Notes from the Land of Flores - #Part 2 - Ende City of History

By noon we were still chatting with senior SM-3T Batch IV. Some are busy washing, cooking and going home shopping. One of our seniors, Ms. Imelda, invited us to take a look around Ende City after noon while introducing some places to visit and of course some places to eat that could be an option later. As new people me and my friends just followed. So we left after noon. The first location we visited was Bung Karno's Reflection Park in the Pancasila Ende field, near the ship's port. We went from the house of Mr. Alianis who later became known as "Basecamp Children of Padang" took an angkot. The cost is not too expensive, only Rp. 3000 if you get to the market. Even if you are brave and lucky you are given Rp. 2000 is also acceptable. Along the way, we were told by Kak Imelda some important places such as the nearest ATM if we need to withdraw money later. We arrived at Bung Karno's Reflection Park on a hot afternoon. Before Indonesia's independence, it was to reduce Bung Karno's influence on the people of Java. The Dutch colonial government exiled Bung Karno to Ende, Flores, NTT in 1933 - 1939 before being exiled to Bengkulu. In fact, the charisma of his great leader is well known in Ende. Its influence remains strong although slightly different from the island of Java.

In the Bung Karno Reflection Park itself, there is now a replica of the Bung Karno statue sitting right next to the legendary breadfruit tree. It is said that this is where Bung Karno used to sit and contemplate spending time thinking, writing and watching community activities at the port. Until it was told, it was from the diversity of the Ende people that the idea in the Pancasila precepts appeared there at that time which would later be conveyed by Bung Karno. This place is quite crowded, especially historical tourism connoisseurs. The Endeans are especially proud of this. I can't count how many times I've visited this park while on duty in Ende.

There was an embarrassing incident but we thought it was funny and it was our fault. The Bung Karno statue is not too tall. So if you want to go up and take pictures sitting next to him, you can too. However, before we were reprimanded we did not know that it should not be done. When we got up, from afar there was an officer shouting and nagging at us. Because we were wearing SM-3T jackets, the father was angry and said that the SM-3T teacher didn't know the rules. Suddenly we were shocked and went down. Then we approached and clarified that we didn't know the rules and apologized. Coincidentally, Imel went to the toilet at that time and we were not explained about it. The father finally forgives with the anger that is still on his face. If we remember that, we who were the "suspects" always laughed at the ridiculous events in the first days of arriving at Ende.

There is one other historical site here. Bung Karno's house of exile. This house is always crowded with tourists visiting Ende. Now this house is a museum where we can see some of the household furniture that Bung Karno and Ibu Inggit Ganarsih (Bung Karno's wife) used when they were exiled in Ende. We can see chairs, beds, violins that Bung Karno often played, plates, irons, lamps, paintings of Balinese temples by Bung Karno, and some documents or letters. At least what I remember during my one year assignment in Ende was that I visited this historic site four or five times.

In the late afternoon, we stopped at the port of Ende. This port is very strategic for Ende and Flores. In addition to passenger ships serving Ende - Surabaya, Ende-Kupang and Ende - Sumba, many cargo ships carry logistics for the needs of the Ende people. Loading and unloading activities are quite busy here. In the afternoon many people fish from the top of the pier. Many children swim in the sea and jump from the docks and boats. It's dangerous, but they've taken this for granted. We went back to basecamp with new things on the second day of being in Ende. (continued)