Showing posts with label Indonesia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indonesia. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Padang, Indonesia: City of Waterfalls and Dragonflies

Most people will never visit Padang, Indonesia, and that's fine by me. The city includes a diverse mix of accommodations, from the relatively upscale Grand Inna Padang Hotel and The Axana hotel to the mid-range French-owned ibis, plus several RedDoorz and homestays. Beaches with red sunsets and pink skies are common within the city and outside of it. 
There aren't many museums or awe-inspiring mosques, but the two-level Museum Adityawaran will delight any anthropology student or ethnographer, and Masjid Taqwa Muhammadiyah Sumatera Barat boasts a unique modern design. 
As for food, the region has some of the world's best cinnamon as well as two restaurant chains (Lamun Ombak and Malabar) serving traditional fare, including jumbo size shrimp/udang if it's your lucky day. 
Lamun Ombak Pasar Usang
Unfortunately, it's impossible to see the best of Padang without a car, and most unique attractions are 45 minutes to 3 hours away from the city center. GoJEK and Grab apps are great for shorter trips, but in smaller cities and for longer trips, SE Asia tourism currently lacks solutions other than pre-planned tour buses, which I consider the exclusive province of senior citizens and their flag-football-waving leaders. 

I visited four different waterfalls--called "Air Terjun" in Bahasa--all of which were the highlights of my trip, and all of which require a local guide to find. 

Let's start with Baburai Waterfall, the farthest one from Padang's city center. It took 2 hours of driving to reach the jungle reserve housing the waterfall, then an easy 40 minutes walking to the waterfall--as long as you know the way. Sturdy but uneven concrete steps lead down to the waterfall, which will make any tourist wonder why more people aren't visiting. (My guesses are ignorance and a lack of reputable local tour guides and drivers; after all, no one really wants to drive in any foreign country, especially if they've heard stories of corrupt police officers shaking down tourists for bribes.) In any case, this waterfall had a very strong current, so much so that I couldn't get closer than 15 feet. 
After months of complaining about other visitors leaving behind plastic bags, plastic bottles, and solitary sandals, I ended up losing one of my favorite sandals trying to swim closer to the waterfall, thus gaining insight into the reasons single sandals pollute nature reserves. 

Nearby Baburai Waterfall is Dua Bidadari Waterfall, which requires only a 30 minutes walk on a completely paved path to reach. I call this waterfall a "Mini-Madakaripura" because both waterfalls are similar, though of course the one nearby Padang is much smaller. 
Air Terjun Sarasah (aka Air Terjun Sarosah, Air Terjun Sarasah Gadut--but *not* Air Terjun Sarasah Kuau Rajo) was my favorite. Located one hour away from the city center, a 45 minutes walk on a mostly unpaved path delivered a beautiful waterfall allowing visitors to go directly underneath the source. 
It was here I lost my 20 USD Decathlon plastic glasses when I mistakenly went the wrong way down and ended up hugging a tree branch while trying to free my foot from the damp dirt resembling jungle quicksand. (If you see a monkey wearing blue-tinted sunglasses, tell him I want my sunglasses back.) 

The easiest waterfall to see is Lembah Anai Waterfall (aka Lembah Anai Air Mancur), located by the side of the road. When I visited, the water was freezing cold, so I could only go halfway to the waterfall, but if you dislike hiking and want to see a nice waterfall, this one might be your best bet. 
So there you have it. You won't find much exciting in Padang's city center, but one to two hours' away await some of the world's prettiest waterfalls. I'm no geologist, but I assume the reason Japan, Indonesia, and California suffer horrendous earthquakes and tsunamis is because continents were created when tectonic plates collided around Costa Rica and Indonesia, which is why they and their neighbors have incredibly unique scenery. For me, if there's heaven on earth, it has to be in an Indonesian waterfall surrounded by dragonflies and fast-moving butterflies. 
Come visit before everyone else discovers these "hidden" gems. 

© Matthew Mehdi Rafat (February 2020) 

Bonus: Some tourists don't visit Indonesia because they'd rather go to Australia or the flight (using Garuda Indonesia) is expensive. My suggestion is to fly into Singapore, stay one or two nights, eat the chicken rice, then take Air Asia from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL is a great airport), and then anywhere in Indonesia. You can also try Scoot Airlines, though I suggest using Air Asia if you are flying into Kuala Lumpur, even for a connecting flight. 

Note that I travel lightly and avoid checking luggage. For my Padang trip, I've worn one pair of pants, one cap, two pairs of underwear, one pair of socks, and two shirts for an entire week. I handwash everything each night in the sink with shower gel and soap.

_________________________________

Padang, Indonesia: Kota Air Terjun dan Capung-capung yang Anggun
 
Mungkin  akan ada banyak orang yang tidak memiliki kesempatan untuk bertandang dan mengunjungi kota Padang, ibu kota Sumatera Barat, salah satu kota yang cantik di Indonesia. Hal itu tidak menjadi masalah bagi Saya secara pribadi. 
 
Namun kunjungan Saya ke kota ini beberapa waktu yang lalu menggugah Saya untuk bercerita tentang beberapa hal yang mengesankan dan mempesona. Mari kita mulai perjalanannya. Padang sebagai sebuah ibu kota memiliki beragam akomodasi, mulai dari Hotel Grand Inna Padang dan  The Axana yang relatif mewah hingga hotel kelas menengah seperti Ibis – milik Perancis, ditambah beberapa RedDoorz dan homestay yang terjangkau. Pemandangan pantai dengan matahari terbenam berwarna merah dan semburat langit merah muda adalah hal yang sering dan biasa Anda akan temui di daerah ini. 
 
