Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine February 2019 | Page 101

Travel | Alor
Traditional ikat weavers show off their handiwork;
rugged fabrics of deepest burgundy, indigo and
other earth tones depict sea turtles and
other marine creatures.
Abui tribal elders welcome visitors
to their village with a traditional
warrior’s dance.
footwork, counting the beats of the drum
in our head as the leaders keep rhythm,
laughing as we trip over our clumsy feet.
Before we know it, our time amongst the Abui is
coming to a close. Traditional ikat weavers appear
to show off their handiwork; rugged fabrics of
deepest burgundy, indigo and other earth tones
display the iconography of the Alor islands – sea
turtles and other marine creatures are prominent.
Before returning and continuing our Alor
island hop, Corey and I stop by the capital,
Kalabahi. Arriving at the main market,
we find vendors and shoppers crowding
through the narrow lanes of the stalls.
We’re sampling Alor’s tasty fruit and veggies,
absorbing the unique patterns of daily life here.
Corey has created an improvised skirt with a
length of fabric woven by an Abui ikat virtuoso.
5 Senses – Taste
FRESH ALOR
COCONUT
Towering palm trees lining
the beaches on Alor’s coastline
aren’t only for escaping the
midday sun – they’re also the
source of the perfect thirst
quencher for an afternoon of
island hopping. The best way to
get your hands on a few of these
delicious kelapa muda is to stop
in at one of the villages scattered
along the coast and ask to buy a
few from the local people: you
might just have an adventure or
meet some new friends!
Pepohonan kelapa yang
menghiasi pantai-pantai di pesisir
Alor tak hanya berfungsi sebagai
peneduh dari terik matahari,
tetapi juga penawar dahaga
setelah menjelajahi pulau.
Cara paling mudah untuk
mendapatkan kelapa muda
yang nikmat ini adalah singgah
di desa-desa di sepanjang pantai
dan beli dari penduduk setempat:
ini bisa menjadi petualangan
tersendiri sekaligus kesempatan
bertemu teman baru.
‘Cantik!’ A local woman calls out approvingly,
from behind a display of fiery chilli peppers
arranged in neat piles. We stop to chat for
a moment, Corey’s choice of local dress earning
her an admiring hug from the shopkeeper.
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By now the midday sun has climbed high
above the market and it’s time to head back
to the Savu Sea to cool off.
We return to Seven Seas, where we’re briefed
on our afternoon dive, starting out from a village
just a short cruise from Kalabahi.
We’re trying to catch a glimpse of one of
the rarest underwater creatures in the world –
the highly elusive Rhinopias scorpionfish.
The fish is commonly known as the ‘Holy Grail
of underwater photography’, and most scuba
enthusiasts spend their entire dive careers
without seeing one. This species of scorpionfish
has evolved to blend perfectly with its
surroundings – typically living amongst
seagrass growing on sandy slopes that
surround coral gardens.
As we arrive at the dive site, local children dive and
flip from their parents’ fishing boats, their playful
laughter carrying across the water as Irwan, our
dive guide, prepares us for the excursion.
Plunging in, Corey and I swim towards the sandy
seafloor. Like archaeological explorers, we find
sunken treasures from the fishing harbour nearby.
A bit of pottery here, a length of boat rope over there.
Known for his superhuman ability to spot even
the tiniest sea creatures, Irwan immediately
begins searching the seafloor for a Rhinopias.
Lost in the beauty of the underwater world,
I’m drifting along, admiring the fish and other
marine creatures swimming by.