Kawah Putih, Jawa Barat

Kawah Putih adalah terletak di Gunung Patuha tak jauh dari Ciwidey yang kira kira berjarak 40 km sebelah selatan kota Bandung. Perjalanan dari Soreang ke Ciwidey hari itu cukup padat. Begitu sampai di Ciwidey, banyak sekali tanaman strawberry. Kalau mau, Anda bisa beli dengan memetik sendiri. Selain strawberry juga terlihat beberapa restoran khas Sunda seperti misalnya Saung Sawah dan Sindang Reret. Disitu kita bisa menikmati nasi timbel dengan lauknya yang sedap yang bisa berupa ikan dan ayam goreng atau bakar, daging gepuk, karedok, sayur asem, segala macam pepesan dan sambal lengkap dengan lalapannya.

Perjalanan dari Ciwidey ke Kawah Putih cukup menanjak dan di beberapa tempat sayang sekali jalannya cukup rusak berlubang lubang. Sesampainya di Kawah Putih, mobil di parkir ditempat parkir yang sekelilingnya penuh dengan warung warung makan dan penjual buah buahan. Perjalanan dengan jalan kaki dari tempat parkir ke kawah cukup bagus, pendek dan mudah.

Dari jauh, Anda dapat melihat air kawah yang berwarna hijau turquoise muda. Warna air kawah ini bisa berubah menjadi kecoklatan atau keputihan tertutup kabut. Tanah dan bebatuan sekitar kawah yang berwarna putih membuat mata pilau dan berkaca kaca. Bau belerang-nya tidak terlalu menusuk hidung, namun kadang kadang berbau seperti durian.

Pada zaman Belanda dulu, ditempat ini terdapat sebuah pabrik belerang yang dikenal dengan nama Swavel Ontgining Kawah Putih. Dizaman Jepang pabrik belerang ini diberi nama Kawah Putih Kenzanka Yokoya Ciwidey yang mendapat pengawasan langsung dari militer Jepang. Sejak tahun 1991 Pemerintah Daerah bersama dengan Perum Perhutanan Unit III Jawa Barat dan Banten mengembangkan Kawah Putih ini sebagai Ecoturism Wana Wasta Kawah Putih. Walau dibeberapa tempat jalanan berlubang dan berbatu, pemandangan indah disekitar kawah ini begitu mempesona, membuat perjalanan ini berkesan.

Bandung, West Java

Bandung City is one town in Indonesia's most fortunate to still have one witness to his past history that can be read through the old buildings with various forms of architecture. Through one's wealth, everyone can browse the travel history of the city and the people of Bandung, depending on its interests.

In terms of architecture, Bandung once dubbed the most complete architecture laboratory because it has many architectural riches that until now the source of inspiration and research materials are endless to be dug. Various old buildings are not only able to tell how the early city was built. However, from another perspective-especially in relation to the commemoration 400 years VOC-can be known how the nails occupiers began gripping areas that have been dubbed the Earth Parahyangan to exploit natural resources and human.

Priangan Highlands region as one of the plantation since the year 1870 with the center and at the same place they live in the city of Bandung. Embryo of the opening of the plantation area still can be seen through the old building is now used as the administrative center of Bandung. The building was built in 1819 by Governor General Van Der Cappelen Dutch East Indies at the suggestion of Dr De Wilde, who then became Assistant Resident Priangan (Center for Research Jarahnitra, 1998). The building was formerly a warehouse to store coffee. Because the form of a flat roof, the building society building flat dub

THE golden age of the physical development of the city of Bandung was marked by rampant construction of modern buildings from the late 19th century. The period was marked by the transfer of the capital city of Cianjur Priangan to Bandung in 1864. However, the positive impact of socio-economic progress of this city then showed remarkable progress since planned as the capital of the Dutch East Indies, Batavia replace the sanitary considered less supportive. The proposal was conveyed by the transfer of the capital of HF Tillema (1916) and approved by the Governor-General Van Limburg Stirum.

As an emerging area so the city, the city of Bandung has a more comprehensive restructuring since the 1920s. Marked by the construction of buildings which is conducted simultaneously with the transfer of the capital plan has invited the attention of city planners and building. One of them leading designer, Ir Thomas Karsten, who designed the Bandung so that his ideas became known as "Plan Karsten". EXCEPT known as the Garden City which gave birth to a variety of praise for her beauty, in the fields of architecture, the city of Bandung bequeath wealth of architectural style. Through the old buildings Sate Building, which until now remains a landmark of Bandung, the campus Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB) who try to integrate modern and traditional architectural styles, the city is still storing wealth art deco style of architecture.

