Sulawesi -
ATTENTION, ATTENTION : The three weeks in Sulawesi were so eventful that it does not come around a pretty long trip report around. So get a cup of tea, packs the biscuits for special occasions, sets up the phone next to the phone and turns off the screen saver! Have fun! ;-) -
Togean Islands 
Togean Islands As some of you have noticed, was the first week in Sulawesi, not so great. We are really down to the end of the world and were glad when we Togean Islands after 26 hours on the Pelniliner, seven hours in a minibus and four hours of sea have achieved over stormy sea. I've never seen bigger waves. The ship went up and down. Sometimes we put so hard on the water that was from the people an "ahh" and hear "ohh." I am the first time become seasick. This is really stupid, because you can not just go by the ship down. However, I can focus fairly well, so that nothing worse happened, and after I laid me asleep, the waves were lucky to have smaller and my face had regained color.
Pulau Kadidiri Then I could enjoy the rest of the trip also. Wir sind vorbei an schönen Landschaften, Mangrovenwäldern, kleinen Fischerdörfern und verlassenen Bambushäuschen gefahren. Schließlich sind wir abends auf der Insel „Kadidiri“ angekommen und mussten im Hotel dort leider das teuerste Zimmer nehmen, da alle anderen belegt waren. Aber es war genau so, wie man es sich besser nicht vorstellen könnte. Weißer, feiner Sandstrand, türkieses, klares Meer und das alles direkt zehn Meter vor unserer Zimmertür.
Auf dieser Insel gibt es keine Bewohner, nur drei Hotels. Außer zu den einheimischen Hotelmitarbeitern hat man daher nur Kontakt zu Touristen. Das war aber nicht weiter schlimm, da ich auch froh war, mal wieder mit Leuten aus meinen Kulturkreisen to speak. Finally, you can repeat it a few ironic sentences without having to look after questioning in Indonesian eyes. And the good news is that you can interact with travel tips. So we then learn that one of the three hotels, only half of the other two costs.
our "new" bungalow The next day we moved immediately and were very satisfied. The bungalows were small but perfectly adequate, the food delicious and the family, the hotel was one very nice and they have ensured a comfortable atmosphere.
We have six days enjoying beach vacations. Swimming, snorkeling, relax and let time pass without having to worry about anything. We had the whole time there, only once for an hour of rain.
sunset on a glassy sea If one's doing nothing but time was too much, we made a trip with the father of the family, Aceh. He is every morning and evening with his self-built boat went to fish and when we wanted, he took us. One evening I saw such a beautiful sunset in the middle of mirror-smooth sea. The next morning he gave us a lift to return. We snorkel and marvel at the amazing fish and coral. Aceh is then mit seiner Harpune „Marke Eigenbau“ los geschwommen. Ich habe ihm dabei zugeguckt, wie er sich in ungefähr acht Metern Tiefe auf die Korallen gelegt und gewartet hat, bis ein großer Fisch vorbei kam. Das war wirklich ein tolles Bild, als er da ganz ruhig für mehr als eine halbe Minute lag und plötzlich die Harpune auslöste. Der Fisch hatte keine Chance. Das Mittagessen war gesichert.
ohne Chance Die Togeaninseln sind einer der einzigen Orte der Welt, wo es die größte Landkrabben der Welt, die „Coconutcrabs“, gibt. Sie lieben Kokusnüsse und sind bis zu fünf Kilogramm schwer und ihre Beine können eine Spannweite have 90 centimeters. It was clear we had to get to know these nice fellows. After Aceh had placed some of the afternoon open coconuts strategically, we started the evening with torches on the road. Lo and behold, on the limestone walls of rock along with two copies, of which one grabbed Aceh immediately. These are really big animals, before I had considerable respect for their guns. Fingers may break, if not cut altogether. We have the crab then taken to the hotel where she promptly climbed up the pillars. Of course I wanted to keep a Kokusnusskrabbe once in the hand. It was not easy to take them because I always had to watch where just the guns are. Even if it be the big crabs up to five kilograms is hardly as Coconutcrabs are considered a delicacy in China, although they are under protection of animals, our crab was pretty heavy. We have of course again later released. The Chinese are `s angry.
annoyed Similarly, an old Indonesian, who wanted to prevent the instructor at New Year's Eve a turtle release as a good deed. He did not understand why they just leave the good and delicious food in the sea. Otherwise was a New Year's Eve nice evening on the beach. With Indonesian dance, bamboo fireworks and bonfires. The Indonesians, I believe, lay not so much value on our New Year's, especially since they still have three different calendars.
On the last day before it went back to the mainland, I have virtually made itself a Christmas present and I went for the first time in my life diving. That was really a great experience, so weightless and light. I saw clown, fire-and crocodile fish. And the rest of Nemo pals as well. I think I will repeat again here in the diving paradise Indonesia.
family photo Finally we have a farewell photo mit der Familie und den anderen amerikanischen und österreichischen Gästen aus unserem Hotel, mit denen wir uns super verstanden haben, gemacht und sind über Ampana, Poso und Palopo nach Rantepao gefahren.
