Adventure

(Part 2) : JAVA ROAD TRIP

…From Day 3 – Monday 26 October 2009
Heading from Yogyakarta to Purwokerto where I met my brother who joined me from Bandung. It’s a very kind of him to take over the wheel from Purwokerto,Central Java to our final destination : Bandung, West Java – knowing that Bart must be exhausted after 3 days on the road.

Purwokerto for me is a city with memory of my childhood visiting grandparents house, this means : lots of good food and laughter. I still have my aunt living in this city today. Like any other city in the country, the javanese culture moves parallel with the modernity and development. It is the capital of Banyumas Regency, Central Java region, Purwokerto is located near the base of Mount Slamet, the highest volcano in Central Java.

The city is bisected by the Kali Kranji (Kranji River), and lies near two major east-west roads, Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Gatot Subroto (source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purwokerto), it’s a very small city, the local people loves to hang out at Alun-alun (town square), and you can circling this town in just 30 min, you will find yourself back to the same point of departure : Alun-alun. And beside its typical culinary delights such as : Soto Sukaraja, Es Baltik, Tempe Mendoan, etc…Serayu River is one of the main nature scenery not to be passed (actually it’s more for a nostalgic reason for me, where my dad spent his afternoon childhood, biking and playing on the river of Serayu!).

Bike @MendoanPwkt

Serayu River

I should’ve stayed more than just one night here, but Bandung, the flower city, the Parijs van Java, just couldn’t wait to see me..

Day 4 – Tuesday 27 October 2009

09.40  Left Purwokerto to Bandung
16.00  WELCOME TO BANDUNG (again!), BEE !!

28 October – 6 November 2009 My must have annual holiday ‘Chez Mes Parents’, I’ve written some blog posts about Bandung and Jakarta, the two most frequented towns in my life – having lived & worked there – so for fun things to do, I will just list here What’s HOT and What’s not HOT in Bandung compared to Bali

Hmm..starting from What’s HOT first and What Bali DOESN’T HAVE! Yay!

1). Multi cineplex (minimum 8 screens of cinema!) giving more choices of movies, with HD surround sound system complete with other entertainment facility, such as restaurant, cafe, live music performance! digital music store, game center, pool, karaoke, function room, merchandise store, a very chic lounge, and lots of beautiful trendy fashionably people…my oh my…

Cineplex LoungeThe way Bandung spoils movie lovers..I wish Bali had this..

Gee..and I'm on my way to the rest room! Luxurious touch in cinema..<3Gee..and I’m on my way to the rest room! Luxurious touch in cinema..<3

2). Malls and great malls…and more malls

The most artistic & tasteful mal in Bandung : PVJ (Paris van Java)The most artistic &amp; tasteful mall in Bandung : PVJ (Paris van Java)

Where in Bali, can we find a mobile wifi internet cafe like this?Where in Bali, can we find a mobile wifi internet cafe like this?

3). Good yummy food with hundreds of price & flavor variation all over the city! The battle of New innovative culinary vs Classic legend food that never ends.

Since 1953, guys....Since 1953, guys….

It's mobile era now...so does SUSHI...yum!It’s mobile era now…so does SUSHI…yum!

4). Old historical buildings from Dutch colonial period that are still being functioned as international conference building, Post Office, or trade centers.

Asia Africa BuildingAsia Africa Building

Post Office BandungPost Office Bandung

5). A cutey little pie coquette niece with three dream jobs in one life time : Singer,model, pediatrician & a nephew who thinks he’s Spongebob the Squarepants and a card collector.

Dede Ecal

Die-Cast and Card Collection

6). A large backyard and beautiful garden – with the crazy high land price in Bali, there’s no way people could easily afford a house with a big garden..(they’re lucky to have one actually)

Bdg backyard

7). Best friends

Best friends

What’s NOT Hot in Bandung :
1). Traffic Jam almost everywhere – typically big cities in Java

macet AA

2). Bike Riders who just couldn’t wait and queue on a train railway portal, they have this ‘good habit’ crossing the opposite line to get in the front line, nice…

Motor gila

3). Two different world : The Slum surrounding or just behind a nice glamorous shopping center

Slum behind mal

Til my next adventure and crazy trip, hopefully one day : Tour d’Indonésie ! Thanks to Benny for the great pics, love ya’!

Related Post
ONE WEEK IN BANDUNG – PARIJS VAN JAVA
Bandung & Jakarta so far

Bee

We are duo travel-food blogger and photographer living in the island of Bali, passionate in sharing Bali travel tips & ideas, and Bali culinary delights on our Bali Travel & Food blogs : www.beeamazing.com (english) and www.wisatakulinerbali.com (indonesian)

Follow this Duo Blogger & Photographer on Twitter : @gabybali and @bartcatapult Check out our other websites : www.passionoftheday.com (Bali Photography) http://www.risanto.com (Bali Web Developer)

http://www.risanto.com/beeamazing

7 thoughts on “(Part 2) : JAVA ROAD TRIP

  1. Hey my aunt lives in Purwokerto too! When I was a child I used to visit the city during school holidays. Ah, Aku suka banget mendoan + sotonya itu..dimakan bareng! cemilan purwokerto juga banyak mulai ranting sampe keripik tempenya gurih, ga kalah ama Bandung lah! Kapan-kapan kita harus jalan-jalan ke Purwokerto bareng bee. Mengenang masa kecil ;-);-)

  2. Lain kali musti lebih lama di Purwokerto untuk muasin perut dengan tempe mendoan di coletin ke kecap pedasnya Mirasa, terus berhenti juga lagi di kebumen ya? ke Mergo Sari buat ngabisin heleketeuk lencanya mereka , sambal terasi, sayur asam 🙂

    terus berlama2 dikit di hutan Jati di Jawa Timur..di Jawa Tengah dan DIY harus lebih dari sehari eui..banyak objek terlewatkan 🙁

  3. Pasir Putih biasanya jadi salah satu tempat kami untuk beristirahat kalau bepergian ke Bali. Anyway kayaknya restaurant yang kamu sebut kalau ga salah namanya Papin (tapi saya menyebutnya dengan pengucapan dalam bahasa Prancis, Papang, sama seperti nama pemain sepak bola prancis era 80an Jean Pierre Papin, btw ga penting banget ya, hehehehehehehe . . .)

    Dulu resto Padang satu ini enak masakannya. Lama-lama koq kualitasnya menurun drastis. Terakhir kami ke Bali 2008 masakannya suck banget! Sudah gaenak dan mahal pula. Sepertinya kami ga bakalan lagi makan di tempat ini. Oya kalau ga salah dulu kami pernah makan di resto Papin somewhere di Negara, Bali. Cuman apakah masih ada ga ya? i wonder 😉

    Anyway i love bali and hopefully i can go there again this januari.
    .-= roland´s last blog ..Notebook Saya Drivelock!!! Argh . . . =-.

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