Yogyakarta - Indonesia

When grief overwhelming, rise from misery remember your smile, I am entertained. Amid the anguish life, expect to take shelter and always want to return to you, Jogjakarta...
That’s the lyrics of the song Return to You, Jogja sung by experienced singer, Katon Bagaskara. Many say that if you ever visited the Special Region of Yogyakarta (SRY), it was believed that you would want to return to the city. Do not believe it? Just prove it!
Number of full tourism objects is enjoyable in the city led by Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono X ranging from natural tour, art and tradition, the nation struggle history legacy and monument, museum to culinary tour.
In national tourism map, potential of SRY is in the second top seed after Bali. SRY has relative comprehensive tourism objects in term of physic and non-physic. Known as educational city, SRY also has quality human resources.
In addition, there are more or less 70.000 handicraft industries and other facilities like various accommodations and transportations, numerous food services, travel agents, and proper tourism support, and also tour security team support called as Policemen of Tour, locally known as Bhayangkara Wisata.
This potential is also backed up with the geographic condition which is situated adjacent to Central Java province that increases the variety of existing tourism objects. SRY tourism has attractive power such as good climate, variety scenery attraction, culture and history, friendly-community, lifestyle and proper prices.
More time must be made available when visiting this city for total 31 cultural tourism objects and 19 natural tourism objects will be visited. Number of tourism resorts with stable and unique characteristic like Palace, Prambanan Temple, and silver handicraft in Kotagede are important visiting itinerary.
In addition, there are still many tourism resorts to visit like Selarong Cave, Pandansimo beach, Gajah Mountain, Vredeburg Fort, etc. In the Palace of Yogyakarta Sultanate of Hadiningkrat, visitors will understand the Yogyakarta Sultanate histories of Hadiningkrat.
Number of historical collections of Yoygakarta Sultanate can be viewed including Regalia namely gold heirloom usually used and worn in new king coronation. Building and various Palace heirlooms of Yogyakarta Sultanate do not only contain the historical value but also ultimate philosophy of life.
Coming to SRY is not completed yet if not visiting the shopping center at Malioboro street. Row of shops and malls selling products of numerous trademarks, and streets vendors in front of those shops and malls peddling products with quality is almost as good as those sold in shops and malls. The interesting thing that prices of merchandises peddled by street vendors is negotiable to the lowest ones.

Weh Island

Weh Island is often referred to by the name of its capital. Sabang. It is the western most island of the Indonesian archipelago. Situated at the mouth of the Malacca strait is a sea passage for many yachts and cruise ships. Diving in Weh Island is a well-established recreational activity with dive masters and dive instructors ready to offer a variety of dives to sites like the fabled Sea Garden in Rubiah Island.

MENTAWAI Island

Located in the middle of Indian Ocean, 150 km and takes 9 hours trip from Padang, West Sumatra-Mentawai glowing with all the nature spirits and make it an extraordinary escaping spot from a hectic life. Mentawai is the natural habitat for 16 endemic species, and some of them categorized as endangered species e.g. Simakobu monkey (simias concolor-eat leaf as primary food).

The present life of Mentawai people categorized as the legacy from Neolithic era and they have a strong believe in nature spirit, for their life strongly affected by nature. They believe that nature is the center of life. All the genuine attributes make Mentawai a perfect place to gain cultural experiences, here you will notice a very fascinating and indigenous culture, like traditional cloths, art, music and the way of life. The entire culture attributes strongly reflects their respect to nature. Tattoo is one of the most important symbol for Mentawai people, its reflect maturity, manhood and status. The art of this body painting inherit from their ancestor. The tattoos ink naturally made from leaf.

Among the surfers, Mentawai is the best place to fill their demand for challenges and natures beauty. The beaches offer one of the highest wave in the world, 3 to 4 meters, totally challenge your gut. Once you grounded your self in this hidden Paradise Island, next you will paddle out to the worlds best surf. Dont call your self Surfer if you havent ride Mentawais waves said most of the surfer to expressed their surfing experiences in Mentawai.

There are four ultimate diving spot here in Mentawai ,Siberut, Sipora, Pagai Utara (north Pagai) and Pagai Selatan (south Pagai). You can find great waves here year round, but the best waves are during dry season, March to October. Make sure you have the gut to explore all the glassy waves, because the best way to entitled your surfing experiences remarkable is through finding your own.

