WoI - World Of Indonesia

Talking about Bali, there is many beautiful and interesting places that you can visit, for a month you going around at Bali, I think, it is not enough to exploring that beautiful Deity’s lovely Island.

Interesting place around Kuta

Kuta Beach
Kuta Beach is very famous. You can see the beautiful sunset at this beach everyday . there is many hotels, restaurant and other places you can stay or just relaxing with enjoying the beautiful sunset. The International hotels/places like Mercure Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel etc, or any other restaurants just a few step from the beach. You do not believe how romantic it is, until you come and enjoy it.

You may go around to other place, but do not remember to go back to Kuta beach about 04.00 PM o’clock to enjoy the sunset

If you like to surfing or just want to learn about surfing, you know that Kuta is the right place for it. There are many tourists from Europe, USA or Australia or other countries come to Kuta for one thing, surfing and surfing.
Bali Water Boom

Of course you can find the best water boom in Indonesia at Kuta. There is clean, many leaves with a few leaves and safety. Here the place to swimming, sunning, and you could do the water sliding as high as 30 meters heights. This place is located at Kartika Plaza Road (about 3 kilometers from Kuta Beach).

At Kartika Plaza there is a shopping mall named Discovery Mall, there is a coffe at behind mall that you can relaxing and enjoy the beach at there.
There are many hotels, restaurants, and cafes through the Kartika Plaza Road. You can buy the handicraft souvenirs and gift at this place.

Legian
Through that street, you will find many souvenir shops and café/restaurant. Like at Kuta beach, the nightlife in Legian is very interesting to. I recommend to you to make a photograph at Bali Bomb II Monument at Legian.

Kuta Square - Kartika Plaza
Kuta Square at Kartika Plaza is the center of sales the exported handicrafts. At Kartika Plaza there is a shopping mall named Discovery Mall, there is a coffe at behind mall that you can relaxing and enjoy the beach at there. And you can buy the handicraft at this mall too. Near the Discovery Mall there is many famous places like Kuta Centro, Musro, Cabaret Cabaret, There is many luxurious hotels through the Kartika Plaza Road.

Visit to Indonesia? Do not forget to go to Bali, If you visit to Bali, do not forget to stay at Kuta, and after all you will find the beautiful and interesting really hand made handicraft, souvenir and gift.

By: Risno Bali

PT (Persero) Garuda Indonesia is the national airline of Indonesia. It is named after the mythical bird Garuda. It is headquartered at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang.

In Indian Vedic tradition, Garuda is the carrier of the Hindu god Vishnu; a representation of Garuda appears in the coat of arms of Indonesia. The airline is based in Jakarta at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, with hubs at Ngurah Rai International Airport, Bali, Juanda International Airport, Surabaya, Polonia International Airport, Medan, Sepinggan International Airport, Balikpapan, and Singapore Changi Airport, Singapore. The airline flies to a number of destinations in South-East,East Asia, the Middle East and Australia. It also previously flew to several destinations in Europe and North America. However, as of June 2009, Garuda, along with all Indonesian airlines, is banned from flying to the EU. Garuda Indonesia is listed as a 3-star airline by Skytrax, and is also listed among Skytrax's Quality Approved Airlines. It is wholly owned by the Indonesian Government and employs 6,285 staff (as of March 2007).

History
Garuda Indonesia had its beginnings in the Indonesian war of independence against the Dutch in the late 1940s, when Garuda flew special transports with Douglas DC-3 aircraft. 26 January 1949 is generally recognized as the airline's founding date, at which time the airline was known as "Garuda Indonesian Airways." The first aircraft was a DC-3 known as Seulawah (Acehnese: "Gold Mountain") and was purchased for a sum of 120,000 Malayan dollars, which was provided by the Acehnese people (notably local merchants). During the revolution, the airline supported Indonesian interests, such as carrying Indonesian leaders for diplomatic missions.

The government of Burma helped the airline significantly during the airline's beginnings. Accordingly, upon Garuda's formal joint incorporation with KLM on 31 March 1950, the airline presented the Burmese government with a DC-3. By 1953, the airline had 46 aircraft, although by 1955 its Catalina fleet had been retired. In 1956, Garuda made its first pilgrim flight to the city of Mecca.

The 1960s were times of growth for the airline; the fleet in 1960 included eight Convair 240s, eight Convair 340s, and three Convair 440s. In 1961 and late 1965, three Convair 990 jet aircraft and three Lockheed L-188 Electras were introduced, and a route was opened to Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong. After concentrating on domestic and regional services, the first flights to Europe were added on 28 September 1963, to Amsterdam and Frankfurt. In 1965, flights to Europe were expanded to include Rome and Paris via Bombay and Cairo, with the exclusive use of Convair 990 aircraft. That year, flights to China started, with Garuda flying to Canton via Phnom Penh. Also in 1965, the jet age arrived for Garuda, with a Douglas DC-8 that flew to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.

Rokok is cigarettes, kretek is clove flavored, so rokok kretek means clove flavored cigarettes or clove cigarettes. For many millions Javanese and Indonesians, kretek is enjoyable companion, tasteful, it gives a feeling of relief & relaxation and its price is nothing compare to the comfort given.

Clove tree In restaurants, pubs, bars, discotheques, public buildings and in many other places outdoor, the sweet smoke from kretek are smelt. This is a common sight, but nowadays, many sites are divided to smoking and non smoking areas. Some air conditioned buildings even declared as non smoking.

Brief history

Rokok kretek was invented by a man from the town of Kudus, 50 km eastward of Semarang in the early nineties AD. The man Noto Semito was from a long time suffering from cough and asthma. Desperate to cure his illness, he rolled tobacco mix with crushed cloves in dried corn leaves - this is the original kretek cigarettes.

The rokok klobot (klobot is dried corn leaves). After smoking these kretek he was cured and become healthier. He began to manufacture his new kretek cigarettes with trade mark of BAL TIGA (three balls). He actively marketed the kretek every where, through radio, touring vans with music and dancers, even by air dropping promotion leaflets.

He become a very successful business man, a billionaire. His steps was followed by many others and soon kretek industry was mushrooming also in other cities. The fate of Noto Semito, The Father of Kretek, ended tragically, he was bankrupt in 1953, crashed by his invented kretek vast industry.

