Re-blog from National Geographic:
Backpack Through Indonesia in Under 5 Minutes (click link to play the video)
Follow these backpackers on an epic journey across Indonesia. Filmmaker Marco Santi shares highlights of his 16-day adventure in Backpackers Memahami Indonesia. Roughly translated from Indonesian, memahami means “to understand or comprehend.” Travel from the top of Gunung Bromo, an active volcano, to the depths of the Indian Ocean in this stunning short.
Source: National Geographic
2 October is celebrated as National Batik Day in Indonesia after the UNESCO recognition for Indonesian batik on 2 October 2009.I took the opportunity to participate by wearing batik to office. See my selfie, taken discreetly during early office hours 🙂
Forwarded this info of Kampoeng Festival.
This is an Indonesian event organized by Rumah Kita (lit. Our Home, Ind.) – a non-profit charity organisation formed and run by Indonesian youth in Qatar. The event will be held in Al Khor Community on the 23rd of November 2012. It includes street festival featuring traditional dances/performances/carnival, traditional street hawkers, night markets, live bands and fashion show. A special performance will also be conducted in AKIS Amphitheater where all proceeds from 10QR tickets will go to charity.
For more information:
::. This is again a post from our recent mudik trip to Indonesia during summer
We hadn’t have our honeymoon yet until even our 12th anniversary. Many plans just gone; not materialized. So when we have a chance to make this happen we try hard.
Kampung Sampireun (http://www.kampungsampireun.com), our selected place, is located about 2-hour drive from Bandung capital of West Java, 15 km from the city of Garut, on the road to Kamojang Crater, where a geothermal plant is located at. A drive to Sampireun is a mixed experience in itself: passing through typical crowded towns, winding roads, and mountain backdrop.
Built in 1999, this resort features back to nature concept with Sundanese culture as a center soul: the lake, the bungalows, the art performance, the meals, the staffs.
Taken from Sundanese Language which means “a place/village to stop by”, Kampung Sampireun’s center of attraction is the lake and the bungalows floating and around it. Once we checked in the reception, we were given a traditional drink “Bajigur” (a hot and sweet beverage native to Sunda, made up of coconut milk, palm sugar, and ginger). Then dressed in Sundanese traditional outfits, hotel staff takes us to our bungalow with using canoe! If you come in large group you may be escorted with using bamboo raft.
It’s a bit of nervous checking-in our room with this type of transportation mode. However, the beautiful scenery of lake, original bamboo forest, and schools of ‘greedy’ gold fish soon dampens our worry.
Our bungalow is constructed using bamboo with coconut roofing. A balcony opens directly to the lake where you can feed those greedy fishes. Once settled you’ll be given one or two bags of fish pellets for feeding. Meanwhile, each bungalow is assigned with its own canoe. You may use it for canoeing, or to access lobby and different areas of resort. A beautifully landscaped walking path is available at the back of bungalow that links all bungalows to resort facilities such as restaurants, playground, swimming pool, spa, mosque, and lobby.
Art performances and snack breaks can be enjoyed at regular intervals. In the afternoon we can enjoy the Sundanese music performance “calung and angklung” (bamboo tube xylophone). While dinner, “kecapi suling” (a zither-like Sundanese music instrument is played at the restaurant.
After dinner, around 9 – 9.30pm, a traditional drink called ” Sekoteng ” warming up our body from cold mountain air. The drink is again dropped to our bungalow by boat.
Lastly, in the morning around 6am before breakfast, traditional snack Floating Surabi (Traditional pancake) is delivered to our balcony.
Spending our honeymoon at Kampung Sampireun is indeed a memorable experience. A peaceful, exotic, romantic, tranquil environment is perfect for honeymooners. As part of our package (we ordered a honeymoon package from http://www.weddingku.com) we’re treated with the floating candle light dinner (on raft), the couple spa treatment, a specifically decorated room, a photo session, breakfast and lunch and a photo session.
The hotel is also offering a trange of activities such as fishing, a tour to nearby village, a tour to tourist areas such as Papandayan Mountain, Waterfall, Traditional Snack and Leather Factory, or to hot spring water as we did.
As we leave Kampung Sampireun we get nothing than stronger bond among us; exceptional experience of city-escape break, and thirst quencher to Indonesia’s invaluable asset: nature, people, and culture.