How To Get To Mentawai Island
* Take flight from Sukarno Hatta air port, Jakarta to Tabing air port, Padang-west Sumatra (flight served every day)
* Trip from Teluk Bayur port, Padang to Mentawai island by Ferry

Bali Indonesia

Bali Island or frequently known as Dewata Island still becomes the mainstay commodity for Indonesia tourism sector from year to year despite of the Bali�s prestige had ever faded away due to Bali bombing tragedy but tourism affairs in that island are still the favorite destination to visit.
Population of Bali is about 4 million consisting of 92.3% Hindus and the rests are Moslem, Protestant, Catholics and Buddhist. The island that most of the population adhere Hindu indeed offers a million charms with exotic sceneries and cultures.

Most of Bali communities rely on their life from tourism sectors. However, fishery and agriculture which is known with the irrigation system, Subak, also play important roles for them to do a living.
Uniquely, amidst the aggressive assault of modern agricultures, this Dewata community keeps firmly sticking to its traditions. Specific rituals like ritual offerings remain done everyday by the community.

Thus, when visiting this island having incredible magical powers, we could feel the integration of local and global cultures in number of tourism destination resorts.

How To Get To Bali
gurah Rai airport is International airport to visit Bali by air, and crossing Gilimanuk seaport, Banyuwangi, East Java by Ferry for 30 to 45 minutes to Ketapang, and then to Bali can be taken if traveling by land. Meanwhile from Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat toward Bali is passed through Padang Bay seaport with transit at Lembar seaport taken for about 4 hours.

BUNAKEN

Ever fancy yourself being a mermaid? Being able to swim in tune with other creatures of the sea, flipping your bodies to the rhythm of the waves? In Bunaken Sea Park, you will encounter a real mermaid, and you can also view a glimpse of the sea life here.

Bunaken is an island of 8.08 km² at Manado Bay, situated in the north of Sulawesi Island, Indonesia. This Island is part of Manado city, the capital city of North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Sea Park in Bunaken Island is as part of National Park of Old Manado Ocean.

In this Bunaken Sea Park, visitors can see various marine lives at the bottom of Bunaken Sea. To reach this park, you can go by sea transportation like motor boat. Visitors are charged 25,000 rupiahs per person for one visit. The trip to Bunaken Sea Park Location from Manado City takes 40 minutes by motor boat.

Translucent water of Bunaken sea enables people to view numerous sea biota clearly. There are 13 coral reefs in this park, dominated by edge ridges of rock and block ridges of rock. The most attractive view is the steep vertical sloppy coral reef as far as 25-50 meters high.
Feast your eyes with 91 fish types found in this Bunaken National Park, amongst other things locally known gusimi horse fish (Hippocampus), white oci (Seriola rivoliana), yellow-tail lolosi (Lutjanus kasmira), goropa (Ephinephelus spilotoceps and Pseudanthias hypselosoma), ila gasi (Scolopsis bilineatus) and so on.

Visitors may also meet with mollusk types like giant kima (Tridacna gigas), goat head (Cassis cornuta), nautilus (Nautilus pompillius) and tunikates/ascidian.

Viewing the underwater lives might not be sufficient to quench your curiousity. Especially when you are on land and the marine beings appear to be out of reach. For those who enjoy scuba diving, this is the great place to do so. With about 20 diving spots to choose from, divers will have the chance to swim under the sea, and frolick joyfully while admiring the sea creatures.

Make sure to visit Bunaken during its highlight season in May to August। That way you can explore this place to the fullest.

HOw To Get To Bunaken
Bunaken Island is easily reached from Manado by motorized outrigger boat start from Manado harbor, Molas, Kalasey and Tasik Ria beaches. The public boats from Manado to Bunaken are leaving daily around 2 p.m (depending on tide), except Sundays, from Pasar Jengki near Manado harbor. Back from Bunaken to Manado usually early in the morning, around 7-8 a.m

