Komodo & Rinca Island

Around August 2009, we flew to Bali to start one of the most unforgettable journey to the middle of Indonesia. The main reason was to visit Komodo Island, long before people talk about it excessively because of the New Se7en Wonders of The World.

We sailed from Sape with a medium-size-motorized-wooden-boat. It was crowded with people, mostly foreigners. You couldn’t ask about safety. As soon as the boat leave the dock, our life solely depended on the Grace of God. It was the longest 7 hours in my life until now.

But it was worth it. Komodo Island wasn’t all about the living ancient creatures. It had the most beautiful underwater sceneries. I’ve dived in Raja Ampat and Gili, but personally, my best experience was in Komodo.

I saw before me the mountainous landscape which looked like it was untouched for thousand of years. The dust. The wind. The trees. They all looked prehistoric.

As our wooden boat crossed the sea, 3-meters-tall-waves crashed the side of the boat. I never felt more alive.

Regards,
Bintang Pramodana

Mt. Bromo

I have been to Mt. Bromo at least 3 times. The last time was around August 2008. It still amazed me that time.

I took my friends all the from Jakarta in our Java Trip. We stayed the night at Malang before riding some travel car to catch the dawn at Mt. Pananjakan. It was cold and humid, the oxygen was thin. Your bones were aching, your lungs tried so hard to catch extract the oxygen from every breath. When the first light finally out, your eyes blinked, like it was the view your eyes waited the whole time.

We crossed the dessert and climbed all the way to the top of Mt. Bromo afterwards. You could rent the horses too. The wind took the sand to the sky. Partly obstructed our view. There were stairs from the bottom of the mountain. You tasted the sand on your tongue.

Once again you found yourself speechless as you reached the top, breathing dust, and captivated by the breathtaking scenery before you. You felt free again.

Bintang Pramodana

the tourists crossed the dessert after hiking Bromo

You can hike the mountain by foot or by riding a horse

A lot of people has been taking this angle for years but somehow it still looks beautiful

Landscape around Bromo is mountaineus as seen from Mt. Pananjakan

We tried to climb our way up against the wind and dust

Morning in Ciater, West Java

Morning at Ciater

Mt. Gde, Indonesia

Masuk bersama, lulus bersama, naik bersama, turun pun harus bream

That day, we should’ve had been in the faculty, doing a routine test to judge whether we’ve had the competence to practice as a doctor, but instead, we hiked to the top of Mt. Gde, to test ourselves for something more important than the s0-called-competentcy-scores: understanding ourselves.

The experience reminded us that we were just mere human, not some kind of people with a superhuman power to heal. No.

And as the sun rose from the east, a bond was created between us.

Regards,

Bintang Pramodana, MD

sunrise at the top of the mountain

Crossing the forest

Masuk bersama, lulus bersama, naik bersama, turun pun harus bersama

Reaching the Sky

Fly above the earth

Buddy

Waterfall – Salah satu dari beberapa air terjun yang ada di Gunung Gde

Alun-alun Surya Kencana

sunrise at the top of the mountain

Sawarna Beach

Sawarna Beach is one of those pristine beach located near Jakarta but only few people know. Anyer and Pangandaran Beach might be more popular, and few years ago maybe they do earned their popularity. But sometimes we want a less crowded place for us to comfort ourselves and our loved ones. Sawarna can be one of your choice.

There will be no hotel, not even a hostel. We can sleep at a local house. The host will also provide us 3 home-made meals a day, usually fish and seafood. By visiting we also help them economically.

Not only we can enjoy the beauty of sunset and sunrise, the white sand and blue water, we can also go caving if you look for a little bit of adventure.

In other words, a great escape!

Regards,

Bintang Pramodana

The sun began to set

Enjoy the sunset for yourself, heaven

The sun began to set

Looking for a bit of adventure? Try caving!

They’re married now, this couple :D

Seekor anjing yang kesepian

Catch your SLR and start capture this spectacular landscape

Dreamy and beautiful

Kami menyebrang ketika laut surut

Keong di atas batu

Batu di tengah laut, di lihat dari jauh

Di tengah laut ada sebuah batu yang bila surut bisa dicapai dengan menyebrang laut

Enjoy the sunset for yourself, heaven

Flowers

I’m not a fan of flowers. but as i looked through my stock photos, i found these beautiful photographs of some flowers. so, i hope you like it!

