Slawi - Bumiayu - Kaligua

The Friendly Sunset Gecko at Gili Meno

Prodita Sabarini, The Jakarta Post, December 21, 2008

Frolicking on the beach of a small secluded island might be the holiday dream of most work-drenched men and women. Away from the noisy, clogged and polluted city streets, one can warm their tired feet on sun-baked sand, swim above coral reefs and laze in a bale bengong (stilted open-air wooden hut) with a good book while feeling the delicious sea breeze against their skin. Looking up, instead of a hazy gray sky, one can see the blue of the sky during the day or the twinkling stars at night.

It is definitely my kind of holiday. So, when I had the chance to escape the capital, I grabbed it and without hesitation I headed to Lombok's Gili Meno. Some 30 kilometers east of the tourist island of Bali, Gili Meno is the smallest of the three small sand islands northwest of Lombok, in West Nusa Tenggara. The bigger Gili Trawangan is more famous and has been dubbed the party island by visitors for its lively night life. Gili Air is the biggest and most populated.

All three islands have no motor vehicles roaming the streets. Horse drawn carts called Cidomo and bicycles are the only means of transportation around. My companion and I took the night flight from Jakarta to Bali on a Friday night and continued to Trawangan on a fast boat, Saturday morning. From there, we hopped on a chartered boat and arrived at Meno around 11 a.m.

When we arrived, little did we know that apart from the expected relaxation time in that tranquil spot, we would be inspired by our environmentally conscious host. Based on a friend's recommendation, we looked for a place called Sunset Gecko. Our boatman pointed out the resort, which had no signboard but a big, wooden gecko on the wall of the dining place.

Situated on the beach, the resort has a number of small cottages and a main building for dining and the kitchen. The small resort boasts a beautiful garden, with blossoming plants and banana trees. Four comfy bale bengong look over the sea and Gili Trawangan with its tall telecommunications tower. A Japanese man in his early 40s Hiro Tanaka, who we later found out was the owner of the place, greeted us. After we checked in, we made ourselves comfortable in the shady huts looking out to the sea.

Always intrigued by cool Japanese people, we speculated about Tanaka's story. Looking at the beautiful and tidy resort, I guessed he had a degree in hotel management. My travel partner disagreed, guessing that Tanaka was a well-traveled and highly educated person, who for one reason or another decided to open a resort in a small island in Indonesia. The latter guess was closer to the truth. In one conversation, I found out that he was one of the few idealists who wanted to save the earth, but was obstructed by the politics of the world.

Tanaka is a businessman who set up an alternative energy conversion company with his business partner in Canada. Their product was a patented pyrolysis machine that can transform plastic waste into its former form: oil. After two years of lobbying city administrations to use the technology without giving money under table, he decided to quit and start making change on a smaller scale.

He grew up in the arid desert of Quwait, while his father worked for a Japanese oil company, Tanaka says that he always dreamed of having a place to share with people. Three years ago, with friends from different parts of the world, he opened Sunset Gecko, which adheres to eco-friendly practices. More than often, tourists looking for unspoiled nature to escape the city's pollution end up damaging the environment of their holiday destination.

Beautiful spots in Bali have become testament of this, with overdevelopment resulting in beach erosion. Tanaka witnessed environmental degradation in Northern Thailand, when six years ago he visited a pristine beach with only two hotels. Three years later, 30 new ones have mushroomed, with mounting piles of garbage. He says that as he got older he realized that he was part of the problem as he too created garbage. "We always say 'this shouldn't be like this. Oh, you shouldn't burn the plastics' dadadada.

"But when you become an adult, you start to think 'Hey, whose responsibility is this?'. It's easy to say (for an example), *This is the Balinese government's problem'. But then the government doesn't do (anything) and we just keep doing the same troublesome things," he says.

"We just keep messing, creating more garbage, buying chocolate (and throwing away the wrappers), smoking cigarettes and throwing the ash on the street. No, it shouldn't be like this," he says.

So, he opened Sunset Gecko with the hope that he can make a difference. The resort recycles the water from the dishwashing, laundry, and showers to water the plants. Hiro says that they used a three-step filtration system he learned from reading books and internet sites. He mixed the organic solid residue and organic waste from the kitchen to make compost.

