Sampai jumpa Surabaya, Halo Bali!

Jan 1st, we spent traveling. It felt as though we spent the entire day sitting. Firstly at the airport where our plane was delayed  

 and then in Bali where our baggage took forever to hit the carousel and then in the car to our respective hotels where we managed to hit rush hour. It was 8pm before Lenny finally reached her hotel because after dropping me off at my hotel, she had to head back to the airport to meet her husband, Henry,  who had flown in from Jogykarta to rejoin the family for the final leg of their holiday. 

While I had hoped to stay again at the Bakung Sari Hotel while in Kuta, their prices have gone through the roof being high season, so instead I am staying at the Jesen Inn 2, which is in the gang (alley/lane) next door. I just love this area of Kuta because if you walk north to Jln Bakung Sari, you are in tourist Kuta and if you walk south to Jln Kubu Anyar, you are in the more Balinese part of Kuta. On Jln Kubu Anyar, you can buy nasi bungkus for Rp12,000 but on Jln Bakung Sari, the food options are more tourist oriented. I did follow an elderly lady pushing her bike and ringing the bike bell down Jln Bakung Sari late yesterday afternoon selling her nasi bungkus to the locals working in the salons and various other tourist shops. I did not buy it from her though because waiting back in my room was nasi lawar complete with one of those delicious fish sate cooked on a flat Bamboo stick. (What are they called, Dad?) It always amuses me that back in Australia, rice is never left out of the fridge for long, yet in Indonesia, nasi bungkus can be assembled at home, transported to where it will be sold and it will then sit for who knows how long before being sold. The fellow selling nasi lawar yesterday, looked as though he’d only just arrived because his bowl of rice was still quite full. Still, I had no reservations about leaving my nasi bungkus in my room while I popped out to do some jobs and have a swim! The nasi lawar and swim were a lovely way to finish my last day with Lenny and her family, before I head to Jimbrana to spend the rest of my time here in Bali with my friend, Kadek. 

I was collected by Lenny around 9:30am and finally got to see Henry again. He was flanked by both children who were thrilled to see him again! The drive to Mas took us via Sanur where as usual, I saw many changes. A huge intersection just out of Sanur with a Ramayana statue was one! We were heading to Mas to join Ayu, Wahyu and their son Nanda for lunch at Wahyu’s parents house. While Ayu and Wahyu are both living and working in Surabaya at the moment, and Nanda is going to school there, it was great that we all happened to be in Bali at the same time. My sister too had been invited but sadly it was the very day she was flying home to Australia. It would have been brilliant had the timing been better. 

Our driver had difficulty locating their house which isn’t too surprising as once we left the main road, there were no sign posts. We called Wahyu and his father drove out on his motor bike to lead us back to their house which we’d passed. 

Wahyu’s parents house is in a typical Balinese style compound where several family members can live together. After being introduced to Wahyu’s parents who greeted us out the front, we entered their walled family coumpound through a decorative gate.  Immediately to our right was the kitchen while to our left was a large balai (open building used for entertaining friends/family or just relaxing). This balai is the larger of the 2 in this compound and it was a hive of activity. Men were busily constructing a sign and various other structures for a wedding package order. Also in the balai were 2 women decorating glass jars which would hold flowers at the wedding reception. It was quite frantic because the wedding was the following evening! Where ever we looked were items for the order. Buckets and buckets of white roses and gypsophila which had been shipped in from Bandung, tied bundles of decorative looking drift wood, sliced chunks of wood that look more to me like traditional mortars (& pestles), carved bamboo looking poles as well as other trendy stuff that will hopefully be recycled!

We headed passed them all working flat out after saying hello and were invited to sit in the smaller balai which was set up like a sitting room. There was a carpet square on the floor, a sofa and a tv against one wall as well as a fridge against the other wall! Balai’s traditionaly are open on 2 sides and walled the other 2 and are always the coolest place to sit during the middle of the day. Immediately after the 5 of us sat down, we handed our oleh-oleh to Ayu who immediately put it all aside and then placed on the carpet a bowl of broad bean snacks and a tray with glasses and pineapple juice. We talked briefly with Ayu and then Wahyu joined us. He had been resting as wasn’t feeling very well. 

Suddenly Ayu was called by Wahyu’s mum to help take the food out to the table in the garden where there was a lawned area perfect for eating al fresco. Lenny then asked whether there was sambal mentah (uncooked chili sambal). Wahyu’s mum turned to Ayu and Lenny and said defensively, “I wasn’t told I had to make that too!” We laughed at the typical Balinese response! While pretending to be gruff, she was actually thrilled we asked for it and we were given an impromptu lesson on how to make it. 

1. Peel a large number of garlic and eschallots.  

 
2. Slice finely. 

 
3. Add finely sliced kaffir lime leaves and cabe rawit (tiny spicy chili) 

 4. Fry terasi (shrimp paste). 

5. Mix everything  together and serve.  

 Absoilutely delicious! 

It was then carried out to the table and we were all invited to eat. Ayo makan, makan!  

 I did not take much convincing and enjoyed the urap (vegetables with coconut), tempeh and over my rice the kuah (liquid) from the ayam betutu  

 which is a traditional Balinese dish and saying that it is chicken cooked in spices, which it is, just doesn’t do it justice.  The meal was simply delicious and sitting out in the cool garden chatting together was so lovely.  

 Again typically, at the table was just Lenny, Henry, Ayu, myself and Wahyu. The children ate in the balai and the other adults waited until we had finished eating before helping themselves to the dishes.  While we sat there patting our full bellies, Ayu served a dish called, I think, coco de coco. It is a clear sweet drink full of white cubes of a firm jelly consitency enjoyed from a glass with a spoon. So refreshing.  We mentioned that we had passed Pasar  Sukawati and before long we had said our goodbyes and thankyous to Wahyu’s parents were in 2 cars heading to Sukawati with everyone except Wahyu who no doubt fell back into bed!  

Being New Year, it was packed with domestic tourists. We followed Ayu to a stall run by their neighbour. Lenny bought all her oleh oleh (souveniers) there while I bought 2 lengths  of material I hope to have made into sarongs that tie up with just a button rather than a knot which I much prefer these days. While Lenny was busy selecting her oleh oleh, I passed the time chatting to a fellow shopper who comes from Kalimantan Timor.  She was on holiday in Bali with her friend who is a primary school maths teacher. I also enjoyed listening to Lenny & Henry’s son telling  his life’s story in Indonesian to a seller in the adjacent stall. It was hilarious. The adults listening were all in stitches. He told them all the story of how how Lenny & Henry met in Australia, where they had lived in Australia and when and why they had  moved. Tsen loves talking and with a captive audience, he was in 7th heaven. If anyone tried to interrupt him with questions, he would dismissively answer and then return to his story. They were curious about my connection with his family but any questions about me where irrelevant and answered briefly before resuming his story from the exact point he’d been at when interrupted! It was absolutely lovely listening to both Lenny’s children and Ayu’s child who are all fluent in the languages spoken by their parents. Tsen and Meme speak Indonesian, Javanese, Mandarin & English  while Nandu is fluent in Javanese, Balinese, Indonesian and is also learning English. 

Before heading back to the cars, we crossed the road to buy kebaya, the traditional shirt that is worn by women with a sarong. I bought a blue one already made and the material for a white one, which again I hope the tailor near Kadek’s has the time to sew up for me.

The drive home went very quickly with a brief visit to the widow of Lenny’s  father’s  close friend and before I knew it, the driver had reached the top of Jln Kubu Anyar where I insisted I was set down because the traffic was worsening rapidly. When that bad, it is quicker to walk than to drive! I said a very quick thank you and goodbye to everyone before they drove off to Benoa where they are staying. It felt so strange not making plans for the following day. It has been so lovely spending time together after not seing each for such a long time.

