraja South Sulawesi. In other facsimiles pregnant ancient Javanese temples stood.

Papua, a gigantic aviary adjacent to the Rainforest Juice Bar "is full of exotic species from New Guinea. Except for toucans, we had to keep our eyes open to spot birds. I almost tripped over a stray drongo and Mambruk pigeon walking along the paths I could hear the shrill cries of the bird of paradise. - a member of the jay family -. and the ghostly cries trembling other invisible birds of hiking level eye through the treetops on a canopy

a whiteboard before the new arrivals facility listed residents Bali starlings and a list of other species in the breeding program. Demandai- I a Conservative if breeding programs have succeeded. "the indigenous breeds such as the Bali starling are easy to reproduce, but non-native species such as macaws are difficult even if you have a healthy male and female. But we were lucky to get protected species from outside Indonesia. Our park has the only hyacinth macaw throughout Indonesia. "

Jl Serma Cok Ngurah Gambir Singapadu Batubulan Sukawati Gianyar Tel:.. 0361 299352

own Jurassic Park Bali

just 15 meters from the bird Park, entering the adjacent Rimba Reptile Park means stepping back in the dawn of time. the atmosphere away meander open parkland full of birdsong in a wet black silent forest laced with a labyrinth of narrow roads. with more than 180 specimens, is one of the rarest and most extensive collections of Southeast Asia reptiles and amphibians.

We are . arrived on a reptile cave where we had a glimpse of the rare terrestrial species behind glass more than 100 snakes inhabit Indonesia, nontoxic majority, but the corridors of the cave as focus on the most venomous varieties: King cobras, deadly vipers and extremely toxic Taipan whose bite has enough venom to kill 300 people. Props such as cannon, driftwood, stone temples and fountains; wooden wagon wheels, flowing and voodoo statuary Hangman knot pocked made a short visit to our young children.

The pride of the park is its Komodo dragons. At that time, it was mid-day and the famous lizard was active, but half hidden. I had to jockey with an Italian woman to get a clear picture of the giant lizard with my camera. We were both pleased when the star attraction swerve from behind a concrete wall and crawled towards us.

The stone paths and stairs eventually led to the higher ground of the park, a large outdoor courtyard pools and trees where iguanas and pythons wandering around and lounging in the branches. The girls posed for pictures in front of a turtle, the guard gave them a striking sail-finned lizard very helpful, just long enough to record the experience for posterity.

Jl. Cok Ngurah Serma Gambir, Singapadu, Batubulan, Gianyar. Tel: 0361 299-344

As a writer, traveler and art lover, I came to find Majapahit as probably one of the pre-Indonesia eras most romantic and inspiring. And one of the things that come to mind when I think of Majapahit is the reddish brown of his architecture and art of the glorious terracotta.

The Majapahit Empire, who ruled between the 13th and 16th centuries, is one of the most important predecessors of the modern Republic of Indonesia. One of its founders, Gajah Mada, is famous for the oath Palapa not taste the joy of all the spices until all Nusantara is united. And of course, Majapahit to its greatest spanned the current Pattani, Thailand, the head of the New Guinea-Bird uniting hundreds of nations in a political-economic power adorned with a culture of technological finesse and artistic.

I always thought that the location of the capital of Majapahit was a mystery, and was surprised to learn that Trowulan now-a-Mojokerto district is actually a bit more than an hour drive south of Surabaya. That said, no one today knows exactly where the palace was. Most people who visit Trowulan try to guess its location by visiting the historic sites that reflect signs of royal grandeur of the period.

In fact, much of what is currently known about Majapahit remains unclear, with little physical evidence of its existence throughout its former territories outside Java. And yet Trowulan always attracts the attention of archaeologists and historians from all over the world, most who learn about Majapahit in former consultant narrative poems such as nagarakretagama and Pararaton . But driving in the main street of Trowulan, and you will find to your left and right passages in ancient sites terracotta colored earth that witnessed the history of the flourishing empire réalisés centuries ago.

Candi Brahu

discovery Trowulan is credited to Sir Stamford Raffles, who served as Governor General of Java to the British East India Company. In 1815, Raffles surveyed teak forests and densely forested and unearthed many sites whose origins are traceable to the time long forgotten Majapahit. Much of what is now Trowulan was then buried under sedimentation of the Brantas River and volcanic activity of Mount Kelud.

My first stop was the Majapahit Museum. It is located next to the Kolam Segaran, one meter wide pool 375 x 175 terracotta on the road. Legend has it that after the royal banquet in the palace, covered with gold spilled into Segaran to take stock of the wealth of the empire

Majapahit Museum was established in 1924 as the Union of Majapahit archaeologists (Dutch: LMOs). By RAA Kromojoyo Adinegoro then-Regent Mojokerto and Dutch architect Henricus Maclaine Pont. The current museum was opened in 1987 as a single place to store and display archaeological objects found around Trowulan, and to prevent these products from being damaged or stolen.

