𝐼𝑠𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐻𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠 - 𝑇𝑤𝑜 𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑙𝑠 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑎𝑑

Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is not only a melting pot of cultures, but also a place where different religions coexist peacefully. Among them are, for example, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. Two impressive religious sites that symbolize this are the Istiqlal Mosque and the Jakarta Cathedral.  Istiqlal Mosque: A Symbol of Independence The Istiqlal Mosque, whose name means "independence" in Arabic, is not only the largest mosque in Southeast Asia, but also a masterpiece of architecture. It was opened in 1978 and stands proudly amidst the bustling traffic of Jakarta. Its impressive minaret rises 96 meters into the air and can be seen from afar.       The mosque serves as a symbol of Indonesia's independence from Dutch colonial rule. Its construction began shortly after the country's declaration of independence in 1945 and took several decades to complete. The impressive interior of the mosque can accommodate up to 200,000 worshippers and exudes an aur...

  Rubber Plantation in Sumatra Have you ever seen a rubber plantation? - I haven't. I only know about rubber plantations from videos that were shown to me on TikTok or Instagram.  Here is a short backstory before I start with the actual topic: Village life in Bukit Lawang takes place along the river. 🌊Many Indonesians come to Bukit Lawang to spend a few days on vacation and get some distance from everyday life. We were often asked for selfies; since Kristina and I are fair-skinned and blond, we were obviously the exotic😂. If it is not a selfie, one is stubbornly looked at or is secretly photographed. Since the direct approach was us but a lot rather. 📸 There are no ATMs in Bukit Lawang, and you can nowhere pay with the card.🏧  There is only one office where you can withdraw money for a relatively high fee. The easiest way is to stock up with enough cash on the course or at the airport and pay everything in cash on the spot.  Behind the accommodation, where we had...

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...