21.5.15

Trip - Tasting Bandung



November 2014

We had a weekend getaway to Bandung.  Attended my cousin’s wedding and spent the whole weekend eating… and sleeping... and eating… and eating..
  
We left very early to avoid traffic, which was really nice because we got to see the best view in the morning. 

Arrived at lunch time and straight to Paskal Food Market. 

In the morning after, we did a bit walk to have Ambokueh, a Bandung delicacy.A portion of Ambokueh is a combination of  rice cakes, pork sausage, fresh cucumber, fried tofu, all in slices, topped with very thick sweet savoury dressing, garlic, and sambal. It has variety of textures i really like. Gooey, crunchy, crispy. But maybe this supposed to be a meal, not a snack. With full tummies, we crossed the road to the other destination, Nasi Campur Bintang. That on the left bottom corner, is one of my favorite things on earth. 

Always a space for Nasi Campur. 

Hainan rice, chasiu pork, roast pork, sweet pork satay, baso goreng, boiled egg, and chicken broth.


A portion of happiness.

Then a nap in the guest house. 


In the afternoon we decided to stroll to upper areas of Bandung. We made it to Kampung Daun. 


Black rice popsicle! YUM!

This place makes you want to plant a lot of plants. 



Can my home look like this? Or can i live here?


It seems quite but there were actually many people. We didn't even get a spot to dine in! 

We went to Saka Bistro instead to meet up this cutie. Little guy with big appetite!

Panna cotta with raspberry sorbet and passion fruit-strawberry coulis.



Didn't feel like to end the day we made the last hop to Jalan Braga to have some drinks. 
And snacks.
If you are confused about how much we could eat in a day, we are as confused as you are. 

On the last day we made a stop to buy Bandung's famous coffee, Aroma. 

The place is originally vintaged. They did not have to set up anything. Its rustic atmosphere with classic details made me didn't mind to be in the long line to buy their beans. 

Every corner of this place just caught my attention. 



We thanked Bandung and left early, again, to avoid the traffic.

Just one last stop, on the way home at Puncak, we stopped at one of our favorite restaurants, Amen. 
No, I meant the restaurant's name is really 'Amen.' 

Amen Restaurant serves Chinese food mostly. We always pay a visit when we pass Cipanas Area. Sometimes it's the only destination we're going. 
We always try a new dish we haven't tried before, we have never been disappointed, really. 

Black pepper beef, Stir-fried horenso, fried prawns with salted-egg sauce.. with so-right pickle. Amen to that. 

Can we zoom closer into that worth-to-eat cholesterol yes. 
I'm sorry prawns, i loved you so much, i ate you. 

Weekend well-spent. Now back to work,.. and always-fail-diets. 
I can't wait for my next trip of sleeping and eating. 

7.5.15

Explore - Insect Playground

September 2014

It was Paulo's birthday and we went exploring the surroundings of where i live. Paulo and Santi wanted to check habitats around hoping they would see a new species.
Me and Kitty, we just went along. 
It appeared as the day i started to be fond about the beauty of insects.

It took only a few minutes before they left us to sweep wider areas. 



We didn't want to cross that.


So on this corner of bushes, i was alone with this girl who has always been very uncomfortable (euphemism) about insects.

She didn't want to move much, she was just pointing at the flowers and tell me to take pictures.

So i did.



Until i see someone was watching me. 


Kitty was screaming out loud when i pointed out this little guy. But i was very curious. 


This part is when it realized that we were having eyes contact. or thousand eyes contact. 


In panic doing awkward moves while i was still watching him. 


I still see you, Jiminy Cricket.

It froze when i was walking around him. It pretended to be a leave. 

I really like to watch insect because they look like aliens. Or maybe humans always make the aliens look like insect, because these creatures have faces, but it is difficult for us to understand them anatomically. I think they look amazing. 

This kind has the same exact color like grass. It hanged on the weeds, this weeds grew beautiful spray of flowers.





There were many camouflages happening on this corner.


And of course, one of my favorite species..


I love it when dragonflies poses for pictures.



Of course, there were also butterflies.. 


So glad we arrived early enough to see these pretty creatures. 




Never have thought that i would have such a great feeling just to watch insects. 
Copyright © 2014 Natanoja