Planet Mole
Indonesia in Focus
Bandung Badly Polluted: West Java
By Barrie | 
No Comments » Nearby mountains and penetrating forests do not guarantee a city’s air quality, at least if West Java’s capital, Bandung, which sits 750 meters above sea level, is anything to go by. Bandung’s air pollutants are trapped by a combination of surrounding mountains and the city’s concave, bowl-like footprint, preventing their release into the upper atmosphere. Research conducted by experts at the Bandung Institute of Technology, using a series of air quality index boards, has shown city residents only enjoy about 55 days of clean air per year.
Blitar – A Range of Attractions: East Java
By Barrie | No Comments » 
There are many tourist attractions in Blitar, a city located right at the foot of Mount Kelud, and 167 kilometers from the East Java capital of Surabaya city, so it would be a pity if you miss it. Apart from the grave of Indonesia’s first president Soekarno, visitors can see a tourism village that sells jimbe drums, a product of Blitar’s home industries that are successfully breaking into export markets. It is better if you cancel any planned tour to Mount Kelud, located on the border between Kediri and Blitar regencies. This is because the volcano’s status is on high alert; the famous green lake in the caldera, a major attraction, has been closed to tourists.
Thousands at Risk from Volcano Lahar: Mount Guntur, West Java
By Barrie | No Comments » Thousands of people could face risk from volcanic lahar on Indonesia’s Java island as dams built to collect the material on the slopes could possibly begin to overflow, officials warned. The amount of lahar, a mix of mud and lava, from Mount Guntur in West Java has swelled after heavy rains and as locals continued to mine sand and stones, said Saut Simatupang, an official with Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation in the nearby town of Bandung an Antara News article explains.
Shopping in Bandung: West Java
By Barrie | No Comments » 
The epithets given to the West Java city of Bandung can be numerous and varied: such as, for its art deco buildings, it is called “the Paris of the East”; for its floral surroundings, “the Flower City”, and for its parks and gardens “the Garden City”. But it might also be awarded the title of “the Shoppers’ City”. With its numerous factory outlets, which now seem to be in practically every corner of the city, its famous — if not infamous — Jl. Cihampelas, the “shoe street” of Jl. Cibaduyut and the arrival of bigger and better malls, Bandung is maintaining its position as something of a shopper’s paradise.
Benjang Tradtional Game: Bandung, West Java
By Barrie | No Comments » 
Benjang is a traditional game that is believed to have been developed in the Islamic boarding schools of Ujungberung, Cobolerang and Cinunuk districts in Bandung regency. Benjang players usually pray to have fun and for fair play before a game. The instruments used in benjang include the terbang gendang (a conical-shaped drum resting on crossbeams and beaten with the hands), the bedug (a large drum suspended horizontally) and the trumpet. Sundanese songs are also performed. Benjang is a form of sumo-like fighting in which the main aim is to push your opponent out of the arena using your shoulders as you are not allowed to use your hands.
Tempeh in Indonesia
By Barrie | 1 Comment » Wherever you go in Indonesia, you will almost always be able to find some variety of tempe. There is, among others, tempe gembus, which is made from the sediment left over from the tofu-making process, and tempe benguk, made from the benguk bean. But the most popular and well known tempe is that made from soybeans as gastronome and epicurean el supremo Suryatini N. Ganie explains.
Cheap Flights to Java from Bali
By Barrie | No Comments » Recently launched flight service connecting Bali (Denpasar) and the East Java city of Malang recorded 100% load factors over its initial launch period which coincided with Indonesian national school holiday periods.
Turmeric: Indonesia
By Barrie | No Comments » Should you have time to study regional Indonesian recipes, you will see that turmeric frequently appears. Indeed, to many Indonesian cooks, this ingredient is indispensable.
August 17th, Hari Proklamasi Indonesia - Indonesian Independence Day
By Barrie | No Comments » Indonesians celebrate the proclamation of independence from 350 years of Dutch colonial rule. Festivities abound in cities and villages alike, organized by the government, neighbourhood community associations and organizations.
Indonesians in Focus: Ken Zuraida
By Barrie | No Comments » 
At 53, Ken Zuraida (Ida) still looks energetic and vibrant. When I met her for an interview one recent evening, the noted drama player wore a black suit and smoked a cigarette.
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