Bandung's Zebra Crossing

We all know what zebra crossing is and why it is named after that horse-like, native African animal. What most of us don't probably know is when and how this sign for pedestrian crossing began.

According to wikipedia, zebra crossing was first used in the United Kingdom (UK) in 1949. Originally, the stripes of the zebra crossing were not white as we now know but alternating stips of blue and yellow.

This true-to-name zebra crossing may not be the first in the world, but I personally think that, considering the name, this is what zebra crossing should look like.

I took this photo on Jalan Dipatiukur (Dipatiukur Street) at Dago, Bandung. This zebra-"zebra crossing" was painted by an artist to go with a sculpture that was put in place as part of the celebration of Bandung Creative City (BCC) project.

For your information, Bandung was named and chosen as East Asia's pilot project of crative city at an international conference of world cities with creative-industry economy at Yokohama, Japan, in July this year. The choice was made because Bandung was considered as a regional trend-setter in this kind of industry. In the past ten years, Bandung's creative industry products have set the trends among millions of young people in many other cities in the region.

Street Photography # 5: Life at Bandung's Commuter Train

Bandung's commuter train, the KRD (Kereta Rel Disel), is quite probably unlike any other commuter trains you have ever seen, had a ride on, or even imagined. It is not only a means of transportation, but also virtually and quite literally a mobile market place. On board, you can find almost anything you would normally find in a market and more. Different vendors offering different stuffs like candies, drinks, cigarettes, foods, fruits, newspapers, and magazines are only some examples of what you can meet on board. You can also find street musicians, and even dancers performing for tips from the passangers on it.

Needless to say, comfort is not the key word on a KRD ride, but it's the cheapest and speediest means of transportation that connects Padalarang, a subburb town about 15 kilometers west of the city of Bandung, and Cicalengka, another subburb town about 17 kilometers east of Bandung, through the city.

The photo above is of a newspaper man offering newspapers to passangers on board the KRD.

My world: Jaipongan, A West Javanese Cultural Heritage

"Jaipongan" is a relatively new creation dance. The correography of this dance is attributed to Gugum Gumbira, a prominent Bandung artist, musician, dancer, and correographer. It became popular in the early 1980s.

The correography of "jaipongan" is derived from/inspired by older West Javanese traditional folk "socialization" dances such as "ketuk tilu", "kliningan", "bajidoran" and some movements of "pencak silat" (Indonesian traditional martial art). It is called a socialization dance because it is primarily performed as an entertainment (as compared to dances that are performed for rituals or other ceremonial occasions) where members of the audience are invited to take part and interact with the dancer(s) and other members of the audience.

"Jaipongan" by the way is a very dynamic dance with swift, quick, and rhythmical motions and music.

This post is my participation for the meme MY WORLD.