Gunung Kawi Temple, Bali Indonesia

Another Bali's ancient temple complex is the Gunung Kawi temple situated in a hidden deep valley surrounded by rice fields. The complex uniqueness from the other temples is its carved shrines and royal tombs on a solid rock hill. It is believed that the shrines were dedicated to a king ruler, his queen and sons, and his concubines. 

Goa Gajah Temple in Bali, Indonesia

One of the places I have visited in Bali Indonesia is the Goa Gajah Temple in Bedulu Village in Blahbatuh District about 27 km from Kuta. This is  included  in the itinerary of  the Bali full day tour package I availed while on holiday in Bali Indonesia. Goa Gajah is an archaeological site  but still an active worship place. It is located on a steep valley beside the main road. You have to descend from the stone steps to reach the complex. 

Places I have visited in 2010

Five countries, eight new places, three times in one place, in one whole year.

2010 is almost over, and at this time of the year we usually  review things that we have set to do the entire year  whatever task that we set and planned. In my case I would be like to look back the year on my travels. I set goal of traveling once in a month to any Asean destination. Thank you Jetstar and Agoda for being instrumental in achieving this goal.

Bintan Resorts Gateaway

This month travel happened last November 7, 2010 to Bintan Indonesia. While it is still not far from Singapore being just 55 minutes ferry ride, I still consider it travel. My second time to Bintan, I basically wants to explore the other side of the island. 

Saigon and Jakarta Cathedrals

Whenever I travel overseas and got a chance to visit a church, I always included it in my itinerary and took pictures of  the facade and sometimes of the interiors. Two of the cities I have visited have a very interesting Cathedrals though similar concept of design but totally two different kind of architecture.

In Saigon, the Notre Dame Basilica is one famous landmark you will hardly missed as a tourist. It is located at the Paris Square in downtown area. A magnificent twin-towered neo-romanesque cathedral built in the 1880s by the French during their colonial occupation of Saigon. It has two bell towers reaching a height of over 58 meters with  bronze bells. The construction materials including the red bricks used for the exterior walls were all brought in from France. The facade has three arches that gives an indication of the cathedral's internal structure.The interior decoration is relatively simple yet tranquil.

Galungan Festival of Bali

The time I was on holiday to Bali, I got the opportunity to observed first hand Bali's most important festival which is the Galungan Festival. The festival is a holiday period throughout the island and the most important as it symbolizes the victory of Dharma ( virtue) over Adharma (all that is evil). It is believed that during the festival period all Balinese gods descended to earth for the festivities.

The festivities are made evident by the fitting of penjor (brightly decorated very tall bamboo poles with woven young coconut leaves, cakes, fruits, and flowers) on the right side of the entrance to every house which arch over the roads. It was a delight to watched these nicely decorated bamboo poles bending over along the villages roads.

My Trip to Bali Indonesia

I went out of Singapore again last weekend for four days this time to Bali, Indonesia. I booked this trip 2 months ago after a good deal from Jetstar came out and matches to my long weekend off. I filed one day leave to make the most of my trip to Bali as I was looking forward for this trip. I did enjoy the trip and I have to admit that indeed it was one of the planned trips I got the chance to experience a different culture, but there are some disappointments actually and could be avoided should I not rely much on the internet.

Fatahillah Square Jakarta

One of the places I have visited when I went to Jakarta is the Fatahillah Square in Old Batavia, formerly the center of trade and business activities during the Dutch colonial era. The Kota district as known today has significant number of grand colonial buildings, many are abandoned or dilapidated but still standing.

My Trip to Batam, Indonesia

I was pretty much occupied by my work after Easter so I don't have time to compose an entry for the blog. Though its not physically draining work but more on the mental aspect. There are a lot to attend to like answering all the complaints received that requires immediate attention and do follow ups so as it will not appear to be that we were not doing our job at all.

While you guys, you who are in pinas enjoys long break during Holy Week, we pinoys here, the less mortal, enjoys only Good Friday as holiday. As I have work the following day but off on Monday, I got Sunday and Monday for holiday trip. As I have only two days to spare, I went to Batam, Indonesia.

Monas of Jakarta

My Jakarta trip last November includes the visit to the national monument, Monas to local. It is a Jakarta landmark and a national pride which stand 129m tall in the middle of open square. This concrete candle like structure has a 35 kg gold plated flame on top of it and a viewing level where the entire Jakarta can be viewed from here.

I came here on my second day of my holiday to this city. I read beforehand that this place can be crowded on weekend and queue to the view deck is long, so since I did visit the place on a weekend, I made up my mind not to go up the view deck and instead just explore the vicinity. But that day I found that the queue was tolerable so I decided to go up instead.

Arriving Jakarta

This is my late post on my holiday to Jakarta Indonesia for the first time.

I managed to arrive at Changi terminal quite early as planned since I only took the mrt on the way there. Since it was my first time to take the train as I always took a cab to the airport. Arriving at the airport

My trip to Jakarta Indonesia

I went out of Singapore last weekend for a 4-day sightseeing trip to Jakarta. Friday was national holiday and Monday was my off-day so it was a four days of free time not to waste. I took the mid-afternoon flight and as I want to arrive in the capital before night time. Just like Vietnam, Indonesia timing is 1 hour behind Singapore. I stayed at Sparks Hotel in Mangga Besar Dua road, it is not an ideal location but the hotel itself is nice, clean and cozy, a value for money for a 51 dollars a night. I booked the room in advance thru agoda.

To sum up my four days trip, I was able to explore the old town, climbed up the national monument, visited the museum, shopping centers, and yes tried the night life too. And also I found out that the city has a Cathedral that dates back 1901 and has a distinctive spires and built in neo-gothic style architecture.