Semar at Merdeka Food Court and Bakery

This is a Semar statue at the passageway that connects Jalan Purnawarman and Jalan Merdeka through the Merdeka Food Court and Bakery.

This is what Wikipedia says about Semar:

Semar is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punokawan (clowns), but is in fact divine and very wise. He is the dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java, and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the kotak (wayang set). He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form. The name Semar is said to derive from the Javanese word samar ("dim, obscure, mysterious"). He is often referred to with the honorific, "Kyai Lurah Semar" ("the venerable chief").

You can read more about it here.

You may have noticed that this photo is not of crisp and clear quality. That's because I took it with a toy camera on my cell phone. I lost (again) the pocket 12 MP pocket digital camera that I used to carry anywhere, and so for the the time being I am resorting to my mobile phone camera to take everyday pictures.

Five Storeys of Electronic Goods on A Dirty Street

Here is the facade of Istana Bandung Electronic Center (BEC) on Jalan Purnawarman.

In terms of size, BEC is small compared to many other malls in this city. It's even located on a narrow, crowded, and dirty street with no functioning sidewalks which - since the opening of this mall - has been invaded by unrully street vendors and panhandlers. Amazingly, this mall is still a favorite destination among locals as well as visitors. That's probably because this mall has five-storey of stores of electronic goods and gadgets: cell phones, computers, laptops, cameras, and their accessories offered at competitive prices. So, it's a kind of one-stop shopping destination for gadget lovers.