Jatim Park

One of favorite tourism places in Batu is Jatim (is abbreviation of Jawa Timur means East Java) Park.

A park with many things to offer;
- Learning area (Science, math, physics, chemistry, biology, etc)
- Indonesian ethnic area (houses and clothes of all Indonesian ethnics)
- Zoo (mammals area, reptile, bird park, fish park, baby zoo and museum of fossil)
- Water park
- Attractions

Because there is enough to see and to do, Jatim Park is a one whole day park.
When my sister and her daughter from Canada visited us, we brought them to Jatim Park. We were sure that they would like it and they did.

My niece, Kencana is four years old. Pelangi and Anugerah have been to this park for several times. They told and showed Kencana everything what they would see and do. Of course they were looking forward to swim together and play in water.

Although we (my children and I) have been here many times, it was our first time to enter the bird park. At Bird Park we saw beautiful birds with different colors. It was never crowded so you would think that it was not interesting but I was glad that we entered the bird park. Just be careful of bird dropping because there is a path which above is a bird coop.

We entered a room where big beautiful birds were there. But there was no one. Then we saw a man was working in another room. Apparently he took care of babies’ bird and sick birds. The babies are so tiny. He gave them food and drink one by one like a nurse to patients in a hospital. To our surprise, he said that we could take pictures with the big birds. Oh, now I know, here is the place. I saw pictures of children with birds and snakes but never knew where in this park.

We felt uncertain to take the bird and put in our arm or shoulder but the man helped us. Here are our pictures with those beautiful birds




Then we went to the fish park. There is a pond in the middle of the building where small sharks and turtles swim. You can try to touch them but be careful. Once a turtle has bitten a finger of a child. Just touch their back and not their head.

The most interesting fish for me there is Pirarucu. It is a very big fish from Amazona river. I think it’s more than 2,5 meters. The color is black and because of their heavy body, they swim slowly. But it makes them just more mysterious. As if they were thinking what they would do suddenly. There are 2 Pirarucu.

I remembered when we, my children and I, were there on the weekday. It was almost closing time but Anugerah was crazy about fish, so we must go inside Fish Park. Inside there were just three of us, no other visitors. Then we went to Pirarucu. Like usual they swam so slowly and calmly. Pelangi was already a bit afraid to see them but I liked watching them. She just stood behind me but still was looking at them. Suddenly one of them made a big move that the water splashed. We jumped up and Anugerah must laugh hard to see us, me too but Pelangi cried. After that she didn’t want to see Pirarucu anymore.

Not just Anugerah has laughed at us, Pelangi and I have laughed at him as well. At that time he stood in front of a big aquarium of another big fish but this fish didn’t look scary. We said something to him and because we stood behind him, Anugerah looked to us. When he looked back to the aquarium, the fish was swimming toward him. He scared and jumped up. Later he could laugh as well. Luckily there were other visitors with us the time we visited it with my sister and niece, so it was not scary.


After the long journey of the park we reached the water park. Pelangi, Anugerah and Kencana couldn’t wait to swim after lunch. They were already in the pool when we were ordering the food. That was our nice one-day going out to Jatim Park. A visit you should do with your family. Read more!

The Guest Houses

For lower budget Guest House is the best option especially if you want to go out a lot. You don’t want to spend money on something you don’t use, right? Located in nice place and close to restaurant’s, ATM/Bank and easy to get.

You’ll feel a home atmosphere here, the staffs are friendly and the room is clean, simple but complete. They also have a place where you can enjoy your tea or coffee time like in your own home.

Here I recommend you 5 Guest houses. All have strategically location in the city of Malang and affordable price.

