The Dutch legacy endures in Indonesia, where I've been hanging out since 1970. So much of what those 'Hollanders' left behind after the country's independence in 1950, remains today, and is being rediscovered and restored by a new generation of Indonesians more responsive to the cultural and other heritage left by the Europeans.
Gone are the bad old days of hatred for the Dutch, indeed for the West, fuelled by Soekarno and his anti-everything white rhetoric. A more sensible attitude prevailed when Suharto took over in 1966, but sadly that metamorphosed into If It Makes Money It' Good, and the legacy of wide-ranging corruption that philosophy has left behind, is one the country has to work hard to combat.
To keep all this photographic, many photographers are now discovering the beauty of all of Indonesia. In my own travels I see so many of all ages with cameras, out and about and exploring areas of the country other than Bali, still beautiful with its temples and rice fields and mountains but sadly, filthy beaches, fleshpots and often overpriced facilities and services.
East Java where I stay has so many interesting places to be explored and so much to see, as do Central Java and West Java, not to overlook the many other parts of that country which has 10,000+ islands to be visited and recorded in visual images.
Indonesia is well worth a visit. Go before it all changes.