Visiting Indonesia

Entry Point Any one coming to Indonesia shall have at least 6-moth valid passport as of the arrival date and have permit document to pass. No Visa is needed for tourists from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, French, Greek, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italia, Japan, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Philippine, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, England, America and Venezuela. Free entry visa is also provided to delegates registered in a conference that is officially held. In addition, tourist visa can be obtained from every Indonesian Embassy or Consulate. Come in and out of Indonesia must pass number of specific gates, namely by air via Jakarta, Bali, Medan, Manado, Biak, Ambon, Surabaya and Batam; by sea via Semarang, Jakarta, Bali, Pontianak, Balikpapan, Tanjung Pinang and Kupang. The length of stay in Indonesia is permitted for maximum two months. Customs Office regulation in Indonesia allows to bring in 2 liter alcoholic drinks, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 gram tobaccos and sufficient amount of perfume for adults. Number of items that needs special permit to be brought in Indonesia is car, photography instrument, and other electronic devices. All films and videos must be censored by Indonesian Film Sensor Agency. Then fresh fruits, plants, and animals should also have quarantine permit. In general, narcotics and weapons are illegal items to be brought in Indonesia.

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About Indonesia

Indonesia at a Glance
The word of “Indonesia” is coined from Latin word “Indos”, means ‘India’ and “Nesos”, means ‘island’. Both words mean Island of India, or islands existing in India. And event those two words are suitable with Indonesia condition having 17.508 islands, in where about 6.000 islands are occupied which are stretching along 5.510 kilometer between Australia and Asia Continent and divide Pacific and Indian Ocean on the equator line.

Indonesia comprising 33 provinces has five big and main islands, namely Sumatera (473.606 km2), Kalimantan 1539,400 km2), Sulawesi (189,216 km2), Papua (421,981 km2), and Java (132,187 km2). Those five islands are occupied by about 70 % of Indonesian people. Geographically, Indonesia is also grouped into four specific territories. First, Sunda Besar (Big Sunda) Island consisting of Sumatera, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi.

Second, Sunda Kecil (Small Sunda) Island comprising smaller islands ranging from Bali Island to the East territory. Third, Maluku Island covering all islands situated between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi territory. And the last is Irian Jaya, the island situated in the most eastern part of Indonesia.

The capital city of Indonesia is Jakarta, a city with impressive histories and backgrounds. At the beginning, Jakarta was known as a seaport named Sunda Kelapa. The anniversary of Jakarta on 22nd June 1527 was stipulated based on the conquest history of Demak soldiers under the commander Sultan Fatahillah to subjugate the territory from Portuguese. The name of Jayakarta donated by Fatahillah for the conquered territory means “city with big triumph”. But the name of this city was changed from Jayakarta to become Batavia during the Dutch colonial.

As the capital city of the nation, Jakarta also plays role as governmental center, business and industrial hub. The city with 660 kilometer width is occupied by about 8 million populations and now Jakarta is growing as a metropolitan city that reflects the advancement of the nation economic, politic, social and industry.

History

Fossil of “Java Human” or Pithecanthropus Erectus was found in Trinil village, East Java by Dr. Eugene Dubois in 1809 giving rise to assumption that Indonesian land had been occupied since 500,000 thousand years ago.

As recorded in the history that extensive migration to the Indonesian islands was known to have occurred in 3.000-5.000 before Gregorian Calendar by Mongoloid tribe from China and Tonkin. This nation brought in new stone culture, bronze, iron and Austronesian language. The arrival of traders mainly from China and India also brought in Hindu and Buddha religion.

The legacy traces of both religions cover Hindu and Buddha temple heritages that were supposedly constructed during the kingdoms epoch. Borobudur temple constructed in Central Java, for instance, is one of the glorious evidence of Buddha and Sriwijaya Kingdom. Other temples like Prambanan, Penataran, and Dieng Plateau were the glorious evidence of Hindu religion in the history of Indonesia. And Islam entered into Indonesia since the arrival of merchants and traders.

Second, Sunda Kecil (Small Sunda) Island comprising smaller islands ranging from Bali Island to the East territory. Third, Maluku Island covering all islands situated between Irian Jaya and Sulawesi territory. And the last is Irian Jaya, the island situated in the most eastern part of Indonesia.

After the arrival of Portuguese in 1509, Dutch also invaded to control Indonesia as a colonial region at the beginning of 17th century. Initially Dutch controlled the region via VOC, which was then directly controlled by Dutch government since the beginning of 19th century to the World War II era.

By 1942, Japan was the only Asian nation colonizing Indonesia but surrendered in 1945 at the end of the World War II in Asia and also this was the opportunity for Indonesian to proclaim its independence on 17th August 1945.