Thank You  Lenny for allowing me to tag along with you and your family for this past week. I loved every single minute of it! Look forward to traveling with you again one day! Where shall we meet next time? Jogjakarta? Bandung?

Last Full Day in Surabaya

My last full day in Surabaya began with the symptoms of another virus. Sore throat, lethargy and a headache. All I wanted to do was collapse into bed and sleep for 100 years. However I was determined not to miss a second of any day with Lenny. 

An sms from Lenny saying she was about to head out and get some bubur for breakfast had me grabbing my phone and heading over to her apartment. We walked along the road in true Indonesian fashion by walking with the traffic unlike the way we do it in Australia where we walk towards oncoming traffic. Walking on the left hand side of the road is a little nerve wracking as you have to trust that the drivers coming from behind you see you and allow you enough room & that you don’t get swiped by wing mirrors, which I’ve never, thank goodness, experienced. It’s tricky dodging puddles from the recent rain, stepping over uneven footpath (if it exists) or road as well as negotiating traffic parked along the side of the road. My eyes are busy watching where to put my feet while my ears are listening for larger traffic coming from behind me. If I hear a truck coming, I step warily further left just in case!! 

It wasn’t till we reached the bubur stall that I realised I’d grabbed the wrong phone and wouldn’t be able to take any photos. The stall roof structure was made from bamboo poles which were attached to the concrete wall behind by raffia hanging off nails embedded into the concrete. Covering the bamboo were old canvas banners. Not sure how waterproof this structure would be in a downpour which we’ve had daily. The walls were made similarly and the ‘door’ was another banner weighted at the bottom hanging down to my waist, which we lifted to enter. Inside the warung were a husband and wife. Lenny gave our order of “lima bubur ayam mbak” (5 chicken bubur) to the wife. Mbak is a polite way of addressing just about any woman in Java if you don’t know her name or status, even if she is younger. I felt like I’d just got to the point where I could incorporate this into my language and now in Bali, I daren’t, because the Balinese (and those from other islands) get really annoyed if addressed this way. I remember Ichal’s frustration in Papua when fellow travelers/warung staff called him ‘Mas’, the Javanese was to address men of unknown age/status. Ichal, from Ternate, Maluku Utara, reacted the same way I do when was asked if I’m from New Zealand/Britain. 

While Lenny gave the order to the wife, it was the husband who served the delicious, soft, gooey rice into polystyrene containers. As we were not eating there, our bubur was ‘dibungkus’ (put in take away containers). His wife put the fried onion, tofu, crunchy peanuts, spring onion and shredded chicken into small clear plastic bags which were then knotted. All this was put into large plastic bags and a large plastic bag of krupuks (crackers) was added to the top. After paying for the bubur which was I think around Rp5000 each (AUD50c), we turned around to head back to the hotel to eat our bubur with the rest of the family. Just as we were about to step through the door, Lenny spotted a bowl of blue eggs on the table. These are called ‘telur asin’ and are salted duck eggs, a favourite snack which I have seen available throughout Indonesia. The eggs are salty because they have been preserved using a salt brine which gives the eggs a salty flavour. Lenny couldn’t resist and grabbed a couple! 

Around 10am, we were again met by Lenny’s cousin. He drove us to the House of Sampoerna via several sites that I had mentioned to Lenny that looked interesting. Funnily enough, even though Lenny had grown up in Surabaya, most of the tourist sites were as new to her as they were for me!! We passed the Tugu Pahlawan (heroes monument), Jembatan Merah, (red bridge) to name a few. Both of these sites are connected directly to the Battle of Surabaya. 

The House of Sampoerna is the home of Sampoerna clove cigarettes and is the number # 1 destination for tourists to Surabaya. The Dutch built building was originally an orphanage and then later a theatre. It incorporates a museum as well as an upstairs viewing platform from where visitors can watch workers making the cigarettes by hand. As we walked in the door, a tour was beginning. We joined the group and firstly learned a little about the family history. The founder of the business was a Chinese man who arrived in Indonesia with his father when he was quite young. After marrying a local girl, they set up a warung selling basic food items.    

   Once it was established, he tried other jobs but always came back to the warung. One of those jobs was a 6 month stint in a cigarette factory. Eventually a bankrupt cigarette factory became available and he bought it and the rest, as they say, is history. If not mistaken, his grandson sold the business to Altria (formerly known as Philip Morris) for a LOT of money. Upstairs, I discovered that the workers were still on their New Year break and wouldn’t be back till Jan 4th, which is probably why the museum wasn’t that busy. It also meant that I could sneak in a photo of the factory floor as I saw several others doing!  

 Apparently the workshop floor is not air-conditioned which could destroy the freshness of the cloves/tobacco mixture used in the cigarettes. The women workers roll, trim and pack the cigarettes and the fastest can roll up to 400 cigarettes a day! According to Lonely Planet, the tar content of these cigarettes is so high they are banned in most countries. The scent of a kretek (clove cigarette) is evocative for me because of the distinctive clove aroma and when ever I smell one being smoked, I am immediately transported back to Surabaya in 1976/7, standing on the 2nd floor verandah of the Hotel Indah looking  out over the street below. 

To Lenny’s cousin’s disappointment, we were still full from our bubur breakfast, so instead of finding somewhere to eat, we headed next to the Tugu Pahlawan. As soon as we opened the car doors there , the high humidity and heat hit me. There was no shade in the car park, just lots of bitumen reflecting the suns heat and nowhere to escape the high humidity which was warning of us of imminent rain. Just inside the entrance was an enormous statue of Sukarno and Hatta, the first president and vice president of Indonesia. 

  Behind them were columns built to look like the remnants of war as this whole complex is dedicated to the Battle of Surabaya which took place in September 1945.    

 Directly behind the columns was a large lawned area and flanking this were paths leading to the museum and the ‘tugu’ (tall needle like structure) directly opposite.  

 These paths were semi covered by vines growing over a wire structure, so were a much cooler option than heading straight across the lawn.  

 The museum cost Rp5000 per person to enter. We walked down a circular spiral path to the museum which was below ground. There was no air conditioning and even though it was below ground, it was quite hot and airless. Upon entering the doors at the bottom, our ears were assaulted by a recording of Sutomo’s speech. It was so loud and distorted that I could not understand a word. I found this on Wikipedia which is what I’m guessing he was saying:

“Hey British soldiers! As long as the Indonesian bulls, the youth of Indonesia, have red blood that can make a piece of white cloth, red and white, we will never surrender. Friends, fellow fighters, especially the youth of Indonesia, we will fight on, we will expel the colonialists from our Indonesian land that we love… Long have we suffered, been exploited, trampled on. Now is the time for us to seize our independence. Our slogan: FREEDOM OR DEATH. ALLAH IS GREAT… ALLAH IS GREAT… ALLAH IS GREAT.. FREEDOM!”
Bung Tomo’s speech, 9 November 1945.
Who was Sutomo, I hear you ask! Here is a brief explanation, again from Wikipedia: 

Sutomo (3 October 1920 – 7 October 1981), also known as Bung Tomo, is best known for his role as an Indonesian military leader during the Indonesian National Revolution against the Netherlands. He played a central role in Battle of Surabaya when the Dutch attacked the city in October and November 1945. 
To read more about Sutomo and his role in the Battle of Surabaya, I recommend this Wikipedia link: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutomo
While looking at the exhibits of military clothing and weapons, a typewriter, Rupiah dating back to the Japanese occupation, a huge battle scene sculpture  

 as well as a static reenactment of Bung Tomo delivering his speech, 

  I was presented with a tourist map of Surabaya by 2 very friendly young workers wearing traditional clothing. A lovely gesture! They then invited us to the theatrette to watch a video about the Battle of Surabaya. We sat down in the air conditioned theatre and watched a video made from photos and footage dating back to the Battle of Surabaya, however unfortunately, the photos were all blurry and the audio largely unintelligible. Still it was lovely to sit for a while in the cool air-con!  

