travel holiday

Climb Mount Rinjani, Indonesia

2011-12-14T18:35:00.001-08:00

Famed for its tremendous beauty and eerie isolation, Mount Rinjani is Indonesia’s second highest mountain outside Irian Jaya. Although it is a dominant geographical phenomenon, its peak is rarely seen from the low lands, as it is often shrouded in cloud.

The Mount Rinjani Trekking track is one of Asia’s best kept secrets. Comparable to more famous mountain tracks, Rinjani offers the adventurous awesome scenery, waterfalls, rain forests, wildlife, hot springs, caves, demanding hiking, pristine lakes, interesting culture and of course a volcano. Gunung Rinjani is considered by all in Lombok and Bali as sacred. It is believed that the Gods reside on its summit and that the hot springs that bubble from it contain remarkable healing properties. It is for these reasons that the trek up Rinjani is far more important than just the climb itself; it is a pilgrimage to the Gods and all their powers.

This expedition takes small groups through this wonderful national park to the summit of Mount Rinjani. We are the only trekking company that takes you that much further, to the summit of a truly magnificent mountain.

Highlights include:
- Climb one of S.E Asia's best kept secrets
- Visit waterfalls and a high altitude lake
- Swim and snorkel pristine tropical waters
- Marvel at an active volcano and watch the sunrise over Bali
- Have a chance to see Sasak stick fighting

Expedition grade: Difficult
Reasonably demanding trekking at altitudes up to 4,000m/13,000ft. Expeditions will, in part, be well away from villages on ill-defined mountain trails.

Day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Arrive in Bali and transfer to your hotel.
Day 2:	Transfer to Denpasar Airport for flight to Lombok. From there we will pick you up and take you to the Sheraton on Sengiggi beach. There will be a briefing on the climb either today or the following morning. The day is free to shop for last minute things.
Day 3:	An early start for the beginning of a challenging day ahead. Our car will pick us up and transfer us to Lawang. From there we will trek through savannah like country, up the steep outer rim and camp at base camp. (8 hours walk)
Day 4:	Another early day with a 2 am wake p for our summit attempt. We hope to reach the summit by sunrise, about 630am for the awesome views over the crater lake, Bali and Sumbawa. We then walk down to the shore of Segara Anak.
Day 5:	Today will be spent relaxing in the nearby hot springs and exploring the steaming Milk caves. After a satisfying lunch it’s a testing trek up the other side of the caldera to the northern rim camp. Sunset from here is awesome.
Day 6:	We are not in a hurry anymore as we are satisfied with what we have done. We head down to Senaru via pristine primary rain forests. We have a good chance to see some wildlife today. Overnight in a local guest house.
Day 7:	Today we head back down to the coast and board our small boat for Gili Tranwangan. There you will have lunch and snorkel to your hearts content. In the afternoon we will boat back to Sengiggi and check into the Sheraton in time for dinner.
Day 8:	After breakfast we will fly back to Bali. Overnight in Hotel. Free time to shop or relax.
Day 9:	Depart for next destination.

Small group adventure holiday

Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

How this holiday makes a difference

Environment
To greatly reduce our impact on the environment there is a maximum of 8-12 team members, which helps to minimise the damage associated with large scale tourism. On our trips we do not leave anything behind where we camp, trek, raft, kayak or sail. We leave places like we found them, in fact we sometimes leave them in better condition. Most of our expeditions do involve some sort of environmentally friendly power such as trekking by foot, paddling a raft or sailing a boat.

We lead and encourage our clients to take responsibility for the environmental impact of the expeditions and we try to minimise the impact of our challenges on the environment within which we operate. We are therefore committed to continual improvement in our environmental performance, preventing pollution and minimising our effects through a complete programme of annual reviews of our expeditions and try to make our activities environmentally and socially positive.

We aim to:
- Achieve zero litter, and when appropriate remove local litter
- Avoid pollution from our camp and accommodation activities
- Achieve zero damage and impact to local flora and fauna
- Encourage understanding of the local environment and its fragilities
- Encourage the eating of local foods therefore preserving traditional farming practice
- Encourage the use of biodegradable products especially washing products.
- Ensure good practice on all toilet activities, i.e. avoiding pollution to water courses
- Ensure waste is minimized and recycled whenever possible
- Minimise the use of water

Our commitment to our environmental policy extends to our working environment and all staff recycle and make business decisions with an ethical dimension such as using public transport and maximising the use of email. We are committed to running a business that has as little environmental impact as possible.

Community
All our expeditions are organised and led with a commitment to maximising the benefits of our trips to the local community and minimising the negative impact associated with tourism. We employ local agents and staff, not just to benefit the local economy, but also to give you a real sense of the local culture.

To support the local communities, we sleep and eat in locally-run establishments where possible, and interact sensibly with locals as we believe in positive cultural exchanges so as not to change their lives – this means trade not aid.

In consultation with the Rinjani National Park Board, we are supporting Indonesia's first Clothing Bank. The Bank will provide all porters with warm, wind proof and rain resistant jackets. The Bank will loan these jackets out to Porters who will be working in the Park and these jackets will be returned to the Bank at the completion of their trek. Returned jackets will be examined and cleaned before they are put back into service for the next porter. The porters will not pay for the jackets. They will simply provide their name and contact details and how long they will need the jackets for. The system is based on honesty and the belief in human nature.

There will be two Banks established, one in Senaru on the northern slopes of the Park and the second will be based in Lawang on the eastern side of the Park. The establishment of these outlets assures that Porters do not need to return the jacket to where they borrowed it. Lawang and Senaru represent the two major entry and exit points to the Park and are thus natural places to situate the Banks.

The administration of the Bank will be undertaken by the Gunung Rinjani National Park Board, which is Headquartered in Mataram, Lombok's capitol and with regional offices in Senaru and Lawang. The Board has worked in recent years with NZ Aid, to incorporate local communities into the tourism aspects of the Park. Their work has helped the Rinjani National Park win the recent National Geographic/ World Legacy Best Stewardship Award. To donate a jacket or find out more please speak to your guide on the expedition.

Our local guides always include details of the impact of tourism in the area and the positive and negative aspects. Where possible they will encourage participants to follow local customs and adopt practices that work in harmony with the habitat and environment. They will brief on the rights of the porters and muleteers and lead by example in their interaction and conduct.

We will ensure that:
- We pay a fair income for all locally employed staff
- Use local equipment and vehicles when we can
- We purchase food from locally sourced providers
- Use locally owned and run accommodation where possible
- Discourage local begging and giving of cash gifts
- Employ local agents therefore ensuring income is kept in country whenever possible
- Encourage maximum communications between locals and participants to encourage mutual understanding and respect between cultures

Bali-MARRIAGE LAWS, LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES

2011-12-14T18:32:00.000-08:00

Bali is part of the Republic of Indonesia and is subject to Indonesian Laws. Every couple considering getting married in Bali must comply with these Laws.

