Java is the heart of Indonesian tea cultivation, accounting for almost 90% of the total area under cultivation. West Java, especially around Bandung and the Puncak Pass, is known for its full-bodied, sweet teas and picturesque plantations. The tea plantations, often located at altitudes of over 1,000 metres, are popular destinations for enjoying the cool mountain air and green landscape. The picture was taken between Cisarua and the Puncak Pass in 1990

Tea picker on Java. The photo was taken between Cisarua and Puncak Pass – 1990.

A woman picks green chillies near Majenang / Cilacap – 1990

In Yogyakarta, Pasar Beringharjo is the most famous and important market for spices. It is considered one of the oldest and largest traditional markets in the city. – 1990

Fresh green chillies are always popular at the market in Surabaya in north-east Java, as they serve as both a spice and a healthy vegetable. But peppers have other beneficial effects too. They are highly stimulating, aid digestion and have a laxative effect. Their active ingredient, capsaicin, is used in dentistry as a painkiller. And as a powerful antiseptic, peppers protect food from spoiling to a certain extent, which is particularly important in hot and humid tropical countries. – 1990

The photo shows an elderly Javanese woman (often respectfully called Mbah or Ibu) from the region around Lake Sarangan (Telaga Sarangan) in East Java, Indonesia. The region lies on the slopes of the volcanic Mount Lawu. It is known for its cool mountain climate and traditional agriculture. Many older women in this area traditionally work as vendors at local markets or sell fresh vegetables and fruits to visitors at the lake. – 1990

A girl offers a whole bunch of bananas for sale. Pasar Beringharjo, the famous spice market in Yogyakarta. – 1990

Women also carry loads at the market in Yogyakarta. – 1990

Portrait of an old woman at the bird market in Yogyakarta – 1990

A woman at the market in Surabaya, Indonesia's second largest city on the north-eastern tip of the main Indonesian island of Java. – 1990

Mother and her youngest child photographed in a high-altitude village in Tawangmangu, in the foothills of Mount Lawu, which rises between the towns of Surakarta and Madiun in central Java. The mountain peak is 3,265 metres above sea level. This young woman is wearing a beautiful batik blouse, a fabric widely used in Indonesia. - 1990

Girl from Tambak in Central Java – 1990

Siesta on a becak in Ujung Pandang (Makassar) – Sulawesi – 1990

This cheerful girl was photographed in the streets of Ujung Pandang (Makassar). She wears a ribbon in the colours of Sulawesi on her hat – 1990.

The carefree life of these children in Tanah Beru in South Sulawesi is reflected in their faces – 1990

This girl sells dried fish at the market in Banda Neira – Maluku – 1990

A dock worker from Ujung Pandang (Makassar). The dockers' work is particularly strenuous in Indonesia's hot and humid climate. The island nation, which consists of a good dozen larger islands and a total of around thirteen thousand smaller ones, relies on a dense network of shipping connections, but now also has a well-developed airline network. – Sulawesi – 1990

This girl in the market in Ambon is selling a packaged speciality – Moluccas – 1990

In the Moluccas, carrying baskets on the head is a traditional and widespread method of transporting goods, crops or shopping. – Ambon – 1990

In the Moluccas, coconuts are traditionally transported using a carrying pole (a yoke, often called a pikulan locally). – Tidore – 1990

Selling coconuts at the market in Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

This woman at the market in Ternate is selling a special fruit: Malay apples (scientific name: Syzygium malaccense), also known as water apples, rose apples or pomarrosa. They are rich in pectin and vitamins A, B3 and C. They are also low in calories and fat. The fruit grows on trees that can reach heights of up to 15 metres and are particularly common in tropical regions such as South America, Asia and the Caribbean. – Moluccas – 1990

The picture shows an elderly man on the island of Ambon wearing a traditional headdress known as a peci, songkok or kopiah. This type of cylindrical cap is commonly worn in Muslim cultures and is often elaborately embroidered. – Moluccas – 1990

Boys in the village of Eri on the Moluccan island of Ambon, Indonesia. The village lies opposite Ambon Bay on the Timor Peninsula. They have rushed over from swimming to watch the photographer at work. Indonesians like to have their photographs taken, which is not the case with all peoples of the Far East. – 1990

Portrait of a little girl on Banda – Moluccas – 1990

What is happening in this world? Child in Castela on the island of Ternate – (see New Year's card 2022) – Moluccas – 1990

Curious children watch from their window – Banda – Moluccas – 1990

Boys in the village of Eri on the Moluccan island of Ambon, Indonesia. The village lies opposite Ambon Bay on the Timor Peninsula. They have rushed over from swimming to watch the photographer at work. Indonesians like to have their photographs taken, which is not the case with all peoples of the Far East. – 1990

This girl is also interested in the photographer's work – Ambon – Moluccas – 1990

Portrait of a local woman on the island of Ternate – Moluccas – 1990

Young woman with firewood - Ambon - Moluccas - 1990

Local woman on Lontar, also known as Banda Besar, the largest island of the Banda Islands in the Indonesian province of Maluku. The island is volcanic in origin, hilly (up to 536 m) and located in the central Banda Sea. – 1990