We’ve made a “mudik (homecoming/return to the village) trip” by road the first time as a big family during Eid al Fitr. Started in Bandung, West Java, we measured a 840-km long road to Lumajang, East Java in a 22-hour non-stop driving trip outbond. our return trip however was not that smooth, 37 hours on road tough it included 7 hours stops at three different cities for visiting extended families.
Eid al-Fitr in Indonesia is akin to Thanksgiving, X-mas and Easter all combined into one. It is a special occasion where special feasts are prepared, religious allowance (bonus) is received, celebration is everywhere, and because of the mudik, airports are packed, roads are traffic-jammed. What else can you expect from literally about 22 millions people doing mudik, moving at the same time within such short duration (few days before Ramadan end)?
Though there are several public transportion options available, skyrocketed prices and flexibility forced most people to rely on their own transport; motorcycle and car. Unfortunately the former option takes its toll: about 900 people died each year from motorcycle accident during mudik.
Back to our mudik, we took southern route as it is normally less crowded than north coastal route. We’ve heard a day before our departure that people got stucked for several hours on northern coastal route. This route is usually used by the Jakartans.
Our southern route passed Garut, Tasikmalaya, and Ciamis on West Java, Kebumen and Purworejo on Central Java, Yogyakarta, and Madiun, Jombang, Mojokerto, Pasuruan and Probolinggo on East Java.
Most roads were in quite good condition, but it is shared-use with motorcycle, spilled market, or local communities activities that hampered smooth driving. Nevertheless it was such a good experience that we could see many different towns and cities, tasted various local cuisines as well as strengthened family bond.
This new Indonesian restaurant, open since 1st of May 2012, sells all tofu-related cuisines.
Though tofu (= Tahu in Indonesian) is not originated from Indonesia, this side dish is one of the most important dishes due to its price and versatility. No wonder tofu comes in unlimited variety of cuisines. Indonesian must have been familiar with Batagor (BAkso TAhu GOreng = fried meat ball and tofu), Siomay (steamed tofu dumpling with vegetables served with peanut sauces), Tahu Gejrot (slightly fermented fried tofu snack with slices of shallots, chilli, and garlic in spicy-sweet sauce), Kupat Tahu (ketupat/packed rice or dumpling, tofu, rice vermicelli and beansprouts in peanut sauce), Bakso Tahu (meatball, fried/steamed tofu served with a bowl of beef broth, noodles, crisp wonton and sprinkled with fried shallot and celery) and many others.
The restaurant is founded by an Indonesian couple, long time Qatar residents since 2002, born from his tofu maker father back in West Java, Indonesia. The couple started making tofu since 2005 in very small scale for their neighbors or Indonesian friends. It was in 2010 that they started putting a brand and making it a serious business. They now supply many Indonesian groceries, restaurants and one of the hotels in Qatar.
The restaurant is, you may say that, their business expansion.
We visited the restaurant during its promotion/opening period when price was slashed in 25% discount from its normal price of QR12 per portion. Located in The Center area (behind Ramada Hotel), it is easily accessible with lots of parking spaces. If you know Great Wall Restaurant, the restaurant is located just beside it, housed within a green glass window building, on the ground floor.
The actual restaurant can only accommodate a small kitchen, a cashier and order desk, and two tables barely enough to fit 6 persons possibly. All other visitors have to be willing seated outside in six 4/6 seater table arrangements. A bit hot during summer period. A fan just doesnt help much.
We ordered many, for a reason. To know which one is their cerry of the cake. Our order arrived pretty quick. I finished my Bakso Tahu Goreng Kering (meatball served with a bowl of beef broth and fried tofu) very quickly. So mouthwatering that I just couldn’t stop. Their meatball seems produced without preserver or MSG-like ingredient. Unfortunately it’s not that hot enough to enjoy. Bakso wouldn’t be complete without sambal (chili sauce). The best is for you to use real bakso sambal which unfortunately not available in every table. Search around.
Batagor came next. It was poured with peanut sauce. The hot fresh from the fry pan made it enjoyable. Ketupat tahu came with lontong (packed rice/dumpling), and tofu served with peanut sauce and crackers. I found it pretty standard. The sauce is different than used for batagor, and apparently made fresh.
The restaurant also sells ready-to-cook tofu for take-away, many varieties of crackers and few other Indonesian food.
If I were to be back, I would definitely be back for Bakso in its many forms, just making hot please, and Batagor. Heard of Tahu Gejrot is also good, haven’t tried it yet. For all money spent it may be worthed to pay a visit. In the end, they are the best tofu maker in Qatar any way!