In accordance with Law No. 1 of 1974 concerning marriages in Indonesia (Article 2 (1): "a marriage is legitimate if it has been performed according to the laws of the respective religious beliefs of the parties concerned."
All couples who marry in Indonesia must declare a religion. Agnosticism and Atheism are not recognized. The Civil Registry Office can record marriages of persons of Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian-Protestant and Christian-Catholic faiths. Marriage partners must have the same religion, otherwise one partner must make a written declaration of change of religion.
The Religious Marriage under Islam is performed by the Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama) in a ceremony at a mosque, the home, a restaurant, or any other place chosen by the couple and is legal immediately after the ceremony.
A Christian, Hindu or Buddhist marriage is usually performed first in a church or temple ceremony. After the religious ceremony, every non-Islamic marriage must be recorded with the Civil Registry (Kantor Catatan Sipil). Without the registration by the Civil Registry these marriages are not legal. Recording by Civil Registry officials can be performed directly at the religious ceremony for an additional fee.
Persons of non-Islamic faith are required to file with the Civil Registry Office in the Regency where they are staying first a 'Notice of Intention to Marry' as well as a 'Letter of No Impediment' obtained from their consular representatives.
For the issue of the Letter of No Impediment to Marriage by your Consular Representative you will need to present for youself and your fiance(e) your Passport(s) valid for more than 6 months and Certified Divorce Decrees (absolute/final) and/or Death Certificates regarding the termination of all previous marriages. Please contact the Consular Representative of your country for details well before your intended date of marriage.
The following countries have Consulates or Consular Representatives in Bali. The telephone and fax numbers must be prefixed with 62-361 when calling from abroad. Australia (Consulate, also representing Canada, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries in emergencies), Jalan Hayum Wuruk No. 88 B, Tanjung Bungak, Denpasar, Tel. 241-118, Fax 241-120; France (Consular Agency), Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai No. 35, Sanur, Tel. 285-485, Fax 285-485; Germany (Honorary Consulate), Jalan Pantai Karang 17, Sanur, Tel. 288-535, 288-826, Fax 288-826; Italy (Honorary Vice Consulate), Jalan Bypass Ngurah Rai, Jimbaran, Tel. 701-005, Fax 701-005; Japan (Consulate), Jalan Raya Puputan, Renon, Denpasar, Tel. 234-808, Fax 231-308; Mexico (Honorary Consulate), Jalan Moch. Yamin 1A, Renon, Denpasar, Tel. 223-266, Fax 231-740; Netherlands (Consular Agency), Jalan Raya Kuta 99, Kuta, Tel. 751-517, Fax 752-777; Norway & Denmark (Honorary Consulate), Kawasan Bukit Permai, Jimbaran, Tel. 701-070, Fax 701-074; Spain (Honorary Consulate, currently vacant); Sweden & Finland (Honorary Consulate), Jalan Segara Ayu, Sanur, Tel. 288-407, Fax 287-242; Switzerland & Austria (Consular Agency), Kompleks Istana Kuta Galleria, Blok Valet 2 No. 12, Jalan Patih Jelantik. Kuta, Tel. 751-735, Fax 754-457; United Kingdom (Honorary Consulate), Jalan Mertasari 2, Sanur, Tel. 270-601, Fax 270-572; U.S.A. (Consular Agency), Jalan Hayam Wuruk 188, Denpasar, Tel. 233-605, Fax 222-426.
For the Notice of Intention to Marry you have to submit the following documents for both partners to the Civil Registry Office (show the original and present a photocopy):

Certificate of the religious marriage;
Passport for foreign citizens, or KTP (Identity card) for Indonesian citizens;
Certified birth certificate;
Certified divorce decree (absolute) or death certificates regarding the termination of all previous marriages;
Four 4x6 cm photos, both partners side by side;
Foreign citizens:
- 'Letter of No Impediment to Marriage' issued by your Consular Representative for Bali or Indonesia;
Indonesian citizens:
- Never married: letter Surat Keterangan Belum Kawin from Kepala Desa or Lurah (mayor);
- Men aged 18-21 and women aged 16-21: parental letter of consent, signed across the materai/tax stamp Rupiah 2,000.

Before the marriage, you and your fiance(e) also may wish to file with the Civil Registry a prenuptial Property Agreement (Surat Pernyataan Harta) which must be signed before a local Notary Public. This contract is necessary if you wish to hold property separately during the marriage. In the absence of such a document, Indonesian marriage law assumes joint ownership of property, and subsequent property acquisitions by the Indonesian partner will be regulated according to the laws restricting foreign property ownership.
Two witnesses over the age of 18 are required. They must show the originals and present photocopies of their passports if they are foreign citizens or KTP (identity cards) if they are Indonesian citizens. Civil Registry employees can act as witnesses.
The Civil Registry office has a Mandatory Waiting Period of 10 working days from the date of filing. This waiting period may be waived for tourists presenting a guest registration form (Form A).
Islamic Marriage Certificates (Buku Nikah) issued by the Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama) are legally valid in Indonesia and do not require registration with any other agency if you are going to live in Indonesia. However, if you might move somewhere else in the future (and who knows?), get a marriage certificate issued by the Civil Registry and an officially certified translation right away (see below).
All other Marriage Certificates will be issued by the Civil Registry usually on the same or next day. A sworn English translation of the marriage certificate should be obtained for use abroad. It is not necessary for the marriage certificate or translation to be registered by your Consular Agency. However, to have the sworn translation of the marriage certificate verified or a special translation made by the Consulate of your home country or the Consulate of your country of residence might prove useful.

BALI — THE "ULTIMATE ISLAND"

2011-12-14T18:30:00.001-08:00

BALI — THE "ULTIMATE ISLAND"

In spite of many changes caused by the rapid development of Bali's economy, local and international tourism, and communications (television, fax, pagers, GSM hand phones, Internet), the influx of people from other Indonesian islands, and the strong influence of the government and "big business" in Jakarta, the island of Bali in Indonesia is year after year voted by the readers of all major travel magazines the most enchanting travel and holiday destination in the whole world. Bali's wide variety of attractions, the physical beauty of the island, and the year-round pleasant climate make Bali a place regarded by many visitors as the "Ultimate Island".
The friendly people and the absence of any serious criminal activities guarantee visitors a totally relaxing stay – which is a very pleasant surprise for guests who repeatedly felt threatened in Barbados, Jamaica, and other "dream islands" in the Caribbean. To read comments of recent visitors to Bali

Kate Middleton Wedding Dress: Finished, Secret!

2011-04-25T20:51:00.001-07:00

April 25th, 2011 1:30 PM by Free Britney

Everything's coming together for the Royal Wedding.
With just four days to go until the big day, Kate Middleton's bridal dress preparation is all wrapped up. The wedding gown has been completed.
"Kate will have no more fittings," a palace source says of the dress the world will see April 29. "The next time the dress goes on is Friday morning!"

Just who designed that historic dress remains the most closely guarded secret in all of England. Last Thursday, British fashion designer shoppy insisted that rumors are "not true" that she whipped up the frock herself.
Kate Middleton, who has shed some serious weight of late to fit into the dress, loves Cranston's label, and recently wore a Libelula coat.
Remaining contenders include Sarah Burton, the elegant, whimsical creative director of Alexander McQueen, the late Princess Diana's favorite Bruce Oldfield and boho-chic designer Alice Temperley, among other notable names.
The UK's Daily Mail even says Middleton designed the dress herself. The only thing we know for sure? Prince William's bride will look stunning.

