Having Fun at Sam Poo Kong Temple, Semarang, Indonesia

Welcome..

Have you been visiting Semarang, the capital city of Central Java, Indonesia?

I have and I love it.

Semarang has long been known as a melting pot for Indonesia. Many Chinese and Arab descendants live for generations in this beautiful city, while Javanese and more tribes from other parts of Indonesia also reside here. The beautiful blend can be seen in their cultures, cuisines, clothes and more, including religions and worship places.

One of the outstanding landmarks in Semarang is Sam Poo Kong Temple.

Have you heard about it before? 

This temple is the oldest Chinese temple in Semarang, the capital city of Central Java provinces. It is also known as the Gedung Batu temple due to its location. Strikingly standing in the middle of  the city with beautiful, bold red painting and typical yet incredible architecture, this temple has an interesting history indeed.

Built originally by the Chinese muslim explorer, Admiral Zheng He or Sanbao, this temple was initially built on a cave area as a resting place. Looks like the Admiral loved this place so much so that he ordered his crews to build and stay in the area while he was exploring the region. 

The story about the admiral and his crews

We can see the story of this carved on the wall in the temple. It is interesting to see how a muslim built a Buddhist temple complex which embraced the Chinese as well as local, in this case Javanese,  beautiful cultures. 

Love the carving..

The complex is quite big, covering the area of more than 3 hectares. 
The oldest and the biggest temple is Sam Poo Kong I believe, and other temples include  Tho Tee Kong, Kyai Juru Mudi Temple, Kyai Jangkar Temple, and Kyai Cundrik Bumi Temple.  There is one additional Mbah Kyai Tumpeng temple as well in the area. You can see they use the mixed names of Chinese and Javanese here. 

The tickets for this area comprise of recreational or praying areas. For the recreational areas, you basically stay in the courtyard and do not go nearer the temple. The tickets for that are Rp 7000,- for local adults and Rp 5000,- for local kids. While for  foreigners, the tickets cost Rp 10000,- for adult and Rp 7000,- for kids. They have slightly more expensive ones for the weekends. But still, very cheap indeed, less than USD 1! While for the praying area, the tickets are Rp 27000,- for local adults and Rp 15000,- for local kids during the weekdays, while weekends will cost you Rp  Rp 28000,- for local adults and Rp 15000,- for local kids. For foreigners, the tickets are Rp 40000,- for adults and Rp 25000,- for kids during the weekdays, while weekends will cost you Rp 45000,- for local adults and Rp 28000,- for local kids. Still manageable as the most expensive ticket is less than USD 4.

So, are you ready?
Let's go having fun at Sam Poo Kong Temple, Semarang, Indonesia!

So, this is my second visit to the temple.
The first time I came here was in 2013 and I didn't get a chance to try the costume. 
Yes, you can rent the traditional Chinese costumes here in the temple for a short period of time. The prices starts from Rp 80.000,- to 150.000,-  and you get a wide range of choices ready to be rent, including for men and children. A special photographer will take your photos outside and inside the temple and you will get 2 printed version. You can pose and ask for the photographer to take several shots which you can have. I have to say you should not miss the opportunity to take this special photo shots.

Cheers from the Queen Mother  :)

So, what do you think?

Will you use the costumes and take pictures like me?

Have you been visiting the similar temple?

See you in the next adventure.

WW: Bits and Pieces from Moscow, Russia

Some colorful snapshots from Moscow, Russia

Spring is still in the air..

Although my time in Moscow was super limited, but I tried to capture the beauty of it.
Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Join us on (almost) Wordless Wednesday and have fun with the linky party

Travelling to Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto

Sumber: asset.kompas.com

A friend once told me that Sawahlunto is a civilization in its own right. Nestled on a crater-like landscape guarded by the hills around, Sawahlunto is a sight to behold. It is a quaint city with diverse culture and beliefs still adorned with remnants of dutch colonial buildings that to this day still function as hospitals, hotels and government buildings.

Little did anyone from outside the city knew that this city was once at the brink of destruction. The crater-like landscape was the remnants left from an era of plundering. Sawahlunto was once a small village in mid-19th century surrounded by forest with population of 500. It all changed in 1867 when a huge coal deposit was found beneath the ombilin river by a dutch geologist, Ir. W.H. De Greve.

Coal has always been intertwined with the history of Sawahlunto. In 1891, coal deposit in Sawahlunto was estimated to be at 205million tonnes and the coal mines in Sawahlunto reaches its peak between 1920 and 1921. The coal mining went on for over a century and was eventually depleted. Soon the mine workers started departing the bustling town leaving it back the quite town it used to be.

2001 was the turning point for Sawahlunto as it was declared a historic site and opened for tourism. Tourism spots was established throughout the city including info box and coal mining gallery, Soero pit left from the coal mining days, Museum Goedang Ransoem and Train and Rail museum of Sawahlunto.

Sawahlunto becomes the capital city of coal mining tourism of Indonesia

In June 2019, from what was an almost forgotten relic of the past, Sawahlunto was restored to where it should be and was named as one of the UNESCO world site heritage, “Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto”. It was named as the UNESCO world site heritage through the unique architecture of the city and the mining technology of the time marking an advancement of technology development by mankind.