Coordinate: 25°16’25.4″N 51°30’55.2″E. Open from: 10am to 21pm.
Update 5 Nov 2012:
Apparently Bumbu Bali moved to new location. Please call 55715792 for more info.
New location is as attached below:
25.23365°N 51.55744°E
Visited Bumbu Bali (Ind. literally means Balinese spices) restaurant this weekend. This newly opened restaurant adds to a longer list of already established Indonesian restaurants in Doha* (see below).
Bumbu Bali is located at B-Ring Road, on the ground floor of Mannai accommodation building (along with Toyota spare parts store, an optical store and Akbar Travels of India), just one block after Handasa Building and before Teyser Petrol Station, if you are driving from Jaidah Flyover towards Airport Road.
The restaurant itself is not that big, but nicely decorated. On the ground floor are two 4-seat tables, a cashier desk and kitchen, while upstairs are six 6-seater tables, three 3-seater tables, and a toilet/washing facility. The 6-seater tables area is designed with Arabic bedouin style sofa. The only reminder that this is an Indonesian restaurant is its big gold-brown open umbrella just near stair top landing.
Though it bears Bali’s names, two Balinese dining menu out of 10(?) ones were not available, at the time of our visit. We ended up ordered standard Indonesian cuisines: Gado-gado (Indonesian’s vegetables salad served with a peanut sauce dressing), Sate Ayam (chicken skewer), Baso (meatball soup), and Iga Bakar (grilled ribs). All are prized at QR15.
Our orders do not take long to come, less than 10 minutes. Gado-gado come first followed by Baso. Bumbu Bali gado-gado come with looked-fresh vegetables and sweet peanut sauce dressing plus traditional crackers. Peanut sauce tastes good if not too sweet. Portion is sized enough. Baso is to me quite average, but its sambal (chili-based sauce used as condiment) makes it better.
Nothing special with Sate Ayam. Iga Bakar come last. With three ribs cuts, a bowl of Thai rice, slices of cucumer and tomato, and, yes, sambal. This sambal is what differentiate Iga Bakar to Western grilled ribs. Two ribs cuts have enough meat I can enjoy with. Chili-soy sauce seems penetrated well into the meat. Dab the rib into sambal, put it on top of sticky Thai rice, and you’ll understand why I can’t describe this. Again, I feel sweeter taste in this menu, perhaps because I’m East Javanese (used to salty-chili)? I’ll need to mention that arriving restaurant with the right hungry level, taking such a good dinner only to find my last rib cuts were end, that’s really gastronomy contentment interruption (to exaggerate 🙂 ) at max. Two are not enough. The third rib cut is unfortunately bone only 😦
Overall, Bumbu Bali has some prime menu to be proud of. Coupled with excellent and attentive waitress service and fast serving, it iseasily recommended. If Bumbu Bali can just downsize its sweet level, that would be much better!
Bumbu Bali, 25°16’29″N 51°32’14″E (phone: 4432 6080, open 10.30-14.30, 5.30-21.00)
*Other Indonesian restaurants in Doha:
1. Central Restaurant, Umm Ghuwailina, 25°16’46″N 51°32’50″E
2. Minang Restaurant, Al Asmakh St., 25°16’52″N 51°31’55″E
3. Restaurant Jakarta, Ibn Mahmoud St., 25°16’56″N 51°30’53″E
4. Griyo Solo, Al Wakrah, 25°10’16″N 51°35’52″E
As I’ve said in the previous post, Bandung is a city called home though it’s not where I was born. A capital of West Java, Bandung offers what other cities in Indonesia commonly don’t have: creative industries! Cuisines, tourist attractions, fashions and arts are among elements where Bandung is more advanced than any other city in Indonesia. Every time I’m back to Bandung, new tourist attractions sprouted, and new creative cuisines invented. Added with Sundanese cultures and pleasant weather Bandung is lovely.
