Rainy Trip

   

   Last week I went to Ciwidey area, Southern Bandung - West Java for a relaxation with some of my friends. We decided to use night train and rent a car with driver to pick us on the train station and take us to the cottage that we have been booked before. It only cost IDR 500.000 or US$ 50 per person. That all include return train tickets, snacks (instant noodles, frozen french fries, sausages and eggs) return pick up and drop off car, accommodation for 3 days and 2 night but exclude tourist object tickets and activities also meals. It is been raining a lot but I think it still great and cold since I need kind of refreshing and there won't be many people around.

Left to right: Lisna, Me, Rusma, Sari, Adis and Tika

   Those day Friday evening well rain again with all my backpacks I went to the mini market to buy bread and milk as an early dinner and take cash money. I only take IDR 300.000 (US$ 30). I took the train from Citayem station to Gondangdia station that only cost IDR 3.500 ( US$ less than half), then I continue to go to Gambir station (one of the station for outer city train) by Bajaj, it cost IDR 15.000 (US$ 1,5) quite expensive actually since the route is not too far but since I am in hurry and it was rain so it doesn't matter (this time haha). It still 6 PM while our train was at 8 PM so I decided to charge my phone on the station facility but poor me my charger isn't fit properly so I need to HOLD the charger for about 1,5 hours. We started to move when we heard that our train would be arrive in 10 minutes. Thankfully I got the window seat even its all dark but yeah still like it anyway. I choose to listen to my music and close my eyes for a bit. Chatting around and sell my stuff to my friend  well yea good for extra cash during the holiday :). We arrived around 11.30 PM on Bandung station. The car that we have rent was waiting on the gate, I went to the mini market again to buy crackers and drinks been so hungry on the train. It took about 2 hours from Bandung city to reach Ciwidey area. I was sitting in the front and I decided not to sleep so I can enjoy the night view, still interesting really. Especially the way at Ciwidey area. When we entered the rubber plantation it was so so dark and winding. Finally we arrived on Cimanggu cottage the freezing weather cover my body when I open my door and it makes me want to pee so bad. We took the key and drop our stuff inside the cottage and start tidy up our stuff, change clothes and sleep immediately. 

   The next morning after breakfast we straightly went to Kawah Putih (White Crater). We took the public car to get there from our cottage since it was near it's only cost IDR 2.000 per person (US$ less than half). We need to pay the entrance ticket that cost IDR 30.000 (US$ 3) but it's include

The mist came down

Ontang-Anting return tickets (a public car that take us to the crater). The distance between the main gate to the crater is about 6 Kilometer (Km). Small rain started to fall there are some umbrella renting men and mask seller. If you have those thing better use yours to cut the expenses. Because I thought it wasn't necessary to use the umbrella and mask since it wasn't rain at all and the sulfur wasn't smell that bad. The umbrella rent cost IDR 10.000 (US$ 1) and the mask cost IDR 5.000 (US$ half). We spent about 2 hours taking pictures and enjoying the views. We need to wait for the Ontang-Anting again to take us down. We stop at the local restaurant (couldn't say it as proper restaurant actually, just a small food stall with some tables and floor seats as we called as Lesehan, but if you want to feel how some traditional people in Indonesia eat you should eat there and that way. We don't use any spoon, fork even knife just our hand hoho). The rain getting bigger while we eating. I decided to lay down for a bit while looking at the camera pictures. That situation made us doubt to continue that day schedule since all of the activities that we have been planning are outdoors. Finally we decided to go back to the cottage for free leisure time. I choose to take a nap then finally soak on the private hot spring under the small rain HEAVEN !! After that we went to the local restaurant it's better than the first one for the prices and taste. Went back to the cottage start to packed our stuff again and close the day.

Strawberry farm

   After breakfast we decided to split up. Some of my friends want to see the Situ Patenggang (Patenggang Lake) while me and my friend are keen to go to the strawberry farm. We couldn't go to the both of the places because we got limited time before the car pick us up again. The strawberry farm was OK I couldn't say it was pretty great. Maybe it because a lot of rain and wasn't the harvest season so the strawberry wasn't that good as I got before. After got some the strawberry we went back to the cottage and drive down again to Bandung station. While waiting to our train we decided to go to the near by shop to buy thing for our family that we called Oleh-oleh. I bought 3 dunkin donut and ate it on the way back home. So tired but feel so fresh! Can't wait for my next trip :)

Here some more photos:

The cottage "Good morning sunshine"

Way to the cottage from Ciwidey area

Ontang-Anting terminal

Private hot spring

Bonus

Nostalgia Hiking Trip

  

 I have spent my uni internship on a National Park with some of my classmates. We learnt how to become interpreter, ticket officer, eco-tourism and tour planner. We spent about 40 days living inside the national park, mostly without electricity and far from houses. I might write about the internship later on other post :) .

   Last August when my sister was home she told me that she needs refreshing. We've been planning to go to the national park before so we decided to go there. Me, her and her friend took public transportation, such as train and public cars. Well it's quite crowded and we're having a long traffic since it Lebaran (Idul Fitri) for Moslem people. But when we entered the hills area the air became fresher and the driver takes another small road to get there. Oh yea before it we bough KFC for lunch, there will be no shop along the way up. 

   The ticket price is higher than the last time I was staying there, but still OK. It's only IDR 5.000 for local (around  half of US$). We took our lunch before hiking, honesty we are a little worried and weren't sure to continue our walk because it's kept raining and it's already 3 PM when we reach the main gate. But it would be waste if we just staying on the gate. So we packed our stuff back and continue hike the stair by stair. 

