Our trip to a village called Kajowain was a very memorable one. Together with some members of the PRA Team of DAS NangaGete we braved ourselves to this remote village 60 kilometers away from my home base Maumere, Sikka, Flores, NTT, RI. Kajowain is one of the oldest villages in Talibura.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Sidetrip to Candi Borobudur and Prambanan: World Heritage Sites
Borobudur: Pathway to Enlightenment
On the island of Java stands a mountain of a thousand statues...
surrounded by volcanoes, shrouded in mystery. In 1814, two hundred men cross the lush Kedu plains of Central Java to search out this legendary mountain near the small village of Boro. For six weeks, they slash and burn the choking vegetation. They clear away tons of volcanic ash. Hidden beneath the debris, they find strange figures carved in stone – thousands of them.The excavation of the monument, known as Borobudur, has been ordered by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, the new British Governor of Java. Unlike the Dutch traders before him, Raffles is intrigued by the exotic stories and architecture of the Indonesian islands: "The antiquities of Java have not, till lately, excited much notice; nor have they yet been sufficiently explored. The pursuits of commerce have been too exclusive to allow there being much interest in the subject." Read more..
I intentionally extended my stay in Jogjakarta after a week-long Annual Livelihoods Workshop held last Dec 11-15 2006 to visit the famous Borobudur. My Filipino volunteer friends made the trip more fun and really pinoy style.
Saturday morning (Dec. 16) before checking-out, we dipped ourselves (Me, Athena, Bec and Daisy) in Saphire Hotel's pool with Eunice a Kenyan volunteer based in Jogja.
Just before lunch we're onthe train station, and headed to Solo City where Rick Fajardo and Venus Samson ( with Disability Program V) both fellow pinoy volunteers, are based.
Why Solo? We have to accomodate the needs of some: Bec and Athena have to store their things/luggages in Rick's place and do some laundry before going around Java for the holidays. For me it is an opportunity to see Solo also and heard that it's a good place to shop for some Batiks; heeding Daisy's advise, so I can see Prambanan before going to Borobudur. And of course, its going to be cheap if your in a big company: total tour cost/no. of pax.
From the train station in Solo, we hired a bemo to bring our things to Rick's Place, then went immediately to Keraton (King's Palace), only to find out that it's almost closed. We only saw a portion of the palace.
From Keraton, we went to the batik market and made some price huggling. But it was worth it. Then we cooled ourselves in the mall and had dinner. Before going back to Rick's place we bought some stuff for breakfast ..ala pinoy...sardinas (sardines), daing/tuyo (dried fish), itlog (eggs) and noodles.
Sunday early morning Bec, our Nenek (nenek means grandmother in Indonesian. and we mean it as the most "senior "volunteer in the group and should be respected lol) stationed herself in front of a single burner stove of Rick, did the scrambled eggs and fried some dried fish (naglalaway na po ako/almost drooling).
Around 9:30 am, the group headed for Candi Prambanan.
Some parts were destroyed by the earthquake that hit the region last June 2006. It is being repaired right now.
After lunch, we went to Borubudor and stayed there until 5pm.
They have to bring me back to Jogjakarta before going back to Solo> I have to pick up my luggage from hotel saphir and to find a cheap hotel to stay for a night before flying back to Flores the following day.
...salamat Bec, Venus, Thena, Daisy and our only guy "Rick".
It was really fun being with you guys.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Friends and Colleagues Visit Maumere, Sikka, Flores
With the members of the CAG
Preparing for the instant videoke night. James, installing connections from my computer (with five videoke albums) to the sound system
With colleagues during an instant videoke night for Pak Priyo at Seaworld Club, Maumere. The boys almost fell asleep because of the songs (mostly soft), but Samsons' "Naluri Lelaki" came to the rescue.
Bec extended her stay in Maumere. We had a simple dinner in my place with Bec Coronado (in blue)
a fellow Filipino VSO Volunteer in Ruteng,
Manggarai, Flores.
Kelimutu: Three Craters, Three Colors
The trip to Kelimutu took us three hours and 45 minutes from Maumere (by car). We left Maumere at 3am and reached the place around 5:45 (parking lot). We had to walk to the site for about 20 minutes (depending on the capacity:)). 
Changing Land, Enduring BeliefsLocal people believe that souls and spirits come together at Kelimutu. When a person dies, their Soul or "Mae" leaves the village and comes here, to eternity. Souls must first come through Konde Ratu, the spirit gatekeeper. Depending on ....., young, old, or
evil.
evil.
As if the three deep cratered lake were dyed or painted. The water colors change without warning. Dissolving minerals in the water, and Kelimutu's volcanic life below the surface cause the colors of the three lakes to switch unexpectedly.
The moods of Kelimutu vary. Not only with the changing lake colors, but also with the weather. It is no wonder that this mystical place is the subject of long-lasting legends, passdown through generations of local villagers to whom this place is sacred.
This crater with a "coca cola" colored water lie beside the green colored crater (upper left corner)
The crater above rests on the otherside of the peak, with dark brown colored lake.
The green (kelimutu green) crater.
The crater above rests on the otherside of the peak, with dark brown colored lake.
The green (kelimutu green) crater.Thursday, June 15, 2006
Snapshots...Sikka, Flores, NTT
Pulao Palue
A Bamboo House on the Hill
with concrete tombs in the yard
Sumur (Water Well)
..a place for meeting friends..having fun
Snapshots of Sikka, Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia
PULAU PALUE
(Palue Island, Sikka, Flores, NTT-East Indonesia)
The Women....
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