Sebagai seorang penggemar Museum, Saya menyayangkan bahwa tidak banyak Museum atau Arsitektural Masjid yang dapat Saya eksplorasi atau sampai membuat saya berdecak kagum. Tetapi Anda  jangan sampai melewatkan dua tempat berikut ini, Pertama adalah Museum Adityawarman; sebuah Museum dengan dua tingkat atau dua susun berjenjang, yang akan memuaskan banyak rasa penasaran para peneliti entnofrafi atau para pembelajar bidang antropologi, dan yang Kedua adalah Masjid Taqwa Muhammadiyah Sumatera Barat yang memanjakan mata dan menawarkan desain modern yang unik dibandingkan Masjid lain di area tersebut. 
 
Di sisi lain, Anda harus meluangkan waktu untuk menikmati lezatnya kuliner khas Padang yang amat memanjakan lidah. Tentu Anda pernah dengar atau membaca tentang Rendang, makanan yang dinobatkan sebagai makanan terlezat nomor satu di dunia, dari Padang-lah asal masakan lezat tersebut. Tidak dapat dipungkiri, masakan Padang memang terkenal dengan dominasi rempah-rempahnya yang beragam, dan berkualitas tinggi, sebab padang merupakan salah satu wilayah penghasil kayu manis terbaik di dunia. Di daerah ini juga terdapat dua jaringan Restoran yang ternama yaitu Lamun Ombak dan Malabar yang menyajikan masakan-masakan khas dan tradisional, dan jika Anda beruntung, pada Anda dating, Anda akan disuguhkan masakan dengan menu Udang yang berukuran jumbo. 
 
Sangat disayangkan bahwa Padang mustahil dinikmati keindahan dan keistimewaannya tanpa menggunakan mobil, di mana atraksi-atraksi dan lokasi pariwisata yang menarik berjarak sekitar 45 menit sampai tiga jam dari pusat kota. Aplikasi online seperti GoJek dan Grab merupakan pilihan terbaik untuk perjalanan dalam kota dengan jarak yang dekat.  Secara umum pariwisata di negara-negara Asia Tenggara terutama untuk perjalanan jarak jauh belum memiliki banyak alternatif pilihan atau solusi selain menggunakan bus pariwisata dengan perjalanan yang terencana, hal ini terkait juga dengan keberadaan dan kesempatan bagi para lansia yang ingin turut serta berwisata bersama-sama. Saya berkesempatan untuk mengunjungi empat Air Terjun yang berbeda di sana, keempatnya menjadi sorotan perjalanan Saya dan jika Anda juga ingin mengunjungi tempat yang sama, jangan lupa Anda membutuhkan pemandu lokal untuk menemukan lokasi Air Terjun tersebut. Saya akan mulai dengan Air Terjun “Baburai,” yang merupakan lokasi Air Terjun terjauh dari pusat kota Padang. Butuh waktu dua jam berkendara untuk mencapai hutan cagar alam hutan di mana air terjun Baburai terlindungi di dalamnya. Dengan kecepatan yang standard dan dengan catatan jika Anda tahu jalannya, Anda akan sampai ke sana dalam waktun tempuh sekitar 40 menit berjalan kaki. Tangga beton yang kokoh – meskipun tidak rata – dan pemandangan indah sepanjang perjalanan yang mengarah ke air terjun, membuat wisatawan bertanya-tanya mengapa tidak banyak orang yang berkunjung. Dugaan saya hal itu terjadi karena kenihilan informasi, kurangnya pemandu wisata, dan pengemudi lokal yang bereputasi baik; sementara para wisatawan terutama wisatawan mancanegara seperti Saya enggan mengemudi di negara asing. Kembali ke cerita tentang Baburai, air terjun ini memiliki arus yang sangat kuat, sehingga saya dan wisatawan lainnya dilarang untuk terlalu dekat dengan air terjun ini, berilah jarak diri Anda dengan air terjun sekitar 4.5meter.
 
Setelah berbulan-bulan mengeluh tentang pengunjung lain yang meninggalkan kantong plastik, botol plastik, dan sandal yang hanya sebelah, saya “beruntung” karena mengalami sendiri dan mendapatkan jawaban mengapa banyak sandal hanya sebelah yang tertinggal di sini, karena saya akhirnya juga kehilangan satu dari sandal favorit saya saat mencoba berenang lebih dekat ke air terjun, hal itu membuat saya mendapatkan  wawasan tentang alasan sandal tunggal mencemari cagar alam. Air Terjun lain yang jaraknya dekat dari Baburai adalah Air Terjun Dua Bidadari, membutuhkan waktu 30 menit berjalan kaki di jalan yang beraspal untuk mencapainya. Saya menyebut air terjun ini sebagai "Mini-Madakaripura" karena kedua air terjun ini mirip, meskipun tentu saja yang lebih dekat dengan pusat kota Padang jauh lebih kecil. 
 
Air Terjun “Sarasah” (atau Air Terjun Sarosah - Air Terjun Sarasah Gadut—tetapi bukan Air Terjun Sarasah Kuau Rajo) adalah favorit saya. Letaknya sekitar satu jam perjalanan dari pusat kota, dan dibutuhkan 45 menit lagi berjalan kaki di jalan yang sebagian besar tidak beraspal. Jalan itu berujung pada air terjun yang indah dan memukau yang memungkinkan wisatawan untuk langsung berdiri di bawahnya dan menikmati siraman alami dari air terjun itu sendiri. 
 
Nah, selain tragedi hilangnya sandal saya yang sebelah, di sini juga saya kehilangan kacamata Decathlon (jika tidak salah ingat, harganya 20 USD atau setara dengan 283.000 IDR, bukan barang mewah, tetapi sangat bernilai bagi saya) ketika saya salah strategi untuk turun dari sebuah pohon dan akhirnya memeluk cabang pohon yg cukup jauh ketika mencoba membebaskan kaki saya dari kotoran basah yang menyerupai pasir hisap hutan. Jadi jika nanti Anda seekor monyet mengenakan kacamata hitam dengan frame berwarna biru, tolong sampaikan padanya bahwa saya ingin kacamata saya kembali. 
 
