Friday 15 February 2013

Bogor Botanical Garden (Kebun Raya Bogor)

If France have Giverny garden, Indonesia have Bogor Botanical Garden.


The Bogor Botanical Gardens (Indonesian: Kebun Raya Bogor) is a botanical garden located in Bogor, Indonesia, 60 km south of Jakarta. The gardens are in the city center and adjoin the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace). Within the Botanical Gardens surrounding Istana Bogor (the Bogor Presidential Palace) are a number of graves. There is also a cenotaph to Olivia Marianne Raffles, first wife of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (Governor of Java from 1811 to 1816). 
President Palace in front of the lovely Lotus pond.
Gorgeous giant Lotus.
Bench that available in every corner of the  garden.
The area that was now Bogor Botanical Gardens was part of the samida (man made forest) that was established at least around the era when Sri Baduga Maharaja (Prabu Siliwangi, 1474-1513) rules the Sunda Kingdom, as written in the Batutulis inscription.

In 1744, the Dutch East India Company established a garden and mansion at the site of the present Botanical Gardens in Buitenzorg (now known as Bogor).

In 1817, The gardens officially opened as Lands Plantentuin ('National Botanical Garden') with 47 hectares of the grounds bordering the palace were established as a Botanic Garden. Casper Georg Carl Reinwardt, a German who moved to Netherlands, became the first director from 1817 to 1822, during which time approximately 900 living plants were introduced to the Garden.

Sir Stamford Raffles had been Governor of Java from 1811 to 1816 attempted to lay out the Palace grounds as an English-style landscaped garden, he also brought in two gardens from Kew in London, UK. The monument he erected in memory of his wife, Lady Olivia Marianne, who died in 1814, can be seen in the Garden.



In 1823, The first catalogue of plants in the Garden (914 species) was published by C.L. Blume (Director of the Garden from 1822 to 1826).

In 1830, Johannes Elias Teysmann, a Dutch gardener, became curator of Bogor Botanic Garden and spent more than 50 years developing the Garden. Seven years later Justus Karl Hasskarl was appointed his assistant curator and convinced the director to re-arrange the plantings in the Garden by taxonomic families.

In 1844,  Justus Karl Hasskarl wrote the second catalogue of plants which listed more than 2800 species. Over many years Teysmann brought thousands of plants into Bogor from his travels throughout the Archipelago. In recognition of all Teysmann's work in the Garden a memorial pillar of polished granite was placed in Taman Teysmann (Teysmann's Garden) and four species of teak and verbenas, in the Genus Teijsmaniodendron were named after him.

Enjoyed sitting by the side of lovely Lotus pond.
Bamboo alley. Beautiful.

My fav spot, a hiding garden which I called "Bogor Eden Garden".
Between 1852 and 1854 the Garden played an important role in the introduction of quinine to Java, an extract used for treating malaria. Quinine is produced from the bark of the Cinchona (Rub.) tree, originally from Peru.

Between 1869 to 1880 R.H.C.C. Scheffer, the third director of the Garden, used the garden as a tool for scientific research. Stock was grown in the Garden and seeds and cuttings distributed all over the country of useful plants such as Australian Eucalyptus species, tobacco, maize and Liberian coffee.

Another giant tree. Gorgeous!!
 

Pinky Banana trees. So sweet.
 


In 1880, Dr. Melchior Treub became director of the Garden. The next 30 years were a decisive period for the Garden and all scientific institutions associated with it. Trueb realised the need to establish world-wide recognition for the Bogor Botanic Garden as a scientific institution and a benefactor of local and European agriculture. 

In 1892 the Garden was expanded in size to 60 hectares with the addition of the island between the two arms of the Ciliwung river. 

Princess Astrid of Belgium visited the Garden with Prince Leopold on their honeymoon in 1928 and an avenue of Agathis dammara (Arauc.) trees and red and yellow Canna hybrida(Canna.) with black leaves (colours of the Belgian flag) was planted in her honour in the new part of the Garden. The Victoria Pond at the southern end of the Astrid Avenue was made following their visit.
Giant Lotus party in the pond :)
Giant tree.


Another lovely perspective.
The Dutch East-Indies declared was on Japan on 8 December 1941. In March 1942 the Japanese marched into Bogor and a year later took over directorship of both the Garden and the Herbarium. Prof. T. Nakai, a Japanese botanist, was appointed director of the Botanic Garden and Kanehira, another Japanese botanist, head of the Herbarium. These two men strove to protect the Garden and the Herbarium from Japanese soldiers who were intent on cutting and using the trees from the Garden for timber during the invasion. It was under their supervision that the Garden was named Shokubutsuen (Botanic Garden). 

During the Second World War the Garden was closed and at the end of the war if suffered greatly from neglect, destruction and theft. The giant Rafflesia flower had been in the Garden up until the war, at which time it disappeared and since then the gardeners have sadly been unable to introduce it. 

The Dutch managed the Garden again from 1945 to 1949 when Indonesia gained full independence, took charge of the Garden and renamed it "Kebun Raya" (Great Garden). Kusnoto Setyodiworjo became the first Indonesian curator, who was eventually to become head of the Garden in 1959. During the next few years of political instability the Garden suffered from staff and fund shortages.
A couple of HUGE trees, you can see how tiny I am when standing in front of them. Gorgeous Trees!!

In 1962, the Garden became part of the Lembaga Biologi Nasional (LBN) (National Biological Institute), of which in 1964 Otto Soemarwoto was appointed Director. He Promoted pure scientific research and developed the Garden as a tropical biological research institute, which would ultimately bring wide ranging benefits to agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry and health care. 

