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Kings Cross, Woolloomoolo, and Newtown

2010-01-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

Kings Cross and Woolloomooloo

Fast facts
* Excitement day or night
* East of city centre
* 12-minute bus ride from Circular Quay

Why go there
Kings Cross is Australia’s best-known entertainment precinct. It buzzes with nightclubs, live music and the fleshier side of life.
After dark, a never-ending procession of revellers hit Darlinghurst Road, while others head to more upmarket scenes in Potts Point and Woolloomooloo.

Kings Cross continually reinvents itself, with new restaurants, bars and entertainment venues opening up all time.

Things to do
* Take a tour of the historic naval base, Garden Island.
* Enjoy waterfront alfresco dining and fresh seafood at one of the restaurants lining Woolloomooloo Wharf.
* Catch a performance at the Stables or Old Fitzroy Hotel theatres, which showcase local talent.
* Meet at cool clubs such as the Piano Room, Blanco in the new Barcelona building, Aperitif or the cocktail hour at The Gazebo Wine Garden.

Don’t miss it
* El Alamein Fountain.
* Historic Elizabeth Bay House and Tusculum, grand colonial homes.
* Spa Chakra at Woolloomooloo Wharf for vichy water treatments.
* Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, famous for its delicious pies, open throughout the night.

Newtown

Fast facts
* Melting pot of styles
* Inner west
* 20-minute train ride from Circular Quay

Why go there
In Newtown, you rub shoulders with a wide range of people, from students to famous artists. Specialised shops include vintage fashion and CD stores, bookshops, antique stores, hairdressing salons and delicatessens.

Colourful, unconventional and gay-friendly, Newtown promotes its strong arts culture with many theatre and music venues. It also boasts more than 100 restaurants and cafés offering a range of ethnic cuisines, most at reasonable prices.

Things to do
* Sip coffee from a café window seat and watch the colourful crowd.
* Idiosyncratic shops in Enmore Road and south King Street offer buttons, beads, tiles, tribal gifts, gothic garments and second-hand furniture.
* Enjoy live music at any of the hotels, clubs and cabaret spaces.
* Relax in the grounds of St Stephen’s Church with its historic cemetery.

Don’t miss it
* Thai, Vietnamese and Indian restaurants.
* New and second-hand book stores.
* Erskineville, with its rows of elegant Victorian terraces.
* A show at any of the area's independent theatre spaces.
* Feastability in September.
* Newtown Festival in November.

Sydney New Years Eve

2010-01-08T23:56:00.000-08:00

Sydney New Years Eve - Festivals and Celebrations

Awaken the Spirit

Nowhere on earth does New Year like Sydney – the undisputed New Year’s Eve capital of the world. And this year their biggest and best show yet will be awakening Sydney’s spirit for the year ahead.

Everybody is invited to join the celebrations on the Harbour and to get into the spirit by coming dressed in a touch of blue. Sydney’s spirit is reflected by the colour blue - their stunning blue harbour and gorgeous summer sky.

The countdown to midnight begins at 5pm with Pre Show Entertainment on the Harbour, an Indigenous Smoking Ceremony and an Acknowledgement of Country, when their traditional custodians will ‘call up’ the first reveal of the Bridge Effect with a series of fireworks firings.

At 9pm the spectacular Family Fireworks and much loved Harbour of Light Parade will leave the crowd wanting more.

Sydney Harbour

2010-01-08T23:54:00.000-08:00

Sydney Harbour & Islands

Fast facts
= Six harbour islands, one national park
= Stay overnight on the water or on an island
= 240 km of harbour shoreline

Why go there

Sydney Harbour is alive with ferries, yachts, launches and kayaks. Laze on a chartered yacht moored in one of the bays or unwind on a cruise vessel departing from Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.

Sydney Harbour islands – Fort Denison, Shark, Clark, Rodd, Goat and Cockatoo – have great cultural and historical significance. Some of the sites resonate with Aboriginal history, while others reflect a European past with convict-built structures and old forts.

Extending over 30 hectares, the Royal Botanic Gardens occupy one of Sydney’s most spectacular locations, right on the edge of the harbour. Sydney Harbour National Park includes most of the harbour islands and large amounts of foreshore.

Things to do
= Join one of the scenic cruises departing from Circular Quay or Darling Harbour.
= See an outstanding collection of native and exotic plants at the Royal Botanic Gardens.
= Charter a yacht from EastSail and sail around Sydney Harbour.
= Take one of 16 walks along the harbour foreshore, including the easy 1.5-km Heritage Walk from Rose Bay to Vaucluse and the walk from Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay.
= On Clark, Shark, Rodd or Cockatoo islands you can revel in the view while enjoying a picnic.

Don’t miss it
= A bird's eye view of the harbour – by seaplane from Rose Bay or helicopter from Sydney Airport.
= A cheese and wine tasting on Fort Denison or heritage tour of Cockatoo Island. Sydney Ferries and Matilda Cruises depart regularly from Circular Quay.
= An overnight stay at Q Station, North Head, site of the former quarantine station at Manly.
= Kayaking on the harbour from Rose Bay or at Middle Harbour.
= Camping overnight on Cockatoo Island.
= Guided shore dives and snorkelling tours in Sydney Harbour from Chowder Bay with Plunge Diving

Harbour events
= Sydney Harbour Week, 7-15 March
= Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, 26 December
= New Year's Eve fireworks, 31 December

The Rocks

2010-01-08T23:52:00.000-08:00

Sydney Visitor Centre at The Rocks

Enjoy a warm Sydney welcome and let us help you to make the most of your stay. Come in today for bookings for accommodation, tours and attractions, free information and local knowledge, high speed internet, maps, tourist guides and travel essentials, Australian-made gifts and mementos, multi-lingual staff.

Open Time
Daily 9.30am - 5.30pm.

The Rocks and Circular Quay
Fast facts

* Where Sydney's convict days blend with life today
* City centre
* Five-minute walk from Circular Quay

Why go there

Bursting with a colourful history dating back to convict days, The Rocks is a maze of sandstone lanes, cul-de-sacs and courtyards, jam-packed with shops, warehouses and terraces that were built in the early 19th century.

While The Rocks was once home to Sydney’s dockworkers and stevedores, it’s now a magnet for international visitors, who flock to its many shops, boutiques, pubs and restaurants.

Things to do

* Visit the Sydney Visitor Information Centre for the latest on what to do and see in The Rocks.
* Walk the foreshore from Circular Quay to below the Harbour Bridge.
* Climb the span of the Harbour Bridge with BridgeClimb or visit the Pylon Lookout.
* Explore shops and galleries in converted workmen’s cottages and sandstone terrace houses in Playfair Street.
* Book a Rocks Ghost Tour and learn about macabre tales of murder, suicide, hanging and hauntings.

Don’t miss it

* A Rocks Walking Tour.
* Sydney’s oldest pubs, including the Fortune of War, Hero of Waterloo, Lord Nelson and the Orient.
* Museum of Contemporary Art.
* Rocks Markets on weekends.
* Australia Day celebrations on 26 January.

To: The Rocks and Circular Quay
Towns within The Rocks and Circular Quay

New South Wales

2010-01-08T23:48:00.000-08:00

New South Wales - NSW AUSTRALIA

New South Wales offers a unique range of nature-based holidays.
Travel the State and discover dense forests hiding a complex mosaic of plant and animal life.
Alpine country with mountainsides covered in snow gums. Sun-scarred desert parks that metamorphose into a kaleidoscope of wildflowers in spring.
Untamed coastal country with kilometres of golden-sand beaches and bays on the North Coast.
There are many travel operators who specialise in tours designed to provide visitors with a taste of the great Australian outdoors in either thrill-seeking, adrenalin-pumping activities or in more gentle pursuits.
Top of the list in adventure experiences are mountain bike riding, white water rafting, para gliding, caving, canyoning, rock climbing, abseiling, tandem skydiving and hot air ballooning over the Central West's wheatfields.
On the milder side, there are a whole range of nature tours that focus on birdwatching, nature viewing, bush walking and still- water canoeing.
On the other hand, luxury lovers can take their wilderness with champagne and canapes.
All this and more can be done on an adventure tour from Sydney.
In Sydney there is the Opera House, Sydney Harbour and Bridge. The Rocks district is a treasure trove of Australia.

Manly

2010-01-08T23:45:00.000-08:00

Manly

Fast facts

* Cosmopolitan suburb with a beach vibe
* Northern beaches
* 30-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay

Why go there

A visit to Manly by ferry is a quintessential Sydney experience. Nestled between a tranquil inner-harbour beach on one side and a popular Pacific Ocean surf beach on the other, Manly manages to combine a laid-back attitude with a sophisticated dining scene and stylish boutiques.

The palm-tree lined Corso leads you onto the Steyne promenade, where you can walk, roller-blade or cycle along the oceanfront. Back in 2004, it became the first local council in Sydney to declare its beaches non-smoking. There are a number of scenic walking routes that link the beaches with the national park.
Things to do

* Travel across Sydney Harbour from Circular Quay by ferry (30 minutes) or jetcat (15 minutes).
* Explore the Manly to Spit Bridge scenic walkway, which meanders through native bushland in a coastal setting.
* Sample the diverse restaurant and café cuisine with harbour or ocean views.
* Take a dip at the ocean surf beach or at one of the tranquil inner harbour beaches.
* Rent a bike and ride along the dedicated bike track to Fairy Bower or take a bike tour and you'll learn about Manly's history.

Don’t miss

* Scuba-diving lessons at Cabbage Tree Bay.
* Diving with sharks at Manly Oceanworld.
* Q-Station to catch a glimpse of Australia's early immigration history and enjoy spectacular harbour views.
* The coolest surf shops in Australia.
* Manly Food and Wine Festival on the first weekend in June.
* Manly International Jazz Festival on the long weekend in October.

The Corso at Manly is a partly-malled promenade area between Manly Beach and Manly Wharf, an area of cafes, interesting shops, and street entertainment. Walk from the ferry wharf to the beach facing the Pacific.

Koala Up a Gum Tree

2010-01-08T23:43:00.000-08:00

Koala Up a Gum Tree

Minamurra

This koala seems to be taking a snooze up a gum tree at the Minnamurra rainforest reserve close to Kiama.

And, yes, they're koalas, not bears. so don't call this little fellow a koala bear.

The Minnamurra subtropical rainforest is part of Budderoo National Park. There is a charge for entry into the rainforest reserve.

Kiama Blowhole and Lighthouse

2010-01-08T23:41:00.000-08:00

Kiama Blowhole and Lighthouse

New South Wales South Coast

This is the Blowhole at Kiama, south of Wollongong on the New South Wales South Coast, where the water spouts at least a good couple of storeys into the air on a good day. This happens in a matter of seconds and very much without warning. The lighthouse sits on top of the low cliff at the point.

Darlinghurst

2010-01-08T23:40:00.000-08:00

Darlinghurst

Fast facts

* Great food, unique fashion, vintage threads, urban art, cool music
* Inner eastern suburbs
* 20-minute bus ride from Circular Quay

Why go there

Darlinghurst’s main strip is Oxford Street, where Sydney's fabulous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade is held each year. If you love to shop, eat and drink well or simply people-watch, Oxford Street is agreat place to start. Nearby Crown, Burton and Liverpool streets are packed with fashion boutiques, bookshops, art galleries, music shops, cafes and restaurants.

It's at night that the suburb really comes alive with clubs, cocktail bars, live music and gay bars offering late night entertainment.

After a recent rejuvenation, Surry Hills and Darlinghurst have enjoyed a restaurant boom, with Crown and Bourke streets offering some of the most tempting cuisine in Sydney.
Things to do

* Discover great breakfasts at the Tropicana or Bar Coluzzi on Victoria Street or bills in Darlinghurst and Surry Hills.
* Enjoy an afternoon cocktail in a cool lounge, wine or tapas bar - The Victoria Room or Kika.
* Dine in Stanley Street’s Little Italy restaurant area or at any number of stylish restaurants with shared tables and hand-made pasta, late night gourmet pizza, zesty Thai and classic French.
* Check out the bars along Oxford Steet, some with fantasy settings and retro fitouts such as Ruby Rabbit, Oxford Arts Factory or The Columbian.
* Go shopping in Crown Street in Surry Hills, the place for cutting-edge design such as Cloth, Planet and Metlab.

Don’t miss it

* Sydney Jewish Museum, Victoria Road in Darlinghurst.
* Browsing in the area's many record stores for rare albums, hip hop vinyl, funk, dance and reggae.
* Object gallery on Bourke Street for the coolest design and craft.
* Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras in late February and early March.
* Surry Hills Festival in May.

City Centre

2010-01-08T23:38:00.000-08:00

City Centre

Location :

* The commercial heart of Sydney
* Short walk from Circular Quay
* Historic sites, museums, parks, cosmopolitan style

Why go there

Sydney’s city centre offers visitors a huge variety of attractions, including designer boutiques, fine restaurants, hip bars and lavish department stores. Clusters of modern office towers look down on the action and over Sydney’s historic precincts, such as The Rocks.

The city centre has some of Australia’s best shopping arcades and malls. To find your way there, just look for Australia’s tallest structure – the Sydney Tower, with its 360-degree views stretching as far as the Blue Mountains on a clear day. Pitt Street Mall is a good spot to pause for some impromptu lunchtime entertainment.
History

Many of Sydney's main streets, such as Phillip, Macquarie, Hunter, Bligh, Liverpool, Sussex and George, are named after early English governors to acknowledge the city's colonial heritage.

The city fans out from the focal point of Circular Quay. This transport hub is within walking distance of the city’s star attractions – the Harbour Bridge, opened in 1932, and the Sydney Opera House, hailed as a 20th-century architectural masterpiece.

Along Macquarie Street are fine examples of early colonial architecture, while across town the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) and The Strand Arcade recall the architectural ornamentation of the 1890s.

Things to do
* Shop for international designer labels at brand boutiques along Elizabeth and Castlereagh streets. Pop into the stylish David Jones or Myer Sydney department stores for the latest in Australian and international fashion.
* Select from the range of international cuisine on offer at food halls beneath the MLC Centre or Pitt Street Mall, or opposite Sydney Town Hall.
* Hang out in a hip bar such as the Establishment, Ivy and Arthouse.
* Take a self-guided walking tour operated by the City of Sydney or a Sydney Architecture Walk, departing regularly from the Museum of Sydney.
* Swim at Cook + Phillip pool under the lofty spires of St Mary’s Cathedral.
* Challenge a local to a chess match on the giant chess board in Hyde Park.

Chinatown and Haymarket

2010-01-08T23:35:00.000-08:00

Chinatown and Haymarket

Location :

* Asian and Spanish food and festivities
* Located adjacent to Darling Harbour
* 15-minute bus trip from Circular Quay

Why go there

Capturing the colour and excitement of Asian streetlife, Chinatown and Haymarket offer an exciting mix of restaurants, food halls, noodle bars and quirky gift shops.
Bargain-shops and Asian supermarkets also bring many visitors to the area, especially on weekends.

The Haymarket has become a late-night entertainment precinct, with bars, theatres and cinemas pulsating into the night. The lively Spanish Quarter, an 80-m stretch of pizzaz, is close by.

Things to do

* Eat yum cha, a brunch/lunchtime tradition, where you choose from trolleys piled high with assorted Chinese "steam baskets".
* Explore the Spanish Quarter, the place to buy jamon and chorizo and to try paella and Spanish dancing.
* Be a star at a karaoke bar.
* Dine at any time of the day at one of 80 Asian restaurants (some cook until 3 am).
* Consult a Chinese herbalist for an Eastern remedy.

Don’t miss it

* Paddy’s Market, Sydney’s favourite flea market.
* Shopping for discounted designer fashion at one of Market City's factory outlets.
* Catching a show at the Capitol Theatre or Sydney Entertainment Centre.
* Chinese New Year in February.
* Spanish Quarter Street Festival, in November, for Spanish cooking, flamenco, tapas and sangria.

Bondi Beach

2010-01-08T23:31:00.000-08:00

Bondi Beach

Location :
* Beach culture with attitude
* Eastern suburbs
* 11 km from city centre

Why go there
Inhabited by backpackers, billionaires, board riders and the body beautiful, Bondi is one of Sydney’s most eclectic and exciting precincts. A walk along its promenade gives you the chance to experience its carefree sun-drenched lifestyle.

