"HOLIDAY IN TOPU CITY"

Distance is always a consideration when planning a weekend wanders. Until now West Java is still a favorite place to go for Jakarta residents. Since it’s not too far from the capital city, West Java also has quite a few different views and climates. With relatively fresh air, green paddy fields and tea gardens, this area serves as a comfortable place for visitors from Jakarta, who are daily engulfed by the city’s hectic surrounds.

Puncak, Lembang and Bandung are most the most visited places, even thought there are some other places to go, like Sumedang, which is interesting enough to explore in the weekends. This small city famous for its tofu can be reached in 3 hours from Jakarta. Aside from its beautiful scenery, Sumedang offers a variety of sports, history, and tombs, not to mention its rich culture.

This weekend of yours can start by visiting Kampung Toga, about 3km from the city hall of Sumedang. Here, you can jumpstart your adrenalin by trying air sports, paragliding, or hang gliding.

The land base at Bukit Toga is considered the most ideal for beginners who want to feel a flying sensation in the speed of 15-40 km/hour above the earth. Kampung Toga Resort at Bukit Toga, the distance between take off and the landing spot is not that great, only 600 meters with a height of only 800 meters, which is different to any other land bases in West Java, ”It’s just the right measurement for beginners”.

Even if it is your first time, you don’t have to be afraid on jumping. For beginners there will be instructors ready to accompany you and when the wind is stable you will have the chance to control the direction of the hang glide or the paraglide. To fly in tandem, you’d better come in the weekends, because the instructors are only available during weekends in Kampung Toga, unless you make a reservation first. Syamsudin admits this limitation, for there are only two instructors for tandem in West Java who have completed 2000 flights-quite impressive!

No need of any special equipment for this sport because, unlike parachute jumping, landing with hang gliding or paragliding is a lot softer. The cost for tandem fly is Rp.100,000,- if you are used to doing such flight – at least 60 times in there different places – you can fly alone without being accompanied by an instructor. And if you already have a license, you can easily to fly in this area – for free. There are 7 parachutes available here.

Jumpers have come from Bandung, Bogor, Jakarta and even Malaysia to try it. For a relaxed fly, one had better chose morning time between 9 to 12 AM or after 2 PM.

Unfortunately this sport is dictated by weather. “This kind of sport is dependent on weather with wind being unpredictable” said Syamsudin. “But even if you can’t make it out, at least you can enjoy the beautiful view of Toga hill.”

FROM CUT NYAK DIEN TO DANCING HORSE

Coming down from Kampung Toga, a tomb-site is interesting to visit. Above a small hill near the governmental office of Sumedang is the tomb of Cut Nyak Dien, a women patriot from aceh. Cut Nyak Dien, an Aceh noble descendent born in 1848, along with her husband Teuku Umar, was known for her struggle against the Dutch colonial for 16 years until she was defeated and exiled to Sumedang, where she stayed until her death in 1908.

Cut Nyak Dien’s tomb is continuously visited by Acehnese and other from all over Indonesia. According to the tomb keeper, police troops sent on duty to Aceh usually visit this tomb first “to fray for one’s safety while in Aceh” he said, Besides Cut Nyak Dien’s tomb, at this cemetery there are also tombs of Sumedang’s Royal Family.

From the tomb of Cut Nyak Dien, one can take a historical trip to Geusan Ulun Museum at Jl. Prabu Geusan Ulun 40 (about 50 meters south from the city hall. At this two-hectare area, Sumedang Larang kingdom’s inheritance is stored. There are 6 old regent’s houses used as storage of these items.

Until the year 1950, Sumedang was always ruled by a royal descent. Even the museum is run by royal family foundation. Those who are in it have collected those remainders of Sumedang kingdom to be stored and looked after by Geusan Ulun Museum.

One of its precious inheritances is the Binukasi (male) and Siger (female) crown, made of gold and stored in Pusaka building as proof of Padjadjaran kingdom surrendering its power to Sumedang. So precious is the crown, that the museum felt it necessary to make a duplicate. It’s the duplicate that is used for wedding ceremonies of the royal family.

The museum also allows borrowing royal carts from Kereta building to complete the wedding ceremony. The celebrity, Paramitha Rusady once used the crown and the cart at her second wedding. Every Sunday, children studying Serimpi dance to Gamelan. They practice using still-functioning gamelans that date back hundreds of years.

