Sate, it’s a name for Indonesian culinary made from sheep or goat’s meat. Many people like this diet very much.

Above is the picture of Sate.

When the chef cook sate, the smell of the burning meat really make my stomach hungry. It can’t wait any longer to taste it.

Kaledo is a special culinary from Palu, Central Sulawesi. Spicy and fresh thay make everyone like this delicious food. As a complement, boiled cassava is served. Those just a perfect match.

Indonesia has relatively more beautiful rural area not yet touched by the modernity. Fresh air and the green views are the most valuable factors. Those two things are maybe hard to find in the modern country like USA and countries in Europe. Here, in Indonesia, we have plenty of it.

I live in the rural area of Jogjakarta where I can see the green paddy fields, Merapi, and Merbabu mountain from outside my house. When I come home from the work in the center town of Jogja, all the view heals me from the tiredness. It’s like a therapeutic healing from the work fatigue. By this, the next day will be always a great day to do everything.

Most villagers do for living as farmers. Paddy is the main plantation. Few farmers plants vegetables except those who live on the higher latitude. Vegetables planted on the field around my area are chili, spinach, onion, yard-long bean, and egg plant. A few other farmers plant fruit like watermelon and melon. I will provide the photograph later.

A few meters from my house there is a river where some villagers do things like washing clothes, fishing, and taking a bath. about 10 years ago, there were more people did such activities in the river, because the river was clean. The modernity brings changes to the people’s behavior which slow but sure change the nature either.

Observing the living in villages in Indonesia will be a great alternative vacation for those who lives in big cities.  People’s simplicity, their culture, and natural view are interesting to be observed.

It is great to enjoy life in the village.

I have the opportunity to make a trip to Sampang Regency, in the Madura island East Java. It’s not an excursion, but I enjoyed the short visit. The thing that I want was crossing the Suramadu Bridge, which is the longest bridge in Java. Unfortunately, I was not able to take photograph of the bridge.

My trip started from Jogjakarta. I choose to make it a la backpackers. Took promo flight from Jogjakarta to Juanda Airport Surabaya which is not too expensive. The flight took about 45 minutes or less. From Juanda Airport, I took Damri bus to the main bus station Purabaya.

Waiting about one and a half hours at the Purabaya bus station, made me rather bored. Luckily there was a music show in the station. It’s entertaining me and other passengers. Dangdut was the genre shown on the stage. Dangdut genre can be said as the folks music in Indonesia (there is a song titled ‘Dangdut is the Music of my country’).

Finally, my bus was coming. To be more comfortable during the journey I took express bus (it’s called PATAS in Indonesia). The economy and express class was only IDR 5000 difference in ticket price (US$ 1 = IDR 9000). It was much more faster than the economy class and air conditioned.

On the way to Sampang, nothing interesting except the houses with white bricks. It’s different to houses in the Java mainland which are using red bricks. White bricks are made from white stones cutted in rectangular shape. Two and a half hours I had to sit on the bus until finally I got to Sampang.

Hotels in Sampang are relatively cheap. The price range is from IDR 150.000 – 250.000. I took the a hotel priced IDR 185.000 per night, which was a ‘VIP’ room (do not imagine like VIP room on stars hotel).

Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2012 is ready to begin. The festival is scheduled on 2, 3 and 4 March at Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo) Jalan Kawasan PRJ Kemayoran. Proud of bringing you the eighth edition of the Indonesian largest Jazz festival, the management must give the audience the best experience to enjoy jazz music.

