BIRTHDAY IDEAS: KATSURA - PLAZA SENAYAN

Hello guys! Ever wonder where to celebrate your birthday or probably just a big event in your life? You want something fancy, delicious but yet not over the top and of course you still want to impress your friends with your financial ability (don't we all, don't lie about this - well at times I have to agree that I do lol). A five-star hotel dinner is also good but quite a bit mainstream don't you think so? Personal experience of mine is that I went to my friend's birthday at Ritz Calton but then turns out there were two other people who are celebrating on the same day and time, if you are okay with than then it's okay. If you are the type of person who wants a bit more privacy, luxury and of course delicious food Katsura is an excellent place for it! (not sponsored here)

Located in one of the oldest yet luxurious malls in Jakarta, Plaza Senayan, finding the Katsura is not a challenge. But for those who rarely visit Plaza Senayan, Katsura is quite difficult to locate because it is located on the 4th floor (the extension area) and it is placed at the back corner of the mall, quite an isolated area but really good for privacy I must say.

From the name itself I am sure you guys are all aware that they serve Japanese food and it is classified as Fine Dining. Unfortunately I didn't take any picture of the interior, due to the dark lighting available there, but I ensure you Katsura is just simply beautiful (with a hint of luxury) interior-wise.

I did mention "impress friends with financial ability" meaning that this place is indeed on the pricey side for a restaurant. I am mentioning this before the actual review so that you guys are not surprised later on. Eating here might cost quite similar to eating a buffet at a five star hotel, which is around Rp 500,000 to Rp 1,000,000 per person (depending on the type of food ordered and the amount itself). So I highly recommend you guys to prepare in spending a lot of money if you are ever wanting to treat your friends here.

Let's just get on to the dishes shall we?

Salmon Sashimi [4.5/5.0]

Rp 138,000 ++

It is a mandatory to order Salmon Sashimi in a Japanese Restaurant (especially in a good one). Some might not fancy raw fish, but for those who do the one in Katsura is definitely a must-try! You might wonder what's the difference between raw salmon in restaurant A and B, well there's actually not much difference but the style of cut/slice and the freshness of it differs in each restaurant (supposedly yes, according to my passive observation that is) and the one here is just simply amazing, in my opinion.

I did mention before about the price and I must say this Salmon Sashimi is one hella expensive plate of raw fish. But yeah in my opinion it is worth the price (and of course you also pay for the luxurious ambiance there). I do not really recommend this, because some Japanese restaurant also serves Salmon Sashimi at a similar quality but at a lower price, so I highly suggest you guys some of the other dishes (which will be stated later). But if you are up for it then just go ahead!

Salmon Salad [5.0/5.0]

Rp 208,000 ++

Not the type of dish that is really visually appealing, but a lot of wonderful food are not visually appealing and same goes for this plate of heaven. I am missing the flavor of it already. This Salmon Salad is just simply amazing, a classic mixture of Romaine Lettuce with a touch of the homemade Japanese dressing that is just so fresh and light. I have to say the highlight of this dish is definitely the Salmon, served in two types of cooking, raw and grilled, the Salmon is just a perfect combination that simply melts in your mouth.

I have to say not a lot of restaurant can really pull-off a delicious Salmon Salad and the one here just exceeds my expectations. Portion-wise it was really big, I shared it with my Dad and my sister. Taste-wise to die for and just simply heavenly. Health-wise good I must say, since it is categorized as salad (LOL). Price-wise? Worth every penny. Highly recommend this to you all out there!

Foie Gras Sushi [5.0/5.0]
Rp 218,000 ++

I am a big fan of Foie Gras, so this one might be really biased (just saying). I am just in love with this one here, first things first, one expensive plate of sushi! But definitely worth the price if you ask me. The Foie Gras here is served in a chopped kind of style that is of course cooked (in a satuee kind of style I guess), served with sushi rice and wrapped in seaweed. Topped of with spring onions and a hint of sauce that is just a heavenly mixture.

