Scenes from Indonesia

Ecologically blessed, economically challenged, vast and diverse, Indonesia is a country of contrasts. made up of 17,500 islands (only about 6,000 of those inhabited). Indonesia is populated by over 230 million people, speaking over 740 different languages and dialects within 300 distinct native ethnic groups - it is the fourth most populous country, after the United States. Impoverished conditions amongst people living in an area so rich with natural resources has also put extreme pressure on the environment, as increased mining and deforestation make more of an impact. Collected here are only a handful of photographs from Indonesia over the past several months - again, it's impossible to sum up such a diverse subject in a single collection. (32 photos total)

An elephant keeper collects food for the elephants at the Elephant Conservation Centre in Way Kambas National Park on Indonesia's Sumatra Island January 25, 2009. Since 1998, 22 elephants were born at Way Kambas Elephant Conservation Centre. Sumatran elephants, the smallest of all Asian elephants, are facing serious pressures arising from illegal logging and associated habitat loss and fragmentation in Indonesia, said Conservation Centre authorities. (REUTERS/Beawiharta)

Ramzar, a three-month-old Sumatran elephant, walks beside his parents at the Elephant Conservation Centre on January 25, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

Indonesian students wait for their turn to view an annular solar eclipse in Bandar Lampung, Indonesia Lampung province January 26, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

Indonesian Muslim people from Majelis Rasulullah conduct a prayer for Palestinians in Jakarta on January 17, 2009. (ADEK BERRY/AFP/Getty Images) #

An employee pours gold into a mold during processing at the PT Antam Tbk. precious metal refinery in Jakarta January 15, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

Singaporean Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) extremist, Mohammad Hasan bin Saynudin (center with beard), and nine other terror suspects sit behind the bars of the South Jakarta court detention house before their trial on January 13, 2009. The ten suspects were rounded up in and around Palembang in late June and early July, 2008 and were accused of forming a dangerous cell linked to some of the region's most wanted extremists. (BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images) #

A worker carries containers of crude oil to be processed into fuel at a well on December 22, 2008 in Bojonegoro, Indonesia. Crude oil mining is undertaken in what is known as the "eternal oil fields" using traditional methods and simple equipment. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

Crude oil sprays from a well bucket as a result of mining processes on December 22, 2008 in Bojonegoro, Indonesia. The "eternal oil field" reserves were rediscovered here, just over 100km from Surabaya in 2005, although the 210 wells date back to Dutch colonial times. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

A worker attempts to extinguish a flame at the source of an oil well on December 22, 2008 in Bojonegoro, Indonesia. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

A worker inspects crude oil resulting from mining processes at a well December 23, 2008 in Bojonegoro, Indonesia. The 2005 rediscovery of these fields was the biggest in Indonesia in three decades, and remains one of the biggest oil reserves in Indonesia. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

A mine worker takes part in the extraction of crude oil from a well on December 23, 2008 in Bojonegoro, Indonesia. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

Distilled diesel oil pours in to a tank as it waits for the sale to a distributor December 22, 2008 in Bojonegoro, Indonesia. These fields are mined jointly by the state oil company Pertamina and a subsidiary of ExxonMobil. Fields such as those at Banyu Urip alone produce up to 170,000 barrels per day, accounting for 20 percent of Indonesia's crude oil production.(Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

A child sits on a railway track near an open-air vegetable stall in Jakarta January 30, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

A member of Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) carries a Palestinian flag during a rally in Jakarta, against Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip January 11, 2009. (REUTERS/Supri) #

This handout photo taken on January 17, 2009 and received by Michele Paolino, captain of the Wellard Rural Exports livestock ship MV Becrux, on January 22, 2009 shows three Indonesian fishermen adrift on debris in the Java Sea after their ship sank. The Australian livestock company said on January 22 it had rescued the three Indonesian fishermen who claimed to have drifted for seven days on the makeshift raft after their fishing boat sank off Indonesia on January 10. (Michele Paolino/AFP/Getty Images) #

Firefighters battle a massive fire at one of Jakarta's largest fuel terminals early Monday Jan. 19, 2009 in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was unclear what started the fire, but "explosions were heard from the tank," said Afendi, a worker at the Pertamina national oil company which operates the fuel depot.(AP Photo/Ed Wray) #

