Sunday morning in Banjarmasin

Banjarmasin is not really a hotspot for tourists. Coal, diamonds and wood is the major commodity sold from this place. But the town itself is a collection of houses along rivers and canals, connected by roads for cars and motorbikes: not to be used by bicycles let alone by people walking. But there are besides the great mosques (especially the Sabilul Muhtadin, after the Istiqlal mosque of Jakarta the second largest of Indonesia) two major events on Sundaymorning: the floating market, at 6am and the visit to the boulevard along the Martapura river,built some ten years ago by a mayor who really wanted to make his town nicer.
We left in the dark, 5am, for the floating market which is a selling place for vegetables and fruit, besides some more daily needs, at a distance of some 7 km outside the town. Houses here are built all along the river, which was for centuries used as the main means of transportation. Now on both sides motobikes can be used and one side has also a small road for cars.

We saw from the window of our boat (driven by a diesel engine) also a canoo with youngsters, rowing very fast as if they were in training for a match. In the middle our boat is shown, with two canoos of women selling their things. It was an early morning after more than 12hours of rain and therefore  it was no clear wheather, only fog and even somewhat cold on the water.
After this trip we had a nice breakfast of fish from the river. Then we coninued withthe second special event: a walk along the boulevard, created as a space for walking, 1 km on both sides of the Martapura river. In the future it will become some kind of a central park, because much of the land surrounding the giant mosque Sabilul Muhtadin will be turned into a park.

Of course,most people come to this boulevard on motorbike and they have to be put in their proper places. But then, it is a nice way af calm walking here, with many youngsters collection money for the eartquake and tsunami disaster in Central Sulewasi some individuals promoting dayak culture by dancing, and the long row of food stalls. It was truyle a festive event.