The Present Day

The kretek follows 'modernization' in cigarettes industry. The new filter kretek are major products, the contents of crushed cloves are smaller, changed with clove essence. The crushed cloves are kept to maintain the voice of burning kretek - crakling : tek, tek, tek, from here comes the name of kretek.

The leaders of kretek nowadays are Djambu Bol, Sukun, Nojorono, Djarum (in Kudus and Central Java), Bentoel (in Malang), Gudang Garam (in Kediri) and Sampoerna (in Surabaya). There are also smaller manufacturers, such as Menara (in Solo), Pompa (in Semarang), etc. More than 95% of local smokers prefer kretek than rokok putih or white cigarettes - non clove cigarettes.

No one denies that kretek industry brings a huge sum of tax to the state purse and millions of people depend their income to this chains of business, starting from the tobacco and clove farmers, workers at the factories, sellers in many shops and stalls, truckers, involved in this industry and it's worth to note - their families.

Tobacco Connoisseur

The kretek factories absorb a lot of tabacco. The buyers - mainly the kretek producers, they hire several connoisseurs, experts of tobacco, to secure the quality of their products. They are very well paid. No doubt of their specific expertise. Only by smelling the wet tobacco leaves or dried cut tobacco leaves, high qualified connoisseur should know precisely the origin of the tobacco. It is from Wonosobo , Magelang or Boyolali (Central java) or from Besuki (East Java), and knows the harvest year of every tobacco tested. The testing is important as prices differs from region to region.


Where to Buy

Most tobacco stores carry clove cigarettes. Try the local mall, Some convenience stores carry them, but not the major chains. You will have much better luck finding clove cigarettes at family-owned and operated convenience stores, especially stores owned by recent immigrants to the United States (since they tend to have more knowledge of clove cigarettes). But due to the high taxes of cigarettes people like to look for altervative sources. The best place to get your clove cigarettes without have to pay these high taxes is the internet. You can search the internet and you will find lots of websites selling clove cigarettes. One of the most trusted website that sells clove cigarettes is myKretek.com - The Original Indonesian Clove Cigarettes Online Store .With a long history in the clove cigarettes business and over 6 years of online experience, myKretek.com not only offers genuine products at competitive prices they also guarantee that all of their products are freshly supplied to the customers for their full satisfaction.

by : Arnold Lee

The Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest monuments in the world. It is of uncertain age, but thought to have been built between the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century A.D. For about a century and a half it was the spiritual centre of Buddhism in Java, then it was lost until its rediscovery in the eighteenth century.

The structure, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

For each direction there are ninety-two Dhyani Buddha statues and 1,460 relief scenes. The lowest level has 160 reliefs depicting cause and effect; the middle level contains various stories of the Buddha's life from the Jataka Tales; the highest level has no reliefs or decorations whatsoever but has a balcony, square in shape with round walls: a circle without beginning or end. Here is the place of the ninety-two Vajrasattvas or Dhyani Buddhas tucked into small stupas. Each of these statues has a mudra (hand gesture) indicating one of the five directions: east, with the mudra of calling the earth to witness; south, with the hand position of blessing; west, with the gesture of meditation; north, the mudra of fearlessness; and the centre with the gesture of teaching.

Besides being the highest symbol of Buddhism, the Borobodur stupa is also a replica of the universe. It symbolises the micro-cosmos, which is divided into three levels, in which man's world of desire is influenced by negative impulses; the middle level, the world in which man has control of his negative impulses and uses his positive impulses; the highest level, in which the world of man is no longer bounded by physical and worldly ancient desire.

It is devotional practice to circumambulate around the galleries and terraces always turning to the left and keeping the edifice to the right while either chanting or meditating. In total, Borobodur represents the ten levels of a Bodhisattva's life which he or she must develop to become a Buddha or an awakened one. (source)

The float market (Pasar Terapung) is a reflection of river culture for Banjar people. Peculiarity of this market is the location of trade conducted on the water with the large and small boats.

History :
The development of the float market beginning from the kingdoms of the South Kalimantan, and also associated with the history of the city of Banjarmasin.

Float market area located on the spread between North Kuin and Kuin Cerucuk, this is marked with the history of kingdom edge Kuin and Barito river (Kerajaan Tepian Sungai Kuin dan Barito) and the establishment of Banjarmasin city by Sultan Suriansyah in the year 1526. The tomb is located in a cemetery in the village of North Kuin. Also in this cemetery there are graves of the second Banjar King, Sultan Rachmatullah and the third Banjar King, Sultan Hidayatullah. In addition there is also a grave Preacher Dayan (Khatib Dayan), a descendant of Arab theologian who sent by Sultan Trenggono (King of Demak) to islamize Sultan Suriansyah and its people. Until now, Sultan Suriansyah graves visited by many pilgrims as an object of pilgrimage tourism.

Mount Bromo (Gunung Bromo, 2,392m) is an active volcano in the Bromo-Tengger-Semeru National Park of East Java, Indonesia.

Understand
Bromo isn't the highest mountain in Java — that honor goes to nearby Mount Semeru at 3,676m — but it's probably the most famous one. Bromo is in fact only one of many peaks inside the massive Tengger Caldera, but it's easily recognized as the entire top has been blown off and the crater inside constantly belches white sulphurous smoke. The inside of the caldera, aptly dubbed the Laut Pasir (Sea of Sand) is coated with fine volcanic sand and the overall effect is unsettlingly unearthly, especially when compared to the lush green valleys all around the caldera.

Orientation
The major access point is Cemoro Lawang at the northeast edge, but there are also trails from Tosari (northwest) and Ngadas (west). The village of Ngadisari, on the road from Probolinggo about 5.5 km before Cemoro Lawang, marks the entrance to the national park. Both Cemoro Lawang and Ngadisari are rather picturesque, with brightly-painted houses and flower beds outside.

