All I have ever heard about Banda Aceh is related to the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami. Banda Aceh was the hardest hit city, closest to the epicenter and roughly 100,000 people died in the city alone. I never imagined that one day I would actually visit this city or even come close to it. Now that I am all set to go I also remembered an article about the increase in extreme Islam in Northern Malaysia and that although illegal Sharia'a law is practised in some cases and that they do have some religion police force that actually goes through the city on Fridays to check if everyone is attending Friday prayers. Since I can't remember the city's name I tell myself it must have been another city, I am sure everything's alright there.
After a sad goodbye from my 'roomies'
in Penang I make for the airport to catch a direct flight to Banda
Aceh. I heard that there have been cases where people needed to show
a return ticket out of Indonesia in order to be allowed entry into
the country. Since I don't know my travel plans I don't have a return
ticket from anywhere at any time but have prepared myself with a date
and flight number just in case someone may ask. No one asks on
check-in and everything goes smooth. I exchange my Ringgit into
exactly 25 USD, the Visa fee in Indonesia, to be paid in USD only and
keep the rest just in case I may return to Malaysia soon. I can
always exchange them into Thai Baht or Indonesian Rupiah later on as
well.
Hanging around at the airport I do feel
quite uncomfortable. The first time that almost every woman is
completely bundled up including headscarf. I put the long legs on my
zip-off pants and pull my vest tighter. Now everything but my hair
and face is covered. I still feel uncomfortable. Everyone is staring
at me. That feeling gets worse on the flight. Apart from one Chinese
family everyone is Malay or Indonesian, all women are covered up and
everyone stares at me at every chance they get. I get cautious of my
actions. I make sure to only touch my food with the right hand, not
to show any cleavage under my vest etc. Maybe this was a wrong
decision, maybe I should not have traveled here alone. All these
thoughts cross my mind, but the plane is in the air and all the
Ladies on the plane now have over an hour to stare at me. Ah well,
just something I have to get used to, so I read my book and ignore
it.
In Indonesia only the Chinese family
and I have to apply for a Visa on arrival. And since there's four of
them and everybody else is going through the quick line I am the last
person to go through immigration. It is straightforward. Hand 25 USD,
get a receipt, show the receipt at immigration, they key in your
detail from all the papers you got to fill in on the plane, you wait,
give your fingerprints and pictures and get a 30 day visit Visa in
your passport. Luckily once again no one is asking me for a return
flight. Guess, it's the difference of arriving via Malaysia and
coming into a tiny airport.
Last one out all the remaining Taxi
drivers jump at me like vultures. Taxi, Taxi, Taxi. Nothing I
wouldn't be used to from other parts of South East Asia already. I
pick the one that is both persistend and friendly, pick a couple of
million (YES, I AM a MULTImillionaire in Indonesia!!!) from the Atm,
aware that there are no ATM's on Pulau Weh and make my way to the
Ferry Terminal with my Taxi driver Adem (I hope I remember
correctly). The price to the Ferry terminal Ulee Lheue is fixed at
100,000 Rupiah. After a few minutes drive I fell comfortable enough
with my driver to ask him to take me on a City tour before dropping
me off at the Ferry. We agree on an extra 50,000 R (~ 4€) and off
we go to discover Banda Aceh. I have a few hours to kill anyway since
the Ferry to Pulau Weh leaves only twice a day.
Although Adem's English is not that
great he is able to explain most things quite well and he is very
happy to show me around his city. But first we need to stop by his
house to pick up his fishing gear, if he is already going to the
Ferry, he might just connect that with some fishing nearby. Just
gotta love that attitude. He picks up his gear waves to his wife and
Baby and off we are. On the way he tells me all interesting stuff
about Banda Aceh and mostly talks about the Tsunami, it's effects and
what happened after it. Every road we pass he tells me how high the
water was that day. Water here – 6 m, water over there 12m, water
this street 4m, no water on this street and so on and so forth. It is
very interesting and you can feel that he is proud to have survived
it. He also tells me that Banda Aceh before 2004 was not an enjoyable
place to live, very poor, no infrastructure, no good schools. After
the Tsunami many NGO's came to the city, built roads, schools,
kindergartens, infrastructure and made Banda Aceh a great city. He
thanks the NGO's a thousand times during the drive and also points
out which building is old, which building is new and which NGO
sponsored which school or kindergarten. This 'baby school' built by
Australian NGO, this over here American NGO, here Germany NGO, that
one Japan NGO, this once sponsored unmistakeably by Coca-Cola. So the
ride continues and he keeps pointing out all the buildings and water
levels and I just cannot believe it. All this makes me think of all
the souls in Bangkok right now. There homes flooded, nowhere to go,
the media focused only on the rich areas which are barely affected.
