Maubara Fort, East Timor: Stories Between The Cracks

On the back of a detour sign was a brightly painted "Salamat po!" ('thank you' in Tagalog) which the hubby noticed as he glanced back at the cloud of dust our speeding cab produced. We found two more similar signs along the under-construction highway, an evident indication of the Filipino workers' presence on this side of the planet. Nice touch, fellow Pinoys.

This sight tugged back my mind that went briefly wandering in 1999 when pro-Indonesia militias terrorized Liquiçá, a coastal city we were about to approach.

A well preserved cannon in Maubara Fort.

We were somewhere halfway our Dili-Maubara drive. A journey that usually takes a bit over an hour or more when traveling via private vehicle. Abilio, the local who fetched us in the airport, was our driver and guide for the day. He used to be a cabbie. But since landing a job in Timor Telecom he can only be booked on weekends. He's a father of twins unfortunately stricken with malaria (hence the effort to make more dibs), originally from Oecusse District, and a trustworthy soul. Luna adores him.

The westward coastal drive ain't one of the most scenic we've seen in Southeast Asia. Yet the rugged profile of the landscape, the lack of signs of life, the kind of heat that withers all things, and the despondence of it all made it attractive to us.

Driving by arid lands.

We ate dust. Sweat like a pig iron. And developed a hunger for anything edible throughout the journey to our destination. There wasn't a single convenience store along the highway. I assumed it's not feasible to put up one after counting a grand total of... Two other vehicles (both UN's) that whizzed the opposite direction.

Several kilometers past Liquiçá, I looked at Abilio who was handling dehydration like a boss. "How many more minutes?", was my embarrassed query.

"It's very near.", he nodded towards the front.  

I was nearing lightheadedness when our cab finally pulled up. 

Perched atop the rampart, staring at these blues.

Maubara Fort, a 17th century Dutch fort that was later on handed to the Portuguese in exchange of Flores Island, was not the least bit imposing as I had imagined. It humbly serves as the gateway to Maubara, a village known to be the birthplace of Besi Merah Putih (a militia that's responsible for the murder of hundreds of East Timorese citizens — most notable of which is the Liquiçá Church Massacre — in 1999).

Unlike Maubara Village's terrifying tales, Maubara Fort's stories seem to be hiding between the cracks of the ramparts. There is not much (close to none) details about it that you can fish online. What I did know was there's a restaurant within the grounds. And that's where my two wobbly legs led me straight away.

Maubara Fort's restaurant.  

The restaurant's cramped. Its space could only accommodate five small tables. Because of this, diners who order only beverages prefer to sit in the garden shaded by towering trees. We ordered pancake, fried noodles and chicken and corn with rice. The pancake was quite dry, while the fried noodles reminded us of the un-exciting free brekkie we had for days in a Bali B&B. The chicken and corn with rice may be the best among the three but I never found out cause I ordered it for Abilio.

I'd like to think I ordered the wrong stuff for the resto's highly recommended by expats. Or I just had a bad batch. Price of meals range from $2-5.

Restaurant's outdoor sitting area.
Left: Fried noodles. Right: Chicken and corn with rice.  

After lunch, we briefly semi-circumnavigated the fort and climbed its corner walls to see the brass cannons. View from here's stellar in its own right. The matching blues of the water, fences and benches pop out of the dry earth's melancholia. A stark contrast from the fort's gloomy gray.

We also strolled by the seaside and entered two of the souvenir shops housed in thatched huts. Spent a few minutes watching an old woman weave palm leaves until we decided to buy a couple of her vibrantly hued phone/ciggie cases without haggling. Her weathered face broke into a shy smile.

Souvenir shops by the sea.
Handwoven palm products that I brought home.  

If only we were flying straight home to the Philippines or Australia, I would have bought her baskets and table mats and hanging decor. But we had other, so many other, places to go. Sadly, a few bucks was all we could contribute to a local community who's slowly recovering from a dark past.

We finally jumped in the car at around two. Although quite dozy, hubby and I stayed up as we made our way back so we could point out to Abilio a building that greatly intrigued us earlier. Even he didn't know its name or purpose.

Our next foray to the unheard, Ai Pelo Prison.


Backpacking Timor Leste:

Case Of The Missing Mermaid Ariel Carry On
Backpacking Timor Leste (East Timor

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Case Of The Missing Mermaid Ariel Carry On

Pandemonium around the belt. It was quite unsettling. And there's only one in Dili's teensy Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport. My daughter Luna and I stood in confusion while the hubby fought his way through the ferocious crowd to fish out our luggage. Everyone seemed to be in a rush even though there was no scheduled bus or train to catch. Prolly East Timorese who have been away far too long?

Luna's first ever stroller bag.  