The main thoroughfare of Campbell Parade has surf wear shops, takeaway food outlets, souvenirs, cafés, restaurants, bars and fish and chip shops. Hall Street has cool fashion and designer labels while Curlewis Street has numerous art galleries. To discover other stunning beaches nearby, take the trail to Tamarama (also known as Glamarama), Bronte and Coogee via a scenic boardwalk.

Things to do

* Do the Bondi-to-Coogee scenic cliff walk – take a stroll, have a swim and sip a latte at a café along the way.
* Enjoy a gelato at the elegant 1920s Bondi Pavilion.
* Watch the Bondi lifeguards run lifesaving demonstration activities, or even participate in the program.
* Take a dip in the Bondi Icebergs surf pool, one of Sydney’s iconic locations.
* Dine at sunset with spectacular ocean views at various restaurants at Bondi Beach.

Don’t miss it

* Surfing lessons with Lets Go Surfing.
* The Marine Discovery Centre at the Bondi Pavilion.
* The Icebergs Dining Room and Bar overlooking the ocean.
* Bondi’s Sunday markets.

Major events

* Flickerfest, the short film festival in January.
* Sculpture by the Sea in November.

Japan-8 The Hottest New Ski

2009-12-19T21:33:00.000-08:00

JAPAN - THE HOTTEST NEW SKI DESTINATION

Most people know that Japan is an island nation, but few know that it's mostly mountainous as well, with mountains accounting for about 80% of the country's landmass. In winter, slopes become a snow-covered wonderland making them a paradise for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts from as early as November in the north to as late as May. No wonder the Winter Olympics have been held in Japan twice: in Sapporo on the island of Hokkaido, and Nagano. Hokkaido and Nagano remain among the most popular ski resorts.

In Hokkaido, skiers in the know head for Niseko and Furano. Both are known for their fine powder, considered by some to be among the best in the world.

Niseko is a large resort area encompassing Mt. Yotei-zan, which looks like Mt. Fuji. It is attracting attention from notably savvy European skiers who understand that a ski holiday in Hokkaido is a more dependable destination for guaranteed snow than anywhere else in the world. Three skiing areas, joined by lifts and buses for easy exploration, offer a variety of slopes for skiers and snowboarders of all levels along with mesmerizing views as well as illuminated runs for night skiing.

In Furano you can have a real Japanese experience as well as enjoy a world-class ski area before sightseeing and touring around the surrounding areas. The warmth of the locals and the sparkling snow are images you will hold forever.

In Nagano Prefecture, Shiga Kogen is one of the largest ski and snowboarding resorts in Japan, boasting varied terrain spread over several mountains in 21 interlinked resorts, all connected by lifts and buses accessible via one lift pass and providing challenging runs for novices and experts alike. High elevations assure good snow quality, with fantastic views of the surrounding Joshinetsu National Park and a must-see Jigokudani Monkey Park an extra bonus. See the monkeys bathing in the natural hot springs and playing amongst the snow all within their nature environment and habitat.

Japan-7 Aya Castle

2009-12-19T21:32:00.000-08:00

Castles

Miyazaki
Aya Castle

Aya Castle (Aya-jo) is believed to have been built in the first half of the 14th century. It came to be called Aya Castle as the person who built this castle identified himself as Aya. It was abandoned because of an order issued in the first half of the 17th century by the Edo shogunate which restricted domains to only one castle each. The present three-storied castle tower was built in 1985. It houses a historical reference museum that exhibits armour worn by samurai in battle, swords, and ancient documents related to the castle.

Address
1012 Kitamata, Aya-machi, Higashi-Shoken-gun, Miyazaki

Directions
JR Minami-Miyazaki Station/Bus/1 hr./Aya-Machiaiba Bus Stop/On foot/20 min.

Japan-6 Big Snow Mountain

2009-12-19T21:31:00.000-08:00

DAISETSUZAN
(Big Snow Mountain)

The place for extreme hiking, Daisetsuzan is Japan's largest and wildest national park. Unlike most Japanese national parks, Daisetsuzan is one unbroken mass covering over 800 uninhabited and unspoiled square miles. Located in the center of Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido, it encompasses a massive cluster of volcanic peaks, rolling highlands and scenic gorges. Its dense forests, pristine meadows and volcanic landscapes surround Japan's highest - and very active - volcano, the 7513-foot Asahidake (Sunrise Mountain). Cold Siberian winds create an alpine environment normally seen only at much higher altitudes or more northern latitudes. Plants and wildflowers bloom spectacularly against a backdrop of dark cinder volcanic cones.

Japan-5 SCUBA TRIPS IN OKINAWA

2009-12-19T21:29:00.001-08:00

DIVING IN PARADISE: SCUBA TRIPS IN OKINAWA

When you think of scuba diving, Japan may not exactly be the first destination that comes to mind. While tropical locales tend to attract novices and aficionados alike, Japan's southern island of Okinawa has become a top choice destination for those who seek to expand their aquatic horizons.

Okinawa's crystal clear waters and temperatures ranging from 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit have recently been attracting some of the world's premier divers. The Ryuku Archipelago not only hosts some of the most diverse marine life in the region, but underwater ruins and World War II wrecks serve as somewhat of a sub-marine history lesson, fully explorable for anyone to discover. The Yonaguni Monument, for instance, with its ornate terraces and mysterious pyramids, structures and caves, has since become the topic of major scholarly debate and public curiosity.

The increasing attraction of the Ryuku Archipelago as created a high demand for multi-lingual diving schools. Okinawa's Reef Encounters International is one of the more recognized schools in the area, offering locals and tourists daily and all-inclusive diving excursions, equipment sales and rental, as well as regulator and BCD servicing.

One of the most popular packages, the "10 Days Experience the Best of Okinawa Tour", allows divers to experience all of the best diving locations that Okinawa and Yonaguni have to offer, and is a can't-miss experience for any and all diving enthusiasts.

For those new to the scuba world, Diving Okinawa and Diving School Umicoza offers daily snorkeling and diving excursions, as well as scuba lessons and PADI certification courses. So whether you're interested in swimming with hammerhead sharks or simply basking in some of Asia's most fertile underwater environments, Okinawa is undoubtedly a preferred destination for the ideal Japanese experience.

Japan-4 Fuji Mountain

2009-12-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

Mt. FUJI

Mount Fuji is Japan's most famous and most photographed mountain, yet even photographs fail to convey the magnitude of Japan's tallest peak. So huge that it at first glance it seems almost surreal, Mt. Fuji, at 12,388 feet, towers above everything else around it, a perfectly symmetrical cone shape of majestic proportions. The Japanese have revered Mt. Fuji since ancient times.

Climbing Mt. Fuji is a rite of passage for many Japanese, as well as for an increasing number of foreign visitors looking for that only-in-Japan ultimate outdoor experience. Although the trek to the top is strenuous and requires fortitude and stamina, it does not require any special skill. People of all ages make the climb, from children to grandparents.

There are four trails to the summit, all divided into 10 stations, with the Kawaguchi-Yoshida-guchi Trail most easily accessible from Tokyo. Most people begin their ascent from the 5th station, 7,560 feet above sea level.

The most popular method is to begin the climb in midday, spend the night in a hut at the 7th or 8th station, and arise before sunset to complete the climb. Others opt to begin their climb in late evening and walk throughout the night with flashlights to see the sunrise at the top. In all, climbers should plan on about 5 to 6 hours for the ascent from the 5th station to the summit and 3 hours for the descent.

The official climbing season for Mt. Fuji is July and August (outside these months, snow and unstable weather conditions render the mountain dangerous for all the but the most skilled climbers). Climbers should wear sturdy shoes, a warm jacket (summit temperatures average in the 40sF in summer), and raingear and be sure to pack plenty of water and food or snacks (meals are available at the huts).

Since hundreds of thousands of people climb Mt. Fuji annually, mostly in July and August, trails can be quite crowded (for the fewest crowds, aim for a weekday during the first two weeks in July). Still, most climbers revel in the camaraderie and the communal spirit of climbing Fuji-san together. The most common greeting on the mountain is "Ganbatte," a word of encouragement that loosely translates as "Go for it!"

Japan-3 Sakura Cherry blossoms

2009-12-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

SAKURA: THE BEAUTY OF THE JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM

Cherry blossoms frame a pagoda on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima.

Cherry blossoms, cherry blossoms,
On Meadow-hills and dale,
As far as you can see.
Is it a mist, or clouds?

These lyrics begin the famous traditional folk song Sakura, which pays tribute to the magnificence of the cherry blossom. Because of their short blooming times, these flowers appear and disappear like the transient nature of mist and clouds, and to the Japanese symbolize the ephemeral cycle of life. The concept of mono no aware - a sensitivity and appreciation to the transience of things - is embodied in this delicate flower.

The Japanese Meteorological Agency gives daily reports on the sakura zensen (cherry-blossom front) as it moves up the archipelago with the warmer weather. The blossoming begins in Okinawa in January and typically reaches the popular tourist destinations of Miyajima, Kyoto, the Mt. Fuji area, and Tokyo around the end of March or the beginning of April. The public tracks these movements with great anticipation.

Hanami, flower-viewing parties

During the Heian Period (794–1191) cherry trees were planted and cultivated for their beauty especially in Kyoto, the capital city during this era. The phenomenon of hanami - which translates loosely as flower viewing - came into vogue especially among the Japanese nobility of the time and has never left. Instead, the trend blossomed to include all levels of the social strata. Modern-day Japan has not lost the enthusiasm for hanami as reflected in Nobel-Prize winning novelist Yasunari Kawabata's The Old Capital, which is set in Kyoto. His protagonist Chieko Sada – in spite of being in the midst of family issues and affairs of the heart - is still as eager as the rest of her fellow countrymen and women to view the magnificent blossoms.

Twenty-first century Japan continues the tradition of hanami with people flocking to parks, shrines, and temples with family and friends to hold flower-viewing parties. Sakura Festivals take place throughout Japan as the flowers reveal themselves from the Yaedake Cherry Blossom Festival in Motobu on the southern island of Okinawa to the Matsumae Park Cherry Blossom Festival in the town of Matsumae on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Many cherry blossom festivals incorporate other Japanese rituals including tea ceremonies and traditional Japanese music and dance performances.

At cherry blossom festivals vendors set up temporary stalls selling regional Japanese delicacies, as well as all kinds of o-miyage (souvenirs) embroidered or emblazoned with the sakura. The sakura is, after all, an omen of good fortune, and is an emblem of love.

Japan-2 Shimabara Castle

2009-12-19T21:23:00.000-08:00

Castles

Nagasaki
Shimabara Castle

Shimabara Castle (Shimabara-jo) was built by Matsukura Shigemasa, the daimyo of this region, in around 1618. The five-tiered donjon soared above the grounds, with dimensions of 380 m east to west and 1,320 m north to south. Shigematsu Matsukura was known for harshly repressing the Christians within his territory. That repression lead to the biggest civil uprising by Christians - the Shimabara Rebellion - which occurred between 1637 to 1638. About 37,000 Christians took part in this war and many people died. The present castle structures were rebuilt in 1963 and the white walled, five-tiered donjon rises beautifully above the stone walls.

Address
1458 Iwanoue-cho, Hirato-shi, Nagasaki

Directions
Shimabara Railway Shimabara Station/On foot/5 min.

Japan-1 Toyama Castle

2009-12-19T21:20:00.001-08:00

Toyama Castle

Toyama Castle (Toyama-jo) was supposedly built around 1543 by the lord of this region, Mizukoshi Katsushige. Maeda Toshiie became the castle governor in 1597, but parts of the castle were burned to ashes in 1609. Although major refurbishment was carried out after the incident, the donjon was ultimately lost as it was damaged by frequent fires and earthquakes. The castle is built on flat land and the remains of the stone wall and the moat are visible. The donjon which stands on the site was built in 1954, modeled on that of the famous Inuyama Castle in Aichi Prefecture. The site is now maintained as a park.

Address
Honmaru, Toyama-shi, Toyama

Directions
JR Toyama Station/On foot/10 min.

Kediri, East-Java

2009-12-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Kediri Tourism

Kediri as one of East Java regency has known by many people and tourists, because it has many interesting tourism objects. Kediri is interesting regency that able to invite both domestics and foreign tourists to visit its beautiful tourism objects. This area is surrounded by mountain and has a lot of nature scenery, so that it makes its air cold and fresh. This regency also save historical value and common said has the old kingdom in Java Island.

The nature lovers are common visit this regency, because Kediri has the famous mount that is Mount Kelud. This is volcano mount, but its charming scenery has attracts the tourists to visit this mount. It has the channel to the crater, sulfuric lake, cool plantation, etc.

Beside Mount Kelud, the other Kediri’s nature scenery is Irrenggolo and Dolo Waterfall that also give the pine forest scenery. There are also the historical tourism objects such as; Surowono Temple, Tegowangi Temple, and the famous Sri Aji Joyoboyo Graveyard. Those are the original building of Kediri culture since years ago. The other interesting places in Kediri are Ubalan Park and Bendungan Gerak (move dam).
The government of Kediri regency always tries to develop Kediri tourism in order to known by a lot of people and add the income. Kediri has improved its tourism facilities to make the tourists as comfortable as well.

Maluku

2009-12-19T21:18:00.000-08:00

MALUKU

Maluku (Moluccas), a region of Indonesia formerly known as the Spice Islands, was once the source of cloves and nutmeg, spices highly valued for their aroma, preservative ability, and use in medicine before people learned how to cultivate the plants in other parts of the world. Maluku is a cluster of about one thousand islands totaling 74,504 square kilometers, forming part of the Malay Archipelago in eastern Indonesia near New Guinea. The region is divided into two provinces, Maluku with its capital in Ambon, and North Maluku (2002 estimated population 913,000), with its capital in Ternate; other important islands in the group include Halmahera, Seram, and Buru.

Its approximately 1000 islands support a population of less than 1.7 million people. The average population density figure is 19 people per-square kilometer, but the distribution is uneven. Air and sea transportation is the main means, which link the islands together. The province has 32 seaports and 20 airports, and only about 160 km of roads. However, good roads on many of the islands provide easy access to the often-remote places of tourists' interest.

Maluku lies in the transition zone between Asiatic and Australian flora and fauna and has a tropical climate. Maluku's flora includes meranti trees and many kinds of orchids; distinctive fauna includes cuscuses, birds of paradise, wild goats, and parrots. The economy is based on subsistence agriculture, especially sago (the sago palm, producing a starch used in food), and on the export of such products as spices, cacao, coffee, coconuts, fish, and minerals. Important indigenous groups include the Ambonese.

A great variety of endemic plant and animal species are found in the rugged forest-covered and mountainous hinterlands of most of the islands. A few of the best known are the Rucker-tailed kingfisher, the red-crested Moluccan cockatoo, and various brilliantly colored lorikeets and parrots. Most of Maluku sits astride one of the world's most volatile volcanic belts.

The Geographically
Maluku province with its capital Ambon, stay at 30 north latitudes 8,300 south latitudes and 1250 - 1350 east longitudes with the area boundaries:
North side: North Maluku Province
South side: Timor Leste and Australia
West Side: Southeast Sulawesi and Central Sulawesi
East Side: Irian Jaya Province

The wide area
The wide area of Maluku province is 712.479,69 km_, with the land wide is 54.185km_ and sea wide is 658.294,69km_.
The Maluku Province plain is 85.728 km2 width or 8.572.800 Ha contain of 3 part that is:
- Flat Land: 1.251.630 Ha width (14,6%)
- Wavy Land: 2.417.530 Ha width (28,2%)
- Hilly and Mountainous Land: 4.903.640 Ha width (57,2%)
Almost, Maluku has no upland. The mountain is a back that spread in the middle of the island, forming the mountain with the highest of 3.055 m.

Topography
Maluku province consists of mountains, islands that spread from west to east and form north to south among 1150 km.

Government administration area
Administratively, Maluku Province divided into four regencies and one city that is:
1. Central Maluku regency with 15 districts, 296 villages and 6 sub-districts.
2. Southeast Maluku regency with 8 districts, 229 villages and 6 sub-districts.
3. West-Southeast Maluku regency with 5 districts, 187 villages and 1 sub-district.
4. Buru regency with 3 districts, 62 villages.
5. Ambon city with 3 districts, 30 villages and 20 sub-districts.

