𝐼𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠 - 𝑇𝑤𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑

If you come into contact with Indonesians, often one of the first questions is: how do you like the food here? From my own experience, the first thing you notice about the food in Indonesia is that it takes some getting used to. At least from a European point of view. So that you don't have to search Google Maps for restaurant and cafe recommendations on your next trip to Jakarta like we did, I'm going to share my five favorite cafes with you in today's post. Since we live in the west of Jakarta, the following cafes are all located in this region and are perfectly within walking distance. Tián banana 甜 x 13coffee We discovered this café very spontaneously, because we were actually looking for a hearty breakfast and found here the perfect snack for in between. We tried the fried bananas with cinnamon and chocolate. I can only heartily recommend both varieties. Optional savory toppings include cheese, almonds, dark chocolate and oatmeal, apples and walnuts, and pistachio berr...

Maybe you have already heard someone talk about their experience of Indonesia. Possibly the one or the other of you has also heard the sentence: "If you already go to Indonesia, do not go to Bali, but Lombok, Sumatra, Sulawesi and on the many other islands". There are so many beautiful places in Indonesia outside of Bali, whereby I do not want to talk Bali badly with it. I just want to say that Indonesia is more than the famous island of Bali. Patricia, I and our other 2 friends, went to Sumatra to the Gunung Leuser National Park this weekend and made a 3 day tour. We saw Orangutans, Thomas Langur, Macaques and many other species of monkeys and animals that live in this national park. Arrival: We arrived at the airport in Medan relatively late in the evening. There we were picked up by a driver from the company that organized our Orangutan tour for the next 3 days and were then driven to our accommodation, which is located at Bukit Lawang in the national park.   Day 1: Here,...

Street Food. For some, adventure, some comfort food, or rather fear and terror. There is plenty of it in Asia and thus of course also in Indonesia. Here in Jakarta, where we spend most of our time, you can't get a few meters from the spot without stumbling across a street serenade. At the same time, you can have all kinds of food prepared at such a serenade. From drinks like the popular lemon tea, to crepes, to nasi rice and Mie Goreng, and in an incredible number of variations. If nasi and mie are not familiar terms; nasi is rice, mie is noodles and goreng means fried.      Very popular are the chicken skewers, in Indonesian "Ayam Sate" which are grilled over coconut shells and taste incredibly good. Avocado, for example, is served here as a dessert drink with chocolate, unlike the avocado toast you might be used to. This may seem strange to some, but it is a very common drink in Asia. The avocado is mixed with syrup and condensed milk and liquid chocolate. Also popular ...

Ever taken a batik course? Batik is a widespread traditional craft originating in Indonesia. Especially here in Java, it is widespread. In Germany, batik is often seen as a simple dyeing technique. Here, fabrics are tied with strings and dyed several times. In Indonesia, this technique is called "Plangi". The original batik, as it is known here in Indonesia, is much more complex and over a thousand years old.  In this process, the patterns are painted by hand on the fabric with hot wax water. These areas then remain white when dyed and do not take on color. Each pattern has a specific meaning, and some may only be worn on special occasions. Batik is a popular form of formal wear in Indonesia. Especially at weddings and other celebrations, such garments are very popular. It is an important part of Indonesian identity and is often perceived positively by tourists as well. Colorful and unusual patterns are especially popular.   In Indonesia, a distinction is made between two typ...

Bali is quite beautiful. It is already clear why it is one of the most well-liked travel destinations in the world, and for some people, it will always be. Without a doubt, the phrase "Eternal Summer" exists. Bali is well-known and wonderful as more than just a vacation destination. It draws a lot of tourists and adventurers to Java's neighboring island. Bali is well-known for its beaches, smoothie bowls, and avocado toasts as well as for being the only island in Indonesia where the Hindu religion is still predominately practiced. For some, the information may even be new, however, for others, it may already be common knowledge. We were able to see on our trip to Bali that the people are also incredibly kind and open-hearted. I can only advise taking a break from the well-known tourist hotspots and overcrowded touristy streets, as well as spending some time outdoors in nature, but caution is always advised. Especially due to the Apes. Here, one should thoroughly infor...

... you never knew before  About Indonesia, as about any country, there are many funny and strange facts. Even in Germany there is one or another custom, which many people in the world would consider crazy. I have now spent a few weeks here in Indonesia and got to know new things, which I did not see on the Internet.  So today we have 10 fun Indonesian facts that you probably didn't know about.    1.      Rice instead of fries in the McMenu   That rice is eaten at any time, three times a day I was already aware after the first day. But when I saw rice in the McMenu, it was too much for me. It is offered right on the menu and optionally they offer fries. Normally the rice is chosen.   2.       Ketchup vs. "Kecap"  Watch out when you order ketchup with your chicken in Indonesia. The word "Kecap" has the same pronunciation here. 3.       Luwak coffee  The name comes from a small sp...

Ring making on Bali One of the many Crafts someone could possibly stumble upon is the crafting of jewellery. Bali is a major producer of f ashion jewellery and also inspires many current jewellery designs. The utilization of small silver spots to create a pattern or beautiful texture is a Balinese specialty, as is the creat ion of extremely fine filigrane work. Because the heat must be precisely regulated to fuse the thin wire or silver spots to the underlying silver without damaning it, this is regarded as an extremely skilled method. Balinese art rarely uses casting techniques and is almost exclusively produced by hand. Last week my other fellow students of Germany, Patricia and I tried a ring making workshop in Ulu Watu in Bali and it was an absolutely amazing experience! Of course, we took you with us and I’m about to give you some insights, so each of you might get an idea, what it takes to make jewellery, or in this case a ring. 1. So first you have to choose a ring from...