Baduy

Coming from Carita Beach and going to Bogor, you can visit the Baduy people. We had a lot of rain when we started out, so the road had turned into a river. And that while the condition of the road wasn't very great in good weather: a lot of humps and bumps. But it was dry and sunny by the time we reached the Baduy.

Or at least, one of the villages of the Baduy. There are about 40 villages, with a total of 6.000 people. The area they live in, desa Kanekes, covers 5.000 hectares. There are 'inner-Baduy' where strangers are not welcome, and 'outer-Baduy'. You can get a permit to visit those with a guide. As the Baduy mainly speak their own language, an archaic dialect of Sundanese, a guide is very practical.

The main difference is the Baduy don't use electricity or other power tools. The rice for instance is stamped by hand and than stored in the small huts you see on this picture. The guide told us it is also possible to stay with the Baduy for the night. That way, you can better see how it is to live like them. But we had already booked a comfortable hotel in Bogor, so we had to leave.

Bogor

Our hotel in Bogor was located a bit outside the city itself. We arrived after dark, so the next morning we had a surprise when we looked out of our window: we had this fantastic view.

Near Bogor we hoped to find some of the buildings where father had stayed during his army time. We found out the road between Bogor and Jakarta had been doubled since. A lot of old buildings from the Dutch (the owners being gone for some decades) had been broken down. Side stalls where you an have something to eat or to drink is all that is left now.

We met with a friend of our driver, who invited us at his house. The evidence that his children, three daughters, had graduated, was hanging on the walls. And one of them was now studying at the university of Bogor. That is the same everyday life as washing something in the river.

And you can get them with traditional colours, all bright, or in just blue colours, in black and white or whatever you like. Mirjam bought the Garuda bird, a good power.

In the garden is also a orchid house with many bright coloured flowers. And we found a tree which is used by kalongs, the enormous bats we had seen flying in Ujung Kulon. The Dutch call these bats 'flying dogs', an appropriate name as you see their size.

Next to the botanical garden is Buitenzorg, the palace of the Dutch governor in the 19th century. The palace itself is closed for public, but from the outside you can imagine this is a nice place for a weekend out of busy and warm Jakarta.

Puncak pass

The best way to drive from Bogor to Bandung is via de Puncak pass. There are a lot of tea plantations here, and there are always ladies picking the leaves. 

And the great thing about Indonesian traffic: nobody thinks it's strange to stop at the side of the road (or in the middle, for that matter) to make a few pictures.

Bandung

Bandung used to be called Paris of Java, and it is still a fantastic place to go shopping (if you have a small size). Beside spending some time in a mall, we also visited a coffee factory. The owners are still proud the factory was built by the Dutch, as it is a solid building. Even the electrical layout is like it was in the 1930th. We found out the raw beans are stored for 8 years (!) before they are roasted. How they keep the first in - first out system in this warehouse, we cannot imagine. It probably involves a lot of manpower.

Gunung Tangkuban Prahu

Not far from Bandung you can find the volcano Gunung Tangkuban Prahu, or 'turned over boat'. Near the entrance of the park lies a dead vulcano, but after a walk of an hour you get to an active volcano. The grey stone with hot steam and sulphur contrast with the green surrounding. 

Angklung

Finally in Bandung you should go to a performance of dance and music. There are a lot of places to choose from, varying from half an hour in a hotel to a complete 8 hour lasting wayang performance. We went to the angklung school of Pak Udjo. Here children from 2 to 12 learn to dance and make music, and after graduating they can get a good job anywhere on Java. We saw several performances, like a mask dance, the party at a circumcision and a modern style of wayang music. The best part is when everybody gets one tone of an angklung, a bamboo instrument, and we make some songs together. This really works, after a bit of practice we play 'Father Jacob' and 'The song of Do Re Mi'. And finally everybody is pulled in the circle to dance.