Sunset gecko also makes natural soap in the kitchen. This too he learned from books and the internet. He uses palm and coconut oils for the soap and leaves it to harden as soap bars for six weeks. The soap was one of the highlights of the resort for me. It didn't leave the skin dry and was even great when I used it to wash my hair. Apparently, the news of the natural soap from Sunset Gecko has traveled around. Two Japanese women that stayed at Gili Trawangan traveled to Gili Meno to purchase the soap.

Tanaka says that it was not for sale as it was for guests to use. Eventually, the women left with two soap bars each. Another impressive part of Gecko was the beautiful garden, with various plants. Hiro says that once local island residents came to the resort and marveled at the banana trees.

"They were really surprised. *A banana tree on the beach? How come?' they asked. I told them that we make compost for the soil and villagers have started to copy that," Tanaka says. In Gili Meno, where fresh water is shipped from Lombok, eco-friendly practices are not an option. It is a necessity.

While Sunset Gecko is alive and kicking, walking around Gili Meno I found a number of accommodations seemed to be out of business. I passed an abandoned desolate place with an overturned table which seemed to had been a restaurant. Another resort looked closed an empty.

Sunset Gecko has a friendly atmosphere with guests greeting each other and sharing their latest experience in the water. Just dipping to waters in front of the beach of the resort will lead you to nice coral reef and sightings of beautiful sea creatures. Sea turtles with their ancient look swim around the sea. One guests says that he went snorkeling and saw a Manta ray.

As the sun sets, the sky turns into a purplish color. Guests would hang around the open air dining room with drinks chatting, while sounds of geckos joining the chatter. As the night grows late, the sight of Trawangan with its colorful lights looked like a big ship. A staff commented that it looked like the Titanic ship. The best part was lying in a wooden beach chair and looking up to the sky. The stars twinkling and I started to fall asleep.

Diving Time in Gili

By lombok-network.com

A small island very close to Lombok. There are group of islands called Gili, and each island's name in the group started with Gili. Gili Trawangan as other islands in Gili is a great place to dive.

The bars in the island usually has a certified diving instructor, and if you took lesson from them, they can provide you with PADI certificate.

Unlike Bunaken, the most famous place in Indonesia for diving, Gili is not yet that famous (maybe the comparison is the same between Lombok to Bali). The beauty is worthed to visit. Especially for all divers.

VISITOR INFORMATION

Gili Trawangan, the most popular among the three Gili’s. Just kick back and enjoy the sun, nightly beach parties and sea. The main stripe is full of accommodations, restaurants, and dive shops. If you are seeking a quieter place to stay there are bungalows in the north. This Island is also known as "Party Island", where mostly young European find themselves "Lost In Paradise". If you come during the Peak Season (July-August, December-January), most places are full and prices are doubled. An advanced reservation is a must.

With spectacular sunrises over Lombok's Mount Rinjani volcano and breathtaking sunsets that illuminate Bali's towering Mount Agung volcano, together with warm hospitality of the Gili Trawangan residents, it's not surprising that most visitors end up staying longer than originally plan.

Accommodation on Gili Trawangan

Most of the accommodation centrally located on south east of Gili Trawangan. A few new establishments of bungalows with a better facilities are now available. Places in the front (beach line) are more expensive. The upmarket accommodation is no longer dominated by Villa Ombak and Villa Almarik. There are many new quality boutique resorts are now available (see places to stay, updated recently). Gili Trawangan is more developed than other Gilis for the last few years. There are also a few places to stay around the north and south west coast in more quiet atmosphere.

Activities

Snorkeling off-the-shore, sunbathing, swimming, or join any dive trips with any dive operators which colored the lines. There are quality dive schools available to cater the needs of tourists, offering complete range of PADI courses, as well as Fun Dives for those already certified.

By night, the waterfront comes to life as various foreign and locally restaurants and bars start to fire up, with fresh snapper, grouper and tuna, cooked over charcoal flames, readily available.

Nightlife

Although the island once had a reputation among the back-packing community as wicked party destination, many establishments which once laid claim to hosting wild dance parties today trade on their reputations.