 We then headed outside, where the humidity had not abated at all, to take photos of the monument itself in the glare and the heat.  

 From the tugu, we headed now to Pasar Atum (sometimes spelt Atom) to see an older style mall. Pasar Atum was definitely more my style of shopping! It has a newer section which is air conditioned and an original section which is not. We began in the new section and walked till we found the doors separating it from the old and keeping the air-con sealed in the new. Here Lenny searched for a stall selling a type of plum requested by a friend at home. As soon as we reached a stall selling them, Lenny was swamped by sellers called her a – ee which is Chinese for Aunty. A-ee mau beli apa? (What is Aunty wanting to buy?) The stalls weren’t that big but the variety they sold was vast, all stored in jars or open plastic containers and sold by weight.   

  

  After buying 1/2 kg, we headed outside looking for the bubur Madura stall Lenny remembered from her last visit to Pasar Atom. It was one of many food stalls set up on the outside footpath around the base of Pasar Atum. This particular stall was run by a mother and daughter partnership with the mother selling bubur Madura and the daughter selling pecel ( vegetables with lonton rice covered in a peanut sauce).  

  We ordered a bubur Madura each which was served in a banana leaf sitting in waxed brown    

It was with relief that we hopped back in the car again and on the drive back to our hotel, as we were deciding on a swim, it began raining as it has done every afternoon in Surabaya. So instead we all enjoyed a well earned rest before heading out later to a family kareoke place and dinner. 

Lenny had promised her two the kareoke after they had enjoyed it at Chinese  school recently. While all I wanted to do was collapse in bed, there was no way I was going to miss experiencing my first family kareoke!! Didn’t even know such a thing existed. It was brilliant and wish I’d known about it when my two were younger. We were ushered into a dark room where the two youngsters were handed a microphone each that had the top ball piece covered in a shower cap/surgical mask type covering. On the wall was a flat TV screen and on the table in front of the microphones was a computer screen from where the singers could choose their songs. The 4 adults were then treated to a variety of songs by Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars & Katy Perry as well as the popular song from Laskar Pelangi to which all the adults (except me) joined in. I’d love to do this again when feeling healthier so that I could join in with the singing without coughing!! I loved listening and watching the music clips that my students talk about  – now that my 2 are much older, I am so out of touch with popular junior culture. 

After the hour was up we headed out to a Tokyo Noodle place where again I enjoyed Japanese tofu even though the name of the restaurant is misleading. It’s not a Japanese place at all!!  

   

Thus ended another another day with Lenny in Surabaya.  Asyik dong. 

Jalan Jalan di Surabaya

Here I sit in the hotel restuarant feeling sightly embarrassed because of the attention I’ve been given from the head waiter after requesting that the music be changed from the hideous rap song that was on repeat. The next music style was again western and when asked if it was ok, my hesitation was taken as a negative, so now we are listening to kroncong style music (Javanese) which is far more enjoyable at this hour of the morning! 

What a change of pace I am experiencing with my friend, Lenny, and her family as she accompanies me on my exploration of Surabaya. After my lazy days in Waru, our days are now full on enjoying the food, the malls and meeting a few of Lenny’s Surabaya based family. Lenny has travelled here with her mum and 2 children and while in Surabaya has also been joined by an elderly aunt, who while 86, has impressed me with her stamina. For my first 24 hours with Lenny,  we were also joined by her friend Julia and her daughter Valerie, who are in Indonesia visiting friends and family while holidaying from Saudi (Julia) & England (Valerie).  

 With Julia & Valerie, we all visited the Galaxy Mall,  known locally as GM (pronounced gay-em), which is a humungous mall catering mostly for the wealthier inhabitants of Surabaya.  

 In true Indonesian style, our visit there began at a restuarant! We ended up inside a restuarant which by chance was the very one that Penny from WA had just recommended! Julia & Lenny ordered a feast of various Chinese food which looked much better on the table than it had in the menu!  

  

 My favourite was a tofu dish cooked with cashews! Apparently the tofu used was Japanese tofu which is incredibly soft and creamy inside. Delicious.

Julia & Valerie headed off to Semarang the next day and after dropping them off at the airport, we headed to North Surabaya with a cousin of Lenny’s. His first task was to take us somewhere to enjoy gudeg. To Lenny & my  disappointment, he parked at restaurant undergoing renovations when we both had hoped to eat at a local warung. We ate our nasi gudeg with the sounds of hammering and smashing concrete in the background and the occasional electrical zing of a mosquito being zapped. The gudeg (traditional Jogjakarta dish of jackfruit) was tasty  

  

 but we are convinced it would have tasted out of this world had we stopped at a warung where if the food is not amazing, the lack of customers makes the warung unviable.

After lunch we dropped briefly in to his family’s house where he plied us with the most amazing jackfruit from a tree in the back yard. This variety of jackfruit is much smaller than the variety more commonly seen in Indonesia and the flesh is a brilliant orange and so sweet. We then headed towards TP (tay-pay) – Tunjungan Plaza and Lenny’s cousin dropped us off at the Garuda office before heading off to an appointment. At Garuda, I discovered that if I travelled on Lenny’s flight to Bali it would only cost me Rp550,000 whereas the earlier flight that I’d tried to book online was Rp100,000 more!! Thankfully the online transaction had been declined!

Down the street a few meters from the Garuda officeis the Hotel Majapahit, formerly known as the Hotel Oranje.  

 This is a beautiful hotel and is one of those places where once you set foot in the door, it feels like you have stepped back in time to 1911 when it first opened. The history here is palpable and is a living monument to Dutch colonialism. The front door was opened by a staff member and waiting just inside was a formidable gentleman, looking every inch a butler who worked for a wealthy family. He looked down his nose at Lenny and her family yet once he set eyes on me, his demeanor changed and we were welcomed inside. The benefits of traveling with a bule (white fella)!! Just inside, parked permanently in the foyer, was a beautifully restored car in absolutely mint condition.  

 Beyond the foyer is an area where guests can relax and order drinks. The only reference in the entire foyer to the role the hotel played in the lead up to the Battle of Surabaya is a painting above the piano.  

 The painting depicts Indonesian revolutionaries who have climbed up onto the roof of the hotel to remove the Dutch flag from the flagpole and replace it with an Indonesian flag.  

  

  

  

  

 Even the bathroom was worth a visit as all the fittings look original even down the the toilet cistern which is high up on the wall with a chain hanging down.  

 From there, we crossed the road via the overhead walkway and made our way to TP, where we headed straight to the Matahari store, my favourite, and as it turns out, Lenny’s too, place to shop.  

  

 We hunted for bargains and I enjoyed also sticky beaking around at all the interesting things for sale. The formal wear for children gets more elabaorate everytime I visit Indonesia.  

  

  

 The toy section, as always, is disappointing. It contains shelves and shelves of boring toys of dubious quality. The range of stuffed toys does not even include orangutans or kancil (mouse deer) instead is just mainly teddy bears. When ever I ask if they have orangutan, the staff look at me oddly but I keep hoping that if I ask often enough, I may start a trend!! There is defintiely a gap in the market here for toys and games that challenge and encourage creativity and that go beyond dolls, teddies, trucks and cars. 

Our trip home was equally memorable. Lenny was determined to catch a bemo home, to ensure I experienced this form of transport in Surabaya.  To catch the bemo should’ve been reasonably easy yet right where we needed to go was a huge demonstration complete with loud speakers and what looked like smoke bombs. 