Back to Metro.co.uk Home Metro SearchGoogle SearchSearch text Login / Register Logout * Casino * Bingo * Arcade * Flat Share * Jobs * Dating * Fantasy Football * Tickets * Apps * Daily Deals * Venture Candy * Courses * Mobile * SiteMap + * Home o Pictures o Chat * News o News Headlines o News Pictures o News Video o Weather o Money * Sport o Football o Football Tables & Fixtures o Odd Balls o Sport Pictures o Sport Video o Fantasy Football o Betting o Tickets o £10m Predictor * Showbiz o Showbiz Headlines o Celebrity Pictures o Showbiz Video o Competitions o Tickets * TV o TV Reviews o Tickets * Music o Music Reviews o MEmusic o Tickets * Film o Film Reviews o Film Trailers o Tickets * Gaming o Games News o Games Reviews o Games Inbox * Weird o Bizarre Pictures o Funny Videos * Video o News o Sport o Showbiz o Film o Funny * Lifestyle o Fashion Pictures o Travel o Travel Pictures o Fashion Shop o Holiday offers o Restaurant Reviews * Win & Play o Crosswords o Nemi o Casino o Bingo o Arcade o Celebrity Top Trumps o Usual Promotion Rules * Tech & Gadgets o Twitter o Google o Facebook o Apple o YouTube * News Headlines * News Pictures * News Video * Weather Joel Taylor - 25th April, 2011 Calm horses chosen to escort Prince William and Kate Middleton Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/861688-calm-horses-chosen-to-escort-prince-william-and-kate-middleton#ixzz1Kb7HJzsU

2011-04-25T20:49:00.001-07:00

Horses with calm temperaments have been chosen to escort Prince William and Kate Middleton for their first journey as man and wife.
Paying respects: Prince William rowed Kate to Princess Diana's shrine (Picture: PA) Prince William and Kate Middleton will be getting married this week (Picture: PA)

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/861688-calm-horses-chosen-to-escort-prince-william-and-kate-middleton#ixzz1Kb7MxM5m
The royal couple will walk back down the aisle to be met by nine grey horses and riders from the Met’s mounted branch, who will accompany their royal carriage.

The party will then make its way from Westminster Abbey to Buckingham Palace, with the grey escort leading from the front and bringing up the rear.

A mounted inspector will ride in a position known as the ‘pointer’ in front of a sergeant and three constables.

They will be followed by the rest of the procession, including the newlyweds and other royals.

Another section made up of one sergeant and three constables will form the back of the group.

‘We look at the grey horses that we’ve got and assess them for their temperament and how they match in colour,’ said Ch Insp Bob Barker, head of the mounted branch.

‘It’s going to be a real challenge for the horses and the officers on the route – the noise, the crowd, the flags.’

Grey escorts are used regularly in high-profile ceremonial events, as well as on general police patrols and at football matches.

A total of 11 of the horses have been selected for Friday’s wedding, including two to act as cover.

Harry plots a 6am survivors’ breakfast: Best man takes charge of the ‘wedmin’ - and bacon butties

2011-04-25T20:40:00.001-07:00

By Katie Nicholl
Last updated at 10:03 PM on 24th April 2011

Royal knees-up: Prince Harry is calling his part of the wedding planning 'wedmin'

Prince Harry has planned a secret ‘survivors’ post-wedding breakfast’ at Buckingham Palace for VIP guests who have partied through the night.
The 26-year-old, who is calling his part of the Royal Wedding planning ‘wedmin’, is said to be heavily involved with arrangements for the evening celebrations and wants to give William and his bride a party to remember.
Three of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace will be converted into a nightclub on the night of the wedding and Harry, who is best man, has organised for the DJ to play into the early hours, while caterers have been briefed to prepare bacon sandwiches and fry-ups for those guests still standing at the end of the night.
And although the bride and groom may not manage to stay up – they are leaving for their honeymoon the next morning – Harry, known for his partying stamina at nightclubs Raffles and Boujis, hopes many of their friends will be dancing until dawn.
The Prince has played a significant role in planning the evening celebrations, which are being hosted by his father Prince Charles.
Just 300 guests have been invited to the exclusive party, which includes a drinks reception from 7pm followed by a dinner and speeches and then dancing.
Charles and Camilla, who have arranged for a performance by Bollywood dance duo Sandip Soparrkar and his wife Jesse Randhawa, have asked around 100 family and friends, while the bride and groom have invited 200 friends from school and university and Prince William’s ‘Glosse Posse’ set from Gloucestershire.
Sources close to William and Harry have instructed aides to plan a proper ‘knees up’, and courtiers are expecting it to carry on into the next day.
Charles has hired chef Anton Mosimann to prepare the three-course meal while party planners Fait Accompli are understood to be overseeing the entertainment. A bar will serve spirits, cocktails and champagne all night.

U.S. Networks Add Britons to Royal Wedding Coverage

2011-04-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

In November, when the “save the date” was circulated for Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, Elena Nachmanoff immediately booked a trip to London. She was going shopping — for royalty experts.

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Top left, clockwise: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Norman Mailer Center; Evan Sung for The New York Times; Donna Svennevik/ABC; Mario Anzuoni/Reuters; Daily Telegraph; Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Clockwise from top left, some of the Britons who will appear in American TV coverage of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday: Tina Brown, India Hicks, Katie Nicholl, Piers Morgan, Celia Walden and Cat Deeley.

Waiting for the Dress (April 24, 2011)
Fixating on a Future Royal as Elusive as Cinderella (April 21, 2011)

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Fox News

Joan Lunden, right, formerly of ABC, is joining Martha MacCallum and Shepard Smith in Fox News coverage of the wedding.

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Ian Langsdon/European Pressphoto Agency

