Braga Culinary Night

This is what Bandung's most renowned street "Jalan Braga" looks like now every Saturday night. Since 11 January 2014, a weekly event called Braga Culinary Night has been and will be staged here. The event is part of a wide range of new initiatives taken by our new mayor Mr Ridwan Kamil to revive and improve the charm of the city that was once proudly called the Paris of Java (Parijs van Java).

The colorful umbrellas are not a permanent fixture. They are part of the monthly thematic decorations that will be changed on the monthly basis. The umbrellas have probably been chosen because January falls within the rainy season in Bandung.

Bandung Culinary Night (BCN) is held every Saturday evening from 6 PM until 1 AM Sunday. Different food stalls representing a wide range of Bandung's rich culinary traditions are erected here. Visitors can choose whatever foods they like from the variety offered from "jajanan rakyat" (folk snacks/food) to the more classy hotel and restaurant class ones.

Today's photo was contributed by my friend Irvan Ariandi, a photographer and a member of Bandung's creative community forum.

Biertje

A man was passing by a Popeye cartoon figure lifting a glass and saying "biertje" - the Dutch word for beer - in front of a closed bar on Jalan Braga.

One of Bandung's icons for its historic past, Jalan Braga (Braga Steet) and its vicinities have a number of bars that mostly serve foreign visitors (tourists). Most of them only open at night.

Beer is called by different names in different places. It's biertje in Dutch, bir in Indonesian, Malay and Arabic, la biere in French, and birra in Italian. It's called serbesa in Filipino, serveza in Spanish, and serveja in Portuguese. What is it called in your language?

Pre-wedding Photography Session

What are the most favorite locations for pre-wedding photography sessions in Bandung?

Quite a few, I'd say. It depends on what kind of backgrounds and atmosphere you'd like to have in your photos: nature (pine forests, water falls, volcano craters, lakes, paddy fields) or urban environenments (parks, art deco buildingss, etc.). All of them are available here and can be reached within a couple of hours drive. Just discuss it with your photographer and she/he'll take you there.

Within the city, Asia Africa and Braga Streets are probably among the most popular for their oldies look because of the number of art deco buildings that line up these streets. Look at the photo above, which I snapped on Braga Street recently on one of my photographic walks. The paintings at the background - offered by art street vendors - make the location even more attractive to many.

Old Railway Crossing Flagman House

An old railway crossing flagman house on Jalan Braga next to Bank Indonesia building.

This house was built way before railroad crossings had automatic gates. Now it's empty and not in use anymore as the level crossing now has automatic gates. Over the years, the house has changed colors and been renovated several times. But I'm glad that most of the original architectural design is still in place. I hope PT KAI (Indonesian Railway Company) will preserve it for its historical value.

Sketching

A girl was having her face sketched by a professional sketcher/painter at Braga Festival 2009 that took place from December 17th to 30th last year.

Brotherhood Braga Bike Fest

Images from Brotherhood Braga Bike Fest that was opened today and is going to take place until tomorrow (December 13, 2009). Hundreds of bikers from all over Indonesia and some guest bikers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Australia are taking part in this event.

City of People # 22: Twins

It's been a while since I posted my last photo of "City of People" series. Today's photo is of cute baby twins on a bike with their father. I took this photo on one of my street photography hunting sometime ago on Jalan Braga (Braga Street).

It is estimated that only about two percent of the world's population are twins, and less than a half percent are identical (or monozygotic) twins. In that regard, I think, twins are very special people.

Bandung Architectural Heritage: Braga Cafe

This is Braga Cafe on Jalan Braga number 15. It occupies one of the buildings listed as Bandung's architectural heritage. I do not have any information about who designed the building, but it was built in 1919 and is currently owned by Dekranasda Jabar (The West Java Provincial Chapter of National Handicraft Board).

Braga Cafe is owned by Fery and Kathy and serves a unique variety of local Sundanese cuisines.

