Kota Bunga Cipanas - Weekend Trip

Cipanas is located not far from Jakarta. It is only about 1-2 hour drive from Jakarta. However, if you caught in traffic, you might spend 3-4 hours. If you have been visiting Puncak, then Cipanas is right after Puncak if you drive from Jakarta. Cipanas usually becomes a top pick for Jakarta residents to have a weekend hang out. Located near pucak makes it is a cold place especially during mornings and nights.

What interesting in Cipanas is mostly because the villa complex or subdivision. Many developers build an exclusive subdivisions that are bought by middle and upper class to have a rest house in Cipanas area. Kota Bunga for example. Kota Bunga subdivision is designed with different architecture designs from around the world occupying a huge subvision in Cipanas. In weekend, you will find a lot of families, especially, with children are enjoying walking around this exclusive subdivision. They have even have many playgrounds with different designs to enjoy.

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Bromo and Semeru Mountains

In celebration of Indonesia Visit 2008, I would like to share my journey before to Bromo and Semeru. It is one of my memorable experience if I might tell you honestly. I was really exhausted to do the trip but it paid off after looking the scenery there.

Bromo is located in East Java. If you travel by air, you need to land in Surabaya city and continue with land transportation to Ranu Pani Village. The village is small but full of facilities because it is well known for tourist spots in East Java. From the village, you can visit the view deck where you see the Bromo mountain with 2329 meter altitude and at the back of it, you can see the Semeru mountain with 3,676 meter altitude. Semeru mountain is the highest mountain in Java island.

If you want to take a closed look at Bromo and Semeru volcanoes, you need take a 4WD jeep to reach there. Make sure you consult first with the local government for the safe time to visit because Bromo and Semeru volcanoes are considered an active volcanoes. When traveling to approach Semeru (called as well as Mahameru), you would find interesting sites and scenery to enjoy. It was a good visit for me.

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Lembang Tea Walk

Year 2008 is the year of Visit Indonesia. Most of tourists know Indonesia because of Bali. However, there are many other places worth visiting in Indonesia. In you are business man and visit Jakarta, I could mention some areas near Jakarta that you could visit on weekends without traveling to far from Jakarta.

One of the place is Lembang. Lembang is near Bandung, it is about 150km from Jakarta. With the Cipularang High Way, you could reach it easily in 2 hours. Lembang is well known for it's nature scene. You can enjoy the beauty of tea plantations. You can ask around to find some waterfalls in Lembang. It is worth visiting to chill out and escape from your daily routines.

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Pagudpud other interesting sites

Pagudpud located in North of Philippines (Ilocos Norte) is well known of its beach. Pagudpud was named because during old days, most of the area should be travelled by foot. Most of local people will say "Pagud" - tiring and "Pudpud" - the sandal would tear off. I am not sure if it 100% true, my friend from Philippines just told me that.

However, aside from the white beaches, it is also a town with many art crafts. I like d the most when I visited the pottery place, where I can see a "burnay" in the making. Pic below is when a "manong" - old man was molding a pot. Insteresting huh?

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Borobudur Temple – The biggest Buddhist temple in Indonesia

Borobudur temple located in the Jogjakarta city on central Java and it is the biggest Buddhist temple in Indonesia. Some archaeologists believe that Borobudur temple was abandoned during 14th century following the fall of Buddhist in Central Java and Javanese stated to convert to Islam. It was then that Borobudur was discovered by Sir Thomas Raffles, the British ruler of Java in 1814. Since then, the Borobudur has undergone some restorations and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I have been 3 times went to Borobudur temple and I was always amazed on how many tourist (both local can foreign) to appreciate the structures and reliefs of the temple.

A quote from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borobudur:

The monument comprises six square platforms topped by three circular platforms, and is decorated with 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues. A main dome is located at the center of the top platform, and is surrounded by seventy-two Buddha statues seated inside perforated stupa.

The monument is both a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage. The journey for pilgrims begins at the base of the monument and follows a path circumambulating the monument while ascending to the top through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology, namely, Kamadhatu (the world of desire); Rupadhatu (the world of forms); and Arupadhatu (the world of formless). During the journey, the monument guides the pilgrims through a system of stairways and corridors with 1,460 narrative relief panels on the wall and the balustrades.

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Eat well before you travel

It seems like a usual tips that our parents tell us before we go on travel. But today, I experience the pain myself because not eating well before traveling by car. And the worst thing is that I am only traveling in the city!!!

Yup, I never thought that traveling in the city could be such pain in the ass. It was really happening to me yesterday. I needed to visit some areas in the field and I did not take my breakfast seriously. We went from one place to another by car. What makes it different was that the road is not paved yet. It is just land streets that makes our cars bumping all the way along our travels. The first hour of travel was a nightmare. I started to feel a headache and an ill felling on my stomach. Finally, I decided to tell the driver to stop over and have some food. But I think I was too late, after eating and rest a while, I still feel the headache and stomach problems.

