Borobudur + Prambanan, Jogja

I Should say this is the craziest thing I ever done in my life. I traveled almost 11 hours from Bandung to Jogja city by using car. And back from there also need around 11 hours. Sit until my "pek pek" ache. Early morning before we start our journey, I already prepare our breakfast -> Fried mihun. We start the journey at 730 am and reach Jogja around 8pm. I feel dizzy already, because too HUNGRY~~~ Nothing much to say about borobudur. The entrance fee is USD11 for foreigner. It is so expensive if compare to Angkor Wat. The place quite small. But then the borobudur is quite impressive. After that we head to Prambanan. So disappointed because they close for renovation. The weather too hot until I feel like taking a cool long shower will be better. After lunch we are heading to sultan palace. I feel like being cheated. Because the place already occupied by a lot of residents.
Overall, the journey was good and we were lucky because did not experience earthquake in Jogja.

Pic : In front Borobudur with my lovely colleagues

Pic : Next, we went to Prambanan, which is the largest Hindu temple in Asia.
Pic : In front of Sultan Palace.

Pic : After dinner with colleagues and local friends. The dinner is really cheap and delicious, one ikan bakar only RM2  !!!!

Bandung, Indonesia Trip

I never thought to have a chance to visit to Indonesia if really want me to pay the trip by myself. However, my current working company have a project in Bandung for a few months. I have been chosen to join the project team.
We take AirAsia flight from KL – LCCT to Bandung at 730am. Bandung is earlier an hour ahead than Malaysia. Quite excited and a bit scare because some bad rumors about Indonesia.
The airport in Bandung is quite small (honestly is lousy than my hometown). We stay in Majesty Service Apartment. The place is quite harmony and clean. Local people is not as bad as I think. However, I think most of them are better than Malaysian. More gentle and polite to the customers. At least, they put more smile on face.

Actually, Bandung is a small town but a trip of 4D3N is more than enough to go around Bandung and taste the local specialities food. Bandung has one volcano mountain which I believe is still active, namely Tangkupan Perahu which is located in Lembang. After the journey to volcano area. You can spend 2-3 hours just soaking in the hot spring. I recommend to go less people and more clean the water (around Rp25,000 per entry) , Sari Ater Hot Spring Resort more expensive and more people go (around Rp35,000 per person).

Of course in Bandung, you need to taste the local food – Sundanese Food , which is more towards spicy taste. Especially the frying grauma (one type of local fish) with local recipe chilies. Erm...yum yum. Here have special drinks namely Alpukat with little chocolate creamy mixed. (Avocado Drinks) I think in Malaysia, you seldom find such drinks and if you found, it always cost a lot. Here, you can get it as low as Rp5000 (RM2) or a good taste one for Rp12,000 (RM4.80). I nearly every week drink it twice (paiseh...drink more makes your “chocolate cake more smooth” also).

Bandung has a lot of factory outlets. I think I have went to all the factory outlets. Usually they sell the same things such as CK Jeans, NIKE T-shirts, Armani Exchange, Bluberry , LV and a lot of branded stuff at good price. Some is really genuine but most is pirated. So be extra careful when you choose. The NIKE T-Shirt with collar I bought for Rp69500 (RM28) is original, just some reject items from NIKE stores. The most joyful thing was I bought the OLD NAVY winter jacket for only RM26, the material and quality is really good. So lovely the jacket. Can’t wait to wear it for my Korea Trip this year end. I would like recommend you guys to go to these factory outlets for nice goodies.
Rumah Mode , near Sukajadi -> jackets, affred USA, S.Oliver t-shirt
Grande, Jalan Juanda ->nice quality T-shirt (huge size) and dress
Blossom (just opened on 8/8/2007), Hyperquare, Pasir Kaliki  a lot of surfing clothes (all real but with low cost around RM20 – 40), I get 2 pairs of nike shorts for RM12 only.
Heritage  Nike T-shirt, blouse for ladies, and dress, fair price

In Bandung, you can easily find food by the roadside. A lot of small stalls, but I do not dare to taste due to hygiene issue. Sundanese food is quite easy to find. I recommend Raja Sunda and Rumah Makan Oneng. At night, you must go to Valley to enjoy the night scenery with great taste of western food and Japanese food. I must admit that the Japanese food here is better taste and great valuable than in my country. The price is cheap, such as a bento just cost less than RM18 after taxed.

If you like japanese food, please find this japanese restorant named Mimoji. It is inside the Majesty Apartment,or along Jalan Dago or along Jalan Afrika. However, if you like to have ice-cream after walk or for supper, please do find for rasa cafe . I love the waffle with ice-cream. It is much more better than A&W and any waffle I taste in Malaysia. It is hard to describe, you only know how good the taste only when you try it.

There is an old bread house which is located along Jalan Afrika, somewhere near the museum Asia Afrika. The old bread house only open during week days. (so lan si ba pai (cantonese)) , all staffs are old woman. The cashier counter is like a jail. Then the old lady work too slow until you want to scream out. Oh Man, please work faster! But you cannot deny that the bread is good and you can smell the tasty creamy butter across the street.
If you like to eat mee, you must taste the local mee. It is a bit like kon lou mee in Sarawak. Believe me, the mee is not cheap. It cost Rp13500 – 20,000 (RM5 – 8) per bowl. The famous one should be Pak Mie (behind Jalan Afrika of NISP Bank) and Mie Rica (Pasir Kaliki). The most tasty Alpukat is at Pak Mie but also the most expensive one.

In Bandung, you can see a lot of Usually, you can see a lot of youngest playing guitars at night along the road of Jalan Dago and wanted to earn more money from the drivers or should I say to waste their time at night because nothing much to sdo in Bandung.
For shopping mall in Bandung, I recommend to go Paris Van Java (along sukajadi road) where inside we have the cinema, carefour and lots of branded shop like Charles & Keith, Espirit, MNG, BodyShop and etc. Others than that, I think shopping mall in Bandung still not as interesting as in Malaysia. Malaysia more sales and price more cheaper.

Travel in Bandung when using taxi is recommended to take Blue Bird Company. Saying blue bird taxi is quite humorous when you think in Chinese word (Blue = Lan) (Bird = Qiao) .....so is you know what I meant already. Another thing is the duck here we don’t call it itik but bebek (in Msia mostly known as the sensitive part of a woman). I used to joke when my colleague is in period  Bebek berdarah. :P

(pic: Dufan, Jakarta)

Pic : Together with my colleagues. Taken inside Dufan.

Pic : Mix around with young people really make me feel like 17 years old only. They are awesome!!! Most of them are chinese but cannot speak chinese well. End up we campur aduk malay and english during conversation. Really having great time with them.

Pic : With Tree and the cartooon characters in Dufan.