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Kamis, 20 Januari 2011

Wine & Cheese Event

Painters and Artists League at Gateway (PALS), held a Wine & Cheese on Friday, Jan. 14th for the community. An event where we could show our artwork and mingle with friends and neighbors. In addition to serving wine, shrimp, and appetizers, cheese was the featured dish.

Speaking of cheese, Roquefert was once my favorite. Now its substitute Blue Cheese is being used instead in most restaurants. My children called these cheeses “stinky feet” cheese. Their favorite, of course, was the chewy mild cheese that squeaked on their teeth as they chewed. We bought “squeaky” cheese in bite-sized pieces from a local dairy and brought it home in plastic bags. My kids were also big on “wrapped” American cheese slices and string cheese which my boys shoved up their noses to ape a walrus.

Goat cheese is one of my favorites, but it’s hard to get good quality; some are simply too strong. I swear I can smell the hair and body oil of the goats I fed on my aunt’s farm years ago. Other goat cheeses are mild with a wonderful tang. Goat cheese pizza with sun dried tomatoes is the ultimate yum of blended flavors.
Cheese is a satisfying food. Probably because it’s fattening. Creamy Edom cheese covered in red casing melts on the tongue and tastes even better with a glass of bordeaux. Cheddar, the all time favorite, goes with everything and is a staple for casseroles and sandwiches.
When my daughter was taking a French class, she insisted on eating everything French. Her favorite cheese was the creamy “Alouette” brand on teeny-tiny toast. We purchased French cookies and candies; tried French recipes and dined on French cuisine. I gave her my ultimate support hoping her enthusiasm would remain high and her grades would do likewise. I wasn’t disappointed.

Mice like cheese, too, even better than the dog food they came after in my garage. They are also clever. Whenever I put a mound of cheese on a trap, the little suckers manage to nab the cheese and run off scott free. One thief got his retreating tail “caught in the wringer,” but I didn’t have the heart to kill him. I lifted the spring and off he scampered. So much for brutality.
If you’re a parent of teenage boys, you know the expression “cut the cheese” which my boys said and did often. I refer to this period in their lives as the “anal stage;” when banter with friends and each other is filled with burps, laughter and other words involving bodily functions. In family photos when the cameraman (usually Dad) barked “now say cheese,” he usually got more than he bargained for.

Selasa, 11 Januari 2011

Baduy Culture


The Baduy community in Banten is an utterly unique and closed society, which can be reached via a 10 km village road from either Cibolegar or Cibungur village in Leuwidamar district. The 50 km road from Rangkasbitung is steep. In April and May, the Baduy community is closed to outsiders, as during this time it commemorates certain ceremonies, called Seba, the offering of part of their agricultural products to the Head of the District, Sub-Regent and the Chief Resident. During this ceremony the "Puun of Baduy" sends out a group of representatives of Baduy Dalam people as well as Baduy Luar to act as the community's spokesmen. When conducting this Seba ceremony the Baduy Dalam members refuse to ride any vehicle, instead, the distance of150 km is traveled on foot as proof of their perseverance. To enter this very special Baduy area, one should obtain written permission from the Rangkasbitung District Office stating the purpose of the visit, which may take one whole week to process.

The Badui
The Badui is a tribe of between 2,000 and 4,000 Sundanese speaking people living in 27 villages in the mountains south of Rangkasbitung. These people still have their own culture. They fight against attempts of the government to make them part of the modern world. Recently they won a struggle against western schools in their area. The culture is very impressive although it is not easy to learn something about this area and their people. There are three villages in the center of the area (Cibeo, Cikartawana and Cikeusik), which cannot be visited. Here live about 40 families of the purest Badui stock. The culture here is almost unharmed yet. The 24 villages in the outer circle are each connected to one of the inner three from which they are ruled. Three of these outer villages can be visited (Leuwidamar, Lebak and Kadukatug). Only visit this area if we are fit and used to adjust to local life forms. Bring food and gifts for the local people and enough money. It is advisable not to go with a group of more then eight people and to behave our self. Only then the people will accept us as a visitor. To enter the area we must first obtain a permit at the tourist office of Rangkasbitung at Pahlawan Street 13. From Rangkasbitung we have to find transport to the entry point of the Badui area at Cibolger. In Leuwidamar, we can stay the night at the police chief (kepala polisi). Give him a donation for the food and drinks. We can ask him also if he knows a guide who can bring us to some other villages.

Kamis, 04 November 2010

Tangkuban Parahu

Tangkuban perahu is a volcano, 25 kilometers north of Bandung direction of Lembang. Its location is in between Sagalaherang village, Sagalaherang district, Subang regency and Cikole village, Lembang district, Bandung regency. This is Bandung's most famous tourist volcano just 28 km north of the city. This volcano offers many places to see and explore. Whether we look into the huge crater or hike down into it, stroll through the forest on its slopes, or simply enjoy the splendid panoramic scenery. Mt. Tangkuban Perahu is an interesting destination that everyone in the Bandung area is fond of visiting. When seen from Bandung, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has a distinctive shape, like an upside down boat. Tangkuban Perahu means, in fact, "up-turned boat" This peculiar shape has stimulated the fantasy of the Sundanese people from early times as expressed in the Legend of Sangkuriang. Geologically, Mt. Tangkuban Perahu has played a significant role in the development of Parahyangan highlands. Eruptions have contributed immensely to the hills north of Bandung through lava flowing into the valleys and hardening into rock, thus forming big cliffs over which waterfalls leap. Likewise, mud flows have formed a semi-circular cone of gentle gradient (what geologists call "a fan"), which is now a mass that blocked the valley of the ancient Citarum River near present day in Padalarang (some 18 km west of Bandung), this caused a lake to form covering the whole Bandung plain.