Whoaahh.. I had the feeling of this even for the rest of the day. The good thing is that I feel better today when I woke up. Piuhhh!

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Travel to Vatican City

As you all know that the Vatican City is famous for its magnificent St Peter’s Basilica. Near St Peter’s stands the Vatican Palace, the Pope’s residence. There are a lot of historical buildings to visit there.

However, make sure you read a little bit about the history of Vatican City. You will enjoy more when you get there. You will know what is the story behind each places you visited there instead of just admiring the architecture of the buildings.

The main church is amazingly huge. I was lucky that I can get a good picture of the light passes through the window. Just lucky to have a good timing.

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Funny Picture - El Rastro Flea Market

When I was visiting Madrid for a short time, one of the places I visited is El Rastro Flea Market. My friend who live in Madrid told me that it will be a good experience to visit El Rastro that is open only in Sunday morning and finish the shoppings with couple of beers around the area. At least, this is what he usually does to kill time with his friends.

One thing that took my attention was when I found a beggar along the El Rastro market. The beggar had several signs where people put money on. The signs are "PARA CERVEZA", "PARA WHISKY", "PARA RESACA". Well, I dont understand much Spanish words but my friend told me that it means "FOR BEERS", "FOR WHISKY", "FOR RESACA". What an idea to ask money in the street :D

I took my cellphone and took a picture of it. All of the sudden, this guy brought out another sign and showed it to me "PARA FOTO... EUR50". Whuahaha... I wanted to took the picture as well of this sign but I was afraid that this guy would get mad if I took another picture. Also, I did not want to pay EUR50 only for this. It is better to spend my EUR to treat my friends who have been accompanying me around in Madrid. In any case, I got a funny picture I already.

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Trip to Sukabumi, West Java – Water rafting and War game

Sukabumi is one of the places that often missed by the tourists when they visit Indonesia, especially West Java. Sukabumi is only 2 hours drive from Jakarta. To tell you honestly, I also almost missed visiting Sukabumi :P.

I was asked by my friends to visit Sukabumi 2 years ago. We went there by car from Jakarta. The side views was amazing if you if nature. By the way, we contacted an agent first before coming to Sukabumi to arrange the water rafting that we wanted to try. We did not plan to spend overnight, so we just booked for the facilities to do water rafting.

We got at the resort place in Sukabumi around 10 in the morning, the instructor has been ready for us and taught the basic water rafting and some survival basic in case of emergency. We rode up a jeep to reach the river and started water rafting. Whoooah, we enjoyed it so much. We rode down the river for about 12 km. Not very long, but good enough for starters like us to enjoy. It was a nice experience.

After finish water rafting, we still have time before leave Sukabumi. So, we tried War game as well. I could never imagine that in the war game you fell like a real war. I was becoming so afraid to walk or run in open area. I was hiding behind the trees or bushes. Just crawling around to reach the flags of the other team. I knew that I have limited bullets so I need to use it wisely. Well, in the end my team lose because the other team had a great sniper I must say. Even if my friend was hiding under the bushes, when he was raising up his head to look around. Baaaannng, his helmet was covered by red color due to red painted bullet.

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Travel light – Bring your sports towel

I like to travel especially doing some outdoor activities. The problem that I used to encounter was when it came to pack my things. I like to bring most of my outdoor gadgets to enable me to do more activities in the places I visited. But as you know that traveling outdoor should be having your back pack as light as possible since I will involve walking a lot while carrying my back pack.

One thing that seems to be ignored by us and could bring us a lot of hassle is a towel. Have you been in the situation where you are confused to bring a big towel or a small towel? You want to bring a big towel because it will dry you up fast after taking a bath or after swimming from the beach. On the other hand, you do not want to have a hassle bringing back a wet large towel in your back pack that will add up to the hassle.

Well, the good thing is that you can find many sports towel that could resolve your problems. I bought this sport towel 2 years back and it helped me a lot. This towel is made from special material that can absorb a great amount of water considered its small size. I just need to squeeze the towel to dry it up and use it again to dry myself. It comes also with a plastic hard cover that I do not need to bother to put it on my back pack. You can see how small the towel is. By the way, the watch there is just for a comparison for the size of the towel :D.

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Paraglide View

This is one of the experiences that I will never forget. I tried this paraglide when I visited West Java. My friend brought me to a mountain area around 40 km from Bandung. I was told that there will be an instructor who will be my paraglide buddy. That relieves me since I never know how to handle this kind of things.

Actually, I did nothing during take off and landing. My instructor did all the job :D I just participated by running during take off, handle the bar little bit during flying, and offer my butt for a butt landing instead of proper landing.

During the rest of time we were on the air, I enjoyed the view and took pictures. It was a moment of silent that I really enjoyed on the air.

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