Kevin's Birthday

Date: 31 December 2008
Location: Senja Rd, Bukit Panjang, Singapore

Trip to Indonesia (8): Around Burujul, Tasikmalaya

Date: 8 December 2008
Location: Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia.

This entry is part of our "Trip to Indonesia" series on December 2008:

1. First Time Karaoke-ing
2. Grand Indonesia
3. Sari Sunda Restaurant, Bandung
4. Rumah Sosis, Bandung
5. Holiday to Garut, West Java
5.a. Holiday in Garut, Danau Dariza (posted by my wife)
6. Garut Town and Mulih K'desa
7. Crown Mahkota Graha Hotel, Tasikmalaya
8. Taman Safari (posted by my wife)

Tasikmalaya is the hometown of both of my parents. My grandmother is currently still living in Tasikmalaya, specifically on Jalan Burujul, off Jalan Ciamis, very near to the railway crossing not too far from Lima roundabout.

I remember that when I was still a kid, I loved to go to the railway track which is located just a stone throw's away from my grandmother's house, and watched the trains passing by. So when we were there, I took Irza for a stroll along the railway track.

There was a train passing by from Bandung towards east at that time, I think it was the Lodaya train bound for Yogyakarta and Solo (Balapan). Irza was very happy to be able to see a "real" train (not just the small MRT trains we often find here in Singapore) from a short distance. :)

Trip to Indonesia (7): Crown Mahkota Graha Hotel, Tasikmalaya

Date: 7 December 2008
Location: Crown Mahkota Graha Hotel, Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia.

This entry is part of my Trip to Indonesia series on December 2008:

1. First Time Karaoke-ing
2. Grand Indonesia
3. Sari Sunda Restaurant, Bandung
4. Rumah Sosis, Bandung
5. Holiday to Garut, West Java
5.a. Holiday in Garut, Danau Dariza (posted by my wife).
6. Garut Town and Mulih K'desa

Crown Hotel, or Hotel Graha Mahkota in Indonesian, is the hotel we were staying during our short stay in Tasikmalaya.

This three-star hotel used to be the best hotel anyone can find in Tasikmalaya. But now, I heard from one of my relatives there that there's a new hotel being opened along Jalan KHZ Mustofa, near a new shopping mall which is supposed to be the biggest shopping mall in Tasikmalaya.

Unfortunately, we didn't really have the chance to explore the town since our schedule in Tasikmalaya was quite packed. I even didn't have the time to meet one of my fellow bloggers Kang Iwok (which I believe is the first and only Indonesian blogger from Tasikmalaya at the moment).

More pictures in Tasikmalaya will follow.

Bright Lights at City Hall

Date: 27 December 2008
Location: Raffles City, CHIJMES, CityLink Mall

The lights around City Hall is not as bright as the ones along Orchard Road, but the festive moods are definitely still there with a giant Christmas tree outside Raffles City and many shops (including Robinsons) are on sale.

This is also the first time we entered CHIJMES and see what's inside after countless times of just passing through it.

Bright Lights along Orchard Road

Date: 20, 21, 23 December 2008
Location: Orchard Road and Marina Square

Soaking into the bright lights and festive moods along Orchard Road (and Marina Square) during this year end's festive season.

Trip to Indonesia (6): Garut Town and Mulih K'desa

Date: Sunday, 7 December 2008
Location: Garut town centre, Mulih K'desa restaurant

After staying for a night at Danau Dariza hotel in Cipanas, we left Garut for Tasikmalaya, my parents' hometown located about two hour's drive east of Garut, for us to celebrate Hari Raya Idul Adha there.

After checking out from the hotel, we proceeded to Garut town centre, specifically to Jalan Ciledug, for us to buy some oleh-oleh from Garut. The town's specialty is the dodol.

After buying oleh-oleh, we went to Mulih K'desa restaurant for lunch. This unique restaurant with saungs (small houses) on top of sawah (rice fields) and balong (small lake) is located in Samarang, around 30 minutes' drive west of Garut town centre, on the same road leading to Kampung Sampireun.

The food is very nice and the price is reasonable. There's a small playground for the kids to play around, and a horse ride along the rice fields to keep them occupied. However, the location is quite remote on the west side of the town, so after having our lunch there, we needed to backtrack via Garut town centre for us to get to Tasikmalaya, which is located east of Garut.

