Busload of bloggers head to Bandung

[click here to read my previous road diary post]

Yesterday, in a bus full of bloggers, we drove from Jakarta to Bandung where we began to get to know everyone. There are bloggers from around the world on this trip, small groups from France, UK and the US. Then, there are several individuals from South Africa, Poland, Hungary, Holland and Germany. Then we have a small group of local Indonesian bloggers, which will be nice to get that localized perspective from those not part of the tourism board.

Our first stop along the four hour trek to Bandung was a bathroom break at some mangy truck stop. Here I began to see groups being formed, mainly with people from their country’s of origin, but also with the smokers. We soon got back aboard our bus where our first stop was to Dusun Bambu, a family leisure park of sorts. I don’t think I’ve ever been to such a family-centric place before where the leading philosophy is to be a conduit in bonding the family. Dusun Bambu is a place where the family can connect and explore together. Facility leaders believe in this “7E” concept that represents the seven aspects of life…Ecology (nature), Education, Economic, Ethnology (culture), Ethics, Esthetics (Aesthetics), and Entertainment. The park is stunning, with a botanical garden feel. There are a plethora of activities for visitors to enjoy.  The park is located at the base of Mt. Burangrang, which later we would climb in some rugged off-road vehicles.

After having a bit of time to look around the park, we all gathered for lunch, which was an open-air space overlooking a small lake below with a series of bungalows where family’s could access by boat to congregate. The scene was right out of a storybook, so idyllic and peaceful.

With bellies full we took a short walk to another part of the property where a series of rugged Land Rovers and tour guides from Bandung Offroad awaited to take us on an epic ride up Mt. Burangrang. As a four-wheel drive owner, I’ve done my fair share of off-roading, but it was nothing like what we experienced. We gathered in small groups of 4-5 and boarded the vehicles, many donning helmets to protect from the significant jostling that awaited. The first part of the trip was pretty tame as we made our way up a relatively steep grade, but smooth’ish road. Not far into the trip we stopped at an overlook point where a vendor provided coffee and snacks. After a quick break, the real adventure started.

Just around a bend near the overlook, the grade increased and the road began to deteriorate into a nearly impassible bog of mud in places. The ruts in the road were so deep I was convinced there was no way these vehicles could made it, and while we eventually would make it to the top and back again, it was not without many stops as vehicles got stuck and others had to help relieve them. It was a muddy rollorcoster ride that had everyone hootin’ and hollorin’. Toward the end of the trek, the vehicle I, was in got stuck and was spinning one of its wheels…the mud was flying in the air and covered the backs of me and the two other people sitting on that side of the vehicle.

It was a long day and we were all pooped and ready to get to our hotels to get cleaned up. But before we could do that, we had to go to dinner. I can’t even imagine what people must have thought when a large group of us walked in covered in mud. We all just took it in stride and enjoyed our fantastic meal and entertainment at Kampung Daun, which was like an outdoor dining oasis. Kampung is a massive venue with a series of private gazebos (for lack of a better word) where dinners are embraced withing nature. Lush foliage, waterfalls, terraces and running water provide the most extraordinary dining experience. Our group was in the largest gazebo that can probably seat 75 people. Here we were enjoyed traditional music and entertainment.

After a loving evening at Kampung Daun we finally made it to our accommodations at the Sheraton Bandung. While we arrived pretty late, we were able to sleep in a bit and enjoy the property the next morning with some free time. The rooms and the open space of the Sheraton Bandung are quite lovely and while it would have been nice to spend the rest of the day there, we had much more on the agenda that day.

Our next stop was to Komunitas Hong, a venue that looks like a small village where traditional games and entertainment are performed. In additional to seeing some local dance and music being performed, we also learned how to make some of the local crafts by using bamboo leaves and other materials. After a couple of hours we headed to another venue that really caters to tourists, but was interesting none-the-less.

Before our next activity of the day we stopped by a hip restaurant that provided some pretty extraordinary food and views, Cocorico Cafe and Restaurant. With some time to spare, a few of us venture out for a walk about town where we interacted with some of the local kids. While the kids clearly lived in impoverished conditions, they were incredibly happy and eager to talk, interact and take pose for photos. Everyone we encountered was so friendly and interested in talking with us, I believe perhaps they don’t see a great number of western tourists.

The next stop of the day was a bit of a tourist attraction, but pretty fascinating none-the-less. We went to Saung Mang Udjo, a multi-purpose venue with a mission to conserve West Java’s Sundanese traditional art and culture. At Saung Mang Udjo you can see how they make the Angklung, a harmonic vibrating bamboo instrument with a truly unique sound and method of playing.  Each Angklung is tuned by hand and can create a different tonal pitches depending on the size and length of the bamboo being used. After seeing how the instrument was built, we then had an opportunity to see how it was used in a performance. At Saung Mang Udjo they have a large amphitheater where all visitors gather around to see a lively performance. After the main production, Angklung instruments are randomly passed out to the entire audience. When I say “randomly,” what I later discovered is that there were five or six different sized Angklung being passed around. A conductor took center stage and taught the audience how to play the Angklung. What I also discovered is that a single Angklung is really just a noisy toy, but when you put dozens, or even hundreds together, you get the most amazing harmonic sound. It was quite fun participating, rattling my Angklung when directed and hearing what a group of players could do when performed in unison.

Saung Mang Udjo is located in the bustling eastern part of Bandung, where they attempt to manifest beautiful harmony of vibrating bamboos that echo from the simple amphitheater all the way to the other side of the world. It spreads the values of simplicity, cooperation, unity and togetherness, as well as maintaining mutual relationship between humans and the environment. At first glance I thought it was just a tourist trap, but after experiencing their mission, I think Saung Mang Udjo is a pretty interesting place to visit.

Tomorrow we fly to Yogyakarta and will head to Magelang, the following day we will do a sunrise hike to Borobudur. Click here if you’d like to see more of my photos from Bandung. Click here to continue reading the road diary from my #TripofWonders in #WonderfulIndonesia.