Get In

Get Around
It's a fairly easy 3-km hike from Cemoro Lawang to the foot of Mount Bromo. Alternatively, you can hire a pony to do the drudge work for you, or have it even easier and do the trip by jeep. Private cars are not allowed inside the caldera. You can join the jeep package at Rp40.000 per person at the Probolinggo entrance office. On the next morning 4am, the jeep departs from hotel to catch the sunrise at Mount Batok (costs Rp40.000 per person for entering the compound). After the sunrise, go down to Mount bromo. You can hire a horse (Rp50.000) to bring you up and then You walk thru the last stair-case to reach the top of Mount Bromo.

See & Do
When timing any activities in the area, bear in mind that sunset is soon after 5 PM and sunrise is correspondingly early at around 5:30 AM. This means you'll usually need to get up by 3:30 AM or so to get there in time for dawn.

As of September 2008, the direct way from Cemoro Lawang up to Penanjakan and Viewpoint #2 is severely damaged because of landslides. The path is still passable, but it can be tricky to spot the dangerous parts in the dark — you need a good lamp for every hiker.

Buy
The most popular local product, at least based on the number of hawkers selling them, appears to be the Bromo hat, a colorful wooly hat with "BROMO" embroidered on it. Scarfs and extra warm clothing are also popular, and useful if you are not prepared for the cold mountain air.

Eat & Drink
Every lodge has an attached restaurant, and simple roadside warung sell basic Indonesian dishes and mugs of hot Javanese coffee (kopi panas). There is no nightlife in the party sense of the word, but all restaurants are open at 3 AM as that's when everybody wakes up to see dawn over Bromo.

Sleep
There are plenty of accommodation options around the mountain. Facilities at Cemoro Lawang side of the caldera are rather basic, but there are good hotels in Sukapura and Probolinggo.

Stay Healthy
Temperatures on Mount Bromo are refreshingly cool during the day (although sunburn is still a real danger), but outright cold at night, as temperatures can drop to zero in the summer and are rarely much above 5°C in winter. If needed, you can rent jackets and hats at Cemoro Lawang and the Penanjakan viewpoint for about Rp.5000.

Stay Safe
Mount Bromo really is a live volcano that erupts with disturbing regularity: in 2004, two tourists were killed and five injured when the mountain spit out molten rock as far as the temple. Keep your distance if the mountain is acting up.

Pay attention to the geologists who can normally accurately predict the state of the volcano and the associated danger level.

Get Out
All roads into Mount Bromo are dead ends, so you'll have to go back the way you came unless you are an experienced hiker and prepared to hike across the caldera to villages on the other side. (source)

The coat of arms of Indonesia is called Garuda Pancasila. The main part of the coat of arms is the Garuda with a shield on its chest and a scroll gripped by its leg. The shield's five emblems represent Pancasila, the five principles of Indonesia's national philosophy. Garuda Pancasila was designed by Sultan Hamid II of Pontianak, and was adopted as national coat of arms on February 1, 1950.

History
Garuda, the vehicle (vahana) of Vishnu appears in many temples of ancient Indonesia. Temples such as Prambanan, Penataran, Belahan, and Sukuh depict the images (bas-relief or statue) of Garuda. In Prambanan temple complex there is a single temple located in front of Vishnu temple, dedicated to Garuda. However there is no statue of Garuda inside the chamber today. In the shiva temple, also in Prambanan complex, there is a relief telling an episode of Ramayana about Garuda Jatayu tried to rescue Sita from Ravana's hand. The deified statue of King Airlangga depicted as Vishnu mounting Garuda from Belahan, probably the most famous statue of Garuda from ancient Java. Now the statue is one of the important collection of Trowulan Museum, East Java.

Garuda appear in many traditions and stories, especially in Java and Bali. In many stories Garuda symbolizes the virtue of knowledge, power, bravery, loyalty, and discipline. As the vehicle of Vishnu, Garuda also bears the attributes of Vishnu, which symbolize preservation of cosmic order. Balinese tradition venerated Garuda as "the lord of all creatures that can fly", and "the majestic king of birds". In Bali, Garuda traditionally portrayed as a divine creature with head, beak, wings, and claw of an eagle, while has the body of a human. Usually portrayed in intricate carving with golden and vivid colors, as the vehicle of Vishnu or in battle scene against Naga (dragon) serpents. The important and noble position of Garuda in Indonesian tradition since ancient times has venerated Garuda as the national symbol of Indonesia, the embodiment of Indonesian ideology, Pancasila. Garuda also chosen as the name of Indonesian national airlines, Garuda Indonesia. Next to Indonesia, Thailand also uses the Garuda as its national symbol.

Scroll and Motto
The Garuda clutches in its talons a scroll bearing the National Motto of Indonesia, "Bhinneka Tunggal lka" which is an Old Javanese phrase, literally meaning "(Although) in Pieces, yet One." This roughly translates to "Unity in Diversity".

Symbolism
Garuda
The Garuda is the mythical golden eagle, common to both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. The Garuda was a chimera, having the wings, beak, and feet of the golden eagle, but a man's arms and trunk. The Garuda is commonly used as an emblem in South and Southeast Asian nations. The use of the Garuda in Indonesia's coat-of-arms invokes the pre-colonial Hindu kingdoms that spanned across the archipelago, from which the present-day Republic of Indonesia is understood to be descended.

However, unlike the traditional anthropomorphic form of Garuda as featured in ancient temples in Java, the Balinese Garuda, or in national emblem of Thailand, the design of Indonesia's Garuda Pancasila is rendered in modern naturalism one. The design of Garuda Pancasila was inspired by the Javan Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus bartelsi), endangered raptor endemic to the mountainous forest regions in the island of Java. The Javan Hawk-eagle identification featured in Garuda Pancasila especially the feather crest crowning its head, and dark-brownish to chestnut-gold colouring. Because of this, the Javan Hawk-eagle is considered as the national bird of Indonesia.

As for the coat of arms, the Garuda symbolizes strength and power, while the gold colour symbolizes greatness and glory.

The feathers on the Garuda of the Indonesian coat-of-arms are arranged so that they invoke the date of 17 August 1945, the officially recognized Indonesian Day of Independence. There are 17 feathers on each wing, 8 on the tail, 19 on the base of the tail (below the shield), 45 on the neck, corresponding to the "17/8/1945" international date format for Independence.

