Journey to Flores: Sand and Surf

In a matter of minutes, you can descend from the awe-inspiring mountains to the picturesque beaches of Flores. Last week I wrote about the “Turf” of Flores, and this week I present you with my favorites from the “Surf.”

Wildlife!

Although hard to see from the surface, a whole world of fish, large and small, call the corals of Flores home.

Slather on some sunscreen and grab yourself a snorkel, because the waters around Flores and Komodo National Park are home to blooming corals and sea creatures large and small. My friends and I took an overnight boat trip out of Labuan Bajo (a sleepy, tourist, harbor town).

The crew. Pak Amin (left) built this boat by hand and hopes to one day pass on the family business to his son (middle). The food was amazing, the sights unforgettable, and the company beyond compare.

Our overnight boat.

We were treated with giant jellyfish, mammoth manta rays, huge bats (“flying foxes”), pods of dolphins (I literally almost cried), stray sharks, and enough fish to make me think I had fallen into an old Window’s screen saver.

Swam with one of these…

…and watched these not-so-little guys take flight from their mangroves.

Bats straight chillin.

Of course, I can’t leave out the infamous, scaly namesake of Komodo National Park, the komodo dragon itself.

Mean muggin.

Ok, so these don’t exactly live in the water, and are known in the local language as “land crocodiles,” but the islands which they inhabit are only accessible by boat. Cautioned against going to Komodo Island by recent visitors who left without seeing a single dragon, we went to Komodo’s lesser known cousin, Rinca. Right off the boat, we crossed paths with an adolescent komodo, and later cautiously crept around a small handful of others.

Adolescent Komodo: around 4 years old. Komodos reach adulthood at the age of 5 but can live into their 70’s.

With their forked tongues, powerful claws, feet that can turn 360 degrees, and saliva with enough bacteria to kill prey via infection within days, they may not have been the most cuddly of creatures, but they are nothing short of a natural wonder. Taking an hour-and-a-half trek through the forest and grasslands of Rinca was the icing on the cake.

Our guide leading us through the komodo dragon habitat.

While swimming with sharks and mantas, joining flying foxes in their sunset revels, communing with the corals, and watching dolphins glide along the side of our boat, I kept thinking that all my childhood Animal Planet dreams were finally coming true – Komodo National Park and the surrounding waters are an animal enthusiast’s paradise!

(This video is from Australia, but these bats’ Indonesian relatives are just as large, just as loud, and just as amazing.)

Beaches

When you fly into and out of Labuan Bajo, you glide over island after island with perfect beach after perfect beach for miles and miles. Never in my life have I seen so many beautiful beaches on so many little islands – it’s like a James Bond movie waiting to happen. I never understood the appeal of having a yacht until now… But for those of us on a much, much smaller budget, you can easily rent out a basic boat for the day (for three people we paid around $38 dollars). The captain will chauffeur you to the uninhabited island of your choice where you can lounge on the sand and laze in the waters all day.

Plenty of boats for hire – large and small, bare-bones and luxury class.

Flores is an up and coming tourist destination, but still has a sleepy, laid back vibe – which is probably why no one batted an eye on Seraya Island when we pulled up to a dock and waltzed into a high end resort. After having my shoulders covered for the past year, lying out in the sun with the hush of the crystal-blue tide coming in and out was absolute bliss.

Erin sips on pineapple juice and seamlessly eases into the life of the fabulously wealthy – if only for an afternoon.

I often complained in Flores that the pictures I was taking just didn’t show the “depth” of what we were actually seeing. Nor can a couple of blog posts capture the beauty, diversity, and unexpectedness of the island.

Mountains with the ocean in the distance.

There just isn’t enough space to write about discussing politics with Oscar (political rebel and hotel manager), eating instant noodles in mountain fog, swimming in sulfurous hot springs (and fleeing from a dead rat), collecting blue rocks on a black sand beach, eating an amazing pineapple-bacon-burger after a long day in the sun, indulging in molten chocolate lava cake at a resort I could never afford, watching people walk to church on Sunday morning with their Bibles in hand, eavesdropping on conversations between dive masters, and bonding with fellow adventurers from around the world.