We stop first at the Fishing Boat on
the Roof. A Fishing Boat that has been carried several km inland by
the Tsunami. It held and saved the lives of 12 people on board. Many
other boats were flushed in but this one was kept on the house roof
and preserved and is no a tourist stop for everyone visiting Banda
Aceh to show how powerful the waves were. We make more photo stops
along the way. All the tourist sites are either religious (mosques..)
or Tsunami related (Tsunami museum, Tsunami memorial, Tsunami...).
The newly erected Tsunami Museum looks impressive. Great
architecture. Unfortunately it is closed but I do get to wonder
around outside where lots of schoolchildren have their lunch break
and run around. All dressed in matching uniforms of dark brown
trousers or skirts and dark orange shirts, with black head covers for
the girls. The young school boys obviously find this tall white lady
(me) interesting and keep following me and waving 'Hello Lady',
'Hello Lady', armed with my smile they can't do anything other than
give me their brightest smiles back. Not far from the Tsunami Museum
is the Great Mosque. It is the only building standing in the worst
affected area that the Tsunami did not harm. And after seeing
pictures later of the destruction I understand why people have turned
to faith and also believe why Allah brought this on them. There are
pictures where the area around the Great Mosque is all rubble and
water as far as the eye can see. And right in the middle, nearly
unharmed the Great Mosque stands there white and tall. This does
indeed look like Allah's work. The Acenehse believe that Allah
punished them for wrongdoings with the Tsunami, hence most Acenehse
believes grew stronger after 2004 and they became more faithful to
prevent such disasters from happening again.
These and other pictures I have seen at
a Tsunami memorial. It is very hidden, close to PLTD Apung. A 780 ton
colossus that was moved inland by the Tsunami and is now used as
power station.
If you have a weak stomach I would urge
you not to read on for the next paragraphs. Adem and a friend of his
who was lingering around show me a Tsunami memorial. Framed by a nice
playground and 'baby school' it is a wall lined with photos of
weather and winds before/ during and after the Tsunami. In a niche
three walls depict what the Tsunami left behind. There are piles of
dead bodies with plenty of close ups. The pictures from the Mosque as
mentioned before, destroyed houses, entire neighborhoods washed away.
There are photos of individuals. One lady, stark naked, the clothes
ripped off by the waves, a belly protruding, pregnant. The impact
ripped her belly open, she is lying there, dead her dead baby hanging
out of the open stomach. My own stomach makes a twist. There are more
such photos. Other pregnant ladies in awkward positions, all
deceased, their babies ripped out of their womb. Other pictures show
dead bodies, where the impact has ripped all the skin, just showing
bones or muscles. I almost feel like in the Bodies exhibition, only
this is real and endlessly sad I cannot even describe it in words.
Tears are welling up but since I am being watched by two locals I am
trying hard to contain myself. They show pictures of mass graves,
children running around, naked in despair. This is too much. I turn
away and politely refuse to buy a picture CD with images of what I've
just seen. I have a respect now for the Acenehse. Going through this
and having the strength to be so friendly and forthcoming. Being
proud of who they are and their heritage. Adem continues the drive
and we pass by one of the mass graves. Erected as cemetery and
memorial at the same time by one of the NGO's. Over 14,000 people are
reportedly buried here.
