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Background: The Dutch began to colonize Indonesia in the early 17th century; the islands were occupied by Japan from 1942 to 1945. Indonesia declared its independence after Japan's surrender, but it required four years of intermittent negotiations, recurring hostilities, and UN mediation before the Netherlands agreed to relinquish its colony. Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state. Current issues include: alleviating widespread poverty, preventing terrorism, continuing the transition to popularly-elected governments after four decades of authoritarianism, implementing reforms of the banking sector, addressing charges of cronyism and corruption, and holding the military and police accountable for human rights violations. Indonesia has been dealing with armed separatist movements in Aceh and in Papua.

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By Barbara Joseph
November 16th 2008

Indonesia : Hindus, Muslims, surfers and everything in between

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Borobudur

view from the bus

Hi people, I am already back since quiet a while, but I never really finished my blog. I hoped to do it faster, but it didn't work out all that well. Anyway here is the first part (of two) about Indonesia. I don't think anybody is still reading this, but maybe for myself it's psychologically ending my travels.. 31 july-20 august part one: This would be the last part of my trip...I was glad and sad at the same time. I had enough of sun lotion, mosquito-repellent, heat, being the center of attention, inspecting the food before eating it, guessing who [View Full Entry]

By anupama
November 14th 2008

Fire and Brimstone

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Mount Bromo

the scene of Mount Bromo
you can feel it, you can touch it

What I failed to say in writing about Java is its unique geological make up making it an island festooned with volcaones. One in particular, Mount Merapi can still be seen spewing out its lava which makes for an awesome sight at night and it's not too far out of Yogyakarta either. Unfortunately, while I was whiling away my time not seeing the sights I lost out on this one and by the time I discovered its presence it was too late. The best time to see the beast is at night and when I was invited to go along it [View Full Entry]

By TimandKirst
November 11th 2008

A selection of photos so far

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Yogyakarta

Chaos, first day in Delhi

Photos from India, Singapore and first part of Indonesia [View Full Entry]

By anupama
November 11th 2008

Beautiful Life

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Yogyakarta

In the artshop
Lea, Mr Sudheer and Artap

I am so behind on these blogs that to talk now about Yogyakarta (pronounced: Jogjakarta) when it is so far removed from my present state of mind is turning out to be a hard task indeed. All I have now are images of a time gone. Sweet memories that I can fondly recall at will. My most endearing are the faces of the friends I made. Local people, specifically Batik artists who took me into their homes and shared with me their stories and the ocassional (expensive due to the inordinately high taxes imposed on spirits) bottle of wine. I first [View Full Entry]

By Jub and Anna
November 5th 2008

Java By Sunrise

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Yogyakarta

Horseman
Waiting for a customer

Greetings - We left Indonesia late Tuesday for the surprisingly metropolitan city of Kota Kinabalu in Malaysian Borneo, arriving in time to revel in the McCain/Palin beat-down as it unfolded on CNN from our room overlooking the South China Sea. Our arrival in Malaysia followed a week spent taking in the sites of Java, Indonesia's most heavily populated island at five times the density of Great Britain. First up on Java was the 8,200 foot volcano Gunung Bromo. Diminutive by Ring of Fire standards, Bromo makes up for its size Napoleon-complex style by being among the most active in the [View Full Entry]

By anupama
November 5th 2008

In Two Minds

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Jakarta

Jalan Jaksa
before the hordes (this was taken at 6:30am)

When speaking to friends on the road about my plans to visit Indonesia I was told not to bother with Jakarta but independent minded as I am I disregarded their advice and booked a flight from Kuching to the great big city on the North West coast of Java. Typically unprepared I landed in Jakarta near around midnight without a place to stay and only a vague location in my head as to where I could bed down for the night. That wasn't the problem however, preferring as I do to take it as it comes. What I did find disturbing [View Full Entry]

By TravellingTandem
October 24th 2008

"The volcano's too dangerous today, but you can climb it tomorrow" {Darrell}

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Bromo Tengger Semeru

Our base camp at the foot of the volcano

After driving for 8 hours to arrive in Cemoro Lewang late in the evening, we were not keen to take a brief drive to see the sunrise over Mount Bromo and then get back on the road to hit the next sight, as all the tours recommended. While returning from our sunrise walk we were discussing what to do with the day when we bumped into a German couple who were just returning from a four-day trek to the distant Mount Semeru. While it can be a bit disorienting travelling without a fixed itinerary (we rarely know what day of the [View Full Entry]

By TravellingTandem
October 22nd 2008

An early start up Gunung Bromo {Cath}

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Mount Bromo

Running to beat the sunrise

Unfortunately most of our trip up to Bromo National Park from Probalingo was done by cover of night. By the amount of times we had to pop our ears we knew that we were high up and still climbing, that, and the fact that there seemed to be a sharp drop off the side of the road (*eek!*). Our driver did manage to wiggle us up the mountain in one piece though. We stayed at a place called "Cafe Lava Hostel" in Chumora Lewang which was, aside from the Manohara at Borobudur, the best room we've had! The room is cosy [View Full Entry]

Steaming away next to his dormant brother

By TravellingTandem
October 20th 2008

The Java that Time Forgot AKA Anger Management {Darrell}

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Borobudur

Borobudur carving

After being softly rocked to sleep in a wooden-panelled cabin while our train wound it's way through the mountains of Sapa last November, we decided that we would travel by night train whenever possible. Now, with Jakarta's Gambir train station a short walk from our front door and the bus stop far outside town, we figured this would be another perfect opportunity to spend the night on the train as we travelled the 10 hours East to Yogyakarta. Getting the train ticket turned out to be relatively hassle-free, so [View Full Entry]

By bri3291
October 20th 2008

Exploring Java

Asia » Indonesia » Java » Yogyakarta

What a great feeling getting in to Jakarta! I didn't realize what was amiss about Malaysia until I started walking the streets of Jakarta, but it was a lack of disorder, a lack of shabbiness - in short, everything that I didn't like at first about Thailand I've come to love. And Indonesia was a breath of fresh air after the cleanliness and orderliness of Malaysia. Somehow the order and the fact that everyone in Malaysia spoke English just made things too simple. It was nice to have to use a sort of sign language again to communicate with people - [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Asia » Indonesia » Java