Air terjun selanjutnya adalah Air Terjun Lembah Anai (Air Mancur Lembah Anai), paling mudah dilihat sebab terletak di pinggir jalan. Ketika saya berkunjung, airnya sangat dingin, jadi saya hanya bisa pergi setengah jalan ke air terjun. Jika Anda tidak suka melakukan pendakian (hiking) tetapi tetap ingin melihat air terjun yang bagus, Air terjun Lembah Anai dapat menjadi pilihan terbaik bagi Anda. Di sinilah saya akhiri cerita perjalanan saya tentang kota Padang dan Air Terjun yang dimilikinya. Terus terang, Anda tidak akan menemukan banyak hal menarik di pusat kota Padang, tetapi satu sampai dua jam perjalanan dari sana, beberapa air terjun tercantik di dunia telah menunggu dengan tenang kunjungan Anda, dan saya bisa pastikan Anda akan terpesona serta mengagumi keindahannya. Saya bukanlah ahli geologi, tapi saya berasumsi bahwa negara-negara seperti Jepang, Indonesia, dan juga negara bagian California berulang kali mengalami gempa bumi dan tsunami yang mengerikan karena benuanya terbentuk ketika lempeng tektonik bertabrakan di sekitar Kosta Rika dan Indonesia, itulah sebabnya negara ini dan beberapa negara tetangga mereka memiliki pemandangan yang sangat unik dan fenomenal. Bagi saya, lokasi yang dapat disebut sebagai pecahan surga yang ada di dunia harus diberikan pada lokasi-lokasi air terjun di Indonesia yang amat memukau mata, mendamaikan hati, dan terkenang di jiwa, dengan suara air dan cantiknya kupu-kupu, serta para capung yang bergerak dengan anggunnya. 
 
Datang dan kunjungilah sebelum banyak orang lain ikut menemukan permata yang tersembunyi ini. 
 
© Matthew Mehdi Rafat (February 2020) 
 
Bonus: Beberapa turis tidak mengunjungi Indonesia karena mereka lebih memilih pergi ke Australia atau penerbangan dengan maskapai Garuda Indonesia harganya cukup mahal. Saran saya, terbanglah ke Singapura, menginaplah satu atau dua malam (jamgan lupa makan nasi ayam khas Singapura tentu saja), lalu naik Air Asia dari Singapura ke Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (KUL adalah bandara yang bagus, lho!), dan kemudian Anda dapat memilih untuk terbang ke kota manapun di Indonesia dari Kuala Lumpur. Alternatif lain adalah Anda juga dapat mencoba Scoot Airlines, meskipun saya tetap sarankan untuk lebih baik menggunakan Air Asia jika Anda terbang ke Kuala Lumpur, bahkan untuk penerbangan lanjutan. 
 
Catatan bagi Anda, ketika saya bepergian ke Padang, saya adalah tidak membawa banyak barang untuk menghindari pemeriksaan barang bawaan. Saya hanya menggunakan sat utas ransel ukuran medium (jadi saya tidak menggunakan bagasi, hanya kabin saja), dan yang saya bawa hanya satu buah celana, satu topi, dua pasang pakaian dalam, satu pasang kaus kaki, dan dua kemeja untuk perjalanan selama seminggu penuh. Setiap malam saya mencuci semuanya menggunakan tangan dengan shower gel dan sabun di wastafel kamar mandi hotel.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Interview with Alain, Belgian Expat

As soon as Indonesia is like Europe, I move. If it becomes, “Life is a big competition, you have to be number one,” I move.
Alain van den Bossche, a gregarious Belgian, owns one of Jepara’s newest resorts, a 16-villa resort named Coconut Lodge steps away from Coconut Beach. Interestingly, his name contains the term ‘bos,” meaning “wood” in Dutch. Impressed with the construction—much of it with local wood—and details of his resort, I had the opportunity to talk with Alain, who speaks Indonesian, French, English, and some Flemish.
Q: This is one of the best-designed hotels I’ve seen. You’re also in the furniture business, a common profession in Jepara because of its well-regarded woodworking reputation, but how did you learn design? Almost all the details are perfect here. For example, the straw I’m using is bamboo, not paper (which interferes with taste) or metal (which rusts). The song playlist features beautiful Spanish songs I’ve never heard before, like Alma Corazón y Vida by Los Panchos and Azúcar Amargo by Fey.

Alain: I do it myself, by traveling, by seeing different countries, combining everything, mixing it all together, [and] trying to make something look the way I want. I want to make this place feel like home. It’s not important to make something big. Most places [in Indonesia] are more like a market. They call it in Indonesia, the “target,” [but] I don’t really care about [business] targets. Number 1, be happy, enjoy, and if you make a little bit of money, it’s good. I’m already 51 [years old], the train is already passing. If I want to be a millionaire, it’s too late.
Q: You had mentioned construction to me. Were you a subcontractor or foreman in Belgium?

A: I wanted to be an actor, but I was a teacher for mentally disabled people like [you see] in the Special Olympics. I re-made a very old home [using my time] every weekend and on my holidays, but I left Europe without sleeping a single night in the house. I was supposed to get married, but my father had just passed away. She [my ex-fiancée] didn’t want to wait a few months. [Instead of re-scheduling,] She canceled the wedding a month before… she was Italian. [Alain throws his hands in the air to communicate he should have known the result.]

I took my rucksack, put my house on the market, told the agent just to get me my costs back—it actually sold much higher than I expected but I let him keep the difference--and I was free. I spent a year traveling, went to Bali, where I made friends with an English guy who advised me to go into the furniture business. By then, I had not much money left, and although I had a ticket to Australia, I threw the ticket away, stayed in Bali, and went into furniture import-export. [Back then,] I used to sell on the flea market, too. I would go to Europe once a month, pick up quality items [from the trash], refurbish, and sell. I opened a shop in Belgium doing import/export, then I came back to Jepara, made my first small company with my then-girlfriend. We rented a small place for three years. It was really tough that time. That was 24 years ago.

