Bandung at night. This photo only courtesy of obscura. Bandung - "Paris of Java" and "Flower City" both paint a lovely impression of Indonesia's 3rd biggest city, some 780m above sea level. Bandung is, in fact, Indonesia's "Baguio City" where temperatures are cooler and people have even milder demeanor. But all these were mere hints as I finally visited this former Dutch capital some 3 hours and 40 minutes south of Jakarta.
This visit also confirmed what I have always known - that "train travels" are not among my favorite pastimes. I tried the bisnis class (at 30,000 Rp) since this would allow me to (barely) photograph the passing scenery. Unfortunately, the huge fiberglass window only allowed a 7 inch opening that allowed air to enter the upper portion of the train cars. Enough to aerate the tips of my hair, but my face and body were humid and sweating. Did you ever think a train ride would swelter the way it did? And it wasn't even that sunny! Yup, it was a sweltering mess of a ride and I wasn't having fun on what would be equivalent to a protracted root canal. All the guide books said "3 hours", but even my eksekutif (AC seat) ride back to Jakarta stretched for almost 4 hours. It is official: I dislike train rides! I'd even prefer my non-AC craggy bus rides in Tamil Nadu - with dusty air combing wildly against my hair. Wind renders a liberating sensation to a traveler.
Bandung didn't deliver the "Paris" or "flowers". In fact, what left strong impressions were gridlocked motorcycles and small cars in narrow streets filled with vendors, and the absolute lack of a decent sidewalk for people. The city center in fact is dying for a green space, a breathing enclave that's nowhere within its narrow, congested, traffic-inflicted streets. The art deco buildings of the early 20th century (by legendary architect Schoemaker) were unimpressive. Gedung Merdeka (built 1895) looked like a white slab of uninspired institution made more significant by its history than by its architectural form. Savoy Hoffman Hotel, standing just across the street, looked nice, albeit dated. I couldn't find Grand Hotel Preanger along Jalan Asia-Afrika, so I headed towards the alun-alun (the city square) where the largely neglected "prison" stood beside a fly-over filled with 3 dozens of homeless families claiming residence in the concrete structure. The mosque had 2 imposing minarets and a white dome at the center. It was, in fact, more interesting to observe the locals around the park.
My experience with the ojek driver was something to write about but that's for another story. This made me decide to just walk towards Bandung Train Station and leave this "glorious city" 5 hours earlier than schedule. If I were to navigate around a congested city, it wouldn't be Bandung, for, to be honest about it, there was hardly anything here that sparked empathy, interest or curiosity. Heck, it wasn't even cool despite downcast skies all afternoon. It was humid!
I also realized that Coca Cola and the other popular sodas aren't exactly important commodities in Bandung. You will never find them being sold by the thousands of ambulant street vendors plying around Bandung. I found this rather out of the ordinary.
I finally found the train station through a discombobulating intestinal thoroughfare in the bowels of Bandung - all in its muddy glories. I had goosebumps walking the deserted alleyway, I somehow suspected I was being lead by the blind leading the blind. But after a petulant prayer, I found the South Entrance. I disregarded my 30,000 return ticket scheduled at 8:30PM and hopped into the next 55,000 rupiah Executive-class AC seat.
Thirty minutes before my departure, it rained so hard, the waters beat like drums against the roof. I planned on spending the next 4 hours with eyes wide shut! Not quite like the Eye in the Sky!
This visit also confirmed what I have always known - that "train travels" are not among my favorite pastimes. I tried the bisnis class (at 30,000 Rp) since this would allow me to (barely) photograph the passing scenery. Unfortunately, the huge fiberglass window only allowed a 7 inch opening that allowed air to enter the upper portion of the train cars. Enough to aerate the tips of my hair, but my face and body were humid and sweating. Did you ever think a train ride would swelter the way it did? And it wasn't even that sunny! Yup, it was a sweltering mess of a ride and I wasn't having fun on what would be equivalent to a protracted root canal. All the guide books said "3 hours", but even my eksekutif (AC seat) ride back to Jakarta stretched for almost 4 hours. It is official: I dislike train rides! I'd even prefer my non-AC craggy bus rides in Tamil Nadu - with dusty air combing wildly against my hair. Wind renders a liberating sensation to a traveler.
Bandung didn't deliver the "Paris" or "flowers". In fact, what left strong impressions were gridlocked motorcycles and small cars in narrow streets filled with vendors, and the absolute lack of a decent sidewalk for people. The city center in fact is dying for a green space, a breathing enclave that's nowhere within its narrow, congested, traffic-inflicted streets. The art deco buildings of the early 20th century (by legendary architect Schoemaker) were unimpressive. Gedung Merdeka (built 1895) looked like a white slab of uninspired institution made more significant by its history than by its architectural form. Savoy Hoffman Hotel, standing just across the street, looked nice, albeit dated. I couldn't find Grand Hotel Preanger along Jalan Asia-Afrika, so I headed towards the alun-alun (the city square) where the largely neglected "prison" stood beside a fly-over filled with 3 dozens of homeless families claiming residence in the concrete structure. The mosque had 2 imposing minarets and a white dome at the center. It was, in fact, more interesting to observe the locals around the park.
My experience with the ojek driver was something to write about but that's for another story. This made me decide to just walk towards Bandung Train Station and leave this "glorious city" 5 hours earlier than schedule. If I were to navigate around a congested city, it wouldn't be Bandung, for, to be honest about it, there was hardly anything here that sparked empathy, interest or curiosity. Heck, it wasn't even cool despite downcast skies all afternoon. It was humid!
I also realized that Coca Cola and the other popular sodas aren't exactly important commodities in Bandung. You will never find them being sold by the thousands of ambulant street vendors plying around Bandung. I found this rather out of the ordinary.
I finally found the train station through a discombobulating intestinal thoroughfare in the bowels of Bandung - all in its muddy glories. I had goosebumps walking the deserted alleyway, I somehow suspected I was being lead by the blind leading the blind. But after a petulant prayer, I found the South Entrance. I disregarded my 30,000 return ticket scheduled at 8:30PM and hopped into the next 55,000 rupiah Executive-class AC seat.
Thirty minutes before my departure, it rained so hard, the waters beat like drums against the roof. I planned on spending the next 4 hours with eyes wide shut! Not quite like the Eye in the Sky!
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