Climate
Maluku has 2 seasons, that is: west season or north, and southeast or east. West season in Maluku is come from December until March, while April is transition season to southeast season. Southeast season is average 6 months begin from May and end on October. The transition to West season is on November.
The homogenate seasons are give different affect to the land and its sea in this region. The temperature is about 26,2 C (in Southeast Maluku especially in rainy).

Maluku Divers new Resort Accommodation Packages

At the new Maluku Divers Resort, a daily rate of $250 per diver per night at the resort is based on twin shared accommodation. It is a dive and stay package, and includes accommodation, 3 dives each day, three set meals and unlimited tea, coffee and drinking water.

If divers decide to join for an extended stay there is a package rate. For 6 days diving with 7 nights accommodation, with a total of 18 dives, the package is $1,550 per person. Over and above the 6 dive day packages, additional dive days are charged at $237.50 per diver per night. Options also exist for unlimited shore dive packages to take advantage of Ambon's convenient muck diving.

Lower Budget Accommodations

If budget is a factor, there are options including local homestay and local hotels. These are generally comfortable enough, though very basic. The budget accommodations require daily transfers to and from the resort. Meal provisions are also affected. Inevitably staying at outsourced accommodation will not be as convenient as staying at the new resort, however it does enable divers to experience the island of Ambon on a slightly lower budget.

A Convenient Extension Trip

Due to the convenient location as the travel hub of east Indonesia, with regular flights to Sorong, Kaimana, Manado, Makassar and Banda, diving Ambon can be either a dedicated trip or a convenient and inexpensive add-on to an existing trip further afield.

A Worldwide Travel Agent Network

Maluku Divers works in conjunction with multiple Travel Agencies across the world and welcomes the opportunity to expand it's network. Group incentives are available for groups joining Maluku Divers.

Please contact Maluku Divers for more detailed information regarding the rates and packages available in the 2009 - 2010 Season.

Manado, North Sulawesi

2009-12-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

The Exotic Destinations in Indonesia

The adventure looms large in this vast and steamy archipelago, where the best of Southeast Asia’s spicy melange simmers tantalisingly. Heady scents, vivid colours, dramatic vistas and diverse cultures spin and multiply to the point of exhaustion, their potent brew leaving your senses reeling.

Rippling across the equator for nearly 5000km, Indonesia encompasses more than 17,000 islands, two-thirds of which are inhabited and richly layered with character. On Sulawesi, the elaborate funeral ceremonies and timeless traditions of Tana Toraja are light years from the surfing culture of Lombok.
However so too are the mighty saddle-backed Batak mansions of Danua Toba and the volcanic lakes of Sumatra from the mummies and deeply etched gorges of Papua’s Baliem Valley. The resorts and restaurants of Bali pamper precocious style cats, while at the same moment threadbare backpackers are adopted by homestays in Kalimantan.

Indonesia’s cities are in a constant state of urban evolution, where dense populations, technology and construction live in hectic symbiosis.
However most of the archipelago’s territory remains unexplored, concealing a wealth of cultures and a myriad of landscapes. Oceanic rice fields and ancient sultanates in Java are humbled by haunting volcanic cones.
Maluku’s alabaster beaches and desert islands remain pristine while the tourist trail heads elsewhere.
The jungles of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua are zoological wonders, revealing impish monkeys, stoic sun bears, leopards, orang-utans and remarkable marsupials.

Uniqueness of Lake Toba:

Unlike any other lake, you will realize that there is something strange about the lake. Most large lakes were formed by glaciers; large lakes close to the equator are sometimes formed by the damming of a large river. But there is no large river flowing into Lake Toba. The lake has a different and more dramatic origin.

The Lake Toba marks the site of the largest volcanic eruption in the last 2 million years. It is, like Yellowstone, a “resurgent caldera”, or as geologists David Alt and Daniel Hyndman call this type of volcano, a “perfect horror”. Alt and Hyndman call resurgent calderas “perfect horrors” because they are both violent and enormous.

The size of Lake Toba may be a little difficult to grasp from the picture, so to give you some comparisons.

In Washington state, if the lake were aligned north to south in the Puget Sound area, it would stretch from Everett to Tacoma. In the Chicago area, it would stretch from Waukegan to Gary.
In New York, it would stretch from West Point to the Statue of Liberty. This is one enormous volcano.

And its most recent eruption, about 75,000 years ago, was in Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8

The Young Toba Tuff has an estimated volume of 2,800 cubic kilometers (km) and was erupted about 74,000 years ago. The Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 2.2 million years ago, has a volume of 2,500 cubic km. The Lava Creek Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 600,000 years ago, has a volume of 1,000 cubic km. The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced 1 cubic km of ash. Not shown in the diagram, is the Fish Canyon Tuff of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The Fish Canyon Tuff was erupted 27.8 million years ago and has an estimated volume of 3,000 cubic km.

The volume of the youngest eruption is estimated at 2,800 cubic km, making the eruption the largest in the Quaternary. Pyroclastic flows covered an area of at least 20,000 square km. Up to 1200 feet (400 m) of Young Toba Tuff is exposed in the walls of the caldera. On Samosir Island the tuff is more than 1800 feet (600 m) thick. Ash fall from the eruption covers an area of at least 4 million square km (about half the size on the continental United States).

That eruption would not have been pleasant for our ancestors. In fact, some scientists believe that the eruption, and the volcanic winter that followed, almost wiped out homo sapiens, cutting our population down to as few as 3,000, or even as few as 1,000. (That population bottleneck, as geneticists call it, would explain why humans vary less genetically that one would expect from the age of our species.)

Medan, North Sumatra

2009-12-19T21:13:00.000-08:00

The Exotic Destinations in Indonesia

Paris-8 Assemblée Nationale - Palais Bourbon

2009-12-19T21:11:00.000-08:00

Assemblée Nationale - Palais Bourbon

Facing the Luxor obelisk this neo-classic palace (18th) houses one of the two chambers of the french parliament.

The frontage of the French Assembly, built by Poyet in 1804 and completed in 1807, matches the Madeleine church. The frontage of the courtyard opening on the other side is typically 19th century, with its vast colonnade framing high windows.
Interior: the Royal Drawing Room and the Library are decorated in the Romantic style, and hung with paintings by Delacroix.
The aristocratic quarter built at the end of the "Ancien Regime" runs into Boulevard Saint Germain .

The History
The National Assembly or Congress known as the Bourbon Palace, was built by 4 different architects. Ordered by the Duchess of Bourbon daughter of Louis the XIVth and Madame de Montespan the first work began in 1722, by Giraldini, and was completed in 1728 by Lassurance, Gabriel and Aubert. Bought by Louis the XVth to ornate the Place de la Concorde it will later be joined by the Hotel de Lassay next door. Confiscated under the Revolution it will be used as the meeting place of the Council of the Five Hundreds then to host the brand new Ecole Polytechnique from 1794 to 1804.

The Surroundings
Do not leave until you have taken a look at some of the buildings, such as the number 78, rue de Lille, the Hotel de Beauharnais, with its Egyptian-style portico added in 1803, has beautiful Empire style interior decoration. Number 64, rue de Lille, the Hotel de Salm (1784), headquarter of the Legion d'Honneur, shows the return to the Classical style towards the end of the 18th century - in its triumphal archway, and ionic porticoes. At the far end of the courtyard is a semi-circular pavillion with simple window decorations which make you forget the austerity of the neo-classical frontage.

Paris-7 Bibliothèque Nationale de France

2009-12-19T21:10:00.000-08:00

Bibliothèque Nationale de France

The National Library is an institution going back to 1368, housing the largest collection of geographical maps in the world along with 12 millions printed works and 250 000 manuscripts.

The Bibliothèque Nationale de France was first a royal and later an imperial library before becoming a national institution. Its mission is to collect and conserve all works published, whatever the media, with the purpose of making them available to researchers and professionals. Under french law, publishers must deposit several copies of the works they publish in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The History
Following the decree issued by Francois 1er in 1537, this obligation was gradually extended from books alone to cover all works printed in France (periodicals, engravings, posters, musical scores, etc.). In 1925, other media and technical processes (photographs, films, phonograph records, etc.) were added to the list.
After a long wandering through the royal palaces, in 1570 the library finally settled down in Paris in the Richelieu edifice. In 1868 the Printed Papers great reading room built by the architect Labrouste was inaugurated. Since 1992, the submission of computerized and multi-media documents has also been required. These legal deposits have substantially enriched the library's collections and give publishers, authors and artists the assurance that their works will be preserved for posterity.

The Bibliothèque Nationale de France is at the core of an exchange and cooperation network that includes libraries and research centres in France and abroad. Due to the regular, rapid growth of its collections and the development of research in general, the library at the rue de Richelieu site outgrew the building some 25 years ago and has been hard-pressed to fulfill its various missions. In 1988, it was decided to build a new facility in the 13th arrondissement in Paris, now called the François Mitterrand site. With this new building and 3600 reading units, the capacity of the library is significantly increased.

The Collections
Since the XV th century's invention of printing, thanks to the obligation of deposit as well as trades and donations the Printed Papers Department owns about 12 millions books, among them two copies of Gutenberg Bible.

The new library François Mitterrand consists of
- reading rooms open to a public which had long been unable to use the Bibliothèque Nationale in Rue de Richelieu (open to all visitors 16 years old and over). This level opened december 1996. There are 1600 available reading units with open access to a collection of 180 000 volumes.
- the research library (opening october 1998). 2000 seats reserved for the consultation of all collections acquired through legal deposit (10 million volumes collections of books, periodicals and audiovisual documents).

Among the specialized collections soon to be reorganized at the Richelieu site
- The Geographical Maps (1st collection in the world)
- The world richest collection of engravings (12 millions) and photos (2 millions).
- 250 000 manuscripts including the Dead Sea Papyrus and medieval psaulm books with painted works such as Carolus Magnus and Louis IX's ones.
- 600 000 coins and medals.
- Antiques
- Music and performing arts.

Paris-6 Champs-Elysees

2009-12-19T21:08:00.000-08:00

Champs-Elysees

The triumphal way which leads to the Arc de Triomphe.

The glamour of the Champs-Élysées, particularly its upper end, may not be quite what it was, dominated as it is by airline offices, car showrooms, and bright lighted shopping arcades. But there's still the Lido cabaret, Fouquet's high-class bar and restaurant, and plenty of cinemas and outrageously priced cafés to bring the punters in. At Christmas time, this is where the fairy lights go, and on December 31st everyone happily jams in, in their cars, to hoot in the New Year.

The new landscaping project has removed the avenue's side lanes where cars used to prowl in search of parking spaces, and now pedestrians have an equal share of the avenue's width, with shade from more trees. Cultural centers, deluxe hotels and other activities that participate in the tradition and prestige of the Champs-Elysées are encouraged to return by the municipality.

The stretch between the Rond-Point roundabout - whose Lalique glass fountains disappeared during the German occupation - and Concorde is bordered by chestnut trees and municipal flower beds, pleasant enough to stroll among, but not sufficiently dense to muffle the squeal of accelerating tyres. The two massive buildings rising above the greenery to the south are the Grand and Petit Palais, with their overloaded Neoclassical exteriors, rail station roofs and exuberant flying statuary. They house a number of museums and the Grand Palais is the address for major cultural exhibitions, curtailed at the moment due to major restoration works.

On the north side, combat police guard the high walls round the presidential Elysee palace and the line of ministries and embassies ending with the US in prime position on the corner of place de la Concorde. On Thursdays and at weekends you can see a stranger manifestation of the self-images of states in the postage stamp market at the corner of avenues Gabriel and Marigny.

Paris-5 Chateau de Versailles

2009-12-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Chateau de Versailles

The Sun-king palace in Versailles is half an hour by train from Paris

The largest in Europe, the palace of Versailles housed 20 000 nobles. It was the center of the French monarchy until the 1789 revolution which overthrew King Louis the 16th.

Its facade on the park, 70 meters long hall of mirrors, the king and queen luxurious apartments and the Le Notre French style park owe the palace of Versailles a universal reputation as the perfect incarnation of French classicism.

The palace of Versailles was copied many times by monarchs throughout Europe during the 18th century.

Versailles can be reached in half an hour by train from Paris. We recommend you the "Grandes Eaux Musicales", a fountain and music show in the marvellous setting of the park.

The Castle
The Chateau proposes two itineraries: either a guided tour or not. Apart from the state apartments of the king and queen and the Galerie des Glaces (the Hall of Mirrors, where the Treaty of Versailles was signed to end World War 1), which you can visit on your own, most of the palace can only be viewed in guided groups, and whose times are much more restricted. Long queues are common.

Unfortunately, only a small part of the palace can be visited : the State Apartments of the King and Queen, and the Hall of Mirrors. The worst time to visit the Chateau is on Sunday when the entrance fee is reduced and the queues are interminable. A guided tour, for an extra charge, takes you in the King's Private Bedroom, the Royal Opera, and the rooms occupied by Madame du Barry. And, for a little more, you may visit the pavilions of the Grand and Petit Trianons.

Don't set out to see all the palace in one day for it's not possible. Quite apart from the size, tours of both Mme du Barry's apartments and of the Dauphin and Dauphine's apartments take place at the same time : 2 pm.

The History
One of the most visited monuments in France, amongst the three most visited, is the Palace of Versailles. Wanting to escape the busy life in Paris, and to keep the nobility under his control, Louis XIV built this chateau in which he set up home and installed the government. Louis Le Vau was commissioned to renovate and extend an old hunting lodge, Le Notre created the gardens from swamp land, and Mansart masterminded the hydraulic display of the fountains.

Beginning in 1664, the construction of the château lasted virtually until Louis XIV's death in 1715. the Palace of Versailles was never meant to be a home, kings were not homely people. Second only to God, and the head of an immensely powerful state, Louis XIV was an institution rather than a private individual. His instability, comings and goings, were minutely regulated and rigidly encased in ceremony, attendance at which was an honour much sought after by courtiers. Versailles was the headquarters of every arm of the state. After the death of Louis XIV, the château was abandoned for a few years. Then Louis XV moved in in 1722. It remained the residence of the royal family until the Revolution of 1789, and at this time the furniture was sold and the pictures dispatched to the Louvre. Thereafter it fell into ruin and was nearly demolished by Louis-Philippe. And in 1871, during the Paris Commune, it became the seat of the nationalist government, and the French parliament continued to meet in Louis XV's opera building until 1879. The restoration only began between the two world wars.

The many buildings attached to the castle form a small town. The whole complex is a magnificent monument. The garden facade is 575 metres long with various annexes dotted here and there in a park which is several kilometres in both length and width. The park shows the skill of Le Notre in making good use of the natural resources on the site.

The Park
If you just feel like taking a stroll, the park is free (except on Sunday) and the scenery is better the further you go from the palace. There are even informal groups of trees near the lesser outcrops of royal mania : the Italianate Grand Trianon, designed by Hardouin-Mansart in 1687 as a "country retreat" for Louis XIV, and the more modest Greek Petit Trianon, built by Gabriel in the 1760s. More charming and rustic than either of these is Le hameau de Marie-Antoinette, a play-village and farm built in 1783 for Louis XVI's queen to indulge the fashionable Rousseau-inspired fantasy of returning to the natural life.
The park is extremely large. If you find that you cannot manage them by foot, a small train shuttles between the terrace in front of the castle and the Trianons. There are also bicycles for rent by the Grand Canal, itself a good fifteen minutes' walk across the formal gardens, and boats for rent on the canal.

Don't be missed
After you have had a chance to take a look at the Chateau and the gardens, do not leave without taking a walk in the town, where everything leaves the visitor overwhelmed by the excellent taste, as well as the power and wealth, of the man for whom it was all built.

Paris-4 Eifel Tower

2009-12-19T21:03:00.000-08:00

Eiffel Tower

Paris just wouldn't be Paris without the Eiffel Tower. Designed by Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World Fair, at 300m it was then the world's tallest building. Not everyone was happy when it was first built but today it is one of the world's most visited monuments. The Eiffel Tower remained the highest monument in the world until the construction of New York's Chrysler Building in 1930.

The History
In 1889, when the Tour Eiffel was completed, it was the tallest building in the world at 300m. The Tour Eiffel was originally built as a tempory structure to commemorate the centenary of the Revolution. And since, the Eiffel Tower has become an enduring symbol of the city of Paris.

The Tour was originally built for the 1889 Exposition. This steel construction defied all traditional rules in architecture. It is now the television transmitter for the greater Paris region.