Under the New Order of President Soeharto (1967) more funds became available for education and research, and the Garden began to improve.

Red Banana, one of my favorite tree.
A beautiful giant Lizard came out from it hiding place on the Lotus pond. He was starving I guess.


In 1977 The orchid house was enlarge with the financial support of the President's wife Ibu Siti Hartinah Soeharto. It was obvious that the orchid collection in the Garden had only a small percentage of the numbers of wild species in Indonesia, so from 1985 collecting trips were made around the Archipelago. The glasshouses containing the now extensive and valuable collection are open to the public only by special permission. 

In the 1980's, the National Biological Institute (LBN) was reorganised and split into the Research and Development Centre for Biology (Puslitbang Biolgi) and the Garden itself. In 1990, Sampurno Kadarsan handed over the management of Puslitbang Biologi to Soetikno Wirjoatmodjo and Suhirman became head of the Garden. 
Driving our car to exploring the Garden.
You can ride this vehicle for Visitors to explore the garden.
Rain wouldn't stop you to continued the exploring :)
We still enjoying the Lotus pond in the magic rain..
 Over the years the Garden has seen many changes: buildings have been added, paths and roads improved, and plant collection increased. Also natural changes occur, the trees and new plants grow and old trees are lost through old age, termites or storm damage. 

The Garden is also a place of recreation for residents and visitors, and overseas visitors are increasing as the government encourages the development of tourism with more than 15,000 species of trees and plants.


History sources: http://www.bogor.indo.net.id/kri/bhist.htm & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bogor_Botanical_Gardens

#bogor#indonesia#dutch#netherlands#belgium#london#britain#german#garden#botanical#giverny#japan#soeharto#soekarno#president#palace#pic#picture#photo#photography
#jarnara#blog#history#plants#species#orchid#glasshouse#research#giant#gianttree#tree#trees#gianttrees#nature#forest#war#lotus#pond#java#governor#island#archipelago
#princess#raffles#lady#olivia#blume#australia#coffee#treub#astrid#prince#leopold#botanist#herbarium#belgian#hectares#river#honeymoon#travel#gardener#Hasskarl#Reinwardt
#Nakai#japanese#Teysmann#biology#tourism#land#kew#english#style#plant#verbenas#peru#malaria#african#biological#Shokubutsuen#victoria#pharmaceutical#industry#agriculture

Friday 21 December 2012

Walking On Thousands of Seashells in Muara Angke, Pluit, Jakarta

For those of you who lived in Jakarta or at least been to Jakarta before, must have been familiar to hear the name of this area, Muara Angke. What is interesting about this place? Well, let us take you there... 

Besides as one of Fishing Center in Indonesia in manage, organize, maintain fishing harbors and also the fish auction plus fish landing bases...Muara Angke is utilized for housing fishermen with pond of brackish water for aquaculture trials, mangrove forest park, etc. A really cool place to hanging out. 
Fishermen village with bamboo houses and mangroves. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
On one side this place is beautiful and attractive but on the other side this place is bit disgusting because of the garbage that floats on the waters edge. Still this place looks very unique to us, that is why we keep this sightseeing journey on. 

We started it from the Pluit Beach, driving to Pluit Harbor but we did not enter the harbor, we just return direction of our car when we saw more piles of trash in front of the gate (look miserable).

We continuing our journey to Fishermen Village, passing through streets with all modest houses on our left-right side. There are local transportation, Bajaj, passing by. We did not seen many vehicles pass through this area (which is good for us), then we parked the car and started to walking, looking for a small alley and entering the village--watching fishermen activities.

Pluit Beach area with piles of trash. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
More piles of trash in front of Pluit Harbor. Muara Angke
Bajaj as local transportation. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta
We parked the car & exploring Muara Angke
Life and homes in Muara Angke. Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Sweep the fish bones in Muara Angke. Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Muara Angke River. Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia

Don't forget to wear comfortable clothes and not excessive, we recommend wear sandals and a cap. The weather was so hot and a bit dry, just drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration :-). Many things that we could enjoyed here. Watching fishermen sewing their nets, fisherman's wife open the clam shells or seeing fish being dried. Oh yeah, by the time we entered the village we love the sounds of our footsteps walking on seashells. Lovely!. 

And finally...just enjoy the atmosphere here through our pictures. 
We walking on the alley full with salted fish. Muara Angke
Beautiful salted fish. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Salted fish sunbathe time. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Bamboo path at boats docked. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta
Fishermen sewing nets on their boat. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta
Walking on the pile of seashells. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
Women cleaning mussels at Fisherman's Village. Muara Angke, Pluit, North Jakarta, Indonesia
#travel#trip#backpack#backpacks#backpacker#backpackers#destination#adventure#photography#tour#jakarta#muaraangke#muarakarang#pluit#Indonesia#java#island#unique#mangrove#mangroves#conservation

Monday 17 December 2012

Many Moods of Sunrise in Indonesia

Mystic Sunrise in Purnama Beach, Bali, Indonesia
Misty Sunrise above rice field in Gempol, East Java, Indonesia
Loveable Sunrise in Ciwidey, West Java, Indonesia
Sadly Sunrise above "famous Lapindo mud" in Sidoarjo, East Java, Indonesia
#sunrise#sunset#photography#travel#trip#backpack#backpacker#destination#holiday#java#bali#indonesia#romantic#tour#sky#beach#lapindo#mountain#paddy#ricefield