This photo shows land readied for palm oil plantation use on Borneo island on November 20, 2008. #

An orangutan is seen with an tranquilizer dart in his side - to make him sleep before rangers relocate him to another place on Borneo island, away from this palm oil plantation. In the middle of Borneo island, a struggle against deforestation is lead by Yayasan Orangutan Indonesia (Yayorin) who tries to convince indigenous people not to sell their lands to palm oil companies, which are vital to the orangutan. Photo taken on November 19, 2008. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images) #

A ranger is seen carrying an unconscious orangutan, as he works to relocate him on Borneo island, Indonesia on November 19, 2008. (AFP/AFP/Getty Images) #

A man smokes a cigarette near a traditional schooner at Sunda Kelapa port in Jakarta January 14, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

A worker carries a sack of cement inside the hull of a traditional schooner headed for Sumatra island at Sunda Kelapa port in Jakarta January 14, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta #

A traditional gold miner walks past by a large mining pit in Hampalit, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, Thursday, April 24, 2008. With the price of gold tripling since 2001, tens of thousands of remote mining sites have sprung up mostly in Asia, Latin America and Africa. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) #

Traditional miners pan for gold at a mine in Hampalit, Central Kalimantan, Indonesia, Thursday, April 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara) #

Rohingya refugees sit in their encampment at a military base Friday, Jan. 30, 2009 on Sabang, off the Coast of Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The Indonesian government is decding what to do with the 193 would-be immigrants - the Rohingya are a Muslim ethnic group from Myanmar - who were rescued from a decrepit boat found drifting with inadequate supplies by Acehnese fishermen. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara) #

Acehnese fishermen wait for customers at the Lampulo fishing port in Banda Aceh, Indonesia, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara) #

Residents use a rubber boat to help others collecting belongings from their flooded houses in Jakarta, Indonesia, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009. Heavy overnight rain triggered flooding in many parts of the city, as it does every year around the rainy season. (AP Photo/Irwin Fedriansyah) #

Indonesian children stand inside their home above a lake contaminated with garbage in the slums of northern Jakarta January 10, 2009. (REUTERS/Supri) #

A Muslim woman attends a yoga lesson in Bandung, west of Java January 30, 2009. Indonesian yoga teachers disputed recently that the practice was damaging for Muslims after the country's top Islamic body issued a fatwa banning followers from yoga that includes chanting, mantras or meditation. (REUTERS/Enny Nuraheni) #

Men from the Mony tribe carry arrows during a traditional ceremony for a handover of land from the tribe to the government in Waghete Paniyai village in Indonesia's Papua province January 29, 2009. (REUTERS/Muhammad Yamin) #

A farmer collects latex at a rubber plantation in Kemiri village on the outskirts of Jember, Indonesia's East Java province December 30, 2008. The world's top three rubber-producing nations last week stepped up efforts to revive ailing prices, agreeing to cut next year's exports by a sixth and banning more sales until prices rebound by nearly 25 per cent. Indonesia is the second largest natural rubber producer after Thailand. (REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas) #

Workers collect rust near a ship demolition site in Jakarta January 12, 2009. It takes a dozen workers up to two months to break up a ship for its valuable scrap metal. The women earn around $2 if they can collect about 100 kg of rust. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

An elephant keeper feeds milk to Peppy, a Sumatran elephant who was trapped in a well a year ago at the Elephant Conservation Centre in Way Kambas National Park on Indonesia's Sumatra Island January 25, 2009. (REUTERS/Beawiharta) #

More links and information

Indonesia - NYTimes.com Topics page

Indonesia - Wikipedia entry

Indonesia - Google map

< Back to front page

Workers collect Rust? For profit?
Oh man...Take about land of opportunity!

Posted by kinky jones January 30, 09 07:59 PM

To Nick: sadly for us all, you can live such a good life thanks to people like those in #27. The gain of the less is the lost of the most.

Posted by aleph January 30, 09 08:40 PM

> #27 makes me proud to be an American... Thank God my children do not have to grow up that way.

It makes me proud to be an Indonesian .. still poor ... but Thank God my children won't be Nicks :)

Posted by Rahmat Anugrah Bapa January 30, 09 09:49 PM

great picture ...

