Author Archives: ianburnet

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About ianburnet

Author of the book, Spice Islands. Which tells the History, Romance and Adventure of the spice trade from the Moluccas in Eastern Indonesia over a period of 2000 years. Author of the book, East Indies.Which tells the history of the struggle between the Portuguese Crown, the Dutch East India Company and the English East India Company for supremacy in the Eastern Seas. Author of the book 'Archipelago - A Journey Across Indonesia'. Author of the book 'Where Australia Collides with Asia' Author of the book 'The Tasman Map'. Author of the book 'Eastern Voyages'.

Giant nutmegs found in Singapore!

Posted on December 3, 2015 by ianburnet

Long before it became a temple to the gods of conspicuous consumption, Orchard Road in Singapore was named after the orchards and nutmeg plantations that were developed there in the early 1800’s. Nutmegs only grew in the Spice Islands of … Continue reading →

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The Tropical Spice Garden and Clove Hall- Penang

Posted on November 25, 2015 by ianburnet

It is lovely to visit Penang Island again and explore the historic streets of multicultural Georgetown, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Row after row of the historic shophouses are being converted into boutiques, restaurants, museums, coffee shops, and whatever … Continue reading →

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Franklin Naik Pinisi

Posted on November 7, 2015 by ianburnet

Franklin is a loveable tortoise character who gets involved in various adventures and in the process gives young Indonesian children access to reading as an early learning experience. There are both a yellow and green series for different age groups, … Continue reading →

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The Whale Hunters of Lamalera

Posted on October 23, 2015 by ianburnet

In eastern Indonesia the village of Lamalera on the south coast of Lembata Island and facing the Savu Sea, has carried out whaling for centuries. This is one of the few places in the world where people are still allowed … Continue reading →

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The Beautiful Banda Islands

Posted on October 10, 2015 by ianburnet

The ‘East Indies Spice Exploration’ voyage on the Ombak Putih went well, sailing from Flores to Solor, Lembata, Alor, Wetar, Romang, Demar and some smaller islands before reaching the Banda Islands. The only problem was that we encountered some unseasonable … Continue reading →

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Flores – Larantuka and the ‘Larantuqueiros’

Posted on September 16, 2015 by ianburnet

When the 1511 Portuguese expedition to the Spice Islands led by Antonio de Abreu reached the north-eastern end of Flores they found a promontory which was a landmark for ships sailing this coast. Known as Tanjung Bunga in Malay, the … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Archipelago – A Journey Across Indonesia

Posted on September 9, 2015 by ianburnet

Book Review: Archipelago – A Journey Across Indonesia, by Ian Burnet This beautifully illustrated and informative book takes the reader on a journey both through the landscape of Indonesia and also back through Indonesia’s past. It weaves a spellbinding experience … Continue reading →

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Archipelago – Book Talk at the SMSA

Posted on August 24, 2015 by ianburnet

Ian Burnet – Archipelago Mitchell Theatre, SMSA Sydney, 280 Pitt Street Tuesday 8 September 2015, 12:30 – 1:30 Ian Burnet explores the most culturally diverse nation on earth, Indonesia, which comprises as many as 17,000 islands. Travelling by bus, plane, … Continue reading →

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The Greatest Monument in the World – Borobodur

Posted on August 6, 2015 by ianburnet

It was Sir Stamford Raffles who receives credit for ‘rediscovering’ Borobodur during the period of British rule in Java from 1811-1816 and information about this monumental work of art came as a great surprise to the outside world. After being … Continue reading →

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The Jakarta – Bandung Railway

Posted on July 26, 2015 by ianburnet

I have always considered the Jakarta – Bandung railway to be one of the great railway journeys of the world. The line follows the northern coastal plains until turning south near Cikampek when our train slows to a crawl as … Continue reading →

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