  It appeared very serious because of the hundreds of police that were being trucked in and the various road bloacks which pedestrians and for some reason, motor cyclists, could pass through unchallenged. We passed several parked trucks full of soliders disembarking and many more in the streets with sirens blaring. To get around the demo, we had to walk a very long way to the kantor Gubenor (Governors office) from where we caught our bemo. Lenny’s 86 year old aunt put me to shame with her stamina negotiating uneven footpaths. She walked along holding my arm yet I was in no doubt who was supporting who!

As we got down from the bemo, it began to rain so we took shelter in the warung where we enjoyed a warm comforting bowl of  mie pangsit ayam (noodles with chicken)  

  

  

 and then walked back to the hotel stopping only for an ice cream.  

 These ice cream sellers make their ice cream using natural ingredients with a coconut milk base. The ice cream itself is frozen using a salt bath and many hours of stirring by hand. It is absolutely delicious and is served with sago balls, bread cubes and topped with a drizzle of chocolate condensed milk.  I usually pass on the bread and condensed milk! 

Lumpur Lapindo

As usual the people who hang around bus stations were more than happy to tell me how to get to where ever I’m heading and todays trip to the mud volcano in Sidoarjo was no exception. I was told which bus to catch, where to get off and then what to catch next. By the time I was into the 2nd leg of this trip, I was feeling quite weary and decided to go straight home instead. Just as we got to the intersection where I would need to get off, the heavens opened up and the rain thundered down very heavily so I made a split decision to stay in the angkot. The other passengers, all women, were concerned for me, but I explained I didn’t want to get wet and I would just see where this trip would take me. About half an hour down the road, I looked out and saw that we had reached Sidoarjo (the town not the outer suburb of Surabaya). I asked my fellow travellers how easy it would be to get to the mud volcano, known more commonly here as Lumpur Lapindo – the Lampindo Mud. They then showed me where to get off, told the driver to stop and then pointed to the angkot I needed, which was parked behind us waiting for passengers. 

As I was the only passenger, the driver offered to take me directly to Lumpur Lapindo for Rp50,000 ($5) and when I didn’t answer immediately (I was texting), he dropped the price to Rp30,000. I explained I was in no hurry as it was still raining, much to his disappointment. Eventually a few more people got on and we headed off. 

It wasn’t long before the angkot reached the fortified banks of lumpur Lapindo, however the driver passed the first 2 sets of stairs up the bank before stopping at the 3rd. I was initially puzzled and had no idea why he passed a few before finally choosing to stop and the only reason I could think was that the first ones had many sightseers yet the third had nobody. Hopefully he was trying to spread the Rupiah around! 

I climbed up the very rickety staircase to the top after paying an entrance fee of Rp20,000   

 and looked out over the mud. It is exactly as I remember it from 2011, yet so much wider.  

 I began to walk along the bank when a man approached me trying to sell videos of the disaster. When I declined, he offered instead to drive me around the mud volcano. He quote me Rp50,000 to go half way around or Rp100,000 to go the entire way around. I pointed out that it is impossible to only go half way round as we’ll need to return somehow! He agreed and before I knew it I’d hired him to take me all around the mud pool. Here are some photos from our drive:

  

   

   

  

  

 There is so much more water around at the moment because it is the wet season. Apparently in the dry season there is an area where the mud is solid and you can walk out on it. Today we just slipped and slided through the mud and just imagined what it would be like. 

The final stretch of road was very challenging. This section of road was made from clay which in the rain had become very clingy and the poor bike’s wheel clogged up to the point it couldn’t turn at all. The driver pushed/pulled his bike for a bit and then eventually stopped to look for a stick to try to remove enough mud to get the wheel rotating once more. We then got going again and kept the wheels moving quickly to stop the build up of clay.  It wasn’t much fun sliding around in the mud!! 

 We were just passing some abandoned houses in the mud when he stopped suddenly and asked me to dismount. He then turned around and drove his bike through a large puddle of water which successfully dislodged the remainder of the mud. 

By the time we reached the road where I was to catch an angkot back to Surabaya, my shoes were an inch higher from the clay and my clothes were filthy. All forgotten instantly though when I stepped into the angkot, sat down and then looked up at the passengers. I was the only female – 14 pairs of male eyes were staring at me! I said to the ‘conductor’ Wow – all boys/males (laki laki) and he reassured me that behind me sitting in the front seat was another cewek (female). 

I told him where I wanted to be dropped off but when I got down off the angkot and looked around, I realised I was totally lost. I flagged a taxi, called Cilla and asked her to tell the driver where to take me! 

I will definitely sleep well tonight! 

Kebun Bibit – Surabaya

What an amazing day it’s been. I am sitting in the es teler durian warung enjoying another Es Teler durian  

 reflecting back on my day. I chose to sit here because my mouth is on fire after eating nasi tempeh penyet (tempeh – bean curd-  in chili) and the shaved ice is so soothing.

 It was so delicious. On the plate with the tempeh and very spicy chili are basil, cucumber and crispy fried small fish. At first I was amazed with how well I was coping with the chilli and then suddenly it hit me like a sledgehammer and my es jeruk (icy orange drink made with fresh sweet oranges) became my best friend. So much so, I had to order another! Then my nose started streaming!! A courting couple found me so entertaining they couldn’t drag their eyes away! Thankfully their food arrived and I could blow my nose surreptitiously without an audience! I was very relieved I didn’t sneeze like the father at a nearby table! It was bad enough wiping my nose and knowing this was making it redder! The tempeh penyet was dinner – at 5:30pm – and just as delicious as my bubur ayam (chicken risotto with various garnishes) had been that morning!  

 

My day began when after breakfast, I quizzed Cilla and her father (Bapak) for recommendations on what I could see/do. Bapak explained that Surabaya is not a tourist destination per se, it is more a place for those interested in the history of trade in Indonesia. Cilla proposed the Arab and Chinese quarter which sounds fascinating however as that too is where the House of Sampoerna (Indonesian kretek cigarette factory/museum) is, and being Sunday, the workers who make the cigarettes will not be there, it seems silly to go to the same place twice. Her father then told me a little about the history of the area which is closely tied to Indonesian Independence Day and both the Dutch & Japanese Occupation. It became obvious that I would need more than a morning, so have put it off till I can spend a whole day there. 
Next Cilla recomended a park called Kebun Bibit which literally means the seedling garden. It sounded fascinating and I went expecting to learn about propagation. Instead I discovered an absolutely beautiful park with huge, tall trees below which were colourful and creative garden beds.  
 

    

  
     
 Don’t you love the signs!   

Paths wound around the garden and led to various areas including picnic spots,  playgrounds for children and a mini zoo area.  

  

   
 Strangely at the mini zoo, children were tempting deer to come closer to the fence by offering snake beans!! It looks like the deer prefer kangkung (water spinach). There were 2 types of deer, both gorgeous.  

  This smaller variety excited me at first because  I thought they were kancil (mousedeer), but then I noticed one had antlers and they were too tall!  Kancil are only a foot high  and so timid, I doubt you could tempt it to come that closely to the fence!

 

Being Sunday, there were hundreds of people  walking or sitting around – most with children.  I saw a few couples too and while they were sitting together , both were on their phones checking facebook! Sound familiar? 

The childrens playgrounds were brilliant, easily the best I’ve seen in Indonesia. For older children. There were several adventure style playgrounds. I love the parents hovering around, supporting their children. 
   
  

In the photo above,  look at the face behind the wall!  
For younger children there were various types of more traditional playgrounds. 

 

   
 I found a group taking photos of models and my request to take a photo, evolved into joining the shoot temporarily!  We both look like we have Fred Flintstone facial hair! No wonder there was a light on a tripod nearby!

