Bandung ~

Somehow we were a bit tired and slow this morning - but breakfast was not included in the price of the hotel and we happened to have some oatmeal, banana's and a yogurt in the little fridge - so we were good!

Nick did make some contact here in Bandung so we hope to meet in the morning.  In the meantime we took a ride out to the Old Preanger Hotel he had stayed at 25 yrs ago - he wanted to share that with me.  So we found out where it was and headed out.

(click on this Link below to read up on Bandung)

Bandung - some info to share about the City

Bandung has an elevation of 2500+ feet 

This is the front of the building - they have kept the original hotel...the same - and have done some renovations inside...still have the beautiful gardens and also the suites but added a new building and they call it now the Grand Preanger Hotel...and it was GRAND!

The general manager introduced himself to us and he gave us a tour of the old and new.  It was so nice of him to take the time!  Nick saw the old rooms he had stayed in and also the restaurant he had dined in so long ago!  All from that era!  His parents had stayed at this hotel in the 1920/30's when they came on holiday to Bandoeng (old spelling)

One other hotel still there from 1905 was the Savoy Homann - which was also still existing...I have added this picture for those of you that might still remember it from the 'good ole' days!'

As we walked down this avenue we came across this:

This plaque and inscription explains the Post Road made by the Dutch to build commerce to connecting cities. 

                                                                   Familiar name Renee?

...just some old buildings - from the past with Dutch words on it ~

Just some sights we saw along the way....

 This van opened up on all four sides...and then the stool's are cute...so they could open for business anywhere!

 This man was feeding his chickens right there on the street!!!!! Gosh was he gonna fatten them and then sell then? You just never know!

                A very large mosque - and throughout the day you hear on loud speakers the prayers going on.

 This little guys was selling papers and he kept looking and looking into the car - we were at a signal light for at least 10 minutes waiting for the traffic to pass by...and he kept looking at us..."no we can't read it in the Indonesian language-yet" but those dark brown eyes kept looking at us...so Nick rolled down the window and gave him some coins.  We also got serenaded by someone with a guitar...while waiting for a light.


Hey Cecile (Nick's sis) lookie here...we saw this purse in the window and it was totally your dog!  "LUCY is stylin'!"

and then we came by this little restaurant and there we saw this ....Cecile's Salmon Steak! 

My Cecile...! 

Not often that your name is out there huh Cecile?

Arrival in Bandung ....!!!!

Nick & I had a good trip from Jakarta to Bandung - my fathers Birth town yesterday!  The taxi picked us and brought us to the train station, and we waited

for a bit before departure.

                                     The train left on time (yea!) and we headed out of Jakarta and into the mountains

of Java and saw some really pretty sights going through many rice fields

and villages along the way.  It seemed liked every acre of land was used in some kind of farming - neatly

lined and leveled.  People had built their small houses along the tracks and motorcycles being used to get around.

We came to the train station stop of Cimahi - the town where Nick's father is

buried and also my grandfather and of course we both recognized the name!!!!  We will be returning to this station in the next coming days, to find the Dutch Military Cemetery.  But having heard this name Cimahi for so long....it was ever so' very special indeed and to know we were so close now! 

As we came closer to Bandung, it was down in a valley...very pretty surrounded by mountains!  The town is a busy one as well- but not as crazy as Jakarta.  Somehow with the mountains and the city laid out on hills it makes it seem so nice here in town.  As we departed off the train...YES! took pictures of the name of the town! GOSH! Pretty emotional!

Hey..... Maralin and Ron ...look at this - Poppa's town! Neat huh?

YES!

 First shots of the city from our hotel...through tinted windows...

                                                              can't see a whole lot yet........

.....but more pictures to come!

 We found a Ibis Hotel on line that had very reasonable rates...low season.  So we ended up on the southeast part of town - right next door to this major Mall...oh oh...trouble...Nick said!

 Well not to worry Nico...I only have one back pack and one suitcase to my name!  (but of course I can replace some things right? (Ah....you too figured it out!) ha!

 Well more to come! We had a good night's rest and are ready to start the day here (10:30am) we are so slow this morning! But nice to take it easy!

Nick is trying to find some connections here in town - so that we can find a place to stay for some weeks - that is our plan anyway.  We just need to check some things out here and there, and we are hoping to make some contacts here in town. We feel it is time to settle for a while, and Bandung is cooler - being up in the mountains ~ which makes it so nice! (I saw the weather report this morning in Jakarta 95F! Whoa Baby - HOT!)

