When my boss asked, “what do you say about having the West Kalimantan trip during Ramadhan?”, I simply said no problemo. I had a firm confidence that observing fasting days will be just fine for me anywhere in this lovely archipelago. And then something hit me, I mean, this trip would be in the equator’s point zero, the City of Pontianak and its Kapuas River which are well known with its unfriendly heat of the noons, and not to mention that my activities would be mostly outdoor and also (this is the most important thing, Homer) that I am not getting any younger heh heh, it seems like, I don’t know, a century? ouch! yeah, heh heh, it was so looong time ago when I happily observing fasting days and even celebrated Idul Fitri, almost all alone, during my journalistic trip from the dry and hot Liquica to the cold Tutuala in then East Timor Province.
But, I think, as a big girl,( Yes, it also means literally Homer! heh heh) I have to say that fasting month would be just another days l, so I will be just okay..(Cie cieeee…., ini sok PD gitu loooh!)
And thank God I was really ok during this waterdays trip! In fact, I had great time spending days on little jukung observing Kapuas River, and then a small speedboat for a visit to a Dayak Village in Ambawang riverbank. On the last day in Borneo we managed to head for a “virgin island” called Temajo about two hours sailing from Mempawah. Apart from the polution part of the river (by mercuri), this trip is simply awesome. I save some pictures for you, Pal. Enjoy!
Photos (L;R) by Mbak Rita, Sept 2008
1-2. view from Kapuas, 3.Jukung and speedboat in a kampong near Kadriyah Palace, Pontianak 4. Dayak Kendayan Village in Ambawang River 5, Pekong Temple before Ambawang 6. Surau Al Muclisin in Puguk Village , 7 A view from Surau Muclisin’s window, 8.The Jukung Ladies, it seems they’re going from the forest in their backyard to the nearest market with fresh vegetables and handicraft