Sunset from the boat.

Flores was a mix of natural wonder, deep-seated culture, and budding tourism. There is so much more to Indonesia than Java and Bali – my trip to Flores added another layer to the depth of my understanding of Indonesia, and I hope these posts added a little more to yours as well. Happy Travels!

Journey to Flores: New Turf

Indonesia is made up of thousands of islands. On those islands, more than 700 languages are being spoken among some 300 distinct, native ethnic groups.

It’s hard to keep that in mind while strolling the land-locked rice paddies in my Javanese village

It wasn’t hard to imagine while soaring at cruising altitude over island after island – large and uninhabitably small – between Java and Flores.

The island of Flores is located in eastern Indonesia and is a budding tourist destination. It has everything the “off-the-beaten-track” traveler is looking for: breath-taking mountains, deserted beaches, traditional villages, and amazing wildlife. Ever been asked if you prefer mountains or the beach? Well, in Flores you don’t have to choose – it’s all right there.

A beauty-seeker’s paradise.

Flores also offers a different take on Indonesia. Coming from Java, I immediately noticed two things: crucifixes
and empty roads. The people of Flores are predominantly Catholic, and there are a lot fewer of them. During our school vacation I was looking for something different and something adventurous, and I found that and more in Flores.

In fact, Flores was an absolute dream. I loved being there and my thoughts have strayed to going back ever since I left. I could never put everything into one blog post (or into 20), but I’ve boiled the highlights down into two parts “Turf” and “Surf.”

Let’s start on land…

Kelimutu National Park

Mount Kelimutu, located near the sleepy town of Moni, is famous for its tri-colored lakes. Formed in three volcanic craters, the lakes are remarkable for the fact that, despite sharing the same volcanic peak, they seem to change color independently of one another. The change is thought to be the effect of chemical reactions due to the interaction of volcanic gasses and minerals contained in the waters.

My favorite lake was the one that looked like someone dumped a giant can of blue paint in it. Apparently it got the memo that pastels are in this season.

Local legends assign a more mystical role to the lakes. The three are named Tiwu Ata Bupu (Lake of Old People), Tiwu Ko’o Fai Nuwa Muri (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Betwitched or Enchanted Lake), and are believed to be repositories of the souls of the dead.

Two of the lakes are separated by a narrow wall of rock.

The third lake sits deep within it’s crater.

Whether chemical or spiritual, watching the sun rise over the lakes while sipping a ginger coffee was nothing short of entrancing.

Sun hitting the rocky wall of one of the lakes.

Traditional Villages

Bena Village

Flores is dotted with traditional villages inhabited by members of the island’s many native ethnic groups. While much of Indonesia is modernizing and globalizing at an increasingly rapid pace, these villages have been preserved in an effort to honor the history and culture native to the peoples of Flores. It’s a rare treat to see these homes and step back in time.

Each region has its own style, reflected in the construction of their houses as well as the motifs found on their traditionally woven textiles.

We visited the village of Bena, near Bajawa in the district of Ngada. While a group of men worked on the construction of a new home, many of the women sat weaving, chewing betel nut, and selling textiles from their porches.

To be honest, it is a bit of a strange feeling walking into people’s lives uninvited. As we started to speak with some of the women, however, they were eager to tell us about their lives and craft. One girl proudly explained that she started weaving in elementary school. An older women showed us how to properly peel and prepare a betel nut. Speaking the language went a long way, and I definitely recommend going with a guide if you don’t speak Indonesian yourself – the depth of experience is all the more enjoyable!

The small structures are symbolic of male (the umbrella) and female (the mini-house). Large stones are used for animal and food sacrifices, while the assembly of stones is like a central, official meeting point. All are involved in honoring and thanking the ancestors.

Textiles for sale, hung beneath the remains of sacrificed animals.

To learn more about Bena and its ancestral shrines, check out this website.

