From Bandung to Surabaya and Lawang/ Malang part 1

I agreed to accompany him. Though he has been there many times, this trip was different cos he wasn't feeling well.

A few days before the trip, his Cardiologist had seen fit to order a multilayer CT scan of his heart. The result was known upon our return...a 90% block in one the vessel. Subhanallah...had I known...

Whatever, we made the trip and Alhamdulillah we returned safely.

We arrived at Husein Sastranegara greeted by a light drizzle that morning. My second time there, but the first was just a hazy memory from all the shopping done. A cup of cappucino (what else? I had to have my morning fix lest I stop functioning) and a long glass of jus tomat (tomato juice) for him set us back only IDR40,000 (RM14)

(Bandara is short for Bandar Udara or airport-the Indonesians are fond of joining words and abbreviating them)



Plants in the vicinity of the airport



Cappucino for her and a long glass of tomato juice for him

I promised myself, this time I will take a closer look at the people. And I did! They love their whistle! Whistles being blown right, left and centre by security guards (locally known as satpam) directing traffic at the airport vicinity. The drizzle which greeted us was to be seen throughout the 8 days and over 900 km journey between the West Java and East Java. The `funny weather' was directly linked to the active volcanic movement they have been experiencing.

In Bandung we stayed at Arion Swiss-Bel...nice place and very close to the train station and Pasar Baru Trade centre. Buy your hotel discount vouchers at agents located at the airport. We managed to get a hefty discount off the rack rates. After a little shopping, we walked through the streets and enjoyed the cool night air and popped in and out of a few factory outlets. The foreign exchange was in our favor, but shopping was not our main intention, rather we were scouting for different experience from run of the mill tourist.

(Waiting to be checked in)

(Fancy a room for 1.2Million albeit rupiah, anyone?)

So we found out...a full set of dentures was available at a Tukang Gigi for IDR100,000 ie equivalent to about RM30-00, a 2 month old super red Arowana for IDR3juta (equivalent to RM1,000), a full meal for two at a decent restaurant consisting of Onchom (a kind of bean) pepes, ulam, sambal, ayam bakar, and heavenly apokat (local lingo for avocado) drinks with chocolate swirls in it for only IDR 52,000 (RM14) (My SIL's bibik made us promised to try the onchom pepes....enak buk, katanya... and it was) He bought me an Indonesian prepaid SIM card for IDR25,000 and i used it to make daily calls to my anakanda in Penang throughout our stay (Murah! A two min call would only cost about 2,000 rupiah!) Short sleeved cotton batik shirts costs IDR30,000 (RM10). Many food outlets sell Bebek and this is not to be mistaken for Kambing (which makes similar sound) cos it is duck meat. We bought a pot of boiled kacang pol (Fava beans XL in size) for IDR15,000

(First night dinner and shopping spoils)

The hotel room comes with 2 buffet breakfast. We were up at 4am plus cos that is about time for Subuh. By 7am, the day is already bright but it is still very early to an average Indonesian. Since Bandung is the 3rd largest city, traffic snarls or macets (pronounced machet as in chettiar) are the order of the day. Infact macet is omnipresent everywhere we went without exception. By 7am Malaysian time, our stomaches growling, we were only the second at the breakfast room. A hefty meal with fruit juices starters, fresh fruits, cereals, toast with butter and jam, half boiled eggs, Soto, cold cuts, rice with vege and black peppered beef stew and free flow of coffee/ tea. A leisurely breakfast fit for a king.

(Breakfast on the terrace)

(Later, the macet of Bandung, Angkotan Kota prevails!)

After breakfast we took a beca (trishaw) ride to the nearby train station (just for the experience cos it has been so long since we were ferried in one), made our travel arrangements for the evening and then took an Angkutan Kota (similar to our bas mini) ride to Pasar Baru. At the entrance, he received a call from a friend he was supposed to meet, who was waiting at the hotel and had to leave me there on my own. Although in the beginning I was apprehensive, the minute I laid my eyes on the beautiful cotton textile on the 5th floor of Pasar Baru, I was happy to be left to my own devices. Thanks to Johnny and Molly (formerly from JB, now married to Johnny and thus an Indonesian) I indulged in cotton from Japan, Australia, Egypt and was lost.

The many cotton material I bought would be enough to set up a small textile retail here so I opt to not share the pic here cos it would take up the whole page, hehehe....