Cups bearing the image of Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Ms. Nachmanoff, the executive in charge of talent for NBC News, knew what she wanted: an eminent British historian; a tabloid editor with deep knowledge about the royal family; a person who played a part in Princess Diana’s wedding 30 years ago. And she knew that other television networks wanted the same.
Because every network will be sharing the same camera feeds of the royal wedding on Friday morning, they have competed fiercely to sign up on-air talent in an attempt to make their hours and hours (and hours) of coverage stand out.
The most sought-after pundits have been signed to long-term contracts worth over $100,000; some even have deals with several outlets. The author of one book about the couple, Katie Nicholl, was the subject of a bidding war; she will be simultaneously working for ABC News, CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight” and the entertainment newsmagazine “Entertainment Tonight.”
The networks opened their wallets partly out of necessity: there is a long history in Britain of people being paid for interviews, and of giving short- and long-term contracts to experts is one way to meet that expectation. Fortunately, there is no shortage of talent to pick from in England, where reporting, gossiping and opining on the royal family is a full-blown industry.
But the costs have quickly added up for network news divisions, some still understaffed after years of cutbacks. Having sold special advertising packages for the event, networks are betting viewers are as interested in the wedding as their news anchors and producers evidently are.
As soon as the wedding date was set, “you would be shocked by how many e-mails we got from agents pitching their client as the royalty expert because they once saw Prince William, or once met Kate Middleton, or have once had dinner in the same restaurant,” said Rob Silverstein, executive producer of “Access Hollywood,” which is moving to London for a week.
Hollywood agencies including WME, CAA and ICM not only pitched experts for the wedding day, they sold what were effectively packages of experts for the television documentaries that are leading up to the ceremony.
“As long as you have an English accent,” Mr. Silverstein joked, “you’ll work.”
The pitches have not stopped, said Brent Zacky, a vice president at TLC, recounting a New York agent who pitched a “wedding expert” to him just last week. “There’s last-minute jockeying going on,” he said, even for one-time guest appearances.
The guest booking wars “have been ferocious,” said Piers Morgan, the CNN anchor.
But for the most part, each network’s plans are firmly in place. Along with A-list anchors, there will be Britons (the reality show host Cat Deeley will be on CNN), celebrities (Goldie Hawn will be on ABC’s “The View”) and journalists who covered Princess Diana’s wedding in 1981 (the former “Good Morning America” co-host Joan Lunden will be on Fox News).
TLC hired Amanda Byram, a native of Ireland who now lives in Britain and hosts television shows there, because “it’s important to have a local voice alongside our American voices,” Mr. Zacky said, echoing executives at other networks.
Those executives said in interviews that they doubted specific experts would actually sway the ratings on the wedding day.
“For the most part, this is a festivity that you don’t see a lot in life, so you just let it speak for itself,” said Bill Shine, an executive vice president at Fox News. But there are still hours of air time to fill before and after the ceremony.
“The palace has said that no friends can talk, so we have to rely on our knowledge, on our correspondents’ knowledge and experts in different fields,” said Barbara Walters, who will be co-anchoring with Diane Sawyer on ABC. On Friday afternoon, Ms. Walters was packing her bags for London, since many American news programs and entertainment shows will be in royalty mode starting on Monday.
After her first trip in December, Ms. Nachmanoff was back in London at the end of February to firm up NBC’s deals with experts like Camilla Tominey, the royalty editor for the Daily Express newspaper, and Andrew Roberts, the historian.
Perhaps NBC’s biggest coup was signing a long-term contract with Ben Fogle, a British television host who traveled in Africa with Prince William last year and who will be attending the wedding. (He will be hurrying to a camera position outside Westminster Abbey to recount his attendance afterward.) NBC calls Mr. Fogle a “special correspondent” and says he will stay on at least through the Summer Olympics in London next year.
No one would comment on the costs of all this expertise, citing confidentiality, but privately some agents and executives said thousand-dollar appearance fees for a segment were far more common than the six-figure salaries that “special correspondents” have received.
ABC’s biggest booking was probably Ms. Nicholl, whose book “William and Harry: Behind the Palace Walls” was published a week before the wedding date was announced. Like Mr. Fogle, Ms. Nicholl has been deemed a “special correspondent.”
ABC’s other contributors will include Tina Brown, the Newsweek and Daily Beast editor, who has a long-term contract with “Good Morning America;” one of Princess Diana’s bridesmaids, India Hicks; and a former press secretary for Prince William, Colleen Harris.
CBS, which is spending less than NBC or ABC to cover the wedding, has fewer contributors on its payroll. Its top “royal contributor,” Victoria Arbiter, who was raised in Britain but now lives in New York, also has deals with CTV in Canada and Channel 7 in Australia.
Among other experts working for several outlets is Mr. Morgan’s wife, Celia Walden, who writes for The Daily Telegraph. She will be appearing on NBC and “Extra” in the United States as well as on ITN in Britain.
Mr. Morgan, who is British, said what he wants out of his guests on “Piers Morgan Tonight,” his 9 p.m. show on CNN, are personal stories and anecdotes. He said he would be recalling a private lunch he had with Princess Diana and Prince William when the prince was 13 years old. Of the bookings, he said, “It’s less about A-list faces. It’s ‘Do they know the royals or not?’ ”
The royal couple’s closest friends, presumably, will be at the wedding, not at the multistory media complex beside Buckingham Palace.
And that is partly why producers like Mr. Silverstein, of “Access Hollywood,” are having fun with the affair — and with the appointed experts who will be crowding onto television to talk about it. In a nod to Harry Potter, Mr. Silverstein has called his in-house expert, Neil Sean, a “royal wizard.”
“There are royal wizards everywhere,” Mr. Silverstein exclaimed. “They truly materialize anywhere you want them.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: April 25, 2011
An earlier version of this article misstated one of the programs that has hired Katie Nicholl, author of "William and Harry." In addition to appearing on ABC News and "Piers Morgan Tonight," she will also work for "Entertainment Tonight, not "Extra."

Harley-Davidson - Solo Trip

2011-04-25T20:33:00.001-07:00

Choosing your Rental Operator

Choose your rental agency keeping in mind your city of departure, the quality of the engine, road service assistance and competitive prices. To verify just how serious this dealer is, nothing is better that going to "chats bikers" on the Internet. If you rent a Harley-Davidson, make sure that the leaser is accredited by the brand, it is safer.

The Motorcycle Rental Site harley gives information about their accredited rental shops.

The Motorcycle and its' Equipment

The motorcycle must be in A-1 technical condition and clean.

Here is a list of equipment that you should have if you are leaving for a trip of several days :

Luggage bag
One or two locks
Cellular telephone in case of emergency
Road Assistance Contract 24h/24
A road atlas or "Road Book" of the area including maps, recommended detailed itineraries, hotel and motel addresses, friendly restaurants and bars, gas stations, family and friends phone numbers, recommended outfits, etc.
An authorized helmet. In certain States, you are not obliged to wear one, but good sense is better than dangerous stylishness.
Waterproof equipment

Rental Conditions

You must be 21 or older.
Have a valid heavyweight motorcycle operator's license.
Possess the skills, knowledge and ability to operate a heavyweight motorcycle.
Have a major credit card to guarantee your rental.

Ask for the canceling policy before making arrangements.

Rental Agreement

In your rental agreement, make sure these features are included in the price:

Unlimited mileage
Local taxes
All risk insurance policy coverage including theft
Road repair Insurance 24/24h

Accommodation

Make sure you have a reservation for at least the first two nights of your stay especially during high seasons.
During your trip, your main concern will be choosing a hotel or motel with protected parking or garage. If you cannot find one, choose a room on the ground floor of a motel with a door large enough to bring in your bike.

Most hotels have laundry facilities for their clients.

San Francisco’s Eco-Evolution

2011-04-25T03:55:00.000-07:00

San Francisco’s Eco-Evolution

San Francisco is green, clean, and organic—the architecture is high-tech and eco-friendly, and the food is excruciatingly fresh and local. Is this the world’s first true 21st-century city?

From April 2008 By Karrie Jacobs

I’ve prepared for my appointment with Mayor Gavin Newsom by stopping at Citizen Cake, a Hayes Valley restaurant where my iced coffee is made with organic milk and my chocolate cream-filled cookies, a sophisticated take on the Oreo, are spiked with fleur de sel. But even the infusion of sugar, caffeine, and sea salt can’t help me keep up with the mayor who, despite being trapped behind his enormous traditional wooden desk, is a bundle of nervous energy as he rattles off the ways in which San Francisco is becoming America’s premier green city.
Newsom uses the word exponentially a lot, as in “exponentially more trees” or “exponentially more solar.” In general, there will be exponentially more of things green and exponentially less of things that are not, such as plastic shopping bags (a ban went into effect last winter) and plastic water bottles. Mayor Newsom has in fact just announced that city employees will have to drink filtered tap water. The mayor, on the day I meet him, is clutching what could be his last bottle of Arrowhead Springs.
But after about 20 minutes of environmental rat-a-tat-tat, the mayor slows down. He grows reflective. “Why do we do all this?” he asks. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Why is it the right thing to do?Well, that’s self-explanatory. Do we also think it creates an environment, literally and figuratively, that attracts people?You better believe it. And that’s important as well. We’re consistently among the top travel destinations in the world. We think people are attracted to the values of this city.”
That last point grabs my attention. So people visit San Francisco not because they want to ride the cable cars or tour Alcatraz, but because of the city’s values?The mayor’s assertion strikes me because I’ve been thinking for a while about the future of cities, looking for signs of 21st-century urbanism. I’m not particularly interested in the Dubai model, or the China model, both of which seem to be riffs on old-fashioned ideas about the future being a place where everything is bigger and shinier. No, I’m looking for a city that might correct the excesses of the previous century and come up with new formulas—architectural and otherwise—for the future.
The question I ask myself as I drive into town, feeling smug in my rented Honda Civic Hybrid (San Francisco is second only to Los Angeles in the number of hybrids purchased—practically every other car here is a Prius), is this: How do values inscribe themselves on the urban landscape?Just what might clue you in that this is a highly evolved new-millennium city and not a regressive leftover from the previous era?Also: What exactly does a values-oriented tourist do?What sorts of landmarks should I visit?What new attractions join Coit Tower and the revolving bar at the Hyatt?
My first move is to check in to the Orchard Garden Hotel, which boasts that it’s America’s first LEED-certified property. LEED, as you probably know by now, stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it is a checklist of strategies for making buildings more sustainable that’s been developed and promoted by an organization called the Green Buildings Council. It’s become widely accepted—developers like having a checklist—and LEED certification is the au courant version of the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. The Orchard Garden, which opened in late 2006, is built from concrete made of recycled fly ash and sustainably harvested wood. The building is well insulated, energy-efficient, and designed with “soothing, spa-inspired tones.” The place pretty much radiates goodness. I find the Scandinavian décor of my room a little bland—it’s all pale wood and leaf patterns—but it is very comfortable, and the location, at Bush and Grant, where Chinatown hits Union Square, is just about perfect.

