Banjarmasin, 26-29 July 2007

"The city of water" -- I should call it. After a two-day event at Unlam, some friends took me for a boat (they call it "jukung") ride in the Barito river. The trip started at about 5 am, and the boat's roof was so low that I had to bow deeply to enter it. It was also very narrow, so we had to be careful not to disturb the balance. Despite such inconveniences, the trip was wonderful. The main attraction was a floating market where people sell and buy daily needs, mostly veggies and fish. After we finished, we went to a floating restaurant -- the cook, his cooking equipments, and seats for visitors were all packed in a boat. I ordered soto banjar, the taste was not special, but the sensation of having breakfast in the middle of a huge river in a small boat is thrilling.

We also crossed a tug boat with payload of coal. It has been said that coal mining has degrading the quality of environment in South Kalimantan. To make it worse, the money is said to go to Jakarta and even abroad. On the way back, I watched people living in the river bank starting their daily activities: bathing, washing clothes, and shopping -- using boat as a transportation of course...

What an unforgettable experience...