Lagoa of Comoro River Estuary

Rivers when flown through by storm water in rainy season become extremely overwhelming, and intimidating.  Runoff water flows ragingly along the banks, erodes anything on its way even the concreted riverbank walls. People who live nearby are usually anxious, afraid of being affected. But how it feels when the water filling the river stays calm and static?

Comoro River is seasonal. It gets water when there is rain. No water remains after the rain; the storm water usually goes straight down to the sea because of the short distance of upstream to downstream. The river empties in short time. The river then becomes dried, dusty, and barren. What worse are sand diggers or miners excavate the deposit or materials for sell. This mining activity is not a very good thing for the river to stay intact to serve its functions.

After all the downside, the Comoro River estuary shows something that could be tapped and enjoyed buy the community in Dili. The estuary got filled by seawater after high tides in recent weeks. The seawater intruded up to like 400-500 meters long to the upstream. The water then trapped after the tides transported sands and closed the way out.

The trapped water now stays inside the enclosed estuary. There, a small Lagoa (lake) created. The water stays calm allowing mosses, small fishes, and other biodiversity around the area start to form. Birds and other animals get a new plaza at the side of the river to roam around. The Lagoa looks very natural and fresh in the morning time.

The Comoro River estuary is a public space. Some people go there to exercise; not only that, it is one of the best sunset spots in Dili. When this small lake formed, it adds more attraction not only for the biodiversity but for people. Many people go there to take photos. The main features that they would like to capture with when they take photos are the lake itself, the sunset, and some part of the sea body. The whole area of the estuary is now getting more photogenic. 

I was sitting on river protection wall while looking over the Lake; the water is so calm, and beautiful. It is so relaxing that I could listen to the sound of birds, and feel the gust of wind that is so fresh. I was thinking that whether the government can do something to this estuary in a long term plan.  It needs some engineering intervention to keep the Lake stay longer and public infrastructure arrangement as well. I was imagining if in the future, the lake does not only serve as photo spot, but also paddling of small canoes. This is mostly considerable when I think about the development of Dili International airport. Tourists could see this when they fly overhead. This calm water makes people to come closer and love rivers more instead of afraid of it.

**I hope this gives you an inspiration. 

Sea, Air, Land, and Underground Strikes on Dili City

Today’s morning I walked down to the beach to see the impact of the tidal floods happened yesterday afternoon, 28 May 2021. It affected several beachfront houses, and roads. The beachfront area of Pantai Kelapa, and Bebonuk were the most affected. The tides tore off some of the squatter housing located on the beach, and the tides even crossed the road and flooded some of the houses on the other side. It did not cause deaths but it did disrupt the traffic, and damage some squatter housing making the people to evacuate for a few hours. The event was warned already by the Meteorological Agency of the Government. The agency predicted that there were possible high tides, and wind storms due to ….bla..bla (dunno scientific terminologies). People were asked to be vigilant, particularly at the beachfront.

This is another strike on Dili city, which I call it Sea strike. The beachfront areas in Dili are prone to tidal floods.  People are living in the beach which makes them the first layer to be hit by the high tides. The impact won’t come next year but is happening now and will just intensify as there are no mitigation measures taken to relocate the current squatters, and prohibit future development at the beachfront. Just for you to imagine that somewhere up to the area of Caicoli will below the sea level just in 50 years. Please imagine! For me, if there are no adaptation measures taken to prevent sea water to flow as far as Caicoli, for sure, the prediction will surely be proven correct; and it means our children won’t see Palacio do Guverno anymore.

Before these tidal floods, there was a huge Air strike on the Dili city occurred two months ago. The government declared a state of calamity due to the heavy rains occurred across the country from 29 March to 4 April which resulted in flash floods. The floods affected a sizable area of Dili. It inundated approximately around 90% from the total across the country- or 25,881 households in Dili municipality, and 41 Fatalities in total. The impacts of Air strike will intensify due to the climate change, poor land use plan, and disorganized physical development. 

Also I have got a few friends who fly drones. They showed me pictures of how Dili got Land strike very hard after heavy rains. People living in the upstream of the city, and notoriously on the hills, they have also been hit very hard. Landsides on the hills and river bank erosion caused houses literally yanked out from the ground. There is no hope to recover from this kind of damage because rebuilding means soil ground stabilization first which I think impossible for individuals to afford. If they keep living in the same area then, I will let you to imagine.