1. Armyn Luxury Guest House
   Jalan Telomoyo 22 Malang
   Phone: +62-341-556220
2. Fendi’s Guest House
   Jalan Kawi no.48 Malang
   Phone: +62-341-551359
   Contact person : Ms. Wulan
   Mobile: +623417632647
   Email : fendis_gh@yahoo.co.id
3. Graha Asri Guest House
   Jalan Welirang no.6 Malang
   Phone: +62-341-366350
   Contact person: Mr. Reo
   Mobile: +62-81333088182
   Email:reo_adityandha@yahoo.com
4. Peye Guest House
   Jalan Simpang Dieng no.1 Malang
   Phone: +62-341-561642
   Contact person : Mr. Chandra
   Mobile : +628123301368 and +628882414184
   Email : ccahyani@yahoo.com
   Website : www.peye.biz
5. Roellie’s
   Jalan Kawi no.40 Malang
   Phone: +62-341-551351
   Contact person : Mr. Dadan
   Mobile : +6285755488924
   Email : hcmmrpusat@yahoo.com

Read more!

A piece of Holland in Malang

Like I wrote in my story “Why Malang? “, this city was a favourite place in Indonesia for Dutch people during the colonization time among others Dutch pensioners who lived here to enjoy their retirement. You can still see the influence of Dutch presence here, especially in the architecture of buildings. Houses in the boulevard of Malang, jalan Ijen (Ijen street), were of the high ranks officials. The lower owned houses on the side streets of jalan Ijen.

The houses on jalan Ijen are big houses with big garden. Very nice to see but I’d prefer not to live there. The jalan Ijen is a busy street and you always have to watch the traffic if you go out the house. Beside Malang has a 3-days feast every year on the street, Malang Kembali . The street is closed for traffic and along the street at both sides are stalls, of food, handicraft, old books, podium etc. So if you live on the street you should stay a couple of days somewhere else.

Some people say that this street with the palm trees on both sides is like a beautiful South France. I’ve never been to South France so I cannot compare them but I agree that it is beautiful. I hope the owners of the houses always maintain their houses well and keep the original architecture.

The houses on the side streets of jalan Ijen are beautiful and nice as well although they are not as big as jalan Ijen’s. I can see the same ornament or shape and architecture of the houses as houses in Holland. These pictures are some of those houses.










Like in Holland some of these houses also have name; a Dutch name, like Augusta, Ernestine, Huize Inna (house of Inna), Marianne, Huize Victoria, etc.



Our previous house in Malang was also an old Dutch house. The ceiling is 4 meters. It makes the house cool and there are a lot of big windows so it ensures good ventilation. The architect built the house with the adjustment of environment.

Indonesia is a tropical and humid area so ventilation is important to reduce humidity in house. Although Malang has cool weather it can also be very hot here. With high ceiling the warmth can go up and it is not so hot inside the house. This is our first time in Indonesia that we don’t use AC (Air Conditioner). A saving for electricity and a help against global warming although at the time it is built, they never heard about global warming. It is too bad that houses that are built now don’t take the benefit of old houses. Okay, it costs more money to make higher ceiling but it is for a long time benefit. Sometimes you can see that old houses are stronger than the new ones.

Houses with Dutch influence are not only on jalan Ijen area. You can also find in the other area of Malang. Not just houses but also other buildings, like churches, hotels, schools and shops. Many houses there were changed to restaurants and shops. Some have made it nicely but many neglected the original beauty of the building. I became a bit sad and disappointed to see that but I can imagine that maintenance of such houses needs a lot of money and if you don’t have enough money you cannot just sit and enjoy the architecture of your house. You also need to eat. Maybe the government would have later a better policy to protect old buildings/houses. Who knows?

Beside mother I am also driver of my children. The benefit of not having a driver beside saving your money and your car is you know more about streets and places. Most people will remember much better how to drive to a place if they drive by themselves.

Beside bringing and picking up my children to and from school or to and from their friends’ houses, I also need to know and drive to markets, garage, banks, and other service offices. Malang is not big so you can reach the other side in a short time. My husband works outside Malang, that’s why I know the streets in Malang better than he. During my driving to these places, I got to know that there are many other buildings with Dutch influences.

There is a restaurant that also still has Dutch influence. It has been opened in the time when Indonesia was a colony of Netherlands. It operates till now. The name is “Toko Oen” (Oen’s shop). Oen is the name of the founder and owner of the restaurant, a Chinese family. But it has been taken over to someone else. I wonder why their name Oen is. In Dutch it means dummy but maybe it has another meaning in Chinese. Maybe in Chinese it means survive.