Langguage
There are 583 languages and dialects spoken by the people of Indonesia and divided into number of ethnic groups. Number of specific local dialects amongst other thing is Aceh, Batak, Sunda, Java, Sasak, Timor, Dayak, Minahasa, Toraja, Bugis, Halmahera, Ambon, Seram, and Irian language. The national language of Indonesian is Indonesian language that is mostly similar to Malay language.

Climate
Climate in Indonesia is categorized into tropical climate. The seasons consist of rainy and dry season along the year. East season wind blows on June to September and brings about dry climate. In the meantime west season wind occurs on December to March bringing about rainy season. The change of two seasons intervened with hard rain. The hardest rain usually occurs on December and January with general humidity is 75% and 100%.

Flora and Fauna
A British scientist named A. R. Wallace created an imaginary line, which was then named as Wallace line dividing Asia and Australia fauna. This line overtakes Malay Island, between Kalimantan and Sulawesi; and between Bali (in the west) and Lombok (in the east). Theory that the Wallace presented explains the existence of fauna species in Indonesia is similar with those in Asia and Australia. However, Indonesia also has its original fauna like Orang Utan in Sumatera and Kalimantan, giant lizard or Komodo at Komodo Island, rhinos in Java, Wild ox, Tiger, and other protected species.

Ramadhan In Lombok Indonesia

Ramadan In Lombok - Dispelling The Myths
it's almost time for the start of Ramadan, the fasting month, across Indonesia, so now is good time to dispel some of the myths that get aired at this time of the year.

Naughty tour guides and taxi drivers in Bali will tell visitors no to go to Lombok during Ramadan because all the restaurants are closed, there's nothing to eat and non of the taxis are operating, etc.
Whether this is genuine ignorance about the nature of Ramadan, or a bid to keep the tourists in their own backyard is debatable, but the facts remain the same in Lombok, it's business as ussual all year round.

It would be silly to sugest that, in tourist hubs such as Senggigi, Kuta, and Gili's, hotels and restaurants would close for the entire month and the whole island would just grind to a halt. nonsense - we'd all be boored!
hotels are open for business as always, restaurants serve meals all day day, bar are open with live music and alcohol, and taxis run at their ussual erratic pace. Many of locals are fasting, but non Muslim locals and tourist are catered for with ussual Lombok hospitality. You can even have a cold Bintang with you bacon and eggs, if that you wish!

Ramadan stars with the first sighting of new moon in the ninth month of the islamic calender, which occurs arround 1st of September this year, last for one lunar month (until the next new moon).
As islam is the majority religion of Indonesia, much of the archipelago will be abstaining from food, drink, smoking, and sex between sunrise and sunset each day for the next month.

Muslim regard Ramadan as a month for exercising self control over base desire, and for fasting, meditation and reflection. Muslims belive that, by following the fast, they cleanse both their bodies and souls and thus become cloeser to God. Similar to fasts and retreats practised by all the world's major religions, the act of fasting is seen as a sacred sacrifice to bring the person closer to Godliness.
fasting Muslims will wake early in the morning , to prepare and eat their first meal for the day and to say morning prayers. after sunrise, no food, dring, or smoking is allowed for the rest of the day until sunset. During Ramadan you will often see the local people out walking jsut before the sunset, to take their minds off their hunger and passing the time until they can Buka Puasa ( Break fasting ) is a happy occasion, with families gathering together to pray and share their evening meal after a day of abstinence.

Lombok has a mixed community of Muslims, Hindus, christians, Budhists, and other religions, so local Muslim accept that not everyone is fasting. For employed in the service and tourism industries, it's normal for guests to be eating, drinking and enjoying their holidays. Staff are happy to do their jobs as ussual. Most Muslims seem to agree that it's only first week or so that's difficult after that the fasting becomes normal and their bodies adapt to new routine.
If you're travelling in some of the outer areas and smell villages which are not geared for tourism, it may be more difficult to find warungs open during the day. It's worth to buy snacks and meals to take with you, or to eat in your hotel later. As an aware traveller, you can show courtesy by not eating and drink in front of fasting people, but generally people will make allowences for that fact that you are a guest and not fasting.