Shield
The shield is a martial symbol, standing for defense of the country. It is divided into five sections: a background divided into quarters, colored red and white (the colors of the national flag) in a checkerboard pattern; and a smaller, concentric shield, black in background. A thick, black line lies horizontally across the shield, symbolizing the equator which passes through the Indonesian archipelago.

Emblems
Each section of the shield has a symbol corresponding to the Pancasila principles laid down by its founder, President Sukarno.

The Star
The black shield bearing the golden star at center corresponds to the first Pancasila principle, belief in one God. The color black represent the color of nature. Upon this shield at center is a golden, five-pointed star. This is a symbol common not only among Indonesia's sanctioned faiths of Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism, but of the secular ideology of socialism as well.

This tenet of Pancasila has always been controversial, for it suggests compulsory religious belief as well as compulsory monotheism. Supporters of Sukarno's legacy, however, believe that this tenet was meant to unify Indonesia's population, who have diverse faiths and beliefs.

The Chain
In the bottom right quarter, on a red background, is a chain made up of square and round links. This chain represents successive human generations, with the round links representing women and the square links representing men. The chain corresponds to the second principle of the Pancasila, of belief in a commonly bound humanity.

The Tree
At the upper right quarter, on a white background, is the banyan tree (Indonesian, beringin). This symbol corresponds to the third Pancasila principle, the unity of Indonesia. The banyan is known for having expansive above-ground roots and branches. The Republic of Indonesia, as an ideal conceived by Sukarno and the Nationalists, is one country out of many far-flung cultural roots.

The Bull
In the upper left quarter, on a red background, is the head of the Javanese wild bull, the banteng. This represents the fourth principle of Pancasila, democracy by deliberation and consensus among representatives. The banteng is a social animal, so too is humanity, and decisions must be made collectively. The banteng was also adopted as a symbol of Sukarno's Nationalists, and later by his daughter Megawati Sukarnoputri's Indonesia Democratic Party of Struggle.

Rice and Cotton
In the lower left quarter, on a white background, are a gold-and-white paddy and cotton. These represent the fifth Pancasila principle of social justice. The rice and cotton represent sustenance and livelihood. (source)

Related articles :

1. Elections in Indonesia
2. Government and Politics
3. Political System
4. Reform Process
   

The official national motto of Indonesia is Bhinneka Tunggal Ika which is Old Javanese and is often loosely translated as 'Unity in Diversity' but literally it means '(Although) in pieces, yet One'. It is stated in the national symbol, Garuda Pancasila (as written on the scroll gripped by Garuda's leg), and in the principal national constitution of Indonesia, Undang-Undang Dasar Negara Republik Indonesia Tahun 1945, on 2nd revision, part 36A.

This is a quotation from an Old Javanese poem kakawin Sutasoma, written by Mpu Tantular during the reign of the Majapahit empire sometime in the 14th century. Kakawin or Kawya, are epic poems written in Indian metres.

This poem is notable as it promotes tolerance between Hindus (Shivaites) and Buddhists.

Full Stanza
Original
This quotation comes from canto 139, stanza 5. The full stanza reads as follows:

This translation is based, with minor adaptations, on the critical text edition by Dr. Soewito Santoso. (source)

Indonesia Raya (composed in 1924, "Indonesia Raja" in old Indonesian spelling) is the national anthem of the Republic of Indonesia. The song was introduced by its composer, Wage Rudolf Supratman, at 28 October 1928 in a national youth convention in Batavia (now Jakarta). The song marked the birth of the all-archipelago nationalist movement in Indonesia that supported the idea of one single "Indonesia" as successor to the Dutch East Indies, then split into several colonies. The first paper to openly publish the text "Indonesia Raya" - a daring act of defiance towards the Dutch authorities - was the Chinese Indonesian weekly Sin Po, a fact still noted with pride by the Chinese Indonesian community.

It was chosen as the national anthem when Indonesia proclaimed its independence at 17 August 1945.

Jozef Cleber created Indonesia Raya arrangement for philharmonic orchestra in 1950. This arrangement is widely been used currently for formal and some informal purposes.

Lyrics and Music
"Official Lyrics based on PP No. 4 tahun 1958"
Used as the official national anthem

Indonesia, tanah airku, tanah tumpah darahku.
Di sanalah aku berdiri, jadi pandu ibuku.
Indonesia, kebangsaanku, bangsa dan tanah airku.
Marilah kita berseru, "Indonesia bersatu!"
Hiduplah tanahku, hiduplah neg'riku,
Bangsaku, rakyatku, semuanya.
Bangunlah jiwanya, bangunlah badannya
Untuk Indonesia Raya!

CHORUS:
Indonesia Raya, merdeka, merdeka
Tanahku, neg'riku yang kucinta.
Indonesia Raya, merdeka, merdeka
Hiduplah Indonesia Raya! (*2) (source)

Rojak is a fruit and vegetable salad dish commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia (where it is called Rujak). The term "Rojak" is Malay for mixture, is also used as a colloquial expression for an eclectic mix, and in particular is often used to describe the multi-ethnic character of Malaysian and Singaporean society.

In Indonesia, especially among Javanese, rujak is an essential part of the traditional prenatal ceremony called "Tujuh Bulanan" (literally: seventh month). Special fruit rujak is made for this occasion, and later served to the mother-to-be and her guests, primarily her female friends). It is widely known that the sweet, spicy and sour tastes of rojak are adored by pregnant women. The recipe of rujak for this ceremony is similar to typical Indonesian fruit rujak, with the exceptions that the fruits are roughly shredded instead of thinly sliced, and that pomelo/pink grapefruit is an essential ingredient. It is believed that if the rujak overall tastes sweet, the unborn would be a girl, and if it is spicy, the unborn baby is a boy.

Indonesian Fruit Rujak
The typical Indonesian fruit rujak consists of slices of assorted tropical fruits such as jambu air (water apple), pineapple, raw mangoes, bengkoang (jicama), cucumber, kedondong, and raw red ubi jalar (sweet potato). Sometimes Malang variants of green apple, belimbing, and jeruk Bali (pomelo) are added. The sweet and spicy-hot bumbu rujak dressing is made of water, gula jawa (palm sugar), asem jawa (tamarind), ground sauteed peanuts, terasi (shrimp paste), salt, bird's eye chili, and red chili. All of the fruits are sliced to bite-size, and put in the dish. The bumbu rujak or thick sweet spicy rujak dressing is poured on the fruit slices. An addition of sambal garam powder (simple mixture of salt and ground red chilli) is put on side as the alternative for those who love a salty taste for their rujak.