Q: 24 years?

A: Yes, 24 years ago.

Q: You mentioned the [property] foundation to me earlier. Can you tell me more about your strategy in achieving stability while being so close to the beach?

A: River stones are the best for foundation. Take stones from the river, put them all the way around the property, fill it up with dirt, use a leveling system [Alain draws a three-pronged tool in the air resembling a self-leveling tool] every 4 meters, [and you] gotta do your pillars all the way around the full space.
Q: Why did you choose this location? It’s a bit isolated and far from the town centre.

A: This is my fourth [constructed] property in Jepara. I like the social life, [but] I also like my privacy, privacy here is like having gold. If you have a house in the village, someone will knock on your door all the time [to make social visits]. In Europe, [if you want to be alone] you go to the back portion of your home, but here, four guests will come [to say hello], and when they leave, another four [neighbors] come. The reason [I chose this location] is [for the] quiet. You have rice fields and the ocean.
[Indonesian businesses] like to be near the road… the beach idea is only the last 10 years. Before, [Indonesians] wanted to go to the mountains. They didn’t want to get sunburned, they enjoyed the cooler weather, but tendencies are changing. [Local] Movie stars are getting tanned and influencing others to enjoy the beach. [And] Indonesia is booming completely. Middle class is exploding. 20 years ago, the only thing you saw were foreigners or government or criminals but now you see young entrepreneurs. 20 years ago, it was just business hotels. But you look on Instagram now, they [young Indonesians and Europeans] go everywhere [and as a result, businesses are diversifying].
We have a saying in Belgium: “Belgian people have a brick in their stomach.” [Editor’s note: the exact phrase in English is, “Every Belgian is born with a brick in the stomach.” It means every Belgian wants to build their own house.] In Europe [today], no one [young] wants to take [mortgage] credit for 20, 25 years [anymore]. They want to travel. [In my case,] I met the right person at the right moment, it’s all luck. I always say, “I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.” If I could, I’d give some of my luck to other people.

Q: How do you motivate your employees?

A: I try by explaining to them [how things should be, instead of giving orders.] I also give them attractive salary, about 50% above minimum salary. Here, minimum wage is about 1.8 million [rupiahs] monthly. I give them 2.5 million [rupiahs], [and] I would like to give them more. I tell them, if you can take the stress off my shoulder, then I’ll pay more. I want to sell this place and build another one with no debt.

Q: Did you get a euro-denominated loan or one from a local bank?

A: We got a local loan, [equivalent to] 100,000 euros loan in rupiahs. I owe about 1,000 USD a month for 20 years. I think it’s about 10% [annual] interest. You know, foreigners cannot buy property here, they can only buy through a local [Indonesian citizen] or a company. I already have a furniture company but I don’t want to mix it [so I have an arrangement with a local]. I live all the way in the back on this property. [10% interest sounds high] But here, savings deposits pay out 7% net [interest] in your pocket. If you bargain, you might even get 8%. [For me] it’s all about the rupiahs because I live in rupiahs. I sell in euros, but I live in rupiahs [so currency fluctuations don’t impact me as much].

Q: What was the banking experience like?

A: [Because it’s through a local] They base the loan on the manager’s salary, not on the project. They are thinking that the loan amount should be based on money the manager will receive each month. If it’s through a company, it’s different. [Since we didn’t go through a company] We opened as a homestay, [and the local] used a personal tax number to pay the tax.

[When I first came here 24 years ago,] you needed 200,000 euros in the bank or something like that to get a loan. So what the banks did, they would loan you the 200,000 for a day or a week, get a notary to certify the amount [in your account], and collect a 500 USD fee for the “service.” Now, of course, it’s stricter. [President] Jokowi is very good for people who want to invest. Compared to the old days, you can do a lot online now because of Jokowi, and you can even get your visa online. 24 years ago, it was the “Wild West” here. At that time, it was, “Give a little [money] on the left side and the right side [to get things done],” but that time is over.

Q: Most Westerners don’t know much about Indonesia. What made you choose this country over others in the entire world, including your native Belgium?

A: I fell in love. When I arrived in Medan [Sumatera], I fell in love. In Europe, people only complain. I like to talk, I like to have a lot of friends. I know people everywhere, rich, poor. You can mix here with all types of people.

Q: What have been the challenges for you, as an outsider, opening a business in Jepara? Has it been easier or harder being in a small town rather than big city like Jakarta or Semarang?

A: I arrived here as a backpacker. I don’t have the mentality of a businessman. I know other people who have the fiber of business in them, but they’re struggling. This is really funny in life. The more you run after it, the more difficult it is to achieve it. It [the better path] is actually, “Take it easy, don’t have too much big plan, [then] everything goes smoothly.” I’ve been lucky to meet the right people and to be in the right spots, but it hasn’t always been smooth. In the beginning, some locals were angry I was paying higher salaries. I had people coming after me with tire irons. Some people are still angry foreigners are paying better salaries because foreigners are able to sell in Europe and get higher prices. I think they should be happy [about the higher salaries] but it’s not that way.
Q: How did you get your contacts in shipping and import/export?

A: I was a real tourist—I didn’t even know about emails. My French friend told me about import/export in a bar in Bali. It’s really easy. You need an agent. The agent does everything for you. Most of my customers are in Belgium, including my brother [so I already have contacts in Belgium]. I’ve changed agents a few times [but the key is to find a good import/export agent].

Q: What advice can you give to Westerners who want to fit into Indonesian society?

A:  First, don’t try to make the people [here] understand your way of things. Try to find a middle way. You have to make the effort. You have to adapt, and locals have to adapt. Don’t expect people to adapt 100%. You will learn a lot, and they will learn your personal professional standards. They have a saying here: “Alon alon asal klakon.” It means, “Going slow is not a problem--you will still get there.” A bit like the old [Aesop] story of the rabbit and the tortoise. In Europe, they teach kids they have to have a lot of ambition, they have to be perfect. But in Indonesia, people seem to ask themselves, “What do you really want in life?” What is more important than having friends and being able to sit and have a coffee? But this [attitude] will change because of us [Westerners] bringing our culture here. But I’ve always said, as soon as Indonesia is like Europe, I move. If it becomes, “Life is a big competition, you have to be number one,” I move [someplace else].

