WELCOME TO THE GALLERIA
The Galleria is the place where you can take a look at Indonesia's people, places, culture, arts, nature, and development. Pictures in the Galleria are collected from the Internet. I do not claim any copyright for the pictures.
Before you go to the sections take a look at this page's background - Becak*) (pronounced Be-chak). Becak, a three-wheeled vehicle, used to be a primary transportation means to move people and goods within short distances in Java and some other places outside Java. According to my mother becak started to cruise Indonesian streets during the Japanese occupation (1942-45). Therefore, becak is not native of Indonesia.
The size and shape of becaks vary from one place to another. It is powered by "rice" ...... so it is 100% environment friendly. I remember when I was a kid I always rode on a becak to go to school, to the market, and other nearby places. I subscribed to a "becak man" who took me to/from school everyday. This guy also took my mother to the market, to visit her friends, etc.
The sad thing about becak is that it is now prohibited to operate in major streets of major cities. The Jakarta city government even prohibited them from operating in the whole city for many reasons: human exploitation, unsafe, causing traffic chaos, etc. Fortunately, I live (when I am in Indonesia) in a suburb just outside the city perimeter where becak is still allowed....so I can still ride it. I am sure many people miss it ....... but becak has to give way to more modern and faster (not necessarily safer), and "polluting" vehicles.
If you travelled outside Jakarta you can still take a ride on a becak. Becak in Ujung Pandang, South Sulawesi is very small...just enough for two kids or one adult. Outside Indonesia you can find it as cycloo in Vietnam and Cambodia, trishaw in India and Bangladesh, rickshaw in "old" China. Motorized version of becak can be found in North Sumatra, and in the Philippines (toda).
Well, that'e enough about becak and now you can pick your choice from the three categories and the becak page. I will add more categories and pictures within each category in the future.
PLACES : Jakarta Java and Bali Other Places
ARTS AND CULTURE : Arts & Culture 1 Arts & Culture 2
Enjoy your visit and come back soon as I will add more pictures. I apologize if the download is slow due to heavy graphics.
*) The becak art image used throughout this section is taken from the the Indonesian Embassy, Washington, D.C. home page: Indonesia Today