London's Best Retro Spots

2011-04-25T03:47:00.001-07:00

Launch Slideshow

Photo: Malú Alvarez

Vintage style is back all over town, from old-school candy shops to the speakeasy scene.

From February 2009 By Adrien Glover

See our slideshow of London’s Best Retro Spots.
From Fitzrovia to Covent Garden, London is embracing its charming—and sometimes cheeky—past. Every era, from the roaring ‘20s to the swinging ‘60s, is represented, with new takes on old-fashioned locales: chip and sweets shops, hidden Prohibition-style hangouts, even ballrooms. But rather than flaunt themselves as fusty Churchillian relics, these new spots are drawing stylish Bright Young Things who can’t get enough of the city’s collective nostalgia trip. They’re celebrating inspired design, tastes, and bygone lifestyles with zeal.
At the forefront of London’s retro renaissance: sugar. Behind a shiny strawberry-red façade in Covent Garden, British confectionary is experiencing a resurgence at Hope and Greenwood, a sweet 1950s-style candy store named after its sugar-loving owners. Glass jars and cut-crystal candy that grandma would love brim with classic and all-but-disappeared “pick and mix“ English candies—Minty Humbugs, Raspberry Ruffles, and Traffic Light Lollies. It’s the kind of place that will even inspire adults on a strict diet to indulge in sweets (and sweet thoughts) of yesteryear.

See our slideshow of London’s Best Retro Spots.

Over in the trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood of Marble Arch, Cocomaya is attracting followers with its jewel-like handcrafted chocolates tantalizingly displayed under glass domes on marble counter tops and antique mirrors. And places such as East End’s Treacle are delighting locals and visitors alike with a return to the no-nonsense proper British teahouse, serving up comforting classics like Jammy Dodgers and buttercream cupcakes.
Bourne & Hollingsworth (named after the department store that once existed on its site) is decidedly more adult; the quirky basement bar in Fitzrovia is tricked out to feel like grandma’s—complete with signature floral wallpaper and consciously stodgy décor. Still, zany accents, like a fireplace full of discarded Champagne bottles, reflect the underground boîte’s joie de vivre spirit of excess. On Prohibition themed nights, vintage gin cocktails arrive hidden in teapots, as Billie Holliday sets the mood.
Geales, in Notting Hill, is the ideal spot to start—or end—an evening on the town, London-style. Now a shadow of its former 1939 no-frills self, the newly renovated fish and chips shop is giving a lighter gourmet twist to an old London standby; golden, delicately fried cod and haddock is the restaurant’s main event, supported by more elegant briny treats like raw oysters and classic shrimp cocktail.
No matter where you go in London town these days, vintage style is everywhere. What’s old is new—again!—in England’s retro-mad city.

Celebrating Syncretism

2011-04-25T03:42:00.000-07:00

Three big religions encountered a local culture that had been in existence for centuries in Lombok and this resulted in a unique syncretism and cross pollination. Ahmad Subaidi witnessed the Wetu Telu community of the pearl Island’s fascinating Maulid Adat ceremony.

Traditional communities in Indonesia existed long before the arrival of Islam to the country’s shores. When this religion arrived via trade routes, whether or not it wanted to, it had to compromise with many of the preexisting traditions of the society here. This marriage between the sacred values of heaven and more earthly concerns has been tough, and sometimes wracked by conflict. However, as can be seen on Lombok in the West Nusa Tenggara region of Indonesia, religion and culture can indeed work together in harmony to produce a spectacular display that has also become an important tourism asset.
I witnessed an amazing spectacle in the village communities of the Wetu Telu, which are based in Kecamatan Bayan in North Lombok District. To celebrate the birth of Muhammad, the last prophet in Islam, these traditional communities organise the so called Maulid Adat in Bayan Beleq Mosque, which is believed to be the oldest mosque in Lombok.
The presentation of this centuries-old tradition proved to be full of colour and inviolability. The celebration lasted for three nights and reached its peak on the full moon of the fifteenth night of Rabiul Awal, which this year fell on Friday, 18 February. Almost everyone from Wetu Telu took part in the splendid festivities.
The full moon was shining brightly when I arrived at the village of Bayan, a 90-kilometre drive from the city of Mataram, the capital of Lombok and the international gateway to West Nusa Tenggara. The courtyard of the Bayan Beleq Mosque was crowded with the congregation.
There was no electric lighting, as there is no electricity here yet. The main source of illumination was a dile jojor, which is a torch made of bamboo, a cotton twist, and some biji jarak (seeds from a tree used to make castor oil).

The people gathered in a circle and the crowd was really boisterous. I made my way through the throng and found two men fighting. Both were topless and armed with a shield in one hand and a rattan club in the other. They were hitting each other as hard as they could while the spectators cheered them on. Rattan clubs striking shields of bamboo wickerwork produce loud sounds, and it was easy to imagine how painful a hit to the body would feel.
The Wetu Telu community calls this sadistic attraction Perisaian. ”This Perisaian may last the whole night through,” said Yanis, one of the spectators. “This is the evening people really look forward to during the Maulid Adat celebration.”
This tradition does not only belong to the community of Wetu Telu, but has now become a popular attraction all over Lombok and is staged during many holidays, including the country’s Independence Day, which comes around every 17 August. What makes the Perisaian in Bayan Village unique though, are its round shields. The shields used elsewhere are normally square.
For the Wetu Telu community, the Perisaian that happens during the Maulid Adat celebration commemorates the leadership of the prophet Muhammad showed in training his army for the Uhud and Badar wars long ago. ”As with the ‘standard’ Maulid, the Maulid Adat is also held to celebrate the birth of the prophet Nabi Muhammad. However, it is organised three days after the religious celebration,” said Raden Gedarip, a Bayan traditional elder.
Perisaian is not the only cultural attraction that occurs during the Maulid Adat. Before and after the fights, the community organises a kind of ritual that is no less sacred and embodies the values of cooperation and mutual support. This includes the process of menutu or pounding padi (unhusked rice) in the kampu (traditional area). There are several kampu around the Bayan Beleq Mosque, including Karang Bajo, Karang Salah, West Bayan, East Bayan and Loloan.

