A NIGHTMARE WITH LORENA

On 17th September, I went back to Jakarta by bus again but from Surabaya there are the same rules applied. The Big Buses are forbidden to ride across the city. So, I and my family went to the bus station just a side of Surabaya city named Purabaya or usually called Bungurasih. This is a quite big terminal because all buses from all cities transited here to continue their journey to other cities in java. They separated the local bus and the long distance buses so the passengers are quite informative in this station.

I got Lorena (the name of the bus) this bus is quite famous several years ago because of their services. So, my sister bought me this bus ticket to ride me back home.

The bus itself is Mercedes-Benz OH 1626, this type is using generally by a lot of bus companies for it's power, services, handling and durability. 

The seats are made from fabric with reclining system for the back but I can't found the foot rest, it was removed. it kind of weird because in long route like Surabaya to Jakarta it will be take more than 1000 kilometers and more than 20 hours ride and our leg will be very tired without those foot rest. On every seat they prepared a blanket and a small pillow. The seats are standard in two-two and a row for the access way. The row is quite narrow maybe because the seats are a bit wider than the standard bus.

smoking room seats

electric plugs

It also have TV set and of course air conditioners that make the cabin is very cold. it also have smoking room with 2 seats placed beside rest room in the back.

The rest room is quite clean and it have water supply to flush or just washing our hands.

smoking room on board

rest room on board

The cabin baggage also have some electric plugs for those passengers that want to giving some juice to their gadgets on board.

Basically this is a comfortable yet powerful bus with great handling and European standard security system.

Now, the nightmare begin. An hour since our departure from Surabaya, The driver is starting to smoking, Yes, he is smoking in the air-conditioned cabin while driving the bus carelessly with zig-zag like Fast and Furious movies. I really can't enjoy the ride. Since, I hate cigarette's smoke and the ride is not enjoyable and when I move to back seats to avoid the smoke with my son, I hit my son's head to the handle because of the driver can't drive properly. So crazy driver.

Not long from that, we arrived at the restaurant to have our dinner. 

The Restaurant name in Taman Sari in Tuban City, East Java. The place is quite clean and they have several menu for free and we can ask another menu but we have to pay it by ourselves.

They also served a souvenir store that display many local food and snack to bring home for those whose want to bring something home.

The capacity is more than 300 persons because the dining room is quite big and the ceiling have plenty of electric fans to help circulated the air inside the restaurant.

In the middle of the way near the border of Middle Java, the was an accident. A crazy bus driver from KARINA, it's the same company with LORENA hits a parked truck then hits 2 medium trucks. The co-driver is dead on site because of his body is cut into half by the truck's back which thrust into the bus's front face, some of the passengers also get injured because of this incident. As usual, the bus driver is runaway to avoid the responsibility for his action. As the eye witness said, the driver was driving like crazy to overlaps some trucks but he forgot to saw there was a truck that parked on the side of the road and his just hits it in high speed and pushed that truck quite far. Another example for those drive so carelessly without thought or calculation. And for his action, the traffic is jammed for several kilometers and my journey was held for 4 hours.

My bus should be arrived at Jakarta around 9 am but because of the accident, they said it will be around 2 pm. Then another crazy things happen. In the Cikampek's bus stop, we transfered into another small bus because I choose to stopped in the Kalideres Bus Station since this bus station is the nearest from my home. So, I go with this small bus which is lower class than mine before and in the middle of the way the bus is stopped and the wheels are broken and can't continued the ride so we are must go out of the bus and waiting beside the freeway for another bus. And.....we was waiting for more than 4 hours. and no bus was come to helped us. I sent a complain letter to the headquarter of the bus company bur still no response so, around 5 pm, I got my family to take another bus that headed to Lebak Bulus station. Poor my son, he is so tired to waited in the side of the freeway. Around 8pm, we arrived at Lebak Bulus station then we transferred to TransJakarta that headed to Harmony because it will be passes Sumber Waras Hospital bus stop that the nearest bus stop from my home and right 9pm, we finally home. What a great journey with LORENA. Now, I award the LORENA is the WORST EVER bus company in Indonesia. That will be my last time and I hope all my readers will be have the same perspective as mine. (jmz)

KEBUN BINATANG SURABAYA

outside wall of the zoo

map of the zoo

Finally I got here, last time I were here around 5 years ago while I'm still single and now I already have a 4 years old son who eager to asked me to come here. The outside wall is crafted with animal shape art around the zoo.

ticket and photo souvenir

In the main gate we can see the Surabaya monument which is made of shark and crocodile statues in kind of seaweed thingy around them. Around this monument there are local photographer those will offer their service to taking pictures of you and your family or group then they will asked you to choose the best picture and the picture you want to be printed and they will cost you IDR 10.000 per picture of your choose and also you may have the copy by USB flash drive if you want to.

The entry ticket of this zoo is IDR 15.000 for adult and children above 3 years old must buy 1 ticket. It's quite expensive for the government zoo but they said this zoo have more animals than Ragunan Zoo in Jakarta. The ticket itself is unique, it is a bracelet that made from tyvek by 3M, it's like a paper but it's not easily to torn, water-proof, sweat-proof and it is very durable. Trust me, I already tried to torn it with all my strength and it's still stay still in my wrist. Once you worn it you have to cut it off.

free space near the entry gate

the lake

The Entry gate is made on a junction and we can choose which way to go and there are a map to guide us which animals you want to visit first, because my family not make sure which way first, so we went to the left way. There are a quite big space with cages around it. you will see a lot of tree and the sound of birds surrounding. I walked straight to the watching tower and the animals are so many here, I can't mentioned everyone of them but I saw Comodo Dragon, Crocodiles, Camel, Giraffe, Elephant, monkeys, apes and many others.

