|
Timor-Leste:
Dili, The capital city
Dili, also spelled Díli,
Dilli or Dilly, is the capital of East Timor.
It lies on the northern coast of Timor island,
the easternmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands.
Dili is the chief port and commercial centre
for East Timor and also has an airport for use
by commercial and military flights.
Always
a pleasant, laid back little capital,
Dili has sprung to life over the last
three years. Although most of the city
was destroyed during the militia attacks
of 1999, many of the homes and businesses
have been rebuilt.Dili still sports a
few Portuguese accents like the villa-lined
beach roads, the former colonial garrison
built in 1627 and the church built on
the waterfront. But new shops, restaurants
and bars are opening all the time, bringing
a new energy and style to this once sleepy
city.
The waterfront remains
a center of activity from dawn till late
at night. A park separates the beach from
the road, with banyan trees and benches
offering an excellent place to cool down
in the shade with a coconut to drink!
Fishermen unload all kinds of fish, squid
and lobsters on the beach,
making this one of the best places to
find the freshest seafood in Dili. |
 |
In the afternoon, join
the boys in their daily games of football -
an excellent way to meet the local people. Peddlers
sell cold drinks, snacks and satay all day and
into the evening. The nearby island of Atauro
can be reached by charted boat or the new ferry
service.
Strongly Roman Catholic,
Dili features many churches. A massive statue
of Christ on the nearby headland at Cape Fatucama
is reminiscent of Rio de Janeiro. From the various
stops on the way up to Jesus there are magnificent
views of Dili and also the coast stretching
to the west. There are good beaches a few kilometers
outside of Dili in both directions with snorkeling
and diving possible within 15 minutes drive
from the main government buildings. The most
popular beach area is the sheltered cove of
Areia Branca, also known as Pasir Putih (or
white sands in English) just before you get
to Jesus.The Santa Cruz Cemetery near Taibesi
is also worth visiting. It was here in 1991
that the world was first alerted on a wide scale
to the suffering and injustice that the Timorese
were experiencing under Indonesian rule.The
Xanana Reading Room and Library is an essential
stop for visitors to Dili in search of information
and advice about East Timor, their video and
film library is excellent.
|
|