On Saturday afternoon, dozens of women, under the leadership of the traditional female public figures known as Inak Lokak and Inak Menik, pounded rice together using wooden mortars and pestles. This kind of scene is very difficult to find in big towns, where cooking techniques have been taken over by modern electronic gadgets.
What is unique here is that this feminine tradition is not only carried out by the women. The women’s job is to pound and wash the rice, however the men prepare the livestock and spices, and decorate the old mosque. This cross-gender cooperation is rather rare in characteristically patrimonial Indonesian communities.
The rice that had been husked was then washed in the ritual bisuh menik. Dozens of women wearing the traditional kemben outfit carried the rice and then walked in a procession to a kokok or river about 500 metres away from the kampu. At the same time, the livestock, which included water buffaloes, goats, and also ducks and chickens, was slaughtered by the men.
In the evening, I went back to Bayan Beleq Mosque. It was very noisy there. Hundreds of people from the villages of Kecamatan Bayan had turned up together with the Praja Mulud procession (two pairs of male teenagers symbolising Adam and Eve). Their retinue carried with them food in containers of woven sliced bamboo known as ancak. The Maulid Adat ceremony itself was conducted inside the mosque and led by the kiai pengulu.

In the yard outside the mosque, the people conducted a ritual known as Saur Sesangi which pertains to the fulfilment of pledges. People brought rice, fruit, vegetables and some livestock with them. This ritual is carried out while beating gong gerantung (which are old musical instruments consisting of a pair of gongs and a number of percussion instruments). The rhythmic sounds made the atmosphere seem even more joyous. In Islam, nazar is a pledge of sacrifice made when people want to do or get something. If he gets what he wants, he must carry out his pledge.”What the Praja Mulud bring with them are food and crops as a thanksgiving,” explained the Senaru’s Village Chief, Raden Akria Buana. ”Meanwhile, for Saur Sesangi, people bring whatever it is that they have pledged.”
After the praja mulud procession has been received and the food in the ancak has been eaten by the kyais, the party moves to the kampu of each village where the villagers eat together.
Raden Gedarip, a traditional leader from Bayan Village, explained that Maulid Adat was a ancestral tradition of the Wetu Telu community that had been celebrated for hundreds of years. Praja Mulud, the symbol of Adam and Eve (or man and woman) is meant to show that the Prophet Muhammad was also born to a human couple.
”That is also what we want to convey when we celebrate the birth of our children with red and white rice porridge. The white symbolises man and the red is woman, and a baby is really born pure and without sin,” Raden explained, adding, “It is hoped that this tradition may foster parents’ awareness of raising and educating their children with love and responsibility.”

Almost everyone in the Wetu Telu community of north Lombok is Muslim. However, this fact has not led to them abandoning their ancestral traditions. Instead, they have adapted the old rituals and resituated them within an Islamic context, such as can be seen in the Maulud and Lebaran Adat displays, which never fail to attract tourists every time they are held.
Of course there are regulations that the visitors have to observe. Those who want to see a traditional ceremony in the kampu area or at the Bayan Beleq Mosque are required to wear traditional attire. Men should wear a sarong and sapuk headgear, whereas women should wrap themselves in a kemben.
“When a man dies, we can still find his grave. But if a tradition dies, where will we find it? This is the reason we still work hard to preserve our traditional and cultural norms,” says north Lombok cultural observer, Datu Artadi. He believes that a lot of people incorrectly view the Wetu Telu community as being exclusively occupied with religion. However, Wetu Telu is not just about religion, but is also deeply concerned with a culture rich in values.
Datu Artadi also explained that Wetu Telu is concerned with three areas societal norms, namely religion, governance and tradition. All three must support and strengthen each other in order to create a balanced system of living. Wetu Telu is also focused on three essential relationships, that is to say that between man and God, man and other men, and man and the universe.

Tourisia explores the islands

2011-04-17T20:00:00.001-07:00

Although the Central Sulawesi Department of Culture and Tourism recently launched a new international initiative dubbed Sail Togian 2011, the fact still remains that not many people know of the Togian Islands, despite the fact that they make up one of the largest national marine parks in Indonesia. Novieta Tourisia explores the islands.

Situated slap bang in the middle of Tomini Bay, Central Sulawesi, the Togian Islands National Marine Park covers a massive area and is filled with underwater forests and 56 amazing islands. The six largest islands in the park are Waleabahi, Waleakodi, Togian, Talatakoh, Batudaka and Una-Una.
There are several ways to get to the Togians. One of them is via the northern route, namely through Port Talumolo in Gorontalo, aboard a ferry which departs at night and which takes at least 15 hours to reach its final destination—Ampana in Central Sulawesi. The ship has several disembarkation points, which include Dolong, Katupat and Wakai, all of which are all located in the Togian Islands chain.
My ship departed on time at 9pm. The next morning, I woke up as it was making its first stop at Dolong, and we ended up docking for around an hour. Apparently, there is a regular weekly market on Dolong, which is held to coincide with the arrival of the passenger ship.
Initially, our goal was to reach Kadidiri Island. However, a Gorontalo local recommended that we instead transit at one of the more interesting points in the Togian Islands, namely Malenge Island. We thrive on spontaneity and like to be flexible and so, after our ship had already stopped at Dolong and Mapoli, we promptly disembarked at Malenge. The first impression that hit me as I set foot on the island was how boisterous the atmosphere was.
Crowds of people were hawking fruit, while others shouted at us persuasively, “Hotel?” or “Lodging?” I approached a kindly bespectacled woman wearing a striped yellow shirt and asked her, “Ma’am, do you know of any inn?” She nodded happily, and we followed her as she weaved her way through the crowd. Mrs. Shiva was her name, and she introduced us to Pak Rudi, the inn’s owner. We waited for Pak Rudi to prepare the boat that would take us to the inn while sipping coffee and eating durian.