I literally savored each second of eating this wonderful dish. Because it is simply a mixture of my favorite dishes Foie Gras and sushi. I have a feeling people who reads this section will feel very icky towards my Foie Gras obsession, because I am very biased I guess lol. Anyways if you guys fancy Foie Gras and Japanese food, this is a really good mixture of it and yes I do recommend this dish for you all! Not the best tasting Foie Gras but definitely a good one.

Gindara Teriyaki [3.5/5.0]
Rp 268,000 ++ (Ala-Carte) or Rp 298,000 ++ (Lunch Menu Set)

The dish actually looks so much better in real life and my photography skills just suck so bad. Anyway we did ate in Katsura for lunch so my sister did order the Gindara Teriyaki Lunch Set, which costs around Rp 298,000 (I think so, didn't note down the actual price) and by adding like Rp 20,000 she got Rice, Miso Soup, Chawanmushi, Mashed Potato and Pickled Radish, which is of course a really good deal. So if you are ever wanting to treat your friends, lunch time is always the best timing to do so.

Moving on to the taste of the Gindara Teriyaki, it is actually quite decent I must say. Quite unfortunate also that they pour all the sauce on the fish, some people (including my sister) prefers the sauce to be separated. What I really like is actually the soft texture that just melts unlike any other Gindara Teriyaki. Aside from that this dish is quite decent and the overall taste is indeed achievable in some other restaurants (for a more desirable price also). A good dish but not Katsura's best dish.

Wagyu Hamburg Steak [4.0/5.0]

Rp 298,000 (Lunch Set)

Wagyu Teriyaki Hambur Steak with Foie Gras 

Rp 268,000 (Ala Carte)

Removing the Foie Gras for Miso Soup, Chawanmushi, Rice, Mashed Potato and Pickled Radish is indeed a smart choice for Lunch Set kind of menu, since it is more economical and fulfilling. I was a bit sad for doing this that day, but I did ate Foie Gras sushi already so got over my sadness quite fast. Anyway I didn't try the one with Foie Gras so didn't rate the dish.

Moving on to the actual taste of the dish, it was simply delicious I must say. Quite dry though, but they do serve it with separated Teriyaki Sauce (don't know why they did this but not to the Gindara), but aside from that it is delicious and fulfilling. Quite a decent dish, but texture-wise and taste-wise definitely delicious and it is Wagyu so it is really soft. I recommend this dish to people who likes Japanese Style Steak and it is indeed worth the price I must say.

The side dishes? They were just beautiful, in every aspect I must say. They are visually attractive, delicious, especially the Chawanmushi and the Mashed Potato, and of course fulfilling and just a perfect complementary to the actual dish. I just wanna give a special highlight to the Chawanmushi because it is just heavenly and I highly recommend this to you all.

What did my dad order? He ordered the Chicken Teriyaki Lunch Set which approximately cost Rp 298,000 ++ and it was delicious also. A good texture on the chicken not too hard but not too soft also and just simply delicious. I am giving it a 4 out of 5, because it is quite decent, especially for Japanese restaurants to serve Chicken Teriyaki, but the Teriyaki Sauce in Katsure is just on point! Sorry I did not take any picture of this dish.

Matcha Roll Cake [5.0/5.0]

Rp 78,000++

Who wants desserts? I do. This Matcha Roll Cake is just beautiful I must say. Served with Matcha flavored Ice Cream and Sweet Red Bean Sauce (on the white egg-holder like bowl). The combination is just heavenly. Unfortunately this might taste a bit too sweet for some people, but aside from that this plate of dessert is just perfect! Japanese people do have a sweet-tooth so please do bear with it if you are eating Japanese desserts. I highly recommend this dish to you all, because it is just a perfect way to complete the Katsura experience.

Sadly guys that is it for my visit to Katsura, I did wish that I ordered more but I feel bad for my wallet, so yeah. In total the three of us spent around Rp 1,9 million eating in Katsura and that is equivalent to eating in Hotel Mulia's Edogin. I did enjoy my visit because the staff were also really nice and attentive, the chef did even come to our table to offer their daily specialty (which was this big Crab from Hokkaid and some other fresh catch) and this is actually what makes it different than a simple Hotel buffet.