Q: At the same time, you’re obviously competitive, and you have a strong desire to compete well. Where does that come from? Did you play professional or semi-professional sports?

A: I play sports and I love sports. I play futsal and football/soccer. Indonesians would tell me, “It is more important to sweat than to win,” but I told them, “The most important [goal] is to win.” They’d respond, “We sweat, that’s good already.” My workers, now they play, they go 1,000%, I like that. Age makes you change. Before I was like a piece of fire. But now… this place, I want to make sure everyone happy. It’s “ramah” [strictly translated, it means “friendliness”], it’s the reason everyone likes Indonesia, because of the politeness. If they lose that, it’s like losing the thing that makes you different. I want to see that ramah thing here [at the resort.]

Q: What do you think of President Joko Widodo's idea to move the capital from Jakarta to Kalimantan?

A: I would have a better idea. Jakarta is so crowded [and that’s the reason for the move]. Right away, I would fix a minimum salary for all of Indonesia. Big cities give a higher [minimum] salary than villages. That’s why you have so much movement, where people go to Jakarta to find opportunities. We have a lot of broken homes because of that, because of men leaving their hometowns to work in Jakarta. Reduce Jakarta salary [to bring it in line with an appropriate national minimum wage], shift workers to Semarang [and other cities], and people would say, “Why should I go to Jakarta?” Then migration to other cities would increase [thereby reducing pressure on Jakarta’s infrastructure]. He [President Jokowi] wants to move [the capital] because it’s too crowded in Jakarta, so it’s difficult to find water resources [and other problems arise because of overpopulation in one place]. Life in Jakarta is expensive, but of course it’s because salaries are expensive. But if you change from 5 million [rupiah] to 2.5 million a month…

[Interview held on August 29, 2019 in Jepara at Coconut Lodge. Transcript above has been condensed/modified from original conversation. No compensation, directly or indirectly, was received or due for this interview as of August 2019.] 

Update/Correction on September 2, 2019: Alain informed me today he was the one who broke off the wedding: [paraphrased] "She did not want to move the date [after my father's death], and she demanded I move forward or cancel. She did not expect I would choose to cancel when she gave me the ultimatum."

Sunday, December 9, 2018

Madakaripura Waterfall in Java, Indonesia

Madakaripura waterfall on the island of Java competes with Sipiso-piso waterfall on the island of Sumatra for title of Indonesia's #1 waterfall. I loved them both. 

Madakaripura is 3 hours' drive from Surabaya. Many visitors combine a Mt. Bromo visit with the waterfall, but you'll need an overnight stay to do this, and I didn't have the patience for such a long trip. (I'm also not sure the sulfur at the mountain is good for anyone's health.) For Madakaripura, you'll need an experienced driver who knows how to use the new toll roads/highways. Tolls *roundtrip* will total about 64,500 rupiah (about 5 USD). Parking will cost about 8,000 rupiah (less than 1 USD), and park entrance fee will be 26,000 rupiah (about 2 USD). (All numbers accurate as of December 2018.) 

I found my driver through my hotel and paid 1 million rupiah (about 70 USD, *including* gas) for up to 8 hours, with each additional hour charged at 100,000 rupiah. My roundtrip totaled about 7 and a half hours from Surabaya's city center. 

Once at the parking lot, you can hire a motorbike for between 10,000 or 15,00 rupiah (about 1 USD) to get closer to the waterfall, but I enjoyed the 4 km hike. You can hire a guide at the park entrance. My guide and I didn't agree on a price beforehand, but 100,000 rupiah was the going rate for foreigners/bules. I tipped him an additional 50,000 rupiah because he was incredible. He carried my backpack and also put my shoes under his parka to keep them dry. You don't really need a guide until the very end, when you reach the waterfall, but unless you're an expert climber, it's worth it. It's very difficult for anyone not used to climbing to get to the final (and most spectacular) waterfall on his/her own, but I saw most Indonesian teenagers able to make it. I brought my own sandals, but I also saw several touts selling them along the way. Obviously, you'll get wet, so if you bring hiking or athletic shoes, you'll need a plastic bag to protect them when you switch to sandals at the waterfall. 





Sunday, December 2, 2018

Jepara, Indonesia

Jepara, Indonesia is known for its exquisite woodwork but not enough is written about its natural scenery. Equally suitable for raising a family and adventure tourism, Jepara has thus far managed to be a hidden gem on the island of Java/Jawa. After Medan, it is my favorite city in Indonesia. 

If you visit, you can fly into Semarang's airport (I prefer Garuda or Scoot airlines) then take a shuttle or Grab/GoJEK to Jepara. I suggest staying one night in Semarang, where you can purchase a Telkomsel SIM card (I find the app useful but also frustrating) and see the city's outdoor food markets. 
Mini-Aquarium at Pantai Kartini 
Raden Adjeng Kartini, teacher, feminist, heroine.
Died shortly after giving birth to her child.
Air Terjun Songgo Langit;
Not an impressive experience but the easiest waterfall to get to.


A small example of Jepara's woodwork. In a restaurant.
Niagara Gorge Manten aka Air Terjun Jurang Manten.
Impressive waterfall and experience. Intermediate difficulty to reach but avoid if recent rain. 
Niagara Gorge Manten aka Air Terjun Jurang Manten

Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Interview with Matteo of Semarang's Gelato Matteo

The Italians may not be the envy of the European Union when it comes to economic growth, but their traditions of excellent food and fashion continue. I met Matteo of Gelato Matteo, and we discussed his journey from Italy to Indonesia. 
Q: SemarangIndonesia seems like an odd choice to open any restaurant or cafe. It's not well-known to tourists. 