 

Tucked away in another corner of the park were some trainee doctors earning some pocket money and practising basic skills.   The sign below says the first 10 people pay half price!

  
 

Just to finish off, here’s a couple of photos I took of families relaxing and enjoying their Sunday together.  

   

Outside and close to the exit were many sellers attempting to attract children’s attention with a variety of toys and critters, including siamese fighting fish and brightly painted hermit crabs.  There were also various food sellers, all doing a roaring trade. The fairy floss fellow was most entertaiing and happily agreed to my request to film him! In the 1980’s I saw a similar process except instead of being powered by a motorbike engine, it was on the back of a push bike and powered by foot! 

   

 While heading back to the bus station I discovered a whole road of rubbish neatly stacked along the fence.  

 Going through it for recyclables were several people some of whom asked to be photographed!!    

   

It was midday by time I reached Terminal Bratang and it was much quieter than it had been when I arrived! While we waitied for the bus to fill up, passengers were entertained by various singers, sellers and ngamen (beggars). In the photo below you can see several people handing out things to passengers. One item of whatever they are trying to sell is either placed in your hand or in your lap if you are not interested. Depending on the number of sellers, you can end up with a variety of things in your lap. On this trip, we were each handed a hanky, a bag of broad beans, a mini koran, a selection of childrens colouring in books and a soft cover book of legends for children.  I bought one each of the first two but handed the others back. Behind the sellers, right at the front of the bus is a lady singing. Her voice isn’t that bad however the feedback from her microphone and PA system is horrendous.  Thankfully she only sang one song.

 
   
 
The last photo is a handmade envelope. One was handed out to each passenger by a physically  disabled person who then stood in the middle of the bus shaking a marracca briefly before retracing his steps to collect all envelopes. The lady on my first bus rolled up one trouser leg before handing out the envelopes so that her heavily bandaged ulcerated leg was visible. After collecting her envelopes she sat down with me on the back seat, rolled down her trousers before enjoying a well earned nap. The fellow on my second bus was using a crutch as one of his feet was severely misshapen.  Both were bare footed. 

As I sat in the bus, I realised how tired I was. I decided to go straight home and do Lumpur Lapindo (the mud volcano in Sidoarjo caused by the huge Lapindo Company) another day. My next post explains what actually happened!

Boxing Day in Sidoarjo, Central Java

It is 2:30pm and I’m itching to return to my favourite spot on the front verandah which is hot and steamy at this time of the day. Instead I hibernate in my bedroom which has the double luxury of a fan and an air-con. I am really enjoying my stay here with Cilla, her younger sister and parents. Her Mum in particular has been extremely hospitable, and I feel one of the family rather than a guest. Typical Indonesian hospitality. This morning, Ibu took me with her to the end of the street to buy nasi pecel for breakfast. In an empty (of cars) carpark, several vendors had set up stalls. Several were selling foods like nasi bungkus (rice with various choices of accompaniments) while others were selling processed foods or fresh.  produce including eggs, vegetables and fresh meat. Just thinking about the nasi bungkus is making my stomach growl!! This morning I chose nasi pecel which is a mound of rice covered in a mixture of snake beans, beans shoots and kang kung (water spinach) and delicious peanut sauce before a sprinkling of rempeyek which are delicious wafer thin crackers made from flour, peanuts and water.  

 Tomorrow I have already decided that I will order nasi kuning (yellow rice) with pergedel jagung (corn fritters), pergedel kentang (potato fritters) and whatever appeals to me. Other options include fried fish and chicken pieces & boiled eggs. 

After writing that, I am feeling hungry again so am listening out for a passing kaki lima (food seller). They are traditionally called kaki lima (5 feet) because the stall they are pushing (before motorbike adaptions) has 3 feet which together with the 2 feet of the owner added up to the sum of 5!! Nowadays most kaki lim are either attached to a bike or motorbike. Much easier to get around, yet for me, they pass too quickly. I hear them coming up the street but by the time I head outside to see what they are selling, they’ve passed by. Each seller type has a distinctive sound. In Bali I remember the bakso (meatball soup) sellers walked along gently tapping a spoon on a china bowl. This sound carries very effectively giving customers plenty of time to grab some money and walk out to the street in time before they pass by. A seller making the sound tok, tok, tok passed just now and Cilla said he was a bakso seller!! Not at all the sound of a spoon on a bowl, more like a spoon banging on an empty bamboo cylinder. 

Here is another  video of a passing food seller that I took this morning:

Mid morning I also ventured out with Cilla to buy pulsa (phone/data credit). I rode pillion with Cilla as we zig zagged through the narrow alleys of this housing estate until we suddenly stopped in front of a tiny stall, inside which was a glass fronted cabinet displaying a variety of credit providers. As usual I chose XL and paid IR 35,000 for unlimited data over 3 months! That’s approximately AD$3.50!! A bargain compared to the AD$40 I currently pay for 8GB. 

Later…..

It is almost 4:30pm and the breeze overrides the heat from the few beams of sun still reaching the verandah. I feel slightly voyeuristic sitting here on the verandah watching unsuspecting neighbours passing or pottering outside on the street.  I’ve just noticed someone else also sitting quietly watching life pass by from behind his fence and garden. Can you spot him?

  
Other than the sound of the breeze in the trees, I can also hear someone sweeping up leaves, a motor bike negotiating the road driving slowly over the polisi tidur (speed humps/ literally sleeping policeman) , a child calling out to Mum and music playing a few streets away. It is so peaceful. After the heat of the day, it is the sound of both the living and the non living emerging.  I’m very tempted to join them and go for a walk!

Relaxing in Sidoarjo on Christmas

  
This is the view from the verandah of the lovely family I found through airbnb. I can sit here and enjoy the gentle breeze as well as watch the world go by. The garden is gorgeous. It is barely 3m x 6m yet includes a sealing wax palm, a gorgeous red frangipani just to name a few, as well as various pot plants. It perfectly screens the passing traffic yet allows enough light and breeze through. 

While sitting in my room, I’ve heard various food sellers pass. Here comes one now: 

All making various sounds to indicate what they are selling. I heard a tok, tok, tok several times while in my room, so am curious to see what that seller was selling. Haven’t yet heard the ting, ting, ting of the bakso seller yet. Bakso is a meat ball soup and is the perfect snack. 

Here’s another one:  

 It is now dusk and the street light across the road has turned on and a timid gecko on the gate post has also made an appearance. No doubt more will hopefully join him soon and catch the pesky mosquitos that have been hovering around my rid covered ankles. A grandfather wearing a shirt and sarong sauntered passed pushing his grandchild in a pram earlier.  It’s lovely to see people still wearing sarongs, even if it is just when relaxing. Children on bikes race passed too yelling to each other. 

Ibu and her younger daughter arrived home together with Bapak. No sooner had she walked in the door, than she is plying me with food and drink. I’ve been presented with  cakes and biscuits which I have accepted so as not to embarrass her. I’m hoping I can get away with just trying a small mouthful. This cake is from the Holland Bakery, a very well known bakery chain famous for its western style creations. 

 

When I asked her if there was somewhere nearby that sells nasi (rice), she invited me to join the family for dinner as they have so much food  left over from the family gathering earlier. Forgot to mention my preference for vegetables, so hopefully it isn’t too awkward! 

Now as dusk truly sets in, various nearby mosques are calling the faithful to mahgrib prayers. There is a mosque very close, maybe in the next street, which we can hear very clearly. The many others that we can also hear sound like giant insects humming in support. Another mosque has begun their call too and it sounds beautiful because instead of an adult male voice singing, it is the voice of a young boy. He is singing  clearly and confidently. So beautiful. 

