Hopes for 2012
For years my personal hopes for the new year have been simple. So as for 2012  they stay the same: maintaining the good health, spending happy time with family and friends, staying content with myself and exploring more culinary and photography challenges.

I wish the economy crisis in the Eurozone would decrease with clear arrangements for the involved countries. Since It has been going on for almost two years now and the leaders have been talking only without taking action. Why this matter concerns me? As a Dutch resident it will affect me in certain ways like it or not.

Last but not least I wish a sportive year with The Olympic Games in London and Euro 2012 in Ukraine and Poland coming.

Happy new year!

 Wait and see
I am not preparing myself toward the apocalypse although I don’t see it as a hoax either. I am not a fatalist, but I believe there is one super power which watches over us. When it comes, it comes. It is exactly the same attitude I had when the millennium bug was buzzing which finally didn’t happen.  

One thing I am sure of, it would not be as in the movie 2012. When it would turn out that this won’t happen, I will write a post about it next year with news about how relieved/disappointed people would be.

Facts
Nowadays the life expectancy of those who have the AIDS virus is averagely higher than in the 80′es. Unfortunately AIDS has become epidemic. The following facts might help to  illustrate how bad this disease is:

• Worldwide there are 34 million people infected with HIV virus.
• Every 17,5 second someone dies of AIDS.
• Every 12 second someone gets infected.
• There are 16,6 million AIDS orphans due to the death of their parents because of AIDS.

Further information
The list of the facts provided by Stop Aids Now is long. However the awareness to prevent getting infected at developing countries is very poor. A combination of taboo talking about sex, misconception that only gays get infected and low use of condom doesn’t help the spreading of this epidemic. If you are interested in detailed demographic information, visit UNAIDS. It is an United Nation organ which provides the latest data about AIDS as epidemiology per regions or countries worldwide.

The World AIDS Day was first introduced in 1988. 23 years later on today, this is a day to take note about this epidemic in world’s modern history.

AIDS in music
I close this short post with Bruce Springsteen’s song, Philadelphia. A theme song of an oscar winning movie about an AIDS patient portrayed by Tom Hanks. This beautiful song embodies the storyline of the movie: dark and desperate.  

Sources:
Stop AIDS Now!
UNAIDS

September

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – never was a cloudy day

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love,
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Now December found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love,
Remember the true love we share today

Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – golden dreams were shiny days

Another version
Kirk Franklin a Gospel musician recorded September in an urban contemporary gospel style a couple of years ago. His version was insanely good. It was part of an album called Interpretations in which several artists sing the classics of EW&F. In the clip of Franklin’s version you see Maurice White behind the mixer.

Live performance
I saw the band performed this at the 2nd day of North Sea Jazz Festival in Rotterdam. They went on stage as a last act. Although not with original members but the gentlemen of EW&F surely knew how to stir their public. It wasn’t a surprise to me when they sang September as a finale. Man, what a party that was!

Why Candidasa?
Planning the itinerary for this trip the group wanted to go overland from Yogyakarta to Bali including an initial stop at Malang for a visit to Bromo. Due to the short time available we decided to depart for Candidasa instead. So, there we were, at the side of Bali where not many tourists come (anymore). I put the word anymore in the brackets because Candidasa was once a diving paradise in the early 90-es. Somehow the crowd prefers to stay neighbouring in Amed or Tulamben now.

Candidasa itself is a little village. The main street stretches for approximately 3 – 4 km. It is actually a perfect base to explore East – Bali. The Padang Bai haven for ferries to Lombok is only 30 minutes away.

Underwater world
Candidasa, together with Amed and Tulamben, is a paradise for those who love to snorkel or dive. Local fishermen would love to bring you to Blue Lagoon for an unforgettable diving experience. The price is including the petrol for the boat and snorkeling gear. My daughter was really impressed by the fauna she saw at Blue Lagoon. She told me as if she was in Finding Nemo the movie during snorkeling. 