They keep the old interior. You can seat on their old lazy chairs who bring you to a relax position. There is a banner with a Dutch text to welcome the guests. When we brought my parents in law there, he was surprised to read it. The menu is also written in Dutch. But don’t worry, they write it in English and Indonesian as well. This is a fixed place for tourists in Malang to visit. This is also a meeting place for Dutch people; most of them are pensioners, on Saturday noon.

Could it be a reason that I felt home fast in Malang when I arrived here? That I get and feel a piece of Holland here? I don’t know. It could be. Read more!

Cinderella and Pancake

On the first Idul Fitri day I didn’t set alarm for the next morning. It didn’t matter what time I should get up. The next day I heard Anugerah getting up and watching television. Not long after that I heard Pelangi coming out the room. Then I fell asleep again. At 8 o’clock I got up. When I came out of my bedroom, Anugerah said “Why do you get up so late today!” I just smiled to him. For me it was a compliment because he has said implicitly that normally I always get up early.

I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I wanted to make oatmeal pancake. I got the recipe from an American friend and I have made it once. It was very good and healthy. I took the recipe and read it carefully to ensure that I have all ingredients and follow the steps correctly. It’s okay if you laugh at me. I like cooking and I got compliments from people about my cooking. But I still need a recipe before me, no matter how many times I have made it and this pancake was my second time.

We have a pantry and kitchen. There is a window that connects the two places. If you have a helper it’s ok but not if you are alone because the cooker and oven are in the kitchen and you have to work in the pantry which has more space. So I had to go back and forth between pantry and kitchen and had to pass the living room. Pelangi sat there watching a film, Cinderella Story 2 and Anugerah played play station (PS).

Now I have all ingredients and cooking utensils in front of me. So the first step is to heat the milk but not to boil. Then stir in the oatmeal. Let it stand for 10 minute. In the meanwhile I need to mix butter and eggs and in another bowl mix other dry ingredients and stir it to the combination of butter and eggs. Then stir in milk and oatmeal. Ok, it’s easy. Oatmeal already in the warm milk, now eggs and butter in another bowl. But, why does the mix of eggs and butter become so thin? Ach, maybe it will be thick after I stir the oatmeal and the dry ingredients in it. So, I stir in them. But no, it’s not thick at all. Try the mixer, it will mix better. Still, it is not mixed and remains thin. Oh…help! What did I wrong? Why was the first time just ok and no problem at all?

I read the recipe again and more carefully. Aha! I got it! It’s not the recipe that is wrong, it’s (of course) me. I should stir in the butter and eggs in the pan of milk and oatmeal and not in another bowl.

“Is the pancake almost finished?” I heard my children asking me. I also heard a song of the film Cinderella Story 2. Is this a Cinderella feeling? That you had to work hard while others just seat relax and ask about food? Yesterday she had watched the same film and a couple days ago, and last week and many other times. She knows exactly the plot, songs and even conversations. Why doesn’t she do it the same with her lessons? But ok, now is not the time to think about that. The pancake, yes, concentrate on the pancake because it must be finished.
Finally I gave up the American pancake. I threw the batter away. Then I took another cookery book. A Dutch one. This recipe is for sure okay because I just used it last week and the children liked the pancakes very much.
“When is it finished? I am hungry!” I heard Anugerah asking again. In this situation I’d tend to get angry but I heard voice in my ears repeatedly “Take it easy. This is holiday. You want to spend time together nicely, don’t you?” The voice has won. I became calm and just said “Almost!”

The Dutch recipe is much easier. After going back and forth again between pantry and kitchen and passing Pelangi watching television and Anugerah playing PS, finally the first pancake is baked. Now they can see a real pancake.

I looked around and saw a lot of dishes in both pantry and kitchen. I still had to bake a lot of pancakes and then do the dishes. The Cinderella feeling was still there. Would a prince try to find me?

"Hmmm… this is delicious”I saw Anugerah eating the pancake and smiled to me. My prince has found me. Read more!