Sumber: whc.unesco.org

Traveling and Exploring Sawahlunto

Surrounded by rows of hills and situated in the province of West Sumatera, this city is roughly one third the size of Jakarta or is estimated to be 283 km2. The city is well equipped with various tourist destinations to satisfy the curiosity of travellers.

When in Sawahlunto, don’t miss visiting the now defunct coal mines that were newly crowned as UNESCO World Heritage Site, commemorating the rich history that this city has to offer. Traveling to the city takes a bit of extra effort which will all be paid off by the beauty of the city. You would land in Padang, a more well-known nearby city, Minangkabau International Airport. From the airport you can take a number of transportation option, travel minibus to directly head to Sawahlunto or for the more adventurous, take public busses and go through several terminals before reaching Sawahlunto.

sumber: republika.co.id

The trip to Sawahlunto from Padang using a travel bus would take 4-5 hours and costs around Rp. 100,000.- which would take you directly to the city only stopping for toilet rests. While if you are feeling a bit more adventurous and is on a budget trip, taking the public bus will be a better option which will costs you around Rp 25,000.- to Rp. 35,000.- and takes around 5-6 hours to reach Sawahlunto. You can directly find the public bus named Tranex from the airport, from there you would want to go to Solok Terminal and exchange towards Sawahlunto Terminal from there. However, the West Sumateran government now provides a direct route using Tranex bus from Padang Terminal to Sawahlunto terminal that costs Rp. 30,000.-.

The trip will take you through Padangpanjang city in the Sitinjau Lauik area. The route will be a bit steep and will have a number of sharp turns. However, the view on either side as you are sitting on the bus will be hard to miss. You will enjoy the view of the city of Padang from above and afar, giving you a magnificent view of the whole city.

Sumber: beritagar.id

The city is well-accommodating for tourists as it offers a wide range of accommodation choices that varies with price and facility. It ranges from homestay to hotel. The costs will be in the range of Rp. 200,000.- to Rp. 700,000.- per night depending on the facilities and location of the accommodation. You can easily book the accommodation via traveling apps like Booking.com. Hotels are also available nearby the Ombilin river which still preserves the dutch colonial style building.

Traveling around the city itself can be done by riding the city’s public transport, named angkot (a public minivan) or ojek (motorcycles operated personally). Travelling by renting a car is also another option, which is more convenient but is much more costly. Several travel agents provide cars to be rented and also local day tours so that you don’t need to plan the trip yourself.

Not only rich in history, being in West Sumatera, the Minangnese food here is also a must-try experience. It will provide wary travellers with flavorful culinary experience. The foods here are rich in flavour combining savouriness and spiciness from the spices used to prepare the foods. We recommend that you taste the Gulai Banak (Savory and spicy curry with cow’s brain) and Pical (mixed vegetables and noodle in peanut sauce), a delicacy of Sawahlunto and West Sumatera.

Aside from the famous coal mines and museums, there are several other attractions such as waterfall, park and lake that you can visit. The ticket price varies but are relatively cheap ranging around Rp. 10,000.- to Rp 15,000.-. The attractions and tourist sites information including opening time and costs can be found here. Another option is to sightsee the picturesque view of the city still adorned with colonial building can be observed from Cemara hill in the outskirt of the city. Of course, you cannot forget to bring back some delicacies and souvenirs on your way back home, there are Keripik Balado (Spicy cassava chips), also a Minangnese delicacy, and handicraft made from coal. 

Sumber: kebudayaan.kemdikbud.go.id

This is a story of an almost forgotten city in Sumatera where thousands of people once flooded in to extract the riches of mother earth over a century ago. Now, it is restored to what it is supposed to be, a famous mining city of Sawahlunto. Its past are eternalized by its museums and its history is recognized worldwide as a UNESCO World Site Heritage.

This is a guest post from dearest colleagues of Anak Rantau

WW: DiploFest Semarang 2019

Hello, Semarang!

Public Lecture with Menlu Retno

We finally come to Semarang for the last leg of DiploFest.
What is DiploFest anyway?
It’s the diplomacy festival where you can see, learn and even try some real works of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, my office, up close and personal.
We set up booths where people can learn about negotiations, participation in UN Security Council (through simulation in a specially made-up room just like in UN HQ :)), safe travel, citizen protection, and many more.

We had the public lecture with the Minister herself at the Diponegoro University, while other high rank officials spoke in various universities about various topics as well.

At the end of the event, we had the concert with Danilla and Afghan, the local famous singers. 

Check out more photos from the event here.

public lecture at Diponegoro University

Welcome

The simulation of the UN Security Council meeting

Mr. President :)

The wishing wall..interesting to read 

All in all, it was a great event and we had so much fun! Especially since I got to meet some fellow bloggers from Semarang and shared some times with them!

Cheers

Me with dearest blogger friends from Semarang )

And now join us on our (almost) Wordless Wednesday and have fun with the Linky Party.

What to See in Red Square, Moscow, Russia

Welcome to Moscow

You probably remember my previous post about my visit, first time ever, to Moscow, the capital city of the Russian federation. 