What to see?
Candidasa is part of Karangasem district. The town Karangasem itself is 40 minutes ride through mountains and rice fields. Goa Lawah is also not far from Candidasa. The Tenganan village is also a must when you are in the neighbourhood. The indigenous people of Bali, known as Bali Aga, live in this serene village. They make beautiful fabric called Geringsing.

One day we went to Tirtagangga Water Palace. It was very beautiful there. 10 minutes ride further there was Lempuyang village and mountain. The rice was ready for harvest that’s why you see those colourful plastic bags to scary the birds.

Tirtagangga Water Palace

Lempuyang village

One thing the group won’t forget is the experience of climbing the Gumang hill. The fisherman who brought us to Blue Lagoon, Nyoman, offered to guide us trekking along the village. He showed us Gumang temple on top of a hill with the same name. When I asked whether the route was suitable for kids he answered yes. So we started to climb the hill, accompanied by 3 monkeys and a cow. The hill was steep. It took us almost 1 hour to get there due to the heat and the steeply route. Once we were on top, we were awarded by the view of Bali sea with Lombok at the background. It was worth it.

Mount Agung, Bali's highest point seen from Gumang hill

Bali sea seen from Gumang hill

Where to stay?
The hotels, homestays and villa’s are located along the Candidasa street. The prices vary though. We stayed at a hotel nearby the Lotus Lagoon. The hotel was comfy but failed to wow me however.

Where to eat?
There are not many variations in restaurants and cafés there. One thing they have in common is the free WiFi. I found some restaurants served bland food. They were not worth the money. For the same price I could get tastier food in touristy Ubud or Seminyak. Anyway, the culinary highlight of the trip was when we bought 8 kg weighed Mahi Mahi fish, freshly caught by the fishermen one morning. I asked our guide, Nyoman, to prepare the fish. He made Sate Lilit (minced fish satay with spicy condiment and grated coconut, a Karangasem specialty) and Tum Ikan (chopped fish strongly seasoned and steamed in coconut leaves). It was a very tasty lunch the group had. 

 My impression
It was sad to see the once flourishing place deteriorating. The beach which was beautiful is now an average one with the ugly dam. Some locals told me the government built the dam with the intention to fight erosion. The fact is the dam has shortened the coast line. The locals do their best to attract visitors to stay. At some restaurants we did not have to pay the 16 %tourist tax when we dined there. One thing intrigued me: I did not see any domestic tourists during my 4 days stay, I only saw mostly Europeans there (Dutch, German, French, Italian and surprise, Russian) and a bunch of Australians.

I believe with better promotion and good management skill at some hotels and restaurants, Candidasa will shine again. This little village has a lot of potentials. It can sell the real Bali feeling to those who look for a quiet alternative of Ubud and South Bali areas.

cute boys at a local school

Coming up: Summer Holiday part 5: Ubud, Bali

It feels coming home for me whenever I visit Yogya cause my late father had his roots here.  Being a Yogya native my late father often told me about the mystique surrounding the city. How people of Yogyakarta really admire their sultan. Yogya has my favor because it is laid back, full of high culture (fine arts, poetry, batik and silvercraft, dance), beautiful nature and not unimportantly, good food.

The journey through rice fields
From Bandung the group took Argo Wilis executive train. It departed on time early in the morning at 7 am. This comfy train rode through breathtakingly scenic  landscape of West-Java which was endlessly decorated with rice fields. Entering Central – Java Cotton and Cassava plantations swapped by.  After a relaxing trip of 7 hours in total, we arrived at Tugu train station, Yogyakarta. I gladly recommend taking the executive train to first time travelers in Java. It is a cheap, relaxing and beautiful trip. To add more fun and adventure you can also take economy trains for a bit of couleur locale. Another tip: the food on the train is nothing to shout about. So the day before we bought breads, fruit, snacks and lots of water in Bandung to consume en route. My sincere sorry I didn’t take any pics of the train as I was really enjoying the trip.