Grabbing the luggage was only half the battle. Falling in line for the customs X-ray machine upon exit turned out to be a push and shove business. Hubby let us hang out in the sidelines while we waited for his turn. When he was about to toss our bags into the machine, Luna sprinted out of the arrivals hall.

I frantically chased after her, leaving the hubby to single-handedly deal with our belongings.

  The airport's lone belt. Luna drops a hard-to-get act on an airport ground staff.  

Outside the arrival hall, Luna got caught up in a blockade of local kids. It was as if a celebrity just got busted for sneaking out a building and is being attacked by fans. Except, her fans curiously touched her tresses and sweaty skin. I allowed her to bathe in the attention as I scanned the bevy of cab drivers for a piece of paper with the hubby's name on it.

It didn't take long for me to find Abilio, the driver sent by our homestay host. I waved at his direction, and he responded with the slightest of nods. He didn't budge. I tugged Luna away from the mob and warily approached him as the other drivers demanded to have a look at his handwritten welcome sign. They were wondering, perhaps, why he was chosen.

Abilio and Luna hit it off right away!  

Hubby appeared muddled when he finally emerged through the exit with a cart full of our luggage. We followed Abilio, who managed to carry Luna all the way to his cab with no single grunt of protest from her. The tot, we believe, has a third eye for finding souls that are fond of kids. If she likes someone, we like that someone without askance. And trusting Luna's gut has not failed us so far.

After piling our stuff in the trunk, we climbed in what felt like a conventional oven. The heat was more sweltering in this city than in Bali where we flew from. Our breaths were laborious throughout the ride which fortunately lasted less than fifteen minutes.

Lovely Dili home.
Meg, a volunteer for Academy of Swimming Education East Timor, was waiting for us by the gate of her rented bungalow. She replied to the hubby's online forum inquiry about cheap places to stay in Dili and offered hers. And that's how we found our home for nine days.

We were led to our spacious room at once. The air-conditioning was simply divine! We slumped into the mattress and laid still for what seemed like eternity... Until Meg knocked on our door and invited us for a dinner at the esplanade.

Stroller still with us while we were filling out our visa on arrival form.  

I realized that we were missing Luna's carry on bag when I was about to change her nappy. We immediately backtracked the day's events. It boarded the flight fo sho. And as evidenced by the snapshot above, we didn't leave it in the overhead bin.

So where could it be?

Our assumption: It was left on the X-ray machine's belt. This theory we failed to prove with facts because we didn't feel like traveling back to the airport just to look for it. Luckily, I didn't stash any valuables (which I sometimes do) in the bag. So we let it go with a tinge of heartbreak because it's Luna's first ever stroller bag. I hope the new owner loves it more than Luna did (she doesn't know who Ariel is) and that they were able to put its contents into good use.

And with that, case sort of closed.

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Backpacking Timor Leste (East Timor)

Unspoilt natural resources. Nonexistent skyscrapers. Grieving aged walls. Palm-fringed sandy shores. Beachside bars minus Bob Marley clichés. Unadulterated fresh seafood on the grill. Pink sunsets. Mikrolets. Dusk-colored leathery skin. Genuine smiles. Malaria. U.S. dollars. UN workers. 

The Democratic Republic of Timor Leste is Southeast Asia's youngest.

Like my home country the Philippines, it is further afield from the banana pancake circuit. Its lack of tourism however is partly blamed on recent years of oppression and turmoil. Even with Timor Leste's almost eleven years of independence, the country is still struggling to - not get back on its feet - but find its feet.

Handwoven basket sold in Maubara.   And while the nation is preoccupied picking up the pieces, with Dili's inhabitants diligently catering to UN workers and other foreign NGO volunteers, it seems little attention is paid to promoting the country's tourism. No catchy slogans, no colorful banners, no earworm-worthy jingles.

Dutch fort in Maubara Village, Liquiçá district. One of the few historic structures left standing.  

I assume it is for such reason, alongside the lack of literature online, why off-the-beaten path wanderers are drawn to Timor Leste. The country's rugged features are virtually unheard of. The pristine beaches are reminiscent of how Phuket was in the 70s and Boracay in the 80s. Its people, the shyest we've met. 

If Timor Leste is on your bucket list, I reckon the time to visit is now. In the last quarter of 2012, UN workers started pulling out. It was actually then that we traveled the country for we deemed that the dust has finally settled. A lot of holiday apartments were already vacated and are longing for new settlers or short term tenants. Although the high expat population is still evident, our Australian homestay host remarked that the number is dwindling quite rapidly.

UN van parked in Timor Plaza, Dili's lone big-ish mall.  

Now who's going to buy all those packs of Gardenia wholemeal bread in the supermarket's freezer when the expats have gone (More on that frozen bread in a future post.)? That could be you, my fellow travel junkie.

Here's a rough guide to backpacking in Timor Leste/East Timor.

When To Go

Dry season is from June to October. But even during the wet season, the climate is hot and humid on the low lands.

