Cultural Performances Marked the Tour de Flores in Larantuka

Labuan Bajo and Larantuka located at the tip of the island of Flores, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) - Indonesia, two small towns surrounded by spectacular hills lined up to the sea. From these two small towns, Larantuka much quieter.

Larantuka only saw the crowds during the religious festival Semana Santa and Easter, because there is a strong Catholic influence there which came when the Portuguese occupied the east of Flores in the 17th century.

But on Wednesday evening, May 18, Larantuka has hosted a spectacular celebration to marked the opening of the Tour de Flores 2016, a sports tourism event that is expected to boost tourism in Nusa Tenggara Timur.  A popular destination is the Island of Komodo, Kelimutu and the heritage village Wae Rebo.

As an International cycling race, the Tour de Flores welcomed 160 participants from 16 countries and offers a more challenging route with a length of 661 kilometers. Those who succeed in conquering race climbs and narrow path winding up the hill will be rewarded with the incredible views and with a total prize money 1 billion rupiah (US$73,600).

Several cultural performances staged to entertain Larantuka's special guests during celebrations, starting with the traditional music performances by the villagers of Lewotanaole from Solor Barat district in East Flores, who plays a welcome song called Laole.

Then followed by cultural performances by high school students from Western districts Adonara, also in east Flores. They performed a traditional bamboo dance of a ritual called Dopeng Kawerok, is a cleansing ritual to protect the village from bad luck, usually held in January. This ritual was also performed to show gratitude and to mark the beginning of the year.

All visitors were also invited to have dinner together, where many traditional seafood dishes served at tables along the 2 kilometers.

East Flores Head Agency of Tourism Andreas Ratu Kedang said, "food festival is usually held after Easter to show gratitude for good catches."

"East Flores is the largest fish producer in Nusa Tenggara Timur. Eating together has become our traditional way to show our gratitude to God, and now, to celebrate the launch of the Tour de Flores, " he added.



source:
TheJakartaPost

7 Free Things To Do In Jakarta

They say, nothing in this world comes free, Even so, there are free activities in Jakarta that you can explore at your free time, especially on weekend. Do you have this on your list?

1. Visit the parks

You might be interested to go to the rare green areas and become a myth in Jakarta. One of them is Suropati Park, a park located in Menteng, Central Jakarta. In addition to relaxing under a tree, you can also enjoy or join local music community who play the instrument at the weekend. There is also literature and art groups perform activities, so the audience can expect to see more artistic side of Jakarta, although on a small scale.

2. Visit pasar baru

Built in 1820 under the name of Passer Baroe, is the oldest market in Jakarta. It is located in Sawah Besar, Central Jakarta. If visitors do not want to buy clothes, fabrics or other bargain from the shops, they can enjoy sightseeing and taking photos in the street, when it doesn't rain.

3. Ride the city tour bus

Since 2014, the government of Jakarta provide free double-decker buses for tourists. While on the bus, passengers can see and get information about the history of the buildings and streets in Jakarta. This tour for tourists both local and International and usually the introduction in English and other languages. To ride the bus, you can go to the bus stop labeled with a '"City Tour" sign on the route. Normally, the queues will be very long on weekends. You can also book the bus for a tour group with prior reservation.

4. Tour "Kota Tua"

Kota Tua or Old batavia Complex located in North Jakarta. As the area of cultural heritage. Visitors can see Dutch Colonial architecture in the entire region. Some people want to just walk in the streets leading to the Taman fatahilah or take a photograph of the building. There are also museums to visit such as the museum of Bank Indonesia, Wayang Museum, Fatahilah Museum or the Museum of Fine Arts and Ceramics which is generally free. there is also the train station city, the other heritage site and is still used today.

5. Enjoy The Car Free Day

Certain streets in Jakarta free from the vehicle every Sunday. For example, along jl. Sudirman in South Jakarta to the streets around the National Monument (Monas) in Cenral Jakarta. On this day, people usually take the opportunity of a free road vehicle to perform a variety of sport activities such as running and cycling or gather with their communities, for example a pet lover.

6. Visit Galery Indonesia Kaya

Located on the 8th floor of Grand Indonesia Shopping Town in Central Jakarta. Combining education with multimedia technology, visitors can enjoy a variety of virtual experiences such as taking pictures in the traditional Indonesia clothing virtually, play traditional instruments and exploring Indonesia through a virtual map. There are also various workshops and other activities that have been scheduled, so visitors might be interested in checking out their website to see what other events are coming.

7. Bentara Budaya Jakarta
 
Heralds Culture is a cultural institution founded by Kompas gramedia in South palmerah, West jakarta. It has a wide collection of Indonesian cultural heritage, ranging from painting ceramics, as well as the Wayang puppets of the famous puppeteer Asep Sunarya. One of the most unique collection is a traditional Javanese house, brought directly from Kudus, Central Java. Additionally, Bentara Budaya have a variety of arts and cultural activities such as exhibitions, film screenings and a monthly discussion.




source:
TheJakartaPost