West Java Highland Tea Tours

Tuckedin the highlands of West Java, away from the endless hustle engulfing Jakarta,tea estates harkening back to the Dutch colonial period have become Indonesia’sanswer to France’s famed vineyards or California’s Napa Valley.

Providing getaway seekers with a chance to savor a different world, these teaestates are drawing city dwellers and foreigners looking for a taste ofsomething out of the ordinary.

“Tea plantation tours offer something different,” said Jimmi Lapotulo, avisitor at the Goalpara Tea Estate in Sukabumi. “The natural beauty, thefragrance of tea leaves, the fresh air breeze — you can’t really find placeslike this anywhere else.”

Controversial Buddha Bar becomes Bistro Boulevard

Across from Cut Meutia Mosque in Menteng stands BistroBoulevard restaurant and lounge with its classic Batavia architecture. Oncecontroversial for going by the name of Buddha Bar, the owners redesigned thevenue and the restaurant concept.

“The previous concept was not successful, but instead of giving up, we decidedto try something new,” said Riyan Mudadalam, a restaurant spokesman.

The interior of the 97-year-old building was transformed from a red, dimly litspace to a bright, white-walled one. The Buddha statutes are gone. The foyer,which also functions as a waiting room and gallery, is filled with sculpturesand large paintings. These items are numbered and prices are available uponrequest.

Batik's Living Heritage on Display in New Show

Batikis more than a mere textile. Its meanings and significance transcend itscolors, motifs and fabrics.

In Java, people traditionally wear certain batik designs to show their socialstature and power, or to communicate their best wishes for the future onimportant occasions such as coronations and weddings. For many people, batik ismore than just an item of clothing — it is intertwined with every aspect oftheir lives.

Batik also fosters relationships among people from different countries andcultural backgrounds. The latest exhibition at the National Gallery,“Indonesian Batik: A Living Heritage,” is evidence of how batik has broughttogether people from many different walks of life and bound them as lifelongfriends.

The exhibition offers an insight into batik’s history, its current developmentsand future possibilities.

More than 80 vintage batik pieces belonging to German and Indonesian collectorsare now on display at the gallery in Central Jakarta.

“Batik is a trademark of Indonesia,” Norbert Baas, Germany’s ambassador toIndonesia, said at the exhibition opening on Wednesday.

“Batik, with its rich colors, motifs and meanings, has always charmed visitorsto Indonesia. I think it has a lot of potential. I see a great future inbatik.” 

American author traces Rimbaud's mysterious Java journey

In1876 French poet Arthur Rimbaud joined the Dutch colonial army, sailed to theIndonesian island of Java and then deserted and fled into the jungle. No oneknows what happened next.

More than 130 years later, an American author followed in the Frenchman'sfootsteps to try and solve the mystery.

"It's like a Sherlock Holmes story," said Jamie James, alluding tothe detective work needed to trace where the enigmatic Rimbaud, who was born in1854 and died just before turning 37, wandered to.

Nearly 200 letters by the tortured poet, who described his process of attainingvisionary insights as "a long, involved and logical derangement of all thesenses," map out all -- or nearly all -- of his travels in Africa and theMiddle East.

Sumbawa honey has become national icon

ForestryMinister Zulkifli Hasan said white honey from Sumbawa island`s forests hasbecome the icon of Indonesian honey because of its exclusive taste and quality.

"Because of its uniqueness, white honey from Sumbawa has become a nationalicon," the minister said when launching Nusantara Honey Week I hereTuesday.

Held for the very first time, the opening of Nusantara Honey Week lasting untilJuly 17 was among other things marked by a honey drinking party participated inby 10,000 people, most of them students.

The manager of the Museum of Indonesian Records MURI) Sri Widayati who alsotook part in the honey drinking party said the event would be listed as a newrecord because of the number of people who participated.

The record established by the honey drinking party surpassed that of a BeePollen eating event organized by beekeepers in Lumbang sub district,Probolinggo district, East Java, on November 29, 2008, in which 1,004 peopletook part.

Zulkifli said all parties must continue publicizing the uniqueness of Sumbawawhite honey that has become the icon of Indonesian honey, so that more and moretourists would visit Sumbawa.

Jakarta Biennale Exhibit Challenges Perceptions

Spectatorsstare at a red, circular statue standing on two stubby legs, with dozens ofhands reaching out from the surface of the sphere, each pointing a revolver. Nodirection is out of the statue’s aim, and as visitors pass by, the red orbseems to be drawing its weapon on them.

The artwork is titled “Total Survival,” a piece by Deni Rahman who said hewanted to criticize the culture of violence in Indonesia. Deni, a mixed mediaYogyakarta-based artist, is one of more than 30 participants in the “Game,Leisure and Gadget Victims” exhibition at Central Park mall in West Jakarta. 

Chinese-Indonesians celebrate once-forbidden roots

Atroupe of lion dancers jerk and sway down a busy Jakarta street to usher in theChinese New Year, moving to the beat of traditional instruments and handing outred envelopes inscribed with good wishes in Chinese characters.

Such a scene would be unthinkable just over a decade ago, when former dictatorSuharto ruled Indonesia with an iron hand and disallowed any expression of theChinese minority's own heritage.

"If you opened a shop with Chinese characters on it, it'd be closeddown," said Adrian Yap, 25.

In 1967, two years after a failed coup by the Indonesian Communist Party,Suharto cracked down on Chinese art, music, literature, language and othercultural expressions.

Miss Tjitjih Keeps Sundanese Theater Alive

Membersof the traditional Sundanese theater troupe Miss Tjitjih still take pride inbeing associated with the group, even if its glory days are in the past.

The troupe has been plagued with financial struggles the past couple of years,which has meant that the members can now only give the rare performance.

Formed in 1928 in Jakarta under the name Opera Valencia, the troupe’s heydaystretched over decades. It used to sell out theaters, with hundreds of peoplesitting rapt for hours as the troupe performed its trademark mix of comedy andhorror. Later the troupe changed its name to Miss Tjitjih, a moniker inspiredby the “prima donna” character of the group.