Posted by ano January 30, 09 10:48 PM

a bright view of indonesia photo, i love to see this picture. i can see a diffrent view of indonesia

Posted by hendra1 January 30, 09 11:18 PM

These are incredible pictures, showing exactly how wonderful it is to simply be alive and how despite the many differences, if we just look closer into our own backyard, there are many similar sceneries like these ... around the world. Thank you for sharing the stories and these pictures!

Posted by Sylvia January 31, 09 01:31 AM

#28: It's Bandung, West Java (not west of Java).

Posted by Mikaele January 31, 09 04:05 AM

another side life of my country.
awesome.

and big LOL for Rahmat Anugrah Bapa's comment.

Posted by -tikabanget- January 31, 09 04:44 AM

Palm oil plantations are a big problem...

Posted by Sven January 31, 09 05:54 AM

superbe le reportage photo, comme toujours.

Posted by Anonymous January 31, 09 06:14 AM

Wellcome to my country SIR :D

Posted by reges January 31, 09 06:41 AM

I was quite impressed with the conditions of the oil mining workers...and still more impressed to know that "these fields are mined jointly by the state oil company Pertamina and a subsidiary of ExxonMobil". Shame on Exxon!

To Nick: since you're proud (and lucky) to live in a wealthy country, right now you should be thinking of what you can do to help these (#27) and any other children that are not so lucky as you.

Posted by Luis Paulo January 31, 09 07:17 AM

Great! like always

Posted by Payam January 31, 09 07:40 AM

THANK YOU (again!) for the gorgeous pictures on such an important subject. Although I was initially drawn to this site for the beautiful or pretty pictures (and still LOVE seeing them!), these pictures are so much more important to see. We in the U.S. really have NO IDEA how good we've got it. These help us understand a little. I wish everyone could see them and be moved by them. Thanks!

Posted by mileslarboy January 31, 09 09:59 AM

Indonesia is the best... many great place in here... please come and visit us...

Posted by ashep January 31, 09 11:35 AM

#26 - I'm from Indonesia, and this condition happens EVERY rainy season, including in Jakarta, our beloved capital city. We're supposed to be a rich country, with all the diversity, humongous population, and natural resources.. our problem is only one : corruption.. sad but true

Posted by Yusuf January 31, 09 11:47 AM

I AM ADDICTED TO YOUR WEBSITE!

YOU HAVE THE BEST PICTURES!!!!

OMG

Posted by Omar January 31, 09 03:25 PM

A few guys on this thread from Indonesia, I would be interested to find out if you think this is a reasonable representation of your country? Love 'the big picture' and these are undeniably good pictures but I'm interested as to how much you feel it conveys?

p.s. I realize that the ambition of 'the big picture' was not to sum up the country. The title of the pictures 'scenes from Indonesia' states a more modest aim. I do think however that the question of representation is still a valid one.

Thanks

Posted by Josh (photography student, UK) January 31, 09 03:34 PM

amazing pictures. yes many of the most resource wealthy countries suffer from crushing corruption and not enough real leadership. The biggest gang with the most guns usually rules the roost. Not specifically talking about indonesia here but many african countries and also asian countries are this way. The good thing is that democracy is a natural evolution and in time people will overthrow their oppressors and learn to represent themselves. maybe not today maybe not tomorrow but someday.

Posted by deezy January 31, 09 03:45 PM

So Indonesia has it's problems too, as do most countries. No surprise here!

Posted by OhWell January 31, 09 04:09 PM

Great work!

Posted by Anonymous January 31, 09 04:25 PM

#27: Lakefront condo near beautiful downtown Jakarta. Man. Those people got it made!!!

Posted by Holden McGroin January 31, 09 06:05 PM

#13 - Must be a brave kid to sit on a railway track....

Posted by ryan January 31, 09 10:38 PM

Hey.... Hide the pics about the oil.... dont tell the world youve got oil.... Thank god the president Changed... Or Bush Might have said that there are terrorist hiding in Indonesia and then wage war against you ;-)

Posted by febin January 31, 09 11:49 PM

Dang.. Those pics are awesome! Especially pic #7-12 just simply reminded me when I was having an internship at Cepu, West Java!

