Ribka, a former colleague and close friend of Rashidah, invited the both of us to Malang to stay with her family during our fall break. Malang is the second largest city in East Java, Surabaya is the largest, and has a population exceeding 800,000 people. The climate in this region is significantly cooler due to its elevation than where I live in Jakarta, West Java. The temperature at night can approach freezing, while the days are a pleasant 20 C (68 F). In relation to the rest of Indonesia, Malang is a relatively cosmopolitan city as many Indonesians come to Malang for higher education.
Map of Java - Jakarta (Upper Left), Malang (Lower Right), Mount Bromo (Lower Right)
Rashidah and I arrived in the late afternoon and were set on having local cuisine. Ribka and her friend Raisa met us at the airport and kindly drove us to a local, fairly touristy restaurant not too far from the airport called Taman Indie River View Resto.
Entryway of Taman Indie River View Resto
Our Private Bungalow at Taman Indie
Tranquil Courtyard Behind Taman Indie
Raisa & Ribka
Delicious Indonesian Food
Delicious Indonesian Food
After an outstanding first meal in Malang I came across an amusing wooden carving of a wayang. This wayang is a large sculpture, however most wayangs are small intricately designed puppets made from buffalo hide and bamboo shoots over the course of several weeks. The word wayang may refer to the puppet itself or the physical theater where the performances with the shadow puppets take place. The performances are accompanied by gamelan music and tell romantic tales, classic Hindu and Buddhist stories, or local accounts of events. The play always climaxes with good conquering evil.That night we prepared for the highlight of our journey, a day-long excursion to Mount Bromo. Bromo is derived from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu creator god (Wikipedia). A group of Ribka's friends and us hired a valet to drive us through the night to Mount Penanjakan, 2770 m or 9,088 ft, that overlooks the valley of Mount Bromo. We had to leave Malang at 1 a.m. to make it in time for the sunrise. After several hours of sleeping, I woke abruptly to the sound of many raised voices. We had arrived at the base of Mount Penanjakan and needed to move from the warmth and comfort of our car to a harsh, metallic Jeep. I opened my door and was struck by the frigid air, I was under-dressed. Fortunately, I had my sarong with me; otherwise I would have frozen completely.
Arriving at Mount Penanjakan's peak, we exited and walked the additional 100 meters (300 ft) to the lookout. Mount Bromo is international know for having one of the best sunrises in the world, and it did not disappoint. Luckily, we had the perfect amount of cloud-cover for a picturesque and breathtaking sunrise.
Sunrise at Mount Bromo
Sunrise at Mount Bromo
Sunrise at Mount Bromo
Sunrise at Mount Bromo
I'm Freezing Cold, I Foolishly Only Packed Shorts
Mount Bromo
I'm Still Cold
Following the most memorable sunrise of my life, we ventured into the valley of Mount Bromo, 2,329 m or 7,641 ft, to see more of the land before actually scaling the active volcano.
Mount Bromo Valley
Mount Bromo Valley
Mount Bromo Valley
Mount Bromo Valley
Mount Bromo Valley
After our brief stint in Bromo's valley we headed for the active volcano, which has erupted a handful of times in the past ten years. According to Wikipedia:
"On the fourteenth day of the Hindu festival of Yadnya Kasada, the Tenggerese people of Probolinggo, East Java, travel up the mountain in order to make offerings of fruit, rice, vegetables, flowers, and sacrifices of livestock to the mountain gods by throwing them into the caldera of the volcano... Some locals risk climbing down into the crater in an attempt to recollect the sacrificed goods that they believe could bring them good luck."
Volcanic Sand Littering the "Sea of Sand"
Valley Overview from the Top of Mount Bromo
Steep Climb to the Top
I did my best to describe what it was actually like at the summit in my video...
Mount Bromo's Caldera
Mount Bromo's Caldera
Rashidah & I at the Summit
Mount Bromo
The Circle of Life
Our trek to and from Bromo took the majority of the day and left us exhausted. The remainder of our trip was much more relaxing. With Ribka as our tour guide, Rashidah and I ventured throughout Malang and its surrounding area. These are several of the highlights...
Rashidah at the Milk Store
I need to provide a little context for this picture. Milk and the majority of diary products are limited in Indonesia and those that are present are lousy. Thus, an actual Indonesian diary store that produces worthwhile milk is treated as a monument. The shop had both yogurt and milk beverages, and yes I both tried and enjoyed the apple and melon flavored milks.
Milk Store's Menu
Museum Angkut "Transportation Museum" Located Outside of Malang in Batu,
The Hungry Kitten I was pleasantly surprised to learn had pretty good western food, which is always a challenge to find anywhere in Indonesia.
I had a wonderful time in Malang. It may not be a mandatory stop for tourists, but it has character and some big hitters. Heck, I was able to see one of the most geologically unique formations in the world.
Special thanks to Ribka and her friend Raisa. You both were gracious hosts and generously drove Rashidah and I all over the place during our stay. We are incredibly grateful!
Ribka, Rashidah, & I
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