Most Lombok business respect the different belifes of their community and make flexible arrangements to support their practices. Staff may be a bit tired, as they're waking up so early in the mornings and losing energy during the day. It's particullarly difficult when the weather is hot and peaople would love to have a drink, but this is the part of the fast. At the end of the day, there is a sense of pleasure at beeing able to overcome temptations and complete the fast. Please be patient if most of the staff seems to dissapear at sunset, They've just gone to break fasting and will be back at work soon, Smiling after a good meal and something to drink!

Dari Kunjungan Presiden SBY ke Brazil

Sabtu, 22 November 2008,

Catatan: Dahlan Iskan
SEJAK berangkat dari Jakarta 13 November lalu, baru Kamis pagi kemarin (Jumat 21/11, kemarin WIB) ada waktu longgar sedikit. Yakni ketika berada di Kota Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Presiden Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono dan istri yang disertai Mensesneg Hatta Radjasa, Ketua DPD Ginandjar Kartasasmita melakukan joging di pinggir Pantai Copacabana. Presiden dan rombongan memang menginap di hotel yang menghadap ke pantai paling indah di dunia itu. Bagi saya, itu juga jalan pagi terjauh pertama sejak ganti hati lebih dari setahun yang lalu. Selama ini paling-paling saya jalan kaki keliling kampung sekitar rumah. Di Pantai Copacabana itu, presiden jalan pagi sampai 6 kilometer (pp). Sebab, pukul 7 pagi pantai masih belum ramai. Pengamanan lebih gampang. Juga tidak perlu mengganggu kesenangan wisatawan.

Ibu negara ternyata bisa mengimbangi jalan cepat itu. Mengenakan celana panjang serdadu, Ny Ani Yudhoyono tidak pernah tercecer. Saya yang hampir selalu berjalan di sebelahnya jadi banyak mendapatkan cerita. Sesekali kalau ada kotoran anjing di jalur itu, Ny Ani suka mengingatkan pengawalnya yang berjalanan di belakangnya. “Awas ranjau,” katanya.
Sesudah jalan kaki, Presiden SBY bertanya apakah ada bola voli. Rupanya, presiden ingin terus berolahraga. Tentu gampang sekali mendapatkan bola voli di Pantai Copacabana. Semua hotel yang berjajar sepanjang pantai pasti punya bola voli. Maklum, pasir Pantai Copacabana memang sangat luas. Pasir yang terbentang antara air laut dan trotoar jalan sekitar 100 meter. Di pantai yang melengkung itu, banyak terdapat tiang voli atau gawang sepak bola.

Presiden berada dalam satu tim dengan menteri dan pengawal. Ada Menteri Pertanian Anton Apriantono, Hatta Radjasa, dan Ginandjar Kartasasmita. Staf ahli dan sejumlah Pimred (pemimpin redaksi) sebagai lawannya. Ada Bambang Harimurti (Tempo), Andi Mallarangeng, dan Budi Rahman Hakim (Harian Rakyat Merdeka). Saya memilih duduk di bawah pohon kelapa menemani Ibu Negara. Tentu sambil menonton jalannya set pertama. Tapi, karena tim presiden menang telak di set pertama, saya diminta memperkuat tim staf ahli. Alhamdulillah menang: skor 1-1. Inilah juga untuk yang pertama saya berolahraga sejak transplantasi hati.
Berbagai guyon politik pun mewarnai pertandingan itu. Ketika SBY melakukan servis dengan gaya melintir, ada yang nyeletuk: ”Wah, presiden suka mengirim bola yang sulit ditebak arahnya. Apalagi Andi Mallarangeng yang menerima bola melintir itu gagal mengembalikan ke arah yang benar.”

Ketika ternyata presiden tidak melakukan smes, Ibu Negara nyeletuk. ”Bapak memang tidak suka menyemes,” katanya. ”Semua sudah tahu itu. Anehnya, semua temannya selalu saja memberi umpan padanya,” tambahnya. Itu terbukti. Waktu ada bola lambung yang amat baik, presiden justru memberikan perintah kepada pemain di sebelahnya agar meloncat: smesnya cukup keras sehingga tidak bisa dibendung lawan.

Suatu kali, SBY menghadapi bola nanggung. Karena agak dekat dengan posisinya, dia harus bertanggung jawab atas bola itu. Tapi, Hatta Radjasa juga suka ambil tanggung jawab. Hatta juga ingin mengambil bola itu. Akibatnya, keduanya tabrakan keras. Hatta tergulung ke pasir. Demikian juga presiden. Melihat itu, komentar nakal langsung terlontar: Demokrat bergumul dengan PAN.

