Copyright © Gerd Hoffmann. All rights reserved.
logo

Category : 2014

26 Nov 2014
Jakarta

Jakarta the capital of Indonesia

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia. The city locates on the main island of Java. The entire state of Indonesia consists of around seventeen thousand islands. However, Java is the most populated and industrialised island and the home of Jakarta. With ten million inhabitants and thirty million in the surrounding areas, Jakarta is the biggest city in south-east Asia. The city is famous for its never-ending traffic jams.  Sometimes it takes more than three hours in a traffic jam just to drive 10 […]

18 Nov 2014
Cafe Batavia

The Cafe Batavia in Jakarta

The Cafe Batavia is a coffee shop in the old town of Jakarta. The old town, in the Indonesian language “Kota Tua”, is the first settlement of the Dutch people. It was in the 16th century when the Dutch came to that area. The town square is still framed with buildings at this time. Some of these buildings have been renewed in recent years. One is the Townhall and a couple of other historical buildings. The old city locates in […]

31 Aug 2014
Wayang kulit

Wayang kulit

Wayang kulit is the most famous Indonesian version of the shadow puppet’s performance. This art is well known and widespread in Southeast Asia. The puppets, stories and performance may vary from region to region. So far, the islands Java and Bali are the centres of wayang kulit culture. Especially the cities of Yogyakarta and Surakarta on Java. While wayang means puppet, kulit means the skin from usually a cow. The arms and legs of the puppets are made from wood, […]

25 Jul 2014
Minahasa wooden houses

Minahasa wooden houses

Minahasa wooden houses are famous houses from Sulawesi. The houses are made completely from wood. The Minahasa people are a tribe of natives living in North Sulawesi. Manado is the biggest city in this area. The influence of  Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch as well, in culture or language is huge. However, the Philippines islands are in the north next to Sulawesi. The village Woloan locates not far from Tomohon and is famous all over the world. Because from here coming […]

21 Jul 2014
Manado the North of Sulawesi

Manado the North of Sulawesi

Manado is a major city in the north of Sulawesi and locates in the Bay of Manado. That is on top of Sulawesi island. The city and the area surrounding hills and mountains. Some of those mountain peaks are active volcanos. The beach, for instance, covers with black lava stones. Manado is the economic centre of North Sulawesi. Therefore, the city is a good starting point to discovering the top of the island. However, the city itself is not so […]

26 Jun 2014
Kawah Ijen volcano

Kawah Ijen volcano

The Kawah Ijen volcano 2799 m high, is famous because of the acid crater lake and the sulphur pit. But not only that. The Ijen complex is also famous for coffee planting. The Ijen complex locates almost in the middle between the cities Bondowoso and Banyuwangi. This location is at the east end of Java island. The famous island of Bali is the next island following Java. Just separated by the Bali Strait. Unlike the Bromo volcano, the Kawah Ijen volcano […]

24 Jun 2014
Java coffee

Java coffee is Java’s black gold

Java coffee is Java’s black gold. Coffee is one of the most famous things on Java Island. The coffee made the island prominent worldwide. For instance, many cafes or bars have Java coffee or mocha on the menu. In fact, the coffee isn’t of origin from Indonesia. During the colonisation of Indonesia, in the 17th century, the Dutch brought coffee to Indonesia. Today, coffee is a big industry in Indonesia. Not only in Java growing coffee shrubs. Other islands such […]

07 May 2014
East Java

East Java, Java’s east end

East Java is geographically and administratively the eastern part of the main island of Java. The island with the capital Jakarta is the most important island in Indonesia. However, the other part of the island is considered geographically and administratively as Central Java and as West Java. In addition, there is the administrative district of Yogyakarta. In the west, East Java borders Central Java. That is the only landline border East Java has. While in the north the Java Sea is […]

16 Mar 2014
Tuban five years later

Tuban a midsize town

Tuban is a midsize town in East Java at the Java Sea. The town locates three hours by car northwest of Surabaya. Tuban is a major economic and cultural centre. The city locates right away on the Java Sea with a harbour and a jetty. The national road No. 1 passes the city and connects Jakarta and  Surabaya. Daily sneaking endless queues of trucks through the town. However, the city doesn’t have traffic jams and crowded roads like the big Indonesian cities. Although, a […]