At the end of the road you can see Kuda Renggong and Kuda Silat show. Actually this show can only be seen the festival on September 10 or a big ceremony. But if you want to put more effort into wandering to one of the villages, you can always find them since there are hundreds of art horses like that in Sumedang.

The show itself is quite interesting Wearing colorful dresses, Renggong horses gracefully dance to gamelan music played by 13 people, while Silat horses act as if human-like making martial art-like movements.

Renggong horses and Silat horses have become the most favored attraction in a wedding or circumcision feast. The circumcised prince will be put on top of the show’s is followed by a Silat horse attraction.

Unfortunately these days, not many people are attracted to come and see this show, and the cost of preserving these horses in quite expensive. “if within a month we only have one order, while those horses get little supplement. The supplement starts from B12, B complex, and extra-blood vitamint injection, eggs and not to mention grass mixture. Every day it works out to about 10 kilogram per horse,” Djuju said, one of the Renggong horse owners. Fortunately Djuju is determined to perpetuate this culture.

"Gently for Gents"

Upon entering Prana Spa, one is delightfully disorientated…….,Middle Eastern architecture and striking designs warp you into a different world. Now, care for some ‘Turkish Delight’ ?

Smack-dab amidst the busting narrow traffic causeways fringing Legian and Seminyak is Prana Spa, an inseparable countepart to the equally striking presence of The Villas, which serves as a parallel sanctuary, and Chill, the favorite stopover for reflexology and kneading.

The palms and stylized arches so apparent in their stance, reflecting the notion of an oasis in the clamor of busy Seminyak,

Crossing the road from the Bali Deli, where free parking means ‘no sweat’ for Prana Spa guests, and past the gift shop in its foyer, I got the first glimpse of the garden and restaurant when proceeding towards the flight of stairs up to the reception.

After being greeted by the petite smiling ladies and served a refreshing ginger lemon tea, I further admired the interior the interior design and displays before meeting Prana’s Nicoline and Sascha, who gave me sneak-preview of the updated menu. Still fresh in my mind were the warm streams of oil dripping on my forehead during my last experience, the ayurvedic Shirodara treatment.

And was in for a surprise, “Prana and Chill has seen quite significant numbers of male guests in the previous months, ranging from 35-45% of the total guest,” explained Nicaline, who being in charge of the marketing and sales closely scrutinizes these types of statistics.

Sascha on the other hand, as the spa consultant and the one who arranges the various interesting packages, was happy to elaborate on these new additions directed specifically towards the gents.

During this chat, I found among the new additions the Prana Spa’s Male Package, a treatment that starts with tension relief via deep pressure massage, breaking down tensely knotted tissue as well as improving circulation and easing stress. The package also includes a refreshing facial, a gentle exfoliation sequence and steam. A hydrating mask of sandalwood is applied to the skin to restore a fresher complexion.

Then I was in for an extra surprise. “You’ll be having our all-new Turkish Delight,” exclaimed Sascha, “Those plump little sugar-coated jelly candy squares? I thought I was in for a spa treatment,” I responded. But then I came to realize it was the new male package….the name pun for the treatment inspired by and comprising a Turkish Bath, or ‘Hammam”. Now that surely brought me glimpses of wrong prejudice.

And to my sight of relief, there was no harsh rubbing and kneading in some steam room or beating-like massage by a heavily-built masseur. And going through the new spa pamphlets describing this package, it is surely focused on the rather esthetic side of spa experiences, “Okay, Istambul here I come !”

Prana Spa’s Turkish Delight is a 2-hour treatment comprising steam and exfoliation inspired by the Turkish Hammam. Hammam, or Turkish bath, is the Midle Eastern variant of a steam bath, which can be categorized as a wet relative of the sauna. In Western Europe, the Turkish bath as a method of cleansing the body and relaxation was particularly popular during the Victorian era. The process involved in taking a Turkish bath is similar to that of a sauna, but is more closely related to the bathing practices of the Romas.

Taking a Turkish bath firstly involves relaxing in a room (known as the warm room) that is heated by a continuous flow of hot dry air, allowing the bather to perspire freely. Bathers may then move to an even hotter room (known as the hot room) before splashing themselves with cold water. After performing a full body wash and receiving a massage, bathers finally retire to the cooling-room for a period of relaxation.

In Prana’s version, you begin with the hot and cold plunge pools situated in the palace styled courtyard. The plunge pool starts the process of stimulating blood circulation by immersing the whole body first in warm water and then in cold, there minutes each.