I’ve been in to the kitchen to watch Ibu cooking  however she was so uncomfortable,  I stayed only long enough to ask her about Christmas presents which apparently between adults include gifts of the basics like sugar and uncooked rice. For children their presents are useful things like school equipment or shirts. I also discovered that she works as a nurse. 

I left her in peace and returned to my room where I worked some more on this post. I just realised I’d uploaded the same video twice when she knocked on my door insisting I come out and eat. I followed her out to the kitchen where she handed me a plate and a cup of water before vanishing to join the rest of the family in the other bedroom. I helped myself to a red dish which tasted like sweet and sour sausages, spicy bittermelon (delicious), a noodle dish and rice. I ate alone and afterwards washed up my plate and spoon before adding it to the dishrack. No sooner had I headed back to my room, they all emerged and with laughter headed to the kitchen for their dinner. Very Indonesian! 

After a very busy and eventful day, it is time to get ready for bed. The perfect way to end Christmas day anywhere!

Jogja to Jakarta by Train – Kelas Eksekutif

After checking out this morning from our hotel in Jogja, we caught a taxi to the train station. While not that far, and easily done by becak, the huge suitcase I borrowed from my daughter, (now full of school resources & oleh oleh) and my new bright red onboard suitcase (for everything I’ll declare on arrival in Australia) would mean I’d need to hire 2 becaks; one for me and one for my luggage!! Much easier to go by taxi!! 

We arrived at the train station much earlier than the half hour recommended by the travel agent who organised our tickets. Just inside the station, up a few steps, is a printer where the kind ticket collector printed out our tickets. He then checked our names against our passports, highlighted something in orange and then gestured the way we needed to go to reach our platform. With dismay, Marg & I faced the steps leading down to the tunnel under the railway lines! We gritted our teeth and went forth. Marg carried her suitcase down the stairs while I placed mine on the narrow strip that looked more like a scooter track going from top to bottom. With gravity helping, it was definitely a better option than carrying it yet steering it was tricky. With relief we reached the bottom of the stairs, turned right and then up ahead waiting for us was another set of stairs, leading upwards!! Once again, we gritted our teeth and put one foot in front of the other. Marg again carried her suitcase while I attempted to drag it up the scooter track. I almost made it but with about 3 steps to go, I gratefully accepted an  offer of help from a very kind man, who no doubt regretted his offer once he realised the weight of my suitcase! I hate to think how many kilos it weighs and refuse to even think about it until we pack again tomorrow ready for our flight home.

We found some empty seats to collapse into; although almost rejected them as they were 2 steps up on a raised platform!! After what we had just accomplished, 2 steps turned out to be a piece of cake!  

  The Jogja station is actually a lovely station, very clean and organised. There was a smoking section over by the railway line and on either side of our seating area were food stalls offering a wide range of processed and fresh food as well as drinks and magazines. They also offered us our last chance to buy some bakpia, the souvenir everyone iis encouraged to buy in Jogja. I was very tempted to get some but in the end it was not possible as I had nowhere to put it! Bakpia are small round cakes/biscuits ranging in size from a 10c piece to a large scone looking a little like a very flat scone but they are delicious as they have a filling in the very centre. The filling options include chocolate, strawberry, peanut or cheese – yet my all time favourite is the mungbean paste filling.  

 While waiting for our train, I started chatting to the couple ssitting behind us who were returning to Jakarta after 5 days in Jogya with their young son  wearing the traditional Jogja headwear.  

 In no time at all, an announcement over the PA alerted us to the imminent arrival of our train. The family behind us grabbed a porter who for Rp20,000 carried their suitcases and boxes of gudeg ( slow cooked jackfruit in spices – the most requested souvenier from Jogja)  

 up to the platform. Luckily he explained to us that our seats were in the 4th carriage, which meant that we could stand right in the middle  of the platfrom. 

The train pulled in and carriage 3 stopped right in front of us, so it was a very short walk to our carriage. We lugged our luggage onboard and thank goodness the height of the platform matched the height of the doorway onto the train. The passageway between the seats is quite narrow, so I turned my suitcase sidewards and dragged it to our seat. Our smaller bags were easily hefted up onto the shelf above our seat, yet the legroom was just enough for our suitcases. Just when I was imagining a 7.5 hour train trip with my legs squeezed in somehow between my seat and my  suitcase, our “customer service” attendant , Anita, explained that at the front of our carriage is a luggage bay. With delight, I again dragged my suitcase sideways back through the seats and placed it in the small luggage bay. I then returned for Marg’s suitcase which I placed on top of my suitcase. This turned out to be a blessing because with the added height, Marg’s suitcase is visible from our seat!

Our seats are incredibly comfortable and we are pleased we booked tickets in the executive class. Each seat has a cushion, adjustable footrest, curtains across the windows, a tiny drink tray along the window, a mini side table hidden in the arm rest and a powerpoint for recharging devices. The carriages are non smoking and are fully airconditioned.  

 Not long after organising our luggage, a whistle blew and the train was in motion. A very quick stop. Withing minutes we were passing sawah and Jogja was gone. For the first few hours, the rice fields were very dry. The main crop we could see in the fields appears to be sweet potato and in the heat of the day, people are still busily harvesting leaves or working in the fields, threshing rice. Many of the dry sawah fields have black circular remnants of burnt rice stalks and other left over vegetation from harvesting and threshing the rice insitu. Along the train track too were tarps covered in rice drying in the sun.  Everything looked parched and dry as if hanging in there for the first rains. This landscape continued for several hours sandwiched between small kampungs and towns.

Around 11am, we started the ascent and almost immediately the landscape changed. Suddenly we looked out upon lush green ricefields with plenty of water for irrigation unlike previously where the irrigation channels appeared sluggish at best. Here rice appears to be in all stages of growth but there are also sloping hills covered in vegetation including cassava, bamboo and banana palms including a variety of grasses looking like sugar cane. The ground up here in parts looks very dry too but because of all the greenery it isn’t as obvious. Yet we still pass pockets of extremely dry landscape. One pocket in particular looks like a struggling teak plantation while on the exact opposite side of the tracks is a lush vista of rice fields.

We have been offered (for a cost) food and drink several times on the journey by crew wearing very neat blue and batik uniforms carrying trays of nasi goreng and something else containing chicken (nasi rames). Drinks are also carried on trays including cups of hot sweet tea, sprite, fanta & aqua (water). The lunch trolley has just passed us with the same dishes on offer. On my last train trip, I remember being able to buy pecel from a seller who came to the train door but our station stops so far have been very brief and there have only been 2 stops so far! Might have to have another look at the trolley on its way back!! Starting to feel peckish with all the beautiful food smells circulating the carriage! 

The toilets on this carriage are the cleanest I’ve ever seen on a train in Indonesia. Probably something to do with the cleaning staff with “OTC – On Trip Cleaning” embroidered on the back of their shirts.  

 We’ve seen them several times carrying brooms etc passing through. The toilet is a squat and can only be used while the train is in motion – very tricky with the sidewards motion!! I was impressed with the roll of toilet paper too – yet when it refused to flush (Yes!! A flushing squat toilet!) I realised the toilet roll of paper is actually meant for towelling hands dry after washing! Oops. 

The windows on our carriage unfortunately are covered in a film to reduce glare (I guess) and at first makes the view somewhate blurry yet is is impressive how quickly I have adjusted to it. I would love to take photos as we move along but not sure how clear they will be. I’ll let you be the judge of that!

We’ve passed quite a few cargo trains and passenger trains racing in the opposite direction. It apears to be a very busy line.