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In the tower here, there are 3 floors to the top but I'm not hike to the top because my son want to play with the water-bike on the lake near the tower. the place is quite peace and there was a good scenery around the lake and the mountain goat site.

view from the lake

the peaceful lake

bridge on the tower

the column of the tower

boat tour on the lake

The tower itself has some bridges to connected it with another site but poorly maintained so some of the bridges are in poor condition and please watch your steps here because some have quite big holes that will put your foot in, specially if you bring children to this site. The column of this tower is also crafted with animal shape art, it quite magnificent on the past when this tower once opening for the first time but sadly this is in bad condition and need to be renovate.

They also have a boat tour on the lake for those who came in group because the boat will operate minimum for 10 persons or more.

the main and the exit gate

 after walked around the tower site, we walking back to the exit gate event actually we not satisfied but because of the time we should back home. On the way back to the exit gate, I saw a souvenir shop with sell t-shirt and calendar with photo edited on it with only IDR 25.000 per t-shirt. So, I made 2 t-shirts for my son with his photo with tiger and elephant. The quality of the t-shirt is so-so but the design was great but you can't take the file because those are their proprietaries. My son actually so excited to this because he wanted to ride horse, elephant and to touch turtle and other small animals in the children zoo but those sites was closed and only operation during weekend only.

statue on the lake

gateway road

The aquarium is also under construction so we can't see any fishes and reptiles since those animals inside the aquarium area.
Tips to come here, bring food and drink but don't liter, camera or phone must be in the full battery and capture the best moment here.
I'm out of battery in the middle of event so I'm not capture many moments here.
This zoo is actually a great place to bring our children to learn about animals since every cage have detailed information about the animal in that cage. Great place with an affordable price. (jmz)

SATE KLOPO - PASAR KEMBANG

raw satay

seasoned with soy sauce

barbecue time

they're ready

Still in the same area, around Pasar Kembang, I found SATE KLOPO, means Coconut Satay, this is also one of the Surabaya culinary heritage. Basically this dish is the same like other satay dishes served with peanut cream and soy sauce, the different is the main ingredients is meat that marinated in coconut based marination that make the meat tender and fresh with coconut scent especially after their barbecued for some time, the aroma will raise your appetite.

ready to served

This satay served in thick peanut cream with smoky aroma and the meat was so yummy and I can still taste the coconut in every bites.
the Price is also affordable, only IDR 12.000 for 10 satay. must try this unique satay while you come to Surabaya.(jmz)

SOTO MADURA - PASAR KEMBANG

The next morning, we planned to go to Kebun Binatang Surabaya, the only one zoo in Surabaya City, but before, I have to find something for breakfast. So, we went to Pasar Kembang, the meaning is Flower Market, but don't thing this market of flowers, this is just ordinary traditional market which sell daily needs. Why they called it Pasar Kembang or Flower Market? because sometime in a year they have some sellers whose sell flowers for special events, like Ramadhan, Chinese New Year, New year etc.

Finally we found this SOTO MADURA, this is another soto but origanted from Madura island. This soto is lighter than the other soto since it's using more beef fat on their soup, that mean we have to eat this while it hot or else the fat will be stick in your mouth.

The taste is also refreshing, we can add lime water in to it to levitate the freshness. One portion will get 4 pieces of meat, intestine, or other organ of a cow but they are well season and very tasty. It served with rice and fried garlic and you can add some chili sauce if you want it.

The great is the price, they only charge you IDR 10.000 for one portion and IDR 5.000 for half portion. It very cheap especially if you were in Jakarta, you will not able to get a great food with this price. It a must try item when you are short of cash and around Pasar Kembang area.

WARUNG NASI CUMI-CUMI

 after arrived on this my home city, Surabaya. The first thing in my head is eat the famaos culinary on this city. Surabaya have plenty variation of unique culinary which mostly using fermented shrimp called "petis". The famous one is made on Sidoarjo city but if you like another taste, we can found in the Madura island just cross through Suramadu Bridge.

For lunch, my sister suggested me to come to this bistro, we usually called it "Warung". 

The location is quite challenging to find, it is on Waspada Road near the famous Pasar Atom Plaza, one of the crowded trade market in Surabaya. It open 24/7 and the place is not easy to be spotted but we can asked the hacksaw drivers around the place since this warung is very famous and some celebrities had trying the tastiness of the squid.

What is the specialties of this warung? yes, it using squid as their main ingredient on every dishes on their menu, the squid is not fried in deep hot oil, but it cooked with their special recipe and the result is a very delicious yet masterpiece of the squid dish. This squid will be presented on every dishes on their menu.

They have only 4 dishes on their menu.
1. Nasi Biasa in it we served with rice, squid and shrimp crispy
2. Nasi Campur with rice, squid, sliced beef, egg and crispy shrimp
3. Nasi Komplit served with rice, squid, sliced beef, egg, beef tripe, beef intestines, cattle lung and crispy shrimp
4. Nasi Rawon Cumi is rice with squid in traditional Indonesian black curry.
I ordered Nasi Rawon Cumi and Nasi Campur, the first thing in my mind is the squid will be fishy because they are seafood and every body knows that seafood always fishy bur I got is very delicious squid with tender meat, soft and very tasty.

Nasi Rawon Cumi

Nasi Rawon Cumi, The squid is combined with Rawon, the famous Indonesia black curry, served with rice and sambal, Indonesia crushed chili pepper.

The taste is very light because the Rawon is blended together with the squid and the squid was well seasoned.

Nasi Campur

Nasi Campur is the other dishes that I tried. It like Nasi Rames from Middle Java but they change the chicken with squid and they used the same squid on the plate.

Every dish here on the same price IDR 20.000. It's quite expensive for Surabaya rate but everyday people still come to taste this delicious squid. So, you must try it to know why...(jmz)