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Any Port in a Storm :: Compass Points :: Asia :: Mount Merapi and it's Effect on my Indonesia Trip

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hwinpp
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Joined: Feb 2009
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Posts: 3,885
Location: Phnom Penh

Mount Merapi and it's Effect on my Indonesia Trip
« Thread Started on Oct 26, 2010, 7:08pm »

Well, it hasn't effected my trip at all, I'm alive and kicking!

I'm in Indonesia for business, 9 days, four of which are 'working' days. As usual I'm more concentrated on the culinary aspects and I haven't been disappointed.

Day1, caught a flight to Surabaya and lost my colleague in KL on the way. Reason was that his passport was only valid until 11th April 2011. Therefor not the full 6 months that Indon immigration demands. This was 22nd Oct., 12 days missing. The airline refused to board him and he flew back to Phnom Penh the next day.

Our twin rooms were turned into singles, something I didn't mind.

Air Asia going through the motions. I believe they have the prettiest stewardesses in SEA.

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Straits of Melacca

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As we arrived at the low cost carrier terminal we had to take a bus into town. Don't know why the airport authority didn't extend the train tracks to the LCCT, it'd cut the ride into town in half. So by bus it was about 45 minutes, we arrived at KL Sentral and immediately took a taxi to Mid Valley for lunch.

We started with dessert. I had cendol, shaved ice with green noodles, lots of 'gula melaka' (palm sugar) and a dollop of red beans while my colleague had 'ais kacang', shaved ice with red beans and peanuts and a dash of 'zero'. Both easily available in PP. The green noodle dish is called lod in Khmer, available around the bigger markets though I've only had it around Orussey.

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This was followed by otak- otak, in this case steamed, big surprise, it turned out to be a near cousin of amok. Hadn't realized it turned out that way nif steamed because I always order the BBQ'd variant which contains less coconut and more chillies and 'belacan', shrimp paste.

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Last was fried kuai teov, which isn't easy to find even in PP.I've only had it as pat si eew at the Noodle House (which is pretty good).

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After that back to the airport, the fiasco with my colleague and the onward flight, alone, to Surabaya.

The northern coast of East Java, shortly before the landing.

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After checking in I immediately followed the advice of an acquaintance and got a taxi to a place called Rawon Setan, Devil's Rawon.

This little shop only serves rawon, a herbally, brownish, clear soup with beef. It comes with rice and an extra plate with fried beef, fried lung, a salt egg, deep fried tofu and 'tempe' something I'm not sure about but also made of bean curds. You also get a saucer with bean sprouts and a very nice chillie dip that I've only had in Surabaya, best there anyway. I also ordered the first Bintang of the trip and I have to say it beats Anchor or Angkor upside down tastewise, cheaper too.

At the top is the rawon (i ended up having 2), at the left the side plate with the stuff described above.

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This is the otak- otak I described above, but BBQ'd. Not only does it come in a different shape but it's much tastier than the steamed version too. It's basically fish paste held together with egg white with spices added. Look familiar in the open state?

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The restaurant. It's right opposite the Marriott, every taxi driver knows the place.

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The next morning I had a very average breakfast at the hotel, The Surabaya Plaza, a non- smoking (but with a smallish smoking room) business hotel in the business district, no pool; then went out for an appointment.

This took so long I jumped into a nearby mall for lunch and headed to the food court. Very crowded and the food was surprisingly good.

Had pencen with cut up beef balls (something like that anyway) and the Indonesian version of 'zero', they add coconut water and flesh

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Fried moring grory

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And a clear soup, which was good for cleaning the palate.

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« Last Edit: Oct 26, 2010, 7:28pm by hwinpp »