As I was soothing in the final plunge pool of warm water, a beautiful therapist walked down into the atrium and gestured that I should follow her into the misty and high intensity steam chamber. Candri was her name, a pleasant and graceful soul and skilled therapist as well. She led me into the mist and steam of the chamber, and sprayed from a bottle what seemed to be scented water.

Then a combination of an invigorating full body exfoliation and a massage in the rain shower left my skin soft and smooth and revived. After this mild version of a Hammam experience, Candry escorted me into the cream bath salon to enjoy ab hour long hair and scalp treatment. Seated in the cool and dim salon, combined with the soothing scalp massage delivered by well-trained hands, I could have easily dozed off.

Then close to the end, back to relity, I was wide awake drinking a refreshing ginger and lemon tea plus sampling a small plate of Turkish delightful indeed…and you don’t have to go as far as the Middle East !

"Colorful, Communal"

From June 26-28 this month, along the rural pathways and roads of Bali you will see the celebrative ambience of Galungan and Kuningan, two of major holidays for the Balinese Hindu.

The beautiful and artistic bamboo poles erected along Bali’s roadsides signifies Galungan, while the celebrants dress up in their unique-only-to-bali attire and the traditional festive music resonates throughout the villages. Temples are thronged by the masses and the people feast merrily on food and cakes in between worship and blessing ceremonies, and such grand productions do take a great deal of preparation and coordination.

Legend has it that the Balinese commemorate Galungan as the legendary victory of God Indra in a long and furious battle against the self-proclaimed God-King Mayadewa. Powerful Mayadewa was thought invincible and considered the strongest God in the Universe, claiming there was no god but him. Commoners were made to worship him instead of God or receive dreadful punishments.

Angry, the people revolted but were massacred by the king. An army contingent from Java’s Majapahit Kingdom was also easily defeated. Then Indra descended from heaven to help the poor, battling Mayadenawa in a test of power.

The battle raged at Tampaksiring, the Gianyar home of today’s presidential palace and the sacred Tirta Empul Temple. After a long and tiring fight, Mayadenawa turned himself into a pig to fool the army, but this did not fool Indra. Knowing that there was no way to hide, Mayadenawa ran through a dense forest on the sides of his feet, hoping Indra and his army would not recognize his footprints. This area is known today as Tampak Siring, meaning “the sideways footprints”.

Indra was too smart to be fooled by this however, and his magic arrow eventually ended the rebelling king’s existence. The defeat of Mayadenawa has since been celebrated as Galungan, a day of victory, dharma over adharma, good over evil, and the Balinese erect bamboo poles to commemorate the victory, symbolizing that good stands upright against evil.

The festive Kuningan Day on July 7 finds thousands Of Hindu worshipers from various corners of Bali visiting the Sakenan Temple on Pulau Serangan, a tiny island south of Denpasar. The Sakenan Temple, along with Besakih Temple, is among the first, few, and most important temples built by the respected Javanese priest Mpu Kuturan before the turn of the second millennium. The priest Danghyang Nirartha built other beachside temples, including the famous and picturesque Tanah Lot, Uluwatu, and Rambutsiwi at the beginning of the sixteenth century.

Sakenan also has the special privilege of housing Dewi Sri, the goddess of rice, the symbol of wealth and prosperity, it also happens that the temple anniversary falls on Kuningan (yellow) Day, the color symbolizing gold (prosperity) and the god Wisnu, preserver of the universe. Worshippers arrive at the temple and pray at the shrine of Dewi Sri for the prosperity of their rice, or more accurately, their business.

Kuningan is celebrated every 210 days, a cycle known as “one otonan year”, Uniquely, Serangan is also home to one of Bali’s oldest Islamic mosques, established by the Bugis fleeing capture in Sulawesi by the Duth colonial army. There is both a Muslim cemetery and a Hindu cremation ground on the island, and the bi-cultural Serangan seems problem free. In fact, the skilled Bugis traders are the “suppliers” of the green turtles needed by the Balinese on festive days. The Bugis community does not eat turtle, since islam prohibits its followers from eating animals living in two worlds, water and land.

Closing the 210-day cycle and culminating with Galungan on June 27, it is also a time for the Balinese Banjar neighborhood associations to conduct their “annual” meetings. As with every other religious celebrative day, Galungan in so important in the Balinese lifecycle that everyone is supposed to return to his or her home village.