Posted by Jerry C2mrg February 1, 09 02:04 AM

I'm an American who has been living and working in Indonesia since 2002. I find this series of photos to be less than accurate at demonstrating the diversity that the author mentioned in the text, but do enjoy the photos for what they are.

I am disappointed to see some of the comments listed below, especially,"makes me proud to be an American... Thank God my children do not have to grow up that way.".

I am also American - and let me tell you, I'd much rather grow up here than in some of the dangerous, crime-ridden sections of downtown Detroit or Chicago. Despite such poverty, most Indonesians are friendly, upbeat, and warm people.

For a more vibrant outlook on Indonesia showing a more positive aspect, you may wish to view my photos from Indonesia: http://www.thejavajive.com/blog or http://www.thejavajive.com/photoblog - as a photographer living here, I've strived to show that there is more to this country than what you've seen above. Indonesia is a lush, beautifully vibrant country, with people that are as welcoming as any I've ever known.

Having said that I love The Big Picture's work, but I simply don't feel this series represents the full spectrum of what the country and people are about.

Posted by Brandon February 1, 09 02:17 AM

I am an Indonesian, and am one of those lucky ones who were brought up in a middle class home in a big city. To Josh from the UK, a really great question. In my humble opinion, I think the pictures here are honest ones. How much do they represent my country? They represent parts of it in all honesty. But, like anything else, there is always the other side of the coin, other sides of the prism. I noticed that you are also a photographer. Maybe you should start a project of your own in Indonesia? :)

Posted by devi February 1, 09 04:38 AM

thanks.....that i�m born in "old europe"....

Posted by cas February 1, 09 05:59 AM

Wow, amazing pictures. Great work.

You can exactly see how Indonesia is completely damaging nature. Oil-winning is dirty and the few Orangutans on Bornea get a smaller and smaller habitat because some people think palmoil is the solution for our energy problems.

http://www.orangutanprotection.com/indexeng.php?menu=main1.php&lang=eng

Posted by Erik van Erne, Milieunet Foundation February 1, 09 08:05 AM

ya but i think that this country has much beautiful and amazing scenes to be share

Posted by Lebanon February 1, 09 08:13 AM

Its Superb pic...

"A man smokes a cigarette"
i put one as my wallpaper

I will promote this url on mymodal gratis blog

Posted by arif February 1, 09 08:35 AM

some words on eastern timor would have added to balancing the whole

Posted by fou February 1, 09 01:46 PM

Interesting collection of photos.
Do they represent Indonesia ?
I would have to say no,not really,not its whole -while these are excellent shots,
they tend to concentrate on the saddest,poorest parts of its society.
I have lived in this amazing country for 10+ years,originally a Brit,and have
thousands of photographs of the people,culture,wildlife and landscape on my computer,only a few show the same view as above.I see more beauty.
Indonesia can only be appreciated when visited with an open mind-(bring your camera)-check pre-concieved ideas at the airport..

mins awaywithin

Posted by esszeeeye February 1, 09 09:28 PM

#27 DOES make me glad (*gasp* proud, even) to be an American. Why? Because we care enough about our country and ourselves not to live this way. And, owing much to our great wealth and prosperity, we fix it if it ever does happen here. There's no reason to apologize for that.

The USA pays out more in charitable contributions to the world than anyone, so it cannot be said we don't help those less fortunate.

I also seem to remember it was the USA's PRIVATE citizens that came running to the tsunami disaster that hit this region giving an estimated $1.5+Billion.

Despite the hand wringing regarding the subject matter in this series, these were great photos. Showing grit and daily life for some always makes for good subject matter.

Posted by RK February 2, 09 12:05 AM

Great picks! Lovely collection as always..greatly enjoyed this one.

Posted by AN February 2, 09 01:45 AM

my indonesia, my heart is yours :) indonesia should be about her people, not the government..

Posted by rn in melbourne australia February 2, 09 02:15 AM

Great collection - adding to the non-tourist info about this great land. Thanks & greetings from Bulgaria, Big Pic!

