Friday, August 8, 2014

Bandung Trip - Back to Lembang Again

We planned to continue our journey around Lembang initially but bro needed to get back to his university to collect his graduation robe and attended briefing.

Therefore, we drove back to Bandung again.

Since the next day would be his graduation day and we expected heavy traffic jam, we booked three rooms around his university. While Bro went to settle his urgent matter, we were to check in and had some rest in the hotel.

But before we reached Bandung, we made one stop.

At a vihara (Buddhist temple).

Yes.

Another vihara.

Only now I realise that all over Indonesia is full of vihara.

Vihara Vipassana Lembang
The view from the car park
Everyday Buddha
The Hall of Ten Thousand Buddhas
The Statue of Reclining Buddha
You can get a fortune paper from that building

We did not really have time to spend time here so we kinda rushed off to pray and dashed back to the car. Bro then drove back to Bandung, dropped us at the hotel to check in, and left us.

Unfortunately, we encountered a few things here:

1. The room that we booked was taken by other people. There was apparently miscommunication between the hotel and Agoda that caused double booking. The front desk offered to give me 2 single room instead of 1 double room. We looked at the room and decided to just take 1 single room and get refund of the difference. However, we failed to notice that the room had no aircon, TV, and complimentary water bottle. So Dad suffered that night.

2. Our car's tyre was almost flat. Dad spent some time to settle this matter but nobody could find the tools inside the car. In the end, he asked the hotel staff to pump up the flat tyre as tentative measures.

Only after that we walk out of the hotel and had lunch at nearby restaurant. It was actually a restaurant for the students around so the price was so reasonable. Only for IDR 20000 (SGD 2.2) we could get a plate of rice, the main course, and mineral water. We ordered its beef ribs hot plate, beef ribs soup, and fried milk fish. And the winner was the hot plate!

Enak! Delicious! Haozi!

Bro met us afterwards and we continued our journey. Back to Lembang. This time, along the way (the same way that we had passed through twice at the same day), we made a stop at GH Universal Hotel. This hotel is famous for its Victorian architecture and a lot of people come here just to take pictures. Unfortunately, we were there when it was raining so we could not take good shots.

At the roof top fighting with the rain
At the second floor

We spent about 15 minutes there and paid the parking fee of IDR 2000 (SGD 0.22). We even used the washrooms too. :D

Bro then brought us back to Lembang to eat tahu (tofu). You may think we were crazy to drive long way to eat tofu. But this tofu is different. It is Tahu Susu Lembang (Lembang Milk Tofu). It is called tahu susu because it is made of the mixture of soya bean, cow milk, and butter. The texture of this tofu is so smooth and it is tasty.

While driving towards this place, you can see a gas-station-like structure, but actually it was a drive through area for Tahu Susu Lembang.

Cute, right? Photo source: pasundan.info

When we were there, there was nobody at this section. I thought it was closed due to fasting month. So we went inside.

One building consists of factory. It was empty too.
Another building. The place where you order and pay
In front of the payment counter, you can directly see the staff frying your tofu

As always, other people tend to be impersonators to successful business. I believe quite a number of fried tofu stalls in Bandung claim to be the same as Tahu Susu Lembang. That's why it is clearly stated on their sign board that they don't have any other branch.

We were there during the fasting month so the factory and the food court behind this building were empty. If not we could taste some other delicacies from tofu and even watch the production of tahu susu.

However we had no choice. We only could eat. 10 pieces of tahu susu goreng (fried milk tofu) cost IDR 12500 (SGD 1.4).

The pretty tahu susu goreng!
Eat the hot simple stuffs in the breezy afternoon of Lembang is just perfect

When we left this place, it was almost 6:00 p.m. Initially we intended to visit Rumah Stroberi (Strawberry House) but we did not have the time due to bro's schedule.

Lembang has so much to offer. There are many choices of leisure and you can just choose whether you want to eat, enjoy the scenery, play with your family, or any other things. You can just name it and Lembang has it.

Our next stop was Pasar Terapung Lembang (Lembang Floating Market). This area is also one of the unique travel choice when you are at Lembang. It was opened since 2012 and it is still well maintained until now.

Lembang Floating Market is a man-made tourism spot that offers a good scenery as well as dining experience. The entrance fee to this market is IDR 10000 (SGD 1.1) per person (including drink of your choice) and the parking fee is IDR 5000 (SGD 0.55).

Passing through the entrance, we saw two big lighted sign boards of the floating market. In front of us was a big pond and there were a row of tables and chairs by the side of the pond. We walked towards the main area of the floating market.

The entrance looks so traditional 
The sign boards in the shape of coins
Let's walk and admire the scenery!
Tables and chairs along the side of the pond. Romantic!
Gazebo nearer to the food stalls

When we turned and enter to the centre of the floating market, we could see row of small boats by the side of the platform. We bought some coins to do the purchase and started to select the foods we would like to have. The free drink (hot or cold, you choose) were redeemed here too.

The coins. Sorry it's blurred.

The row of cute boats selling the foods, mostly Bandung traditional foods
Kue gemlong was the first thing that we noticed and we bought

We sat at one of the tables along the platform and bought some small bites. We bought some kue gemlong (fried glutinous rice flour + coconut + sugar), pisang goreng (fried banana), and lotek (special Sundanese gado-gado).

The last bite of kue gemlong. So nice till they didn't let me take a snap first.
Fried banana with sprinkles of cheese and brown sugar. Brown sugar + cheese made the fried banana tasted special. 
Lotek is the Sundanese version of gado-gado. I don't know what kind of spices that are different but the smell of the peanut sauce is sharper and the taste is stronger.

We enjoyed the dusk for quite some time before lifting our lazy butts up. If not because of the closing time of that place, maybe we would sit for some more time.

We left Lembang Floating Market around 8:00 p.m. when the front door had already been locked. We made a big turn from the back gate and exit the place.

Our journey in Lembang ended at Floating Market.

Till the next time I see you, Lembang!


Love is in the air,
Little Feet

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