English Class -- Bandung Report

English Class Assignment

Ms. Rina’s Class

STP Sahid Tour & Travel - Bandung

Tour Guide & POPW1 End of 2^nd Semester Practical Exam – 2D/1N

Sahasrakirana Narendradhipa (2011240011)

BANDUNG REPORT

 Bandung, City of Flowers, is the provincial capital of West Java and Indonesia’s third largest city. In colonial times, Bandung is known as the Paris of Java because of its European ambiance and sophistication. It can easily be reached from Jakarta by train, road or air.

The people of Bandung, Sundanese have a strong sense of helping each other when in need. Moreover, the women of the Bandung region are known for their beauty hence “The City of Flowers.”

Bandung offers a pleasant climate and host to the historic Asia Africa conference in 1955, Bandung is now a center of higher education, commerce and aircraft industry which despite its modern amenities still retains much of its colonial era charm.

Bandung is also renowned for its shopping, particularly for shoes, textiles, clothing and denims which are found in the colourful Jeans Street (Jl.Cihampelas).

Bandung's usually chaotic traffic becomes further amplified with the Jakarta “B” number plates. But traffic jams, bumpy roads, can add to the charm of Bandung. Getting there can take a long time, but it gives an excellent opportunity to take in those tree lined streets and still undamaged magnificent Dutch designed buildings.

Day 1:

STP Sahid’s Scholarship students of Batch 7 Majoring in Tour & Travel had the opportunity to travel to Bandung two days 1 night trip on Monday 30^th April’12 until Tuesday 1^st May’12 for a Tour Guide End of Second Semester Practical Exam. There were 26 participants in this trip which comprises of 12 female students, 10 male students, 2 female supervisors, 1 male lecturer and 1 driver.  At 6:00a.m. all participants gathered at STP Sahid Pondok Cabe security post for a small briefing by our Tour Leader, Ahmad Luthfi and the baggage handling process by Dana Febrian and Ananda then set off to Bandung by 6.30a.m.

Rules to be followed were set. These include:

1) Sleeping in the bus is not allowed.

2) Weapons and firearms are prohibited to be brought in this journey.

3) No illegal objects such as Drugs and alcohol.

4) Do not make a fuss/noise in the bus.

5) Maintain order.

6) Keep Clean à Fined: IDR 10,000

7) Whilst guiding, English must be used. No Indonesian language allowed. à Fined: 1 word, IDR 10,000

8) Using hand-phones are not allowed in the bus, unless it is urgent.

9) No smoking.

10) Clothing’s: 

    > First Day – Batik + Sahid’s jacket + dark coloured trousers/jeans

    > Second Day – Wear comfortable yet a polite shirt.

The itinerary was shortly briefed by the Tour Leader; firstly, the Asia-Africa Conference Museum shall be visited, then to Braga Street and lastly head to Saung Angklung Udjo and have a night rest at Wisma Pendawa for the first day trip. The second day trip will be to Tangkuban Perahu then a free-program to Cihampelas Street.

From Jakarta to Bandung, the journey should take roughly three hours but heading towards the toll road from Campus the bus was stuck in a heavy traffic. The Tour Leader had another small briefing and took attendance in the bus then the guiding from the participants took place after passing Universitas Terbuka. Each guiding took 10-15 minutes and the topics could not be repeated.

By 10.12a.m. We entered Toll Pasteur and only 2 participants were left to do the guiding. The cost for a bus to pass through Cikarang – Bandung was IDR 41.500. This highway’s name was taken from a French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur who developed the technique of pasteurization. BioFarma, it is one institute that developed the vaccine that the basic findings of Louis Pasteur. It was founded in 1890 and was named Landskoepok Inrichtin en Institute Pasteur. The name was changed by the government of Indonesia in the event of nationalization of the Netherlands between the years 1955-1960.

At 10.30a.m. our Tour Guide Lecturer, Mr Gita guided us about Bandung until we’ve arrived at Asia-Africa Street. Asia-Africa Street really looks clean and fine. There are well maintained old buildings where the beauty always comes up.

One of the historic buildings found in this street is called Merdeka Building that still stood firmly. It was the building where the historical important event had ever been held namely the Asian African Conference in April 1955. The building occupies an area od 7500m² and was designed by Van Galen Last and Wolf Schoemaker. They were professors of Technische Hoge School that is currently known as Bandung Technology Institute (ITB). The Art Deco building was previously known as Societeit Concordia. During the Dutch colonial era, many noblemen came to visit and spent their time drinking tea and making a party. Nowadays, the building has become the Museum of Asian African Conference. Specifically, it is located at Jl. Asia Afrika No.65

The bus was parked 5 minutes away from the Asia-Africa Conference Museum and we walked it to the building. When entering the museum, a minor problem appeared, a letter was supposed to be sent before visiting but luckily as the museum wasn’t so busy at this time, we were allowed in.