Getting In

Visitors can obtain a 30-day tourist visa on arrival at the airport for $30. Come armed with dollars.

Except for Indonesians and Portuguese, all travelers arriving at the land border must apply for the "visa application authorization" beforehand.

Presidente Nicolau Lobato International Airport's only belt.
Commercial airlines that fly to Dili are:

Merpati Nusantara Airlines from Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. 986,000 IDR* (about $100) one way. Flight duration, 1 hour 30 minutes. Flies daily. Includes an okay meal.

Batavia Airlines from Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia. $135* one way. Flies daily. Flight duration, 1 hour 30 minutes

Air Timor from Singapore. $457* one way. Flies Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Flight duration, 2 hours. Website has a cool song on loop!

Airnorth from Darwin, Australia. $290* one way. Flies six times a week. Flight duration, 1 hour 15 minutes.

*Price at the time of writing.

Cab drivers charge $5-10 for a 10 to 15-minute drive from the airport to the city center.

Language

Portuguese and Tetum are the official languages of Timor Leste. However, Tetum is spoken by only a quarter of the population. East Timorese can also speak Bahasa Indonesia. A limited number can understand English. 

Obrigado is commonly used to say thank you. Don't forget to accompany it with a smile. Knowledge of numbers in Bahasa Indonesia will help you in haggling.

Religion

More than ninety percent of the population is Roman Catholic. Timor Leste is one of the only two, the other being the Philippines, predominantly Roman Catholic countries in Asia.

Health Risks

If you're from a Southeast Asian country like me, you're most likely not terrified of Hepatitis and Rabies. But you might need to take Malaria a bit more seriously when visiting Timor Leste. In the neighborhood where we lived for eight days, we met a handful of kids with Malaria. Consequently, I slathered a thicker layer of mosquito repellant on every inch of Luna's skin every day. If you can't take an antimalarial drug prior your trip, bring a tropical strength mosquito repellant.

Currency 

US dollars. Travelers are advised to arrive with US dollars in cold cash. All ATM machines belong to ANZ and can be found only in Dili. There's one on Av. Presidente Nicolao Lobato, one in Leader supermarket and one at the airport.

The Timorese mikrolet.   Public Transport

The country has a poor transport system. Outside Dili, you may spend hours waiting for a bus. It is important to ask locals about the schedule. But even so, schedules may change without prior notice. Roads are generally in a bad condition. And buses are often insanely packed.

Cars can easily be hired in Dili. Before you hire, be reminded that vehicles are right-hand drive. Cabs can be hired too for sightseeing. Rate for half-day rental is $40-60, depending on your destination and haggling skills and charms.

For short rides, take the mikrolet. Quickie cab rides around the city center is $1-2.

Electricity

220V, 50 Hz. Schuko plug (two round pins), and Australian three-pronged plugs. Bring adaptors for both if keen on charging gadgets.

Accommodation

Best budget option is East Timor Backpackers. Dorm $12, single room $20, double room $25. Good location and has slow but free wifi. It's one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest, in town. If you want something fancier, expect to pay about $70-$100. And that ain't even first class.

We stayed at an Aussie volunteer's home near the U.S. Embassy. Our spacious room has an aircon. Bathroom is shared. Having access to a kitchen's a big plus. The house sits in a quiet neighborhood, and has a breezy front yard. Host charges $20 for a single room and $30 for a double. Comes with toast-and-jam brekkie. Shoot an email if you'd like to contact her.  

Timor Leste barbie and my fave, katupa. Rice steamed in woven palm leaves.   Food

A handful of restaurants serve good intercontinental cuisine, primarily to cater UN workers and other NGO volunteers. If you're on the hunt for "authentic" Timor Leste food, come by Dili's esplanade (east of Esplanada Hotel) late afternoon where the beach is turned into an al fresco food court. Barbecue stands sell grilled chicken wings ($1), pork belly ($2.50), and fish of varying sizes. Pair these with katupa ($.50), glutinous rice with coconut milk steamed in woven palm leaves. Imported beer can be bought for $2.

Other East Timorese dishes are caril (chicken curry), tapai (fermented cassava or rice) and ikan sabuko. But eateries that sell such dishes may be difficult to find. You're more likely to stumble upon an Indonesian warung or a Filipino carinderia.

Souvenirs

Head over to Tais Market in Dili for weaved textiles. Handmade baskets are worth a buy too but might be fragile to transport. Think twice before buying that humongous hamper.

On weekends, wood carvers sell their products along Avenida De Portugal, across Cast Away Bar. While some local merchandisers are shrewd, a few haven't really grasped the tricks of the trade. I remember buying a $12 wood-carved product and handing $20 to the seller. He suggested I take the $8 one instead because he didn't have change for it. Uhm, hello?

