a youth ceremony in Bali

It was the weekend before our wedding in April 2007 and my fiancée and I were wandering around Bali. On a whim, I decided to go to Seminyak, a beach that is increasingly becoming popular as its neighbor, the overwhelmingly commercial center that is Kuta.







We were to get married on an auspicious day in the Balinese calendar (near full moon I remember) so the days around it also tend to be ceremony-heavy. Sure enough, when we dropped by the temple at Seminyak, there already was a crowd hovering by the beach. Practically all were teenagers, with nary an adult guiding them. Too bad I forgot to ask what the occasion was. Maybe it was the commemoration of Saraswati, when students would offer gifts to the goddess of the knowledge and learning. Or perhaps not.







Regardless, I can understand why Bali’s culture remains safe from the dilution of modernity and influence from the external world. Even the youth knows the wisdom of tradition. The heartfelt and easygoing manner they went by the ceremony, from the beach to the temple, showed that custom and faith are in safe hands.

early morning scenes at Boracay

Boracay definitely deserves its reputation as a happening place, where one wants to see and be seen. Its night life is renowned for wild parties. Always with its share of socialites, movie actors, models and wannabes, Boracay makes star-spotting an easy sport.










Early in the morning, Boracay turns a different leaf. The crowd is almost altogether absent and the din is gone. Sunrise is no less beautiful though and for those who’d make the effort, the scenes can be rewarding. Maybe this was Boracay that a lot swore to love many decades ago… if only for a few hours.

more wild krupuk

So you thought the krupuk here looks outlandish and different? I went back to the same store in Tabanan and my friend took out even more wildly colorful and gorgeously patterned crackers.













With patterns resembling onion-peels and shapes like extruded woven biscuits, the krupuk can be anything in Indonesia. Imagination has no limitations.

soaking in the sun at Boracay

There could never be a dull moment in Boracay. Every summer, and even after that, the island teems with people, with local tourists hobnobbing with foreigners seeking fun and solace in the sun.

Here is a partial list of what one can do in the most happening beach in the Philippines:

1. Sunbathe. Most Filipinos probably would want to be fair and white like Caucasians but for the few who love the color brown, the wide white beach is open to all.




2. Lounge under the shade. A definite alternative for those who don’t want #1.




3. Go boating. Explore the neighboring isles and coves of Boracay. One can even opt to go snorkeling or swim in beaches that are in the itinerary. Routs and rates are pretty much standardized.




4. Sail. Local boats called the parao spill all over White Beach waiting for visitors to enjoy the deep blue sea. For a few hours, you can feel oneness with the ocean.




5. Go diving. Premier dive spots abound in Boracay. Spot a manta or explore the wild world of the reef. SCUBA is for all ages.




6. Cavort. OK, so this is totally for the immodest. But as they say, what happens in Boracay, stayes in Boracay.

the reliefs of Taman Ujung in Karangasem

Taman Ujung, or officially Taman Soekasada Ujung, is an architectural experiment completed in 1919 by King of Karangasem who blended European classic design and traditional Balinese esthetics. The complex is a water palace with pavilions and bridges built over large ponds .










It has suffered extensive damage during the eruption of Gunung Agung in 1963 and during the violent tremblor in 1970. While there are never-ending but unfulfilled plans of further reconstruction, there is enough glimpse of the artistic heights that this palace achieved. Amidst the ruins and the state of disrepair, the palace promontories still offer killer views of the Gunung Agung in the West and the Lombok Strait in the East.










Also notable are the extant bas reliefs in the surviving pavilions, terraces, fences and bridges which depicted characters derived from Hindu legends, most probably from Mahabharata.