As the city grows and being burdened by mass production of load and the weakening ground prop, underground strike is also possible. Dili city’s underground water is being sucked out as the population grows. Now, population of Dili is around 300k; underground water is exploited uncontrollably, and this is not good for the stabilization of the ground for the future. I remember, the city of Jakarta, some experts predict the land subsidence is happening often, and the city will collapse.

Lately, Dili city is being hit by disaster from rains, storm water floods, landslides, tidal floods, and possible land subsidence. Well, like a war, you have to understand the nature of your enemies, also like where they will strike from. Now it is important to study those disasters that have occurred, and try to do something carefully, and systematically to solve. The country has been independent for about more than 20 years, but most things done are responsive not preventive.  I take the analogy of war because it might be easily understandable because I have seen recently that most Timorese are interested to talk more about Israel and Palestinian war instead of their own problems.

 

 ** I hope this gives you an inspiration.

Japanese Airplane Crashes in Lore, Lautem

The War World II effect was also felt in East Timor. East Timor was under the colonial, Portuguese rule during the War occurring between 1942-1943, some Timorese were being bombed and killed. The killed Timorese were the aides for Australian military who was the main enemy of the Japanese military at the time. In a more sustained local suffering, I heard from my village grandparents, the Japanese military forced them to serve in building shelters or housing and infrastructure in order to facilitate logistical distributions.

Fortunately, the War ended, and thus the suffering also stopped. The WWII left a lot of footprint in physical forms as well. There are so many tunnels, roads, compounds that the Japanese military built. It is all now becoming historic assets. Those assets need to be preserved for tourism and educational purposes. I am afraid; however, the government is able to go that far in preserving the historical assets located sporadically all over the country and that being out of sight and reach as time goes by.

One specific remnant that drew my attention is a Japanese WWII military airplane crashed in Lore, a village in the South side of Lospalos, the capital city of Lautem municipality. The airplane crashed in the forest; the color of the airplane is white. However, it is now being eaten up by mosses to about turn green entirely.  According to the source I contacted to, the exact name of the location where the airplane crashed is Raka, Lore - Lautem. It would be interesting to find more sources to tell about the story, and if get a chance, to visit the location. Japanese tourists who visit East Timor should be more interested than any other tourists, right?

Lastly, I must admit that I have not confirmed fully whether it is real. A Facebook friend posted it, I asked him, and he said yes it is real. Then I texted a friend who is from the village also said yes. I could not wait until confirmed, I go ahead to share with those of you who read this blog, by the way with an expectation that you might be interested to visit one day either for the sake of curiosity or for a predetermined purpose. If you happen to confirm the reality of the photo, please let me know so I can edit the content, or even delete if it is totally fake.

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.

Trail Shaped by Nature

“When left alone, the nature eventually takes over.” This is what happens to the circular road right at the toe of Cristo Rei’s statue hill. The road was progressively damaged by waves. I remember the first damage occurred years back. It was just news without intervention until the road paralyzed and is totally out of service. Ever since the road had not been in use and impassable by cars.

Some people complained for this long abandoned road never came back to open because it could be an alternative route for them to go to Hera, and on to the East side of the country. Dili residents similarly have limited options to go farther of the coast line of Cristo Rei. They have to park the cars in the other side and then walk to Dolok Oan.

The abandoned road has shaped a new character and serves new functions.  Trees and grass have outgrown the used to be asphalt and concrete surface. The trees getting taller and the grass getting thicker in the rainy season. It is a new space for birds, and other animals to live in. The sound or birds quite relaxing; while walking, you could also see the sunlight shines through the tree canopy. This has shaped a new character of this area as before.

This nature-shaped character made the road is not for cars anymore but people. People go there for jogging. It is a place to go farther if you want to be alone; it also becomes a fishing spot. Locals and even foreigners go there for fishing, both day and night times. The road severs the new functions.

Since the abandoned road could also provide benefits for the environment, and the people, what do you think that this place should be for? to restore the function by rehabbing the road to bring back the cars or Keep as it is now for people to enjoy the nature, and their leisure time? I will leave it for you to answer if you are from Dili. 