The Tour selected by a competition which was won by Gustave Eiffel, an engineer who had experience of constructing high level railway viaducts. In the public eye, the tower had many mixed opinions, celebrated and loathed in equal measure. Throughout its construction, the residents became convinced that it would collapse, and Eiffel had to reassure them personally. The author Guy de Maupassant left Paris permanently to avoid looking at its 'metallic carcass' but others who espoused more self-consciously modern views championed the tower: Seurat and Douanier Rousseau were among the first to paint it, in 1889 and 1890 respectively. On a clear day, it is possible to see Chartres Cathedral from the high level viewing platform.

There are three floors. The first is at 57 m., the second at 115m., and the third at 276 m. The top of the aerial is 320 m. above the ground. And on a nice day, you an see from the top of the platform, the whole of Paris and even the distant suburbs.
The 12,000 steel girders are held together by 2,500,000 rivets to produce a smooth, curving profile. Its functional elegance heralded the dawn of Industrial Art, and has met with much sarcastic comment from more conservative observers ever since it was finished in 1889.
And in 1986 the external night-time floodlighting was replaced by a system of illumination from within the tower's superstructure, so that it now looks at its magical best after dark.

Paris-3 Les Invalides

2009-12-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

Les Invalides

Invalides Paris - The major dome of Paris hosting Napoleon's ashes is part of a majestic hospital ordered by the Sun-king.
Monument in paris: Les Invalides, paris, France

In 1670, founded a hospital for his invalid soldiers, the King Louis XIV adopted plans by Liberal Bruant and the work started in 1671 and was finished in 1676. This hospital could house up to 4000 patients.

The Design
The principal facade, which stretches on both sides of the immense semicircular-arched doorway, whose pilasters lie on statues of Mars and Minerva, Warring Valour and Armed Wisdom, by Guillaume Coustou. On the pediment there is a statue of Louis XIV on horseback, by the same Coustou a story with three large bay windows surmounts the main entrance. All of these openings are in the form of semicircular arches. The entrance is flanked by two doors under bulls'-eyes. The arch of the pediment, the tops of windows, and the bulls'-eyes windows are adorned with garlands and cable moulding. The sober blocks of buildings are given rythm by the openings, the higher ones smaller than the lower arched bays on the ground floor and rectangular bays on the three higher floors. A cornice emphasizes the third, and gable windows adorned with sculpted weapons border the roof. Two pavilions frame the facade. In front of it lies a garden enclosed by ramparts a la Vauban, lined with 17th and 18th century cannon. Created by Robert de Cotte between 1704 and 1720, beyond the garden extends the large esplanade.

The Invalides
Beneath the dome lies two churches : one for the soldiers, and the other intended as a vault for the king but now containing the mortal remains of Napoleon. The Esplanade leads from the Quai d'Orsay through a formal garden to the the majestic facade of Les Invalides. In an arch above the large central portal is an eques- trian portrait of the Sun King supported by Prudence and Justice. Behind this is the splendid cour d'honneur which now houses the Army Museum in its east and west wing.

Paris-2 Notre-Dame

2009-12-19T20:59:00.000-08:00

Notre-Dame

The major french religious building, masterpiece of gothic architecture.
Monuments in France: Notre-Dame cathedral - Paris, France

Proceeded by a Gallo-Roman temple to Jupiter, a Christian basilica, and a Romanesque church, construction of Notre-Dame de Paris began in 1163 during the reign of Louis VII. Pope Alexander III laid the foundation stone. Construction was completed roughly 200 years later in about 1345.

In 1991, a 10 year program of general maintenance and restoration has begun, and sections of the structure are likely to be shrouded in scaffolds for the foreseeable future.

During its history, Notre Dame has been the site of numerous official and other ceremonial occasions. In 1430, Henri VI of England is crowned here. The 2nd December 1804, after the anointing by Pius VII, Napoleon seizes the crown from the pontiff and crowns first himself, then Josephine. The 31st May 1980, after the Magnificat of this day, Pope John Paul II celebrates Mass on the parvis in front of the Cathedral.

Do not be missed !
Before leaving, do not forget to walk round to the public garden at the east end for a view of the flying buttresses supporting the choir, and then along the riverside under the south transept, where you can sit in springtime under the cherry blossom.

And in front of the cathedral, in the square separating Notre Dame from Haussmann's police Headquarters, is what appears to be and smells like the entrance to an underground toilet. In fact, it is a very well-displayed and interesting museum, the crypte archeologique, in which are revealed the remains of the church which predated the cathedral, as well as streets and houses of the Cite dating as far back as the Roman era.

On the pavement by the west door of Notre-Dame is a spot known as kilometre zero. This is where all of the main road distances in France are calculated. For the Ile de la Cite is the symbolic heart of the country, or at least of the France that in the school books fights wars, undergoes revolutions and launches space rockets.

Paris-1 Stade de France

2009-12-19T20:57:00.000-08:00

Stade de France

This masterpiece of technology was built for the 1998 Football (soccer) World Cup with 80 000 covered seats.
Stade de France

The role of the Stade de France is to host France's major sporting events in three main sporting disciplines : football (soccer), rugby, athletics.
The organisation in France of an event on a worldwide scale - the last Football World Cup of the century that was held in 1998 - made the construction of these major facilities possible.

Designed by the architects Macary -Zublena - Regembal - Costantini and built in 3 years, it will be operated over a period of 27 years by the Consortium Bouygues - GTM - Entrepose - SGE, this is no typical stadium.

This stadium enables France to host major sporting events and music concerts. Its 80 000 capacity (seated and covered) is equivalent to the population of Avignon. With a level of comfort superior to that of existing stadiums and equipped with facilities unequalled in France, it is set to be an exceptional arena hosting far from ordinary events.

It is adapted to companies and opened 365 days a year.

A total of 1 750 000 spectators are attending every year forty or so events. 35 sport events (30 football/soccer meetings including 20 home club fixtures or, failing this, visiting clubs 5 rugby meetings) and 5 large concerts or other kinds of cultural events.

An exceptional venue
The Stade is also able to play a role within the corporate relationship strategies of companies. Companies organising PR events can entertain clients in superb surroundings, hiring a private box or organising conferences, trade exhibitions or seminars in the stadium's indoor facilities. Open every day of the year, the Stade de France offers several shopping and restaurant areas. Regular events are also held on the esplanade. After a few years of opening, the Stade de France is already figuring high on the list of tourist attractions, as a showcase for both French architecture and technology. On average the site receives 250 visitors a day, already fulfilling its future role as an exceptionally welcoming venue.

Trenggalek

2009-12-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

Trenggalek

Trenggalek is situated on the South-West of Surabaya, the Capital city of East Java Province, and bordered by Tulungagung in the East, Indonesian Ocean in the South, Pacitan and Ponorogo in the West, Ponorogo and Tulungagung Regencies in the North.
Trenggalek covers 126.140 Ha, a part of it, is mountainous and the rest is lowland. And tourism places which is very exciting as the other objects.

Trenggalek regencies is enriched with various potential natural resources such as: maining material (marble, limestons, meteorit, orcher, piropillit, feldspar, caolin, trass, sandstons, etc). Agriculture product (rice, corn soja), plantation products (coffee, colve, cacao, coconut mangosteen, zalacca and durian), forest products (such as terpentine as row material for gondorukem / gum) and tourism places which so exciting as the other objects.

There are many visitors often visit this regency to spent their holiday. The visitors are interesting with Trenggalek's tourism objects, such as: Prigi Beach, Damas Beach, Pelang Beach, Karanggongso Beach, Lowo Cave, and also Trenggalek's traditional art and food. Its beautiful and origin beaches are able to invite many visitors. Those visitors are also interesting in Trenggalek's anniversary. It usually held some of traditional attraction, which very interesting.

As coastal area, Trenggalek has many fishermen who can catch many fresh fishes from the sea. They have annual ceremony that called "Larung Semboyo". This ceremony is mean to thank to God because of His blessing to all fishermen.

Don't be hesitated to visit Trenggalek. Enjoy its beaches, traditional food and the other interesting places in Trenggalek.

Indonesia Overview

2009-11-19T00:04:00.000-08:00

Indonesia Overview

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, stretching 3,200 miles (5.120 kin) from east to west, it straddles the equator between the Australian and Asian Continents.Indonesia is almost unimaginably vast: 18 110 islands providing 108 000 kilometres of beaches, and the distance between Aceh and Papua is more than 4 000 kilometres (2500 miles), comparable to the distance between New York and San Francisco. There are more than 400 volcanoes in Indonesia, 130 of them being considered active, and many undersea volcanoes. The island of New Guinea (on which the Indonesian province of Papua is located) is the second largest island in the world.

Welcome to the largest archipelago of the world; Indonesia.
Indonesia consist of over 13,000 islands. Be sure to enjoy a great time in the islands where adventure is a part and parcel of the daily life. The steamy archipelago constitutes of numerous adventurous activities along with the best of entertainment and other tourists attractions.
A vacation in Indonesia is truly a memorable one with all that lies around.
The enticing flavors of the exotic spices, the frenzied atmosphere, the vivid colors in the culture and the dramatic landscapes make Indonesia a paradise for the travelers.
The country offers unmatched natural beauty which is vivid and rare. The colorful culture of the place leaves every mind thoughtful.
The country is clearly divided into the rural and the urban world with the cities in the country is in a state of constant change and urban development. The cities present a fine blend of dense population, modern construction and developing technology with the age old traditional; way of living.
However the beauty of the country lives in its archipelago which is massive in numbers and most of them are still unexplored. So it is true fact that Indonesia still provides the travelers to explore the virgin Islands and discover the secrets of nature that are hidden in the trails of the islands.
The archipelago is so big and is so many in numbers that out of the 13,000 islands only 1500 have been named. The biggest and the most important of the islands is Java.
The capital city og Jakarta is situated in Java and is also centrally located.
Java also is home to the maximum population among the other islands in the archipelago.
Indonesia is the fourth most populated country in the world after China, India and the United States of America. Largely a Muslim state, Indonesia is also home to 100 odd ethnic groups scattered around the different islands.

Indonesian Culture

The culture of Indonesia has took its current shape molded by several influences that have been prevalent in the land, as a result of the long process of interaction and acculturation between original indigenous customs and a multitude of foreign influences.
Nestled between the ancient sea trading routes between Far East and Middle East, Indonesian culture, too a large extent has imbibed much of its daily practices and art forms from the Hindu, Buddhist, Confucianism and Islamic influences. These connections are clearly evident mostly in its many trading cities.
The kaleidoscopic cultural hue of Indonesia is largely cosmopolitan and need to be distinguished from the original.
The complex nature of this culture can be easily gazed by various lines of faiths adopted by people here, for example: Agama Hindu Dharma, a denomination of Hinduism is now practiced by 93% of Balinese. Other examples are the fusion of Islam with Hindu in Javanese Abangan belief, the fusion of Hinduism, Buddhism and animism in Budha, the fusion of Hinduism and animism in Kaharingan, and many others.
With the diverse influences, shaping up the perspective of the Indonesian people, their lifestyle and values, the impact of the cultural fusion is also noticeable in Indonesian art forms.
For instances, wayang- a traditional form of theatre show performed with puppets was used to spread Hinduism and Islam among villagers in Java. Similarly, in various Javanese and Balinese dances, often stories about old Buddhist and Hindu kingdoms are told. In Sumatra, especially in its Minangkabau and Aceh regions, one can see direct architectural inspiration from the Islamic art forms and architectures.
As far as the westernization of culture of Indonesia is concerned, an imprint of it though cannot be ruled out, but it is mostly limited to modern entertainment, such as television shows, movies and songs. One of the major influences in this sphere are the Bollywood songs and movies.

Social Life
There are about 583 languages and dialects spoken in the Indonesia. They normally belong to the different ethnic groups of the population. Some of the distinctly different local languages are: Acehnese, Batak, Sundanese, Javanese, Sasak, Tetum of Timor, Dayak, Minahasa, Torajanese, Buginese, Halmahera, Ambonese, and several Irianese languages. To make the picture even more complex and colorful, these languages are also spoken in different dialects.
Before embarking on a trip to Indonesia, it will be helpful to browse through some information on Indonesian Etiquette, so that you do not hurt the sensibilities of the people, even by mistake, while on a trip there. Further more learning about the Indonesian Etiquette will help you blend in better with the locals and even surprise your host with some pleasant gestures.
Like other place in the world, when visiting Indonesia, visitors should observe the local customs and practices, which are held very dear by the Indonesian people. Although handshakes are generally acceptable for both men and women, some Muslim women may acknowledge introductions to gentlemen by merely nodding and smiling. A handshake should only be initiated by ladies. There is no grasping in Salam, in this form of greeting, the man offers both hands, lightly touches his friends outstretched hands, and then brings his hands to his chest to mean, "I greet you from my heart".
The visitor should reciprocate the salam. It is considered polite to call before visiting a home. Unannounced visits are not expected. Always remove your shoes before entering someone’s home. It is a common practice to offer drinks to guests, so if offered it is polite to accept. Always remove your shoes before entering places of worship such as mosques and temples. Some mosques provide robes and scarves for female visitors to cover there heads before entering the place of worship.
As over 85% of the Indonesian population is Muslim, drinking is not a common practice and hence toasting is not a common practice in here.

Since independence, many people have developed and maintained a strong sense of national pride and traditions of dance, painting, woodcarving and stone carvingremain alive today.

* Social courtesies are often formal. When food or drink is served, it should not be touched until the host invites the guest to do so
* Never accept or pass anything with the left hand.
* Displays of affection in public between men and women are frowned upon and kissing in public will attract a great deal of unnecessary attention.
* Touching a stranger of the same sex while in conversation is usual.
* Pointing is impolite and patting children on the head is discouraged.
* Indonesians are polite and present endless courtesies to visitors whom they trust and like.
* Smiling is a cultural tradition and Indonesians smile frequently, even when in an uncomfortable or complex situation.
* Visitors should prevent losing their temper.
* When invited to someone's home, a gift is appreciated (as long as it is given with the right hand).
* Informality is normal, but a some smart establishments encourage guests to dress for dinner.
* Safari suits are acceptable for business wear and on formal occasions.
* Muslim customs, particularly concerning female clothes, should be observed.

Time Zones
Indonesia has the second longest coastline in the whole world .certain time zones are followed by Indonesia. Basically Indonesia uses three time zones.
They are as follows.
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat (WIB)
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat is officially known as West Indonesia Time in Indonesia. In Indonesia "Waktu" means time, "Bagian" stands for part and "Barat" stands for west. The Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat means the time which is prevalent in the western part of Indonesia. Waktu Indonesia Bagian Barat or the West Indonesia Time is UTC/GMT +7 hours.
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Tengah (WIT)
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Tengah is known as the Central Indonesia Time in Indonesia Tengah stands for central in Indonesia. Central Indonesia Time is UTC/GMT +8 hours.
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Timur (WIT)
Waktu Indonesia Bagian Timur is known as the East Indonesia Time in Indonesia. Timur means east in Indonesian language. Waktu Indonesia Bagian Timur or the East Indonesia Time is UTC/GMT +9 hours.

The electricity
Usually 220 volts AC, 50Hz, but 110 volts AC, 50Hz, in some rural areas.

Jakarta

2009-11-18T23:58:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Jakarta

Jakarta as the metropolitan which occupied more than 9 million people population, which are exhibit incredible in a unique diversity of tribes, language, culture and traditions. Jakarta as the nation capital is truly a “Melting Pot” of representatives from throughout the archipelago.

Jakarta has extraordinarily developed and would be at the tourism forefront in Asia over the next few decades.
The amusement park, skyscrapers forest, high fashion shopping center, finest culinary dining, nightlife and entertainment place, luxurious housing, hotels and apartment, research institutions, well education facilities and cultural organizations certainly made Jakarta as the one of the demanding tourism city.
The Capital City is the prominent gateway to the rest of Indonesia.
From Jakarta, sophisticated land, air and sea transport is available to the rest of the country.

JAKARTA Is a City with thousands of opportunities

Jakarta is the capital city of Indonesia, an archipelago country consisting of about 13,000 islands and 200 million people. Indonesia ha s a unique diversity of tribes, language, culture, customs and religion. The diversity was mirrored in the capital city of Jakarta.
Jakarta whose population has grown approaching to 10 million people is one of the cities in Asia, which is much often talked about with the certain reasons. Jakarta has extraordinarily developed and would be at the forefront in Asia over the next few decades.
Jakarta is very unique with its status as the capital city of Indonesia and the center of the city administration. Jakarta is also a center of social, cultural and health activities. Jakarta is the prominent gateway of Indonesia. As of its geographical condition, land, air and sea transportations are also available.