Read: Hello Moscow, I am Coming.

As I said, it was a very memorable trip and definitely exciting. I only spent less than 3 days, packed with meetings, but surely we managed to see the famous landmark of Moscow, the Red Square.

Everyone in Red Square literally took picture of this!

Red Square has been famous for being the heart of Moscow.

Being number one tourists’ destination in Moscow, here lies several historical buildings and important, unique spots deemed tourists’ attractions as well as architecture gems. Perhaps one of the most striking one is St, Basil's Cathedral.

You know, the cathedral with super unique dome with intricate details and vivid colors it looks surreal. At the same spot, we can enjoy many museum, the Tsar's tower, Lenin's Mausoleum and more.

Before coming here, I read some reviews about what we can do for one day in Moscow. Most of them, if not all, recommend visiting the Red Square. 

Well, my Russian colleagues complained why I only had one extra day in Moscow with so many places to see. Not that I didn’t want to but more works are waiting in Jakarta so that my team and I had to go home to Jakarta right away. Nevertheless, I feel grateful for having a little break and getting to see the best the city can offer.

So there I was.. standing in the middle of Red Square.

The one-and-only Red Square.

I felt beyond happy and about to cry at the same time.

This is just like a dream-come-true destination for me.

I remember meticulously preparing the trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg with my petite family,, the Frakarsas, back in 2009 when we regretfully cancelled it after a series of  bombing incidents happened in the city’s subway. Bo, our son, was only 3 and we couldn’t risk traveling to places like this. Ten years after, my Rabb answered my prayers and I finally visited Moscow for the first time ever. Alhamdulillah.. merci my Rabb 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻.

So flying through Istanbul, we arrived in Moskow on Tuesday afternoon. Heading straight to the Ambassador’s  office and having the courtesy call, we had dinner at a place call.. I forgot :). Before dinner, we stopped by the Zaryadne Park, near the Moskva River to see the St. Basil's Cathedral from outside.

Cheers...

The following day we had full bilateral meeting, with wonderful lunch served at the mansion of the MoFA. It was a very productive meeting and certainly many follow ups we need to do afterwards. All in all, it was a successful meeting and both parties enjoyed the process as well as the result.

Once we were done with the meeting, we directly went to the Red Square.

Good thing it was summer, so we had long days.

Arriving at the Red Square at around 5 PM, we were directly walking towards the heart of it. Starting from the Museum of Archeology of Moscow, we admired the architecture designs of the building. 

Striking red..

where to go first?

Even the gate to the Red Square is amazing!
I was actually trying to get more detailed information about the gate but I wasn't very successful here. Perhaps I should learn Russian to make it easier!

At the gate of the Red Square, with the team.

Striking red brick seems to be the trade mark, as the State Historical Museum is also standing across the street. Too bad we didn't  have time to enter this place but I made a mental note that I have to be back here and definitely explore the museums.

The side of the Museum of archeology of Moscow

As we stepped into the Red Square, we were again wowed by the vastness of the area, surrounded but beautiful and historical buildings. One of them is the Kazan Cathedral. Ornate with pink and white bricks, the church looks glorious with its golden domes and intricate details. I was tempted to go inside and see more glorious settings but I knew I had no time :(. 

The Kazan Chatedral in Pink and White

At the same spot, we have the oldest shopping center in Moscow, GUM Department Store. To me, it looks more like palace instead of the shopping mall. It is very artistic and the good thing is, the good being sold are tax free. Please correct me if I'm wrong but that's what I read in one of the signs.

Here you can find all those branded stores like Dior, Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and more, as well as the most delicious ice cream in the city.
Oh, and there is a fountain in the middle of the Mall that looks cute.
When we were there, it was packed with watermelon and cantaloups. Perfect fruits for summer in Moscow.

GUM Department Store

I was coughing badly yet I enjoyed one scoop of chocolate ice cream.
It was delicious and only costed me 100 Rubel, or Rp 22.000,- or less than 2 USD! Very, very cheap, right. Even cheaper than Jakarta.

My yummy ice cream

After strolling around GUM Department Store, we went out to walk towards the St. Basil's Cathedral. There was a festival of military band at the are so it was packed with people and members of the band who were practising. We had to pay the ticket to see the performance but then again we had no extra time. Too bad the front part of the St. Basil's Cathedral and the Tsar Tower were closed with the tents for this festival.

Perfect summer day!

Yet, we saw many stalls and vendors selling traditional handicrafts like various kinds of Matryoshka, Russian chocolate and candy, ushanka or the Russian hats, and more. I just love to see them all!

Don't you just love them!

And, as the final stop, we once again took pictures of St. Basil's Chatedral.
I have to say I can't get enough of it!

The colourful domes are like magnet to me!

Mini - me loves this place, too :)

Again, here's the video of me welcoming myself to Moscow and get more shots from the airport to the city of Moscow! More videos are coming and wish me luck with the editing.

That's what I had on my first visit to the Red Square, Moscow, Russia and its charms and will definitely be back with more story about the subway in Moscow and the ones that we tried!

Stick round and see you on the next adventure!