Men and women drowned in a river, with a fierce-looking character watching them drift away, a big buffalo on his hand. On the other side of the river an ugly giant with scabies all over his body watched the drowning mortals, helpless and succumbed. Meanwhile […]
The hot and humid air greets us as we get off the car and leave the comfort of air conditioner behind. We are in Tampaksiring, the same area that I visited in 2011 to see Pura Tirta Empul – the temple of replenishment. But this […]
The water vapor escapes the small rice container as the old lady opens up its lid. Before it, plates of side dishes cooked in rich Balinese condiments tease the senses of passersby with their sweet and fragrant aroma. A few meters away some women are […]
Throngs of upscale fashion boutiques, fancy restaurants, and trendy clubs fill the streets of Seminyak – one of Bali’s liveliest areas north of the raunchy scenes of Kuta and Legian. However some might find it hard to feel the tranquility and the laidback atmosphere of […]
Despite calling Semarang in Central Java home, I only spent a brief 1.5 years in the city since I was born. Life had taken me to live in three cities in South Kalimantan (Borneo) and four cities in Java. Until a few years ago, the […]
On the slopes of Mount Ungaran in the temperate climate of Java’s hilly terrain, perches several small ancient temples amid rose gardens, cabbage fields, and wild taro and coffee trees. The sky is clear, the sun shines brightly. This place is only less than 40 […]
Throngs of vendors fill the narrow alleys outside the royal courtyard. Colorful shirts for souvenir and appetizing scent of bakso – meatball soup – keep bargain hunters and tourists stay in this maze-like seasonal market for hours, among other things. It takes a while for […]
It is a sunny and quiet morning in Kemang, a district in South Jakarta. The usual traffic congestion is absent, supplanted by silence, the occasional sound of chirping birds and the faint banter of breakfast vendors. I walk around the neighborhood and turn down one […]
When I learned history at school, there was one particular maxim that was repeatedly mentioned in various topics on the histories of nations around the world. Familiarized by Julius Caesar as the strategy used by the Roman Empire to conquer other nations, it was later […]
It was in 1778 when a group of Dutch scholars established a scientific institution to promote research in the fields of arts and sciences in the Dutch East Indies, following the Age of Enlightenment in Europe. When the British ruled Java for a brief period […]
What would come first in your mind if you have to mention one of Southeast Asian ancient temples? Angkor? The temples of Bagan? Borobudur? For those who have visited Indonesia or are planning to go must have heard about Borobudur and Prambanan temples – both […]
Bandung has been a popular choice of respite for Jakartans since 2005 when the highway connecting both cities was inaugurated. Every weekend cars with Jakarta plates roam Bandung’s narrow and maze-like streets, often driving local people crazy. However, that brings huge economic opportunities for the […]
What an Amazing World! 