Shopping Mall Paradise

Shopping Mall in Bandung

Every big city in Indonesia are all seemed to race each other, they are racing neck to neck for building the most super complex and huge shopping centers. Whilst elsewhere around Asia is suffering with many new property developments on hold or simply being postponed, the property sector here resumes a booming period.

Surely enough it would be our capital city, Jakarta that enjoys the most. Since the Jakartans are shopping maniac, there are now dozens of new projects on shopping centres. One of the biggest is a 30 Ha super blocks in Western Jakarta. The evidences of shopping popularity is quite obvious, every mall in the city is fully packed at week-end. And getting a park space is also a struggle. What’s more similar evidences also occur to the neighbouring cities including Bandung itself.

Electronic, Gadgets and Games

Our Kid was looking for PSP games a few weeks ago while we were in Bandung. And after a few inquiries as well as a few miss-directions, we finally found what he was looking for at Bandung Electronic Centre (BEC). It turned out it was in very close proximity to our “Old European District” area, the old Dutch Indies housing complex within the Northern part of Bandung. Indeed we could save our time for other important outlet hunting instead of going to the biggest shopping centre over here the Bandung Super Mall, which is inconveniently located to the other direction in the Southern part of the town.

We were hunting for new outlet at Sumatra street, the kind of Branded outlets. In fact if you could notice there are more than three new commercial buildings around Dago or Djuanda St. alone. They are; the recently shifted Uptown outlet, Kartika Sari a restaurant and a small mall as well as just across the street a new Boutique Hotel. Does it all its new property development booming still justify Bandung’s own nickname of Paris Van Java? Each new property along Dago St. has its own unique architectural style, for me personally the Art Deco style is still prevailing in heavy concentration. You would be the judge yourself, visit Bandung in the coming week-end!

What hot in Bandung this week-end?

Do you still need more convincing tell-tale story what’s to do there? For a start the food is more affordable than that in Jakarta, so is the temperature. At some part of the city you do not need the air conditioner, particularly during the night! So strolling the downtown in the evening is a joy. What’s a foreigner thinks of the best leisure activities she enjoy the most in Bandung? And what is highly recommended things to do by the local?

Incidentally for those who remember my recommended cappuccino at “Sam’s place”, they resume the business already as of the beginning of this March. They were closed for a period due to….new building construction… for a new shoes or footwear outlets.

Jakartans Flock to Braga Street side Promenade

Contrary to what happens in US soil as Mighty Detroit succumbs to DC, the Jakartans are voluntary succumbing to Braga St as their leisure activities. This is not Braga city founded by the Romans in Minho, the Northern territory of Portugal.

 Braga St lays further South to the so called "Old European District", a jargon which has been coined by an anonymous Dutch Indies expert and dully used through out my heritage articles.  Braga St in early 1900s had transformed from muddy street for buffalo carts into well known window shopping area for world wide brands such as Chrysler and Renault car showrooms. This is quite ironic to the chapter 11's of Chrysler as mentioned earlier in our introduction.

It was also a norm for the elite upper class to hang out at chic cafe in Braga during the same period. There are some effort to re-create such aura back in Braga St., we could drop by to some International restaurants including a Japanese one. A good time to go would be later in the evening for perhaps some late night entertainments. Preferably park your vehicle elsewhere and stretch your leg to Braga St. as parking place is scarcely available, it is downtown! That is the oldest part of Bandung city.

For more historical review please read my heritage article on Jakartans succumb to braga St, else lets stretch our legs to this area. The later in the evening you go during week-end the merrier, street side cafe are abound and full packed all night long. There are so many one way streets in most part of Bandung downtown, it could get intimidating to get lost. Since once you are lost you have to start all over again from the most intimate landmark, plan ahead to drive there!

Once you get there you could tell immediately for there are many shop owner put up the 1920s style advertisement boards, a reminiscent of past colonial ambience. The glory days of our tea, coffee, rubber and spice commodities fetching highest rate world wide. You might just driving through to select a potential place to spend your happy hours, see if the place suits your mood. Else driving alone along the downtown is quite a pleasant experience in the evening. There are also many outlet centers nearby such as pasar Baru adn so forth.

Leisure discrepancy between Detroit Vs Bandung

There is a whole discrepancy meaning between leisure activities in Detroit to Bandung city, or should I say difference instead. It has been 6 months period of time since we touch great implication of downturn economy crisis  to world wide globally and in particular both areas Detroit and Bandung. Fascinating stories emanates from the big three in Detroit. The roles and hence powerful UAW, its contribution toward one big party, the Senate hearing for automotive industries seeking bail out and recently the UAW's ownership on Chrysler.

You have heard the background stories and the looming inevitable chapter 11 as well as great reluctance from public opinion to assist crappy quality automobile manufacturing. No need to iterate another story telling except that story as the implication reflects on Bandung. While the diminutive city also suffers from lay off problems well into thousands workers, the city itself has not lost its attraction as urban tourism magnet center.

Thousands of Jakartan city dwellers are still flocking into Bandung every week-end, and it might double the amount during long week-end. If current hotel room capacity is estimated around 7,000 rooms (don't bother to validate this figures as Bandung's own municipality has lost the counts! Ironically as they are more interested into optimizing their coffer rather than maintaining the city's public facilities), at least 20 thousands something Jakartans visit Bandung regularly. Hence every week-end it would be a struggle booking a  decent room and getting into the traffic. Riau, Dago as well as Braga St would pose as a bumper to bumper traffic style.

Apart of those small number of export oriented ventures the remaining industrial sectors are still pumping fresh blood to the local economy, well almost. Since new car registration is dwindling down for most people has postponed purchasing new car. But local food-stall, restaurant as well as retail outlets are as healthy as ever. As it would be difficult to get a seating during every meal time! These occurrences are no exception to low budget nor high pricing restaurants alike. Even the main road to Bandung the Cipularang toll gets traffic jam also!

Butcher Saga Continued

Again as I said earlier this is not related to sadistic activities, rather is a leisure activities. Bandung for its climate advantages are fully exploited for breeding and milk farm, where its produces are certainly fresh and healthy. That is why we would see many of its derivative products are in great abundance, such as milk, yogurt and meat. The Butchers from Bandung is also known to produce nice meaty sausage, and it is not much differ to those of imported produces.

Apart of its traditional culinary dishes, many restaurants and even small stall also offer the varieties of such derivative produces. For example during the night-time only just right in front of Governor's Office Building "Gedung Sate" you would find a milk stall. Our kids love drinking milk, that is why they are slightly bigger than their peers.

Picture left depicts the youngest who is as big as his two years older brother, having ordered his favourite drink! Next to his drink is mine; a cold refreshing cappuccino.

The occasion mark one of many quality family time in Bandung, it is yet another trip together. For family's trip inspiration please click the family time or content label! This city practically never sleeps during the week-end especially on those long week-end holiday, the urban dweller of Jakartans are everywhere during such time. Even despite of the prevailing economic downturn crisis. You could read my related article here ; mighty-detroit-succumbs-to-dc

So whenever you plan a trip such as our Family Quality Time, make the most of it. Exploit this city's resources which is unequal else-where. 

 

 

 

 

 

Get the unique experiences; on many occasions we order those quality produces and they are consistently meaty and tender. The pictures, our own hands on experiences and many thousands other local tourist alike are having a great time here. Just don't bother of the traffic though, there is a cost to exchange for a good time!