A: I came here for furniture because my mother was in the furniture business. Then I met my wife. So it's not totally a business decision, but I think it's much easier here than Jakarta. There's more opportunity in Jakarta but costs, such as rents, are higher than in Semarang. I've always wanted to do an ice cream shop, even when I was in Paris. 

Q: But you don't have an ice cream shop. You have a gelato shop. 

A: Ah, but in Italian, gelato is the word for ice cream. Sorbet has a water base. Gelato has a milk base. 

Q: You opened your first location in the old town area [Kota Lama]. Why did you open a new place about two miles away? 

A: Actually, my first shop was in Jalan Mataram, and the old town location is my second shop. The second shop has been open for two months. 

Q: What do you look for when opening a location?

A: 
Indonesia is more difficult than Italy. In Italy, we say there are three things to make success: location, location, location. Here is different. You can open in a mall [and get guaranteed pedestrian traffic], but it's very expensive. Outside [air-conditioned] malls, there's no pedestrian traffic, so my first location was a gamble. I just liked the place. I wanted to make sure people felt like they were in Italy as soon as they came in. I wanted people to stop with their cars and come inside. 
Thinking backwards, there are other areas that were more suitable. For example, this new location is in a touristy area. Kota Lama Semarang applied to be a UNESCO heritage site, so they're re-doing everything, including the roads. Soon you'll see the roads filled with stones used in the old time. We hope to obtain this [UNESCO] certification. 

Q: What are your recommendations to aspiring businessowners who want to minimize risks in case they want to move? Obviously, the longer the lease, the more leverage you have, but what criteria do you look for when opening a store? 

A: You need to have someone local. Best thing. My local person is my wife. She's the owner. I cannot own in my name. Actually, I could own a business here, but I would need to change my company and bring more capital. 

Q: You mentioned your work visa costs 1700 USD for only one year. What was the process like?

A: Even though I'm married to an Indonesian woman, Indonesia does not allow dual citizenship, so I'm retaining my Italian/EU passport. The process for my visa was not difficult because I speak the local language and my wife assisted me.  


Q: What are your most popular gelato flavors? 

A: The basics: chocolate and vanilla. I think our pistachio flavor is the most interesting. When we make a flavor, we sometimes use a water rather than a milk base, which brings out the flavor more. You cannot mask the flavor in a sorbet. Without egg yolks and excessive cream, the flavor will stand out. [Interviewer's note: I liked the pistachio flavor, but the dark chocolate and coffee impressed me the most.] 

Q: Funny you mention that. I just tried the avocado flavor and was turned off by it. I tasted unripe avocado, but if you had added more cream, I wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. 

A: [holds hands up in apology] Before my gelato cafe, I used to run a restaurant. I hated TripAdvisor. We would check it all the time, and it became a distraction. Some people are just mean for no reason. You can also buy reviews or get your friends to post positive reviews. 

Q: What's the most reliable review site?

A: Word of mouth. If I tell you I went to a place and enjoyed the food, that's the best [way]. Instagram is extremely popular in Indonesia, so we use that as much as we can. 


Q: What is the most frustrating aspect of being a businessowner in Indonesia? 

A: The electricity goes up and down, on and off. You need a generator. The employees here also need motivation. 

Q: Some people say employees aren't motivated because the compensation structure doesn't give them an ownership interest or some other personal interest in the business. 

A: I give a percentage of income to my employees. Like in the States, instead of having a tip, I give a commission. It's called a service charge, and it's automatically added to the bill, whether customers eat-in or take-away. Also, the employees who stand out, I give them extra salary. I have six employees in one shop, something I could never do in Italy or America--it would be too expensive. 

Q: What are the biggest cultural differences between Europeans and Indonesians? Both seem family oriented. 

A: People here are not encouraged to take risks. They never had a French Revolution here. They are not used to criticizing institutions, practices, each other, or leaders. Look at what happened to Ahok [Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, former Chinese-Christian mayor of Jakarta]. Two years' jail for blasphemy. In Italy, we criticize everything and everyone, even the Pope. 

Sunday, September 23, 2018

Interview with Sulistiansyah Rahmadi, Indonesian Traveler

Q: You've visited over 20 countries so far, mostly in SE Asia, right? 

SR: Yes. 

Q: What made you start traveling? 

SR: My first country was Singapore, and it's quite the opposite of Indonesia. They're organized, the language is different, and it blew my mind that we have things so different from my [Indonesian] culture. When I visited Australia, I thought it would be all-white, but it's multi-racial. Whenever I travel, it's the opposite of what I expect. For example, I felt accepted in Australia, in contrast to Georgia [the Caucasus], where I felt discriminated against as an Asian. 

Q: Which cities did you visit in Australia?

SR: Melbourne and Sydney, but I liked Melbourne the most. 


Q: Did you travel mostly alone or with groups?

SR: Alone. Previously, I traveled with groups, but not recently. I changed because when I go alone, I get more. More wisdom... I get a lot more. With a group, it's mostly fun things, and they are doing fun stuff, but after that... [shrugs his shoulders] 


Q: You traveled to Iran recently?

SR: April 2018 for two weeks. I visited Tehran, Kashan, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kerman, and Yaz. Usually, I make an organized itinerary with a budget, and in this case, I followed my schedule 70%. It was quite tight but I stuck to my schedule. Mostly I traveled over land--hitchhiking, by car, or by train, because I like seeing the scenery. 


Q: Iran has an image in the West of being a desert country. 

SR: [laughs] Iran in the north is mountains and snow, and four hours from Tehran is a place named Tochal, a ski resort. You can even see snowcapped mountains from Tehran. Kerman, in contrast, is desert, and they call it a "dead zone," because nothing can live there. 

I enjoyed Shiraz the most because I like history. You can call me a history geek. Shiraz has Persepolis, and Alexander the Great conquered the city. After Iran, I visited Istanbul, Izmir, Seljuk, Konya, Antalya, Ankara, Pamukkale, and Cappadocia, Turkey. 

