Can I just say how much I love traveling with cool people? What I mean by “cool” defines the same chemistry I have with those people when it comes to travel together. Lol. Believe me, you can be very wrong on choosing your travel mate. Whether it is the different traveling budget of each person, the route that each of you want to take, or simply just the different “traveling style” (for example, you are more an adventure type who likes to see the nature as much as possible, and your fella is more a shopping-monster; whose itinerary is full of the best shopping locations). Well of course it’s not always really bad, actually if you can manage to balance those differences you might find a wonderful and new experiences while tasting each other’s itinerary! In my case, I feel so thankful that I had the chance to travel with new people and find the “click” is just there all the time. No arguing, no different itinerary, pure laughter and fun. So here’s my travel journal exploring Bandung and Yogyakarta with three cool chicks.

So initially me and my vocal group friends (Oppy, Herin, and Ery) was planning to watch Java Jazz Festival 2017 in Jakarta. We bought the tickets and make a group chat to talk about it. Aaand suddenly the plan was expanding to be a Bandung-Yogyakarta trip for a week! Yeay.

the squad (left to right: Oppy, Ery, me, and Herin)

INCOGNITO on stage!!! 

  

After we had a good night exploring many jazz musicians, we went home late and preparing to sleep for a lil time, because we have to catch early morning train to Bandung via Gambir Station. This is my first time experience going to Bandung with train, and I was so excited; too bad I didn't take any picture because we fell asleep just right after we landed our butt on the chair. Hahaha. The executive class train was nice and comfortable, but not really with the business class (the story will come below ahahah)..

Bandung

Here we are, arrived at Bandung safe and sound, and directly find our rent car at the train station. We rent private car for three days without the driver because we decided to drive ourselves around the city. Then we went to our apartment in Cihampelas area and find it small but cutey! We found it in Traveloka website, it will be perfect for two adults with a nice view of the pool and quite complete utensils, but it's no problemo for the 4 of us. The weather was windy, I somehow like it, because I always prefer cold than hot, but turns out God hears me too much and Bandung weather was rainy for three days! Hiks. But of course rain won't stop us on exploring the always-beautiful city. 

cute stores (with the taste of European style), flowers, and you also get to taste a bottle of homemade milk as a compliment of the entry ticket

  

  

  

The cafe is pretty and this window angle is photogenic as well. we spent a lot of time here, sheltering from the rain and sipped a glass of sweet drink while taking a lot of pics haha.

Due to the continuous rain, we can't go to our next itinerary and decided to end the outside trip for that day and went up straight to the Paris Van Java instead. What else can we do? The thing about the mall, it is always so tempting, and the girls were gone crazy (always gone crazy) when it comes to shopping mall at Jakarta and Bandung. Girls will always be girls, no matter how they denial it...

On the second day, we decided rain won't be an obstacle anymore, no matter what. We have to enjoy Bandung because our time was limited, and there we were, hiking to Ranca Upas to meet the cute deers (it's the second time for me). The first time was the best, the weather is perfect and the field was really green.. very picturesque. Yesterday it was started to rain, and cold, and the deers go hiding under their shelter. But we found a way to pull them out, of course-with food. 

 

 

  

After Ranca Upas, we went to Situ Patenggang, a lake that is famous with its love myth. Too bad the rain was getting harder so we didn't take many pictures at all, it was so coldddd and we can't get closer to the lake..hikshiks, instead we just went drinking hot drinks at the big cafe across the bridge. We ran and the rain hit us so hard that we regret not using more layers. Brrrrr

  

On our last day, we went to Dusun Bambu. Dusun Bambu Family Leisure Park is an eco-tourism park in Mount Burangrang's feet that provides education and recreation services. I went there two times already (now three) but I never get bored. The place is huge, lots of activities for kids, and a perfect place for family outing or for ehm..dating. They offers beautiful restaurant with a view of lakes, many outdoor activities, and flower gardens. You can also stay in the cute cottages above the lake, and enjoy the very fresh air of Lembang in the morning.