Short history
The history of Yogyakarta goes way back to the 9th century. At the east of Merapi volcano was known that at that time a kingdom of Medang existed. In the 16th century Panembahan Senopati established Mataram kingdom with its center of power in Kotagede only 15 minutes ride from the current palace of Yogyakarta. During Dutch occupation Gayanti treaty split Mataram kingdom in two: East Mataram and West Mataram. East Mataram has been known as Solo (Mangkunegaran) sultanate and West Mataram as Ngayogyakarta = Yogyakarta since then.

Why a special region?
Out of 33 provinces in Indonesia only 5 are called special region. In the case of Yogyakarta it is because of the role of the city. Yogyakarta played an important role during the war after the declaration of independence in 1945. It was once the official capital of the young republic. And the Dutch military tried to capture the city twice during the clash in 1947 and 1948.

Where to stay?
Along Malioboro and in its side streets (Dagen, Sosrowijayan) there are super cheap, cheap, middle class, expensive and more expensive hotels. If you love to shop, stay there. Or else you can also choose Pasar Kembang a street opposite Tugu station with its cheap accommodation. Luxury chain hotels with stars are further spread in the direction of the airport. This time I slept at a hotel nearby the backpacker area and Batik kampung (village) of Prawirotaman. It was a nice stay at casual part of the city. A small charming family hotel with surprisingly many Dutch guests too.

What to see?
A must see site is the sultan palace (Kraton) and the adjacent water palace (Tamansari). Vredeburg fort beside Beringhardjo market is a place to learn more about the city’s history during Dutch occupation. Traces of Dutch period are visible through some big buildings in the city center. You will recognise them right away.

The main boulevard of Yogyakarta is the Malioboro street. It is a straight road strechting from north to south between the sultanate palace (Kraton) and the Merapi volcano. Natives of Yogyakarta believe this axis is very important for the balance of the city. In this streets there are vendors, hawkers and shops during the day. They sell batik clothes, dresses, art craft and other typical Yogya souvenirs varying in quality and price level. Be brave and haggle. The sellers find it a challenge if you dare to haggle. It is kind of play for them. Beware of the notorious pick pocket here. At night the street transforms to a boulevard. Souvenir stalls are replaced by eateries selling city’s specialties like Gudeg (sweet jackfruit curry), satays and deep-fried chicken. Please check te price before placing the order to avoid shocking bill after dining. What makes these eateries special is that all guests sit on the mat on the floor. It’s called lesehan.

Most tourists both domestic and foreign use Yogyakarta as the homebase to visit two giant temples: Borobudur in Magelang (1 hour ride) and Prambanan (30 min ride from Malioboro street without traffic). I planned this temple sightseeing carefully for the group to avoid the heat. So we visited Borobudur very early at 7 am (depart from our hotel at 6 am). After 2 hours we were finished admiring this giant edifice. The same we did to our Prambanan visit. We came there at late afternoon around 4 pm. Prambanan park closed at 6 am. So there was enough time to set our eyes on this finely built Hindu temple. Besides avoiding the heat, a late afternoon visit to Prambanan came handy cause we went to see the Ramayana epic ballet show afterwards. This amazing cultural performance began at 7.30 pm. It was presented in an open air theatre with enlightened Prambanan in the background. See pics of some of the characters I took after the performance. Ramayana is one of the epics I love and know some parts by heart. I highly recommend you to come see this excellent show. 

Nature
Yogyakarta has been promoting its beaches. The most popular beach is Parang Tritis 35 km down south of the city. There is a legend about reigning beautiful mythical queen, Nyai Roro Kidul in Parang Tritis. This beach is also special due to its volcanic black sand. Other beautiful beaches one can admire are Glagah, Baron, Kukup, Krakal etc.

If you are more a mountain type, go to Kaliurang. It is a nature park with a waterfall popular among the locals. There is a charming little market also. You will get a view of rice fields with Merapi volcano on the background. I went to see ruins of Umbulhardjo village in the foot of Merapi volcano. It was once a lively village before eruption in October 2010 swept it away from earth together with another 2 neighbouring villages. Dead victims: appr 800 people. In the picture Merapi volcano is unseen in the mist. According to the locals I talked to tourism has been flourishing post eruption. The emerging simple guest rooms and guesthouses along the route confirm this. As you see in the pic, the victims are still busy rebuilding their houses cause they do not want to move to other area.