   There are not many people on the way up, just couple groups from other cities. I could recognize by their accent that sounds so different with mine. Since it's been long time that I haven't go on hiking again it's quite tiring actually feel so old at that moment LOL. We decided to take a rest on the first shelter. Having chit chat and get some drink. After 10 minutes we continue our walks again. It still raining when we reach the waterfall. Pretty sad that we've ate our lunch down there and we only have snack and fruits to be eaten, bah still alright! I jumped on the waterfall to take some pictures and feel the water. We spent around an hour before we walk down the stairs.

   We don't have anybody else than us on the way back. Getting pretty scary after we heard some strange noises and some shadow ah let say it's the voice of mother nature (well need to calm down myself too) haha. My sister walk and run so fast when its getting darker, I just tried to relax by singing on each step. It was so heaven when we saw the light and the last stair. We kept walking and stop a bit on the main gate. Suddenly the hard rain poured out. We open our umbrella but it was too hard and windy. With soaked body we finally found a public car to take us to the main road. We stopped on a Padangnese restaurant to get our dinner. I choose grilled chicken (ayam bakar) with rice and warm jasmine tea. After that we took a bus to bring us home. End of journey :)

 Here's some of the pictures:

  

Fresh From Lisa's Kitchen - Shrimp and Chicken Dumpling

   Since I was a kid those chicken dumpling became my precious meal. At that moment the price was quite expensive for me so I just ate it couple times after the Sunday school, where there are some Chinese people sell it on the church. Even now the price is still quite expensive if we compare to other. For example the one that I ate on the nearly hospital was IDR 17.000/box (4 big pieces). For your information US $ 1 is equal with IDR 10.000 (approximately). But with that number I can get a plate of rice, chicken and veggies in a small local restaurant a.k.a Warteg.

   The curiosity and the hunger leads me to learn how to make those dumpling. Then voila I found some recipes and combine into the easy one. I went to near supermarket to buy the ingredients and here I go!

Shrimp and Chicken Dumpling

Skin

1. A pack of Wonton/Dumpling skin
2. A carrot, peel the skin and grate it to put on the top of dumpling as garnish

Filling
1. A quarter kilo of shrimp, peel the skin and blend it but don't be to long to get its texture
2. A quarter kilo of chicken breast, blend it but don't be to long to get its texture
3. 2-3 Chive leaves, cut it into small pieces
4. 4-5 spoonful of tapioca flour
5. 1-2 spoonful of wheat flour
6. An egg to stick all the ingredients

Seasoning
1. Fish sauce
2. Sesame oil
3. Pepper
4. Sweet and sour sauce or peanut sauce to serve the dumpling with
* I didn't put any measurement because it's depend on what you like

How to make
1. Prepare the steamer
2. Pour out the filling and seasoning in a big bowl, mix it up into a batter
3. Take a piece of dumpling skin and put a spoonful of dumpling batter in the middle of it
4. Wrap it and put grated carrot on the top
5. Steam the dumpling for 15-20 minutes and ready to serve with sweet and sour or peanut sauce

The step on pictures:

My Days In Bali

I spent a year and 3 months living in Bali and that was incredible. I have worked really hard at 2 companies but still I can spent my quality time enjoying the beaches, sunset, music, the aroma and the people itself. I often go to Kuta beach while having KFC as my lunch and enjoy its sunset after work. The last house that I rent is on Mataram street behind the famous Legian street. I can hear all of the noises especially on Friday or Saturday night from the balcony. Even when the last new year eve I could enjoyed the firework at home.
Before I got the motorbike I used to walk with my feet to work. Through Poppies Lane II every morning and every night. Just wear a short pant, a T-shirt, a pair of rubber sandals and a swing or a backpack. What a peacefully working day! It was so different when I work in the big city like Jakarta. We need to well dressed to go to work and need to take a long road to reach the office. While I only spent like hundred walks to work. I spend my free time riding the motorbike to go to some places, mostly beaches or going to round the city or shopping center to buy my daily needs. I prefer to watch Dvds at night and talking to my friend through skype. No partying haha well back to basic I was working there not for any holiday even so sometimes :). Here's some pictures that I took with my phone, enjoy!

Kuta sunset from my balcony

Spending lunch on Kuta

A hidden surfing paradise near Uluwatu Temple

Rice field 

Thanks to my boss by rent this barbie motorbike for me

Where's everyone?

Pork satay "heaven"

Favorite bfast menu, want that bacon again!

Greetings from Indonesia..

  Aloha! This is my very first time to make my personal English blog. Hopefully I could learn and practice more English. My name is Lisa Ferani Takaria. Born on March 10th 1989 in Jakarta, Indonesia. My dad has passed away last couple months in May 2013, he is Ambonese mixed up with Netherland while my mother is purely Javanese. I have 1 older sister and 1 older brother. We are now live in a city in the South of Jakarta. I have finished my study in a tourism academy with travel majoring, been go to some places around Indonesia for fun, learning, and working. At the moment I have opened an online business and work as a freelance. I love traveling and photography so much but that just  pieces of my whole hobbies. Nowadays I have been enjoying cooking, one thing that far from my mind. But it's was pretty cool! Creating new stuff lots of experiment and yet tasty yum~ 

Most of people would say that I am a "tomboy" girl but honesty sometimes I like to wear makeup, putting up some accessories, mix and match the wardrobe or even take some girly self pictures haha. Yea this is me. I also wandering why there are so many things that I like to do. So many things that I can't express with any words of  who am I or what type of person I am. But beside of that I know that I am the only me and it's so fun to enjoy the up side down becoming me. I am really sorry if you find any difficulties reading my blog. Well we don't have to always understand but enjoy the show *wink* thanks anyway to come and visit my blog hope you a good life!  xoxo