For the Labor Day long weekend,
we decided it was time to venture out of Jakarta. It also provided us with an opportunity to
expand our public transportation experience.
We’re well-versed in the local taxis at this point, so we opted to try
our hand at the train system and head to a city called Bandung.
 |
| All aboard! |
 |
| All set for our train voyage. |
Admittedly, we didn’t know a whole
lot about what Bandung had to offer, but it’s a 3-hour train ride to the east
of Jakarta, and that seemed like about the right distance to feel like we were
charting new territory. We also thought
it might offer some cleaner air and outdoor recreation options. Alas, the air was still pretty hazy but we
were able to do a day hike at a big nature park, so one out of two ain’t bad, I
guess.
 |
| That hazy view of the ridgeline in the background isn't mist... it's smog. |
Fun fact… nature hikes in
Indonesia are a bit less rustic than in the U.S. We packed our daypacks full of water, snacks,
sunblock… all the provisions that would be required for a long day of hiking. Only thing is, at the park we went to, there
were snack shops selling food, drinks, and souvenirs at every turn. There was even a band playing a native
instrument called an angklung – kind of like Indonesia’s version of a marimba –
set up right in the middle of the forest.
The destination was a waterfall… and there too, enterprising locals had
set up food stalls and had blankets for rent so you could kick your feet up
after your trek. The hike offered some
pretty views… and some pretty interesting insight into how Indonesians enjoy “nature.”
 |
| Musical entertainment in the middle of the forest. |
 |
| Only thing creepier than a live monkey... |
 |
| A pretty walk through the woods... and a rare moment without other people or food stalls in sight. |
 |
| There were some pretty sights along our hike, like the upstream view of this river... |
 |
| ...but the downstream view provides an example of Indonesia's battle with plastic and waste management. |
 |
| Our destination! |
 |
| We decided to help the local economy by renting a spot to kick our feet up. We also ordered some food that we thought would be hot and some tea that we thought would be cold. Wrong on both counts. The food was a cold dish and the tea was piping hot. <Insert shrug here> Go figure. |
Here's another fun fact…
Indonesians love all things social media – especially selfies. While we were in Bandung, we also went to a local
attraction that had been billed as a “floating market.” We were expecting some long boats set up on a
river or other waterway selling souvenirs and trinkets from their aquatic
storefronts. Turns out, the floating market
was basically a tourist trap with a manmade lake, some “boats” selling food, and
some carefully choreographed spots for visitors to take photos. We made one loop and called that good.
 |
| This slide was also one of the attractions at the "floating market." That dark spot you see towards the top is Andrew. When in Rome, or when presented with a giant slide... |
 |
| One of the photo op spots... and actually the only photo op I actually took. |
The highlight of the weekend by
far was the train ride itself. The train
and stations were clean and well-run, and the views of the Indonesian
countryside from the train were lovely. We’ve
already started trying to figure out our next destination via train.
 |
| Rice fields along the way. |
 |
| The train station in Bandung - so clean and tidy! |
 |
| Indonesia has pretty impressive transportation infrastructure that looks other-worldly appearing out of the jungle. |
 |
| At every train crossing awaited a fleet of mopeds. |