What to buy?
Batik clothes or ready to wear apparel are available almost everywhere in the city. For silvercraft pay a visit to neighbouring Kotagede. Most souvenirs are available in the stalls and shops along Malioboro street.

This long post is a proof how I love Yogyakarta very much. There are many things to share but I decide to stop here. You ought to visit this beautiful city yourself.

Coming up: Summer Holiday part 4: Candidasa, Bali

The inner sight
We all get older that is inevitable but do we all get wiser? That question is unfortunately needed for some people. To be true to yourself is another cookie we have to deal with. What I do, decide and react, my conduct would reflect how I am as a person. Luckily I know myself well to focus on things I like and on which I am good at. This saves me from wasting my time and energy. As time just flies where you stand so are those years passing by just like snap of a finger. As I stated last year, I want to age gracefully. I want to be like a vintage wine, the older the better.

Keep on dreaming
Reaching certain age with a special milestone like 30, 40, 50, 60 et cetera obstructs some people to have a dream. There are always tons of excuses for not pursuing the dream. Some even eliminate the idea of pursuing their own dream cause they find it selfish. I have my own dream and I am now investigating some possibilities to reach it. Meanwhile I carry on with my joie de vivre attitude meaning enjoying life to the fullest, exploring new things and keep the balance between work and home by ignoring the upcoming wrinkles and grey hair. I have accepted them as part of me.

To those whose birthday is coming soon, take it easy peasy. After all, age is just a number you exist on earth.

pic courtesy of Antara News

Misplaced official acknowledgement
Three days a go SBY, Indonesian president, inaugurated Aburizal Bakrie, despised for his role in the Sidoarjo mud flow scandal with the country’s highest order, Adipurna. My surprise became bigger when I learned SBY had also awarded his own wife, first lady Ani Yudhoyono with an order. I couldn’t help but scolding WFT! Yes, WTF did they contribute to the country? Mind you Aburizal Bakrie has been rumoured to be running for president in the next election in 2014 and the current first lady for vice president. So in my eyes acknowledging them with the orders seems misplaced.

Disappointing legal system
Spending my holiday for almost 4 weeks in Indonesia, I have seen, heard and felt myself how the country’s religious tolerance decreasing. I was in splendid Bali when the verdict of Cikeusik trial was spoken, only 6 months imprisonment. While one victim of Cikeusik was also sentence to jail for 6 months. I really don’t get the justice system there anymore. It is either a joke or a enormous blunder. It makes me angry and concerned where the country is going. This time is the Ahmadi the disadvantage victim, next time it could be another who knows.

Above is a part about deteriorating religious climate in Indonesia. I don’t even want to begin about Nazarudin case, the most wanted corrupted politician who has been hijacking the country’s media the past months with his revelations about corruption scandal concerning Democratic Party, the son of the president and a female celebrity parliament member.

Are we free?
Indonesians on Twitter posted tweets today referring to the independence day by writing Merdeka (Freedom). Are they aware the country now needs to be freed from the failed government, its system and network? The unemployment has been rising, unfairly share of prosperity, unreliable legal system and the list goes on and on. These are inheritance the kids get to deal with when they grow up.

I won’t close this post by yelling Merdeka as this won’t correspond with what I write above.

Let’s just hope for the better Indonesia in the near future.

Bandung
Bandung is situated in the bassin surrounded by mountains which brings fresh air to the city. Dormant Tangkuban Perahu volcano watches over Bandung  at the north side. Being the third largest city of Indonesia and the capital of West Java province Bandung is like Jakarta, crowded too.  At week ends the city is full of Jakartans shopping at countless Factory Outlets in Dago area and hopping from one to another eateries the city is famous of. So when possible, visit Bandung during week days. Why? In order to be able to enjoy the city to the max because yes, Bandung has the look, the feel and the taste.