Grenzerfahrung Auf der Strecke von Ampana nach Palopo habe ich eine krasse Grenzerfahrung gemacht, ein ganz schön schauriges Erlebnis, das mich noch länger beschäftigt hat. Gintas und ich haben einen Travel nach Palopo genommen. Ein Travel ist normalerweise ein Kleinbus, der zwischen zwei entfernten Orten pendelt. In unserem Fall war es ein normales Auto mit zusätzlicher Sitzbank im Kofferraum. Drei andere Männer hatten schon Platz genommen, von denen einer irgendwie komisch worked for me. He sat alone in the back row and after a short trip, he also began to move in themselves cramped and shout unintelligible things. He had closed his eyes and it seemed as if he were in a completely different movie. Suddenly he began to scream even louder on to the next minute crying and writhing. He has placed in between the back and went along with his feet from the car ceiling. Gintas and I thought he was simply just disabled mentally or psychologically ill. But when his father and his cousin, who sat next to me, told us that he would have this behavior has only been two days and that they should with him on the way to the hospital in are Makassar, we had the case before more comical. Previously, he was said to be normal.
At six and at seven clock he asked insistently about to pray. So we had to stop twice in the middle of the jungle, where he then prayed peacefully for ten minutes. In between, he was completely normal. He offered me a biscuit, for which I then thanked me. However, his cousin said immediately that I should not just address it, for whatever reason. They were alone for so strange situation for me and never knew what was coming next.
Eventually he fell asleep and I've tried shutting the eyes. When I had just dozed off almost, is the sick Man suddenly from behind his cousin, who was sitting next to me jumped and beaten him like crazy over and over again in the face. The rest of us have become so scared that we ran directly from the car. The driver has run 20 meters, because he got really scared. We did not know what was going on. We only heard the thrashing and screaming from the car. When we had collected and then there was silence, we went back to the car and have come shone. The face of the cousin was covered in blood and I think he had a shock. Somehow he had managed to keep the demented man by the hair and calm him down.
We had no idea what we are doing now sollten. Wir waren mal wieder mitten im Dschungel. Notarztwagen und Polizei hätten viel zu lange gebraucht, um dort hin zu kommen. Zum Glück kam wenig später ein anderes Auto vorbei gefahren, das unser Fahrer dann angehalten hat. Zusammen mit den anderen wurde dann überlegt, was zu tun sei. Sie haben sich dann dazu entschlossen, den psychisch Kranken mit einem Seil an Händen, Füßen und schließlich noch an der Sitzbank zu fesseln, um ihn vor uns und sich selbst zu schützen. Das war wirklich kein schönes Bild, als er da so lag, sich fortwährend entschuldigte und gefesselt wurde. Ich hatte einen Kloß im Hals, da er mir natürlich sehr Leid tat. Aber gleichzeitig habe ich auch gedacht, dass es besser so ist, because he was not able to control themselves and who knows what would have otherwise happened?
For safety I then set to the rest of the ride in the front row next to Gintas. Of sleep was no more talk, as he sometimes woke up and the driver stopped immediately and each time turned on the light in the car. We also had to drive even with his cousin to the hospital where his four centimeter laceration was treated.
We were very relieved when we after 14 instead of eight hours finally arrived in Palopo. We were going to be a flat tire shortly after Poso and the driver had to stop twice to sleep. That was a pretty tough experience and the only time I understand was that people believe in ghosts, demons or the devil. It's hard for something to find a logical explanation, especially since three days ago he was still normal, yes. Much easier is it to think that he was driven by a demon who is in his body, as most believe Indonesians.
Anyway, I was at half past three in the morning exhausted and then still turned out to be that we could take until seven or eight clock a bus to Rantepao, I did not want more. We waited on a bench next to the street, where, fortunately, but then came a family in their fully loaded minivan over and took us two hours to Rantepao.
Toraja 
houses and rice fields in Toraja Rantepao is the tourist center of the Toraja, the people of their dead in rock buries performs elaborate death ceremonies and was to afraid 100 years as a bounty hunter. In addition, the scenery is beautiful there. In the mountains alternate expansive rice terraces off with breathtaking rock formations. Sometimes you can see so far as to offer to a panorama, which have been seen not so.
a victim place The first day we rented a scooter and are by these great landscapes down. We have often paused to enjoy the view. Coincidentally, we're at a place of sacrifice driven past where just held a ceremony. The seven buffalo were slaughtered, but unfortunately so. We were so come a little late. But that was not as bad as the place of sacrifice with his arranged around rocks looked very mystical. The coffin of the dead woman was in a specially built traditional Torajahaus. These houses are due to its roof form that is reminiscent of buffalo horns, and to set only in Toraja found. For a single funeral ceremony often entire villages are composed of these houses constructed in order to prove the dead man's honor. At the front pillar is a series full of buffalo horns. This may have been to see how many buffaloes, which are considered sacred, extra sacrificed for the deceased.