Rujak Tumbuk (Rujak Bebek)

• This is another variant of Indonesian fruit rujak. The ingredients are almost the same as typical Indonesian fruit rujak, with the exception that all the ingredients are mashed together (tumbuk or bèbèk in Indonesian) in a wooden mortar. The dressing is not poured on the fruit, but already mixed together with all the ingredients. Rujak tumbuk is served in individual smaller portions on banana leaf plates called "pincuk".

Rujak Serut

• This literally means "shredded rujak", and is another variant of Indonesian fruit rujak. As with rujak tumbuk, the ingredients are similar to Indonesian fruit rujak, with the exceptions that the fruits are not cut into bite-sized pieces, but shredded into a roughly grated consistency.

Rujak u` Groeh

• A delicacy from Aceh province, this rujak consists of very young and tender coconut meat, young (green) papaya, bird's eye chili, sugar, Palm sugar, ice, salt, and a dash of lime. Best eaten cold.

Rujak Pengantin

• "Pengantin" means bride/groom in Indonesian. This rujak is reminiscent of Indonesia's colonial cuisine. It contains slices of boiled eggs, potatoes, fried tofu, pineapple, carrot, bean sprout, pickles, chili, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, emping crackers, roasted peanuts, peanut sauce and has a little vinegar to it. Some variants mixed the peanut sauce with mayonnaise. It is somewhat like Central Javanese Gado gado.

Rujak Kuah Pindang

• A Balinese snack, a variation of the Indonesian fruit rujak, but instead of the the normal rujak dressing, the fruits are soaked in a spiced fish broth. The broth consists of terasi (shrimp paste), salt, bird's eye chili, and red chili and fish broth.

Rujak Cingur

• Literally meaning mouth in Javanese, "cingur" (pronounced: ching-oor) is a variant of rujak from Surabaya. This specialty rujak from East Java has a "meaty" taste. It contains slices of cooked buffalo or beef lips, bangkuang, young raw mango, pineapple, cucumber, kangkung, lontong (rice cake), tofu and tempe, all served in a black sauce made from petis (black fermented shrimp paste, related to terasi), and ground peanuts. It is topped with a sprinkle of fried shallots and kerupuk (Indonesian shrimp crackers).

Rujak Petis

• This is another variant of rujak from Surabaya. It contains slices of bangkuang, unripe raw mango, cucumber, kangkung, kedondong, tofu, and soy bean sprouts all served in a black sauce made from petis (sticky black fermented shrimp paste, related to terasi), fried shallots, salt, Palm sugar, unripe banana, and ground peanuts. Traditionally it is served on a banana leaf, but today it is more commonly served on plates.

Rujak Juhi

• Juhi means salted cuttlefish in Indonesian; this rujak contains fried takwa tofu, fried boiled potatoes, fried cuttlefish, cucumber, noodles, lettuce, cabbages, peanut sauce, vinegar, chili, and fried garlic.

Rujak Shanghai

• Named after China's most populated city, Shanghai, this dish was created by Indonesia's Chinese community. This variant of rujak can be found in Indonesian Chinatowns in cities such as Glodok and Jakarta. Rujak Shanghai contains seafood, like Rujak Juhi. Boiled and sliced gurita (octopus) and teripang (sea cucumber) is served with kangkung (a leafy green water plant commonly used as vegetable), and served with thick red sweet and sour sauce, mixed with pineapple juice, and sauteed ground peanuts. Usually chili sauce and pickled bengkoang are served as condiments.

Rujak Soto

• A delicacy from Banyuwangi, East Java, a unique blend between beef soto and rujak cingur. A local specialty in which the rujak is poured with soto. The rujak cingur itself doesn't contain petis as one of its ingredient. Created at 1975 by Usni Solihin. (source)

The rambutan (pronounced /ræmˈbuːtən/, Nephelium lappaceum) is a medium-sized tropical tree in the family Sapindaceae, and the fruit of this tree. It is native to Indonesia and Southeast Asia, although its precise natural distribution is unknown. It is closely related to several other edible tropical fruits including the Lychee, Longan, and Mamoncillo. It is believed to be native to the Malay Archipelago.[1]. Rambutan in Indonesian, Filipino and Malay literally means hairy caused by the 'hair' that covers this fruit. In Panama, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, it is known as mamón chino. There is a second species regularly for sale at Malay markets which is known as "wild" rambutan. It is a little smaller than the usual red variety and is colored yellow.

Description
It is an evergreen tree growing to a height of 10–20 m.

The leaves are alternate, 10–30 cm long, pinnate, with 3-11 leaflets, each leaflet 5–15 cm wide and 3-10 cm broad, with an entire margin.

The flowers are small, 2.5–5 mm, apetalous, discoidal, and borne in erect terminal panicles 15–30 cm wide.

Rambutan trees are either male (producing only staminate flowers and, hence, produce no fruit), female (producing flowers that are only functionally female), or hermaphroditic (producing flowers that are female with a small percentage of male flowers).

The fruit is a round to oval drupe 3–6 cm (rarely to 8 cm) tall and 3-4 cm broad, borne in a loose pendant cluster of 10-20 together. The leathery skin is reddish (rarely orange or yellow), and covered with fleshy pliable spines, hence the name rambutan, derived from the Malay word rambut which means hairs. The fruit flesh is translucent, whitish or very pale pink, with a sweet, mildly acidic flavour.

The single seed is glossy brown, 2–3 cm, with a white basal scar. The seed is soft and crunchy. They are mildly poisonous when raw, but may be cooked and eaten.

