We rose early to finish some emails and get packed, had a
quick breakfast, and headed to the airport by 8 AM. We managed to get checked in for the “first
flight”, but we did not actually get onto our plane until 10:45 AM. When we arrived in Jayapura, we were met by a
guide we had contacted to take us to Lake Sentani, but he asked for too much
money ($200) for the afternoon, so we just took a car to pick up our left
luggage at the Ratna, then checked in at the new, much nicer, Travellers Hotel.
The Travellers has good AC, internet in rooms, breakfast, hot water, etc. for
$90 per night. Next door there is a rudimentary shopping mall with a pizza
place called “Papa Ron’s”, which provided us a nice change for lunch.
 |
| Enrico even let us handle the exhibits! |
Through the Hotel, we arranged for a guide to take us to
Lake Sentani, visit a couple of lakeside villages of the Sentani Tribe, bought
a painting on paper made from crushed tree bark, and then visited the
interesting Cultural Museum Loka Budaya just outside Jayapura in Abepura, on
the Cenderawasih University. We were
taken around by an anthropology student (Enrico) at the University, who was
very knowledgeable and fluent in English, so this visit was very worthwhile.
The artifacts in the small museum were collected by New York Governor Nelson
Rockefeller’s youngest son Michael on two expeditions, but Michael disappeared
in dangerous headhunter territory in Asma in 1961. Subsequently the Rockefeller family donated
the items and funded the museum in memory of their son. The majority of Michael
collection is now at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
 |
| Bone Keris handles |
Next morning we were able to use the internet for a couple
of Skype calls, get a good breakfast, and head to the airport for our Lion Air
flight to Jakarta with a stop in Makassar.
Lion Air is a no frills airline – you even need to buy your water! We had
reserved a room in a small apartment residence for two nights, the Shraya
Residence in Menteng that was recommended by Connie Ikert’s daughter Amanda,
who lived in Jakarta for many years ($45/night). The location was perfect as
just across the street was the Jalan Surabaya antique market. We spent the
whole day, Sunday, browsing the various stalls and picked up a few things. David bought a kris or keris which is a distinctive, asymmetrical dagger from Indonesia.
Both a weapon and spiritual object, krises are often considered to possess
magical powers.
The Neka Art Museum in
Ubud has an exquisite display of Krises which we really enjoyed studying, as
there are so many aspects to them, the handle, the blade, the pattern on the
blade and then the sheath.
 |
| So much choice! |
In the market we fell in love with a kris from Solo, Java
that had the sultan’s ensignia, but sadly due to it’s price it was left behind. We did, however, buy two paintings, both
signed and one also inscribed by Antonio Blanco, a known Spanish artist (the “Dali
from Bali”) from Bali. There is a Blanco museum that we have been to see while
in Ubud. We will send pictures to the
museum to see if they know of these painting we have. If fake, most likely, we still like the paintings
and for $200 we would not consider ourselves out anything. This purchase did
add another larger sized piece of luggage to our check-in baggage though.
 |
| Antonio Blanco - right style and mat frame - real? |
We then caught a Singapore Airline flight to Singapore, then
Bangkok, then Thai Airways to Chiang Mai, where we are now reorganizing and
recouping at a studio apartment at the Galae Thong Tower after almost two
months on the road. Singapore airlines was so modern with nice comfortable seats, entertainment system, meals and drinks on every flight etc. such a contrast to the discount airlines we have been flying. Indonesia does have excellent pay for lounges ($7 per person) with wi-fi, food and beverages and were well worth the money. Unfotunately Bangkok Airport does not have such a facility.
 |
| Signature and Inscription |
No comments:
Post a Comment