This year, the Jakarta International Java Jazz Festival has the theme “WHERE JAZZ FINDS A HOME”.  Bringing more Jazz artists to the stage from around the world with their own musical base, this festival is worth to be included in your agenda. The list of artists are ase follows:

STEVIE WONDER, SMART REBORN, SIMAK DIALOG, ANDRE HARIHANDOYO AND SONIC PEOPLE, SPEAKEASY, ATMOSFERA, JEFF PESCATTO, THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER, CREAMY SUGAR GROOVE, SKETSA, GEORGE DUKE TRIO, TOHPATI ETHNOMISSION, LIVING COLORS, MUSIC CLINIC, ABODA, THE PROFESSORS, PAQUITA, JEMIMA, BOBBY MCFERRIN, WRQ, NOTTURNO, PONCHO SANCHEZ LATIN JAZZ BAND, AL JARREAU & GEORGE DUKE TRIO, BRUCE HAMADA, THE JOURNALISTS, INDONESIA NU PROGRESSIVE, MARGO RISING STARS, TRIBA, FOUR ON THE FLOOR, TRIO SCAPES, SHADOW PUPPETS FEAT. NESIA ARDI, MANNA FRANK MCCOMB, SWING OUT SISTER, BENNY LIKUMAHUWA LIKE FATHER LIKE SON, NINO, SANDY WINARTA QUARTET, ANDI WIRIANTONO QUARTET & THE NEXT GENERATION, OELE PATTISELANNO, SHEILA E. PRESENTS THE E FAMILY, STEREOCASE, DEVIAN BAND, TRISUM, PHYLOSOPHY ABG, DONNY KOESWINARNO QUARTET, RON KING BIG BAND and many more.

If you are a fan of Stevie wonder, you may see his performance on Sunday March 4, 2012, at stage D2 Djarum Super Mild Hall. For complete schdule, please visit this link: Schedule of Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2012.

Last year, Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2011 brings Carlos Santana on stage. His performance was the most wanted one. every people wants to witness the legend on stage. Here is video performance of Santana on Java Jazz festival 2011.

For Clear information pleas visit Jakarta Java Jazz Festival 2012 official Site.

It has been a long time ago since my last visit to Waduk Sermo (Sermo reservoir) which is located in Wates, Kulon Progo regency, Jogjakarta. It is not too far from the downtown of Wates, only about 20 minutes or less to the northeast. This tourism attraction is located on the hill where beautiful view and green trees are the most attractive factors.

Riding my motorcycle, I start down the road to Waduk Sermo. The road is in good condition, I found no holes on the road from Wates downtown to the location. No traffic jam along the road to the tourism location, or I said it is quiet. The only handicap is running uphill, which is not too high. During the Durian season, we will see many sellers along the road. unfortunately, the season is over.

It was about 20 minutes I rode my bike until finally I get to Sermo Lake/reservoir. I could see the lake clearly, and it’s beautiful. I stopped for a moment to enjoy the view and took photograph. A few minutes later, I continued my tourism course to go around the lake. The landscape was beautiful. Many hills around the lake was creating good landscape. I really enjoyed the view. There were many people fishing, and indeed it is a good location for fishing. They get fishes like Tilapia or ikan Nila in Indonesian language and gouramy.

Waduk Sermo has great landscape view but in my opinion it should be available more attraction. I found boats dock, which provide visitors see around the lake. It costs IDR5000 per person to enjoy the lake from boat. Tourists must looking more attraction other than views and green trees like an amusement park or food stalls which sell special culinary. Looked around for a while, but I couldn’t find the things I want. Yes, I found several food stall, but what they sold are very common like bakso. What a pity for such beautiful place but no investor want to develop it. The government should be more concern about it.

Hope everyone will enjoy visiting Kebun Binatang Gembira Loka Zoo.

Glagah beach which positioned in the west side of Jogjakarta, precisely at Kulon Progo Regency, is becoming the area for eco tourism as it is a place to grow dragon fruits. The fruits which is from China has becoming more popular in Indonesia for the last 10 years.

Glagah Beach is about 25 kilometers from Jogjakarta. It is easy to get there by bus or rent motorcycle. There, we may enjoy dragon fruits juice or eaten as it is. Fishing would also be a great activity to be done, if you like. There is a river that will be a great location for fishing.

When you want to buy shoes when visit Jogjakarta you may go to many shoes shops. Recently there is a new place to buy shoes in Jogja, the place is at Jl. Mataram. It is street shoes shop that sells many shoes brand with good quality and affordable price when you are clever to bid. Just give you a tip, bid the price for half price offered by the seller, raise the price a little bit to get the right price.