They have a Jesus statue on a hill – some 27m high. Think of the big thing in Rio. It’s right at the eastern end of Dili, and is on the headland of a long bay Dili sits in. So it stands looking out along the bay and back into Dili. Very nice!
I was pretty keen to get up and have a look but it was closed. These photos kind of show what it’s like. I admit to stealing images off google. The beach image – this is where they had the beach movie theatre a night or two later.
Why was it closed? Glad you asked. Would you believe the Pope is coming to this lovely little Catholic country to bless all of the inhabitants, as he does, and I guess to acknowledge the country’s past and it’s future.
What did that mean for me? Well, firstly for the local population that until a month ago lived in bustling shanty towns, it isn’t good. Apparently at midnight a month or so back they brought in the bull dozers to remove these shanty towns, in case they gave the Pope the wrong impression. The inhabitants? Apparently who cares. Now, this is what I was told by 2-3 people… Maybe their version of truth isn’t accurate. But suffice to say, these shanty towns are now lovely empty spaces the Pope can enjoy as he drives past.
It also meant a huge amount of infrastructure upgrades. Roads particularly. So, there was a lot going on. WHS hasn’t quite made it here yet, and so work sites regular see traffic pouring through, if that way is quicker. Big machinery kind of wanders along through the normal traffic lanes. Good fun.
One thing I didn’t like – and something I understand every coastal town in Asia deals with. After every high tide there is so much junk, plastics mainly, washed up onto the beach. Every morning, armies of workers clean it all up. Very disappointing… I’m noy blaming Timor Leste, just the awful way we continue to treat our planet.