The museum has a fascinating collection of earthenware, such as banks, human figurines, and kitchen utensils. Many of the objects, such as children figurines with foreign facial features suggest that international trade was an important part of the economy and of the Majapahit culture.

There are also many prasastis (stone monuments with written historical or ancient poetry), statues of complex stone Hindu gods, and of metalwork such as musical instruments, weapons and equipment for religious rituals. They suggest that Majapahit was ruled by the upper classes who placed great importance in the arts, spirituality and romanticizing collective memory of society.

The exhibition space of the al fresco provides a nice walk-through visual guidance explaining the different eras of Majapahit and the importance of exhibitions.

Candi Tikus

My next stop was Candi Tikus, a public royal ritual bath earthenware dating from the 13th or 14th century. In 1914, local farmers were fighting the infestation of rice field rats and rise to a huge mound of earth that served as a nest of rats. Regent Adinegoro then commanded an excavation of the mound and found the establishment of ancient baths, which has since earned its name :. Temple of Rats

There are still many myths associated with Candi Tikus. local urban legend says that one of the struggling farmers in 1914 received a revelation in his dream to draw water from Candi Tikus and pour it on the four corners of his rice field. The following day the rats that infested his rice field miraculously disappeared and the ground became fertile. Later, a wealthy merchant heard of this miracle and greedily conspired to increase his wealth. He then stole bricks from Candi to the place on his property, and the rats came and gnawed his wealth.

According to the Dutch archaeologist Bernet Kempers, Candi Tikus was modeled after Mount Mahameru in India, Hindus and Buddhists believed to be the abode of the gods and the holy water source and all life on earth. The architecture features the geometric beauty. The complex was renovated in 1985 and is now surrounded by landscaped gardens featuring Surya Majapahit royal emblem.

As a work of engineering, Candi Tikus is believed to have been the flow of water regulator of the capital, the distribution of water from 18 large dams in Mojokerto. As a work of religious art, Candi Tikus served as a meeting point between the Hindu faithful to their source of life, and a place for kings and queens of religious ceremonies meeting.

Bajang Ratu

My last stop for the day Trowulan was Gapura Bajang Ratu, a royal door shaped 14th century claw. Standing 16.5 meters tall, thin doors are decorated with terracotta reliefs complex that make you wonder what great art of simple technology at the time could achieve.

The outdoor complex in which the Gapura is was supposedly the entrance of Majapahit palace. Some people suggest that the main building of the palace have been the Pendopo Agung Trowulan, but residents say the exact location remains riddled with mystery.

The lush gardens that surround the complex, you can find maja (Aegle marmelos, L.), a citrus tree whose bitter fruit is the origin of the name of Majapahit

There are many other places of interest I would have liked to visit Trowulan :. Kedaton, Brahu Candi, Candi Gentong, Kubur Panjang, Candi Menak Jinggo and Makam Puteri Champa. But it seems that one day is not enough to explore the splendor of the ancient capital of Majapahit. Meanwhile, I'm bringing home memories of terracotta reliefs baking under the hot sun of the East Javanese when I think Trowulan streets.

Majapahit Museum
Jl. Pendopo Agung (face Kolam Segaran)
Kecamatan Trowulan
Kabupaten Mojokerto
Tel / Fax: (0321) 495515
Open Tuesday to Sunday, 7:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Price for entry Rp2,500

Candi Tikus
Dukuh Dinuk
Desa Temon
Kecamatan Trowulan
Kabupaten Mojokerto

Gapura Bajang Ratu
Dukuh Kraton
Desa Temon
Kecamatan Trowulan
Kabupaten Mojokerto

One There are a hundred years, in November 1913, the famous explorer and naturalist Alfred Wallace, died in old age of ninety - now his legacy is slowly returning to the public eye as he gains recognition for his theories eclipsed the field of evolution. Apart from Tintin, of course, Wallace is my favorite browser for eight years between 1854 to 1862, he conducted research and collected specimens in the Malay Archipelago - the area now known as Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia . Coincidentally, my favorite comedian Bill Bailey recently presented the fascinating documentary Jungle Hero Bill Bailey into two parts, about Wallace's theories were developed in Indonesia; Bailey made some extraordinary claims and well supported that shake the creation

I was surprised to see Bill Bailey speaks Indonesian -. Calling himself Orang lucu (funny guy) to the Sultan of Ternate as he presented a gift box of french cookies on this volcanic island where Wallace remained. However, Bailey has a long relationship with Indonesia where he explored for 15 years - he even married his wife on the island of Banda. As Bailey Wallace followed the routes through Borneo, Sulawesi and the Spice Islands, he took out his copy of the book by Wallace The Malay Archipelago and explained some of the theories - including the Wallace line - a boundary between two very different zoological regions of the archipelago. However, as Bailey reached the Spice Islands, the documentary revelations began to intensify