After a yummy lunch of nasi goreng, we stopped at Cirebon. Before the train came to a stop, a porter jumped on board and ran through our carriage towards the group at the back who were obviously disembarking. However to his disappointment, they did not wish to employ his services, so back through the carrtiage he ran and out on to the platform. They must take a chance on each carriage hoping it to be the one with a passenger with too much luggage. After sitting for so long, it was lovely to get up and walk around. I went and stood at the back door and watched our food crew enjoy a few minutes to relax and take a break. They were greeting other staff and taking selfies! I then walked to the front door where an elderly man was enjoying the opportunity to smoke a cigarette. Water splashed down and the man explained that they were filling up the water tanks in the toilets. I stepped out onto the platform and sure enough hanging above each toilet was a tap and hose and walking along the top of our train were 2 men. One by one, they would unravel each hose and point it in through an opening in the roof where there seemed to be a water tank. After they had moved to carriage 3, I commented to the gentleman about how the last time I travelled by train, there were food sellers on the platform. He explained that they were now banned from entering the station and consequently the grounds were rubbish free, a fact he was proud of. He was impressed too that the carriages were smoke free and had no complaints at all about having to step outside and quickly smoke one before the train headed off again. 

Instead of heading through the Bandung hills, the train traveled north via Cirebon close to the north coast. So it was no wonder that after Cirebon, the scenery returned to one of either fields of dry brown rice stalks with black crop circles evenly dotted thorughout or townships which, from the raised train track, looked like a sea of tesselated red tiled rooves with the houses built so closely together.  Such a desolate and bleak landscape.  

 At times the dry fields seem to stretch out to the horizon where a line of trees indicated a river bed. Most river beds we crossed were either totally dry or filled with polluted stagnant water, so the few healthy flowing rivers we crossed were beautiful in contrast.  Gone are the mountains along the horizon. Just a flatness broken up with occasional dusty villages dominated by a mosque rising up majestically and impressively above the houses. In the dry fields we occaisonally see small herds of goats with their herder somewhere nearby. 

 Once we arrived in Bekasi, a city that has been swallowed up by sprawling Jakarta, the view from the train became entirely residential. Fancy, tall buildings in the distance and slums built right up to the edge of the train line built from all manner of discarded materials, cobbled together ingeniously.  

 The next stop after Bekasi was Jatinegara where quiite a few passengers disembarked and minutes later we arrived at Gambir Station in the heart of Jakarta. With a sinking heart, we disembarked onto the 3rd floor right in front of the staircase. Then with joy, we turned and saw a group of passengers & porters jostling to get to the front of the crowd waiting to use the lift! With our luggage, we were more than happy to wait and we joined the 4th load down to the bottom floor where a kindly person pointed us to the taxi rank. What a huge station, with very clear signage and very helpful friendly staff. 

A long train trip – unlike going by plane which is considerably faster –  yet gave us the opportunity to see the largely dry landscape between Jogja & Jakarta which hopefully soon will receive a good wet season drenching .  

AEF Study Tour – Jogjakarta

Jogjakarta, a  city also known as Yogyakarta & more commonly known as Jogja, is an hours flight east of Jakarta. It is a province of Indonesia and according to the 2010 consensus, has almomst 3.5 milllion people. After the heat and  traffic of Jakarta, Jogja is paradise. Hard to believe a recent article I read recently on Facebook claiming that Jogja’s traffic is worse than Jakarta’s!! Maybe if I get the chance to live here one day, I will be able discover the truth for myself!

We arrived to our hotel late afternoon and while most other participants hit Jalan Malioboro to shop, Marg and I headed straight to the laundry!! Instead of having our laundry done in the hotel where one shirt costs Rp25,000, we asked our tour leader for a recommendation and he pointed out a laundry a few metres up the road where the cost is determined by both weight and time. As we were happy to wait 24 hours, my 3 kg of washing cost me Rp30,000 – a little more than the cost of one shirt at the hotel!! The most expensive option was Rp20,000 per kilo if you needed it done in 2 hours! Still cheaper!!

Our dinner on the first evening in Jogja was followed by a talk by Taring Padi, a group of underground artists who formed in 1998 during the political unrest following the fall of Suharto – check out their website and they are also on Facebook.  It was fascinating. They outlined how they worked with a village recently to help them organise a protest against a multinational company planning to compulsorily acquire their ricefields for mining. After hours, the community met and creeated huge 2D cardboard puppets, posters, prayer flags which when completed were paraded through the village and ricefields. They also were supported by Greenpeace who filmed from above the creation of a slogan made from enormous rolls of plastic. Taring Padi are particularly well known for the graffiti style woodcut posters they create.

While our time in Jogja with the study tour was again only 2.5 days, we certainly squeezed a lot in, which I largely put down to the fact that the traffic here is more predictable than that in Jakarta.

Our visit to the Kraton ((the Sultan’s Palace) and Taman Sari, the private royal garden, were made all the more enjoyable due to the becak rides transporting us between each.

So lovely sitting in a becak, enjoying a breeze rather than walking in the heat & humidity. As we each had our own becak, it must have made a colourful sight as 35 becaks sailed by, each with a giggling bule (white fella) unable to control their delight. Nothing beats getting around by becak in my book and it is definitely my first choice of public transport when in Jogja.

The palace and the pools, were beautiful and I enjoyed them even more this time, probably because we had a tour guide who personalised the stories and made it more enjoyable and interesting.  The first photos looks out towards the private living quarters of the current sultan who is causing a national sensation as he tries to convince his people that his eldest daughter is the most suitable person to hand the reigns to. With 5 daughters & no son, the only other contender is his younger brother.

  Above is a photo of a palace guards. Can you see the keris tucked into the back of his sarung?

Taman Sari, the private royal gardens, built in 1757 by the first Sultan of Jogja, is  only 2km south of the Kraton yet are no longer used as such as the complex was quite badly damaged in the 2006 earthquake. Taman Sari, meaning Beautiful Park, has many areas. They include areas for resting and relaxing, meditating, meetings and also a hiding space!  When I asked where the sultan and his family go for a swim these days, the guide smiled and answered that they now visit local hotels for a swim!

  

The Batik factory we visited was fascinating too as we could see demonstrations of batik cap (stamp) and batik tulis (by hand). We were able to see people preparing the fabric for dying but unfortunately were not able to seee fabric either being dyed or boiled to remove the wax.

Here are two very short videos I took to demonstrate the difference between batik cap & batik tulis:

In the shop we had the opportunity to peruse a variety of batik lengths. We bought a couple thinking we could get them made into shirts but apparently, according to the front desk, tailors in Jogja require 2 weeks!!  Maybe next time I come to Indonesia, I’ll be able to find a tailor that can sew quicky!

As participants on the study tour have either spent a week in their partner schools or are about to, the organisers arranged a visit to a private school called Oliphant, which contrasts quite significantly in most  cases with our partner schools which are largely government schools.

  Oliphant began as a child care centre and has grown into a primary school with plans already underway to expand further into secondary. It was a beautiful school with very enthusiastic and motivated leaders. The school is a National school because teachers follow the national Indonesian curriculum. Class sizes were around 10 – 12 and consist mainly of wealthy local children. The feel to the school was very progressive and positive with its brightly coloured walls and funky  global themes.

 I particularly liked the displays around the schools focusing on the major cultural groups of Indonesia. Would love to the the space to do something similar in my classroom.

  

Our last mornig began with a very early start – 3am – to get to Borobudur in time for sunrise. This was something I was very excited about because last time I visited Borobudur, I was told that only guests from the Hotel Borobudur had access to the temple at sunrise. Borobudur is a 9th century Buddhist temple located about 40km northwest of Jogja.

It was still pitch black when we arrived

 and gradually it became lighter.