It’s still 3 am in the morning when we arrived in Bandung after 3 hours driving from Jakarta. Street vendors have started their stall preparation in this wee hours. Hungry from the trip we stopped by at one of the street vendor stall selling ‘bubur ayam’ (chicken porridge). Along with Tofu Dumpling (Kupat Tahu), chicken porridge is the most favorite breakfast menu in Bandung. A journey of cuisine sensor calibration has started 🙂
Unfortunately, vacation is not always about leisure. Priority still to be assigned. The week ahead I was busy with completing all administrative things: obtaining Overseas Worker Identity Card, renewing Resident Identity Card and Family Card, renewing Education Savings, printing bank statements, updating Manulife Pension Plan (while at the same time withdrawing Jamsostek’s Old Days Insurance) and working with an architect for house renovation plan. Fiuh…and all of these took almost half of my vacation!
Now the fun part. Every Indonesian vacationers must do this: culinary traveling. Hunting for the best cuisine in town. And Bandung is never sort of cuisines. So let me mention some we’ve tried: Kupat Tahu (tofu dumpling), Bubur Ayam (chicken porridge), Batagor (fried tofu meatballs), Siomay (steamed meat with or without tofu), Lotek (a mixed boiled vegetables, served with peanut paste and some chillies, similar to gado gado), Mie Kocok (a noodle soup, served with beef foot, beef skin and tauge or mung bean sprout), Martabak (The savory martabak is a thin fried pancake stuffed with eggs, some vegetables, mushrooms, chicken/beef and one filled with sweet corn and cheese), and Nasi Timbel (the famous Sundanese dish. It is a tube-shaped rice that has a distinguish flavour, because it is cooked inside a banana leaf. It is usually served with lalapan (raw vegetables), fried tofu & tempe, fried chicken and chili paste).
Did I mention I had a durian party?
Apart from culinary traveling, we also spent some time to enjoy the latest addition to Bandung’s attraction. We visited Trans Studio (one of the largest theme parks in the world) and spent almost a day inside. I recommend that you visit Trans studio whenever you have a chance to Bandung. Just a precaution, as it is popular among tourist, Trans Studio may become crowded and regular visitor may experience a very long queue that they may need to consider buying VIP access. To me I’m proud that Indonesia can make their own Universal Studio.
We also visited Rumah Sosis (sausage house) in Jalan Setiabudi. Apart from its delicious sausage, games and activities inside are not so attractive (except for its rickshaw!). Better heading to Kampung Gajah (another outdoor theme park on the slope of mountain), I guess. The nearby Kampung Baso, across and down the street from Rumah Sosis, however, gave us a pleasant lunch with its traditional menu. Head for inner yard where traditional gazebo amidst shady and green environment can only make our stomach even hungrier.
Not to be missed in Bandung is shopping. Mention Factory Outlets or Distro (independent Distribution Outlet) then Bandung will pop up as the lead. We did FO hopping: from Rumah Mode in Jalan Setiabudi, to Happening in Jalan Dago, to Heritage and Cascade in Jalan Riau (RE Martadinata). Don’t miss street vendor selling original Crocs for 40-60% less around western part of Jalan Riau. though Setiabudi, Riau and Dago are where the most FOs and Distros are located, nowadays they spread out to its old location wings: to Jalan Supratman, to Sultan Agung and Trunojoyo and so forth.
Pasar baru (New Market) is my wife’s shopping heaven for moslem attires, where on the other side I was heading to BEC (Bandung Electronic Center) for gadget and electronic. Ny. Liem in Jalan Naripan, and Kijang Mas in Jalan Haria Banga were my wife’s other destination for her passion in baking and cake making. These two old stores are the os you need for the baking and cake ingredients and tools supplies.
Nowadays, Bandung however suffers from what typical major cities in Indonesia have: traffic jams, and lack of convenient public transportation. This is where motorcycle comes handy. If Bandung is not blessed with rain that day, I’d prefer to use motorcycle: navigating traffic jam, zig-zag among cars, cutting the queue and arriving in lesser time. Super! What makes Bandung different to traffic jam-suffering cities is its resident are more tolerant and respect among road users. I’m not sure if it’s because the cold weather or culture. The former is unfortunately changing. It is hard to encounter the day when temperature can reach below 20 C. temperature now hovers around 22 – 28 C throughout the year, unlike 18 years ago when I first arrived in Bandung, mercury could go down to 17-18 C. Climate change?
Whatever, Bandung is Bandung as it was Parijs van Java (Paris of the Java).
Just want to share an awesome animation video by Lakon Animasi. Titled “Pada Suatu Ketika” (means Once Upon a Time), the video features Transformer ala Indonesia. This is when Bajaj (rickshaw) and motorcycle transform into Transformers. Happy watching! Can’t wait the second edition.
CGK-DOH 