Posted by Galina February 2, 09 07:43 AM

Amazing pictures, as usual. Keep up the great work! Love the site! :)

Posted by Rachel February 2, 09 09:52 AM

the pictures are just fantastic! am impressed

Posted by AKOSUA February 2, 09 10:19 AM

#8 amazing photo

Posted by loukas February 2, 09 11:50 AM

I think these people have many, many bigger problems than Israel. Is it me, or do Islamic people and dire poverty go hand in hand?

Posted by atheist February 2, 09 12:16 PM

Hey atheist - there are some extremely poor Catholic countries, Hindu countries, etc. And some awfully weathly Muslims. I think you need to study some history before you make generalizatons like that. These countries and the middle east are today exploited by big businesses in the west. Take a look at the gold mine picture, for example.

Posted by rollingeyes February 2, 09 01:21 PM

Big Picture is quickly transitioning from a site of silliness to a site of incredible photographs.

What's next - high resolution photos of a Tough Guy Challenge?

(sorry, couldn't resist)

Posted by palindrome February 2, 09 02:23 PM

I love the photos! Is it possible to include the EXIF data? I'd like the extra insight into the technical details of the photos.

Thanks,
Mike

Posted by Mike C. February 2, 09 02:28 PM

great photos of a vibrant and diverse country

Posted by john February 2, 09 03:50 PM

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT EFFORTS TO INFORM AND EGDUCATE US.

Posted by EMIL NOURBAKHSH February 2, 09 05:26 PM

RK, I don't think the word should be proud. You shouldn't be proud that you don't live in those conditions. You probably feel fortunate and lucky to not live that way... which is exactly how I feel. But in response to America's wealth and fixing it if it happens here, try saying that to the homeless living in cardboard boxes. Every country has its good and bad.

Alan, the Big Picture is one of my favorites sites. Thank you!

Posted by R V February 2, 09 07:27 PM

great pictures btw.. i feel that it does show how most of the people in Indonesia are living. The richer will always get richer and the poor will just stay the same. However, there are so many parts of Indonesia that are simply beautiful. Like Bali or Lombok.. Bali is probably my favourite place in the world, the people are kind and friendly, the scenes are stunning, if any of you have the chance to visit, please do, you won't be disappointed!! I think that born and raised there did give me some advantage, to see how the actual world is, btw Obama did live there and he is now your president.. Now that i live in Toronto, i do miss it a lot, though i do visit every two years or so.. but I am not shame to be an indonesian, in fact, i love it..

Posted by yas February 2, 09 09:17 PM

Hi, I'm Indonesian.
I think these pictures are beautiful and sincere, but yet to uncover the whole story of Indonesia. I agree with Brandon.
@ Josh, us should come and visit for your self...

Posted by Daisuke Nara February 3, 09 02:53 AM

#74 Islam and poverty don't go hand by hand, what it really goes hand by hand is poverty and exploited rich in resources countries like Indonesia and practically the whole Africa, for example. Why do you thing Holland and others european countries became so rich at some point in history (from XVII century onwards)? Apart from that you get a mix of Christian (both catholic and protestant), Hinduism and Islamic faiths in Indonesia, depending on the area or island you are.

Posted by dani February 3, 09 07:31 AM

about #7-12

There are so many wrong information implied by these pics. The caption was written as if this is the Banyu Urip Field that is operated jointly by Pertamina and Exxonmobil. Totally False! This is local people just utilizing very old Dutch oil wells and oil peeps.

The Banyu Urip field itself has just started producing a couple hundred of barrel oil, not yet reached 170.000 BOPD.

Posted by Ngacier February 3, 09 09:23 AM

I'm also Indonesian, and you know what? Indonesia's dangerously beautiful, and maybe next time big picture could put some of the beautiful nature from Indonesia, so you could see that we have that side too.

yes, we do have problem but any countries has it too, please spend time to search for indonesian beauty on the internet rather than indonesian problem, you may find an interesting fact about it

Posted by armi February 3, 09 10:44 AM

#19. Chillin~. Although it's eyes seem to know what's going to become of his home turf. What an expression on his face!!

Posted by t.s.c February 4, 09 01:01 AM

thank your for the pics. they are inspirational. the people work really hard and the animals are also human-like, that show intelligence and frailty

Posted by Denver February 4, 09 03:22 AM

I feel so very blessed to have lived in Jakarta for years. These pictures really gave me a walk down memory lane.