 Museum of Asia-Africa Conference has a permanent exhibition space to showcase a collection of three-dimenstional objects and documentary photographs of events Monument Meeting, Colombo Conference, Bogor Conference, and the Asian-African Conference in 1955. In addition it also showcased the photographs of:

   - Events behind the birth of Asian-African Conference;

   - Impact of Asian-African Conference for the international community;

   - Building Independence from time to time;

   - Profile of the participating countries of the Asian African contained in multimedia.
 A local guide explained to us about the history of this museum enthusiastically. Afterwards we moved into the Audio Visual room. This space was created in 1985. The existence of this space is initiated by Abdullah Kamil. This room is a means for delivery of documentary films about the state of the world until the 1950’s, the Asian-African Conference and subsequent conferences, as well as films.

By 12.00p.m. We went back to our bus and had lunch box provided. The weather now was scorching hot and after 30 minutes of lunch, the Itinerary was to go to Braga Street. Here is a complex of shopping stores lined up with the old fashioned architecture and has been famous since the Dutch East Indies.  Unfortunately due to the weather condition the plan changed into a City Tour in the Bus instead. We passed through many historical landmarks such as Sate Building (Gedung Sate), Bandung Great Mosque, Bandung Railway Station and many more.

By 15.00p.m. We’ve reached at Saung Angklung Udjo which is located at Jl. Padasuka no.118. This is a one–stop cultural workshop established in 1966, consists of: performance venue, bamboo handicraft center, and bamboo instrument workshop. Apart from that, it also has an honorable function as an educational laboratory and training center to preserve the Sundanese culture – Angklung in particular.

Everyone goes here to listen to angklung playing which really is enjoyable especially the part where everyone in the audience is given an angklung and you all get to play together. If you are a music-lover and collect instruments, this is the best place to buy the angklung as you are assured of its quality. The show starts at 15:30 so be there a couple of minutes early to secure your seat. You get a small angklung necklace which serves as your ticket and as a souvenir. The price also includes a cup of tea or Bandrek which is an Indonesian traditional drink which originated from West Java region with the main composition of palm sugar, and ginger selection of quality, as well as other natural ingredients. Without added chemicals, no preservatives, so it is recommended to be consumed safely every day.

The performance opened with a demonstration of Wooden puppet (Wayang Golek). Wayang is a representation of human’s character such as anger, generosity, greedy, and many others. The next performance we watched was called “Helaran” which is often played in circumcision celebration and harvest season. It is played in cheerful tone because it is played to entertain people and to thank God who has blessed us daily with all his gifts.

The third performance was Traditional dances called Mask Dance and Peacock Dance.

“Calung” was performed afterwards. It is a bamboo music instrument that has a pelog or salendro scale. “Arumba” is also a traditional musical instrument made of bamboo in diatonic tone scale, which produces harmonious and dynamic tone.  ARUMBA is the acronym for Alunan for the letter A, Rumpun for the letter RUM , and Bambu for the letters Ba.

The mini angklung performance played children songs which are popular in many countries, including in Indonesia and they invite audience to sing with them. The last performance is called “angklung Padaeng” which is also called angklung Do re Mi because it is arranged into diatonic tone scale arranged by the founding father Bapak Daeng Soetigna in 1938.

The program ended with an interactive section, all of the audiences were invited to play angklung together.

Their daily performance starts from 15.30pm to 17.30.p.m. and it is advisable to book before visiting. It can easily be booked via internet at: http://www.angklung-udjo.co.id/attraction/booking-info/

 Our last program for Day 1 in the itinerary was to stay overnight at Wisma Pendawa located in Jl. Ciumbuleuit. We arrived there at 18.15.p.m, the rain was pouring heavily so we had our dinner at the accommodation. Then had a small briefing with our Lecturer, Mr Gita before heading to our rooms comprising of 4 females in 1 room or 3 males in 1 room.