** Hope this gives you and inspiration

Hera ETO Mangrove Forest Tourism

 

I asked a guy who was sitting under a small house inside the mangrove forest if there is any native and unique name for this place distinguishable to other mangroves in Hera. He said you can just call this place "Hera ETO mangrove forest." I asked about naming or branding of this site because there are several patches of mangrove forest in the area of Hera which people could not quickly distinguish from one another.  

 

Situated near ETO fuel depot, a community organization called Asosiasaun Konservasaun Flora i Fauna has just started to develop the mangrove recreation site. One and crucial facility is wooden walkway bridge. Approximately a hundred meters long walkway has been built to make access possible into the forest. Management of this new recreation site charges entry fee, $1 per person.

 

A person who often times passes by this area and could only see outer, I was amazed by the internal look after entering the forest. The place is so fresh, and cool for one to have a good time in. According to the guy, number of visitors is quite high on weekends. The site has just opened some weeks ago, and people are quite curious and attracted to come.

 

When I asked the guy what activities are planned for this mangrove recreation site, he said people can come here to relax, also school and university students to do mangrove conservation research activities. But nearly all the visitors come to take photos. The management plans to construct another access facility to the top of a big beachside rock. There will be a nice photo spot. However, this plan needs some time to implement because they need to raise fund, make design and build. Constructing access to the top of the rock will be another unique experience.

 

There are around tens of monkeys living inside the forest. These monkeys are native, and have multiplied since the forest was taken cared by the association. I was talking to the guy what if you do monkey feeding business alongside the entry fee, those monkeys could be fed by the visitors with banana bought from your association. You would make another money to keep and develop this site. 

 

Another important aspect is parking for visitors. The parking is not healthy because dusty. Furthermore, visitors on-street parking is not safe since the road, National Road Number 1 has improved significantly, and traffic is quite busy. The guy said they would like to improve the parking area in the near future.    

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.

New Upgrading for Cristo Rei Park?

 

Recently Cristo Rey (CR) has been a very comfortable place to be at, for jogging, in particular. Things are improved: security for vandalism, street lights, park lights, sidewalks, and tree canopy, the most important component for the place. Even though the hills are almost bare in dry season, the down part does have tree canopy where we can ask for shade to evade from hot sun light. Not only the tree canopy, open huts  as well, necessary.  

In my today's afternoon jogging, I found something new there. Four open huts lined alongside the bottom corridor of CR have been torn down to the ground. For your information, there are no huts anymore for people to use for picnic. I was asking around, with the security guards, whether they know something about prospect of the tearing down. They said the government plans to replace it with new type.  

This is a good news because the old ones looked wearing out, and even the wooden elevated floor was already fragile. It would sink if it was overloaded. I knew because I ever tried by jumping on it, and felt it like that. 

We hope the new type of huts are better than the old ones. It should be even more attractive, to add more of aesthetic value to CR park. By the way, I will put a follow up posting when I see the new ones completed. 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration.    





 

Presiza Desenvolve Setor Turismu ho Sériu

Fonte Fotografia nian

 

Infrastrutura básika barak maka melhoradu ona. Estrada nasional hanesan Dili - Ainaro; Dili - Batugede; Dili - Lautem, Baucau - Viqueque; foin iha dia 26 Novembru rona notísia katak iha tan projetu foun Gleno - Hatubuilico. Estrada kaber tena hanesan ajuleiju uma laran nian. Sa tan freeway husi Suai - Zumalay, ne semo deit. Depois, ponte kais Dili foin remata - Oe-cusse nian halo keleur ona; Dili - Atauro (rona katak ema deskute hela atu halo). Atu sae aviaun moso Aeroportu Oe-cusse furak ona. Suai nian bot hanesan mos. Hela Dili nian maka agora iha diskusaun nia laran hela atu halo iha tempu badak tanba ne stratejiku tebes ba turismu . Eletrisidade? keta husu, tanba ne komesa kedan husi tinan barak ba kotuk. Ate kuaje Timor laran tomak atu kobre hotu ona. Bé mos? naturalmente Timor ne fonte bé barak. Ema iha Médiu Oriente deit bele moris. So ke ita nia problema maka seidauk dada ba kada ema ida-idak ninia uma. Agora infrastrutura básika kuaze barak maka iha ona no seluk barak tan sei OTEWE hela, será que ita sei uza nafatin rasaun problema infrastrutura?

