Travel in Indonesia, 2013

The next 2 days I visited the Hindu temple complex of Prambanan (9^th century AD) and Borobudur; one of the worlds most important Buddhist temples (also 9th AD). 

 

                                                                    




In the middle of July I flew to Banda Aceh in Sumatra. I had a few hours to look around the city to see the recovery results after the devastating tsunami of Boxing Day 2004. Most houses have either been restored or newly built and the city seemed back to normal. There were still some damaged buildings. When I asked why they had not been fixed, I was told that it was because the owners had disappeared and no one has rights to it. A big monument was build by one of the mass grave sites and there is a beautiful tsunami museum. Too bad that it was closed by the time I got there. Several large boats that were thrown into the middle of town had not been removed and they are now memorials.





                                                           

                                                                       Banda Aceh is back to normal

Although there are lots of reminder of the disaster;
the boat that still sits on top of the houses

and the 2500 ton power generating ship that landed
4 km inshore.

I stayed in the beach front property of
Katie and Ali.

The next morning I took a ferry to the island of Pulau Weh, where I had worked as a tsunami relief volunteer for one year in 2005. A becak (motorcycle taxi) took me to the home of Katie (British) and her local husband Ali on the opposite side of the island. A few years before the tsunami Katie had started a small charity called ‘Children of Sumatra’ (childrenofsumatra.org) which located children with cleft lip and/or palate and organized surgeries for them. Many Sumatra parents are too poor to pay for these surgeries and the children have basically no future due to their disfigurements. Of course for a period post- tsunami her efforts went to the victims, and we had teamed up for about 6 months. But after the initial crisis ended she went back to working with the cleft kids. Her charity has now been in existence for 13 years.  I spent a 3 days relaxing, snorkeling, and visiting people I knew. 

The island is gorgeous.

The village of Krueng Raya was completely destroyed
only part of the mosque was still standing
and a boat was thrown in front of it.

The vegetation has restored itself, but the boat is still in the
same location.

I took a motorcycle ride around the whole island to see the previously destroyed villages.

In the middle of the rubble this man provided hope.

This is the same beach 9 years later.

The destroyed houses have been replaced.

A cruise ship dock has been built and several have
visited the island.

Life in the new village is back to normal.

and happy kids play in front of them.

Boats are ready to go fishing or

 take people sight-seeing.

Tourist shops, restaurants and little guesthouses are doing
good business again.

                                                                           

                                                                                                  Lumba-Lumba Diveshop recovered completely and I 
                                                                                                celebrated their 14 years in business with them.

After 3 days I decided to join Katie on a road trip throughout Northern Sumatra to find children in need of cleft surgery. At the moment surgeries are ongoing. My stories about this and my other adventures will be in the next blog.