Day 2:

We started our day at 7.a.m. and had Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice) with fried egg and hot tea for breakfast. We didn’t waste any time, by 7.30.a.m. sharp we checked out then headed to Tangkuban Perahu; our first activity in the second day’s itinerary. We arrived at the entrance of Tangkuban Perahu at 8.50.a.m. It is still one of the active volcanos in Indonesia. It took a good 15 minutes’ drive to the parking area of Kawah Ratu. The road up-ward was rather unique because the roading winding along the pungent smell of sulfur and the left and right path was overgrown with greenery scene.From the parking area, we took an angkot available for IDR 5,000 that took us straight up to the volcano and back. Arriving at the volcano, the pungent smell of sulfur became stronger and the air was cool. In this area there are many street vendors who sell a wide assortment of children’s games, dolls, hats, bags, handicrafts made of stone, trinkets (bracelets, rings, weapons typical of the region, scarves), angklung instruments, stone and sulfur powder (alternative medicine skin disease), bonsai plants, strawberries and merchants who offer trading back and forth. For visitors who want to climb the mountain by riding a horse, horse rentals are available.

 

The name “Tangkuban Perahu” translates roughly to “upturning of (a) boat” or “upturned boat” in Sundanese, referring to the local legend of its creation. The story tells of “Dayang Sumbi”, a beauty who lived in West Java. She cast away her son “Sangkuriang” for disobedience, and in her sadness was granted the power of eternal youth by the Gods. After many years in exile, Sangkuriang decided to return to his home, long after the two forgotten and failed to recognize each other. Sangkuriang fell in love with Dayang Sumbi and planned to marry her, only for Dayang Sumbi to recognize his birthmark just as he was about to go hunting. In order to prevent the marriage from taking place, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to build a dam on the river Citarum and to build a large boat to cross the river, both before the sunrise. Sangkuriang meditated and summoned mythical ogre-like creatures –buta hejo or green giant(s)- to do his bidding.  Dayang Sumbi saw that the tasks were almost completed and called on her workers to spread red silk cloths east of the city, to give the impression of impending sunrise. Sankuriang was fooled, and upon believing that he had failed, kicked he dam and the unfinished boat, resulting in sevre flooding and the creating of Tangkuban Perahu from the hill of the boat.

From the end of the trip I can take the conclusion that the beauty of Mount Tangkuban Perahu still quite beautiful, though not so long ago in 2006 I have already visited this Mountain.

By 11.a.m. we met in front of STP Sahid’s bus and headed to Cihampelas for our next activity on the itinerary for a Free Program which means we get to explore in groups and meet back at 15:00.

By 11.a.m. we met in front of STP Sahid’s bus and headed to Cihampelas for our next activity on the itinerary for a Free Program which means we get to explore in groups and meet back at 15:00.

Jalan Cihampelas (Cihampelas Street) is a very popular place since 1987. The street has about two kilmoeters long and about six feet wide is known as jeans shopping area that is always packed with tourists on weekends.

Uniquely Cihapelas street is owned by statues of superhero. Spiderman, Rambo and Superman are one of the superhero statues that adorn the front of the shops in Cihampelas.

In 1990s, Cihampelas Street was nicknamed Jeans Street after a boom in denim outlets, but street vendors now sell anything and everything.

In addition to clothing and jeans cener, on Cihampelas street have the famous icon of Champelas Walk (CiWalk). Cihampelas Walk is a shopping center with a different atmosphere, because the mall was founded in the middle of an open area, so that is a blend of modern shopping building with a beautiful natural and refreshing atmosphere making Cihampelas Walk welcome crowded visitors both from local and from outside Bandung.Cihampelas Walk was established on an area of approximately 3.5 hectares. 

It has been transformed not only as places to shop (retail) or a place to eat (restaurants and food court), but also as a place convenient Entertainment. As one of the icons of tourism, Cihampelas Walk also helps to make the city of Bandung as the City Tourism.

As a tourist, Cihampelas Walk was established by merging three-story mall building is equipped with other buildings around it, connected by pedestrian areas and beautiful gardens.

It has now come to the end of our itinerary, at 15:00 we headed back to STP Sahid Pondok Cabe. The traffic as usual was traffic jam.

From this 2 Days 1 Night Bandung Trip, in conclusion, I enjoyed visiting Saung Angklung Udjo the most. All of the performances were very lively and interesting, in addition trying Bandrek for the first time was delicious especially when the atmosphere outside was raining. In my opinion, this place is highly recommended to be visited by tourists; the performances start on time and it wastes no time, further more they interact with the audience.

Equally, I enjoyed the free program at Cihampelas street. Experiencing to wonder around ourselves (in groups) helped our creative/initiative side appear to make the use of time and be back at specific time.

Aside from the well-put activities in the itinerary, we came across a few mistakes such as arriving at Asia-Africa conference museum a letter was needed and the weather condition caused us to change the plan a little. But from these mistakes, it helped us be more aware of what we should in situations like this happens again.

Overall, this trip was very enjoyable and helped us really to get to know the City of Bandung because in my opinion, practical activities stick in the mind longer than theory.