Come back next week to catch some surf with komodo dragons!

Currency Matters: Let’s Crunch Some Numbers

This post deals in vast generalizations, numbers, and economics – none of which I claim to be an expert on. Nevertheless, it is all based on what I believe to be facts. Read it, think about it, let me know what you think!

A couple of weekends ago I took another trip to Solo to do some Christmas shopping.

Looking for trinkets at Solo’s Triwindu flea market.

Yogyakarta: Take One

This past week, I spent a much needed weekend-away in the city of Yogyakarta (pronounced “Jogyakarta”). Located in Central Java, Yogyakarta is the cultural capital of the island. According to Lonely Planet, “If Jakarta is Java’s financial and industrial powerhouse, Yogyakarta is its soul.”

My dear friend Mona (my host and tour guide) and me at Malioboro Street – a main attraction for tourists who want to do a little shopping and maybe take a ride in a horse drawn cart.

Yogyakarta is home to unfathomable depths of Javanese culture, and on my first visit I feel like I barely put my toes in the water. But even with just two nights to spare, the cultural richness of the area – which is still headed by a sultan – was immediately apparent. Although Yogyakarta is now home to many lively, modern restaurants and attractions (thanks in part to a large student population), the veins of the city’s history run deep. In short, this past weekend was a time to relax and calm my nerves over a Starbucks coffee, but also to get a little taste of Java’s vast cultural heritage – a combination that is perhaps best found in the city of Yogyakarta.

A trendy little back street – home to some pretty neat art-shops. Here you can see this modern wall mural making a nod to the past – the figure to the left is from traditional puppetry called “Wayang”

I hope you enjoy these first snapshots of my Javanese experience in Yogyakarta!

Taman Sari (Spirit Garden)

Also known in Dutch as “Waterkasteel” (or Water Castle), this palatial complex of pools, waterways, and hidden rooms was built between 1758 and 1765 as a pleasure park for the Sultan. Although much of it is now destroyed or in ruins (the result of war and an 1865 earth quake), the bathing pools have been restored. The ornate stonework that remains is nothing short of breathtaking.

My gracious tour guides – all students at a local university.

The stone work was amazing!

It’s said that the Sultan would choose his women while watching them bathe in these pools.

Here you can see a woman making batik fabric along side some examples of traditional Wayang shadow puppets (on the table). Both are traditional arts of Java and hold deep cultural and historical significance.

Here is a Wayang puppet in progress. Made out of water buffalo hide, this puppet will later be painted to portray a certain character in the Wayang story-line.

The sign reads “Watch Your Head” – these buildings were not made for tall people.

Taman Sari has a series of hidden passages that lead to places like this. Not sure what it is for, but it looked pretty cool!

 

Some of the ruins.

Kraton (The Sultan’s Palace)

Inside the Kraton

The Sultan’s Palace is located within what is essentially a walled city that currently houses around 25,000 people, some of whom still work for the Sultan himself.

Part of the sultanate’s family tree – in traditional Javanese writing.

Traditional Javanese culture has a concept that power emanates from the center. For this reason, the Kraton’s innermost buildings are where the Sultan still resides – his concentrated power radiating to the rest of the Kraton and, indeed, to the rest of the island of Java. This part of the Kraton was constructed between 1755 and 1756 and is a very impressive example of traditional Javanese palace architecture. In the 1920’s, however, various stylistic touches were added that clearly show European influence.

It’s Javanese, it’s European, it might even be a little bit Chinese…but whatever it is, it represents the myriad influences that have passed through this island.

I wouldn’t mind being invited for dinner here…although I probably wouldn’t stop staring at the ceiling.

Traditional Wayang shadow puppets.

We just missed the performance – another reason to go back!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I look forward to going back to Yogyakarta, hopefully soon! There is so much I haven’t seen yet, and you can be sure that I will share it with you when I do!

We couldn’t resist a ride in a “dokar” – or horse drawn cart. Special thanks to Mona for showing me around! Vielen Dank!!!