JAKARTA is the city of administration
Based on its territory and number of population, Jakarta stands a province equal to the other provinces in Indonesia. As a province Jakarta is led by a governor who is held to take direct responsibility to the president of the Republic of Indonesia through the minister of home affairs.
With the double status as province and capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta has got the status of the local capital city of provincial administration.
Local Development Planning Board (BAPPEDA) sets the guidelines for the local administration and help governor to determine the strategic policies on developments and finance to the five mayoralties in Jakarta and an administrative regency.

East, West, North, South Jakarta are of mayoralties and Seribu Island is an administrative regency.
Each mayoralty has mayor as its leader who helps prepare its respective plans, while Seribu Island is under a regent who is responsible for its finance. Each mayoralty consists of some sub-districts and villages.
There are 43 sub-districts and 256 villages in Jakarta. There are also social organizations as of neighborhood units: Rukun Tetangga (RT) and Rukun Warga (RW), which are under jurisdiction of a sub-district.

History of JAKARTA city

The history of Jakarta dates back from around 500 years ago in a small downstream of Ciliwung River. For centuries, the city port develops into a bustling international trade center.
The story of Jakarta at the earlier phase emanates from the diverse ancient inscriptions found in the nearby port. The untold stories of Jakarta up until the earlier arrival of European colonialists were very scarce.

The trade city
Jakarta is the main center of Indonesian economy.
Either national or international investors are interested in participating in the Indonesian economy activities. The central government recently has determined a set of policy in order to trigger the growth of the Jakarta economy, to perfect the export and investment rules and to simplify the banking rule. The government fully support the private sectors such as the financial support for social and cultural activities. Therefore the private sectors play an important role in the national government.

JAKARTA (tourism and cultural city)

Jakarta's reputation is rapidly developed as the "tourism city" as there are many new tourism infrastructures, entertainment centers, and international-class hotels and restaurants.
Jakarta also possesses many historical places and cultural heritage. Tourism, one of the service industry,is developed rapidly and owns many opportunities to get developed all the time. Jakarta has a new, elegant Convention Center which can house 3000 people.
Jakarta keeps on developing the infrastructures in order to attract the world's attention to hold some international events. It is obvious that the government is trying to develop Jakarta equal to other big cities in the world.

JAKARTA as a Developing city

The success of five Pelita (The five-year development) concluded in the long-term development (PJP) keeps Jakarta developing. In the Pelita VI marks the PJP II, Jakarta keeps strengthening the country and the city development bases so that the Indonesian people can grow as the prosperous and fair people.

One of the exciting aspects in the housing sector is the Kampong Development, a project to enhance the people' living and a better environment with low cost. After the government's first step, this program becomes the effective motivator to encourage the people's role and the private sectors' contribution in supporting the people's enhancement. Not only the physical sector, the social and economic sectors are also the main target of the development.

Some world organizations once granted the rewards for the Kampong Development Program. The integrated highlight policy of Jakarta is fully included in Jakarta Main Plan. The Plan belonging to the Jakarta City Administration encompasses the Jakarta development from 1985 - 2002.

RENSTRA explains the special duties and goals that must be carried out by the governor .The City Administration proves the high self-managing in financing the long-term, the middle-term and the short-term plans as most of the Regional Budget are from the local sources. Many city infrastructures are under constructions , such as the constructions of toll roads, fly over, etc. This construction really facilitates the city land traffic. The public facilities like the clean water supply and the thousands of new phone networks are constructed as well

The international airport Soekarno-Hatta in Cengkareng functions as the national and international air transportation.
And the Tanjung Priok, the Sunda Kelapa and the Kali Baru ports provide the sea transportation service.
Tanjung Priok port now is under construction for better service.
Due to the dynamic growth, the social, economic and cultural atmospheres in Jakarta are prepared to lead to the National Development.

Art & Cultural Centers

SETU BABAKAN
Setu Babakan is a great visage of the traditional life in Jakarta which is located in Srengseng Sawah district of South Jakarta.

A colourful kaleidoscope of tradition await every bisitor at this 66-hectare area known as Perkampungan Budaya Betawi or the Betawi Culture Preservation Village. Setu itself means a small lake used by the Betawis.
As the name suggests, Setu Babakan is surrounded by an 18-hectare area of water which provides the tranquil setting for a meaningful and nuanced cultural exploration.
Be prepared to get an awesome insight into the Betawi culture such as the lenong ( a traditional Betawi comedy play), topeng dance, Betawi traditional wedding and of course the iconic Ondel-ondel, a giant puppet dressed in a traditional Betawi costume with a colorful tinsel crown.
In addition, explore a traditional Betawi house built back in the 1920s. Rent a duck boat to ride on the lake to complete your visit.

The people still speak the unique Betawi dialect, which is a conflation of Malay dialect influenced by the Balinese language for the grammar and Hokien Chinese for the vocabulary.
Interact with the friendly Betawis and get up close and personal with their notable blend of music such as the Rebana, Keroncong and Samroh which are largely influenced by the Portuguese and Arabic.

The best time to visit is between June and July where special festivals are organised to commemorate Jakarta's anniversary.

Bundaran HI Fountain

Istana Merdeka

Ondel-ondel Betawi

Monas

Dunia Fantasi

Lombok

2009-11-18T23:51:00.000-08:00

Lovely Lombok

Lombokis often described by outsiders as a smaller, slower version of Bali. However, Lombok recidents, say that "you can see Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali".

One of two major islands on the province of West Nusa Tenggara stretches 80km from north to south and 70km from east to west. The circular island is devided into three districts-West, East and Central.

Getting There
Flight by airplane from bali, and it takes only 15 mintes.

The Economy
The island's main crop is rice, but the rich soil also supports cotton, tobacco, soyabean, chilli peppers, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla and coffee.

Lombok's main exports are pumice and frog's legs. Seewed and sea cucumber are harvested for the Asia market and tourism is rapidly becoming an important money spinner.

The island's population explotion has had a drastic effect on the surrounding environment. Forest are dying, and erotion is rampant. To arrest the declining fortunes of agriculture, the government has introduced a diversification progamme.

PEOPLE AND THE RELIGION
The indigenous people of Lombok, the Sasaks, are predominantly Moeslims. A significant number practise the uniquely Sasak from of Islam known as Islam Waktu Telu. There is also a significant population of Hindu Balinese, as well as small population of Chinese, Buginese Makassarese and Sumbawanese.

HISTORY
In 1740, the Balinese established a stronghold in West Lombok. They monopolised important posts and confiscated the lands of any Sasak man who died without leaving a male heir. The Sasak rebelled often, and even asked the Dutch to come to their aid.

In 1894, the Dutch invaded Lombok, landing their troops on the South coat. With their Sasak allies, the Dutch attacked and looted every village in South Lombok. Mataram and the palce at Cakranegara were destroyed.
Under Dutch rule, the natives endured immense hardship and suffering-caused mainly by the heavy taxes the Dutch imposed. Ultimately, many villagers were forced to contribute their harvests to the Dutch coffers, while they and their families starved.
Even after Dutch rule ended, life in Lombok remained hard. Famines continued to plague the people, and in 1966 thousands starved to death. The government's solution was to move some of the people out of Lombok.

SIGHTS and SITES
Mataram, the province's capital, has merged with Ampenan, the port, and Cakranegara to become Nusa Tenggara's biggest urban complex. The royal palace built in the 18th century, no longer exists, but many of the old temples and pleasure gardens has survived.
Perhaps the best example of one such pleasure garden is the Taman Narmada, located 11km east of Mataram. Various spring-fed pools make the garden a popular picnic spot among the locals. The gardens are a miniature of Mount Rinjani, including a replica of the holy crater lake, Segara Anak. King Anak Gede Karangasem of Mataram had it build in 1767 when he was too old to climb the real thing.
Approximately 7km west of Narmada is the Waktu Telu Temple, or Pura Langsar. Built in 1714, and rebuild in 1878, Pura Lingsar is probably the only shrine in the world where Hindus and Moslems worship.
Lombok's biggest Balinese temple in the Pura Meru in Cakranegara. Three pagoda-like places of worship are dedicated to three different Hindu Gods: Vishnu, Shiva and Brahma. All three pagodas are marked by multi-tiered roofs.
Nearby is Taman Mayura. Once part of the royal palace, it is now a lovely park. In the middle of a large pond is a structure called Balai Kambang which once served as a legal courtroom and ritual ground for religious ceremonies.
Lombok's principle beach resort, Senggigi, lies 12 km north of Mataram on the island's west coast. Coral gardens grow in the sea just off shore.
Two kilometers of Senggigi is the Batubolong Temple (Batubolong means Hollow Rock). It over looks the famous Lombok Strait. On a clear day, the majestic Mount Agung on Bali can be seen shimmering in the distance.

The Gilis:
These 3 tropical island paradises are 20-45 minutes by boat from Bangsal

= Gili Air is closest to Bangsal. It is a quaint, peaceful village.
= Gili Meno, in the middle, is the smallest and least developed.
= Gili Trawangan is furthest west from Bangsal-is the largest of the three islands.

The snorkelling off the islands is thrilling, with sightings of race blue coral making many snorkeller's day.
Accomodation on all three islands is basic.

Mount Rinjani (3,726 m) is the third highest mountain in Indonesia and the highesr peak in Indonesia outside Irian Jaya. The land surrounding the peak is a national park.

Mount Rinjani is believed by locals to be the seat of the Gods, and during the annual Pakelem ceremony, gold offerings are carried up to the mountain to tossed into the lake. Sasak priests also make pilgrimages to the summit on fullmoons.

There are two routes up Mountain Rinjani. The tougher route is up the eastern slope, via Sembalun Lawang, Sembalun Bumbung or Sapit. Accommodation and guides are available here, but not equipment. The easier route begins 2 km to the west of the village of Bayan. The track leads to BAtu Koq and from there to another settlement, Senaru. Tents, equipment and guides or porters can be hired in both settlements. From Senaru, the trek to the summit takes about 10 exhausting hours. The rim of the crater is a good place to catch your breath and take in stunning views of the beuatiful blue-green Segara Anak lake. ( Child of the Sea).

On the east side of the lake is Mount Baru (New Mountain), an active volcano formed in 1942. It cab be reached by boet. Along the foot of the crater are numerous hot springs like Goa Susu (Milk Cave) which are reputed to have magical healing powers. They certainly work wonders at easing muscle aches and revitalising one's energy.

Kuta Beach is situated amongst the most spectacular coastal scenery on the south coast of Lombok. The 5km stretch of beautiful white sand consists of three beaches: Putri Nyale, Seger and Tanjung Aan. Beaches to the west of Kuta are good for sufing and windsurfing.

Still a quiet resort, with basic accommodation and a poor road linking it with Mataram, Kuta is expected to become a major tourist destination.
Development plans: luxury hotels, two golf courses, lagoons, craft villages and an international airport.

A strange annual festival, called the Bau Nyale, attracts hundreds of locals to witness thousands of seaworms surfacing from the sea. The peculiar sight is also beginning to draw curious tourists.

Penujak is a pottery-making village 5km south of Praya on the oad to Kuta. The New Zealand government has been providing aid to support and develop the craft since 1988. Traditional pottery are well crafted and make lovely souvenirs.
Lombok shares many of Bali's beauty and charms. But it has enough of its own magic to justify its residents' claim that "you can se Bali in Lombok, but not Lombok in Bali.

Mount Rinjani

Mount Rinjani

Senggigi Beach

Gili island

The Gili Islands

The three islands of Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan are rapidly becoming one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Bali and Lombok (Located just off the northwest coast of Lombok).
They are now easily accessible direct from Bali with the new Fast Boat service, or by plane and local boat from Lombok.

The three islands feature superb, white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, spectacular coral reefs, and the best snorkeling and diving to be found anywhere on Bali and Lombok.
Visitors from all over the world are attracted to the simple pleasures of sun, snorkeling, diving, beautiful beaches, and socializing.
The absence of cars, motorcycles, and hawkers adds greatly to the leisure of staying on the Gilis – although there is now a wide range of accommodation available, the islands have maintained the lazy rustic charms of a tropical paradise.

Getting There
Highly recommend visitors to use a Private Transfer Service to avoid hussle and bustle at Bangsal (public harbour to gili islands). Local street vendors who try to sells things with pushing and pressure, or those who grab your luggage and ask too much for a porter service could be annoying.
Paying a little extra for a comfort and easy settlement for a wonderful holiday break is worth it, especially those who travel with kids.

The private Transfer Service includes pick up, meeting and greeting service at the airport/seaport/hotel, land transportation with fully air-con deluxe coaches, private boat charter, and check in assistances at the hotel.
To get around the isle, the only means of transport are Cidomos, horse drawn carriages.
Bicycle rentals are available too. Expect higher prices for most things there since all food and goods must be brought over from the mainland.

Island's hopping
Traveling between the islands requires either catching the infrequent shuttle boats or chartering one to take you across.
The distances between the islands may seem swimmable, but do not attempt it — the currents can be fierce and several backpackers have died trying.

The Natives & History
Few years ago, sailors from Bugis, Mandar and Makassar (Sulawesi) occupied Gili Air and establish coconuts plantation and expand the fishing activities.

As visitors started to visit Lombok and some came to the Gilis on day trips and then began to stay for longer periods in local homes. The islands have become enormously popular. Their popularity may be a problem, as numbers sometime exceed the available rooms and put pressure on the island environment, especially the supply of fresh water and the capacity of septic system to cope with waste and there is always pressure to build more and better facilities.

Big business interests are trying to cash in on the popularity of the Gilis and the local government is keen to promote upmarket tourist development.

Gili Air and Gili Meno retained much of their unspoilt quality, but Gili Trawangan has become more touristy and pricy.
The islanders are majority Muslims and visitors should respect their sensibilities.
Away from Beach, it is polite for women to cover their shoulders and thighs.
A lot of visitors are appallingly insensitive to local standards and so many of them walk around in skimpy clothing that it's easy to get impression that the local people don't mind anymore. In fact, they do.

The development for the last five years has change the island's look, especially Gili Trawangan.
Accommodation tariffs on today's range for a simple room with fan are from between Rp. 90,000 (equivalent to USD 9.00) to 150,000 (USD 15.00) per night , to an air-con bungalows style with hot water, in comfortable resort-style settings at up to USD 200.00 per night and everything in between, depending on the seasonal price fluctuations. Demand often outstrips supply, so prices tend to be noticeably higher than on Bali or Lombok. Accommodation On Gili Islands, Private Villas, Boutique Resort, Budget Hotels

While the island is busiest from May through August, the quieter off-season from January to April provides a better opportunity to enjoy all the islet has to offer.

Electricity and Communication
The electricity supply are now available on all the three Gilis. The electrical voltage in Indonesia is 220 Volt, if you bring any devices which require recharged at lower voltage (110 Volt) bring an electrical voltage converter or ask the hotel where you stay for STAVOLT.

The islands have no supplies of fresh water and very spotty electricity supply; it's not uncommon for power to be off for hours at a time. Most upmarket hotels, restaurants and dive shops have generators for the back up.

Mobile phone towers ensure you're never out of touch, and there are several Internet cafes on Trawangan for feeding your Internet addiction, although connection speeds tend to be painfully slow. Printing is possible in a few Internet cafés and you can even hook up your laptop in some.

MONEY
There is now a Bank Mandiri ATM on Gili Trawangan, in front of the Vila Ombak Hotel, but it's not always working so it's better to bring along enough rupiah to tide you over. The rates offered by moneychangers are noticeably poorer than on the mainland. Credit cards are accepted by some of the more upmarket places and all dive shops; some will also arrange credit card advances, but with hefty fees on the order of 7-10%. For your own safety, deposit valuable items at the reception where you're staying at. Carry only small cash and necessary items.

Health and Medical
The sanitation has improved on the islands. There are two health centers on Gili Trawangan;
1) located near the soccer fields for locals and
2) located in Villa Ombak with better facilities for Tourist.

Gili Meno also have a health centre which funded by local's businesses.
Gili Air also have a health centre located near the main village.