By a tradition that continuous today, only one establishment per night can play music and host dance party until 4 am. Of the seven weekly venues hosting parties, the one most anticipated by tourists and locals alike are the funk house and hard music parties with local DJ's in spinning disks.

If wild dance parties are not to your liking, many restaurants and bars, including the Tirnanog - Irish bar, provide a range of more sedate and social gathering point for Al fresco dinning and drinking by the water's edge.

The Sexual Wisdom Of The Sukuh Temple

Godeliva D. Sari

Jakarta Post, October 26, 2008

Sukuh temple on the western slope of Mount Lawu, Central Java, is a site for the graphic exploration of sex. The first thing you see upon entering the temple is a carved relief depicting a penis poised to penetrate a vagina.

The temple keepers have erected wooden gates to prevent visitors from tripping on the genitalia. That people are not allowed to make physical contact with the relief and the fresh offering of flowers next to it indicates that the depiction of sex here has been elevated to the realm of sacred. Although it is full of images of sex and genitalia, Sukuh is not haven for pornography. The word pornography which derives from the Greek pornographos, referring to literature about prostitutes refers to writing, images, or film intended to sexually stimulate.

Similarly, erotica, from Eros the Greek god of love is also designed to arouse sexual desire. Porn and erotica are different as prostitution and love are different. Because of many sexual depictions, Sukuh is often mistakenly refered to as an erotic temple.

At Sukuh, sex is neither por nor erotica; rather it is spiritual, transcendental. At Sukuh, sex is the blending of male and female energies to create a new energy of rebirth. The depiction of sex here appears to be a homage to the powers of creation and fertility. Although it is not erotic, the statues and relief carvings in Sukuh do offer a glimpse into Java’s sex culture in the early 15th century.

Penises in Sukuh are always decorated with several balls under the tip. According to some researchers, it was common for Majapahit men to insert balls of marble or gold under the skin near the tip of their penises, probably to increase theor partners pleasure during sex.

There is a rather comic statue of a man, now headless, who is grasping his erect penis as if he is masturbating in the west courtyard of the main temple. The slope of Lawu in Karanganyar regency are home to several ancient archaeological sites containing relics dating from the Majapahit empire of the 13th – 15th centuries, including Sukuh and Cetho temples as well as the newly discovered sites of Kethek and Planggatan.

Of all of these, Sukuh which was built during the reign of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in the early 19th century, is undoubtedly the best preserved and the most accessible. In the entrance to Sukuh temple, there is a chronograph that reads “1359”, referring to the Saka calendar, which correspons to AD 1437. Other chronographs in the temple read AD 1456 and AD 1440, so we can safely imagine that the temple was built and active during the first half of the 15th century. The cropped pyramid shape and dominant eagle and snake figures have led many observers to muse over the architectural similarities between the temple and those of the South American Maya.

The presence of scores of yoni, which were designed to have a lingga inserted into them, with a groove for water to flow through, suggests that while Sukuh temple was in use these were used to collect and make holy water, where the water would be poured over the lingga, thus capturing the essence of creation. The word yoni is the Sanskrit word for “divine passage”, “place of birth”, “womb” in the sense of ‘source of life’ rather than a human organ, or “sacred temple”, according to Wikipedia. While Lingga which is also a Sanskrit word, symbolizes penis.

It is a shame that the archaeologists who restored Sukuh temple were unable to discern the correct positions of these yoni, which are all missing their lingga, choosing instead to stack them in a nearby building. The main Lingga of Sukuh is no longer there but you can see a faded photograph of it: A magnificent penis standing nearly two meters high, complete with Majapahit balls near the tip. This larger than life penis once stood in front of the main entrance of the main structure, but now it is in the National Museum in Jakarta.

Many of the relief sculptures in Sukuh temple have pierced ears, indicating that flowers might once have been weaved into the holes. Currently, in some shadow puppet repertoires performed on Java, the characters are adorned with strings of jasmine. One can imagine that these relief carvings were once brought to life by storytellers, and that while the rituals were being performed, the ears of the figures were decorated with flowers.

