Ulee Lhee, Lhoknga & Lampuuk: A Tribute to The Faithful Departed
We continue our drive to Ulee Lhee, a coastal village northwest of Banda Aceh. It was one of the Tsunami badly hit area.
The mass grave of Ulee Lhee, the second largest in Aceh.
99 names of Allah bordered the compound where nameless victims were put to rest.
Grave of adults.
The place where they buried the kids.
A few hundred meters away, we come to the shores of Ulee Lhee, where the Indian Ocean and Andaman Sea meet. There used to be a village here, now completely submerged. The 9.3 Richter’s earthquake that triggered the Tsunami had totally changed the shape of the land in just mere minutes. It is now a recreational park and favorite fishing spot.
Fragments of what was left of the village.
We arrived at the Port of Ulee Lhee, that serves the ferry to and fro Pulau Weh.
A ferry is about to depart.
We continue our journey to Lhoknga sub district on the southwestern tip of Ulee Lhee, 13km from Banda Aceh. Directly facing the Indian Ocean, it was hit the hardest by the raging Tsunami of 26th December 2004, totally destroyed the surrounding area. The succession of waves utterly removed all vegetation, leaving the land completely barren. It was reported that population was tremendously depleted from 7500 to 400 post tsunami.
Being on the higher ground, a nearby village managed to escape the catastrophe. Beyond, is the Barisan Range, the backbone of Sumatra.
We come across the guerilla chieftain’s house, who led the fight against the Dutch. A lady warrior, she was.
The deserted Lampuuk Beach. Hopefully the sea is calm today.
We stop by the beach for a breather. While skulking around, we accidentally discovered this isolated haven.
The shale, remnants of some volcanic activities thousand years ago, I presume.
The crab.
Some sea weeds.
I spotted some creepy sea insects embedded on the rocks, they look archaic to me.
This spot must have been underwater previously, the fossil of the corals is the proof.
An angler trying his luck. Could you spot him?
A rock garden by the sea.
A truly hidden gem of Aceh. Or, is it a sleeping dragon?
“It is strictly forbidden to bypass this area”. Too bad, we are only made known when it is already too late. But our failure to observe the rule should not be totally blamed upon us. The beauty of this place is inevitable.
Our partners in crime.
The Tsunami Warning Tower.
Leaving the beach, we stop by this eatery on the way back to Banda Aceh.
It is already late afternoon, no wonder I feel so hungry. The splendid local specialty such as Ayam Tangkap and Dendeng Aceh are godsend.
Later. Aceh Thanks the World! Commemorating plaques of gratitude to the countries that have provided aid to Aceh post-Tsunami are erected around the Kota Aceh park. By help of the locals, we manage to locate the Malaysia’s plaque in no time. Otherwise I will be spending all my afternoon encircling the huge field under the harsh sun.
The park is flock with people taking a breather and jogging. It’s kinda weird as the sun is not so friendly, and in Malaysia this is the most avoidable time of the day to loaf around or even work out. This lady has the solution though, and a funny one too! (Apologize for the blurry photo, it is really a stealing snapshot moment!)
Nighttime. After refreshing ourselves, we venture out for dinner. Our menu that night; Mee Aceh Kepiting, typically taste like our own fried noodle (only better!) to be eaten with some huge crabs! A marvelous dish to end our day.
>>End of Day 2.