Enjoy,

Bintang Pramodana

Red

purple haze

Isolation

yellow

Friends forever

People of Papua (3): Ceremony

Ini mungkin adalah seri terakhir dari People of Papua, dan hanya akan menampilkan foto-foto upacara adat penyambutan orang yang dihormati. Kali ini yang dihormati itu adalah pejabat dari Jakarta yang katanya mewakili Papua, dan ingin terpilih lagi. Janji-janji pembangunan jalan dan kemudahan dalam menjual hasil kebun diberikan. Entah sekarang apa ada hasilnya.

Tapi lupakan itu semua. Coba nikmati upacara adat ini dari potongan gambar-gambar saat itu.

Salam,

Bintang Pramodana

Menunggu dimulai

Upacara baru saja dimulai

Menunggu dimulai

Mulai menari

Para penari pria berposisi di tengah barisan

Sang Penari

Berfoto bersama adik dan teman

Anak-anak berkumpul untuk di foto

Para pria ini tidak mau kalah berpose menunjukkan ototnya

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Morning in Wasior after The Flood

Pagi di sebuah dermaga di Wasior

People of Papua (2)

Did we look alike?

Semakin saya melihat-lihat lagi stock foto saya selama di Papua, semakin terasa tidak ada habisnya foto-foto yang ingin saya publish. Ditambah lagi dengan makin santernya berita rakyat Papua ingin merdeka. Indonesia memang sering menjadi konsep yang asing buat mereka. Jangan sepenuhnya menyalahkan mereka. Pendidikan tidak berjalan seperti di kota. Transportasi dan birokrasi adalah kisah yang menambah ruwet keadaan.

Sebagian besar foto-foto ini adalah pasien-pasien atau keluarga-keluarga mereka. Wajah mereka memang keras, tapi senyum mereka tetap tulus. Di sebuah puskemas pembantu (pustu) di Timika juga saya bertemu dengan seorang wanita yang dugaan saya adalah istri dari pimpinan OPM yang beberapa sebelumnya tertembak TNI, Kelly Kwalik. Seorang wanita paruh baya yang pada akhirnya harus berjuang hidup sendiri tanpa suami.

Apakah rakyat Papua akan benar-benar bisa bangkit seperti saudara-saudara mereka di Barat Indonesia? Saya tidak berani menjawabnya. Satu yang saya berani bilang: I have Javanese blood, Sumateran mind, and Papuan heart.

Salam,

Bintang Pramodana

Pulang dari laut

Jagoan desa (bukan yang kiri!!)

Kapan saatnya diperiksa?

Wajah galak

Sehabis sekolah

Kepala sekolah desa Jeflio yang kemana-mana harus naik kapal. Ibu Maria asli flores, namun mencintai Papua seperti daerah asalnya dan rela hidup susah di desa terpencil.

Sehabis sekolah beberapa orang anak terpaksa ikut membantu mencari nafkah orang tuanya. Anak ini menyetirkan kapal untuk kami.

Edu. Anak yang sama pada foto “Sehabis Sekolah”

Para penumpang kapal bergegas turun dari kapal setelah sampai di Desa Arar

Menghabiskan siang

Ibu memeriksakan dua anaknya pada kunjungan dokter. sehari-hari tidak ada dokter di desa

Anak-anak desa Arar sedang bermain

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People of Papua

Orang-orang Papua seringkali tidak seperti yang diceritakan orang, baik teman, ataupun media. Stereotipe tentang orang Indonesia Timur yang “keras” kerap diucapkan oleh orang Indonesia Barat, tanpa menyadari bahwa mereka ini juga saudara-saudara mereka. Kebanyakan dari kita mungkin sudah tidak bisa lagi mengaku asli dari suatu daerah, karena kadang kita lahir dan besar justru di kota lain. Tapi saya tidak akan segan berkata bahwa, somehow, saya merasa menjadi orang Papua juga.

Saya mencoba menangkap beberapa kenangan saya selama di sana, dan bercerita dengan foto-foto ini.

Salam,

Bintang Pramodana

bertelanjang dada

Dengan ingus yang "menggantung" di hidung, pada anak-anak inilah masa depan Papua

bertelanjang dada

Dengan ingus yang “menggantung” di hidung, pada anak-anak inilah masa depan Papua

berlibur bersama papa di pantai

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