The look and feel
The look: Bandung or Kota Kembang (city of flowers) or Parijs van Java is known for its art deco architecture. You can easily find many art deco style Dutch old building in the city. Most of them are located around the city center and Jalan Braga. Let me name a few of them: Gedung Sate, Villa Isola, ITB Campus and Hotel Preanger. These are beautiful city’s landmarks.

Villa Isola Bandung, Indonesia pic courtesy of besthousedesign.com

The taste
For a culinary journey Bandung is the right place to be. In the early 80-es till mid 90-es Soes Merdeka (Choux with cream filling with a dash of rhum) and Yoghurt Cisangkuy were an obligatory must try when you came to Bandung. Today is the day of Kartika Sari Bakery (selling various breads and traditional savory and sweet delicacies), Dapur Sunda (West Javanese or Sunda cuisine buffet style), Batagor and Siomay (fish/prawn dumplings, steamed or deep-fried with peanut sauce).

 When I was there I dined at Poka Tiam at Jalan Pasir Kaliki 3 nights in a row. As this restaurant was opposite the hotel and the menu was to our satisfaction. Once we visited the Paris van Java Mall at Jalan Setiabudi for a quick coffee and a bite or two. The other  day the group had lunch at Kampung Daun. A fully dining experience in the Sundanese (West Java) style (see pic). The concept of Kampung Daun attracts people to come there. Entering the premise you will get a hut called saung as your eating place. En route to your saung there are various hawkers selling typical Bandung delicacies. The food at Kampung Daun was good, not great but good.

Where to stay?
Most of the hotels are concentrated in the Dago and Jalan Pasir Kaliki areas. There are many price categories you can choose from. I stayed at hotel Guci at Jalan Pasir Kaliki. It is a stroll away from the headquarter of Kartika Sari bakery and Bandung central train station at Kebon Kawung street.  

Nature
I didn’t visit any of those Factory Outlets as I have been there many times. Bandung was actually a base to discover Ciwidey, Rancabali tea plantation and Situ Patengan during this trip. A 2 hours ride down south, 50 km to this destination was an idyllic one. Our driver knew the points to stop for breathtaking view of the teaplantation at Rancabali. Those tea plants lie there as a big wavy green rug welcoming you and soothing your eyes.  I must say I was more impressed by the tea plantation here than by that of Puncak Pass. What do you think your self? See pic.  I heard that this plantation supplies its tea to Lipton Tea.

15 minutes ride further we reached Kawah Putih, the white volcano sulfuric crater at Ciwidey. This one has been discovered by domestic tourists the past years. Normally visitors of Bandung would visit Lembang and Tangkuban Perahu volcano at the north side.

After Ciwidey the group continued the trip to Situ (lake) Patengan. This is a beautiful lake with a tiny island in the center. We decided to try deep-fried goodies there such as fried banana (pisang goreng), fried tofu squares (tahu goreng), fried cassave (singkong goreng) etc, see pic. We even made a ride with a boat around the tiny island. There is a legend about a sweet love story concerning that tiny island.

Culture
On our last day we went to Saung Angklung Udjo for a cultural performance. Angklung is a music instrument made from dried bamboo. This show is highly recommended. During 2 hours show you see Sundanese dances, children and adults playing various kind of music with angklung. There was also a part of the show when audience had to participate playing angklung. The show was given in both English and Indonesian. It is held daily at 3.30 pm. No reservation is needed.

Transport
There are an amount of taxi companies. Should you stay more than 2 days in Bandung, renting a car with a driver is recommended. I hired a car, including petrol and  a driver from Mulia Rental. The service was fine. My driver always came on time to pick me up at the hotel. He even told me some tips/suggestions. When you are more adventurous you can take the public transport, Angkot. It is a small coach which rides several routes in the city. To let the group experience the feel of Bandung I chartered two Angkots after checking out of the hotel to come to the train station instead of taking a cab.

Overall Bandung did not disappoint. It is always fun to come there. 

Coming up: Summer holiday part 3: Yogyakarta

Why this blog post?
I often hear from people I know who have been to this city that they don’t like it. It is too crowded and dirty. True and true. I always answer in return that when they don’t know what to see or do there they would get this impression. Hence here is a short guide about Jakarta according to what I know.

