What does it mean if I’m already losing track of days?…..
I spent the rest of Monday exploring Bogor, including their esteemed Botanical Gardens - beautiful. Monday night was uneventful, except for brief entertainment from a VERY drunk VERY red faced German man who staggered into the hotel around 11pm. Surprisingly, he’d had too much to drink during dinner and, ala Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, decided to crash a traditional Indonesian wedding down the street. “Nobody there knew a white guy could dance like I did!”, he said. Hmm. Let your imagination run wild. He really was remarkably intoxicated, it turns out in part due to “zese delicious drinks zey kept pouring me” -use your best German slur for that one-.
I left Bogor yesterday morning, stayed the night in Cipanas, a small resort town in the gorgeous Garut valley in the shadow of several volcanos…famous for their hot springs which surrounded my hotel and fed the hotel water supply. It was quite lovely. I left Cipanas via Garut this morning, connected inTiksamalaya -or just Tiksa as the locals call it- and have landed now in Pangandaran…a black sand beach town on the southern coast of Java. I’m staying right across the beach, and making my way to an Indonesian restaurant in town renowned for their seafood. Yum! Too bad there’s no wine with dinner…..
It has been planes trains and automobiles over the past two days, except more like angkot, minivans, jeeps, economy buses and becoks. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking and undescribable…maybe just like you think Indonesia should look like, and more so. Its incredibly undeveloped and almost overgrown with tropical plants we all try to coax to grow - here they are HUGE and carpet the landscape!
I’m taking a break from traveling for now, and spending the rest of the week here, relaxing on the beach, indulging in seafood, and touring the beach towns around here.
Oh! Here’s a link to Java, so you can check out my route….http://www.lonelyplanet.com/mapshells/south_east_asia/java/java.htm
Bogor -halfway between Jakarta and Bandung
Garut and Cipanas - halfway between Bandung and Ciamis
Pangandaran-directly south of Ciamis
August 10th, 2005 at 6:40 am
A small town in the shadow of volcanoes, surrounded by hot springs; black sand beaches. Quite descriptive, thanks, of what must be incredible settings! We’re getting very ‘jealous’ here, love, WW
August 10th, 2005 at 12:30 pm
Oh Gab, that sounds beautiful and wonderful! I want to see! Thank you for keeping us posted! Love, Rae
August 10th, 2005 at 5:12 pm
where shall i meet you? i’m on my way. heeeheeee……….. i need a job first.
you’re doing great i see?! i love it. i want pics. i want to see your smilin’ face. miss u