We all know that Charles Darwin developed the theory of evolution by natural selection, but what do we know about Wallace -. The co-author of this theory? In fact Wallace was the first to compile all the written form theory, which he innocently sent in a letter to Charles Darwin; the letter was published in 1858 without the knowledge of Wallace next to a paper by Darwin. In the introduction to this section of their joint breakthrough, Charles Lyell wrote: "These gentlemen having, independently and unknown to each other, conceived the same very ingenious theory to account for the perpetuation of varieties .... "instead of directly to a journal for publication, poor Wallace had inadvertently sent to a rival." It was stolen, "Bailey says.

Despite the initial glory and Wallace who wrote 22 books and more than 0 scientific articles, over time his name has evaporated like steam. But thanks to the efforts of Bailey, a portrait of Wallace was erected at the natural history Museum next to a statue of Darwin and ceremony was followed by Sir David Attenborough. There is also an ongoing project at the museum download all Wallace letters on an online database so that researchers can discover more about this heroic naturalist.

the Wallace's dedication to research and perseverance in tropical forests in the era of -hunters head, poor drugs, and tropical diseases was quite admirable. Sometimes it flourished after getting enough specimens to support its research, but there were also times of scarcity and deprivation. He was a humble man with financial difficulties - an outsider in scientific circles elite of the time - perhaps this led him to become a socialist and The Malay Archipelago , it criticized the "social barbarism" of Industrial Britain.

Fascinated by her story, I recently visited one of the villages on the island of Gam in Raja Ampat, where Wallace stayed in 1860 when a friend of mine Papuan still lived with his family. The people knew about Wallace activities as Cendrawasih (bird-of-paradise) sample collector and his cousin offered to take me deep into its forest garden on the hill where the Bird-limestone Paradis de-Rouge (which Wallace collected) often visited. We left before dawn so as not to disturb the birds and after a hike of one hour the sun shone over the sea that we have reached the point where feed the birds "played" before disappearing into the forest. Our guide up to the dark leaves - we could see the red plumes of male rebound from branch to branch, and his son corkscrew tail. It must have been an exciting show for Wallace who had fought for more than two return birds of paradise on the island of Waigeo. At one time, before the cinema and photography, sample collection was vital for scientific research and so

Wallace moved to Bessir (now Yenbeser) on the island of Gam where "eight or ten "men were experts in the art of trapping and preservation of birds.

As we returned to the village, the wife of my friend had cooked fresh fish with rice on a wood fire. Drinking water was recovered from a well and boil. Puppies sniffed our feet as we enjoyed the lime sambal and a monitor lizard shot on the beach close to a coconut tree. But as we enjoyed our food, I thought that Wallace has struggled to eat on the island: "Vegetables and fruits in the plantations around us was not enough for the needs of the inhabitants, and were almost always ... . gathered before they are ripe It was very rare that we could buy some fish; -Courtyard for there were none, and we were reduced to living on pigeons and cockatoos difficult, with our rice and sago, and sometimes we could not get those "As his health deteriorated, he was forced to feed - .. possibly find some wild tomatoes, pumpkins and ferns

his book the Malay archipelago is also a fascinating story of the people of Indonesia in the nineteenth century, and Wallace spoke movingly of the villagers 'honest' Bessir of which he housed in a stilted hut next to the white sand - ". none of us grumbled our housing "a" dwarf house, only eight square feet, "he cleaned and stayed for six weeks with its crew and

It is interesting to see how he perceived the archipelago magic there over a hundred years. Already, in places such as Ternate and Raja Ampat, people still cherish their relationship with Wallace, but hopefully it will be recognized beyond Indonesia and the scientific community and reach a wider audience through the world. Thus, in this centenary year of his death, I raise a glass to the great naturalist and Wallace hopes his theories and adventures inspire generations to come.

Additional Information
Wallace, Alfred Russell (1869), The Malay Archipelago, Macmillan: London
AR Wallace Correspondence Project: http://wallaceletters.info /
two parts of the documentary Bill Bailey: Jungle Hero of Bill Bailey, Wallace Borneo and Wallace in the spice islands

English teacher Daniel Pope recalls his nightmare journey Bintan 1997 in Jakarta.

He started with a motorcycle accident. I lost control of my rental bike while negotiating a bend cliff and landed in the gravel roadside, a little less of a sharp drop in the sea. This near miss was just a harbinger of future disasters.