Presiden bercerita bahwa kegemarannya akan voli sampai pernah membuat lututnya cedera. Tapi, itu saat muda dulu. ”Kalau soal voli, Bapak sampai berani nglurug,” kata istrinya. Presiden memang kelihatan sangat menikmati permainan voli di Copacabana itu. ”Tahun depan kita akan bikin Lombok de Janeiro,” katanya. ”Pantai Senggigi tidak kalah indahnya,” tambahnya.
Di Brazil, Presiden SBY bertemu sekali lagi dengan Presiden Brazil Lula da Silva. Ini berarti pertemuan mereka yang kedua hanya dalam satu minggu. Atau yang kelima selama menjabat presiden. Keduanya merasa saling cocok. Baik dalam pemikiran maupun langkah. Apalagi Indonesia dan Brazil banyak kesamaan. Sama-sama negara tropis. Sama-sama berpenduduk besar, negara berkembang, mengutamakan pertanian, sama-sama menghadapi keruwetan demokrasi yang masih muda, dan sama-sama pernah diperintah ”Orde Baru” dalam kurun waktu yang lama. Brazil juga baru reformasi sekitar tujuh tahun sebelum Indonesia.
Presiden Lula da Silva, misalnya, juga harus menjalani pemilihan presiden yang mirip. Mula-mula ada lima calon. Karena suara yang dia dapat tidak sampai 50 persen, Lula harus mengikuti putaran kedua. Bahkan, ketika terpilih yang pertama dulu, dia juga harus menjalaninya dalam dua putaran. Di Brazil tidak ada pembatasan suara untuk pencalonan presiden. Jadi, partai kecil pun bisa mencalonkan. Karena itu, calon presidennya cenderung banyak. ”Yang membatasi hanyalah kenyataan bahwa biayanya mahal. Jadi, tidak banyak juga yang mampu jadi calon,” kata seorang politikus di sana.

Pertemuan pertama kedua negara itu seminggu lalu terjadi di Washington saat dilangsungkan pertemuan puncak 20 kepala negara di dunia yang menguasai 90 persen ekonomi jagat raya ini. Dalam dua kali pertemuan, dua kali pula keduanya membicarakan sepak bola. ”Presiden Lula memang pemain bola,” ujar Presiden SBY. ”Bahkan, beliau bercanda, kalau sudah berhenti jadi presiden, nanti akan melatih sepak bola di Indonesia,” tambah Presiden SBY.
Ketika rombongan SBY berada di Kota Brasilia, ibu kota Brazil, sebenarnya di kota itu ada momentum menarik di bidang sepakbola. Hari itu tim nasional Brazil bertanding dengan tim nasional Portugal. Hotel tempat para pemain itu menginap sama dengan hotel Presiden SBY. Lobi hotel itu selalu ramai dengan wartawan televisi setempat. Kadang ada siaran langsung dari hotel itu. Semua bintang sepak bola hari itu ada di situ. Bahkan, Kaka, pemain terbaik dunia dan bintang sepak bola Brazil, sempat memberikan kenang-kenangan kepada Presiden SBY berupa kaus dengan tanda tangannya.

Ketika ada anggota delegasi yang mengatakan bahwa sore itu ada pertandingan yang harus ditonton, Presiden SBY hanya tersenyum. Tentu acara kenegaraan lebih penting daripada semua itu. Sebagian anggota rombongan gemes karena kehilangan kesempatan langka. Tapi, memang begitulah. Presiden SBY terlalu serius untuk urusan dinas. Bahkan, orang seperti Rosi Silalahi dari SCTV yang tidak ikut joging pagi itu punya alasan jenaka. ”Sejak hari pertama mengikuti presiden, rasanya sudah seperti joging terus,” ujar Rosi.
Tapi, presiden memberikan kesempatan satu jam kepada wartawan untuk berwisata naik ke gunung Yesus Kristus yang terkenal itu. Dari ketinggian 710 meter itulah, wisawatan bisa melihat kesempurnaan Rio de Janeiro sebagai kota wisata: gunung-gunungnya yang beronggokan di sekitar kota, down town-nya di sisi kiri, Pantai Copacabana dan Ipanema di sisi kanan, danau di semua arah, laut di seputarnya, jembatan di atas laut di depan, stadion bola yang terbesar di dunia di bawah sana, dan bagi yang mau ritual ada kapel kecil di bawah patung itu.