The health centre is known locally as "Puskesmas". To stay fit and healthy, always drink from bottled water or boiled water and avoid eating raw foods or salads from small non-reputable restaurants, because the water might not be sterilized.
True to the hippie vibe, magic mushrooms are widely available and openly advertised. Their legality is questionable, as are any physical and psychological effects.
Small but annoying jellyfish are common in the waters around the Gilis during August only, so wearing a full-length wetsuit or surf skin in the water is advisable.

Security
There are no Police Station or Military Post on the islands, but there is a small police station in Bangsal harbor. The Islands funded non-uniformed community policing group, SATGAS, ensures visitor's security and safety. In the rare event of someone breaking the law or disturbing tourists, perpetrators are handed over to Police on Lombok and face banishment from the island for up to five years.

Activities
There are many options for an enjoyable holiday on the islands. You can rent snorkeling equipment, join a diving course, rent a kayak, go fishing, or take a glass bottom boat to see the magnificent coral reefs and fishes. There are no sights as such on the islands themselves, but the snorkeling and diving all around is a major draw.
The locals living on the island are pretty interesting. If you walk behind the main road you will see how the locals live which is much different then the beautiful bungalows the tourists stay in.

Scuba Diving
There are lots of quality scuba diving operations on all the islands. The coral around the islands is good for snorkeling, which can be reach from the shore. See rays and giant clams. A must see: Turtles Point, Meno Wall, Shark (harmless) Point. Dive Schools available on all the islands with many dive programs to choose, from beginners to advanced technical dives.

Snorkeling
While divers are able to regularly swim with black tip, those who prefer to just drifts in the currents with a snorkel, fins and mask are never left disappointed by the more than 6,000 species of marine life living just off-shore.

Fishing
Fishing is one of the highlight activities on the islands. Deep/bottom fishing remain the best on north west of Gili Trawangan. Carry your own equipment if you're not familiar with the traditional-style of fishing.

Lake Toba

2009-11-18T23:42:00.000-08:00

Lake Toba, North Sumatra

Lake Toba surrounded by tall mountains

Lake Toba

The Exotic Destinations in Indonesia

The adventure looms large in this vast and steamy archipelago, where the best of Southeast Asia’s spicy melange simmers tantalisingly. Heady scents, vivid colours, dramatic vistas and diverse cultures spin and multiply to the point of exhaustion, their potent brew leaving your senses reeling.

Rippling across the equator for nearly 5000km, Indonesia encompasses more than 17,000 islands, two-thirds of which are inhabited and richly layered with character. On Sulawesi, the elaborate funeral ceremonies and timeless traditions of Tana Toraja are light years from the surfing culture of Lombok.
However so too are the mighty saddle-backed Batak mansions of Danua Toba and the volcanic lakes of Sumatra from the mummies and deeply etched gorges of Papua’s Baliem Valley. The resorts and restaurants of Bali pamper precocious style cats, while at the same moment threadbare backpackers are adopted by homestays in Kalimantan.

Indonesia’s cities are in a constant state of urban evolution, where dense populations, technology and construction live in hectic symbiosis.
However most of the archipelago’s territory remains unexplored, concealing a wealth of cultures and a myriad of landscapes. Oceanic rice fields and ancient sultanates in Java are humbled by haunting volcanic cones.
Maluku’s alabaster beaches and desert islands remain pristine while the tourist trail heads elsewhere.
The jungles of Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua are zoological wonders, revealing impish monkeys, stoic sun bears, leopards, orang-utans and remarkable marsupials.

Uniqueness of Lake Toba:

Unlike any other lake, you will realize that there is something strange about the lake. Most large lakes were formed by glaciers; large lakes close to the equator are sometimes formed by the damming of a large river. But there is no large river flowing into Lake Toba. The lake has a different and more dramatic origin.

The Lake Toba marks the site of the largest volcanic eruption in the last 2 million years. It is, like Yellowstone, a “resurgent caldera”, or as geologists David Alt and Daniel Hyndman call this type of volcano, a “perfect horror”. Alt and Hyndman call resurgent calderas “perfect horrors” because they are both violent and enormous.

The size of Lake Toba may be a little difficult to grasp from the picture, so to give you some comparisons.

In Washington state, if the lake were aligned north to south in the Puget Sound area, it would stretch from Everett to Tacoma. In the Chicago area, it would stretch from Waukegan to Gary.
In New York, it would stretch from West Point to the Statue of Liberty. This is one enormous volcano.

And its most recent eruption, about 75,000 years ago, was in Volcanic Explosivity Index of 8

The Young Toba Tuff has an estimated volume of 2,800 cubic kilometers (km) and was erupted about 74,000 years ago. The Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 2.2 million years ago, has a volume of 2,500 cubic km. The Lava Creek Tuff, erupted at Yellowstone 600,000 years ago, has a volume of 1,000 cubic km. The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens produced 1 cubic km of ash. Not shown in the diagram, is the Fish Canyon Tuff of the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. The Fish Canyon Tuff was erupted 27.8 million years ago and has an estimated volume of 3,000 cubic km.

The volume of the youngest eruption is estimated at 2,800 cubic km, making the eruption the largest in the Quaternary. Pyroclastic flows covered an area of at least 20,000 square km. Up to 1200 feet (400 m) of Young Toba Tuff is exposed in the walls of the caldera. On Samosir Island the tuff is more than 1800 feet (600 m) thick. Ash fall from the eruption covers an area of at least 4 million square km (about half the size on the continental United States).

That eruption would not have been pleasant for our ancestors. In fact, some scientists believe that the eruption, and the volcanic winter that followed, almost wiped out homo sapiens, cutting our population down to as few as 3,000, or even as few as 1,000. (That population bottleneck, as geneticists call it, would explain why humans vary less genetically that one would expect from the age of our species.)

Sulawesi

2009-11-18T23:37:00.000-08:00

Makassar, Manado

Makassar is the largest city in Indonesia and the eastern gateway to the eastern part of indonesia, will now be more famous in the world because in Makasssar was build trans studios world theme park, the first indoor theme park in Indonesia and the biggest in Asia.

Trans Studio Resort is the area of integrated tourism in Makassar, Indonesia. Trans Studio was built of 12,7 hectares with investment of IDR 1 trillion more. Facilities built in the shopping center which includes the Trans Walk and Rodeo Drive, and Studio Trans, Trans Hotel, office of Bank Mega. Trans Studio building was built around 22,000 m² with 20 meters high which is the largest indoor amusement park in and the biggest indoor theme park in the Asia at this time.

Bunaken (Manado)

Bali

2009-11-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

Uluwatu

Tanah Lot

Mount Agung

Motto: Bali Dwipa Jaya ("Glorious Bali Island")

Map showing Bali within Indonesia
Capital Denpasar
Area 5,632.86 km2 (2,175 sq mi)
Population 3,551,000 (2009)
Density 630.4 /km2 (1,633 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups Balinese (89%), Javanese (7%), Baliaga (1%), Madurese (1%)[1]
Religion Hindu (93.19%), Muslim (4.79%), Christian (1.38%), Buddhist (0.64%)
Languages Indonesian (official), Balinese
Time zone UTC+8

Bali is an Indonesian island located at Coordinates: 8°25'23?S 115°14'55?E? / ?8.42306°S 115.24861°E? / -8.42306; 115.24861the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east. It is one of the country's 33 provinces with the provincial capital at Denpasar towards the south of the island.

With a population recorded as 3,551,000 in 2009[2], the island is home to the vast majority of Indonesia's small Hindu minority. 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, while most of the remainder follow Islam. It is also the largest tourist destination in the country and is renowned for its highly developed arts, including dance, sculpture, painting, leather, metalworking and music.

What You Can See & Do in Bali, Indonesia

Bali's natural attractions include miles of sandy beaches (many are well-known amongst surfers), picturesque rice terraces, towering active volcanoes over 3,000 meters (10,000 ft.) high, fast flowing rivers, deep ravines, pristine crater lakes, sacred caves, and lush tropical forests full of exotic wildlife.

The island's rich cultural heritage is visible everywhere - in over 20,000 temples and palaces, in many colorful festivals and ceremonies (including tooth filings and cremations), in drama, music, and dance.

You can experience Bali on many different excursions and guided tours by coach, private car or "Big Bike", by boat or by air plane: seeing Bali's beaches and rice terraces, the famous Besakih Temple on the slopes of holy Mount Agung, Lake Batur and it's active volcano, Ubud, Legian, Kuta, Nusa Dua, and the temples of Tanah Lot and Ulu Watu from a helicopter is a really special experience. For helicopter tours and private charters (3 to 6 passengers) please contact the Balivillas.com Service Center at 703-060 as soon as you arrive.

Most full day tours by car (about 8 to 10 hours, min 2 persons) be warned that those who offer very low prices tend to waste your time by showing you hardly any more than those shops which pay them a commission on your purchases.

History of Bali
The Blanjong (Belanjong) pillar inscription in Sanur dates to 914 CE, and testifies to the contacts between Bali and the Indian subcontinent.

Bali was inhabited by Austronesian peoples by about 2000 BC who migrated originally from Taiwan through Maritime Southeast Asia. Culturally and linguistically, the Balinese are thus closely related to the peoples of the Indonesian archipelago, the Philippines, and Oceania. Stone tools dating from this time have been found near the village of Cekik in the island's west.

Balinese culture was strongly influenced by Indian and Chinese, and particularly Hindu culture, in a process beginning around the 1st century AD. The name Bali dwipa ("Bali island") has been discovered from various inscriptions, including the Blanjong pillar inscription written by Sri Kesari Warmadewa in 914 AD and mentioning "Walidwipa". It was during this time that the complex irrigation system subak was developed to grow rice. Some religious and cultural traditions still in existence today can be traced back to this period. The Hindu Majapahit Empire (1293–1520 AD) on eastern Java founded a Balinese colony in 1343. When the empire declined, there was an exodus of intellectuals, artists, priests and musicians from Java to Bali in the 15th century.
Balinese bodies at Denpasar during the Dutch intervention in Bali (1906).

The first European contact with Bali is thought to have been made by Dutch explorer Cornelis de Houtman who arrived in 1597, though a Portuguese ship had foundered off the Bukit Peninsula as early as 1585 and left a few Portuguese in the service of Dewa Agung.[6] Dutch colonial control expanded across the Indonesian archipelago in the nineteenth century (see Dutch East Indies). Their political and economic control over Bali began in the 1840s on the island's north coast by pitting various distrustful Balinese realms against each other. In the late 1890s, struggles between Balinese kingdoms in the island's south were exploited by the Dutch to increase their control.

The Dutch mounted large naval and ground assaults at the Sanur region in 1906 and were met by the thousands of members of the royal family and their followers who fought against the superior Dutch force in a suicidal puputan defensive assault rather than face the humiliation of surrender. Despite Dutch demands for surrender, an estimated 1,000 Balinese marched to their death against the invaders.[8] In the Dutch intervention in Bali (1908), a similar massacre occurred in the face of a Dutch assault in Klungkung. Afterwards the Dutch governors were able to exercise administrative control over the island, but local control over religion and culture generally remained intact. Dutch rule over Bali had come later and was never as well established as in other parts of Indonesia such as Java and Maluku.

In 1930s, anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, and artists Miguel Covarrubias and Walter Spies, and musicologist Colin McPhee created a western image of Bali as "an enchanted land of aesthetes at peace with themselves and nature", and western tourism first developed on the island.

The imperial Japan occupied Bali during World War II during which time a Balinese military officer, Gusti Ngurah Rai, formed a Balinese 'freedom army'. The lack of institutional changes from the time of Dutch rule however, and the harshness of war requisitions made Japanese rule little better than the Dutch one.[10] Following Japan's Pacific surrender in August 1945, the Dutch promptly returned to Indonesia, including Bali, immediately to reinstate their pre-war colonial administration. This was resisted by the Balinese rebels now using Japanese weapons. On 20 November 1946, the Battle of Marga was fought in Tabanan in central Bali. Colonel I Gusti Ngurah Rai, by then 29 years old, finally rallied his forces in east Bali at Marga Rana, where they made a suicide attack on the heavily armed Dutch. The Balinese battalion was entirely wiped out, breaking the last thread of Balinese military resistance. In 1946 the Dutch constituted Bali as one of the 13 administrative districts of the newly-proclaimed State of East Indonesia, a rival state to the Republic of Indonesia which was proclaimed and headed by Sukarno and Hatta. Bali was included in the "Republic of the United States of Indonesia" when the Netherlands recognised Indonesian independence on 29 December 1949.

The 1963 eruption of Mount Agung killed thousands, created economic havoc and forced many displaced Balinese to be transmigrated to other parts of Indonesia. Mirroring the widening of social divisions across Indonesia in the 1950s and early 1960s, Bali saw conflict between supporters of the traditional caste system, and those rejecting these traditional values.

The transportation
The Airport: The Ngurah Rai International Airport is located near Jimbaran, on the isthmus joining the southernmost part of the island to the main part of the island. Lt.Col. Wisnu Airfield is found in north-west Bali.

A coastal road surrounds the island, and three major two-lane arteries cross the central mountains at passes reaching to 1,750m in height (at Penelokan). The Ngurah Rai Bypass is a four-lane expressway that partly encircles Denpasar and enables cars to travel quickly in the heavily populated south. Bali has no railway lines.

Demographics
The population of Bali is 3,151,000 (as of 2005). There are an estimated 30,000 expatriates living in Bali.

Religion
Acintya is the Supreme God in Balinese Hinduism.
The Mother Temple of Besakih one of Bali's most significant Hindu temples.
Cremation procession

Unlike most of Muslim-majority Indonesia, about 93.18% of Bali's population adheres to Balinese Hinduism, formed as a combination of existing local beliefs and Hindu influences from mainland Southeast Asia and South Asia. Minority religions include Islam (4.79%), Christianity (1.38%), and Buddhism (0.64%). These figures do not include immigrants from other parts of Indonesia.

When Islam triumphed over Hinduism in Java (16th century), Bali became a refuge for many Hindus. Balinese Hinduism is an amalgam in which gods and demigods are worshipped together with Buddhist heroes, the spirits of ancestors, indigenous agricultural deities and sacred places. Religion as it is practiced in Bali is a composite belief system that embraces not only theology, philosophy, and mythology, but ancestor worship, animism and magic. It pervades nearly every aspect of traditional life. Caste is observed, though less strictly than in India. With an estimated 20,000 temples and shrines, Bali is known as the "Island of the Gods".

Balinese Hinduism has roots in Indian Hinduism and in Buddhism, and adopted the animistic traditions of the indigenous people. This influence strengthened the belief that the gods and goddesses are present in all things. Every element of nature, therefore, possesses its own power, which reflects the power of the gods. A rock, tree, dagger, or woven cloth is a potential home for spirits whose energy can be directed for good or evil. Balinese Hinduism is deeply interwoven with art and ritual, and is less preoccupied with scripture, law, and belief than Islam in Indonesia. Ritualizing states of self-control are a notable feature of religious expression among the people, who for this reason have become famous for their graceful and decorous behavior.

Apart from the majority of Balinese Hindus, there also exist Chinese immigrants whose traditions have melded with that of the locals. As a result, these Sino-Balinese not only embrace their original religion, which is a mixture of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, but also find a way to harmonise it with the local traditions. Hence, it is not uncommon to find local Sino-Balinese during the local temple's odalan. Moreover, Balinese Hindu priests are invited to perform rites alongside a Chinese priest in the event of the death of a Sino-Balinese. Nevertheless, the Sino-Balinese claim to embrace Buddhism for administrative purposes, such as their Identity Cards.

Language
Balinese and Indonesian are the most widely spoken languages in Bali, and the vast majority of Balinese people are bilingual or trilingual. There are several indigenous Balinese languages, but most Balinese can also use the most widely spoken option: modern common Balinese. The usage of different Balinese languages was traditionally determined by the Balinese caste system and by clan membership, but this tradition is diminishing.
English is a common third language (and the primary foreign language) of many Balinese, owing to the requirements of the tourism industry.

Culture
Bali is renowned for its diverse and sophisticated art forms, such as painting, sculpture, woodcarving, handcrafts, and performing arts. Balinese percussion orchestra music, known as gamelan, is highly developed and varied. Balinese performing arts often portray stories from Hindu epics such as the Ramayana but with heavy Balinese influence. Famous Balinese dances include pendet, legong, baris, topeng, barong, gong keybar, and kecak (the monkey dance). Bali boasts one of the most diverse and innovative performing arts cultures in the world, with paid performances at thousands of temple festivals, private ceremonies, or public shows.