Art art deco revival in Bandung reached its peak in the 1920s. One of them is the Earth Building is now used as office Siliwangi Rector Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI). Building that almost resembles a ship that is the work of designer Prof. Wolf P Schoemaker. This building was originally a villa owned by DW Barrety dedicated to his wife. In 1964, the government purchased the building and then used for the educational activities of Higher Education Teacher Education (PTPG), the precursor to the Institute of Teacher Education (Teachers' Training College) in Bandung. Style art deco style of architecture that is not less in number can be found along Braga street, one of the most prestigious street in Bandung, in addition to other architectural styles style. Understandably, at that time in Bandung, there are more than 70 designers of the building. In fact, no less than Ir Soekarno, the first President, had to give color and richness of architectural buildings in this city. The building is characterized with two-story roof and upper part there is a kind of cudgel.

Unfortunately, some buildings that could be told about the city's history, culture and art of architecture began to be torn down a lot. Some of them do exist who were rescued thanks to persistent efforts by the managers of Cultural Preservation Society of Bandung (Bandung Heritage). However, some others are not clear anymore because it was razed to the ground. With the power of economic regime, on top of already established a new building. So, many are worried about Bandung will lose one of its cultural identity and also wealth.

Building Satay in Bandung, West Java

Many architects and building experts expressed building Satay is one of the attractions of Bandung which have stunning elegant monumental buildings with unique architectural style leads to the form of Indonesia-European architectural style. Building Satay, with his trademark form of ornament skewers on the central tower, has long been a marker or landmark Bandung, which is not only known to the public in West Java, but also all over Indonesia and even model building was used as a signal for several buildings and city signs in West Java. For example, the building forms the front of the Railway Station Tasikmalaya. Built in 1920, this white building is still standing strong but graceful and now serves as the central building of government of West Java. In the history of building Satay, during the period of 4 years in September 1924 successfully completed the construction of the main building Gouverments Bedrijven parent, including the headquarters of the Postal, Telephone, Telegraph and the Library.

Especially on Sundays environment Satay House lawn be an option where the majority of the people to relax, just sit around enjoying the fresh air or light exercise Bandung.

Walking at Cihampelas Bandung

Kawasan Cihampelas telah menjadi kebanggaan masyarakat kota Bandung, karena Cihampelas merupakan kota wisata dan kawasan potensial bagi usaha pengembangan kota Bandung. Di kawasan Jalan Cihampelas terdapat Factory Outlet dan pusat perbelanjaan yang sangat ramai, mall Cihampelas Walk, adanya fasilitas pendidikan seperti SMUN 2 Bandung, SMUN 2 Pasundan dan SMUN 8 Pasundan, ada juga fasilitas kesehatan Rumah Sakit Advent.

Dari tahun ke tahun banyak bertebaran FO (factory outlet) di sekitar kawasan jalan Cihampelas, sehingga jalan Cihampelas yang sempit semakin sempit dan padat dengan pengunjung yang ingin berbelanja. Selain berjualan busana berbahan jeans yang kualitasnya bagus dan harga terjangkau, para pedagang FO juga menjual busana sisa ekspor dengan harga terjangkau. Semua didapat dengan mudah di Cihampelas. Perubahan-perubahan di kawasan Cihampelas memang drastis dalam satu dasawarsa terakhir. Jika 10 tahun yang lalu kawasan Cihampelas banyak ditemui tempat perdagangan busana jeans, tetapi kini sudah ada hotel, kafe dan tempat-tempat wisata kuliner khas kota Bandung juga bermunculan.

Selain Factory Outlet, Cihampelas juga sudah ada sebuah mall yang dinamakan Cihampelas Walk (CiWalk) yang menawarkan sesuatu yang berbeda dengan mall yang lain karena mall ini didirikan di tengah-tengah areal terbuka (open air), sehingga merupakan perpaduan antara gedung perbelanjaan modern dengan suasana alam yang asri dan menyegarkan. Cihampelas Walk didirikan di atas lahan seluas lebih kurang 3.5 hektar, dengan kontur agak bertebing, 1/3 area digunakan untuk bangunan pertokoan, dan 2/3 lainnya digunakan untuk areal parkir, sedangkan sisanya dipergunakan sebagai taman. Berjalan-jalan di Cihampelas Walk pada siang, sore atau pada malam hari akan terasa berbeda suasananya, karena adanya lampu dari tiap gerai dan bangunan utama pada malam hari membuat suasana yang sangat berbeda. Area parkir kendaraan yang berada di basement gedung dan sisi kanan bawah area luar tidak akan mengganggu pengunjung yang sedang berjalan-jalan maupun bersantai di kawasan belanja dan kafe yang ada di Cihampelas Walk.

