Rammang Rammang di Sulawesi

Alberto Rizzotti
Jan 30, 2024
3 min read

It's hard to decide where to start. Today, apart from the humid heat, it's been really a wonderful day. So, let's begin with that. NO RAIN! We hired a driver to take us to a place that incapsulates our geographic location, in a place that is hard to assess whether it really lies in Asia or Oceania. This region has its own language, Massakarrese, and so far nearly everyone we have encountered speaks no more than the bare essentials in English (hello, mister, Joe Biden), including our driver, who is the son of the gentleman I had spoken to yesterday.

Yet, we manage to communicate. These are a beautiful people, very caring, amicable, extremely kind, honest, and easy-going, and have the most gorgeous smiles.

So, the setting. If you have read my post a couple of months ago where I had asked you to guess where we were going, I had posted a picture of Indonesia that was pretty symbolic of the place, which I had copied from google, randomly, not knowing where the place actually was. Well, it blew my mind to find out that Rammang Rammang, our destination, was where that picture was actually shot.

In this rice-growing area, karst mountains serve as a spectacular backdrop. Life goes by easily and lazily.

We hired a boatman to take us down the river for an hour or so. It was a canoe-type boat they use for visitors, as well as for themselves.

Off the boat, exploring, we ran into this young man who was fishing in a most amazing way. He used a small spear, attached to a nylon line, and cast the spear using a sling, when he saw a fish near the surface. He had already speared a dozen fish when we saw him.

We stopped to cool off a bit purchasing three coconuts from a local family. I tell you, these people are poor in conveniences, but rich in soul. Everyone is so welcoming everywhere we go.

After leaving this wonderful place, we headed to Leang Leang, where we were privileged to be one of the very few people that has ever seen live, the most ancient (prehistoric) cave drawing in the world. Here's what Wikipedia says about the place:

The entrance to the caves is located 30 metres (98 ft) above a rice field, accessible by ladder....

,,,A hand stencil in the Tempuseng cave was dated to at least 39,900 years old in a 2014 study. The depiction of a babirusa is also located in this cave. It is estimated to be 35,400 years old. The art works were examined with the help of the Uranium-Thorium method of the sintering on the paintings,,, According to Aubert, it is the oldest figurative work of art in the world.

Pretty amazing, really. The cave is under lock and key, The key-keeper escorted us there and opened it up for us.

Next stop was a very late lunch, at 3:30, but it was worth it. Grilled tuna, fish soup, fried fish (whatever kind it was, it was excellent), vegetable soup, tomato salad with local herbs, and a glass of mango juice. The cook was hilarious, he came to sit with us. He was asking me about the past presidents of the United States and wanted my opinion of each. John Kennedy, George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barak Obama...he didn't speak English, but we figured things out, and had a good laugh each time. Oh, and a local customer, a soldier I believe, recognized the Sampdoria team colors on my phone cover, and knew all about past team players. Could it be a better day?

The cook. He looks like he wants to kill you, but he is an awesome guy.

We ended it taking a stroll along the peaceful sea-walk. We were serenaded, we had a couple of adorable little girls do cartwheels for us, enjoyed the nice statues, the boats, and especially the most eclectic mosque we have ever seen.