Last Day in Jakarta -

A GRAND Tour!

 Nick & I decided - we wanted to walk the old harbor this afternoon.  It was part of the VOC - Dutch-East India merchants company  (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie) and we were approached by a gentleman who said his name was "Arthur" - he spoke Dutch to us!  His grandfather had worked for the Nederland Railroad (Nederlandsche Spoorwegen) here in Indonesia (Batavia/Jarkarta at that time) and so his grandfather went to Holland several times...and so Arthur experienced some time in Holland as well!  He had a friendly way about him and we enjoyed his company!

                        We came to the Harbor Museum and enjoyed the stories he shared with us!

(double click on these pictures and you can read along!) 

 These warehouses for the shipping company was at one time right up to this building (on the otherside)                                          These buildings are dated would you believe it 1719!

Arthur kept taking us from room to room...he did a great job! 

 Yes ...for real Anno 1719 ~

Inside the warehouse were heavy teak wood beams held up by these steel bars - the clamp went through the wall and was supporting the large beams inside! 

Then Arthur walked us through narrow little paths and alley's and all at once - there it was the old harbor!  

He asked "do you want to go on a boat ride?" Well yes we do!

So we climbed from one boat to the other and he climbed in too!

(3rd from the end!)

 It was motorized - and we floated by old fishing boats and freight boats all still being used...although looking at them - you wouldn't think so!

 Nick & I kept snapping pictures like crazy...so much to see and so' cool on the water with Arthur right there showing us everything!

 These are all commercial wooden boats bringing goods to all the different islands:  Kalamantan, Papua, Sumatra, Sulawesi & Bali etc.

 Lots of smiles as 'the tourist" come by!

All at once Arthur says "do you want to go on one of these boats?' 

Before you know it - we went along side a big boat and climbed out of it...gosh - thankful we are still so agile! ha! 

Wow that was pretty neat...the captain was there too and he just let us wander around a bit!  Arthur seemed to know these people too! The boat was swept & clean! 

Arthur said get behind that and I will take a picture!  The captain was right to the left of us on the cell phone!

 These are large orange containers are used on the roofs of houses to collect water for drinking & cooking. 

Nick climbed on the roof of the ship...do you see him up there?

 ...and down again we went - down the steep stairs~

                                   Hey Nick - look up! 

A bit further on were the larger freight/cargo ships too going in and out!

 There - on the pier two little boys with big smiles!  

Cute...PEACE!

 We turned into a little spot and Arthur got out again..."time to walk on" he said.

            Look ....fishing boats - he said! 

 We climb up on this ledge and walked along it - sure thankful for good balance you guys!  We were up high on this narrow ledge.

A lot of debris in the water...so sad to see! 

 The kids love having their picture taken..."foto" "foto" they said!

We walked again through many little alleys - people in close proximity of one another. There was a old mosque in the midst of this little commune village area.

                             Kids followed us...through the alley ways.

Nick always chit-chats here and there with the people!  Yes he says I am Indo! They smile and are so proud!  They say they can see it in him!  My mother Javanese - he says! 

Arthur mentioned Chinatown to us and if we had seen it?

Well off we went in a tuk-tuk....

......... and Arthur climbed up front with the driver!

We had not been in this motorized one yet...so that was fun of course!

He brought us to a Buddhist temple and said it was OK to take pictures!  

Those tall lighted up containers hold ashes from families past away.  

......honoring the dead - by lighting a candle for them!

Back to the tuk-tuk again...Nick asked if he could drop us off at our hotel?

Wow - what a day....we had experienced a lot today with our guide and friend! 

Funny looking little things - but there are a lot of them in the City and they drive fast with this little road runners!  I took a video clip of it and hope to down load this on youtube soon! 

Arthur sent the tuk-tuk driver off and we walked heading back towards our hotel.

We had enjoyed seeing the harbor today...my how great was that huh Nick? 

Arthur asked if we were pleased?  Yes very much so!  - we thanked him for a personal tour this afternoon!  We gave him a token of our appreciation and we thanked him for a great tour and his Dutch made it such fun!

Off he went down the road again toward the harbor...

Totziens & bedankt Arthur! 

He said "hardstikke leuk he?"

We just finished dinner here in the restaurant and we are finished logging this blog, no wifi at this old hotel these past days!  We are heading out tomorrow - at 8:30 am to Bandung!

Hugs from Jakarta from Nick & Ellen!