印尼记遊（一）
Travelogue in Indonesia 01

我拟作印尼之游已非一日了，久闻巴厘岛的綺丽⻛光，意味隽永的古典舞蹈，巍峨瑰丽的庙宇佛塔，醇厚素朴的⻛土人情，浓厚的艺术气息... 这一切实使我魂梦缭绕，憧憬不已。然而终因世俗之羁，衣食之累，使我不能放纵高蹈，至彼处一 游。

这回，我们一行十人决定利用这短短的假期，⻜至印尼，在爪哇岛上作为期三周的旅行写生，真是一偿我数年来未竟之素愿，藉慰夙昔向往之忱了。

四月一日晨，六时起身，盥洗后，略进早点，即由椰城出发，我们分乘三辆汽⻋，先往观世界知名的茂物植物园，然後再到吉布达。這段公路大概是荷印时代殖民地政府所建，洎乎今日，久已失修，千疮百孔，加以山道崎岖，处处盘旋、⻋身蜿蜓，势如奔蛇，我们坐在颠簸的「老爷⻋」里，俨如慘受酷刑。大概是⻋子不堪負重吧，上山坡时竟不停地发出「吼、吼、吼」的喘息声，大家心里都忐忑不安，幸好除了中途下来推過两回⻋以外，还算順利到达目的地。

抵至吉布达时已是正午，这是一处山頂植物园，气溫約在七十度之间，空气清新，尤感清涼爽健。据说是殖民时代荷人的享福地，在这么高的山上，匠心營建這优美的植物园，殊非易事。我们若能在此 小住几天，得早晚留连，欣赏自然胜景，真有超然世外之感呢!

山上林木从茂，綠草如茵，古木参天，翠荫浓郁，较之星洲植物园真有小巫見大巫之概！花亭里奇花異草，种类繁多，五光十色，各斗芳菲，花艳叶腴，只有金⻢仑的花卉，才足以与之比拟，高大的仙人掌，仙人掌真是前所未⻅，叹为观止。那高达十八尺的铁树，苍劲古老，必须三人才能环抱。许多⻘苍的古松、杉木、以及其他本知名堂的树木，都是枝幹老练，一峰直上，有如巨人似地矗树立看，挺秀不可名狀。对着这奇丽超俗的大自然美景，其使十丈紅尘中的我们，一涤胸襟烦尘俗念，惊叹不已。每个角度都是那么的富有画义，真使们左右徘徊，有无所措手，描之不尽之感。结果，我們都画几幅古树，因为我们都爱上它那种奥妙不可側的雄伟力量，泼剌剌的一种自由味道，莽苍的生命活力以及矗兀正直的气概！

下午，循原路回程，在半山处吃午饭，然后至游泳池观览，这泳池的水，是由山上导引下來的，清莹可鉴。正当我们游目骋怀地浏览山林溪间的美景时，忽而大雨傾盆而下，阻住了我们的游兴，更因时促事冗，未能究胜探幽任意流连，遂冒雨驱⻋返抵椰城，到旅舍时，已是万家灯火了。

是晚，李曼峰先生于府上设鸡尾酒会邀请我们，並邀集艺協同人十余位，大家握手言欢，宾主开怀畅饮之后，由主人提议合作国画一幅以资留念，我们十人均是⻄画出身，拿起毛笔家画画，实是生平第一遭，但在主人盛情之下只好拿毛笔来献丑了。首先由李曼峰先生挥毫画了一大竹篮，续由叶泰华先生画芋，我画木瓜，⻛美画香蕉，如此接力，竟画了廿余种水果及疏菜，至午夜十二时才尽欢而散，并以巴厘归来（四月廿日由巴厘返椰城），作两地画家联合画展，以增彼此观摩之兴，我们必须努力，方不负主人之盛情厚意。

一时返至旅舍，一日奔跑，疲惫不堪，上床就寝 。

I've long dreamed of embarking on a journey to Indonesia, captivated by the enchanting landscapes of Bali, the timeless classical dances, the majestic temples and pagodas, the rich and unpretentious local culture, and the profound artistic atmosphere. All of these have filled my dreams and fueled my anticipation. However, the demands of daily life and worldly responsibilities have kept me from indulging in this high-spirited journey.

