Bandung E-Store

The unique architecture of Bandung E-Store at Cihampelas Walk (Ciwalk).

E-Store is a premium re-seller of Apple products in Indonesia. Currently it has its outlets in four cities in Indonesia, namely Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, and Tangerang.

The Al Irsyad Mosque at Kota Baru Parahiyangan

This is the mihrab of the Al Irsyad Mosque at Kota Baru Parahiyangan in the west of Bandung. Instead of the traditional niche in the wall facing the direction of the Kaaba in the direction Mecca, this mosque's mihrab has the shape of an open "tunnel" with a pond surrounding a pulpit in its center. At the other end of the tunnel, there is a globe with an inscription of Allah in Arabic.

This is what the mihrab looks like from the other end of the tunnel.

 

The Al Irsyad was completed and dedicated in 2010 and was declared one of the "Building of The Year 2010"  in the religious architecture category by the National Frame Building Association. The mosque was designed by Ridwan Kamil, an Indonesian top architect living in Bandung.

Shanty Dwellings

A plot of shanty dwellings in Geger Kalong Girang area in the north of Bandung. The residents here are mostly migrants who have come to the city to work or find a living in the formal informal sectors of the economy. This kind of scene is not something that visitors or tourism-oriented websites would want you to see.

A Graceful Legong Dancer

A statue of depicting the graceful gestures of a Balinese Legong dancer in front of a fountain at Rumah Mode, a famous factory outlet located on Jalan Setiabudi in the north or Bandung.

To give you an idea of how a real Legong dance looks like, you can visit Bandung Daily Photo's sister blog Bandung Daily Video.

A Horror Welcome

It is very common here to decorate the gate or entrance to an alleyway, especially during special occasions like the celebration of our Independence Day or before Ied Ul-Fitr - a major Moslem Holiday, and one of the most important holidays in the country. The decorations usually contain elements that mark the occasion. The decorations on this gate to an alleyway on Jalan Kebon Sirih at Babakan Ciamis area that I saw a few days ago, however, contains an unexpected element that I don't think is relevant to any occasions. To me, it looks horrific: a baby doll is hanged just below the sign that says "Selamat Datang" (Welcome).

I don't know if it was a prank. It may have been. The message it sends might be ironically funny to some people. But personally, I don't think it is. It's horrific.

Padalarang Railway Station

This is Padalarang Railway Station viewed from a pedestrian crossing bridge on the west side of it.

Padalarang Station is the western most destination of Bandung's east - west (and currently the only) commuter train lines. It is located in the town of Padalarang at the elevation of more than 695 meters above the sea level and about 20 kilometers west of Bandung's city center. The station was built towards the end of the 19th century and has retained most of the original structure, including -- as you can see from here -- the wooden walls of the roof.

From this station westward, the railway tracks branch out to two different directions: northwest to Purwakarta and Jakarta and southwest to Cianjur and Sukabumi.

Fried Chicken in A Spaceship

This spaceship-like structure is a famous American fast food restaurant at the gate of Cihampelas Walk. Nice piece of architecture, isn't it?

A Midget Car

 You might wonder what car this head lamp belongs to. But look at the photo below:

 

Yes, it's a three-wheeled Daihatsu Midget.

According to Wikipedia, the car was first introduced in 1957. The original (the first or the DK) model of this car had an air-cooled, 2-stroke 250 cc engine which produced 10 hp (7 kW). In 1959, the second model (known as the MP model) was launched with a slightly bigger engine, 305 cc, which can produce 12 HP (9 KW). A variety of DK models had since then been produced until 1972, when Daihatsu, the manufacturer, decided to stop the production. By that time, nearly 350,000 units of it had been produced.

In Bandung and many other cities in Indonesia, the car was popularly called Bemo and used mainly as means of public transportation. Hence, the word 'Bemo' became for a long time synonymous with public transportation mini buses.

Antique Radio

One of the collector communities that took part in last weekend's BDG Mooi! Fest was the Bandung Antique Radio Community. Here are some of their collections -- grandma's (or grandpa's) radio receivers. These are not replicas but real antique working radio. According to chairman of the community, some of them are available for sale to those who are really interested. They are not cheap though.

A Vintage 1957 Red 3600 Chevrolet Truck

One of the things exhibited at BDG Mooi! Fest was this vintage 1957 Red 3600 Chevrolet Truck. The owner said that the car was all in its original condition except for the paint. It was well-maintained, ready to drive, and that it was for sale. I didn't ask how much for. It's a very nice car.

 

Outdoor Jazz Performance

A jazz performance at BDGMooi! Fest last weekend. I forgot to check who these musicians were, but their performance was really good. I enjoyed it.