  

After Dusun Bambu, we hopped to our last destination before going to the train station. Lunchie in Lereng Anteng!

   

Believe me, the cafe was SUUPER beautiful, they have cute tents and the table and pillow to seat was inside the tent. It is the hippest cafe to eat right now in Bandung and it is very photogenic, but TOO BAD, again, we can't enjoy our food in the famous tent because of the RAIN. Oh raainnn... why you do this to us. So we went upstair at the "normal cafe" with the roof so we're safe from the rain. I'll definitely back for revenge. 

Btw, let me just show you the pictures (even it's not mine) because I just can't help to not sharing the beauty of this place.

It's not Bandung when you're not talking about the food. One of my main reason to travel is always to do some "food tasting" and Bandung is the perfect place! It's the home of delicious snacks and food. We can't taste them all of course, but hey we can always go back anytime for sure!

                                      

                                      

                                     

                                     

From upside-down : 1) Batagor, 2) Cheese bread that I always eat for snack in Japan (i know it's not important, but still..) and I found it in Indomaret, 3) Cilok (yummy!), 4) Kue Cubit (this one is yummy too, much different than the ones I tasted in Makassar) 

Jogja

We wrapped our days in Bandung with a lil' regret because some of the places we wanted to visit had to be cancelled due to the rainy days. But we were also excited to continue our journey to Yogyakarta, or Jogja, the city that is famous with its rich Javanese culture! We went there by train and this is one experience that I don't want to repeat. Hahah. Remember I told you before, when we went to Bandung from Jakarta, we also use train? The train that we used before was the executive class, and the train that we used to go Jogja was business class. I read somewhere in internet that there is no big difference between executive class and business class, but it turns out that the sofa in business class can't be extended AT ALL. So you have to stay still, sit in that position for 8 hours. Man. Believe me, my head hurts so much and we didn't get proper sleep at all...

We arrived at Yogyakarta station around 3 AM  and while waiting for our rent car to be arrived at the station, the girls were rushing to the toilet to wash their faces a little (I was too sleepy to move) and retouching their make-up. Yea. Becausee we were going to Punthuk Setumbu to catch the infamous sunrise moment!

We drove ourselves from the station (we bought some McD at nearest drive thru first) and start our journey when it's still dark to the Punthuk Setumbu in Magelang, East Java. It's out of town, approximately 1 or 2 hours from Jogja. It was still dark and along the way you can see quiet streets but there were also some people ready to prepare their sellings at the traditional market. We finally arrived at around 5 AM and it wasn't end yet. We had to hike hundred of stairs to the sunrise view and that took around half an hour. And I was the latest one to arrive at the top :)) OMG I really need some sport am I?

   

   Everything was worth it actually, even I was sweating to death, the air at the top is very refreshing and I began to gain my strength again. I really wish I can take better camera and better lens with me, because I feel my pictures doesn't do it justice. The beauty is mysterious and majestic, and we were lucky that we can spot the Borobudur Temple peak because sometimes they say its covered by the clouds. 

   

The so-called Gereja Ayam that turns out to be a dove, not a chicken. The place above is a church that located around 300 meters from Punthuk Setumbu, another spot that is famous after Indonesian movie "Ada Apa Dengan Cinta" was released last year. Two of the main characters of the movie, Cinta and Rangga took their famous dating scenes in here, and this movie really selling the spots ever since. Honestly, I am SOLD as well. Hahaha. But really, the top of the church actually offers better view of Borobudur than the first spot (in Punthuk Setumbu). Well, it's for me, I don't know if you disagree. But I think the church was interesting and it also has some "caves" to pray inside. The church was standing above a little hill and they call this place as Bukit Rhema. 

literally no make-up look (only me)

We went down the hill at around 8 AM and hopped to the well known-around the world, the biggest Buddhist temple in the world, Candi Borobudur/Borobudur Temple which is located just near the spot. We ate our McD breakfast at the car, rest for a while, and explored the magnificent temple that once became one of the 7 Wonders of The World.