As we glided towards the inn on the boat, I could see dozens of sea urchins lying on the shallow seabed, and the seawater gradually turned from deep blue to green as we approached the inn, which was called Lester Cottages. There were only four cottages in fact, however a few dozen metres to the west, we could see that Mr. Rudi was building several new cottages. “If there are no new cottages, it will be difficult to accommodate all of the tourists who usually come here during the mid-year holiday season,” he explained.
Our adventure began with a visit to the village of Bajo. Rows of wooden houses stood above the sea, and one or two canoes were tied to each house. Bajo’s children proved to be very jovial and just love conversing with tourists and having their photographs taken. The adults were no less friendly and many allowed us to peek inside their houses. A single house is usually occupied by three families, and some even contain five families. The Bajo tribe is no longer as isolated as it once was and the people have come to embrace modern technology in their daily lives. TVs, radios and mobile phones are now commonplace in the village, although telecommunications signals are still not strong. The Bajo still cling to their traditions however, which they consider important. A father, for example, will take a few-day old baby and dive with it as a way of introducing the newborn to the marine way of life at an early age. The Bajo believe that this ritual initiation brings blessings both to the family and to the entire tribe as a whole.
We traversed a long bridge accompanied by the cheerful laughter of the Bajo children, who soon broke into spontaneous renditions of some well-known Indonesian national songs. I was touched and we soon found ourselves singing along with the kids. I certainly never hear kids singing national songs back in the capital, save at special Indonesian-themed events.
We weren’t quite sure where we were headed however a kid suddenly shouted, “This is our school!” Mr. Rudi, who also doubled as our guide, explained to us that the bridge had only been built several years ago and I was taken aback upon hearing this. So how did these kids get to school before there was any bridge? By canoe? “No, they swam. One arm was used for swimming, while the other held textbooks and bag aloft over the head. They’re used to swimming far as all of them have known the sea since they were babies,” Mr. Rudi explained. I was shocked. The thought of these kids swimming long distances to get to their school made me realise how lucky city slickers are with our cars and buses.
After the trip, we went snorkelling not far from the Bajo settlement. There was a stunning variety of fish and coral to check out, and I saw a barracuda for the first time ever. Not just one in fact, but an entire shoal, with each member measuring over a metre in length. I also had the opportunity to see a group of orbicular batfish, as well as some leather umbrella coral which is a rare species of soft coral.
Our next destination was Pangempa Island. To reach the island, we took a two minute motorboat ride from the village of Katupat. That evening, we watched the locals playing beach volleyball while we sat at the end of the local bridge. We also met a couple from Denmark, Oscar and Yanick, who were exploring Indonesia over the course of a month. At sunset, we fell silent as we watched the sky turn from amber to deep red, and the dying light finally left a trace of fuchsia on the horizon. It was indescribably beautiful.
The next morning, we skipped breakfast and ran straight onto the beach next to the cottage.
We soon found ourselves snorkelling and being treated to a vast jungle of underwater splendour. Just a few feet ahead of us swam a school of lionfish, which were darting to and fro in a dazzling display of grace and beauty. For the next three hours, I feasted on a rainbow riot of aquatic life, including triggerfish, clownfish, damsels, butterflyfish, angelfish, scorpionfish, stingrays, and an equally dazzling array of coral, including brain coral and acropora aspera. In fact, there are no fewer than 518 species of hard coral in the Togian Islands. In addition, the islands are also home to populations of up to a hundred hawksbill turtles and green turtles.
Later that day, we sailed all the way down to Reef One, which is one of the best points for snorkelling. There wasn’t much of a difference from the spot at which we’d spent the morning to be honest, except for the addition of the yellow tang, sea snakes patterned in black and white, and a flock of yellowfin tuna.
On our fifth day, we headed over to Kadidiri Island, which should be a familiar name to divers in the know. There are no fewer than 25 amazing dive sites here, ranging from Kadidiri House Reef to a WWII B-24 bomber plane wreck to The Pinnacle, which is located close to the island of Una-Una. Dive virgins are well catered for here at two dive centres (Kadidiri Paradise [www.kadidiriparadise.com] and Black Marlin [www.blackmarlindiving.com]).

I’m no diver, though, and so I spent the next two days snorkelling around our resort, writing, reading books and chatting with Crispin Gibbs, the owner of the Black Marlin Dive Resort, and his diving instructors. We also shot the breeze with several of the resort’s guests. I appeared to be the only non-diver in the area, but no matter!
We soon found ourselves enjoying our final night out on the porch; the crashing waves on the beach serving as background music and sweetened hot tea as our wine. Suddenly something heavy hit the deck of our porch. It was dark and so we turned on a torch so as to ascertain the source of the noise. And there it was: a coconut crab as big as my two fists, scrambling to once again ascend the coconut tree that it had just fallen from. After it had scurried away, we returned to our reveries. We had discovered a true sanctuary: The Togian Islands.

underwater world has long captivated international divers

2011-04-17T19:59:00.001-07:00

The beauty of Gorontalo’s underwater world has long captivated international divers and has earned it the nickname, “Indonesia’s best kept secret”. This new province also offers hospitality a plenty, thanks to the earnest demeanour and smiles of its residents. Sari Widiati and photographer Jan Dekker traversed streets filled with bentor and explored every corner of Gorontalo.

Gorontalo was still fast asleep as I stood looking at it from the top of the old fort known as Otanaha. Under my feet there were three piles of stones standing in solitude. They formed a circle and were decorated with a few gaps. My eyes zoomed in on the lowermost part where they eventually found the green pool of water and I caught sight of the panorama of the well-known Limboto Lake.
I was imagining the Portuguese—who it is believed were the first foreigners to visit Gorontalo—building this fortress in 1525 after reaching an agreement with King Ilato. What was Limboto’s appearance back then—when it was said to have been so full of water that it looked like an ocean?
Otanaha was built to strengthen the defences of the northern part of Sulawesi. Now it has headed into retirement though and become a historical asset instead. While Otanaha is being eradicated by time, Limboto is dying as it is buried in mud. This lake now looks more like a swamp, and its width and depth decrease every year. In 1932, its area was 7,000 hectares, but now this has more than halved to 3,000 hectares. Meanwhile, its depth is down to three metres from its previous 14 metres.
The lake is getting shallower because of silt and the death of most of the water springs in the 23 rivers and tributaries that flow into the Limboto. It seems like the die has been cast and the lake will soon become grassland if no solution is found to revitalise it.
The mountains to the north were also clearly visible from Otanaha. They looked like a wall that was hemming in the valley and Limboto. In an instant I was reminded of what a Suwawa tribe resident had said to me in his local dialect. He claimed that Gorontalo used to be a sea whose seabed pushed up to the surface when the seawater receded. Many others have said the same thing, and this is indeed a plausible theory if one looks at the area’s physical geography.

In order to take a look at life around the lake, I descended from the fortress by way of its 348 step staircase, which really sapped my energy! I continued walking to Museum Soekarno. Inside there were photographs of a visit made by the First President of the Republic of Indonesia to Gorontalo, along with a few other historical objects. Across from the building there sits a park in which one can enjoy the lake. It was here, precisely at Iluta Quay, that President Soekarno landed in his Catalina seaplane when he visited Gorontalo that first time, 61 years ago.
I stopped right in front of the sacred graveyard of Ju Panggola in the Sub-District of Kota Barat. Although on that particular day it was very quiet, the place is usually crowded with dozens or even hundreds of pilgrims who come to pray at the Ju Panggola Mosque and then sit down and offer their prayers and petitions. A number of sources mention that Ju Panggola was a sacred ulama who lived during the fifteenth century.
I then boarded a boat and began to explore Limboto. Morning is the ideal time to get a good look at the life of the people around the lake. The boat moved slowly each time it encountered the water hyacinths that grow so thick and uncontrollably that they cover almost the whole surface of the lake. There were many fishermen on the lake looking to catch freshwater fish. They were also building a complex of karamba to trap fish.
The stillness of Limboto suddenly vanished as I set foot in the town centre. Bentor were roaming the streets, clogging them up and making a noise. A bentor is a hybrid of a becak (pedicab) and a motorcycle. It has the structure of a becak, but is powered by an engine.

This means of transport, which is used by pretty much everyone at one time or another, can be found in practically every corner of the town, just as ojek (motorcycle taxis) are in Jakarta.
The transformation of a motorcycle into a bentor is a relatively simple process. Various workshops scattered around town will disassemble the front part of the motorbike, attach a semi-open cabin that can carry two people, and then erect a kind of cover on top to keep the sunshine and the rain out.
Rivalries between proud bentor owners has led to some serious design creativity. Some bentor drivers offer their passengers a little entertainment by equipping their beasts with sound systems, complete with decorative lights—“Pimp My Ride” a la Gorontalo! In the evening they look like bright music boxes as they flash through the town’s streets. Bentor owners also like to paint their vehicles in a rainbow of bright colours. Haggle over your fare and these bentor will take you all around the town, as well as to nearby districts.
Gorontalo has the status of a city, but do not imagine that it looks anything like big cities such as Jakarta or Surabaya. You won’t find skyscrapers here. Indeed, the only building that can be classified as being truly tall is Menara Keagungan Limboto (Limboto Majesty Tower) which rises up 65 metres into the sky and is architecturally similar to the Eiffel Tower.