The Hindu New Year, Nyepi, is celebrated in the spring by a day of silence. On this day everyone stays at home and tourists are encouraged to remain in their hotels. But the day before that large, colourful sculptures of ogoh-ogoh monsters are paraded and finally burned in the evening to drive away evil spirits. Other festivals throughout the year are specified by the Balinese pawukon calendrical system.

The celebrations are held for many occasions such as a tooth-filing (coming-of-age ritual), cremation or odalan (temple festival). One of the most important concepts that Balinese ceremonies have in common is that of désa kala patra, which refers to how ritual performances must be appropriate in both the specific and general social context. Many of the ceremonial art forms such as wayang kulit and topeng are highly improvisatory, providing flexibility for the performer to adapt the performance to the current situation. Many celebrations call for a loud, boisterous atmosphere with lots of activity and the resulting aesthetic, ramé, is distinctively Balinese. Oftentimes two or more gamelan ensembles will be performing well within earshot, and sometimes compete with each other in order to be heard. Likewise, the audience members talk amongst themselves, get up and walk around, or even cheer on the performance, which adds to the many layers of activity and the liveliness typical of ramé.
Kaja and kelod are the Balinese equivalents of North and South, which refer to ones orientation between the island’s largest mountain Gunung Agung (kaja), and the sea (kelod). In addition to spatial orientation, kaja and kelod have the connotation of good and evil; gods and ancestors are believed to live on the mountain whereas demons live in the sea. Buildings such as temples and residential homes are spatially oriented by having the most sacred spaces closest to the mountain and the unclean places nearest to the sea.

Most temples have an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard which are arranged with the inner courtyard furthest kaja. These spaces serve as performance venues since most Balinese rituals are accompanied by any combination of music, dance and drama. The performances that take place in the inner courtyard are classified as wali, the most sacred rituals which are offerings exclusively for the gods, while the outer courtyard is where bebali ceremonies are held, which are intended for gods and people. Lastly, performances meant solely for the entertainment of humans take place outside the walls of the temple and are called bali-balihan. This three-tiered system of classification was standardized in 1971 by a committee of Balinese officials and artists in order to better protect the sanctity of the oldest and most sacred Balinese rituals from being performed for a paying audience.

Tourism, Bali’s chief industry, has provided the island with a foreign audience that is eager to pay for entertainment, thus creating new performance opportunities and more demand for performers. The impact of tourism is controversial since before it became integrated into the economy, the Balinese performing arts did not exist as a capitalist venture, and were not performed for entertainment outside of their respective ritual context. Since the 1930’s sacred rituals such as the barong dance have been performed both in their original contexts, as well as exclusively for paying tourists. This has led to new versions of many of these performances which have developed according to the preferences of foreign audiences; some villages have a barong mask specifically for non-ritual performances as well as an older mask which is only used for sacred performances.
The Balinese eat with their right hand, as the left is impure, a common belief throughout Indonesia. The Balinese do not hand or receive things with their left hand and would not wave at anyone with their left hand.

The Ecology
Bali Island is situated on the border of the Wallace Line, where transition from the Asian wildlife and flora is made into the Pacific Islands biotope. Bali is virtually the southernmost island with specific Asian fauna and flora and with very few influences from the Pacific Islands like the Yellow-crested Cockatoo and other bird species occur. Bali has around 280 species of birds, including the critically endangered Bali Starling, one of the rarest birds in the world. Others are: Barn Swallow, Black-naped Oriole, Black Racket-tailed Treepie, Crested Serpent-eagle, Crested Treeswift, Dollarbird, Java Sparrow, Lesser Adjutant, Long-tailed Shrike, Milky Stork, Pacific Swallow, Red-rumped Swallow, Sacred Kingfisher, Sea Eagle, Woodswallow, Savanna Nightjar, Stork-billed Kingfisher, Yellow-vented Bulbul, White Heron, Great Egret.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Bali was home to some large animals such as the wild Banteng, Leopard and even the Bali tiger. The first still occurs in its domestic form, while leopards only in neighboring Java, but the Bali Tiger has completely disappeared, with last recorded one in 1937, when last known specimen was shot. Due to the relative small size of the island and clashes with humans, along with poaching and habitat reduction has driven this unique feline to extinction. It was the smallest and rarest of all tiger species and never caught on film or displayed in zoos, few skins and bones remain in museums around the world as a testimony of its undisputed existence. Today, the largest animals remain the Javan Rusa deer and the Wild Boar. The water monitor can grow to an impressive size and move surprisingly quickly. Two species of deer occur in the island the smaller Muntjak and the larger Javan Rusa deer.
The Bali Tiger was declared extinct in 1937 due to hunting and habitat loss.

Snakes are represented by green snakes and occasional king and pythons occurring around areas where mice and rats are present. Squirrels are quite commonly encountered, more rare the Asian Palm Civet grown also in coffee farms to produce the expensive and controversial Kopi Luwak. Chiropteras are well represented, perhaps the most famous place to encounter them remains the Goa Lawah (Temple of the Bats) where they are worshipped by the locals and also constitute a tourist attraction, and other cave temples like Gangga Beach ones. Two species of primates occur in the island: the Crab-eating Macaque, known locally as “kera” quite common around human settlements or temples, where they became accustomed to people feeding them, particularly in any of the three so called “monkey forest” temples, with the most popular one in Ubud area. They are also quite often being kept as pets by locals. The second primate, far more rare and elusive is the Silver Leaf Monkey known locally as “lutung”. They occur virtually only in Bali Barat National Park, though in decent numbers. Other, rarer mammals include the Leopard Cat, Sunda Pangolin and Black Giant Squirrel.

The rich coral reef around the coast Bali particularly around popular diving spots like Tulamben, Amed, Menjangan or neighboring Nusa Penida host a large amount of marine life, like Hawksbill Turtle, Giant Sunfish, Giant Manta Ray, Giant Moray Eel, Bumphead Parrotfish, Hammerhead Sharks, Reef Sharks, Barracudas, Sea Snakes and so on. Dolphins are commonly encountered on the north coast near Singaraja and Lovina.

Plant life is also fairly diverse and rich giving its excellent climate fairly hot and humid. Due to human influence many plants have been introduced by humans within the last centuries, particularly since 20th century, making it sometimes hard to distinguish what plants are really native. From the larger trees most common are: Banyan trees, Jackfruit, coconuts, bamboo species, acacia trees and also endless rows of coconuts and banana species. Numerous flowers can be seen: Hibiscus, frangipani, bougainvillea, poinsettia, oleander, jasmine, water lily, roses, begonias, orchids and hydrangeas exist. On higher grounds that receive more moisture, like around Kintamani, certain species of fern trees, mushrooms and even pine trees thrive well. Rice comes in many varieties. Other plants with agricultural value include: salak, mangosteen, corn, Kintamani orange, coffee and water spinach.

BALI HOLIDAYS FOR FAMILIES
Bali is a perfect place to take your kids. They'll love the natural surroundings, and there is no problem whatsoever to find a baby-sitter or somebody to take care of them wherever you go. All Balinese adore kids !

Here you will find information about everything that you need to know about a Bali holiday for your family: where to stay, what to do and where to eat.

WHERE TO STAY IN BALI, INDONESIA, FOR FAMILIES
A Bali holiday for families begins and ends with suitable accommodation. There are variety of Bali hotels, resorts and villas to choose from, when planning your Bali holiday.Things to consider in selecting your Bali accommodation for a family group are:

= Location - try to choose a location that is popular and close to family oriented attractions i.e. near the beach, shops, restaurants and amusements.

= Facilities - make sure your accommodation choice is suitable for kids, it has a children's pool, connecting doors, play ground etc. Some venues are unsuitable for family groups.

= Pricing - does your accommodation choice offer discounts for children under a certain age?

= Transport - when you travel with a family in Bali, it will be much more convenient if you use private transport. Check with your accommodation venue if they provide private transport as part of the holiday package.

= Private Vacation Villas in Bali
Many families choose to spend a Bali holiday in a private villa. You can rent a private villa with two to seven bedrooms, tropical garden and swimming pool, all amenities, private car and driver and trained house staff. This is an attractive alternative to spending your vacation in a hotel or resort for many families.

WHAT YOU CAN SEE AND DO IN BALI
Bali is a paradise for children. Just about every attraction on the island is children "friendly" - which makes Bali an ideal destination for parents as well.

Children's attractions in Bali vary from surf, sand and beach activities; cultural activities such as dancing, temple visits, and traditional Balinese life style experiences; adventure activities such as rafting, cycling, bungee jumping and elephant rides; and theme parks such as Bali Bird Park, Waterbom, Butterfly Park, etc.

Balinese Dances
Balinese Dances are vivid and stylized performances. Most Balinese dances are dramatizations of stories and legends from the Hindu "Ramayana" and "Mahabaratha" or Balinese historical events.

Balinese culture is almost ready made for kids, especially the traditional dances with their colorful costumes and lively music. Girls tend to like the graceful movements of the Legong, which is often performed by young Balinese dancers. Boys are attracted to the Ramayana epic, with its dashing warriors or the famous Barong & Kris dance that features a mortal duel between the forces of good and evil.

Most of the big hotels feature dance performances each evening, often on outdoor stages adjacent to the pool. The new Galleria Nusa Dua shopping center features a different dance performance each night. Farther afield is the village of Batubulan, where the Barong & Kris dance is performed several times each day in an outdoor venue reminiscent of a Balinese temple."

If you wish your family to experience any of the above dances during your Bali holiday, find the full listing of all the above Balinese dances, and many more, with locations and times, by clicking here.

= Popular Bali Activities
Every popular family activity you can imagine can be found in Bali; from the water to the sky, there is something for everyone.

EATING OUT IN BALI
One of the greatest experiences of a Bali holiday for many families is eating out. Bali is simply like no other place in the world for the many different restaurants and cuisines on offer, the low cost for meals, the quality of food, and the exotic or romantic settings.

You should note that Hotel Restaurants are more expensive than local restaurants. The standard of hygiene is usually high, but always tell the restaurant staff to not make the food spicy hot when ordering for children.

What you should know about eating in Bali
There is a lot to know about eating out in Bali for families. There is a wide variety of cuisines to choose from with many restaurants specializing in simple dishes suitable for children. Also find out where the most popular Western fast food outlets are in case your children experience withdrawal symptoms.

Borobudur

2009-10-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

Borobudur, Golden Tales of the Buddhas

The glorious ninth-century Buddhist stupa of Borobudur – the largest Buddhist monument in the world – stands in the midst of the lush Kedu plain of Central Java in Indonesia, where it is visited annually by over a million people. Borobudur contains more than a thousand exquisitely carved relief panel exceeding along its many terraces for a total distance of more than a kilometer. There are arranged so as to take the visitors on spiritual journey to enlightenment, an one ascends the monument past scenes depicting the world of desire, the life story of Buddha, and the heroic deeds of other enlightened beings – finally arriving at the great circular terrace at the top of the structure that symbolize the formless world of pure knowledge and perfection.

Borobudur is a monument like no other,

It contains of a series of concentric terrace of decreasing size that rise like steps to a central peak. It has no roof, no vault, no chamber; its masonry was laid without mortar. This basic simplicity of form is counterbalanced by extraordinary rich and complex decoration.
Most striking of all, perhaps, are the beautiful bas-relief, in all some 1460 carved stone panels covering a total area of about 1900 square meter, with another 600 square meters of decorative carving surroundings.

The pilgrim’s progress

The ancient Javanese came to Borobudur as pilgrim – to climb this holy man-made mountain and attain spiritual merit. Borobudur provides a place where Buddhists could physically and spiritually pass through the ten stages of development that would transform them into enlightened bodhisattvas. This transformation was the monument’s main purpose, and both the overall design as well as the stories portrayed on Borobudur’s relief is all connected with this theme.
Pilgrim standing before the monument for the first time would undoubtedly have felt awed and somewhat daunted by its looming mass, just as we do today. Borobudur has a purposeful air, as though it is prepared to do something to us should we venture into its maze of stair way, galleries, terraces, and sculptures. Nothing in our past experiences prepare us for what it to come when se tour the monument and surrender to its power.

Cultural Arts

Throughout Indonesia, cultural arts are an integral part of daily life. In Java, the influence of mighty empires, foreign rules and religious brought by ancient trader is clearly seen.
1. Afandi Museum, Yogyakarta, collection of famous painter Affandi’s finest art, expressionist and contemporary, where home and his studio have a unique architectural designs.
2. Bentara Budaya, Yogyakarta, changing exhibitions, including photography and fiber arts.
3. Sapto Hudoyo Gallery, Yogyakarta, contemporary collections
4. Cementi Modern Art Gallery, Yogyakarta, monthly exhibitions of Indonesia and foreign artist
contemporary.
5. Ullen Sentalu, Yogyakarta, Javanese arts and culture gallery
6. And, many more.

Borobudur Temple Compounds - the Magnificent UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site

Borobudur was built on a small hill in the Kedu Basin, a rich, fertile valley surrounded by spectacular volcanoes. To the east lie Merapi and Merbabu and to the north lies Sumbing and Sindoro. The unusual jagged Menoreh Hills encircle the temple to the South and West. The temple is also located near the meeting place of two rivers, the Elo and the Progo. These rivers are believed to be symbolic of the Gangga and Yamuna, the two rivers feeding the Indus valley in India. The location was most likely chosen for its central location and expansive views.

Borobudur lies directly south of Tidar Hill, a small knob on the valley floor which according to myth nailed the island of Java in place. We get a sense of the grandness of the landscape when we rise to the final terrace of the monument which opens up into a 360 degree view of the magnificent valley. This feeling of freedom and openness evokes the sense of spiritual release that occurs in Buddhist philosophy when one enters the Arupadhatu, the sphere of enlightenment which is manifested on the final terrace of the monument.

This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m2. Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.

Experience the Beauty of the Borobudur Gigantic Mysteries at anytime

Thirteen centuries ago, a group of artists and religious leaders remaining anonymous until presently began founding a structure of massive rocks I a location regarded sacred and encircled by volcanoes in Central Java. Apparently, they didn’t live long enough to see the finished construction of what they had initiated but they knew very well that the coming generations would complete, marvel and maintain it.

Borobudur as an historic artifact, an art object and an element of Buddhist rituals has kept silent. The ‘crazy’ idea of Syailendra Dynasty kings to show the world that they were able to make real a dream doesn’t seem very striking to many people today. Very possibly, the region or the dynasty was affluent in those days. Yet, will the structure that comprises 504 Buddha statues, 72 stupas and 4 passages embellished by 1300 panels of stone carvings remain inspirational for us in our contemporary setting.

Flores

2009-10-28T22:06:00.001-07:00

Topography of Flores
Location South East Asia
Coordinates 8°37'S 121°08'E? / ?8.617°S 121.133°E? / -8.617; 121.133
Archipelago Lesser Sunda Islands
Area 13,540 km² (60th)
Highest point Poco Mandasawu (2,370 m)
Country Indonesia
Province East Nusa Tenggara
Largest city Maumere

Demographics
Population 1,600,000 (as of 2003)
Density 112 /km2 (290 /sq mi)

Flores is one of the Lesser Sunda Islands, an island arc with an estimated area of 14,300 km² extending east from the Java island of Indonesia. The population is estimated to be around 1.5 million, and the largest town is Maumere.

Flores is located east of Sumbawa and Komodo and west of Lembata and the Alor Archipelago. To the southeast is Timor. To the south, across the Sumba strait, is Sumba and to the north, beyond the Flores Sea, is Sulawesi.

On December 12, 1992, an earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale occurred, killing 2,500 people near the island of Flores.

The Etymology

The name 'Flores' is the Portuguese word, meaning "flowers".
Flores is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province. The island is split into seven regencies (local government districts); from west to east these are: West Manggarai, Central Manggarai, Ngada, Nagekeo , Ende, Sikka and Flores Timur.

Flora and fauna

The west coast of Flores is one of the few places, aside from the island of Komodo itself, where the Komodo dragon can be found in the wild. The Flores Giant Rat is also endemic to the Island.

In September 2003, at Liang Bua Cave in western Flores, paleoanthropologists discovered small skeletons that they described as a previously unknown hominid species, Homo floresiensis. These are informally named hobbits and appear to have stood about one metre tall. The most complete individual is dated as 18,000 years old. A description of a new species was published, but this remains disputed by other research that concludes they were afflicted with a growth disorder.

