Agus's space

October 2nd, 2008.

It’s a second day celebration of Aidul Fitri 1st of Syawal 1429 Hijrah for moslem in Bintan island, Kepulauan Riau province. Here, there’re some traditions to celebrate ‘lebaran‘ (as moslem said about it), among the other things, is visiting any destination with the whole family members.

I was in Tanjung Pinang, the capital of the province since 26th of September until 3rd of October, 2008. At Thursday afternoon, followed by two kids of my cousin’s son and a couple friends of their father, we went to Trikora Beach, about 52 km from the town. We need more than an hour by taxi to get there. We paid around USD 50 for the taxi / 8 hours. We are all six persons, including 3 kids.

Trikora beach actually is a long beach in the whole eastern side of Bintan island. So, there is a beautiful sun rise every morning when there’s clear sky. There is a wide shore almost as long as the beach if the tide is coming off, and when the tide rises the depth of the sea-shore is just as tall as a man stand up in average.

But, it’s a typical and characteristic  of the Trikora beach, there are some spot areas where the big stones laid down just like sun bathing. It’s not any kind of coral reef, but perhaps any kind of ‘mineral’ stones. The white color of the beach seemed formed by these shed stones for hundreds thousand years.

The kids on the beach of Trikora: freely express their right to play.

(Photo by Agus EM)

Hence, the beach just really soft and comfort, especially when the tide off. The kids, teens, youths, men and women, and even the older persons can ‘play’ such thing as they like. Almost all of them love to dig the white sand with their couple and they looked like try to find out any treasures of the beach, even though they knew that there’s only water after all.

Another couple lovers choose to sit down at the big stones in the nature conservation areas. They just want to kept away from the crowd and found there own space to get too close each other. Perhaps, it’s just a rare opportunity to do it. Moslems said that those who are not yet merry can’t stay too close two by two, because there will be devil always attend as the third disturbance. However, it’s consider unpolite and against the custom.

But, you knew the couple youths well. It just the same every where.

A couple youths just digging and digging their sand ‘heart’, a rare opportunity for perhaps once a year. (Photo by Agus EM)

A stony areas preserved as a Nature Conservation Area. It just side by side with the sandy areas. People can swim or just wet watering in the sandy beaches. While the others can enjoy the waves surf to the stones and compose a sound of splashing like any sea song symphony of the ‘Beachoven’. At such a peaceful place a couple lovers may be will repeat their commitment: "I love U now and forever.’ We knew…that the first thing at the beginning. (AEM)

  (Photo by Agus EM)

  Bukit Tinggi – Padang through Maninjau Lake and Kelok Ampek Puluoh Ampek in April.

May 25, 2008, 12:14 pm

The first week of May I was in South Sumatra, Musi Banyu Asin district for about a week. There I was working with some friends in a palm oil plantation. Almost every days moving around the plantation from one estate to another, and one day we made a long river journey (thanks Mr. Kana for his arrangement) of Lalan river. Here I saw and sweetly touch a baby bear (beary) which is domesticated by local people in Pagar Desa village, Bayung Lencir sub-district.

Last week I was in Sampit, Mid Kalimantan, almost for the same kind of job. This district was ever known as a hottest cross-ethnics conflict during multi-ethnics history of Indonesia

Thanks to Aksenta, Jakarta – who brought us there and watched the ‘things’ of people’s have actually for the time being. And what next for their future?

There, sure, I met many nice people… and more than that… I also saw and huged by a baby pongo (orang utan), an endangered species of Kalimantan. Poor baby pongo !!

At this time, when I am writing this journal, am in Makassar or Ujung Pandang, South Sulawesi for along three days. It’s just a family reunion… after years. But, guys… I got any problem to purchase a towel in this metro Makassar….

See U again on my next journal.