Kemacetan lalu lintas yang sering terjadi di kawasan Jalan Cihampelas sudah menjadi hal yang biasa, ini karena mobil angkutan umum yang tidak disiplin, munculnya lokasi wisata kuliner di pinggiran jalan dan semakin ramainya pengunjung dari luar kota Bandung yang ingin berbelanja atau sekedar menikmati kawasan Cihampelas. Kehadiran kawasan Cihampelas akan menjadi daya tarik tersendiri yang akan memperkaya pariwisata kota Bandung sehingga dapat menciptakan kembali Bandung sebagai Paris Van Java.

Jajanan Khas Bandung

Peuyem
Peuyeum adalah makanan yang berasal dari Jawa Barat, Indonesia (daerah Sunda) yang terbuat dari singkong yang di fermentasi. Makanan ini mirip dengan tape yang berasal dari Jawa Tengah dan Jawa Timur. Perbedaan utamanya ialah bahwa peuyeum kering dan tape sedikit agak basah. Proses pembuatan dan penyimpanannya peuyeum digantung.
Kini peuyeum hadir dalam wujud baru, peuyeum panggang, yaitu kue yang sudah melalui proses pemanggangan.Panganan yang baru beredar sejak tahun lalu ini memang terbilang unik. Jika biasanya kita menikmati tape yang terasa asam manis, tapi peuyeum panggang rasa tapenya sudah dipadupadankan dengan coklat, keju juga colenak. Peuyeum Panggang dapat ditemui melalui dikios-kios yang menjual oleh-oleh khas Bandung, di beberapa gerai oleh-oleh di Cihampelas, di Bandara serta di kawasan Dago. Jadi jika anda ingin mencoba membawa oleh-oleh yang beda dari yang lain, peuyeum panggang bisa jadi alternatif baru.

Cireng
Jajanan yang banyak dijumpai di pinggiran jalanan kota Bandung adalah Cireng. Cireng sudah tidak dibuat sederhana lagi tetapi sudah dengan inovasi baru, baik dari segi bentuk, bahan, rasa dan isi. Kita dapat menikmati Cireng dengan berbagai isi yang menarik, antara lain:Cireng Isi Ayam, Cireng Isi Baso, Cireng Isi Keju, Cireng Isi Daging, Cireng Isi Sosis, Cireng Isi Abon, Cireng Isi Oncom, Cireng Isi Kornet, Cireng isi Keju, dan masih banyak lagi.
Bahan untuk membuat cireng adalah tepung kanji, tepung terigu, air, merica bubuk, garam, bawang putih, kedelai putih, daun bawang yang diiris halus, minyak goreng untuk menggoreng.
Sajikan hangat dengan saus sambal, sambel kacang, atau kecap cabai rawit.

Mie Kocok
bagi yang tinggal di bandung mungkin sudah tidak asing lagi dengan mie kocok. Makanan ini adalah campuran dari mie, touge, kaki sapi (kikil), dan uratnya, ditambah dengan kuah dari rempah-rempah. Pada saat menghidangkannya dapat ditambah dengan sambal dan jeruk nipis.

Siomay dan Batagor
Olahan dari siomai adalah daging cincang yang dibungkus kulit yang tipis dari tepung terigu. Tetapi, siomai juga dapat dibuat dari berbagai jenis variasi siomai, mulai dari siomai ikan tenggiri, ayam, udang, kepiting, atau campuran daging ayam dan udang. Bahan untuk isi dicampur dengan sagu atau tapioka. Telur ayam rebus dan sayuran seperti kentang, pare, dan kubis juga dihidangkan di dalam satu piring bersama-sama siomai. Siomai bandung dihidangkan setelah disirami dengan saus kacang yang dibuat dari kacang tanah yang dihaluskan dan diencerkan dengan air. Bumbu untuk saus kacang antara lain cabai, gula pasir, bawang putih, garam dapur, dan cuka atau jeruk limau. Sewaktu disajikan, siomai bisa diberi tambahan kecap manis, sambal botol, atau saus tomat.
Sedangkan batagor adalah olahan dari siomai yang digoreng. Batagor singkatan dari Baso Tahu Goreng. Jajanan khas Bandung ini memang merupakan modifikasi dari Baso Tahu, yaitu Tahu yang diisi dengan adonan siomay, dimasak dengan cara dikukus lalu digoreng, dan disajikan dengan saus kacang dan kecap ditambah perasan jeruk limau.
Siomai dan batagor juga banyak kita jumpai dipinggiran jalan kota Bandung atau di cafe-cafe.