traditional houses 
grave rock Toraja South, we have then the next day explored. Our first destination was the rock and hanging graves of a small village. As the Toraja believe, rocks and caves are for eternity, they buried their dead there, so that their souls may pass into eternity. And we were suddenly in front of a huge rock wall on which there are many Graves was suspended. You hit the rock piles in the coffins and set out, which often contain the bones of the entire family. Many coffins are so much rotten, that one can look into it. Some coffins have already fallen from high up and down on the floor. Bones, skulls and coffins, where you look. I could not get out of the wonder and we are still left with poor flashlights into the cave nearby grave, ghosts mood was pure. The cave was stockduster and everywhere were skulls and offerings. You had to be careful that you do not stumble over something. Coffins were to be found anywhere was just enough room. As me Bats from the cave ceiling see Staring then, I came before me, like in a bad horror movie. It was so special and tense atmosphere in the air while Gintas and I went all alone by the grave chambers.
a little older On the way back to Rantepao we then had an encounter of a different kind, we were back on the road with a scooter when we had to stop in a small village, because before us A few men stood around in the street and had stopped a car. It looked as if they were fun to play together, one tapped the other on the back and eventually drove the car slowly past. When we wanted to continue on our way then, attacked us at once one of those men with a large knife or dagger. He is angry with mine stormed directly to us and smashed the front tire of our scooters. Fortunately, he then ran somewhere else, where he then shouted around a plate on the road and smashed. The tire was over it anyway. Tire casing and tubing were cut and we get it first do not know what just happened was crazy again. Who settled with the fact that at one time someone comes to you and through skin complete with a giant knife your tires?
crack in the tire In first gear, we have somehow made it to a garage where, with our descriptions of how it happened, once provoked incredulous laughter. Then after everyone had calmed down, they repaired our tires and we could drive carefully back to Rantepao.
I do not know what had possessed this man, but I think he was mentally retarded or mentally ill. In general, all people with disabilities or behavioral problems by the Indonesians "Crazy People" are called, reflecting that they have no sympathy for them. The problem is also that there are no facilities for them. You will not be helped and so It is often such conflicts, as we have experienced it.
Welcoming the guests Before we take the bus went to Makassar, we went to a funeral ceremony, were announced at the slaughter for this day. Such a ceremony takes several days that is. On the first day, all guests are welcomed consuming. This may take several hundred guests all day. On the second day is announced and resting on the third day, buffalo and pigs are slaughtered, so follow the souls of the dead man's soul to heaven. We were on a very large funeral, where 100 pigs and 30 buffaloes should be sacrificed. This cost the family a lot of money, so the corpse of the deceased embalmed Nahm and partly to keep at home for several years, until enough money was saved.
traditional costume Where we were, there were three albino buffalo, of which about 100 million rupiah, which costs € 6700. Most pigs have been slaughtered and eaten. The faith of the Toraja is in fact a mixture of Christianity and natural faith, but officially it is regarded as a form of Hinduism. Therefore, they may also eat pork.
The sacrifice of the buffalo is very brutal and could not compare Idul Adha at the slaughtering. The buffalo is namely connected with a foot to a stake and can be a little run around. The head is straight up and a man beats by a single knife blow to his throat. Blood sprayed everywhere, and the animal fights, walks around with an open throat and finally falls to the ground. But it often takes more than five minutes until it dead. Sometimes it is also at one time or hits his head back and forth. That was not easy to watch, especially since I thought I would be the Muslim Festival of Sacrifice has hardened a little. So I want to spare you the photos from this sacrificial love.
It is clear we had met in various situations in his body the wild population Toraja.
Our trip back to the capital of Makassar and the flight to Yogyakarta were problems.
I must say that I travel through Sulawesi, despite the silly-offs and some borderline experiences, I really enjoyed it. These three weeks have been very diverse and I have experienced many things, I will remember for long. Above all, it was exciting, too full, have seen very different Indonesia.
In the next few days we then looked at Little India in Kuala Lumpur, Chinatown, the TV tower, some huge shopping malls and of course the characteristic Petronas Twin Towers. After the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 she was appointed to the tallest twin towers in the world. It is really impressive, wenn man ganz unten steht und seinen Blick bis zur Spitze in 452 Metern Höhe wandern lässt. Im 44. Stockwerk verbindet eine begehbare Brücke beide Türme. Die Aussicht von dort beschränkte sich jedoch nur auf acht Minuten, da man dann freundlich aber bestimmt zum Umkehren aufgefordert wurde. 
We spent three days and two nights there and have seen through our flat-rate program, a video show, participated in a night hike, looked at a Aborigineedorf and were walking on the longest suspension bridge in the world. We have about five specific insects, a monkey, a couple of water buffalo and a frog that looks like a hand saw. Even an employee has seen over the past 18 years, only five times a tiger. The original inhabitants of the village be sure paid to have their picture taken by tourists. I used the village head in a mixture of spoken Malay and Indonesian who said they would not actually need the money, but for cigarettes and tobacco it was quite useful. Before the tourists came, it would have been there even any litter. It would look now but not as nice, but you've become accustomed. 