Q: How long did you spend in Turkey? 

SR: I spent 12 days, mostly one or two nights in each city. If you want know about the people, it's not a good way to do it, but my goal was to visit the ruins. 

Q: When I visit ruins, whether it's Stonehenge or Rome, I'm usually disappointed, because either the ruins are literally rocks in the ground, or they've been renovated to the point of looking fake. Only Ephesus in Turkey has impressed me.

SR: For me, it's more than rocks. When I touch the same stone that people touched three thousand years ago, I'm following in the footsteps of the people back then. It's history in the earth, right in front of my face. 

Q: What top three places would you recommend for history buffs?

SR: 1) Egypt (Cairo, Alexandria, Thebes, Memphis, Luxor, Saqarra, Abu Simbel); 2) China (Xi'an and the Terracota Warriors in the Shaanxi province); and 3) Latin America (Aztecs in Mexico, Mayans in Peru, Incas in the Andes). 


So far, I've only managed to visit China. LatAm is much harder for me, because it's so far away, less traveled by Indonesians, and therefore very expensive. Egypt is far away, too, but we [Indonesians] go to Hajj, and Egypt is near Saudi Arabia, so it's more popular. 

Q: What made you interested in archaeology?

SR: My parents are both teachers, and through storytelling, they opened my mind about the history of different countries. I was exposed to history through storytelling in elementary school and since then, I've wanted to see things I did not know about. The future is fascinating, but the past is more fascinating. Did you know the name "China" is derived from  Emperor Qin [Shi Huang] three thousand ago? People today still use the name of this one emperor to recognize themselves, a man who died three thousand years ago! 


Q: How do you afford to travel so much? The Indonesian rupiah is not a strong currency. 

SR: I do not say it's easy. I'm just a medium-level freelancer [graphic designer]. I have advantages because my clients are foreigners, so I get paid in US dollars or Euros. I cannot afford to travel all year long, but I can afford to make two trips every year, as long as I travel cheaply. I hunt for cheap flights, and I sometimes buy tickets one year before. I stay mostly in dorms and hostels--it's like one room you share with six to eight people with a shared bathroom. You have to do your homework and make your itinerary as clear as possible to make it possible. 

Q: What are your favorite travel accessories?

SR: My holy grail is my backpack. It's a cheap backpack--it's actually used for cameras, but I put country flag patches on it and take it with me everywhere. I'll have to replace it soon. 


Q: I find the Indonesian people very friendly and open compared to other cultures. What do you think is the source of such friendliness, especially after Suharto's Communist purges?

SR: I think that's one of many reasons. Because of our history political corruption, we want to forget much of our past. And when you look to the future, you have to be open, especially if the goal is to make a new, better future in contrast to the violent one your parents knew. 


Also, we are not one entity. We are the opposite of homogenous. We are already used to differences. Here in my province (South Sumatra aka South Sumatera), we have about six or seven dialects. Different people, different tribes. so it's not new for us to embrace new movements or different people. 

Sulistiansyah Rahmadi lives in Palembang, Indonesia. His blog is https://sulisbae.com/ and he can be contacted through his Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/baesulis/  

Sunday, August 5, 2018

Medan, Indonesia: a Delightful Surprise

In 2017, I attended the UNWTO's annual conference. I still remember the Secretary-General promoting "second city" travel to balance tourism's benefits with respect for local residents ("Travel, enjoy, respect."). Medan, Indonesia--a relatively unknown place that focuses on domestic tourists despite having attractions that would make more popular international destinations blush--is exactly the kind of place the UNWTO had in mind. 

As soon as I landed in Indonesia, I was impressed with Kualanamu International Airport (KNO). Not too busy, not too empty, the entire area had an unusually appealing vibe. Growing up, I traveled in Western airports, which tend to share the same unfortunate traits: 1) sadists who sign up for busybody work allowing them their only taste of power; and 2) dead eyes immediately identifying people who've given up on dreams they once had. In Kualanamu, not only did the staff seem to have genuine smiles, they were genuinely helpful. 

Visitors will notice a tourism board office near the exit doors, and I entered to grab a few leaflets. An employee struck up a conversation with me in English and before I knew it, I had his WhatsApp number in my phone and a reliable contact to arrange daytrips to Sipiso-piso waterfall and Lake Toba.

Lake Toba
I asked about the train into the city centre, expecting a Suharto-era specimen, perhaps operated by steam engine. Freshly baked roti bun in hand, I walked outside, across the main vehicle pickup area, bought a ticket at the counter, and waited for the next train. I had managed to avoid both taxis and touts by walking one minute. 
Not the 1930s-era steam engine I was expecting.
Tourism boards and local governments don't understand how much visitors dread getting from the airport to their hotels. They listen to international consultants promising tax revenue and jobs, including for drivers, a popular career choice for uneducated men. But most poor people cannot afford to buy reliable cars, so many of the new jobs promised go to already-affluent residents or are contingent on banking loans or investments by ride-hailing apps. 

Despite billions spent on eradicating poverty, I firmly believe the world doesn't really care about poor people because the elites dispensing the money don't have a clue how poor people think or live. They'll accept the idea of a new airport generating a certain number of jobs without realizing poor people don't have formal banking relationships and don't typically understand the concept of interest, forcing even scrupulous loan agents to explain only monthly payments to prospective car loan applicants. To bridge the gap between formal and informal economies, governments in developing countries may want to follow the example of California's Bank on San Franciscohowever, a more modern approach would eventually incorporate online apps throughout neighborhoods, not just government services. If Tbilisi, Georgia can have RFID-enabled payment systems in small grocery stores, why not Indonesia? I already trust Go-JEK to store some rupiahs for me, and almost everyone, including the poor, owns mobile phones. As ride-hailing apps branch out into payment systems to support food delivery and other services, we're going to see a revolution in banking, but it will all be for naught if every segment of society isn't included in meaningful ways or if banks continue to sell loans with opaque terms. Singapore has the best laws in the world regarding loan disclosures, though I'm not sure if its regulations apply to all loans or only mortgages. Regardless, if I may be so bold to suggest, countries ought to follow the MAS's example when regulating banking disclosures to consumers. 

