Erik'sTravel

Some of the museums and sights in Jakarta that have been closed for most of the past year or more are starting to open again. I decided to visit one of Indonesia's most important museums, the National Museum, known here as Museum Nasional Indonesia.   It's a remarkable collection of cultural, scientific, and historical artifacts from all parts of the archipelago.  There's everything from pottery to textiles to farming equipment. The displays also showcase the more than 300 cultures that make up Indonesia and they chronicle the nation's history, particularly the influence that Hindu, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, and Christianity have all had on the region.  It's a great place to learn the breadth of culture that exists in this remarkable nation. 

I was in some need of a little comfort food earlier this week; I am guessing my definition of comfort food is radically different from yours.  I come from Germanic roots and a meal that might have been cooked by my Grandmother Krauss is what qualifies as comfort food to me. Unfortunately, my favorite source of a delicious Teutonic meal no longer delivers, so I had to venture out to their restaurant for an in-person visit.  Ended up at the Jakarta branch of Munich's Paulaner Brauhaus. As you can see I had a prototypical German meal of Bratwurst and Sauerkraut and best of all, German Potato Salad, my favorite.  German Potato Salad differs from the American version in that it is vinegar-based rather than mayonnaise.  And the Paulaner's version of German Potato Salad, though not quite as delicious as I remember my Grandmother's version was, it is still excellent and serves its function extremely well. If you also wish, you may sample some Paulaner beers, but I didn't hav...

One fantastic thing about traveling to or living in a country that's unfamiliar to you, is that you encounter many interesting and unusual foods.  In my case, Indonesia is loaded with a cornucopia of tropical fruit, some I have tasted before, but many are ones with which I am completely unfamiliar.  Such is the case with this one I recently stumbled upon:  terong belanda.  Outside of Indonesia it is also known as tamarillo, tree tomato, or Dutch eggplant. Tamarillo is native to South America, but it is grown in tropical and semi-tropical regions all over the world. The tamarillo tree is fairly short and stocky and often resembles a bush and seldom grows to be more than five meters tall. It's become especially prevalent in New Zealand as that nation is attempting to develop it as a cash crop.   To me it was the consistency of a persimmon or something similar and it tasted a bit like a passion fruit, but a tiny bit sour--really I would say the taste is fairly uniq...

From time to time I will post a travel hack, which I hope will give you an idea on better ways to travel.  One thing I've noticed in my journeys, is that people carry far too many bags with them, especially when going on short, weekend trips.  I have found that one standard-sized backpack can handle all the items you need for going on a 3-Night trip.  My backpack is a Wenger Swiss, but even a cheap generic backpack can serve as an effective 3-Night Bag--the most important factor in building a successful 3-Night Bag that can hold everything you need for your trip is that your bag have a multitude of different pocket sizes to help you with your organization. Here's another hint: your 3-Night Bag can easily become a 6-Night Bag if you make sure you stay at a place with laundry facilities.  That way, on night 3, you can wash and dry all your clothes and extend your stay to 6 nights while having only bag without experiencing any significant inconvenience.  The benefi...

Had the pleasure of visiting the Kebun Raya Bogor today--the great botanical garden of Bogor.  It is the oldest botanical garden in South East Asia, established in 1817, although the Sundanese Empire had gardens in this spot since around the 15th Century. It is also one of the largest botanical gardens in the region at 87 hectares. There are also 13,983 plants in the collection.  According to many online lists I consulted, the Kebun Raya Bogor is generally considered one of the 10 finest botanical gardens of South Asia.  I found it a pleasant oasis in the midst of the hectic city of Bogor.  Some of the enormous trees in the garden date back to the early 1800s and are so large, they seem to have souls of their own.   Sadly all the indoor exhibits (e.g. the herbarium, the orchid house, and the flowering plant building) were closed due to COVID restrictions, but the outdoor displays were certainly quite sufficient to occupy an entire morning.  I was particular...

I am walking to dinner at the resort in the mountains where I am staying.  I am approached by a young man from the resort staff. Staff member :  Oh sir! Here are your meal tickets for breakfast tomorrow morning which we forgot to give you at check in.  We are very sorry, sir, please accept our apologies. Erik :  I am here by myself, why are you giving me three tickets? Staff member :  Because there are three beds in your room. Erik :  But I only need one ticket. Staff member :  I am sorry, sir, you must take all three. Erik : Does this mean I must eat three breakfasts tomorrow? Staff member :  ( Looks extremely puzzled for about 10 seconds, before realizing that I am joking. ) Ha Ha, sir!  No, you don't have to eat three breakfasts. Erik :  Then why are you giving me three tickets? Staff Member :  We must give you three tickets, sir, because there are three beds in your room.  It's the rule of our business office. Erik :  ...