Adem has other business to conduct and
stops by a fishshop to get some bait for his trip later. He buys the
small fish alive with an oxygen supply. Nice to watch to normal life
here. He also offers to stop for lunch and who am I to refuse. We end
up at a roadside restaurant close to the Ferry terminal. There is all
sorts of undefined meat / fish in undefined sauces standing in the
window. We wait for fresh rice and then you can just go through all
the bowls with yourselves and pick whatever you like. I am a good
sport and go for whatever has a nice color. So red and yellow is my
choice. Indonesians eat with their right hand, scooping it up with
the fingers and then pushing it in the mouth with the thumb. I
practised this in India already but since they offer me spoon and
fork I do not want to refuse. The 'restaurant' is quite full and
everyone eyes me with suspicion but after a few smiles I have them
all on my side and I get to enjoy my meal in peace. While it didn't
look very appealing it was very tasty. Glad we stopped here. It cost
33,000 Rp and I think I unknowingly invited my driver, but for less
than 3€ for two meals, it's worth it. The driver drops me off at
the Terminal, even orders the tickets for me, I didn't specify but
they automatically assume that white people go for VIP tickets, with
less than a Euro difference, what shalls. Adem is off to fish and I
am waiting for the ferry to come.
There is a tourist info at the other
end of the waiting room and I hope to find some brochures on Pulau
Weh, maybe maps. Just to check out. The girl there is eager to talk
to someone and although I am just looking for brochures she is urging
me to sit down and talk to her. Why not, after all I still have some
time till the ferry is here. We chitchat a bit about Banda Aceh, the
tourist attractions, Pulau Weh what is so special about it and after
she felt comfortable enough with me she is starting to ask me the
questions she would really like to have answered. How do I feel about
all the women wearing headscarves? Does that scare me? What does the
Western world think about Muslims? Do they understand that that's
just the way we dress? The conversation turns really interesting. She
is studying Tourism in Banda Aceh and happy for any foreigner that
comes by and helps her practice her English and talk about the world
outside Indonesia. She has never left Indonesia but is hoping to do
so one day. Maybe to Europe, or Malaysia would be a first step. She
sponges up all the information I give her, eager to learn and hear
about other countries and other people. Without me asking she also
shares her personal story and experience during the Tsunami. She and
her parents and siblings made it out on time. But she describes how
her grandparents as well as her aunties and uncles and many cousins
perished. The worst part for her is that she does not even know where
they are buried, cannot visit a grave to talk to them or find
closure. By this moment we both have to swallow hard. Once again I am
fighting back tears. I did not expect people to be so open and honest
about their experiences, their feelings their hopes and dreams for
the future. I am getting more and more impressed by the Acehnese. The
awkward moments in the airplane all but forgotten. She swings to some
lighter topics, we talk about travel and language and many other
things until it is time for me to leave.
I'd like to thank everyone that donated money when they called for it, right after the Tsunami. Let me assure you, of what I've seen it's been put to very good use in Banda Aceh.
There is a VIP waiting room for people
with VIP tickets however, that reeks of pee and cigarettes, it's more
used as a guard lounge as a waiting room. I very much prefer the Hall
then, thank you. Some people come up to me asking for money without
an apparent reason just holding their hand open and seem surprised
when I say No, I am not giving them money. Hmmmmmm! I wonder whether
foreigners did that before. Just hand money to anyone that asks? The
ferry does arrive and I get my VIP seat, read a few chapters and am
in Pulau Weh in no time. It's still quite a drive to Gapang Beach
were the dive center and my accommodation is. The fixed price per
Taxi is 150,000 Rp but since I do not find anyone with the same
destination the Taxi driver has pity on poor me, traveling alone and
agrees to take me for 80,000 Rp only. The ride goes over half the
island and is very scenic. We stop in between for some deliveries the
driver has to make, but I don't mind, the price is really good and
it's fixed anyway, I just get to see more of the island that way.
There's many motorcycles and at some points even plenty of monkeys on
the road. Palm trees, bays, beaches. I feel instantly welcome here.
On Gapang Beach I check in, sign up for
a morning fun dive for tomorrow and also decide to take the Advanced
Open Water Diving program here. Why not anyway? I like this place.
The room is very clean and comfortable. I have a mosquito net,
mosquito coil, mosquito repellent, mosquito plug. I feel safe of not
being stung at night. And to add I also got my anti-malarial.
The system at the dive center is easy.
If you want a drink you take it and write it down, pay on check-out.
I just loooove honor bars. So much easier. And I don't know of anyone
that ever cheated. I certainly don't, especially not as the prices
are very reasonable. 0.7 € for ice tea, 0.8 € for coke and so on.
I can also pay for my room, dives and everything else on check out. I
guess they are used to people just extending their stay, so that
makes it easier too ;-) Since it's been a long day I have dinner
right next door and then settle in for my first nights sleep under a
mosquito net.
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