Josie's Gift
Josie's Gift - Banda Aceh is the capital of the Indonesian province of Aceh on the island of Sumatra. It was also the capital of the Sultanate of Aceh in the early 15th century. Banda Aceh, at the tip of Sumatra, has long been a strategic, transport and trade center in the eastern Indian Ocean, and was an important port in trade between the region, India and Arabia.
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Josie's Gift
About 150,000 people died in Banda Aceh in the tsunami of December 26, 2004. Parts of the city were permanently submerged. Many aid agencies have since stepped up to help rebuild. The long conflict between the Aceh independence movement (GAM) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) was temporarily resolved by a peace agreement on 15 August 2005. The peace process since then has been fairly smooth.
In 2006 the province held its first direct and democratic elections for regional leaders. In 2007, the first democratically elected governor, Irwandi Yusuf, was sworn in. Banda Aceh has a rainforest climate, with an almost constant average temperature. The average annual temperature of the city is 27 °C.
However, the city experiences both wetter and drier seasons, with June to August being the driest months of the year. Banda Aceh does not have a true dry season month where the average rainfall is less than 60mm. On average, the city receives less than 2000 mm of annual rainfall.
By Bus[Edit]
Foreigners no longer need a travel permit (Surat Jalan) to enter Aceh, but an Indonesian visa is required. It is possible to obtain a 30-day visa on arrival at Banda Aceh Airport. Embassies in Kuala Lumpur can sometimes process visas on the same day if you complete all the paperwork before noon, although this only applies to Malaysian citizens.
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There are non-stop night buses, which take between 9 and 13 hours, from Medan to Banda Aceh. Major bus companies such as PMTOH, Pelangi, Kurnia and Pusaka have offices on Jl. Gajah Mada, Medan. Prices range from IDR 110,000 for a regular bus to IDR 200,000 for a wide bus.
Minibuses can also take you to Banda Aceh from the Medan area, but the journey is generally longer. Prices are a bit cheaper than coaches. It is also possible to travel from Medan to Banda Aceh via Kutacane and Takengon. This will be a total of 20 hours.
The airline flies daily between Banda Aceh and Medan, 1 hour journey, Jakarta, 2 hours 40 minutes journey, or Singapore, almost 4 hours. There are no more buses serving the airport. The only way to get to the city area is by airport taxi with a flat rate of IDR 100,000 (2019).
By Bus[Edit]
The taxi counter is on the far left after exiting the arrivals gate. Visa procedures at this airport are similar to other Indonesian immigration gates. The nearest (international) ferry terminal is Belawan Port near Medan. Receive ships originating from Batam, Indonesia (a common route when arriving from Singapore).
The Penang ferry no longer operates. From Ulhee-lhee, the port of Banda Aceh, you can go to Pulau Weh and continue to Pulau Aceh. The main methods of travel are becak (moto-taxis) and labi-labi (public minibuses). Due to the sudden influx of cash after the tsunami, residents used to be overcharged, but now stabilization has returned.
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Examples of rickshaw fares are: Airport - Grand Mosque: IDR 40,000; Bus Terminal - Grand Mosque: IDR 8,000; Grand Mosque - Penayong: IDR 5,000. Within the city, IDR 10,000 is generally sufficient. It is possible to do a "Tsunami Tour" as there are still many boats inland and other monuments dedicated to the devastating day in 2004. About 65 NGOs operate in Banda Aceh;
however, they generally do not recruit non-Indonesians locally. These NGOs include various United Nations and European Union agencies, USNS, Care, Americare, Islamic Relief, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Australian Red Cross, Turkish Red Crescent, Red Crescent of Kuwait, the French Red Cross, IMC, IOM, WHO, Japan International Cooperation System, Habitat, Doctors Without Borders, Japan Platform, USAID.
By Plane[Edit]
At the height of the post-tsunami relief effort there were 850 NGOs, but many were non-Muslim religious organizations and their licenses were not renewed by the Indonesian government. In the center of town there is an interesting market for fish, meat and vegetables. There are also several small gift shops selling local products.
Hermes Palace Mall is in the center of Banda Aceh. The shopping center has more than 100 stores with a food court, supermarkets and clothing stores. The Acehnese breakfast staple is nasi salgado, rice cooked in coconut milk, sold in coffee shops everywhere. Padang food stalls and restaurants are open in all the untouched parts of the city and fruit carts are everywhere.
There are several good cafes with relaxing views of the rice fields around Ulee Kareng along Jl Tengku Iskander on the western outskirts of the city. In the center you can find three fast food chain restaurants, A&W, KFC and Pizza Hut. Like all travelers, common sense and a good attitude is all you need to get along in this small town.
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However, there are a few points to keep in mind. Although Banda Aceh is currently safer than most European cities, it is best not to go out alone after 10pm. Because Sharia law is enforced, drinking alcohol is not allowed, although it is still possible.
By Boat[Edit]
Violations of locally perceived interpretations of Sharia can result in arrest by Sharia police with corporal punishment and public ridicule imposed on a Muslim violator. Muslim women usually wear the headscarf in public. Western style swimwear is not recommended except in Sabang. Pickpocket activity is rare, but stay alert and observant in crowded places.
This Christmas will be the hardest for Josie, her mother and her younger brother, Bobby Joe. It's the first vacation for this Depression-era family since the deaths of her father and husband. He always taught this humble family that "Christmas is not what we want, it's what we have."
But this Christmas, all Josie could think about was what she had lost. Trying to fill a void, Josie asks her mother for a new blue sweater she's been admiring in the store window for weeks. He knew they couldn't afford it, but he longed to know joy again.
But in the form of three visitors and a surprise sacrificial gift on Christmas morning, Josie finds the joy she's been looking for in the true meaning of Christmas. "About this title" may belong to another edition of this title. Shipping: US$3.00 Within the US.