The rituals were probably similar to the rare wayang beber performances of today, in which the storyteller; accompanied by a simple gamelan orchestra, unfurls a scroll of drawings depicting scene from the story he is telling, rather like a comic strip. The two main stories told by the relief carvings at Sukuh temple are stories of purification and release. The first, the story of Sudhamala, tells how Shadewa, one of the twins of the Pandawa brothers, who are the protagonists in the sacred Bharatayuda epic, saved the high goddess Durga from a curse.

The other story tells of how not long after the creation of the earth, the mytical Garuda eagle released his mother from slavery by finding the Tirta Amert (elixir of life). Also suggesting purification is a carved relief of a traditional blacksmith’s workshop. To forge a weapon, iron is first cleansed by fired, and then beaten with a hammer over an anvil. On the south side of the temple, there is a statue of a man operating a pair of traditional ububan (bellows), while another is forging a keris dagger on an anvil using his fist as a hammer.

A mysterious elephant carrying a small dog stands in front of him, while on the wall and on the floor are the products of his craft: knives, tridents, machetes and other weapons and agricultural tools. Sex, freedom from a curse, the elixir of life, the forging of iron, all are related to efforts to be purified and come closer to God. As we formulate a bill regulating pornography that threatens to criminalize depictions of sex, Sukuh stands as a reminder that not all depictions of sex are forms of porn. In fact, through sex our ancestors aligned themselves with the will of God.

Lost in Medina Antiquity

Pandaya

The Jakarta Post, September 28, 2008

Kairouan pride itself as an education and cultural center,but what makes the town special is that it was the first place Islam took off in Tunisia. The city’s founders had learned from the doomed city of Carthage on the northern coast, that seaside cities were vulnerable to invasions from the Mediterranean sea. So Kairouan was built further inland, some 50 kilometers from the coast.

We explored Kairouan’s world-famous Medina (non European part of a north African city), where Islam first came to Tunisia and spread into northern Africa. In the Medina and in much of Kairouan, everything looks ancient: the building, the souk (Northern Africa or Middle Eastern Market), the alleys and the culture.Kairouan is reputed as the forth holy city in islam –alongside Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem. Locals say if you go to Kairouan seven times, it is equivalent to making a haj pilgrimage to Mecca. My God! I still have another visits to go!

Unlike in the modern Tunis, which is very much a ”European” city, Kairouan apparently lacks symbols of a modernity. The most important attraction in the Kairouan medina is the vast Sidi Oqba- the Grand Mosque named after an Arab general who founded Kairouan-and of course, the colourful souk. In this quarter you can find anything from locally made carpets and tapestry to silverware.

The massive but plain grand mosque is illuminated with intricate chandeliers which give it a sacred atmosphere. Visitors can take a peek inside but are forbidden from going pasta velvet rope. A curious attraction is Bir Barauta, , an enclosed fountain where a blindfolded camel drives a water wheel. The camel at work is a must see (pun unintended). Can you imagine coming all the way to Tunisia without touching a camel?

Legend has it that this well communicates with the Zemzem spring in Mecca. Ah, and don’t forget to drink a mug of fresh water that big gentle animal draws from the well. Who knows, your wish might be granted. The overly pushy traders (who can also be found in such places as Kuta Beach and Borobudur, Indonesia) are often annoying. Some will insist on taking you to their tapis (carpet) factory, saying “no problem if you don’t buy”

The tourist guide also claims the more complex medina of Tunis is a must see- a claim I found was fair enough on my visit there the following day. From the moment I set foot in the medina of Tunis, I was overhelmed with the sight and sounds of this ancient city: old-fashioned palaces, undulating chants of prayer calls, the mosque, strong smells emanating from spice shops and those colourful doors.

Friendly traders in the souk make you feel like home, smilling and guessing your nationality with their knowledge of foreign words, like “konnichiwa” or “nihao?” if you look East Asian. If you are white, they will address you in French, or in English if you don’t react…and then in German if you still look baffled. I got a warm hug (or two) for being Indonesian, a nationwide with whom they have a high regard for some reason-probably history and the countries shared main religion.