Sights And Activities

Sights in East Timor are mostly free to visit, if not, very cheap. There's no admission fee to enter Cristo Rei, Areia Branca Beach, Maubara Fort, Dollar Beach (though it got its name from the one dollar entrance fee that locals used to charge), Ai Pelo Prison, and Santa Cruz Cemetery. A dollar is charged to get in the Timorese Resistance Archive And Museum.

This will be further discussed on a separate post.

Internet

Darn $2 an hour.

Backpacker's budget per day: $25-$30. More if you hire a car or eat at an expat hangout where meals are $10 up.

Have you been? Any tips, suggested itineraries you'd like to share?

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2012 Year-Ender/World-Ender

Ahhh... 2012.

You are an ebullient homage to wanderlust. Frankly, I am quite obsessed with your ruffled months. In fact it's almost midnight and amid that end-of-the-world hullabaloo, here I am fondly sewing a patchwork of idyllic imagery to commemorate your flamboyance and purport. Now this may seem like a pathetic way of exiting the universe, but at least I dove in a vibrant flashback during my last minutes on earth. I get to utilize fancy words too.

Nope. I'm not drunk.

Shoot for Travel Blogging Calendar 2013. Shout out to the photographer, fellow Pinay travel blogger Claire of Lakwatsera De Primera. Not the actual photo on the calendar.

Speaking of dying, just last week an aunt of mine told me, "Dami mo nang napuntahan, pwede ka na mamatay." (You've been to so many places, you can die anytime now.).

"Eh... I'd like to see more. A lot more." I said. Then she went, "Hinde, pwede ka na mamatay!" (Nah, you can die anytime/now).  I thought to myself, if the planet doesn't blow up and claim my life, her statement probably will.

But yeah, I got her point. And 2012 is a testament to that. See for yourself how the universe spoiled us to bits this year.

1. Mexico

Clockwise from top left: 1. New Year's Eve dinner, mole! 2. Palenque Ruins. 3. A cenote (sinkhole) in Cancun. 4. Chichen Itza without the hubby and baby doll.

2. Peru 

Clockwise from top left: Watching penguins in the wild, Islas Ballestas. 2. Red Beach in Paracas National Reserve. 3. Machu Picchu. 4. The Tree, Nazca Lines.

3. Brazil 
 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Cristo Redentor. 2. Carnival at the Sambadrome. 3. The hubby bought his first pair of Havaianas (Luna's first pair too)! 4. Sexy Ipanema Beach.

4. Morocco 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca. 2. Ancient Roman City Volubilis. 3. Sahara Desert. 4. Ait Benhaddou, Ouarzazate.

5. Vietnam 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Street art somewhere in Pham Ngu Lao District, Ho Chi Minh. 2. Pho! 3. After wriggling through the tunnels of Củ Chi. 4. Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica.

6. Mongolia 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Tsagaan Suvraga, Gobi Desert. 2. Two kilometer trek to Yolyn Am. 3. Inside our Couchsurfing host's ger in Ulaanbaatar. 4. Khongoryn Els Sand Dunes.

7. Russia
 

Clockwise from top left: 1. Aboard the Trans-Siberian train, skirting the world's oldest lake. 2. Luna dons her first down jacket. 3. Nizhny Novgorod. 4. St. Basil's Cathedral, Moscow.

8. Philippines

Clockwise from top left: 1. Dasol, Pangasinan. 2. Liwliwa, Zambales. 3. Gubat, Sorsogon for the Book Sharing Project. 4. Tondol Beach, Anda, Pangasinan.

9. Singapore 

Clockwise from top left: 1. With Singapore-based Filipino bloggers. 2. Ze sister's birthday. 3. Second overseas trip with the 'rents. 4. Harry Potter Exhibit.

10. Australia

Clockwise from top left: 1. Dee Why Beach. 2. Luna's play date with Justice and Mayor. 3. Meet up with Pinay travel bloggers. 4. Catching up with Persian in-laws.

11. Indonesia

Clockwise from top left: 1. Sanur Beach. 2. Luna tramping on an Ubud rice field. 3. Fourth anniversary of togetherness, Bali's Uluwatu temple. 4. First time checking in a boutique hotel.

12. East Timor

 Clockwise from top left: 1. Maubara Fort. 2. Third year wedding anniversary spent volunteering for Academy of Swimming Education East Timor. 3. Dollar Beach, Manatuto. 4. Cristo Rei, Dili.

And then some. 

Paying it forward. Left: Participated in the Book Sharing Project for the benefit of Rizal Elementary School in Gubat, Sorsogon. Right: Posed for the Travel Blogging Calendar 2013. Sales of the calendars will be donated to Mitrata Nepal and VSO Bahaginan. Purchase one now! Visit http://www.travelbloggingcalendar.com/
So do you think I can die any time now (Gulp.)?  How was your 2012, fellow travel junkie?
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