Trip to Indonesia (5): Holiday to Garut, West Java

Date: Saturday, 6 December 2008
Location: Bandung to Cipanas, Garut

After having a great time at Rumah Sosis, we left Bandung for Garut, a town 2-hour drive south-east of Bandung. Specifically, we went to Cipanas (which means "hot water" in Sundanese), which is famous for its hot spring water from the nearby Guntur mountain.

We stayed at Danau Dariza hotel, and it turned out to be one of the best holidays we experience ever. :) Photos and reviews on Danau Dariza hotel will be posted by my wife (who is still in Jakarta with the kids now) soon. Update on 22 December 2008, 11:30am SGT: My wife has uploaded the pictures in Danau Dariza here.

In the evening, we had dinner at Cibiuk Sundanese restaurant, which is located along Jalan Otista, north of Garut, on the main highway to Bandung just near the junction to Cipanas.

Trip to Indonesia (4): Rumah Sosis, Bandung

Date: Saturday, 6 December 2008
Location: Rumah Sosis, Jalan Setiabudi, north Bandung

This kids-friendly attraction in Bandung is one of the kids' favourite. Located along Jalan Setiabudi, north on Bandung, the kids can ride ATV gokart, horse, flying fox and many other attractions while enjoying sausages (and other Bandung delicacies) for snacks.

Take note that except for the restaurant, all the attractions are only open on weekends and public holidays.

Trip to Indonesia (3): Sari Sunda Restaurant, Bandung

Date: Friday, 5 December 2008
Location: Sari Sunda restaurant, Jalan Setiabudi, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.

After spending several days in Jakarta, we went to Bandung last Friday (5 December 2008). We left Jakarta in the morning and arrived in Bandung close to noon. After performing shalat Jum'at (Friday prayer) at a mosque nearby my parent's house in Bandung, we went to Sari Sunda restaurant for lunch.

This Sundanese restaurant is located along Jalan Setiabudi (bawah, near the junction to Sukajadi), just opposite Hoka-Hoka Bento restaurant there. Serves quite a nice Sundanese cuisine in a saung-style environment, and there's a small playground behind to keep the kids amused while waiting for the food to be served.

Trip to Indonesia (2): Grand Indonesia

Date: Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Location: Grand Indonesia, Jakarta

After sending my wife and my parents to Blok A, Pasar Tanah Abang, I brought Inka and Irza to nearby Grand Indonesia, since I know that the kids won't like to be dragged around Pasar Tanah Abang.

It was our second time visiting this huge and modern shopping mall. After having early lunch at the food court there (the kids had KFC while I had my favourite chicken steak from Fiesta steak), Inka and Irza were having a great time at the indoor theme park located within the shopping complex.

Trip to Indonesia (1): First Time Family Karaoke-ing

Date: 29 November - 1 December 2008:
Location: Changi Airport Terminal 1, Plasa Semanggi: food court, Shabu Tei restaurant and Inul Vista karaoke lounge, Bubur Ayam Djoko, Pondok Indah Mall

Yes, after going to Plasa Semanggi on our first day in Jakarta, we went there again on Sunday, for us to try karaoke-ing for the first time at Inul Vista family karaoke lounge there, upon recommendation of my sister-in-law, Via.

To be frank, this was our first time going to a karaoke lounge with the whole family, and both Inka and especially Irza were really having a great time. :) If I knew that the kids like to sing, I would have been bringing them to K-Box in Singapore more often. :) :) Thanks tante Via for bringing us to the karaoke lounge, we really had a great time. :)

Prior to karaoke-ing, we had dinner at Shabu Tei restaurant, also as per Via's recommendation. Although Inka enjoyed its chawanmushi and salmon sushi, however overall the food is not really that great and it's very much overpriced, even for Singapore standard.

Earlier today, after going to Cinere to settle some banking matters and for the kids to enjoy Bubur Ayam Djoko for breakfast, we went to Pondok Indah Mall to have our lunch at Sari Ratu restaurant there. My wife was very much craving for authentic Minang-style Padang food. The kids were also having a great time playing at the arcade centres (Timezone and Fun World) there.

Before we left, my mother purchased some donuts from Krispy Kreme, the original root version of the doughnuts currently served by many other outlets like Donut Factory in Singapore or J.Co in Indonesia. However, for me, I would still prefer J.Co's version or Donut Factory's version of the doughnuts, except for the glaze donuts. Even the kids like Krispy Kreme's version of the glaze donuts. Inka finished 4 (yes, FOUR) glaze donuts earlier today. :P