Surabaya _ the provincial capital of East Java _ is one of Indonesia's most captivating cities blessed with pristine natural beauty, traditional way of life and modern-day sophistication to make it a city worth taking the time out to explore at length.
A sojourn to Surabaya is exciting right from the moment you pass immigration and customs procedures at Juanda International Airport and enter its arrivals hall thronged with locals in traditional garb jostling for space while waiting in anticipation of the arrival of their loved ones.
Tourists bundled in winter clothes on Mt Penanjakan, the popular scenic view point for watching sunrise over Mt Bromo, 2,392 metres above sea level and the seat of an active volcano. Early morning the mercury can dip to 10 degrees Celsius. Mt. Penanjakan is 314 metres taller than Mt.Bromo, presenting visitors with a panoramic sweep of the surrounding landscape and innumerable photo opportunities.
Elbowing my way through the crowd, I could read the excitment on their faces that shone through their eyes, bright and bulging in their sockets, tobacco-stained teeth and smiles that ran from ear to ear.
Among them was our tour guide, a vivacious woman with an infectious smile, standing with a tray of garlands in hand who came forward in a greeting and presented one to each of us.
''You must be from Thailand,'' she said. ''I am Yonie...welcome to Surabaya, the City of Heroes. I hope you will enjoy your stay with us.''
And with that she ushered us to a coach that delivered us to Pondok Tempo Doeloe, a restaurant famous for its fried chicken, soups and salads, our dinner that day, after which began our arduous journey to Mount Bromo, Indonesia's most visited active volcano located in Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park.
During the three hours it took to navigate Surabaya's notorious traffic and up the winding mountainous terrain, Yonie regaled us with stories of the heroes of the past who played a significant role in Indonesia's independence struggle.
Arriving at the national park at midnight, we went to bed soon after checking into Bromo Cottages because we had to be up by 3am when a jeep would be waiting to take us to watch the sun rise over Mt. Bromo.
This boy selling wild flowers to tourists is a Tenggerese, an ethnic group whose roots can be traced to the Majapahit empire. With tours to the volcano slated later in the day, tourists buy flowers that they toss into the volcanic crater, meant to bring them good luck.
Unfortunately, the conditions were overcast that morning so we didn't quite enjoy the view at sunrise, but were still rewarded with breathtaking vista of Mt. Bromo and its surroundings.
For a cultural and traditional experience, we were taken to Trowulan, the capital city of the former Majapahit kingdom that flourished from the 13th-15th centuries, but today finds itself reduced to a rural community.
Excavations in and around the city have shown that parts of the old kingdom still lie buried under several metres of mud and volcanic ash.
We visited a museum and handful of archaeological sites, concluding our trip at a typical village restaurant where we sat on the floor and ate rice and fried fish with our hands.
Exploring downtown Surabaya was also an eventful experience. Weaving through its horrendous traffic reminded me of Bangkok, with the exception of colonnaded facades bordering wide, tree-shaded avenues. Over the years, the city has grown into a commercial hub boasting trendy restaurants, department stores, championship golf courses, night clubs and entertainment complexes, catering to families as well as love couples.
Surabaya, a bustling metropolis of three million, is only second in size to Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. Founded in 1293, it’s come a long way from having been a trading port for much of its history. Today it is a destination with all the trappings of a modern city. Flight information Singapore Airlines (Bangkok office) at 02-353-6000, website: www.singaporeair.com/th; and SilkAir (Chiang Mai office) at 053-904-985/6 and (Phuket office) at 076-304-018 to 20, website: www.silkair.com. Aneka Kartika Tours based in Surabaya offers travel packages around Indonesia. It can be reached at 62-31-592-9000 or by email: akasub@indo.net.id. Accommodation Surabaya Plaza Hotel: Plaza Boulevard, Jalan Pemuda 31-37, Surabaya 60271; tel: 62-31-531-6833, fax: 62-31-531-6393, www.sby.pphotels.com. Hotel Majapahit: Jalan Tunjungan 65, Surabaya 60275; tel: 62-31-545-4333, fax: 62-31-531- 0611, www.hotel-majapahit.com. Bromo Cottages: Desa Tosari, Pasuruan, East Java; tel: 62-34-357-1222, fax: 62-34-357-1333, www.bromocottages.com.
Souvenirs such as T-shirts, hats and mufflers can be bought at reasonable prices. A T-shirt with a photo of Mt. Bromo only cost me 90 baht. Always bargain hard because the prices are inflated. Most vendors accept US dollars, but also carry local currency; it comes handy when purchasing drinking water and finger food.
Breakfast usually consists of noodles and dumplings, grilled corn on the cob and soya milk. There are also shops serving buns and tea/coffee to sleepy-eyed tourists arriving at the scene before the crack of dawn.
A majority of the Tenggerese people are followers of the Hindu faith, but they mix it freely with animist beliefs. The man you see in the photo (left) is making an offering of food wrapped in leaves to his ancestors and spirits believed to wander the area.
At the foot of Mt. Bromo is this Hindu temple, Pura Agung Poten Bromo, where visitors pay their respects before setting on the taxing journey up a steep slope to the volcanic crater, on foot and on horseback. Hindu faithfuls congregate at the temple to commemorate religious festivals and pray for peace and prosperity. The horse ride starts at the temple and leads to a steep and narrow staircase where visitors have to dismount and walk up to the narrow rim of the volcano. The man you see here is waiting for customers at the footsteps of the temple that overlooks Mt. Batok, which is 2,440 metres above sea level.
Despite pleasant weather, climbing the 245 steps it takes to reach the top needs a lot of effort. Before you commit, make sure you are physically fit as the path leading there is very narrow, leaving no room for a stop for rest along the way. The exercise is worthwhile once you peer down the edge of the crater from whose belly billow plumes reeking of sulphur. Though the eruptions have become less frequent in recent years, volcanic ash collecting at the foot of the mountain was indication enough how active it must have been one time, and that sent a chill down my spine. The vista from this vantage point, however, is sublime every way you look.
Hindu priests in traditional Javanese attire, the jarik cloth and beskap, they wear with regular trousers. The head gear is called ‘udeng’.
Trowulan city is home to the archaeological ruins of Candi Tikus, also known as the ‘rat temple’, restored during the mid-80s. It was the venue of an ancient bathing ritual that dates to the Majapahit period. The rather strange name of the temple is associated with circumstances of its discovery in 1914, when the area was infested with rats. Every time an effort was made to eradicate its nesting areas, the creatures would disappear down a hole on a nearby hill, which was subsequently dug up to destroy their breeding ground, a large pit underground, as you see in this photo. Today it has been turned into a recreational park, with a number of school and university students coming here on field trips to enjoy the gardens surrounding this archaeological landmark.
Opening in 1987, the Trowulan Museum is a repository of Hindu and Buddhist artifacts and ruins dating back to the Majapahit kingdom. Covering approximately 57,625 square metres, its boasts priceless items such as the statue of Lord Vishnu on a Garuda excavated at Candi Belahan; a winged character said to depict the fabled king of Blambangan, Menak Jinggo; a section of a temple from Ampelgading and numerous ancient stone sculptures.
Cheng Ho Mosque and its Chinese architecture are the pride of Indonesia’s Muslims of Chinese descent. Built seven years ago, it sits in a plush upper-middle class community in downtown Surabaya. Its design was inspired by the Niu Jei, a mosque in Beijing built in 996 AD. Islam, Javanese and Chinese cultures fuse perfectly in this truly awesome structure that is open to people of all religious faiths.
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