Friday, November 14, 2008

Short visit to Jakarta & Bandung

Whenever I traveled to Jakarta, I would spend a day or 2 at Bandung about 2 hrs away. Bandung, the 4th largest city of Indonesia of 2 millions, is elevated at 768M (2,520ft). So it's the cool climate there that appeals. Besides, reports of rains & floodings around Jakarta don't sound encouraging this time.
















Situated in a basin surrounded by volcanic mountains.















I like this over hanging row of bougainvilleas of Jakarta's Soekarno-Hatta Airport - a very pleasant tropical feeling with its colors.














I always enjoyed a Nasi Padang lunch - eating with your fingers.














Dishes are piled in front of you - much more than one can stomach! Pay only what you eat.














Bandung streets are abuzz with sidewalk stalls & motorcycles traffic.














I headed for 'The Valley' resort this time in an elevated district of Dago, with magnificent day & night views of the city in distance.






Sat at the balcony all afternoon with such views was truly relaxing - provides a clear mind doing sketches, refining ideas of my bird farm designs.

































Local residents on hill slopes below.














An up market housing development nearby.














A hotel under construction in the distance.














Dined at this Sudanese restaurant - my favorites are 'Tauhu' & 'Tempe' goreng with sambal chillies dip sauce. I did suffered the consequence of chillies overdose next few days!




























Stopped over to purchase some Indonesian snacks on the way to train station.










































These 'brick-like' blocks are Tempe before cut to slices & fried.




























The railway station ground are tidy & well kept.





























































A passing locomotive engine.. trains are pretty old but still well maintained.



















Convenient stores stacked with snacks, drinks & cigarettes.





























































Still have plenty of time to kill, would have fell asleep like this guy next to me!



















So I headed out to the streets and caught some glimpses of local daily lives.
Rickshaws were killing time waiting for passengers too.










































Narrow food carts on sidewalk and on the move.




























Vendor on foot sells drinks, snacks & cigarettes too - a walking store! If you don't have a shop or push cart, a card board box will do.



















This cart was making delivery round of crackers to restaurants.














Old & sitting in rust! Forgotten but not yet abandon!














Tiny shops are fully stock and neatly organized.

































A cigarette specialty store on cart.














Rickshaw with card-boards & plastic recyclables on the move.














An open air motorcycle tire service center - no tent, no shop.. it is all what it is, rain or shine!














Push cart collects recyclable materials taking a break.














Camera shy lady peddler sold Jamu drinks carried on her back.



















Approaching clients in a shop.



















Convenient store by the side walk - interesting not to see '7-elevens' around yet. But local chain of convenient stores are having presence felt.














My favorite shot of the day.. this narrow food cart doubles as a TV cabinet! See how people make do with what little they have!



















A 20 min walk.. one can feel the sort of life out there on the streets.

The train departs finally, can't resist taking a shot of ticket inspector with cap over her headdress.



















Clinged onto an open door to take a these shots...
Lush green rice fields.

































Passing terraced fields in valley below.



















Cluster of housings along the railway line.














Any land suited for agriculture are converted - even hill slopes.











































































View of the new highway to Bandung.

































From Ka-Rawang onwards to Jakarta, many swiftlet farms were seen. By then my camera ran out of battery. Too bad for me!