  
When  it was dark, it was as if I was the only person at Borobudur because only a few of us wandered around savouring the peaceful atmosphere. The majority of the visitors sat down facing east with cameras primed ready to capture the sunrise which unfortunately was completely hidden behind cloud cover. The film crew for My Trip, My Adventure starring Denny Sumargo (basket Ball star from Jakarta) began filming once it was obvious that the sunrise had been and gone.  That’s him wearing the headband and goofing around for the cameras.

  We were also given a brief tour of level 3 which I enjoyed because a few obvious facts were explained. Dotted around and embedded in the rock floor were metal drainage holes to help minimise erosion. Very small and unobtrusive yet so clever. The original drainage areas have suffered severe erosion so tin sheeting has been placed between layers of rock to stop further erosion. Have a look at the individual rocks that have been removed for restoration.

 Now look at one of the reliefs and appreciate just what is involved with the carving of each of the above slabs. Each slab is cut to fit perfectly into a giant jigsaw puzzle both diagonally and vertically as well as the outward face displaying a small section of a detailed diorama! What ingenuity and incredible that so little is known about the construction of Borobudur.

 To complete the total package of sunrise at Borobudur, we enjoyed a cuppa and traditional cakes (jajan) in the lovely hotel grounds overlooking Borobudur! Very civilised and in total contrast to my 2013 visit!

 With our very early start, the day seemed to have more hours in it than usual! From here we visited  Mt Merapi, the most active volcano in Indonesia. The buses struggled up the slope quite a way and then we staggered up the rest of the way (with great admiration for the locals who passed us effortlessly while carrying heavy & awkward  loads)

 where we met the Juru Kunci – the traditional gatekeeper, Pak Asih.  The position of gate keeper is one appointed by the Sultan. Pak Asih has only been in the position since his father’s death caused by  the 2010  erruption.

 The locals who live on Merapi regard the volcano as a friend. Sometimes Merapi is friendly, sometimes Merapi is happy and smiling yet when Merapi is cross, you move away, give it space, time to recover. Merapi benefits the local pepole in so many ways. Not only are the surrounding lands fertile, the volcano provides them with sand for the contruction industry and more recently, the volcano has become a popular tourist destination for both domestic and international travelers. Although hopefully not all domestic toursits wear high heels for their visit. It was hilarious watching one young visitor although unfortunately I missed her descent which was even funnier apparently. In Pak Asih’s compound were a few remnants of the 2010 erruption which sobered us up immediately. This is the remains of his fathers car on the slab of what was his fathers house.

 Overlooking the memorablia was a beautiful orchid. What a contrast.

After heading back to the bus it was time for lunch which was lovely yet after 3 breakfasts, hardly necessary!  Then we were off to Merapi Farma Herbal to learn how to make Jamu Jahe Wangi (Traditional Fragrant Ginger Herbal Medicine).  We were divided up into groups of about 8-10, provided with all the equipment and ingredients as well as a supervisor who kept us on track. The recipe was a simple one with a spectacular and unexpected  finish.

Asia Education Study Tour – Jakarta

The first leg of our study tour was in Jakarta and altogether, we will be here just over 2 days. The places we visited provided us with a wide variety of new & interesting perspectives covering aspects of both Jakarta history and education. 

Our first stop was the Australian Embassy, Australia’s largest Embassy largest embassy in the world, thus  demonstrating the importance our government places on strong relationships between Australia and our closest neighbour. Once through very tight and impressive security by both local and Australian personnel, we were seated in an auditorium while several people talked to us about several programs supported mutually by both the Australian and Indonesian government. A representative from AusAid spoke about the various scholarships available for Indonesians to study in Australian universities for example. There was a lot of interest from our group keen to discover if there are any existing programs through which we can invite our partner school teachers to visit us again to further strengthen ties between our schools but it seems that unless they are involved in undergraduate or post-graduate study, it is not so straightforward.  Such a shame for both governments as this is without doubt a misssed opportunity improving relationships at the grass root level.

 In the evening we dropped by Sunda Kelapa, the very old Jakarta port situated on the estuarine of the Ciliwung River. While a minor port today, in the past it has played a significant role in Jakarta’s history. It was so lovely and cool being late afternoon by the waters edge. The view of the huge ‘pinisi’ ships (traditional two masted wooden sailing ships) all lined up along the wharf was gorgeous. Apparently ships incur huge fees if they stay longer than 24 hours which encourages captains to load and unload quickly. These ships transport freight around Indonesia.

    
 
From Sunda Kelapa, we went to Jakarta Tua, old Jakarta Town. By this time, the sun had completely set and it was dark  and the lights were on around Fatahillah Square lighting up the buildings which by this hour were all closed. (Fatahillah was a 16 century commander who recaptured Sunda Kelapa from the Portuguese.) This visit was very different to my last experience with Ibu Valentina in 2013 when we visited during the day and could walk through and explore the nearby historical buildings surrounding the square.  After a quick walk around the Fatahillah square to take some photos, we headed into the Cafe Batavia. Cafe Batavia was built mid 1800’s and was used origninally as the VOC administration office. It is such a beautiful building and feels as though little has changed since Dutch occupation. Seated at the tables in the restuarant, being waited on by Indonesian staff, felt decadently colonial and at times quite uncomfortable! I had to keep reminding myself that I am still in the 21st century!!  

    
 
Our visit to the Mesjid Istiqlal  (Independence Mosque) was fascinating. It was brilliant visiting with 2 tour guides, a Mosque guide and our 2 tour leaders as between the four of them, we learnt so much. Apparently the location of the Mosque was chosen by Sukarno. Originally the site was a Dutch castile, so after independence, with great symbolism, it was demolished to make way for the mosque. It was built after independence because there was a desire to build a national mosque for the new republic which has the largest Muslim population in the world. The mosque itself is enormous anbd was designed by Frederich Silaban, a Christian architect from North Sumatra. It has a huge floor space for prayer and then around the edge of this floor space are 5 levels of balconies about 3-4 meters deep. At full capacity, the mosque itself can accommodate 60,000  devotees, yet if you include the prayer area outside in the courtyard, it can accommodate up to 200,000!!  

   

Acros the road from the Istiqlal Mosque is the majestic neo-gothic Roman Catholic Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Jakarta, currently Archbishop Ignatius Suharyo hardjoatmodjo. The official name for the cathedral is The Church of Our Lady of Assumption, yet is more commmonly known as the Katedral Jakarta and was consecrated in 1901. The church also houses a museum on the second floor which contains many historic artifacts including gifts from papal visits.

  
 

  

We’e also visited Kementerian Agama Republic Indonesia, the Federal Department of Religion where we were supposed to meet the minister, however due to his busy schedule, the session instead was led by 2 junior ministers both of whom spoke excellent English. They showed 2 presentations about Madrasah’s (Islamic Schools).  Apparently origninally Madrasahs were similar to seminary colleges with a curriculum centred on the Qur’an. Tuition, food, lodging and medical care were all provided free to students.  Madrasah’s are considered by Indonesians as institutions which provide very low quality education thus this presentation explained how the government is now attempting to address their perceived shortcomings by assisting them with the implementation of the new 2013 curriculum. I’ve discovered online that 500 have been selected for upgrading – wonder what provinces they are in? 

 
Our final stop in Jakarta before heading to the airport for our flight to Jogjakarta was the National Museum. This museum is easily the best Indonesian museum I’ve ever visited.  Artifacts are displayed beautifully and are very well cared for. There are 2 buildings and we looked at various Balinese ceremonial  items that date back several centuries before heading over to the 2nd building to look at a gold exhibition.  This was a fascinating collection of artifacts made from gold sourced from all over the achipelago. An Australian author that we will be having dinner with one night in Jogja has written a book for teenagers and this collection features in it. Will try to get my hands on a copy after returning home.