Tangkuban Perahu is a volcano with three craters into which areas tourists can walk through. These three craters are: Kawah Ratu ("Queen Crater"), Kawah Domas ("Domas Crater"), and Kawah Upas ("Upas Crater"). Tourists can go down into the Domas Crater where exist many hot geysers in which they can boil eggs. Though the mountain appears peaceful, mild eruptions occurred in 1969, when Kawah Ratu spewed ash and barrages 500 m high. As recently as September 1992 it was closed to the public for a few days because unusually high seismic activity leads volcanologist to fear a new eruption. On the mountain's northern flank is an area called Death Valley, so named for its frequent accumulation of poisonous gases. On a reasonably clear day, from Kawah Ratu, the main crater, we can see not only the mountain range to the east, with Mt. Bukittunggul as its highest peak (2,209 m), but also two other in a northeasterly direction. The lower and nearer one is Mt. Tampomas (1,684 m) just north of Sumedang some 40 km away. To the right and about 90 km away is Mt. Ciremai close to Cirebon on the north coast. At 3,078 m, Mt. Ciremai is West Java's tallest mountain. At the foot of Mt. Tangkuban Perahu we see the Ciater tea plantation covering the rolling hills. Farther to the left are the northern coastal plains of Java, and on an extremely clear day we may even be able to see the Java Sea beyond.
Kawah Ratu, which means "Queen's Crater", is today just a big gray hole, which sometimes has a pool of water at its center. Poisonous gases sometimes accumulate in Kawah Ratu, thus making it somewhat of a risk to descend to the crater floor. Beyond the saddled shaped depression on the far side of Kawah Ratu is the still active Kawah Upas, the oldest crater on the mountain. On the very far western cliff we see a spot where all vegetation has been destroyed by constantly rising sulfurous vapors. On the crater walls, note the various layers of material consisting of rock, sand, and pebbles. Overtime, new craters have formed again and again in a rather consistent shift from west to east. The most well known of these is the Domas crater, but also there are other smaller ones in jungle on the mountain's northeastern flank. Facilities in Tangkuban Perahu Crater are comfortable parking area, souvenir kiosks, and restaurants.

Minggu, 17 Oktober 2010

Komodo National Park

Komodo National park
The Komodo National Park is a national park located within theLesser Sunda Island in the border region between the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara and West Nusa Tenggara. The park includes the three larger islandsKomodo, Padar and Rincah, and 26 smaller ones,  with a total area of 1,733 km² (603 km² of it land). The national park was founded in 1980 in order to protect theKomodo dragon, the world's largest lizard.  Later it was dedicated to protecting other species, including marine species. In 1991 the national park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage
flora and pauna

The hot and dry climate of the Park, characterized by savannah vegetation, make it to a good habitat for the endemicKomodo Dragon  Their populations are restricted to the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang Gili Dasami and Flores while extinct on Padar .Cloud forests appear only in few areas above 500 metres but they provide habitat to several endemic flora. Coastal vegetaion includesMangrove forest, which generally appear in the sheltered bays of the three larger islands.
Fringing and patch coral reefs are extensive and best developed on the north-east coast of Komodo.  The park is rich in marine life, including whele sharks, ocean sunfish manta rays , eagle rays pygmy seahorse, false pipefish, nudibranchs, blue ringed octopus, sponges, tunicate, and cora

Selasa, 05 Oktober 2010

Raja Ampat Island

The Raja Ampat Island in Irian is group spreads out over a huge area and consists of over 610 islands. The four largest islands are Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool. The name of Raja Ampat based on the legend. This area had begun with 6 eggs that found by King Waikew in Waigeo Island. But from the 6 eggs, just 5 eggs had crack. The last was become an egg stone till now on.

From the fifth eggs that had cracked, the 4 eggs was become men who become King of four big islands that is Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati and Misool. While the one egg became a woman, had wash away and stranded in Biak Island. That woman was born a child named Gura Besi that known as the historical man of Raja Ampat, because of his heroic story.
The Raja Ampat islands are a truly natural phenomenon with enormous biological diversity. The amazing marine landscape means that underwater photography should be on the top your list during your stay. However with Raja Ampat's natural conditions, high endemic level of land, sea biodiversity, coastal ecology, and local culture & tradition the islands offer more than just amazing landscapes to photograph.

You may also consider:

* Wreck diving
* Sailing
* Kayaking
* Exploring the islands by boat
* Visiting the Red Bird of Paradise
* Enjoying the Karst islands around Wayag Island
* Exploring the bat caves (literally, not the Dark Knight variety)
* Make your own wood sculpture guided by an Asmat artisan
* Fishing using traditional Papuan techniques
* Trekking to discover waterfalls
* Feeding couscous
* Snorkeling
* Watching The Sea Ghost

Even though Raja Ampat islands have only few visitors, there are already hotels and homestays on Saonek, Mansuar, and Yenwaupnor islands.