Production
It is a popular garden fruit tree and propagated commercially in small orchards. It is one of the best known fruits of southeast Asia and is also widely cultivated elsewhere in the tropics including Africa, Cambodia, the Caribbean islands, Central America, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. Thailand is the largest producer from Surat Thani Province Thailand. Rambutan production is increasing in Australia and, in 1997, was one of the top three tropical fruits produced in Hawaii. It is also produced in Ecuador where it is known as "achotillo". Rambutan cultivation in Sri Lanka mainly composed with small home gardens. Malwana, a village located in valley of Kelani River holds high popularity for its rambutan orchards. The production comes to market in the months of May, June and July. In these months it is very common to observe seasonal traders around roads of colombo. In Sri Lankan context it is also possible to observe off season rambutan production in the months of januaery and February in areas like Bibile, Medagama and Monaragala.

The fruit are usually sold fresh, used in making jams and jellies, or canned. Evergreen rambutan trees with their abundant coloured fruit make beautiful landscape specimens.

Quality
Rambutan found in markets that is harvested as picked from their stems (pictured right, individual fruits in a pile) , is commonly ridden with bugs, prone to rot, and of relatively low viability per bunch sold, especially compared to other fruits.

The best quality rambutan is generally that which is harvested still attached to the branch (pictured above). This rambutan is less susceptible to rot, damage, and pests, and remains fresh for a much longer time than rambutan that has been picked from the branch.

Rambutan that is sold on a full branch is of much higher quality, maintains its true flavor, and is better fit for consumption than that which is sold as individually picked fruits. (source)

Indonesian markets abound with many types of tropical fruit. These are an important part of the Indonesian diet, either eaten freshly, made into desserts (such as es buah), made into savoury and spicy dishes like rujak, fried like pisang goreng (fried banana), or processed into kripik (crispy chips) as snacks like jackfruit or banana chips. Many of these fruits such as Mangosteen, Rambutan, Jackfruit, Durian, and Banana, are indigenous to Indonesian archipelago; while others have been imported from other tropical countries, although the origin of many of these fruits might be disputed. Banana and Coconut are particularly important, not only to Indonesian cuisine, but also in other uses, such as timber, bedding, roofing, oil, plates and packaging, etc. (source)

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1. Rambutan
   

The titan arum or Amorphophallus titanum (from Ancient Greek amorphos, "without form, misshapen" + phallos, "penis", and titan, "giant") is a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. The largest single flower is borne by the Rafflesia arnoldii; the largest branched inflorescence in the plant kingdom belongs to the Talipot palm (Corypha umbraculifera). It thrives at the edges of rainforests near open grasslands. Though found in many botanic gardens around the world it is still indigenous only to the tropical forests of Sumatra. Due to its fragrance, which is reminiscent of the smell of a decomposing mammal, the titan arum is also known as a carrion flower, the "Corpse flower", or "Corpse plant" (in Indonesian, "bunga bangkai" – bunga means flower, while bangkai means corpse or cadaver; for the same reason, the same title is also attributed to Rafflesia which, like the titan arum, also grows in the rainforests of Sumatra).

The popular name titan arum was invented by the broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough, for his BBC TV series The Private Life of Plants, in which the flowering and pollination of the plant were filmed for the first time. Attenborough felt that constantly referring to the plant as Amorphophallus on a popular TV documentary would be inappropriate.

Description
The titan arum's inflorescence can reach over 3 metres (almost 10 ft.) in circumference. Like the related cuckoo pint and calla lily, it consists of a fragrant spadix of flowers wrapped by a spathe, which looks like the flower's single petal. In the case of the Titan Arum, the spathe is green on the outside and dark burgundy red on the inside, and deeply furrowed. The spadix is hollow and resembles a large loaf of French bread. The upper, visible portion of the spadix is covered in pollen, while its lower extremity is spangled with bright red-orange carpels. The "fragrance" of the inflorescence resembles rotting meat, attracting carrion-eating beetles and Flesh Flies (family Sarcophagidae) that pollinate it. The flower's deep red color and texture contribute to the illusion that the spathe is a piece of meat. During bloom, the tip of the spadix is approximately human body temperature, which helps the perfume volatilize; this heat is also believed to assist in the illusion that attracts carcass-eating insects.

Both male and female flowers grow in the same inflorescence. The female flowers open first, then a day or two following, the male flowers open. This prevents the flower from self-pollinating.

After the flower dies back, a single leaf, which reaches the size of a small tree, grows from the underground corm. The leaf grows on a semi-green stalk that branches into three sections at the top, each containing many leaflets. The leaf structure can reach up to 6 m (20 ft) tall and 5 m (16 ft) across. Each year, the old leaf dies and a new one grows in its place. When the corm has stored enough energy, it becomes dormant for about 4 months. Then, the process repeats.

The corm is the largest known, weighing around 50kg. When a specimen at the Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew Gardens, was repotted after its dormant period, the weight was recorded as 91 kg.

Cultivation
The titan arum grows in the wild only in the equatorial rainforests of Sumatra, Indonesia. It was first scientifically described in 1878 by Italian botanist Odoardo Beccari. The plant flowers only infrequently in the wild and even more rarely when cultivated. It first flowered in cultivation at the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew in London, in 1889, with over 100 cultivated blossoms since then. The first documented flowerings in the United States were at New York Botanical Garden in 1937 and 1939. This flowering also inspired the designation of the titan arum as the official flower of the Bronx in 1939, only to be replaced in 2000 by the day lily. The number of cultivated plants has increased in recent years, and it is not uncommon for there to be five or more flowering events in gardens around the world in a single year. The titan arum is more commonly available to the advanced gardener due to pollination techniques.

Until 2005, the tallest bloom in cultivation, some 2.74 m (8 ft. 11 in.) high, was achieved at the Botanical Garden of the University of Bonn in Germany in 2003. The event was acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records.

On 20 October 2005, this record was broken at the botanical and zoological garden Wilhelma in Stuttgart, Germany. The bloom reached a height of 2.94 m (9 ft. 6 in.). (source)

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1. Flora of Indonesia
2. Rafflesia Arnoldii
3. Biota and Environment
   

Rafflesia arnoldii is a member of the genus Rafflesia. It is noted for producing the largest individual flower on earth. It occurs only in the rainforests of Sumatra and Borneo in the Malay Archipelago. Although there are some plants with larger flowering organs like the Titan Arum and Talipot palm, those are technically clusters of many flowers.