Flores was also a habitat of the extinct Stegodon dwarf elephant until approximately 18,000 years ago. It also was the habitat of species of giant rodents. It is speculated by scientists that limited resources drove the few species that lived upon the island to gigantism and dwarfism.

The culture
There are many languages spoken on the island of Flores, all of them belonging to the Austronesian family. In the centre of the island in the districts of Ngada, Nagekeo, and Ende there is what is variously called the Central Flores Dialect Chain or the Central Flores Linkage. Within this area there are slight linguistic differences in almost every village. At least six separate languages are identifiable. These are from west to east: Ngadha, Nage, Keo, Ende, Lio and Palu'e, which is spoken on the island with the same name of the north coast of Flores. Locals would probably also add So'a and Bajawa to this list, which anthropologists have labeled dialects of Ngadha.

Portuguese traders and missionaries came to Flores in the 16th century, mainly to Larantuka and Sikka. Their influence is still discernible in Sikka's language and culture. In fact, the island's name, Flores, means "flowers" in Portuguese.

Flores is almost entirely Roman Catholic and represents one of the "religious borders" created by the Catholic expansion in the Pacific and the spread of Islam from the west across Indonesia. In other places in Indonesia, such as in the Moluccas and Sulawesi, the divide is more rigid and has been the source of bloody sectarian clashes.

Bena Village
The most famous tourist attraction in Flores is Kelimutu; three coloured lakes in the district of Ende and close to the town of Moni. These crater lakes are in the caldera of a volcano, and fed by a volcanic gas source, resulting in highly acid water. The coloured lakes change colours on an irregular basis, depending on the oxidation state of the lake [5] from bright red through green and blue. The latest colours (late 2004) were said to be turquoise, brown and black.

There is good snorkelling and diving on several locations along the north coast of Flores, most notably Maumere and Riung. However, due to the destructive practice of local fishermen using bombs to fish, and locals selling shells to tourists, combined with the after effects of a devastating tsunami in 1992, the reefs have slowly been destroyed.

Labuanbajo (on the western tip of Flores) is a town often used by tourists, from where they can visit Komodo and Rinca. Labuanbajo also attracts scuba divers, as whale sharks inhabit the waters around Labuanbajo.

Tourists can visit Luba and Bena villages to see traditional houses in Flores. Larantuka, on the isle's eastern end, is known for its Holy Week festivals.

The main economic activities on Flores are agriculture, fishing and seaweed production. The primary food crops being grown on Flores are rice, maize sweet potato and cassava, while the main cash crops are coffee, coconut, candle nut and cashew. [6] Flores is one of the newest origins for Indonesian coffee. Previously, most Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) from Flores was blended with other origins. Now, demand is growing for this coffee because of its heavy body and sweet chocolate, floral and woody notes.

Kalimantan

2009-10-27T23:42:00.001-07:00

Getting into the spirit of things

The inland tribes of Kalimantan (formerly Borneo), generically called Dayaks, fascinated the island's early explorers and continue to attract today's travellers. Their huge, stilted longhouses, striking and beautiful art, and their head-hunting captivated European adventurers and early ethnographers.

The name Dayak is derived from the words meaning "inland" or "upriver" people. In the past, though this is not true today, it implied "backward". But the people gathered under the term "Dayak" are members of culturally and linguistically diverse set of tribes, much like the Indians of the Americas.

Many anthropologists have stumbled in their attemps to classify the various Dayaks into neat categories. The variations in languages, art styles, custom and history are too great. Even the broad "inland tribes of Borneo" has important exceptions. Much of the confusion stems from a long history of large and small scale mirations within Borneo, a result of population pressures, communications and warfare. Groups sometimes adopted the language, rituals and other customs of their neighbours, then brought this mixture of tongues and traditions with them when they moved on. Though warfare no longer exists, villagers still shift location requently in search of easier access to otside goods, markets and jobs.

With the above in mind, Kalimantan's Dayaks can be said to fall into several very broad georaphical/cltural complexs: the nomadic Punan of the forested interior; the groups of north-eastern Kalimantan; the Lun Dayeh and and Lun Bawang of the extreme north-east; the Kayan and Kenyah of the north-east highlands and the upper Mahakam basin; the Barito River groups; "Land Dayaks" of west Kalimantan; the Iban, though most of these live in Sarawak; and the "Malays" or Islamised Dayaks.

All Dayak religion were concerned with attracting good spirits and chasing away evil ones. For most groups, head-hnting was an essential component of this spirit manipulation. Once a head was chopped off and brought back to the longhouse, its spirit was cajoled or forced to help the captors. To ensure the spirit wold readjust to its fate, the skull was honoured and treated with offerings of food, drink and tobacco.

Dayak artwork, aesthetically equal to the best produced in Africa or Melanesia, also served to control the world of spirits. These ethereal entities-either permanent deities or the spirits of human beings-decided on matters of sickness and health, the quality and quantity of harvests, and success in head-hunting. The latter, of course, led to added spirit-power. Qiet simply, spirits controlled everything that really mattered.

Both the Dutch and the British effectively confined Islam to the coastal areas, and to the mid-reachesof the great Mahakam and Kauas Rivers, to where it had spread in pre-colonial times. But with the advent of Christianity and the eventual ban on chopping of heads, Dayak religion and art lost their foundations. However, even today, under Western clothes and a superficial layer of Christianity, amny of the traditional ways remain.

The Dayaks still prepare their fields using the ancient but serviceable slash-and-burn method; they still comb the jungle for game and forest products; they don traditional gab at times of celebration, if not everyday; and in some areas they still live in longhouses. In all the Dayak areas a generalised belief in the world of spirits is very mch alive. The Kaharingan religion, a traditional faith, has evenwith a few modifications received government approval as part of the catc-all category of "Bali-Hinduism".

In general, the further one travels from the coast, the mre evident is the traditional way of life: shamans cring disease, body decorations, rituals, longhouses and, of course, the spirits. Nonetheles, US-based evangelical faith have made inroads into even the most isolated areas, to the detriment of traditional customs.

The nomadic Punan
In the past, hntin-gathering nomads, generally called Punan, wandered to and rom temporary site deep in the most remote orests of Borneo. Bands of Punan wandered the rainforest in splendid isolation, and with complete self-sufficiency. Their forest skills are almost legendary, and some 19th century accounts claimed that they had tails. lived in the trees, and could smell men from several kilometres away. Today, almost nne maintain the ancient lifestyle.

While the proccess of Pnan settlemenr into permanent villages had begun before the colonial government arrived in central Borneo, it accelerated during the first decades of this century. The Punans groups today have all built huts in permanent locations.

Still, many continue to take long treks in their beloved forest, bringing home still valuable jungle products: rattan, resins, camphor crystals and aloes wood, as well as the occasional bezoar stone from the innards of certain monkeys and used in very expensive Chinese folk remedies.

The Kayan and the Kenyah
The Kayan are fond chiefly in the central highlands of east Kalimantan, though there are a few Kayan villages along the upper Kapuas River. One of the most successful Dayak roups, in the 18th and 19th centuries they spread from the Apokayan to Sarawak, the Mahakam Basin and the Kapuas. These now scattered groups maintain a homogenous language and set of customs.

The Kayan siciety was stricly stratified into feudal classes: top aristocrats, nobles, commoners and slaves. Each class had its rights and obligations which were deines down to minutiae. Though the power and privileges of the aristocracy has been greatly curtailed, this class still commands a great deal of respect.

Members of the traditional aristocratic families hold whatever local political positions are allowed, and they are consulted in all important matters by fellow villagers. It is not unusual even today for the aristocrats to receive free labour for their fields, "gifts" of firewood, choise pieces of games, and general assistance whatever it is required. The traditions of the Kayan, including rice cultivation, woodcarving, metal working and social structure, have spread over the northern half of Kalimantan.

The Kenyah are an odd group of various origins, and they speak languages taht are not always mutually intelligible. Some were originally forest nomads who stayed nder Kayan patronage. They gradually replaced the Kayan in the Apokayan, and some later migrated into Sarawak and the Mahakam River basin.

Like the Kayan, the Kenyah are now rice cultivators, with a stratified society. Their villages are generally large, with many longhouses, some containing more than 2000 people. The Kenyah are famous for their woodcarving, which is distinct and florid, and their music, dance and colourful costumes.

Sumba, east Nusa Tenggara

2009-10-27T23:39:00.000-07:00

The houses of harmony

The island of Sumba houses a style of its own that really raises the roof.

Sumba, in east Nusa Tenggara, still retains the relaxed pace of life and a rich culture that has existed for generations. It is a destination where life moves to the beat of a different drum-and houses are built to a different design.

Sumbans are descended from a race of megalithic stone builders who erected stone monuments and gravestones, often intricately carved, to their gods and ancestors.

The houses that surround these stones are still built in the traditional Sumban manner: immense sweeping high roofs of thatch that point to the horns of buffalo and the jawsof pigs that proclaim the status of the dweller; statues of the gods stand beneath the thatched eaves protecting the house and its occupants from misfortune.

The houses have a very distinctive structure that conforms to a specific architectural plan. The proportional dimensions of this plan are fixed and show a remarkable uniformity across all regions of the island with the exception of size. This latter factor is important for showing status, with the size of man's house reflecting his rank and function in society.

The conical form of the house, that was and still is adhered to so strongly, is a result of the philosophical belief system of the Sumbanese, which sees all things on heaven and earth as the interaction of two polarised opposites. The harmony of man on Earth depends on balanced mixture of these opposites and it is usually necessary to ask the Merapu, or spirit Ancestors, to intercede with God to achieve this.

The Sumbanese apply this philosophy to all facets of life, especially house construction, since they reason that a house mst be in harmony for its inhabitants to live harmoniously in it. The house, therefore, has to reflect the cosmos as well as man.

The Sumban concept of the cosmos is a transcendent non-personalised being that has no name and is invisible, which they refer to as, "Father Sun Mother Moon" or Great Father, Great Mother".

The house is therefore required to have a balance of male and female attributes corresponding to the masculine sky (space) and the feminine earth (building materials). This consideration of the ratio between the physical structure and the space that it encloses, produces the porpotions and harmony evident in the Sumban houses that can be seen to this day, dotted over the island and surrounded by lush gardens.

There are three levels in the traditional Sumban house. The ground level is quarters for animals while people live on the second intermediary level. The ceiling of this level encloses the area in the tower which is the home of Merapu (ancestors).

In this attic family heirlooms and Merapu objects, or Tanggy Merapu, as they are called in Sumbanese, are stored. The power of these metal objects, which include inscribed disks, crescent shaped pectorals, and mamouli, are so potent that they are considered "hot" and need to be neutralised by something "cool" like cloth. They therefore remain stored in the realm of the Merapu, wrapped in ikat and shut away in chests from the eyes of men, until their power to summon the Ancestor spirits is required and they once more see the light of day.

A further commodity is stored in the attic, and that is the seedstock of rice for the next year's harvest. Here it lies, guarded by the Merapu from vermin, insects and blight, so that it may grow in abundance the following year.

The four pillarsforming the central core of the house are considered so important that they have their own names. On the right-hand side are the male pillars named "the eye of the Merapu" and "the pillar of the head" and on the left the female "rice pillar" and "pillar that feeds the animals". Here, on altars, rituals are perfofmed and offerings made to communicate with and sacrifice to the Merapu.

The division of right and left, male and female, extends to the floorplan where the front and side verandas are meeting places for men and the rear part of the house that includes the hearth is the women's domain. These two areas have their own entrances to complete this fascinating symmetry.

On the veranda, high beneath the eaves of the roof is a shelf where less potent Merapu objects are stored. nlike their counterparts in the roof, these are "cool" enough for public display and serve as protective talismen for the house. They often include small wood or stone squatting Ancestor figures, to whose image an offering is made when leaving, to ensure a safe journey. These pairs of male and female representations of Ancestor spirits ensure protection from earthquake, fire, flood and tempest. They also ensure the crops grow, the buffalo and horses procreate and taht an abundance comes to all who live within.

The back wall of the veranda is decorated with deer horns, buffalo horns and the jaws of boars with their wicked curving tusks. These are designed to show the wealth from sacrifice of the occupants, and forms yet another way in which strangers to the village can place the status of the householders.

Status is recognised by the size of the house, the richness of the decoration, and also the location of the house within the village plan. The house of nobles and clan leaders are clstered close to the sacred area containing the megalithic stones and the andung, or tree of skulls, where all important ceremonies take place.

This ordered society, where everyone knows their position, has served the Sumbanese well over the centuries, forming a culture that has been far more resilient to outside influences than many other.

Bandung

2009-10-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

Bandung-the Paris of Java

Once called Paris of Java, even the Paris of the East, Bandung, a bustling city of nearly three million people, still retains many of itscharming tree-lined avenues and fine art deco bildings from the 1930s. Through progress and prosperity, many of its art deco delights today rub shoulders which modern office blocks and factories. Built as Indonesia's first hill resort around 100 years ago, who then would have believed the traffict that now chokes the streets of this dynamic city?

Before the arrival of the railway in 1880, it could take as long as three or four days to make the perilous journey by horse from Jakarta to the cool green hills around Bandung.

But, after the completion of the rail connection, Bandung and the surrounding Parahyangan Highlands quickly became a popular weekend destination for Jakartans wanting to escape the sweltering heat.

Early one morning at Gambir Station in Jakarta we climb aboard the Parahyangan Express to follow in the tracks of those first railway travellers. We settle back to enjoy three hors of scenic splendour as we head into the heartland of West Java. Soon our train begins its ascent into the highlands and we watch the grassy plains give way to spectacular rice terraces. And climbing into the foothills of mighty volcanoes we pass slender bridges spanning rugged gorges and deep ravines.

Surrounded by rolling hills of manicured dark-green tea plantations, Bandung, at a cool 800 metres above see level, draws many visitors, both domestic and overseas tourists. It ranks high among the tropical art deco centres of the world and is often mentioned in the same breath as Miami and Napier.

New York-born Frances Affandy is a driving force behind the revival of many of Bandung's fine old buildings. Her enthusiasm for the priceless heritage of her adopted city is unbounded and has contributed much to the very active 400-member conservation society. It is lack of money that preserves old buildings, however with increasing progress and prosperity these treasures are now under great threat.

The art deco architecture, Bandung's most famous attraction of Angklung.

When, early next morning, we reluctanly leave Bandung the sound of the Angklung playing The Blue Danube still rings in our ears. It seems a fitting finale to this charming city which has so successfully blended East and West.

Jeans STREET

While you're looking skyward, you'd better duck! Cepot, the puppet clown (dressed in denim?), is cycling out of a maze of bycicles high on wall, straight into thin air!

What's going on? Superheroes to the left of you, jokers to the right, here you are stuck in the middle of... Jeans Street. You are in the dynamic heart of garment retail in Bandung, the textile and clothing manufacturing centre of Java.

Shopfronts along a kilometre stretch of Jalan Cihampelas, as it is formally known, are outdoing each other as they bid for your attention. Jeans Street has reigned for more than a decade, an overflow of elaborate shops full of bargains. It is a fitting tribute to the fashion heritage of its location.

In the heady days when Bandung was known as th Paris of Java, Jalan Cihampelas, a beautiful, broadthoroughfare of elegant Dutch housesset among glorious canari trees, was referred to as the Champ Elysee.

Rumour has it that Cihampelas is an Indonesian transliteration of Champs Elysee. Today, the legacy of trees remains. Luxuriant leafy boughs overhang the road, balancing in their grandeur the fabulous fabrications that have replaced the old Dutch houses.

The transformation of Jalan Cihampelas was started in 1984. At that time, there were two popular places to buy jeans in Bandung. The other one was Jalan Pajajaran, which offered something fresh, decorating its stores in cowboy themes complete with wooden shopfronts, swinging saloon doors, tethering posts and wagon wheels.

When an old Dutch house in Jalan Cihampelas put out a sign and opened its front room to sell jeans, it was a comparatively quiet start. Set in a shopisticated street graced by grand old trees. It was rather pleasing to the ego to shop in such an exclusive location. And the Jeans were different.

Jalan Cihampelas, it was big news in Bandung-another good place for jeans!
Jean shops began springing up in all directions. Enterpreneurs got in on the act,buying up houses or contracting them out, putting into play their creative tactics to lure people away from the other streets and the neighbours'stores, and into their jeans dens.