It was a blessed, blissful, and restful eight days with Adeline, my goddaughter, and Yip, her husband.  Our first stop was Jakarta. The idea was to slow down, relax, and enjoy the moments. We visited Chinatown, and although it was small, it was interesting to see the market, street stalls, and even a Catholic church that looked like a Chinese temple. But the main thing was to unwind from head to heel. We had a hair spa the next morning, followed by a whole body massage in the Ascott service suite. During our stay, there were fierce protests against higher salaries for ministers and elected representatives, but for better minimum wages for the working man. Adeline’s friend and Yip’s relatives were constantly updating and warning us about staying away from these protest sites, which were about 20 minutes from us. Somehow, we felt calm, even though we saw the thinning of the crowds in the shopping mall opposite where we stayed.

We were happy to leave for Bandung after a two-night stay, but even there, we saw evidence of fierce protests against the police. A police vehicle ran over and killed a Grab worker in the protest. This angered the protestors, and the protests spread to other cities. We passed by a burnt-out building, which housed a restaurant the police frequented. We saw the shell of a burnt car. The West Java parliament building was well-fenced and protected.

We could have taken the Whoosh, the high-speed rail system from Jakarta to Bandung, but since we had planned to go to Cirebon after Bandung, we rented a huge Lexus van and hired a driver. It was a pleasant three-hour drive on the highway. We visited the famous Braga Street in Bandung. It was popular among the Dutch colonialists in the 1920s as a promenade with cafes, boutiques, and restaurants. I enjoyed the stroll there, shot street photography, and would have loved to have spent more hours loitering and enjoying the cafes and arty vibes.

Bandung has cool temperatures, and about two hours away, there are two frequently visited crater volcanoes, Kawah Putih and Tangkuban Perahu. We visited both, but the days were misty, and we caught some clear glimpses when the mist intermittently cleared for a few minutes. At last, I had a chance to take some shots like the fine art photos I have seen on Instagram. Another nice visit was to the Orchid Forest Cikole, which is more of a pine forest setting with a medium-sized enclosure for fewer than five varieties of orchids. It is Instagram-friendly, and many young couples and friends were at a cafe, creating content.

It was pleasant to travel with the Yips, and Adeline was our itinerary expert who found all the interesting places to visit and the delicious food to try. The street food in Bandung was great. We had superb “swike”: frog legs deep-fried or in soup, and superb putu piring (kueh tutu). The Indonesian kueh in Bandung and Cirebon were comparable, better and cheaper than the famous Bengawan Solo in Singapore. I am sure I put on about one or two kilograms. We also patronised a cafe that served and sold Luwak coffee beans and showed us the steps in the process of making such coffee beans, which had much lower caffeine after passing through the digestive tract of the civet cat.

Cirebon is a coastal city of over 2 million, and was one of the key centres for the spread of Islam in Java. It was a thriving trading and fishing port, a melting pot of Sudanese, Javanese, Arab and Chinese influences. This is why we could feast on various foods like nasi jamblang (staple meal served on oak leaf), tahu gejrot (smelly tofu in sweet sauce), empal gentong (beef soup in coconut milk and spices), swike (frog legs soup and deep fried), bird nest drink, and delicious kueh kueh of all sorts.

Cirebon is also famous for batik production, and Yip’s relative recommended we shop at a street full of batik shops. These were workshops from which retailers sourced their batik stocks. I bought one piece, and Yip bought two at very reasonable prices.

Yip’s relatives were very warm, hospitable and generous. They took over the itinerary and brought us to the Arunica eatery, a Japanese-themed restaurant set in the mountains. They brought us to eat at restaurants, street food, and their home-cooked special dishes. We got to visit their businesses and hear their stories of diligent step-by-step growth and development. They gave us rare insights into the business of bird nest harvesting. It was a joy to get to know them.

I think two or three days in each place are sufficient for an overview of these cities. However, if I had more days, I would like to stay longer in Bandung and in the mountains of Cirebon. This year, I have visited Indonesia twice. One was for preaching in a church camp in Bali, and the second was this vacation. I enjoyed both of them. God willing, there will be more visits. Indonesia is a fascinating country.