This time, a group of ten of us decided to seize a brief vacation and fly to Indonesia. We chose Java Island for a three-week sketching trip, finally fulfilling a desire that had remained unfulfilled for many years. It's a way to satisfy the longing we've held for so long.

On the morning of April 1st, we woke up at six o'clock, freshened up, had a quick breakfast, and set off from Coconut City. We split into three cars and first headed to the renowned Bogor Botanical Gardens, followed by a visit to Cibodas. The road to our destination was likely constructed during the Dutch colonial era and has since fallen into disrepair. The road was full of potholes, and the mountainous terrain was winding, with the cars snaking around like serpents. We endured the bumpy ride in our "old man's car," and it felt like we were subjected to torture. The car seemed to struggle under the weight, and as we ascended steep hills, it emitted a continuous "huff, huff, huff" as if gasping for breath. We were all on edge, and although we had to get out and push the car twice along the way, we eventually reached our destination without major issues.

When we arrived at Cibodas, it was already noon. This place, situated atop a mountain, had a temperature of about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the air was crisp and refreshing. It's said to have been a Dutch paradise during the colonial era, and constructing such a beautiful botanical garden in such a high and remote location was no small feat. If we could stay here for a few days, we would surely be able to enjoy the natural beauty, feeling as if we were in a world apart!

The mountain was covered with lush forests, verdant grass, ancient towering trees, and dense green shade. It far surpassed Singapore's Botanic Gardens in grandeur and beauty. In the flower pavilion, there was an abundance of rare and colorful flowers, each competing in splendor. The vividness of the flowers and the luxuriance of the leaves could only be compared to Singapore's Orchid Garden. The towering cacti were a sight to behold, truly like nothing we had ever seen before. The Ironwood tree, standing at a height of 18 feet, was ancient and majestic. It took three people to encircle it. Many of the aged pine and cedar trees, as well as other famous species, had branches and trunks that were weathered and old yet reached skyward like giants, with an indescribable grace. In the face of the mesmerizing and otherworldly beauty of nature, we, who had spent most of our lives in the hustle and bustle of the city, couldn't help but feel purified of worldly troubles and be in awe. Every angle presented a painting, and we were left wandering, not knowing where to start, unable to capture the entirety of the experience in our sketches.

In the afternoon, we retraced our steps and stopped halfway up the mountain for lunch. We then visited a swimming pool. The water in this pool flowed down from the mountains, crystal clear and transparent. Just as we were enjoying the beauty of the forest and streams, a heavy rain suddenly poured down, dampening our spirits and preventing us from continuing our exploration. Due to the limited time and various circumstances, we couldn't linger as we wished. So, we drove back to Coconut City in the rain, and when we arrived at our lodging, the city was already lit up.

That evening, Mr. Li Manfeng hosted a cocktail party at his residence, inviting us and more than ten members of the art association. Handshakes, warm words, and hearty toasts were exchanged. After the enjoyable get-together, the host proposed collaborating on a traditional Chinese painting as a memento. All ten of us came from Western painting backgrounds, so picking up a Chinese brush and attempting traditional Chinese painting was a first-time experience for us. However, we couldn't refuse the host's generous offer, so we picked up the brushes and began to create. Mr. Li Manfeng started by painting a large bamboo basket, followed by Mr. Ye Taihua painting a taro, I painted a papaya, and Mr. Feng Mei painted bananas. We continued this relay, creating more than twenty varieties of fruits and vegetables. We worked until midnight before finally dispersing. To commemorate our collaboration and the return from Bali (we returned from Bali to Coconut City on April 20th), we decided to hold a joint art exhibition between the two locations, fostering mutual inspiration and camaraderie. We must put in our best efforts to do justice to the host's warm and generous invitation.

After returning to our lodging that night, we were exhausted from the day's travels and quickly went to bed.