That is it guys for today's post and I do hope you guys find this information useful! Thank you for reading up to this point and I do hope you all have a great day! Comment down below if you have ever visited Katsura and also state your impression about it.

Make sure to check out my other social media!

Instagram and Youtube

Katsura

Plaza Senayan Lt. 4 Unit CP 406
Jl. Asia Afrika No.8, Kota Jakarta Pusat, Daerah Khusus Ibukota Jakarta 10270
(021) 5725226

LOT 9 - BINTARO

Hey guys! Back again with a restaurant review post! Today I am going to discuss a restaurant that is located quite far from my usual 'playground' even though I do live in that area. I have to agree that I have never really explore this area before, it is Bintaro. Located in the outskirt of Jakarta, Bintaro is a city (I guess so) that is modern and quite well-known for their variety of street-food. This particular restaurant that I am visiting is not a street-food vendor though, it is an actual legit restaurant named Lot 9.

Lot 9 is a restaurant that has a very good atmosphere I must say, being located in the outskirt of town makes the restaurant very spacious and more refreshing (oxygen-wise). They took this advantage and build a restaurant that is chic, modern and yet natural and homey. This large area means that they have a lot of spaces for seating in people and do not worry about parking in this restaurant, it's a piece of cake!

The picture above only shows like a quarter of the actual restaurant (that's how big it is!) and I am definitely in love with the theme here. Very European with the big glass windows and the canopies, but yet we are engaged to nature and fresh air (which is quite rare to find here in Jakarta). The architectural beauty doesn't stop there, it continues to the interior. As classic European style chairs are placed alongside unfinished wooden chair and tables for an industrial finish. The blend of styles in the interior is very smart and beautiful I must say.

Aside from this beautiful array of furniture, the walls are also matched with modern yet artistic pictures and paintings. Some of the walls are made from the classic red-brick walls which gave a touch of class and unfinished industrial look.

I should probably stop talking about how the restaurant looks like and move one to the food. I put the food discussion after the architectural beauty because it didn't wow me at all (probably the one I ordered was not their specialty). The food overall were very decent in my opinion, in fact I do know a couple of restaurants who serves better version of the exact same dish. Let's not get too critical shall we and just discuss individually.

Gado-Gado [4.0/5.0]

Rp 35,000 ++

I must say this actually one of the good dish available here in Lot 9. It is a classic for every Indonesian restaurant, a mixture of fresh local vegetables served with crackers and 'lontong' topped-off with peanut sauce. I mean you can't go wrong with Gado-Gado, the disappointing part is the crackers served here were not that crunchy and the peanut sauce was slightly off. Aside from that the overall rating of this dish is really good and I could never resist myself from a good Gado-Gado, not the best out there but definitely good.

Rawon [3.5/5.0]

Rp ??? (I forgot the price and tried online but couldn't find it)

Rawon is actually one of my favorite Indonesian dishes. It is also a classic! Rawon never goes wrong, but preparing it can be quite tricky as one of the ingredients is actually very sensitive. In a sense that if the ingredient goes old it'll ruin the whole taste but if it is as it's perfect age it will taste heavenly. In love with how they serve the Rawon here, they separate the beef with the broth (in the teapot) which is very unique. My first bite of this Rawon was quite disappointing as it didn't really taste as good as it looks, it is somewhat bitter. Same goes for the cracker, they weren't crunchy here also. Overall the dish is pretty decent, but I do recommend you guys to try the other dishes if you visit this place (or just go to another restaurant if you want to eat Rawon).

Ayam Pedas Kemangi [4.0/5.0]

Rp 45,000++

This chicken is actually grilled and coated with one of Indonesia's classic seasoning. Rich in traditional flavors this chicken is delicious indeed. Not the best Indonesian style Grilled Chicken but definitely worth trying due to the twist of flavor in terms of spiciness and freshness. I recommend this dish to people who enjoys feasting on something a bit more spicy. A bit too oily at some parts I must say, but overall it is good.

