Third morning and our last day in Banda Aceh. It is still early, shops are yet to open. Banda Aceh is making such a progress that physical scars of Tsunami are barely visible 6 years after the tragedy. But I believe, to the people of Aceh the emotional scars are yet to heal.

Bits and pieces of the tragedy are still there though, when you plunged deeper into Aceh isolated nooks and cranny.

Simpang Lima, the prominent landmark of Aceh, and the silent witness of the fatefull event.

We continue walking along the street until we arrived at the Iskandar Muda Commando Military Zone, abbreviated as ‘KODAM’. Army post such as this one could be found scattered in Banda Aceh, a relic of guerilla warfare between the separatist group  known as ‘GAM’ and the Indonesian government which had lasted from 1970’s until 2005, and had claimed 15,000 death toll. It took the tsunami to bring peace to Aceh; a peace deal that was signed shortly post tsunami ended up the 30 years of insurgency. The ceased of hostility was indispensable, in order to allow aid and rescue mission to reach the impacted area. It proves that in time of darkness, people will unite irregardless of their disputes.

’Peace is Beautiful’. Indeed, the most beautiful army slogan.

The Krueng Aceh River, which when hit by tsunami, was beset with dead bodies and debris.

Bypassed the river, we spotted a minaret, in solitude against the blue sky.

Which lead us to the Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, the momentous Aceh’s icon. Like the rest of worship structures in Aceh, it miraculously survives the tsunami, and savior to the refugees.

 The frontal view of the same mosque.

An epitaph to mark the spot where a Dutch general was killed in an attempt to destroy the holy structure.

Inside the mosque, communal and religious activities are taking place, the way they should be.

They also have english lesson here; as Islam emphasize on the balance between pursuing the worldly and hereafter life.

While I was busy snapping photos, DH is taking some time to reflect.

Me, inside Baiturrahman.

Adjacent to the mosque, is the old Atjeh Market.

Rows of washed out shops. Business seems not so hectic here, the rest of the lot has moved to the new complex.

Becaks waiting for passengers outside the mosque.

The new Pasar Atjeh Complex, thanks to the people of Japan.

Inside the new Pasar Atjeh, business here definitely targeting the ladies.

Enough with shopping, we hail a becak and ask for Port Lampulo. The driver agreed over Rp15k. Crisscrossing the busy street with an unhinged and overloaded becak is quite an experience.

A view from inside the becak, just after we ‘survived’ the traffic.

Shortly afterwards, we arrive at Port Lampulo, a fishing harbor outskirts of Banda Aceh. Soon this place will be developed into an international fishing port, part of the government effort to accelerate local economy growth.

Harboring fishing boats.

Some needs repairing before venturing out into the open sea.

We sauntered along the coast until we arrive at the depot.

The place was reconstructed by aid of Americares.

Inside the busy depot, which also serves as fish market among the locals.

Rows of colorful fish basket.

Fishing boats docking at the pier.

Red, seems to go well with deep blue and spotless white.

At the other side of the depot, business as usual.

Tuna and what’s not, fresh from the sea.

 As Lampulo serves the port for deep sea fishing, a gigantic catch like this one is no big deal.

My first time seeing such large squids.

The red grouper.

A man smashing the ice, getting ready for the next catch trip.

We leave the depot and back to Banda Aceh by the same means of transport. Along the way, we spotted an aid house in a midst of renovation, next to a decent bungalow. Acehrians seem to be doing well.

Late afternoon, we were fetched to the airport by Pak Darman to catch our 5.15pm flight back to KL. On the way, we bypass this mass grave of Siron, the largest in Aceh.

The landmark is purposely constructed in such a way to symbolize the tsunami waves.

Underneath, lies 50,000 souls. God bless them.

The new, posh building of the Sultan Iskandar Muda Airport.

Inside the departure lounge, waiting for our transport. Outside, an aircraft that belongs to Indonesia’s national airlines being pull over to the vacant gate, while the Seulawah Mountain silhouetted at the far end.

At 5.45pm local time, we are already airborne. Below, are the rugged slopes of the Barisan Range. The trip to Aceh was such an eye-opening and inspiring journey for us. Acehrians are amazingly resilient. We really salute their patience, despite all the shortcomings they are still getting on with their lives with such perseverance.

The End.

“To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.”

~ Thomas Campbell ~

“Death is not the greatest loss in life. The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”

~ Norman Cousins ~

Footnote: Exactly 3 weeks after we came back from Aceh, Japan was hit by tsunami with magnitude the biggest ever recorded in history. While the people is still mourning over the lost of their property and love ones, they are now facing the threat of radiation due to nuclear power plant leakage. To the people of Japan, my condolences and heart are with them.

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 26^th 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.

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 26^th 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.

]]> http://www.travel.simplyniza.com/2011/02/the-noahs-ark-of-lampulo/feed/ 0 http://www.travel.simplyniza.com/2011/02/nanggroe-aceh-darussalam-a-quest-to-understand-life-death/ http://www.travel.simplyniza.com/2011/02/nanggroe-aceh-darussalam-a-quest-to-understand-life-death/#comments Thu, 17 Feb 2011 20:53:57 +0000 Niza Zainal http://www.travel.nizazainal.com/?p=1163

A few days after we came back from Langkawi, we are off the tarmac again in a quest to understand life and death. Our rescheduled flight, airbus AK305 arrived at Banda Aceh around 5.05pm, 10 minutes ahead of time.

The metal bird touchdowns smoothly in a vicinity of a new airport building; which is much better than any other Indonesian airports that we have been, the first sign that the aid money is put into good use.

Bandara Nasional Sultan Iskandar Muda. It is named after the most influenced ruler of Aceh, in which during his reign Aceh prospered and gained its power over Sumatra, Malay Peninsula and Southern Siam.

While queuing for check in, we made acquaintance with a fellow countryman who is visiting his kith and kin here. He’s the son of the previous airport land owner, Bintang (prior to the new name, the airport was known as Bandara Blang Bintang). Unfortunately our chat is interrupted by the immigration officer who diverted us into a new lane. I feel a bit discourteous to ask him for a photograph over such a short meet.

Soon after the entire official nitty gritty are done, we exit the airport and bump into Pak Darman, who’s making his ends meet driving the taxi. He drives us to Banda Aceh, 20 minutes from the airport. We also agreed to use his service tomorrow for a tour around Aceh.

Checking in at Sulthan Hotel, Banda Aceh.

Banda Aceh at night. The shops are neatly arranged based on the products that they sell. One street only selling shoes and bags, other specified for clothing and garments while at the next juncture you could spot rows of fishing surplus.

Fishing haven for the avid anglers.

DH’s must do every time we are in Indonesia is to pay a visit to the shoe shops. Most of the products are from Medan, hence it’s a bit pricey here. Guess the inflation rate is still high.

All the imported/imitated stuff somehow remind me of Langkawi, where we have been just a few days ago.

Food stalls. You would never be hungry here; stalls like this are everywhere. It is really happening at night and flocked with town folks, chilling out after a day’s hard work. Dubbed as the ‘Veranda of Mecca’, Islam is strictly observed and thus Aceh has no nightlife what so ever other than these eatery joints.

We end our day with a simple dinner and head to our hotel to rest.

>>End of Day 1.