Jakarta Jakarta
I have lived in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia untill my 23rd before I moved to The Netherlands. Jakarta’s nickname is the big durian (a notoriously delicious fruit). Everybody in the country wants a bit of this durian which causes horrific traffic and overpopulation. So when you visit the city, just surrender to it. Like I did when I was there 3,5 weeks ago. Do not get irritated by the traffic. Let the city lead you to make your stay bearable or should I say enjoyable?

History
By the fourteenth century the Sunda Kelapa harbor located in the north of the city was an important trading port for the Sunda Kingdom of Pajajaran in what is called Bogor nowadays. Portuguese ships arrived in the harbour at 1513. 22 June 1527 is the officially acknowledged birthday date of Jakarta. At that day Muslim troops from Cirebon and Demak led by Fatahillah took over the city. At the beginning of the seventeenth century the Dutch settled down in Sunda Kelapa, building some fortresses. Later in that century the Dutch changed the name of Sunda Kelapa to Batavia which remained so untill 1942. Dutch East Indie Companies set many buildings in Batavia at that time. Some of them are vanished. Some are well-preserved like those located in the Old Town (Kota Toea) and at and around the Fatahillah Square (see pics).

Where to stay?
Jakarta is divided into 5 regions: North, South, East, West and Center. Many (chain) hotels are located in North, Center and East. The business district The Golden Triangle is located somewhere in Center and South Jakarta. Downtown behind the Sarinah Department Store (country’s first shopping centre) there is a backpacker area called Jalan Jaksa. This is not suitable for traveling families. Government buildings stand at the Center region around National Monument. In the east side of the monument there is Gambir train station. When you continue your journey to other big cities in Java, this is the station for depart. As an ex South Jakartan I highly recommend South or Center Jakarta as regions to stay. Most hotels at those regions have an easy access (ok, don’t mind the traffic) to the out ter ring road which allows you reach other destinations outside the city easily.

What to eat?
Eating would not be a problem at all. There are enough choices from different price ranges, from extremely cheap to splurge. In almost every shopping mall there is a food court where one can choose what he wants to eat out of various stalls (see pic). Dare devils can try street food. Just go to one of the hawkers on the street and place your order. Some hotels and restaurants also offer menu sets for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Some even have live bands as entertainment on week ends. Just check their website for this.

Shop till you drop
The past years Malaysian tourists have discovered Jakarta as the place to shop till they drop. Who can blame them anyway? Go to Tanah Abang (West Jakarta) for various articles from ready to wear clothes to carpets. Mangga Dua and Pasar Baru (North Jakarta) are famous for their clothes and apparel. Glodok in Chinatown is the place to buy gadgets and auto spare parts and many more. World’s A brands are widely represented in many chique shopping malls.

What to do?
Don’t have time to visit the whole archipel? No worries, just go to Taman Mini Indonesia Indah. Within one day you can see all regions in Indonesia in miniature form. Nearby there are Orchid Garden and a Bird Park. Taman Impian Jaya Ancol up north is a themed park with a Seaworld, Amusement Park, Yacht marina and many more.  Are you more like an active tourist? Pick one of the water parks Jakarta offers. Looking for more adventure? Book an arrangement to Kepulauan Seribu. North of Jakarta there are approximately 110 tiny islands spread in Java Sea. Those are called Kepulauan Seribu (a group of thousand islands). In the following islands of Kepulauan Seribu there are resorts Ayer, Bidadari, Sepa, Putri, Pelangi, Alam Kotok and Pantara. The rest of the islands have basic accommodation or no accommodation at all.

Homesick
Everytime I am there I love to visit places where I was a regular, the schools I went to etc. Unfortunately the city changes so quickly. Sometimes I become mellow cause I search for something which doesn’t exist anymore. I guess this is a consequence of living abroad, isn’t it?

I wish you good times in the Big Durian. Whatever you do there, just enjoy your stay.

Coming up: Summer holiday part 2: Bandung