Description
Several species of Rafflesia grow in the jungles of southeast Asia, including the Philippines. Many of them are threatened or endangered. The flower of Rafflesia arnoldii is the largest which attains a diameter of nearly one meter (3 ft) and can weigh up to 11 kilograms (24 lb).

It lives as a parasite on the Tetrastigma vine, which grows only in primary (undisturbed) rainforests. Rafflesia lacks any observable leaves, stems or even roots, yet is still considered a vascular plant. Similar to fungi, individuals grow as thread-like strands of tissue completely embedded within and in intimate contact with surrounding host cells from which nutrients and water are obtained. Perhaps the only part of Rafflesia that is identifiable as distinctly plant-like are the flowers; although, even these are unusual since they attain massive proportions, have a reddish-brown coloration and stink of rotting flesh, which is why it was nicknamed the "corpse flower". This scent attracts insects such as flies which then pollinate the rare plant. It is not to be confused with the Titan Arum, Amorphophallus titanum, which is also commonly referred to as the "corpse flower".

Reproduction
Rafflesia arnoldii is rare and fairly hard to locate. It is especially difficult to locate the flower in forests as the buds take many months to develop and the flower lasts for just a few days. The flowers are unisexual and thus proximity of male and female flowers is vital for successful pollination. These factors make successful pollination a rare event.

Survival
How many of these plants still survive is unknown, but as the remaining primary forests of Borneo and Sumatra disappear, it can only be assumed that their numbers are dwindling. Many are known to be nearing extinction. Some environmentalists are thinking of a way to recreate the species' environment, in an effort to stimulate a recovery in the population of this endangered species. This has proved unsuccessful so far, but the efforts have continued. Steps are also being taken to conserve the forests of Sumatra and Borneo. (source)

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1. Flora of Indonesia
2. Titan Arum
3. Biota and Environment
   

The flora of Indonesia consists of many unique varieties of tropical plants. Blessed with a tropical climate and around 18,000 islands, Indonesia is a nation with the second largest biodiversity in the world. The flora of Indonesia reflects an intermingling of Asian, Australian and the native species. This is due to the geography of Indonesia, located between two continents. The archipelago consists of a variety of regions from the tropical rain forests of the northern lowlands and the seasonal forests of the southern lowlands through the hill and mountain vegetation, to subalpine shrub vegetation. Having the second longest shoreline in the world, Indonesia also has many regions of swamps and coastal vegetation. Combined together, these all give rise to a huge vegetational biodiversity. There are about 28,000 species of flowering plants in Indonesia, consisting 2500 different kinds of orchids, 6000 traditional medicinal plants used as Jamu. 122 species of bamboo, over 350 species of rattan and 400 species of Dipterocarpus, including ebony, sandalwood and teakwood. Indonesia is also home to some unusual species such as carnivorous plants. One exceptional species is known as Rafflesia arnoldi, named after Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles and Dr. Arnold, who discovered the flower in the depths of Bengkulu, southwest Sumatra. This parasitic plant has a large flower, does not produce leaves and grow on a certain liana on the rain forest floor. Another unusual plant is Amorphophallus titanum from Sumatra. Numerous species of insect trapping pitcher plants (Nepenthes spp.) can also be found in Borneo, Sumatra, and other islands of the Indonesian archipelago. (source)

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1. Biota and Environment
2. Rafflesia Arnoldii
3. Titan Arum
   

The Borneo Elephant, also called the Borneo Pygmy Elephant, (Elephas maximus borneensis) is a subspecies of the Asian Elephant and found in north Borneo (east Sabah and extreme north Kalimantan).

Origins
The origin of Borneo elephants is controversial. Two competing hypotheses argued that they are either indigenous, or were introduced, descending from elephants imported in the 16th–18th centuries. In 2003 Canadian Researcher William Sommers, through mitochondrial DNA, discovered that its ancestors separated from the mainland population during the Pleistocene, about 300,000 years ago. The subspecies currently living in Borneo possibly became isolated from other Asian elephant populations when land bridges that linked Borneo with the other Sunda Islands and the mainland disappeared after the Last Glacial Maximum, 18,000 years ago. Isolation may be the reason it has become smaller with relatively larger ears, longer tails, and relatively straight tusks. Other scientists argue that the Borneo elephant was introduced by the Sultan of Sulu and abandoned, and that the population on Sulu, never considered to be native, was imported from Java. Thus the Borneo elephant actually may be the extinct Javan elephant. Many facts support this hypothesis, including no archaeological evidence of long term elephant habitation of Borneo, a corroboration in folklore and the lack of the elephants colonizing the entire island of Borneo.

Description
The Borneo elephant is smaller than all the other subspecies of the Asian elephant. The Borneo elephant is also remarkably tame and passive, another reason some scientists think it was descended from a domestic collection.

Conservation Status
Wild Asian elephant populations are disappearing as expanding human development disrupts their migration routes, depletes their food sources, and destroys their habitat. Recognizing these elephants as native to Borneo makes their conservation a high priority and gives biologists important clues about how to manage them.

In August 2007 it was reported that there are probably not more than 1,000 pygmy elephants left in Sabah, after a two year study by the World Wildlife Fund. (source)

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2. Sumatran Tiger
   

The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sumatrae) is a subspecies of tiger found on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. Recent genetic testing has revealed the presence of unique genetic markers, which isolate Sumatran tigers from all mainland subspecies. Currently, there are only 100-400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.

Characteristics
The Sumatran tiger is the smallest of all extant tiger subspecies. Male Sumatran tigers average 204 cm (6 feet, 8 inches) in length from head to tail and weigh about 136 kg. Females average 198 cm (6 feet, 6 inches) in length and weigh about 91 kg. Its stripes are narrower than other subspecies of tigers' stripes, and it has a more bearded and maned appearance, especially the males. Its small size makes it easier to move through dense rain forests. It has webbing between its toes that, when spread, makes Sumatran tigers very fast swimmers. It has been known to drive hoofed prey into the water, especially if the prey animal is a slow swimmer.

