Archive by Author
A Trip to Bogor Botanical Gardens Posted by sasha on Sep 29, 2014
Just 60 km and an hour’s train ride south from Jakarta you’ll find Bogor, the “bo” in the massive Jabodetabekjur urban conglomeration of Java. Way back when, it was the capital of the Sunda Kingdom (669-1579 AD) and was called Pakuan Pajajaran. Later known as Buitenzorg (“free of care”) to the Dutch colonizers, this was their…
Streets, Beats, and Eats: Jakarta Posted by sasha on Sep 24, 2014
On my travels around Indonesia and other countries, my favorite things to do are: find cool places to wander around and take in the local culture, sample tasty street food, and take in some live music with new friends. As such, I started an online video series on my travel website Grateful Gypsies entitled “Streets…
How to Introduce Yourself in Indonesian Posted by sasha on Sep 10, 2014
Learning how to introduce yourself is one of the first things you need to learn in any language. Watch this video and learn five basic questions and answers for introducing yourself. Practice at home, and build your Indonesian skills.
Why You Should Visit Jakarta Posted by sasha on Sep 5, 2014
Many travelers to Indonesia tend to ignore the capital city of Jakarta like the plague, treating it simply as a place to catch a flight or train somewhere else as quickly as possible. For those with a limited amount of time to spend in Indonesia, the desire to get straight to Jogjya or Bali is…
Common Indonesian Greetings (Video) Posted by sasha on Aug 26, 2014
Learn lots of common greetings in Indonesian by following this simple video. Listen to a native speaker, read the subtitles, and practice.
Traveling Across Java Video Posted by sasha on Aug 21, 2014
Explore some of the highlights of the most populous island in the world – Java, Indonesia – in this short video. From the chaotic capital of Jakarta, to the largest Buddhist temple on Earth, to the amazing Kawah Ijen volcano with its blue flames, Java is an amazing place that should be on every traveler’s…
Indonesian Independence Day Posted by sasha on Aug 17, 2014
Today is Indonesia’s Independence Day, known as Hari Kemerdekaan Republik Indonesia (Hari Merdeka for short) in Indonesian. To better understand this important Indonesian holiday, here’s some background information as well as modern day customs and celebrations: Background At 10 AM on August 17th, 1945, the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence (Proklamasi Kemerdekaan Indonesia) was read in…