History Lombok Island

 Lombok is an island in West Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Barat or NTB) province, Indonesia. It forms part of the chain of the Lesser Sunda Islands, with the Lombok Strait separating it from Bali to the west and the Alas Strait between it and Sumbawa to the east. It is roughly circular, with a "tail" (Sekotong Peninsula) to the southwest, about 70 km across and a total area of about 4,725 km² (1,825 sq mi). The provincial capital and largest city on the island is Mataram. It is somewhat similar in size and density with neighboring Bali and shares some cultural heritage, and is now like its neighbor become a hot tourist destination, but is administratively part of NTB along with sparsely populated Sumbawa. It is surrounded by a number of smaller islands locally called Gili.

The island is home to some 3.16 million Indonesians  as recorded in the decennial 2010 census, and in 4 regencies along with the provincial capital Mataram.

History
Little is known about the Lombok before the seventeenth century. Before this time it was made up of numerous competing and feuding petty states each of which were presided over by a Sasak 'prince'. This disunity was taken advantage of by the neighbouring Balinese who took control of western Lombok in the early seventeenth century. The Makassarese meanwhile invaded eastern Lombok from their colonies in neighbouring Sumbawa. The Dutch had first visited Lombok in 1674 and the Dutch East India Company concluded its first treaty with the Sasak Princess of Lombok. The Balinese had managed to take over the whole island by 1750, but Balinese infighting resulted in the island being split into four feuding Balinese kingdoms. In 1838, the Mataram kingdom brought its rivals under control.

Relations between the Sasak and Balinese in western Lombok were largely harmonious and intermarriage was common. In the island's east, however, relations were less cordial and the Balinese maintained control from garrisoned forts. While Sasak village government remained in place, the village head became little more than a tax collector for the Balinese. Villagers became a kind of serf and Sasak aristocracy lost much of its power and land holdings.
During one of the many Sasak peasant rebellions against the Balinese, Sasak chiefs sent envoys to the Dutch in Bali and invited them to rule Lombok. In June 1894, the governor general of the Dutch East Indies, Van der Wijck, signed a treaty with Sasak rebels in eastern Lombok. He sent a large army to Lombok and the Balinese raja capitulated to Dutch demands.(see Dutch intervention in Lombok) The younger princes however overruled the raja and attacked and routed the Dutch. The Dutch counterattacked overrunning Mataram and the raja surrendered. The entire island was annexed to the Netherlands East Indies in 1895. The Dutch ruled over Lombok's 500,000 people with a force of no more than 250 by cultivating the support of the Balinese and Sasak aristocracy. While the period was one of deprivation for the Sasak, they Dutch are remembered as liberators from Balinese hegemony.

Following Indonesian independence from the Dutch, the Balinese and Sasak aristocracy continued to dominate Lombok. In 1958, the island was incorporated into the province of West Nusa Tenggara with Mataram becoming the provincial capital. Mass killings of communists occurred across the island following the abortive coup attempt in Jakarta and Central Java. During President Suharto's New Order administration, Lombok experienced a degree of stability and development but not to the extent of the boom and wealth in Java and Bali. Crop failures led to famine in 1966 and food shortages in 1973. The national government's transmigrasi program moved a lot of people out of Lombok. The 1980s saw external developers and speculators instigate a nascent tourism boom although local's share of earnings was limited. Indonesia's political and economic crises of the late 1990s hit Lombok hard. In January 2000, riots broke out across Mataram with Christians and ethnic Chinese the main victims, with alleged agents provocateurs from outside Lombok. Tourism slumped, but in recent years has seen a renewed growth.

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Dieng Mountains are cool and Unique

Dieng is located approximately 116 km from Yogyakarta. To get to the Dieng Plateau, you can use a personal car or rental car directly to Dieng with the distance of approximately 3.5 hours. For those of you who choose public transport, bus and travel are available to take you to reach Wonosobo. After that trip continued with a micro bus Dieng, for about 1 hour. Natural scenery of green mountains along the way will accompany you and eliminate the anxiety going uphill road which meanders endlessly.
 
Dieng name derived from Sanskrit is "in" which means a place, and "hyang" which means the creator god. Overall Dieng can be interpreted as a place of residence of the gods. While the population of around often mean that the Dieng derived from the word "EDI" which means beautiful in the Java language, and "Aeng" meaning strange. In other words Dieng is a beautiful place but it has many peculiarities.

Situated at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level, Dieng community should be grateful for the abundance of wealth bestowed on their land is beautiful and exotic. Arjuna temple complex which is the oldest Hindu temple in Java is still standing upright in the middle of whipping time and weather, be evidence of cultural heritage of extraordinary richness. Although some parts of the temple began to wear out with age, but the worship of Lord Shiva temple built in 809 AD is still a sturdy stand to give the feel peace in the midst of the natural silence of the mountains.

Cold weather is pretty extreme for a region located in the tropics has led to the lifestyle and unique style of dress of the inhabitants. Temperatures during the day ranged between 15-20 degrees centigrade at night while the range between 10 degrees centigrade. In July and August temperatures can reach 0 degrees Celsius during the day and -10 degrees Celsius at night.

Cool and cold air is actually utilized by the residents to maximize their farms. Abundant land they turn into the fields to plant various vegetables and fruits. Their primary commodities are potatoes and cabbage. Carica, papaya Dieng, transformed into a delicious meal that always hunted as a by-the typical Dieng. Purwaceng, one type of grass that grows wild, Dieng typical processed into a nutritious drink to increase male virility. Speaking of culinary specialties other Dieng must try is the delicious tempeh kemul ongklok Wonosobo and noodles that have been legendary.

Lo Dieng is an active volcanic area and can be regarded as a giant volcano. Plains formed from volcanic crater that has died. The shape of the crater is clearly visible from the plain surrounded by a cluster of surrounding mountains. But although this volcano has been dead for centuries, some volcanic craters are still active until now. Among these are Sikidang Crater, which is always to move where and caper like "deer" or deer.

The uniqueness result in the formation process of the exotic landscape and is second to none. Lake colors reflect the color green, blue and purple and the charm of a beautiful sunrise from the summit of Mount Sikunir are places that should not be overlooked.

As a land trust as a place bersemayamnya the gods, and the mystical aura of myth still believed by many native Dieng. One is the phenomenon of child dreadlocks. For some reason many children in this area suddenly turned into a dreadlocked. They are originally born in a normal state like most children, sudden high fever and grow dreadlocks on his head. Most people believe that children are the offspring pepunden dreadlocks or the ancestral founder of Dieng. They are then to be cut through a procession of hair gimbal with customary way (ruwatan), after the child's demand met by parents. When parents fail to comply, then the dreads will grow again, though has been cut many times.

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