My World: The Indonesian Music of Keroncong

Acculturized from the Portuguese folk music of fado, keroncong began to develop in some parts of the Indonesian archipelago, especially in the Tugu area of what is now Jakarta and Maluku (the Moluccas), in the 19th century. It has since acquired a distinctively Indonesian flavor and hence been considered as an Indonesian musical heritage.

The root of keroncong is said to have been introduced into the Indonesian archipelago by the Portuguese sailors and officers in the 16th century. The earliest form of keroncong is called Moresco, which is characterized by - among others - the dominant use of chordophonic-percussion musical instruments. In its development, various local musical instruments and elements, such as some instruments of the gamelan, seruling bambu (Javanese and Sundanese bamboo flutes), and musical notes, were introduced into the ensemble, thus giving it a distinctively local flavor.

For your information, a keroncong ensemble typically consists of cordophonic musical instruments such as the violin, the guitar, cello, contra bass, three and four strings ukuleles, plus a flute, and some gamelan instruments.

Keroncong became very popular throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its popularity began to fade only with the introduction of The Beatles' style of music in the 1960s. The music still survives and has its own fans, however, as is shown by this group of young keroncong musicians performing at the Braga Festival last December. I was happy to see that this performance did not only attract audience from the older generations, but also a lot of young people who seemed to enjoy it as much as their parents and grandparents did.

To see what the performance was like and listen to a sample of what this music is like, please enjoy the following 1 minute 52 seconds video clip which I recorded from their performance. (This video can also with viewed at my other blog BANDUNG DAILY PHOTO'S sister site BANDUNG DAILY VIDEO.)



This post is BANDUNG DAILY PHOTO'S participation in MY WORLD Tuesday meme. To see other participants' posts from around the world, please follow the link.

"Komunitas Kalangan Atas" Art Community

This sculpture is one of the art works exhibited at Braga Festival last December. It is crafted from the whole root of bamboo by Tedy K., the artist and craftsman and the copyrights holder of this piece of art work. Tedy K. is a naturally talented artist and a member of the "Komunitas Kalangan Atas" Art Community.

The "Komunitas Kalangan Atas" Art Community works and permanent exhibits can be found at their workshop at Dago Tea House on Jalan Dago Selatan 53A, Bandung.

Classic Vintage Motorbikes at Braga Fest

Classic vintage motorbike show and parade have always been part of Braga Festival. These motorbikes are parked on the road side for the visitors and spectators to admire and be curious about. They can even ask the owners for a ride.

There are quite a large number of classic vintage motorbikes in Indonesia. The proud owners of these motorbikes are organized in clubs and even have their own specialized repair shops.

There are two major classic motorbike clubs in Bandung: MACI Bandung and Bikers Brotherhood MC (motor club). Unlike HDCI (Harley-Davidson Club Indonesia) whose members are exclusively limited to the owners of Harley-Davidson motorbikes, MACI and Bikers Brotherhood MC are more open in their membership. Anybody who has a classic vintage motorbike can become their member.



What kind of motorbikes do the members of these clubs have?

They are quite varied. Some are American made, some Japanese made, but many of them are European made. Among these, the German made DKW motorbikes are - in my observation - the most numerous.

DKW (Dampf Kraft Wagen or steam-driven car) was once (in the 1930s) the world's largest motorbike manufacturer. The company was founded by the Danish engineer Jørgen Skafte Rasmussen in Saxony, Germany, in 1916. It initially manufactured steam fittings. Later on it also produced another DKW ( Des Knaben Wunsch or "a boy's desire"), a prototype engine which was later modified to become its first motorbike, also called DKW (Das Kleine Wunder — "a little marvel"). The company was famous not only for its motorbikes, but also automobiles. As a result of a series of mergers, the DKW brand ceased to exist in 1966. The last automobile bearing its brand was F102.