Visitors who venture without guides can easily become lost in the Tunis medina’s seemingly endless narrow twisting alleyways while blissfully unaware because there is too much to see, especially for those interested in cultural heritage. This ecletic arena was the core of 7^th century Tunis, whose sturdy old-fashioned walls are reminiscent of the Yogyakarta Tamansari complex.

The Tunis medina lures tourist as a place which has retained its ancient cultural diversity and yet still functioning as a bustling commercial center. While the rest of Tunis, like other big city around the world, are crowded with modern western style shopping malls, one can still find artisans at work in its medina, and they aren’t just there to entertain tourists-their wares are for sale. These artisans make everything on site, from leather goods to silver lamps, using traditional technicques and tools.

Here, too, are well preserved symbols of early Islamic spendor, including the awesome Zitouna Grand Mosque (also known as Mosque of the Olive) smaller mosque (all with towering minarets), the Kasbah and the citadel and madrasah Islamic school have been here since the medina was founded. Tunis’s most important building, Zitouna, is honored as it once housed notable scientists who taught there, such as Ali Ibn Ziyad (in the 8^th century) and Imam Ibn Arafa (in the 14^th century). Rebuilt in 1894, Zitouna stands out with its 44-meter tall minaret.

The narrow intertwining alleyways are lined with covered shops selling various wares-all manufactured by local artisans-including fabrics, carpets, silver lamps, jewelry, leather cowboy hats, and perfume. And what is great about shopping in the souk is that visitors can test their haggling prowess. Merchants are generally friendly. They will laugh merrily if you haggle too low and patiently ask you to raise your price.

The medina is also home to numerous marvelous palaces including the 18^th century Dar Hussein with its beautiful courtyard and the bardo palace with treasures from the antiquity. On exiting the ancient quarter from the eastern main gate, one arrives on De France Avenue feeling like a character out of Back to the Future (after traveling through time). Just outside the medina is the modern European –style city that was built by the French who arrived in Tunisia in 1881.

Not surprisingly, within this perimeter, all Tunisia’s roads bear French names.

A walking distance from the Avenue De French is Avenue Habib Bourguiba, Tunis’s main thoroughfare linking the Old City with the Little Sea. The Avenue Habib Bourguiba area is neatly designed new town for government offices, embassies, hotels, theaters, and spacious leafy parks. Somewhat out of place in this Islamic country is Cathedral St. Vincent de Paul which was built by the French in 1882 (just one year after their arrival, suggesting their intention of staying). Locals love to say that all but foreign nationals are Muslim.

A stroll down the avenue will give you a glimpse of Tunisia’s diverse culture. The wide sidewalks are bustling with French-style cafes, but only a few of them serve wine or beer. These places are hangout places for townfolks, who spend hours sipping coffee and shooting the breeze with buddies there. A cup of coffee costs around 3 Tunisian dinar, or about US$2. Often, townfolks share a drink with friends as a token of friendship.

Another place not to be missed in Tunisia is the blue and white village of the Sidi Bou Said. 12 kilometers from Tunis, this lovely village is perched on the cliffs overlooking the bay of Tunis. The beautiful Sidi Bou Said attracts tourists, who appreciate its landscape, as well as super-wealthy Tunisians who reside or build holiday houses in this affluent suburb which is not far from Carthage, the fames ruins of a Phoenician city.

As the bus climbs past Carthage, visitors get a glimpse of the wide blue bay below. The marina is awesome with its white sails of boats arriving and departing. Sidi Bou Said village originally grew serving Muslims who were making their pilgrimage to the tomb of the 13^th century sufi, Sidi Bou Said. In this leafy tourist haven, the dominant whites and blues simmer under the Mediterranian sun when viewed from a far. Visitors are quickly bewildered in its labyrinth of narrow roads with breathtaking flowery gardens and upscale mansions.

Every building bears the village signature colors: bright white walls and staircases, and everything else in vivid blue. Larger doors are painted yellow, white or red. Sidi Bou Said has , since the 19^th century, been attracting painters from European countries to visit, or even to build their studios there. Painter Soro Lo Turco of Italy has a studio ands gallery here. Such great artist as Colette, Simone de Beauvoir and Andre Gide are several others who have fallen under its spell.