The coastal roads on the island of Bintan, less known neighbor of this playground for weekenders Singaporean sinners, Batam, were deserted and should not have been a problem for even the most inexperienced runners . I put my accident to be used to carry heavy luggage on the back of a bike. I also discovered how nastily gravel can shred a bare knee.

He was the shredded knee that led me to the next day hobbling on a ferry operated by the shipping company owned Pelni state for the three-day journey back to Jakarta, where I worked as an English instructor. My Occupation should serve as an indication of the reason why I was flying. In the mid 190s, in the days before budget airlines flew to other cities, and sometimes in the sea or on the side of a mountain, ships were the cheapest of inter-island transport. And teaching did not pay much. Especially not to those new to the game. It also explains why I was traveling in economy class.

The prospect of spending three days on a narrow bunk in the bowels of a Pelni ferry, packed with a crowd watching other passengers is dark in the best of times. Although I had more luck than spread their blankets in corridors or cramped stairs, I am constantly swatting flies away from my purulent knee and crush cockroaches underfoot. My legs are not as sound against the lurching deck as I had assumed. I soon enough. I abandoned ship in Batam, just three hours later, as the bridge was pulled in.

I decided it would be more comfortable to return home by land. So we had to go to Sumatra via a simple trip of nine hours on a small air-conditioned ferry. As I limped off the boat, I took a little sun. Being a newcomer in the tropics, I had never experienced before as the light from the burning sun. The total absence of a shaded shelter was unbearable and made me panic. Being British, I would have had to wait patiently in the queue, which was more of a crowd stampede aboard a minibus that arrived to pick us up. To say that I jumped the queue would be incorrect. In my despair, I totally obliterated, leaving people to pick themselves and their property scattered.

Roads to the city of Pekanbaru, capital of Riau province, are not the best in Indonesia these days. The bus ride was even choppier that seagoing ships I was on. As our convoy lurched, swayed and stood in front, I was sweating a lot while clinging to the seat in front of me. Then I met a good fortune. I say this because it was the bus before tilted to the side, not ours. No chance for the boy standing in the dust beside the wreckage with blood streaming out of it, or the bloody girl climbing a broken window, or the wounded soldier helping an elderly woman in distress at his feet. But we do not stop. We extended no help. Our bus lurched through. It appeared that those who fell on that track were left where they dropped.

A stopover in Pekanbaru seemed reasonable and Lonely Planet Indonesia guide directed me to a backpacker hotel that promised comfort, joy and cold beer. To get there, I boarded a public minibus. The vehicle was cramped and crowded, but the passengers were extremely helpful, group my luggage for me, shaking more back to give me food, and provide opposite directions, but quite useful for 'hotel. I found it heart-warming that people could be so useful to a stranger. I thanked them warmly, shaking hands proffered a clutch that I got to my stop, hopping off with my luggage. It seemed appropriate to wave the vehicle drove off. These wonderful people. It took me a few seconds to discover that I was saying goodbye to my wallet.

After spending an hour on a public phone to cancel credit cards, report a stolen ID and get a friend to transfer me money (I had a little money hidden separately, but not enough to get me), I finally arrived at the hotel selling cold beer. Time to relax. Among the assortment of backpackers and vacationers Skinflint invariably Dutch, I got to talk to a German who was riding his motorcycle through Sumatra. Just why he was doing this, I have never found, but he had some fascinating stories, none of which there is room for this story. During the night, for unknown reasons, he fell through my door I slept, walked on my knee scabbing, apologized for the intrusion, and staggered again. I'm not really heard his apology. I'm distracted by the agony of all healing defeated by the sole of the dirt of a bunch of German motorcycle.

My sleep was next night on board a bus to Jakarta, a trip of 36 hours. Reclining in my seat, with the lights off, I began to drift to the sweet sound of crunching gear changes. But it was not a regular bus. It was an "executive". And as such, he had certain rights. Unremunerated in this case. Had I known that the bus company has not paid the thugs who ruled the country through which we passed, and consequently our safe passage could not be guaranteed, I would not have been so relaxed. The steep for a shot just inches past my left ear asteroid was accompanied by the sound of breaking glass and screeching brakes that the driver stopped the bus, then changed his mind and began the next village. There was a hole where the window had been bloodied and empty seat where the passenger was seated unlucky. A brick thrown at a bus speeding will. We spent two hours at the police station in the village.

I arrived in Jakarta without incident. Perhaps my sudden return to prayer helped. I was a week back in late to work from my vacation Bintan. I soon had trouble remembering the actual party, but not the return trip. My injured knee began to heal well, but for many weeks, I had to deal with a crust-like ball of an elephant.

And what I learned from this series of incidents and near misses? Nothing. In my case, I did not put a foot wrong. I did it through these slings and arrows. And I would still recommend traveling around Indonesia on a budget. You just have to learn the hard and get lucky. Seriously.