"Bali Resort"

Bali is an island in its own right but not many visitors realize that there are several smaller island within easy reach. There is "Nusa Penida", a formal penal colony for the miscreants of Klungkung Regency, also which is home to bali’s most ‘angker’ ( spooky ) temple, "Nusa Menjangan", off the north coast, also a great attraction for surfers and dolphin watchers. Just a short journey from Bali’s "Benoa Harbour" is Nusa Lembongan, where you will find a stark contrast from the busy town of Denpasar and the heaving tourist areas of Kuta and Tuban.

The population of "Nusa Lembongan" is largely fishermen and sea-weed farmer with their families, who are happy to greet visitors and will gladly show you around. The island is similar in climate to the bukit at Bali’s southernmost point and the amount of rainfall is minimal. The beaches are delightful and there are secluded bays with golden sand beaches with are ideal for sun-bathing, snorkeling and shallow diving.

One good way to see the island is to take an all-day ‘island cruise’ with Bali hai. The company has been transporting people to various destinations since 1990 with a zero accident record and offers some excellent deals in variety of different crafts. You can take the catamaran or an ocean raft but the super three-deck Catamaran, Bali Hai II, has to be the best. Jet propelled engines and a computerized hydraulic motion dampening system, makes for a smooth ride over of the most capricious stretches of water in the world-the four kilometer deep trench known as the Lombok Strait, But don’t worry, Nusa Lambongan is a lot closer!

Your welcome aboard will be something to remember as you will be greeted by Legong dances and a photograph will be taken for you to keep as souvenir. If you have children, they will be given a coloring book to occupy their time while on the journey.

You arrival at Nusa Lembongan will be at Bali Hai’s own specially built pontoon and this is really an artificial island providing a wide range of activities, which includes banana-boat rides, snorkeling, diving, parasailing and an underwater tour in a semi submersible craft. This has seats facing windows which you can view a wonderful assortment of undersea life.

Some people are happy to stay on the Bali Hai Pontoon, but the more adventurous may go ashore to the beach Club in Tanjung Sanghyang Bay. This is a large complex facing a white-sand beach and you will see rows of brightly-coloured outrigger fishing boats (jukung).

The whole set-up is ideal for families and for people who want some peace and relaxation. There’s a swimming pool whit waterfalls, a playground for the children, massage and manicure services and even a Ping-Pong table. But who goes to a tropical island to play Ping-Pong? You’d be surprised!

If a day trip isn’t enough, you can stay in one of the Bali Hai Tide Huts and these are pleasant, air-conditioned and raised up quite high whit access by ladder.

An enjoyable alternative to cruising whit ‘Bali Hai’ is to combine the excellent resources of ‘Sail Sensations’ and the ‘Nusa Lembongan Resort’ as these are both under the same ownership.

Set sail at 9 am Bali’s Benoa harbour on one of the island’s premier motorised catamatan for either an exciting and stimulating day trip or plan to stay longer at very stylish, yet tranquil, Nusa Lembongan Resort.

On a day-excursion you will have the opportunity to take part in the operation of the vessel or you can simply relax in the care of your own personal assistant and enjoy the ‘continental style’ breakfast.
Upon arrival at Lembongan you will be taken by tender to ‘The Anchorage’ and this is Sail Sensations’ special day facility on a terraced area above the white sand beach. It is a superb place for just taking it easy or from where to embark upon a number of marine activities. Swimming and snorkeling are safe and not too energetic and rides in glass-bottomed boats or banana boats are also available. The coral is definitely worth seeing so I recommended that if you to get a good view.

There are a number of tours on offer which give you a change to explore the rural scenery and village life of the island and one tour will take you through the msngroves in a canoe.

Lunch is a social occasion and a barbeque buffet is provided in the garden of the Anchorage. The food and the atmosphere are excellent. The day excursion leaves Nusa Lembongan at 4 pm and returns to Benoa at 5 pm.

Another option is to take the ’Twilight Sensation’ which is available every Friday. Saturday and Sunday evening. This is a delightful cruise and the luxurious catamaran becomes your floating restaurant for two and a half hours while you enjoy a fascinating fine-dining experience with a six-course gourmet feast, starting with cocktails on the fore deck and continuing whit dinner in the dining room.

For those who don’t want to do everything in one day, a stay at the Nusa Lembongan Resort is recommended. Twelve spacious guest villas, ensconced in gardens on a headland overlooking Sanghyang Bay, all feature elegant bedrooms with private terrace, air conditioning, private bar, international telephone connection, tea and coffee-making facilities and you even get a CD Hi-Fi stereo system.