Today's post is BANDUNG DAILY PHOTO's participation in the Monochrome Monday. To see other black and white photographs of the participants of this meme please follow the link.

Pattern and Colors of Batik Cirebon (Cirebonese Batik)

Here is a close up look at Batik Cirebon's patterns and colors. These batik clothes and sarongs are displayed at the Cirebon Municipality stand at the Braga Festival last week.

I have previously posted the history of the Indonesian batik and the characteristics of Batik Cirebon (Cirebonese Batik) here.

Cirebon , by the way, is a city and regency in the northern coast of Java, about 135 kilometers to the north east of Bandung. As a coastal trading city, Cirebon has received various influences from its visitors throughout its long history (the city was officially established in 1369). These influences have created an interesting cultural melting pot, which, among others, are reflected in the designs of its batik. Its bright colors, for example, are said to have come from the Chinese influence.

Batik Cirebon is mostly produced by home industries in Trusmi, a village some 7 kilometers from its city center. That is why sometimes batik Cirebon is also called batik Trusmi.

In addition to Trusmi, there are actually two other villages that also become the centers of batik production in Cirebon. They are Karang Tengah and Kunduran. The latter has a predominantly Chinese population and, therefore, produces mostly Chinese-Indonesian style batik.

How Much Inspiration is Barack Obama?

How much inspiration is the US President elect Barack Obama here?

These two paintings displayed at the Taman Sari Artist Community stand at Braga Fest last week can probably become a testimony to how inspirational and popular he is here.

Back in October last year when he was a presidential candidate, six senior painters/artists at Bandung's Taman Sari Artist Community began working on their paintings of Obama. Each of these artists pictured Obama in different styles, such as realist, caricatural, abstract, and expressionist.

When asked of the reason for their project, Basuki Bawono, one of the artists, said that they were inspired to paint Obama because he was currently a popular figure and one that had a very close relationship with Indonesia. Obama, as many of us know, lived and went to elementary school in Indonesia from 1967 (when he was six years old) up until 1971. Bawono also said their paintings were meant to show support to the presidential candidate.

With his inauguration only a few days away, we really hope that Obama can deliver what he promised in his campaign: Change! We really have a lot of hope in him not only to bring about change for the better for the American people, but also for the people of the world, especially those who are currently living under oppression, fear, and poverty.

Bandung Architectural Heritage #6: Jalan Braga 43

These stained glass windows and the lamp case (lamp post) of the building on Jalan Braga 43 are some of the remaining evidence of Braga's glorious past, which had earned it the title of "De meest Europesche winkelstraat van Indie" (The most European street of the Indies).

This building was built in 1915 and is another example of R.L.A. Schoemaker's architectural masterpiece designs.

My Wordl Tuesday Post: Braga Fest 2008 (Part One) - Bihari, Kiwari, Baringsupagi

First, my apology for the misinformation about the beginning of 2008 Braga Fest I posted earlier. My sources had somehow misinformed me that it started on the 28, whereas it officially began today, December 30th.

The 2008 Braga Festival's theme is "Bihari, Kiwari, Baringsupagi" - the Sundanese words for yesterday, today, [and] tomorrow. According to the organizer, the theme was chosen to reflect on the historical development of Jalan Braga (Braga Street) as the very street that had earned Bandung the nick name of "Parijs van Java" (the Paris of Java) and to mark the beginning of the efforts to revitalize businesses and the famous beauty of the street.

The theme is reflected in the zoning of the festival. There are three stages set along the street with the stage at the southern end of the street being set for performances that reflect Braga's past, that in the middle for Braga of today, and that at the northern end of the street for Braga of tomorrow. In between these stages were tents/stalls that showcased art works produced by Bandung's artists and creativity groups, different kinds of West Javanese culinary heritage, and fashions (for which the city is famous for).