Lae ona! ita presiza sériu no move on tanba ita halimar mak barak demais liu. Komesa husi alokasaun orsamentu. Ita presija hapara ona orsamentu ba aktividade sira nebe maka nia resultadu la klaru. Para ona aloka orsamentu ba aktividade em nome desenvolvimentu turismu ba halo konferensia iha rai liur, tuir expo, promosaun, lori investidores, asina nota de intendimentu ho ASEAN, WTO, UNDP, UNKNOWN, UNFORTUNATE, no ho UN...UN, ou Inter-Inter sira seluk. Sim, presiza duni, maibe tahan oituan, hein lai, depois, ita uza osan sira ne uluk hodi desenvolve didiak tia lai sasan sira ida ita atu fa'an ne lai. Kuandu forsa ona iha rai laran, ema maka mai deit. Alternativu seluk maka halo website ho video informativu no kapas hodi nune ita mos la presiza gasta osan barak, ema bele aprende husi internet deit antes atu mai visita. Tanba saida maka ita halo hanesan ne? tanba TIMOR OSAN OITUAN DEIT, LA BARAK IDA! Se kontinua nafatin, ema ida-rua maka aproveita liu husi ba pasiar no hetan perdiem makas; kona ba resultadu, ne longu prazu, e nu fim, ne segredu Aman laran luak Ninian.

Ita presiza sériu mos hare didiak ona ba ita nia planu stratejiku sira nivel implementasaun. Ita iha ona planu nivel nasional, mas ida ne sai hanesan matan dalan deit ba hodi hatene ita nia objetivu komun. Nia sei jeral liu, kalkula ba distansia karik, nia iha kalohan neba. Ita presija hare planu tematiku no spefisiku sira kada setor alen de ida-didak nia objetivu prinsipal, enkasha mos objetivu nasional desenvolvimentu turismu nian. Kada setor mos tengki konta ou konsidera ou integra komponente turismu nian. Planu sira ne'e presiza kait malu no implementa ho sériu para nia resultadu bele akumula hamutuk hodi fo impaktu bot kedan. Ema balun koalia nune, "oho manu rua ho fatuk ida deit" se lae, ita mak lao hansa ne'e nafatin, ida-idak mai ho nia projetu, nu fim resultadu nungka mosu no kontinuasaun laiha hela deit to fim do mundu.

Presiza komesa ona kuda kultura institutional foun. Hadia ita nia stratejia sira, tengki klaru no asaun sira tengki kona kedan mat laran. Ita atu desenvolve fatin turistiku ida, konseitu tengki klaru, objetivu tengki klaru. Hakat tok husi office laran sai ba koalia ho instituisaun relevante sira nebe iha papel. Se mak dada tutan ahi ba neba, se mak fui aspal ba iha neba, se mak dada bé ba neba, se maka atu fo siguransa no seluk-seluk tan. Presiza koalia hamutuk no kria objetivu comun no ikus keta haluha tau kedan ninia timeline ba servisu sira nebe iha.

Ita presiza tebes halo sasan ho sériu, se lae maka sei nafatin deit. 'Embot' iha nasional labele izola nia kakutak no konseitu ba deit iha espasu medida botir nian deit tanba interese no previleju . Tengki hanoin, imajina, no hateke luan hanesan husi Ramelau tutun tun ba karaik. 'Embot' labele koalia barak liu kona ba persentagem ejekusaun orsamentu. Tanba ida ne servisu prinsipal akuntan ninian. Mos la bele koalia barak liu maka progresu projetu no prosesu pagamentu tanba ne servisu prinsipal project manager no enjinheiru sira nia (se karik projetu fisiku ruma). Se nune nafatin maka ho lian bapa nian karik ema bolu Menteri rasa Akuntan ou Menteri rasa Project Manager. Iha Timor dala ruma ita susar atu distingisa pojisaun ema nian se ita rona deit husi vokabulariu nebe maka sira uza.