In praise of Makassar’s Hasannudin airport

Arriving in Makassar’s Hasannudin airport last week was a shock, in a most pleasant way. Gone was the cramped musty terminal! In its place is Indonesia’s swankiest and newest airport, with gates and halls that are as wide as football pitches. For more than 70 decades, the old Hasannudin airport has serviced this city, normally considered the gateway of East Indonesia. The market and traffic certainly have grown since and by the time that the new millennium came, the government has started plans to move out of the cramped quarters. It certainly helped that the immediate past vice president Kallah is from South Sulawesi. By no coincidence, the construction of the new airport was fast-tracked and opened just before he left the office. (NB- He ran and lost in last month’s presidential elections).


the airport is said to have been designed and built by local contractors



the predominance of glass ushers in natural light



hallways are cavernous so people have to walk long distances inside the terminal


After just about one year of operation, there is still only one international flight flying into Makassar (Air Asia, with Kuala Lumpur flights) but other airlines may just follow suit. With an equally new multi-lane concrete free way shrinking travel time around South Sulawesi, the city of Makassar is ripe for development.


giant boarding gates offer comfortable space to the passengers



air bridges connect the boarding gates and the planes


To go: Sultan Hasanuddin International Airport is in South Sulawesi, between the border of its capital city, Makassar and Maros. It is about 17 km from Makassar central via the new toll hiway (15 min).

Chinese delights in Kuta’s Furama

Over the years of travel, I’ve etched into memory the restaurants which never fail me when it comes to taste and experience. When it comes to Cantonese food in Bali, one of my favorites happens to be the most convenient too in terms of location. Just a few minutes from the airport, Furama is typical Chinese: little frills, fast service, and moderately price.


nighttime scene in Furama



my favorite craving: freshly steamed shrimps



bird’s nest soup


Furama’s specialty is seafood, which is obvious with the giant prawn sign on its façade. Amidst the stiff competition in the tourist haven that is Bali, Furama manages to stand out not just to me but to the many patrons that continuously fill the place without fail. It still is true, when choosing a restaurant, go to where people flock. The majority often can’t be all wrong.


highly recommended: steamed fish in soy



mixed vegetables with tofu



Chinese vegetables with garlic


To go: FURAMA is in Jalan Raya Tuban 52B, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia.

going hot, hot, hot in Makassar

Kayangan Restaurant (Ayam Kampung and Ikan Segar)

My nose was running and my vision was quickly blurring. Tears welled in my eyes but these are all good. Despite my avowed tolerance, spice and chili still do that to me. I love what I was having.


the simple restaurant front of Rumah Makan Kayangan


Rumah Makan Kayangan is your typical Makassar restaurant - they are invariably scattered along and in the periphery of the boulevard at Losari beach downtown – cheap, no-frills and brimming with the freshest of produce caught in nearby waters. Displayed over ice to keep them unspoilt for the day, the choices of fish, crabs, prawns are wide-ranged and impressive.


fresh seafood displayed on ice


It’s difficult to do wrong in a Makassar restaurants. Whether you chose to have the seafood steamed, deep-fried, or stewed, your selection reappears on your table fast. Here, cooking has been fine-tuned to a clockwork science that commands just about 5 minutes from ordering to delivery. Or 10 minutes tops.


ikan kakap putih digoreng or deep-fried fish



kepiting saus sambal or crab cooked in hot sauce


Because Makassar is a hub of farming or fishing, food is relatively cheap when compared to other big cities like Surabaya, Jakarta or Bali. If the desire is for the freshest catch though, premium still has to be paid. Still, I find the prices quite reasonable. The ikan kakap putih which easily was more than a kilo only set us back about 3 USD and the live blue crab was about 7 USD, cooking charge included.


mango and mint, basic ingredients for the sauce



four hot sauces, traditional in Makassar cuisine


In Makassar, the secret in the taste, and this differentiates cuisine in Indonesia, is the set of sauces that come with the food. As a rule of thumb, Makassar sauces are spicy. There are at least 4 on the table, from pure peanut paste, to various sambal mixes ranging from the tolerably hot to the devilishly unbearable. Always, where there are chili seeds, beware! Not that I could stop myself. If the biting heat of the pepper calls for sacrifice, I, for one, am willing to be punished.


kangkung cah (water lettuce salad) as a delectable side dishL



freshly squeezed local orange juice can be useful in downing the heat of the spicy dishes


To go: Rumah Makan Kayangan is in Jl Datumuseng No 20, Samping RS Stella Maris Pantai Losari, Makassar, South Sulawesi (tel +411 325273).