In addition to this, as a matter of tradition, Braga Fest also features Braga Photo Festival (BPF), which this year, as in the previous years, is marked with a photo exhibition, "Photo Speak" (a series of lectures and workshops on photography by prominent photographers), photography movie viewing, and a photo contest for the general public and amateur photographers.

All that being said, let me now take you on a visual tour of some of what happened today. (I took more than 200 photographs plus about an hour worth of video clips just today; not all of them, however, are reporting worthy. So I will post some here and others at my other blogs.)

Today's post is also BANDUNG DAILY PHOTO'S participation for My World Tuesday meme. To see photos from other participants of this meme, please follow the link.



Who says that pompom has to be performed by girls?

This was one of the performances that took place in the northern stage today: A group of masculine pompom boys performed like they were girls. It was hilarious.



And here are some of the spectators:



OK. I guess you have to wait for other photos. My internet connection is being very slow today. It's exasperating.

Bandung Architectural Heritage # 5: Jalan Braga 135

These colorful windows belong to a building on Jalan Braga (Braga Street) 135, across the street from Bank Indonesia building. There is no official name for this building today as it has been left vacant for sometime. Listed as one of Bandung's Architectural Heritage by Bandung Society for Heritage Conservation, this building is another example of the Schoemaker brothers' architectural masterpieces. R.L.A Sshoemaker (the brother of C.P. Wolff Schoemaker) designed this building, which was erected in 1917.

Throughout its history, this building has been used for different purposes. I do not have any information about what this building was used for before the Indonesian independence, but after the Indonesian independence, it was the provincial headquarters of the Indonesian Police (POLDA Jawa Barat) until the 1990s. It was then leased and made into a factory outlet boutique - that's when the windows were colored like this.

Here is what the wide angle shot of the building looks like:

Braga Fest Images 03: Street Theater

This is another photo from Braga Festival. This one is from last year (2007).

Braga Fest Images 02: Capoeira

Braga Fest 2008 starts tomorrow. This Braga Fest Images series contains photos that I took from the 2006 and 2007 Braga Fest.

Braga Fest does not only feature traditional Sundanese and Indonesian art performances. It also features international art performances like Capoeira.

Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian art form that combines martial art, dance, and games. The origin of capoeira is still debated. Some believe that it originated from Africa and was brought to Brazil by the African slaves. Others believe that it is a uniquely Brazilian art form that emerged from (or combined) various elements of Brazilian multicultural heritage. Whatever its origin is, it is a very dynamic dance and a very exciting performance to watch.

These Capoeira performers, by the way, are not Brazilians. They are members of a local Capoeira group based in Bandung.

Braga Fest Images 01: The Tatalu

Braga Fest 2008 is scheduled to start this Sunday, December 28, and will be on until Tuesday, December 30. As I said a few times before, Braga Festival is an annual cultural and tourism event held on Jalan Braga, Bandung. Different street performances, food bazaar, and different kinds of attractions and exhibitions are held in this fest.

To welcome the 2008 Braga Fest, starting today, I'm going to post photos from previous years' Braga Fest so that you will have some ideas what the fest is like.

Today's photos show the Tatalu Percussion Group street performance. Tatalu is a group of young people who are experimenting with different kinds of daily objects, such as the garbage barrels, iron/tin barrels, and bamboo to be used as musical instuements. Their performance in the 2006 Braga Fest was very dynamic and attracted a lot of audience.

City of People in Monochrome Monday: Street Ventriloquist

This ventriloquist is performing at Braga Street, Bandung.

A ventriloquist, by the way, is a person who is skilled at speaking without moving his/her lips. Ventriloquism - the ability to perform ventriloquizing - which is now considered mainly as a stagecraft was originally performed by the Greek as a spriritual ritual whereby a prophet would speak to and interpret the voice of the dead who was believed to reside in his stomach. That is why ventriloquism is also called gastromancy or "belly speaker".

This photo is for my participation in Monochrome Monday meme. To see other black and white and monochrome photos of this meme's participants, please click the link.