**Espera ida ne'e bele for inspirasaun.



 

Bicycle-Sharing System in Oé-Cusse

Source of the picture

To those who have gone to big cities like in the USA or Europe or similar, bicycle-sharing system is not a new thing. This non-motorized transport system has become a trend recently. I saw on Facebook that Oé-Cusse (Special Economic Zone) has also just started following the rail even though as a beginner. However, what matters here is not about the size, but the intention and the initiative itself.

I believe that the intention is to try to develop tourism sector, particularly in Oé-Cusse town. This bike sharing system will facilitate visitors to get around because there is no public transport system yet. Individual private transport rental is even freaking expensive. So this is a very good help for visitors. I have not tried it yet because the installation was only made after my last visit, or maybe I just did not know about it? I am looking forward to trying it.

 

Taking initiative is very important. When you have set your vision, try new things to achieve the vision. In the context of Timor-Leste, I think some people may think the initiative is unimportant. People would prefer to build roads and then buying cars to load the roads intensively and heavily. However, Oé-Cusse has set an example by initiating this small scale and petty project to educate its people and its visitors to live more green in the future. I think the short-term impact of this initiative is kind of debatable. However, the long-term one will be deep for environment and for economy as well.

 

I found consistency between goal of creating the special economic zone and the initiative. The special economic zone model is a national pilot project where its authority is expected to try different development initiatives to see what work and what do not. For me, bicycle-sharing system will be successful. One reason is because infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, street lights are all improved already. Second is the town is relatively safer compared to any other town in this country, even compared to Dili.  Visitors are not afraid of riding bicycles anywhere they want to go to.

 

**Hope this gives you an inspiration

US Mercy Ship in Dili

Today afternoon, I was strolling at the beach. See the picture up there. The ship did not have much activity. It looked so calm by the time the sun was about to disappear and be eaten by the horizon.  

The ship comes from the US, called US Mercy ship. It is here in Dili (East Timor) for a humanitarian visit. It carries doctors and surgeons to provide free health services to patients.

Doctors in it come from many different nationalities. From America, Australia and South East Asian countries. That is what I heard when I was once invited to tour in there four years ago. This week I saw it comes again.

It will provide medical assistance to patients who have got recommendation from local medics. There, patients will receive medical examinations and surgeries to various diseases.

It will also stop by in other Asia pacific countries like Indonesia, the Philippines, etc. to provide the same services; the visit is a huge help for East Timor because people from rural areas who cannot afford to go to doctor will receive a privileged treatment.  

**I hope this gives you an inspiration 

Carnival and Tradition in Dili

Today’s afternoon was a relaxing one. Carnival happened today in Dili. I saw kids, teens, and adults taking photos, watching musical performances; they did social interaction by looking, talking, and laughing to one another. This is a sort of life aspect that we expect to happen more often in where we live. In the city like Dili where majority of the population is young, such an event is magnet.  

Despite many such events had been organized before, I had never attended one until today. I did not know this time event’s theme, but my attention was drawn to the environmental and natural presentations. For the natural aspect, trucks were decorated replicating natural landscape and figure of animals. Some looked pretty heavy though as I saw a truck coated with soils molded looking like paddy fields. Another was made out of large three leaves that looked unorganized, yet it was representative to the message it carries. Other than natural, recycled materials were also seen pretty much everywhere.

I did not appear in the parade crowd. It is because the weather was freaking hot along the route. The heat would peel my skin a few inches down to my flesh. Hence, I just headed to the stop point where a music stage has been set up. Music is a thing that I always look for at any entertainment event. There was a pretty good band playing a song ‘Underneath It All’ by No Doubt.

Good looking kids were so photogenic. They wore traditional clothes and accessories. This is something that we should always keep it real and forever in developing our society. Do not ever try to import everything and proud of it for the sake of modernization. We will never have our own thing if we do so. In the current modern world, distinctiveness becomes very expensive to retain. That is because the power of globalization is outrun localization.

I kind of like carnival type of event to present our culture to others. Although I only saw a few foreigners today, it has a prospect to attract more in the future if we keep our thing real, and original. I believe, someday, when middle income people in the other side of the world have seen something twice, they would decide to go somewhere to see something new; that new thing might be in East Timor.

**I Hope this gives you an inspiration.