Sumatran tigers commonly prey on larger ungulates, like wild boar, tapir and deer, and sometimes also smaller animals, like fowl, and fish. Orangutans could be prey, but since they spend a minimal amount of time on the ground, tigers rarely catch one.

Genetics and Evolution
Analysis of DNA is consistent with the hypothesis that the Sumatran Tigers have been isolated after a rise in sea level at the Pleistocene to Holocene border (about 12,000-6,000 years ago) from other tiger populations. In agreement with this evolutionary history, the Sumatran Tiger is genetically isolated from all living mainland tigers, which form a distinct group, closely related among each other.

Habitat
The Sumatran tiger is only found naturally in Sumatra, a large island in western Indonesia. It lives anywhere from lowland forests to mountain forest and inhabits many unprotected areas. Only about 400 live in game reserves and national parks, The largest population of about 110 tigers lives in Gunung Leuser National Park. Another 100 live in unprotected areas that will soon be lost and the rest are spread out in areas that are quickly being lost to agriculture. The reserves are not safe because, despite conservation efforts, many tigers are killed by poachers each year. The Sumatran tiger is found only on the Indonesian island of Sumatra in habitat that ranges from lowland forest to sub mountain and mountain forest including some peat moss forests. According the Tiger Information Centre and the World Wildlife Fund there are no more than 500 of these tigers left in the wild with some estimates considerably lower. The continuing loss of habitat is intensifying the crises to save this tiger.

Conservation
In 2007, the Indonesian Forestry Ministry and Safari Park established cooperation with the Australia Zoo for the conservation of Sumatran Tigers and other endangered species. The cooperation agreement was marked by the signing of a Letter of Intent on 'Sumatran Tiger and other Endangered Species Conservation Program and the Establishment of a Sister Zoo Relationship between Taman Safari and Australia Zoo' at the Indonesian Forestry Ministry office on July 31, 2007. The program includes conserving Sumatran Tigers and other endangered species in the wild, efforts to reduce conflicts between tigers and humans and rehabilitating Sumatran Tigers and reintroducing them to their natural habitat.

The Biblical Zoo in Jerusalem, Israel is part of an international matchmaking program designed to mate Sumatran tigers and save them from extinction. (source)

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1. Sumatran Orangutan
2. Borneo Elephant
   

The Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) is the rarer of the two species of orangutans. Living and endemic to Sumatra island of Indonesia, they are smaller than the Bornean Orangutan. The Sumatran Orangutan grows to about 1.4 metres (4.6 ft) tall and 90 kilograms (200 lb) in males. Females are smaller, averaging 90 centimetres (3.0 ft) and 45 kilograms (99 lb).

Behaviour
Compared to the Bornean Orangutan, the Sumatran Orangutan tends to be more frugivorous and especially insectivorous. Preferred fruits include figs and jackfruits. It also will eat bird eggs and small vertebrates. The Sumatran Orangutans spend far less time feeding on the inner bark of trees.

Wild Sumatran Orangutans in the Suaq Balimbing swamp have been observed using tools. An orangutan will break off a tree branch that's about a foot long, snap off the twigs and fray one end. It then will use the stick to dig in tree holes for termites. They'll also use the stick to poke a bee's nest wall, move it around and catch the honey. In addition, orangutans use tools to eat fruit. When the fruit of the Neesia tree ripens, its hard, ridged husk softens until it falls open. Inside are seeds that the orangutans love, but they are surrounded by fiberglass-like hairs that are painful if eaten. A Neesia-eating orangutan will select a five-inch stick, strip off its bark, and then carefully collect the hairs with it. Once the fruit is safe, the ape will eat the seeds using the stick or its fingers. Although similar swamps can be found in Borneo, wild Bornean Orangutans have not been seen using these types of tools.

NHNZ filmed the Sumatran Orangutan for its show Wild Asia: In the Realm of the Red Ape; it showed one of them using a simple tool, a twig, to pry food from difficult places. There is also a sequence of an animal using a large leaf as an umbrella in a tropical rainstorm.

The Sumatran Orangutan is also more arboreal than its Bornean cousin; this could be because of the presence of large predators like the Sumatran Tiger. It moves through the trees by brachiation.

Life Cycle
The Sumatran Orangutan is more social than its Bornean counterpart. Groups of these orangutans gather to feed on the mass amount of fruiting on the fig trees. However adult males generally avoid contact with other adult males. Rape is common among orangutans. Sub-adult males will try to mate with any female, though they probably mostly fail to impregnate them since mature females are easily capable of fending them off. Mature females prefer to mate with mature males.

Interval birth rates for Sumatran Orangutan were longer than the Bornean ones and are the longest reported interval birth rates among the great apes. Sumatran orangutans give birth when they are about 15 years old. Infant orangutans will stay close to their mother for up to three years. Even after that, the young will still associate with their mother. Both orangutan species are likely to live several decades; the longevity estimate can span for more than 50 years. The average of the first reproduction of P. abelii is around 12.3 years old with no indication of menopause.

Status
The sumatran orangutan is endemic to Sumatra island and is particularly restricted in the north of the island. In the wild, sumatran orangutans survive in the province of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD), the northernmost tip of Sumatra. The primate was once more widespread, as they were found more to the south in the 1800s such as in Jambi and Padang. There are small populations in the North Sumatra province along the border with NAD, particularly in the Lake Toba forests. A survey in the Lake Toba found only two habited areas, Bukit Lawang (defined as the animal sanctuary) and Gunung Leuser National Park. In 2002, the World Conservation Union put the species on the IUCN Red List with critically endangered status.

A recent survey in 2004 estimated around 7,300 sumatran orangutans still live in the wild. Some of them are being protected in five areas in Gunung Leuser National Park and others live in unprotected areas: northwest and northeast Aceh block, West Batang Toru river, East Sarulla and Sidiangkat. A breeding program has been established in Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park in Jambi and Riau provinces and has resulted new population of Sumatran orangutans.

In captivity, there are more zoos and animal parks outside the natural habitat who are interested in orangutans in general. The oldest captive sumatran orangutan is Ah Meng, being born in 1960. Nonja, thought to be the world's oldest in captivity or the wild at the time of its death, died at the Miami MetroZoo at the age of 55. (source)

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