Morning life pulsates strongly in the Pabean Fish Auction Market on Jalan Yos Soedarso. Here one can experience Gorontalo’s real wealth: fish and a range other produce from the sea. Ships of various sizes dock in the harbour and disgorge their fresh fish, which then find their way into local people’s kitchens. One of the most popular local varieties is the yellowfin tuna.
This fish market sits on the same stretch of shoreline as Lahilote Beach, which is also famous for its well-known icon, Botu Liyodu, a rock shaped like the sole of a foot. As legend has it, this footprint belongs to a young man named Lahilote. According to the story, he was madly in love with a fairy named Boyilode Hulawa, so Lahilote recklessly stole her wings and married her. However, Lahilote’s married life did not run smoothly and his wife flew away, leaving him.
With a flick of his magic rattan stick, Lahilote caught up with his wife and found seven fairies who looked exactly the same as his wife. This stubborn young man realised he was not good enough to marry all seven of them, so he would have to choose. He asked a firefly to help him by landing on his wife’s hair bun.
The couple from two different worlds then returned to earth. The wife let her husband back down to earth using a length of her hair as if it were a rope. Unfortunately, the hair broke and Lahilote plunged to earth, upright, resulting in his right foot leaving a permanent print in the stone. This story has not been adapted for the silver screen yet, but the legend is powerful enough to attract visitors (including myself!) to come from faraway places just to see the footprint left by Lahilote.

The morning was wearing on, so I hurried to Tomini Bay, a diving paradise south of Gorontalo. The blue waters looked just perfect. The rivers that divide Gorontalo into sections, disgorge their waters into this very wide bay. A captivating view spread out below the limestone precipice on which I was standing: a group of cheerful fishermen were hauling nets that bulged with hundreds of nike fish. These small transparent fish with dark lines on their bodies are a popular food in Gorontalo. Before being eaten, the fish are ground up, mixed with spices, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed inside a piece of bamboo.
Gorontalo has many beautiful beaches. The closest one to the town centre is Karang Citra, which is about 20 minutes away by bentor. This shallow water beach has become a place where lovers of seafood gather. Heading towards Kota Selatan, we soon arrived at Pasir Putih Beach, which is always crowded during holidays and at weekends.
Another interesting attraction is Boalemo Beach in the District of Boalemo. I went there by car and it took me about two hours. Located in the Sub-District of Botumoito, which is 30 kilometres from the town of Tilamuta, this beach sports a wide expanse of flat, white sand, and when the tide recedes, the coral is clearly visible.
Officially founded in 2001, Gorontalo is one of the youngest provinces in Indonesia. The region relies on its cultural wealth and underwater charms to attract tourists. Its marine potential is indeed amazing, so much so that an esteemed Asian diving magazine has nicknamed it “Indonesia’s best kept secret”. In addition to Tomini Bay, another popular diving spot is the Olele Marine Park in Tanjung Kerbau.
Another delight that Gorontalo offers is its people. From fishermen and government officials to bentor and pedicab drivers, everybody seems enthusiastic when receiving and greeting guests from other places. A smile is a mass produced item that you can get for free here!

yogya

2011-04-15T03:46:00.000-07:00

YOGYAKARTA (often also called Jogja, Yogya or Jogja) is located in middle of Java Island - Indonesia, where everything is cheap. It's enough with $ 20 per-day, you are able to stay over, eat famous authentic delicious food, and rent a motorbike to explore the pure beaches and thousand of years old ancient temples.

Borobudur

A thousand years ago, Yogyakarta was the center of ancient Mataram Kingdom which was prosperous and high civilized. This kingdom built Borobudur Temple which was the biggest Buddhist temple in the world, 300 years before Angkor Wat in Cambodia. Some other relics are Prambanan Temple, Ratu Boko Palace, and dozens of other temples scattered throughout Yogyakarta. (See Archaeological Sights)
However, by some mysterious reason, Ancient Mataram Kingdom moved its central government to East Java in the 10th century. The magnificent temples were abandoned and partially buried by the eruption material of Merapi Volcano. Slowly, Yogyakarta region went back into the dense forest.
Six hundred years later, Panembahan Senopati established the Islamic Mataram Kingdom in the region. Once again, Yogyakarta became the witness of human history of a great Kingdom that ruled Java Island and its surrounding area. Islamic Mataram Kingdom was leaving a trail of ruins of fortress and royal tombs in Kotagede which recently is known as silver handicraft center in Yogyakarta. (See Historic & Heritage Sights)

Wayang Kulit Show

Giyanti agreement in 1755 divided the Islamic Mataram Kingdom into Kasunanan Surakarta be based in the city of Solo and Yogyakarta Sultanate which founded in Yogyakarta. Kraton (palace) still exists until today and is functioned as the residence of sultan and his family as well as hundreds of abdi dalem (the servant of the palace) who faithfully serve the palace voluntarily and run the tradition in the midst of changing times. At the palace, there are many cultural performances such as wayang kulit (puppet shadow play), gamelan (Javanese orchestra), and Javanese dance etc. (See Calendar of Events)
Yogyakarta at present is a place where tradition and modern dynamics are going on together continuously. In this city, there is a palace which has hundreds of loyal servants to run the tradition, but there is also University of Gadjah Mada that is one of the leading universities in South East Asia. Some of its residents live in a strong agrarian culture. In the other side, there are also students who live with pop life-style. Traditional markets and handicraft centers are numerous in the city where some of them located by the malls which are no less hectic.

Sundak Beach

At the north end of Yogyakarta, you will see Mount Merapi stands proudly almost as high as 10,000 feet. This mountain is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. The trace of its malignant of the 2006 eruption can be witnessed in the Village of Kaliadem, 30 km from the city of Yogyakarta. Mooi Indie style scenery of green rice field with Mount Merapi in the background can still be seen in the suburb area of Yogyakarta. (See Nature & Outdoors)
In the southern part of Yogyakarta, you will find many beaches. The most famous beach is Parangtritis with its legendary figure of Nyi Roro Kidul (Queen of the South), but Yogyakarta has also many natural beautiful beaches in Gunung Kidul. You can see the Sadeng Beach which is an ancient estuary of Bengawan Solo River before the powerful forces lifted the surface of the southern part of Java Island so that the flow of the river turned to the north like today. You can also visit Siung Beach which has 250 channels of rock climbing, Sundak Beach and many more. (See Beaches)
If Malaysia has the world's highest twin towers, Yogyakarta has Prambanan Temple with 47 meters tall and was made by hand about 1100 the previous years. If Singapore has modern life, Yogyakarta has traditional agrarian society. If Thailand and Bali have beautiful beaches, Yogyakarta owns natural beaches and Mount Merapi, which has a story of how powerful the force of nature is.
A unique combination of ancient temples, history, traditions, culture and natural forces make Yogyakarta a very worthwhile place to visit. YogYES.COM site will help you to plan a visit to Yogyakarta and enjoy the best charm of this place. We provide rich information about things to see and do, hotels, dining, car rentals and all the information you need to travel to Yogyakarta / Jogja.

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