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MAKASSAR |
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Set down at Sulawesi's southwestern corner and facing Java and
Kalimantan, MAKASSAR (until recently known as Ujung Pandang) is a large,
hot and crowded port city with good transport links between eastern and
western Indonesia, and several attractions. More than anything, Makassar
offers an introduction to Sulawesi's largest ethnic group, the Bugis ,
who continue to export their goods and presence well beyond Sulawesi in
prahu, distinctive vessels with steep, upcurved prows. The city has a
long and distinguished history as a crucial trading port and coastal
defence.
The City
A monument to Sulawesi's colonial era, Fort Rotterdam on Jalan Makassar
(daily 7.30am-6pm, donation expected; museum Tues-Thurs 8am-1pm, Fri
8-10.30am, Sat and Sun 8am-noon, Rp750) was established as a defensive
position in 1545 and enlarged a century later when the Dutch commander
Cornelius Speelman rechristened it in memory of his home town. It
remained the regional Dutch military and governmental headquarters until
the 1930s. The fort's high, thick walls are its most impressive feature
and worth climbing to get a look at the tall, white buildings inside. On
the northwest side, Speelman's House - actually dating from after his
death in 1686 - is the oldest surviving building, and nestles next to
one half of La Galigo museum (Rp500), whose most interesting item is a
prehistoric megalith from Watampone, and displays on local silk weaving,
agriculture and boatbuilding.
South of Fort Rotterdam, Jalan Makassar runs down along the seafront as
Jalan Penghibur, also known as Pantai Losari , which is famous for its
evening food stalls. Parallel and just east of Jalan Penghibur, Jalan
Somba Opu is known across Indonesia for its gold shops; other stalls
sell silk from Sengkang, intricate silver filigree in the Kendari style,
and potentially antique Chinese porcelain, all priced at about three
times what you'd pay elsewhere. The street's southern end is crossed by
Jalan Mochtar Lufti, down which you'll find the privately owned Clara
Bundt Orchid Gardens at no. 15a (visitors welcome to look around).
Northwest of Medan Karebosi, and bordered by north-oriented Jalan
Nusantara and Jalan Irian (aka Jalan Sudirohusodo), the Chinese quarter
is worth a look for its half-dozen temples, decked in dragons and
brightly coloured decor, which cluster along the lower reaches of Jalan
Sulawesi.
From Pasar Sentral, catch a pete-pete heading 3km north up Jalan Sudarso
to where Bugis prahu from all over Indonesia unload and embark cargo at
Paotere harbour (Rp350 admission). Though the smell and lack of
sanitation can be a bit much on a hot day, it's quite a spectacle when
the harbour is crowded, the red, white and green prahu lined up along
the dock wall with much shifting of bales, boxes, barrels and jerry cans
on backs and carts.
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