The Noah’s Ark of Lampulo
Caution: Some images may be disturbing. Viewer discretion is required.
We wake up early to a beautiful morning. Pak Darman arrives on time as promised to fetch us for a tour around town.
10 minutes later, we arrived at Lampulo, a fisherman village somewhere in Kuta Alam district, north of Banda Aceh. We want to witness ourselves one of the many tsunami relics that had saved a few lives during that fateful morning of 26th Dec 2004.
Nick-named by the locals as “The Noah’s Ark of Lampulo”, the boat rest neatly on top of a house, being washed away 1 km from the nearby fishing port by the furious waves as high as a coconut tree. A pedestrian walkway has been built to accommodate visitors.
The inside of the boat where a family and many others seek refuge on that fateful day.
A time stamp of the ill-fated event on the broken wall.
Opposite to the relic lies unkempt graveyard, which has been there long before the Tsunami.
On our way out, we spotted a school donated by Coca Cola.
Our next visit is Gunongan and Taman Putroe Phang, which history intertwines with Malaysia. The whimsical architecture was built by order of Sultan Iskandar Muda, to cheer up his wife Putroe Phang (Puteri Pahang, from Malaysia or Tanah Melayu at that point of time).
The small entrance to Gunongan.
Which open up inside the structure.
The earth filled of what used to be a royal pool.
White marshmellow against the blue sky.
Opposite to Gunongan, 2000 Dutch soldiers who had perished during the Aceh War rest in peace.
But the Tsunami didn’t let them, 50 headstones were washed away by the waves.
The entrance gate to Kerkhof Memorial, inscribed with the name of the war casualties.
At the far end is the Tsunami Museum. Unfortunately it is close today due to some renovation.
We resume our tour to Bunge Blungcut in Jayabaru, where a huge electric generator vessel broke its mooring and was carried in-land on the wretched morning.
It halted on top of a house, or what was left of it.
It’s said that there were bodies trapped underneath the vessel during the turmoil, but never recovered. The remains might still be there.
An overview of the surrounding atop the ship. It was washed away inland some 5km from the shore, somewhere on the horizon. The whole neighborhoods had been flattened out by the raging waves. Today after 6 years, ramifications of the devastating Tsunami are inconspicuous.
Disembarking the ship, we walk to the nearby Tsunami Educational Park, where photos are being displayed; a poignant reminder of the horrendous event.
The result of Tsunami aftermath.
An upsetting image of the victim.
A group of school children on their field trip. Thought that I am from the press, they are more than happy when I ask for a pose, especially when seeing my bulky camera. Perhaps the people here have become accustomed to the press and being photographed.
A student gazing over the photos, too young to comprehend the horror behind it.