Selama wartawan berwisata, Presiden SBY punya acara khusus: menerima mantan anak buahnya yang berkebangsaan Brazil. Yakni saat SBY jadi komandan pasukan perdamaian di Bosnia dulu. Waktu itu SBY masih berpangkat brigjen. Sang anak buah masih mayor. Sejak berpisah, keduanya tidak pernah bertemu. Maka, ketika akhirnya bertemu di Rio, mantan anak buah itu bercerita yang sangat lucu. Cerita itu bermula karena dia tidak menyangka sama sekali kalau atasannya dulu bisa jadi presiden.

Di Brazil dia memang sering mendengar berita mengenai Indonesia dengan presidennya yang bernama Yudhoyono. Dia cuek saja. Kalau toh ada sedikit ketertarikan, itu hanyalah bahwa ternyata di Indonesia banyak orang bernama Yudhoyono. Tidak hanya mantan atasannya di Bosnia dulu. Dia baru kaget ketika tahu bahwa Yudhoyono yang di televisi itu ya mantan atasannya tersebut.

Meski hanya dua hari di Brazil, lebih dari sepuluh agenda diselesaikan Presiden SBY. Bukan saja bertemu partnernya yang cocok dan seide dalam menyelesaikan persoalan internasional, juga bertemu dengan Presiden Korea Selatan Lee Myung-Bak yang kebetulan berada di satu hotel, bertemu ketua DPR, ketua DPD, dan berkunjung ke pusat riset pertanian Brazil.
Saking antusiasnya berada di pusat riset itu, Presiden SBY sampai memimpin sendiri diskusi dengan lembaga yang mendapatkan kepercayaan penuh untuk memajukan pertanian itu. Bukan saja untuk mencukupi pangan dalam negeri, tapi juga sebagai komoditas ekspor dan sumber produksi ”BBM” biofuel. Menteri Pertanian Anton Apriantono diminta untuk terus menindaklanjuti hasil diskusi itu.

Keseriusan Brazil di bidang itu memang luar biasa. Negara tersebut menjadi penghasil dan pengekspor terbesar di dunia untuk kedelai, beras, gula, dan kopi. Brazil juga jadi buah bibir dunia karena keberhasilannya memproduksi ”BBM” dari bahan hasil pertanian. Begitu seriusnya, dalam jangka 20 tahun ke depan negara diperkirakan sudah tidak akan menggunakan minyak lagi untuk sumber enersi dalam negerinya.

Ke depan Brazil juga akan mengembangkan perkebunan karet yang sampai hari ini juaranya masih dipegang Indonesia. Zaman dulu, kita mendapatkan bibit karet dari Brazil. Tapi, lama-lama Brazil kehabisan pohon karet. Kini dia akan ”mengambil” kembali bibit itu dari Indonesia. Brazil juga akan mengembangkan sawit yang Indonesia jadi juara dunia nomor 2. Karena daratan Brazil begitu luas, keinginan untuk mengembangkan bidang karet dan sawit itu bisa-bisa mengancam kedudukan kejuaraan Indonesia.

Brazil memang bukan negara dengan daratan terbesar. Masih ada AS (kalau Alaska dimasukkan), Rusia, Kanada, dan Tiongkok. Tapi, Alaska hanya penuh es, demikian juga Rusia dan Kanada. Sedangkan daratan Tiongkok didominasi pegunungan dan gurun pasir. Maka, memang Brazil-lah daratan pertanian yang terbesar di dunia. Luasan daratannya, empat jam penerbangan dari utara ke selatan dan empat jam penerbangan dari barat ke timur, hampir semua bisa difungsikan untuk pertanian. Hanya kawasan di negara bagian Amazon di utara yang harus dijaga sebagai hutan lindung tropik terbesar di dunia.

Brazil rupanya tahu kelebihan dirinya. Lalu sangat fokus di bidang yang menjadi kelebihannya itu. Brazil, dengan demikian, memang telah menerapkan doktrin dasar kunci untuk sukses: fokus di bidang yang menjadi kelebihannya.