A joke cover at the MAS Gallery.
Furthermore, to counter a few affluent groups or local mafias from cornering the "income market"--I won't use the term "jobs market"--governments should require ride-hailing companies and taxi companies to deposit a minimum base salary into a bank's escrow account every two weeks, which would then be transferred into a driver's (new) no-fee bank account, preferably linked to a mobile app. Drivers could of course earn more than the base amount, but such payments would be between the driver and employer. I have yet to meet a driver under the age of 50 in Indonesia or the Philippines who owned the vehicle used to transport passengers. In many cases, a ride-hailing app will show the face of the owner who applied to be a Grab or Go-JEK driver, but the person actually driving will be a contractor of the driver who pays either a flat daily rate to use the car or 40 to 50% of daily earnings. (Astute drivers will demand vehicle owners pay 50 to 100% for diesel or gasoline if working on percentage. I felt terrible when I realized one particular driver had failed to do the math and was earning a minuscule amount after daily gas expenses.) 

I'll get back to tourism tips, but allow me a final paragraph on economics: one proven method that balances humanity's self-interest with honest service is competition, and when governments build trains at airports, they encourage taxi drivers to improve their level of service, making repeat business more likely. The key to sustainable tourism is repeat business. A city with too many one-off visitors will not reap the real benefits of tourism, namely, cross-cultural exchanges, foreign student enrollment, corporate growth, useful corporate loyalty programs (customer data is vastly profitable if reliable), and greater overall connectivity. If well-managed Medan is any indication, perhaps cities in large, spread-out countries are better off focusing on domestic tourists first, then international ones. 

Thankfully, the South Korean-built airport train connecting visitors to the city centre (City Railway Station Medan) is clean, fast, and efficient. It took about 30 minutes to get to the Medan stop, which connects to a large shopping mall with a taxi stand (in case you don't have Indonesia's most popular ride-hailing app, Go-JEK). As soon as I entered my hotel, Ibis Styles Medan Pattimura, I knew I'd made the right choice. I had a great experience with Ibis in Casablanca, Morocco despite their weird logo (technically, it's ibis, not Ibis), and I ended up very happy with their Medan property. Breakfast was included in my stay, and it's walking distance to a fancy cafe (Warung Koffie Batavia); an excellent bakery (All Day Bread--get there early); and a wonderful restaurant (Bebek Ubud). I don't even like duck, but I loved the duck at Bebek Ubud and their chicken satay. 

One of the best meals I've ever had.
While we're on the topic of food, you've got to visit two places while in Medan: 1) Bolu Meranti (multiple locations); and 2) Otten Coffee, a coffee roasting facility that sells coffee beans. Otten Coffee at Jalang Kruing No. 3EF, Sekip is near a Bolu Meranti and difficult to reach because it's in an alley but worth the trip. Otten Coffee allows customers to buy small cups of black coffee (a "long black") but not lattes, mochas or, God forbid, a frappuccino that's more sugar than coffee. (I will confess, I enjoyed my Starbucks Shiok-ah-ccino in Singapore, even if I'm certain it gave me instant diabetes.) 
Otten Coffee
Bolu Meranti is a cake shop--"bolu" means sponge cake, and the name of the shop is the name of its most popular cake. 
I thought the bolu meranti cake was okay, but I really liked the durian pancakes, which were more like Greek bougatsas or Danish remonces than American pancakes. (And yes, durian isn't only in Singapore now!) 
In Medan, not Singapore, lah!
I really wish I had tried the pandan chiffon aka bolu pandan, but they had already sold out when I arrived. Also, unless you really like tapioca, I'd skip the bika ambon. The "kue sus" is Indonesia's version of profiteroles, and they were my second favorite item after the durian "pancakes." 

If you're looking for traditional Indonesian food, try Restoran Garuda. The name is very common (beware imitators!), but it's a specific chain of restaurants that has taken the typical Indonesian serving style and expanded it, making it more accessible to patrons used to larger floor plans, easy parking, and fancier ambiances. I discovered jengkol and ayam bambu here, and for that experience, Medan will always hold a special place in my heart. 

Traditional Indonesian food at Restoran Garuda.
While most international tourists visit Medan to see UNESCO sites or the orangutans in Bukit Lawang, I hate zoos, even "natural" ones. My only memorable zoos were in Buenos Aires (baby elephants!) and Tokyo (fennec foxes!), and I still can't shake the feeling I'm unintentionally promoting animal cruelty when I visit animals for human display. Meanwhile, because Costa Rica is in its own league when it comes to "nature tourism," it's difficult to impress me with nature reserves. So why did I come to Medan? I came because I like seeing and feeling the hum and smells of a busy up-and-coming city. I did not expect to see one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world in Sipiso-piso, located a few hours from the city. 
Sipiso-piso
It took about 20 minutes to walk down a mostly paved path, then a more arduous return uphill. Altogether, expect 1 to 1.5 hours roundtrip if you visit and want to go down to the waterfall and touch the water. I saw grandmas walking barefoot or in sandals with their families on this path, and if an Indonesian grandma can make the trek, so can you. 

I'll post three more photos with explanatory captions, then I must sleep. It's past 3AM in Singapore, and insha'Allah, I fly to see another Indonesian city tomorrow. 

Indonesia is the world's largest Muslim country, and Medan is one of its most diverse cities.
The population is about 25 to 35% Christian, and churches are ubiquitous.
I haven't covered all the fun activities you can do in Medan. This is from Istana Maimun aka Maimoon Palace.
Once in a while, I get lucky and take a decent photo.
This appears to be a congkak.
Bonus:

From Singapore's Indian Heritage Museum