                                  

   

The Borobudur tour finished in the middle of the day and the weather can't be hotter than that. We were really sweating head-to-toe (I thought my head was going to explode, can't stand the heat) and we decided to go to the salon back in Jogja to relax for a while having a creambath and massage treatment hahahhh. Girls: no matter how adventurous we can be, will always be girls...

After we found our homestay, we rest for some hours, shower, and decided to walk out in the evening to find the famous gelato cafe, Tempo Gelato. Who wouldn't love a cone of cold gelato after an exhausting day? Yum.

             

After those delicious gelato, we went to the well-known Alun-Alun in the middle of the city to find a nice evening picnic. This place is a large-open space where you can find many snacks in the street and bright "cars" (you have to push the brake to make it walk), I forgot what is it called again; but we decided to take the bike-with four seats-to burn more calories lol

   

The second day in Jogja, we decided to visit Taman Pintar, it's a place where you can find indoor recreation for kids which is good for them because it is full with knowledgeable plays. That's why they call it Taman Pintar (pintar=smart) I guess... But our purpose here was to go the vintage bookstores (they also sell some new books) in the other side of the place to find maybe rare gems a.k.a old novels

And I found one. My fav Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, for below Rp 10,000 ONLY... maybe 5k? He he he. I think I already own this one, I kinda forgot.. but still, I will not let go any of this series if I find one

   

   

   

 

Last day of the trip! Huhuhu. Today, we visited Keraton Kasultanan Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat or now better known by the name of Keraton Yogyakarta (Yogyakarta Palace). It is the center of Javanese culture living museum that is located just near the Alun-alun. The palace still serves as the residence of the Sultan and his court of households who are still running tradition of the empire to the present. Not just become the place to live for the king and his family, at this place tourists can also learn and see directly how the Javanese culture continues to live and be preserved, and also have some good history lesson of Javanese kingdom. This palace is one example of Javanese palace architecture at its best, has a luxurious halls and grounds as well as extensive pavilion.

We also came on time to watch Wayang Kulit, the traditional puppet-shadow play found in the culture of Java (and also in Bali, and Lombok). In a wayang kulit performance, the puppet figures are rear-projected on a taut linen screen with a coconut-oil (or electric) light. The Dalang (shadow artist) manipulates carved leather figures between the lamp and the screen to bring the shadows to life. This was my first-time experience watching Wayang Kulit, and to be honest.. I didn't understand a thing (they don't have any script for the tourists) wkwkwk, but I like how the traditional gamelan backsound was played and it gives such a magic ambiance to the performance. 

 Inside of the Keraton is also a good place to find some spots that will be very instagram-able for some ootd pics. Too bad we can't step into the floor of some halls, maybe because it is where the king and his family lives? Well. 

We can't go to Taman Sari and Candi Ratu Boko because we had to catch our flights, so sad :(..  I'll definitely go back again to finish my itinerary someday! Well, before we leave to the airport, we still have some time and decided to shop a lil more in a big store that basically selling a lot of things-girl related-and the girls went crazy on some cute earrings. The prices is very reasonable FYI!

And then we arrived at the end of the journey. Actually, the long post and pictures can't contain the fun we had while exploring the cities. The parting itself was already difficult because I went to Jakarta and the girls went home in Makassar, and will be back to our own busy activities. We had such an amazing week together, literally one of my best holiday if you ask me! Even it's a domestic holiday, you can make it really fun when you travel with the right people. I definitely miss our chit-chats and LOL moments at the cars..or simply everywhere, and we also sang everywhere with perfect harmony (not really) without any shame. Hahaha. Guys, seriously we have to do this again. I just can't wait and I hope we can make it!