Posted by Peggy Feist February 4, 09 09:22 PM

These photos show detailly some corners of lives in Indonesia, however they communicate more on the poor parts of it.
Indonesia has much more beautiful sides that can be observed and taken through camera lenses. The country is very rich for its natural sources and cultures such as the food, the beaches, mountains & tress, the people, the traditional clothes, dances & music, its vibrant and colorful lives from dawn to dawn in both big cities and small villages.
As a person who had been living there for 15 years, I'd say these photos do not represent Indonesia as its all.

Posted by spiwind February 4, 09 09:42 PM

It's great, carry on!

Posted by Paul Li February 4, 09 10:21 PM

WOW. Proud? these photos do not make me "proud" to be an American. I can see why pride is considered a major sin in so many religions. Just because we as Americans are seemingly ignorant of the poverty that happens in our own country that *when* it happens we fail to *fix it* does not mean we can sit here and look at these images and feel proud... we should feel humbled that we get to live in standards that others worked for to give us while we, under the pretense of patriotism, don't question the status quo, don't work to change our country's problems (which are hidden from most of *us*) for future generations because that would imply there is something wrong with our country thus, anti-patriotic.... Patriotism is such a defect . just because you happened to be born somewhere means you're obligated to love and die for that country. Love for a country is great, but why does the love have to stop at the borders? To imply that these people live like this because they don't love their country enough? well *luckily* you love our country enough to keep it the way it is... and yes id rather raise my kids outside of america so i can be happy they don't grow up like you

Posted by SK February 5, 09 02:42 PM

For Nick (#22): I have seen many troubling images from the USA and friends who have visited your country tell of being shocked at the number of visible homeless people. This could make me proud to be an Australian if I didn't know the other side of my own country as well.

Posted by Gaye February 5, 09 03:16 PM

Nick (#22) : feeling sorry for all the flames here man, but I see where you're coming from :)

Adrian (#33) : totally agree - we didn't get to choose where we'd like to be born in, so like you I'd be more proud of what I have done than where I'm born.

Josh (#51) : yep they're reasonable - and like the British we also like to poke at our own weaknesses, so it's all good :) Come and visit someday (maybe not to Java Sumatra and Bali cos they're boring)

Brandon (#59) : I think these photos are accurate, but as the author has mentioned aren't the complete picture, only parts of the huge picture that's Indonesia.

And THANK YOU FOR THE AWESOME PHOTOS!

Posted by Arnold February 5, 09 06:21 PM

Great stuff! Keep it up!

Posted by Naku Reno February 6, 09 12:16 PM

You can see more photos from Indonesian Photographers (mostly taken in Indonesia) via several web based Indonesian Photographers community sharing, If you are not a member, you can only view as thumbnail, if you want to see the complete photograph and also the EXIF data, just sign in as member, simple and no fee. so, you decide after watching the photos...
Some of those webs are:
http://www.fotografer.net/isi/galeri/?searchid=101&katacari=18
http://www.fotografer.net/isi/galeri/?searchid=101&katacari=10
http://www.ayofoto.com/?mod=6&cid=17
http://www.ayofoto.com/?mod=6&cid=21
...

Posted by ari February 7, 09 01:49 AM

hello... i'm an indonesian.......anybody want to ask something?

Posted by fafatonk3kusruk February 7, 09 10:55 PM

No. 8, it's my favorite, keren abis!..

Posted by Usma Muchlish February 8, 09 11:15 PM

Beautiful subject, well done !

Posted by Elisabeth February 9, 09 08:16 AM

Man, that guy in the first photo is ripped!!!!
He'd be a celebrity in this country, with his own excercise books and and diet plan.

Posted by kevjohn February 9, 09 05:36 PM

I JUSS LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! YALL DID IT AGAIN WONDERFUL PICTURES... BUT WHY??? HURT THE ANIMAL...

Posted by Brielle February 12, 09 11:21 AM

the pics about oil mining are just so true.
'thanks' to the american that proud to be theirs and own exxon mobile.
Exxon mobile gets richer exported all those rupiahs to dollar and send some money once a while when disaster happen.

oil is a sad agenda in Indonesia. But be it shouldn't be there.