Combro
Combro adalah makanan rakyat yang rasanya juga nikmat, dengan isian oncom di dalamnya. Bahan untuk isi combro adalah oncom dicuci dan dihaluskan, batang seledri diiris halus, minyak untuk menumis.
Bumbu Combro (dihaluskan) : cabe rawit, cabe merah, bawang putih, bawang merah, garam dan gula menurut selera.
Cara Membuat Combro :
1. Isi : tumis bumbu halus sampai matang dan harum. Masukkan oncom, aduk, beri 100 ml air. Masak sampai matang dan air habis. Masukkan seledri, aduk sampai layu, angkat, dinginkan.
2. Campur ubi kayu parut dan garam. Ambil 1-2 sendok makan adonan, bulatkan, tipiskan, beri 1/2sdm adonan di tengahnya, tutup kembali, bentuk menjadi bulat telur.
3. Goreng dengan api sedang hingga matang kecoklatan, tiriskan dan hidangkan selagi hangat dan empuk.

Tangkuban Perahu Mountain

Tangkuban Perahu, or Tangkuban Parahu in local Sundanese dialect mean boat capsize in english. Tangkuban Perahu mountain, is one of the volcanoes are located in West Java, the located name is Lembang, about 30 km north of the city of Bandung with the altitude of 2,084 meter above sea level with lush pine trees and spread of tea gardens in the area. The shape of the mountain is maar or shield that has burst 400 years ago. The most type of rock through eruption is lava and sulfur, a mineral that issued is sulfur, a mineral issued when the mountain not active is sulfur steam. The average temperature is 17oC daily at noon and 2 OC at night. Tangkuban Perahu, which from a distance looked like the boat capsize.

The last burst of mountain in 1910 and have 9 crater of active volcano until now. The craters name are "Ratu" creater, "Upas" creater, "Domas" creater, "Baru" creater, "Jurig" creater, "Badak" creater, "Jurian" creater, "Siluman" creater and "Pangguyungan Badak" creater. The Ratu creater is the largest, after that Upas creater where is located alongside with the Ratu creater. Some craters removing sulfur smell of smoke, there is even a crater forbidden to going down, because the smoke contain of poisons. Tangkuban Parahu have Dipterokarp Hill area of forest, Dipterokarp Top forest, Montane forest, and Ericaceous forest or mountains forest.

Enchantment Tangkuban Perahu is so impressive, it is a popular tourist attraction where tourists can hike or ride to the edge of the crater to view the hot water springs upclose, and buy eggs cooked on its hot surface, even the weather is sunny, depressions in the ground wall craters can be seen clearly, not only that, we can enjoy to see the beauty primary craters,that is very impressive. The natural beauty of Tangkuban Perahu mountain to makes become one of the attractions of natural mainstay of West Java Province, particularly for Bandung. Every weekend, Tangkuban Perahu area always crowded by visitors who want to see the beautiful panorama of Tangkuban Perahu mountain. Don't worry about hotel, there are so many in there for staying or overnight if you want.

Local Legend of the Tangkuban Perahu Mountain:
The name translates roughly to "upturning of (a) boat" or "upturned boat" in Sundanese, referring to the local legend of its creation. The story tells of "Dayang Sumbi", a beauty who lived in West Java. She cast away her son "Sangkuriang" for disobedience, and in her sadness was granted the power of eternal youth by the gods. After many years in exile, Sangkuriang decided to return to his home, long after the two had forgotten and failed to recognize each other. Sangkuriang fell in love with Dayang Sumbi and planned to marry her, only for Dayang Sumbi to recognize his birthmark just as he was about to go hunting. In order to prevent the marriage from taking place, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to (1) build a dam on the river Citarum and (2) build a large boat to cross the river, both before the sunrise. Sangkuriang meditated and summoned mythical ogre-like creatures -buta hejo or green giant(s)- to do his bidding. Dayang Sumbi saw that the tasks were almost completed and called on her workers to spread red silk cloths east of the city, to give the impression of impending sunrise. Sangkuriang was fooled, and upon believing that he had failed, kicked the dam and the unfinished boat, resulting in severe flooding and the creation of Tangkuban perahu from the hull of the boat.