Hace poco visité una fortaleza portuguesa en la isla de Ternate, Indonesia. El fuerte se llama ‘Kastela’, y hay un monumento allá con escenas que muestran cómo los nativos de Ternate echaron a los portugueses en 1575. Al principio los isleños dieron permiso a los portugueses para construir fuertes en la isla. Luego, se pelearon … Ternate, Indonesia 2016
1. Fish Farming (draft) Kurt found the shallow-bottomed canoe awkward. Sitting down, he feared a wrong move would capsize it, and kneeling hurt his hips and ankles. And why wasn’t the paddle wider? Each effort of sweeping it through the water led to a pitiful amount of forward propulsion. When a local spotted him in … Sulphur Lake Chapter 1
My rating: 4 of 5 stars Not a spoiler because it’s made clear early in the book: Mike Stoner’s protagonist Newbie has come to Indonesia on the run from the grief he’s suffering from the accidental death of his English girlfriend. Jalan Jalan is an accomplished entry into the ‘Clueless Westerner in Asia’ genre. Most … Jalan Jalan
In Oct 2016 I travelled to North Maluku in Indonesia. Two islands there, Ternate and Tidore, are the most fascinating places I’ve been to in Indonesia. Not exactly tourist hubs, I had some trouble getting around with my basic Indonesian. The main aim was to climb the summits of these two volcanic islands. I managed … The Sultan and the Governor
A foreigner with glassy eyes and a gut, par for the course, it was his ears which caught my attention, like classroom models complete with painted on veins. He was with a diminutive woman, hers was an alcopop, his a large bir Anker. A German, who had lived in Australia for twenty years; when he … Indonesia Sketches: Flag of the Southern Cross
The becak drivers of Solo were some of the most destitute looking guys I dealt with in Java. Sure, there are people worse off in a slum somewhere in Jakarta — but not the ones I’ve been to. The people in marginal neighbourhoods I’ve seen didn’t look as malnourished as the Solo becak drivers. Jogjakarta, an hour … Indonesia Sketches: Good Karma and the Becak Driver