Posted by japan February 13, 09 04:47 AM

great pictures, bro.
I'm Malaysian work for oil palm plantation in Jakarta. Your works inspired me to explore this wonderful country.
p/s the orang utan pix at the oil palm plantation may be used by unscrupulous people who try to discredit palm oil industry.

Posted by Kelapa Sawit Trader February 13, 09 10:51 PM

Indonesia is a country composed of more than thousand of islands which have unfortunalty a very different economic developpment but each island got his own culture mixed with the religion and old customs ( Putting aside Bali, Java is very different from Sumatra and even more from Sulawesi for instance) which make your trip in every of these islands a discovery. However, there is one common point the warm welcome and the smile of the Indonesian people. It is a very rich country you just have to open your eyes (hte good one) !!!!!
No comment on Nick and Big thumb up to Rahmat !!!!
However I do remember Big Picture already issued pics and subject on INdonesia and I recaled one on Sulawesi few months ago if I m not mistaken which was great !!!

Posted by Vanessa February 17, 09 08:28 AM

#31 is interesting. I looked at the photograph, read the caption and then looked a little more closely and noticed that the woman's shirt reads 'Four Season Paradise'

Posted by Mike February 20, 09 11:17 AM

@Nick"#27 makes me proud to be an American... Thank God my children do not have to grow up that way."
Well.. the present state of economic recession might make it that way sooner or later I guess.. sorry.

Posted by Raman ( http://vedictalks.blogspot.com ) February 22, 09 01:21 PM

Very very nice pictures you have here. I will come a lot.

Posted by Wely E.R. February 24, 09 06:03 AM

perfect photos.bravo
and congratulations to all those photographer

Posted by Anonymous February 25, 09 03:48 PM

Great Work !

Posted by Anonymous February 27, 09 06:39 AM

Excelent. I love Indonesia.

Posted by Anupam Bagchi February 28, 09 10:05 PM

As someone that was born in Indonesia it is nice to see these pictures, but on the other hand,when is the exploitation of Western Countries going to stop in third world countries like Indonesia and when is the partnership going to end with corrupt governments. It is sad to see that the indigenous people always get the short end of the stick.I think the oil industry should be ashamed of atrocities that have a occurred in third world countries because of there partnership with corrupt governments.

Posted by R.Paulus March 2, 09 06:52 AM

Beautiful pictures from a country and the people where I was born. It brought memories back. I hope the future looks much better then the conditions up till now, and the people will get what they really deserve.

Posted by D. Maryn March 9, 09 11:34 AM

oh no.. my country so beautiful, but the goverment make this like sh*t !!
i hate indonesian goverment!! bcause they sucks!!

Posted by pemerintah itu tai anjing March 9, 09 04:30 PM

saying these pictures represent Indonesia would be like saying pictures of Death Valley or the New York slums represent America. Indeed, it represents a very small portion of it, but not all of it. Still, yes, Indonesia has become more 3rd world than when under Dutch colonialism and it's so sad to see that the beautiful country of my parents day has been denigrated to an ecological nightmare. sad, really. Thank God for America!!

Posted by carol d. March 9, 09 04:46 PM

good picture but only signalizes to wickedness my country, really inequitable because still many good places that stills proper for look

Posted by teguh March 9, 09 05:22 PM

i'm indonesian...and i'm proud of it...
all the picture above DO NOT represent 100% condition in Indo...
u know the old sayin'
"there are two side of a coin"
there are a lot of more positive side my country...
and to nick (comment #22 and other close minded american people)...
I know that many people in your country do live similar lives to those in picture#27, in housing projects, slums and rural areas. that's the truth...
RIGHT OR WRONG IS MY COUNTRY...PROUD TO BE INDO...UP DULU GAN...KASKUSER ROCKS!

Posted by andri March 17, 09 07:04 AM

I'm Indonesian, and I have to admit these pictures truely represents the main issues today. LOL at the yoga meditation, true true we are too immature to these kind of thing . I mean she can do it only for the pleasure of it! But still if you're a Muslim, why don't you "meditate" by doing 5 times prayer? I guess these cumpolsory sets is becoming too boring for some people, they need other means of "meditation:.

but again STILL, I don't get it with this people who needs "yoga meditation". The exercises are fine, but the meditation? I don't think so. You can do at home without paying no?

Posted by Rizky March 31, 09 05:42 AM

i love photos from waghete village, paniai. thank you so much. good luck for us all

Posted by fery, koteka May 12, 09 07:15 AM

Just little part of coutry,,
Indonesia will be leader in the world..

Posted by arif June 1, 09 04:06 AM

that 's my country...n i love my country

Posted by shogun June 13, 09 05:06 AM

i love indonesia, as the citizen of indonesia i really proud and honor of it, but i still feel sad with the condition from indonesia people, because we just be a independence countries but there still a poor people and suffer community in indonesia.....why?

Posted by agoeslaw June 23, 09 12:05 AM

indonesia es maravilloso, tiene mucha magia y emigma, realmente es un lugar increible, el cual me gustaria conocer un dia...

Posted by Ana July 4, 09 04:23 PM

indonesia has been colonize by Dutch for 350 years, not to mention 3.5 years by japanese
imagine 350 years of exploitation on indonesia natural resource,
all the money, time and effort flew to dutch and europe to build their welfare
and when finally indonesia get their freedom, they still have to paid dutch as the price for freedom
if you people ask why indonesian live in poverty ask the dutch, japanese, portugis and spanish to return the time and money that they owe, than indonesia will not be poor anymore, by the way...good photo....honest picture

Posted by dedonk July 13, 09 05:43 AM

amazing indonesia

you'll love it

especially SURABAYA . IT'S GREAT CITY IN INDONESIA

Posted by GAMPANG July 24, 09 03:05 AM

great!!!

Posted by sanyu July 24, 09 09:21 AM

wonderful photos...

but again.. to emphasize... you cant summerize Indonesia in 32 photos!

Posted by dwi July 24, 09 09:27 AM

indo will be richer if freeport is out from there..

they dig gold and most of the profit goes to the company..

so sad the government did nothing against this kind of action.. (maybe they already bribed)

Posted by way July 24, 09 10:44 AM

----Translated from my friend from a small mountain at "Irian Jaya" in Indonesia---
(he don't understand English, so I translate his word for this comment)

"Incredible!!"

"These are very great photo taken from INDONESIA"

"As an Indonesian, I admire much for this site ^^ "

"But as an Indonesian, I think maybe Nick isn't 100% wrong. . ."

"I'm glad to be born in this "magnificent" country, but as a poor people I can't enjoy much goodness from my country, many of bad people sitting on the top of Indonesia, and we (the poor people) just live here and enjoy the condition"

"As a parent I'll glad if I have a boy like Nick, that he can live in a better place than me"

Posted by CrownMustBePeppy July 24, 09 10:57 AM

As Indonesian, I thought these photos, despite the "amazing factor", not represent Indonesia quite well. There are many bright side of Indonesia, for example how Indonesian have various culture and still can happily live with each other. These photos, IMHO, covers some darkest side.

but still... Proud to be Indonesian!
it's unconditional love called nationalism

Posted by cottie July 24, 09 05:29 PM

Nice pic...!! Great work!!

Posted by Bardi August 29, 09 04:18 PM

I was impressed of your pictures.It this show that What wonderful of Indonesia is.Indonesian worked very hard to survive their life and hope someone who should take responsibility for that.
The big picture of indonesia...please tight your hands and lets start to relize ..theres no difficult...

Posted by Sarifah September 1, 09 05:08 AM

#28 :-)

i'm a big fan of that picture, i really like that yoga i's done all over the world.

independant of religion or political mindset.

denise, yoga teacher
from darnstadt, germany
http://triniyoga.de

Posted by denise weiner September 16, 09 06:01 PM

What a beautiful country, that's my country ^_^

Posted by Maximillian September 20, 09 07:20 AM

Being raised in the United States of America for over 25 years, I see many Americans who feel that they are entitle to everything when they have not earned anything. They do not understand that they are much more fortunate than other people around the world. Most Americans don't understand that life is one trillion times harder in other parts of the world.

Great pictures.

Posted by Ken November 17, 09 08:24 PM