Nasi Goreng Cakalang [3.0/5.0]

Rp 55,000++

I am very disappointed at this dish, it is way too heavy on the oil and the Cakalang did not really taste fresh at that time. Cakalang is a type of Indonesian dish that is similar to salted and spiced up tuna fish that is preserved (as far as I know this is the definition lol) and of course best eaten when fresh, because it is a fish kind of dish. I had high expectations for this dish, but it disappointed me. The only good part was the side dish (aside from the not crunchy crackers) and the rice was okay. Overall this dish is just a disappointment and I do hope they try their best in improving this classic Indonesian dish.

Beverages [4.0/5.0]

Rp 25,000 - Rp 40,000 ++

There are just so many options of beverage here in Lot 9, I am so sure they serve more drinks than food. I tell you what they are absolutely better than the food, tried so much and did not really remember most of them (of course Ice Tea tastes the same in every restaurant in the world I suppose) but I am giving an overall score of 4 over 5, which is really high for my standards.

I am so sure that they highly depend on the beverages because they are so much better than the food and in a tropical place like Indonesia, who doesn't want Ice Tea? (Or just a simple icy beverages). I do think that this restaurant is set out more as a place to chill not eat, so in my opinion Lot 9 focuses more in enhancing the quality of time spent with friends or family (by providing good drinks and beautiful designs).

In addition I do feel that this restaurant is still one of a kind, especially in Bintaro and I do hope to revisit this place and try some other dishes they have. I am looking forward to snack, drink and just chill with my friends in Lot 9 in the future probably but I do hope their standards for food is continually supervised to further improve. Overall my visit to Lot 9 was quite decent but the architectural design did overwhelm me.

That is it guys for today's post! Thanks for reading up to this point and have a great day to all of you! Make sure to check out my other social media!

Instagram and Youtube

Lot 9 - Bintaro

Jl. Arteri Bintaro No. 78, Bintaro Sek 9, Pondok Aren, Tangerang
Open from 10am to 1am
(021) 22210455

ANCOL DRREAMLAND - WEEKEND GETAWAY [North Jakarta]

Hello there guys! I am finally back after a month, I deeply apologize for the absence, I have been doing my exams, assessments and a bit of travelling for the past 4 weeks. I am back with a post that is quite similar yet different in a way, just a simple Weekend Getaway in the very busy and often hectic city of Jakarta (Indonesia). Let's go with it shall we!

Living in Jakarta can be very tiring, cars everywhere, not much parks and very limited public entertainment that is quite decent. Aside from that living the city live can be tiring and a simple change in atmosphere can be really fun. This where Ancol Dreamland comes in! Located in North Jakarta and I am so so sure that you guys here are aware of Ancol Dreamland. Established in 1966 makes Ancol Dreamland one of the oldest entertainment area to be visited in Jakarta.

What is Ancol Dreamland? In my opinion it is a form of the government's gratitude to the citizen of Jakarta by making an area for recreational activity and a simple getaway from everyday lives. Located in the northern part of Jakarta makes this place quite famous for its beaches and resorts for the locals. Some even come to swim in the beach, even though it is not the best (as in for cleanliness and location wise) place to actually swim. Over the time, Ancol Dreamland is slowly improving in many different aspects and I do hope for the best in the future.

Why did I visit Ancol Dreamland? I went to stay in Ancol over the weekends because I had to do a charity work from the HOPE Foundation, the activity is called Walk for HOPE and it was held on a Sunday morning in Ancol. I live quite far from Ancol, so me and my parents decided to stay in Ancol Dreamland for convenience. Aside from that we felt like sleeping in a hotel and we needed some sort of relaxation, so why not?

Where did we stay? We stayed in one of their newest hotels, Discovery Hotel and Convention Ancol, a four-star hotel and located near Dunia Fantasi (Dufan) Theme Park and the main gate of Ancol Dreamland. Surprisingly the hotel room is really nice and it's actually one of the best part of the hotel itself (especially the bed).

Discovery Hotel & Convention Ancol

Exterior wise, the hotel is very common, but it does stick to a resort theme, making it only limited to 9 floors. Interior wise is where the fun starts, the public area are very common but the rooms, they are so much more than we would have expected from a four-star hotel. We booked the Grand Premier Suite, which features a spacious 113.4 meter-square room alongside a breathtaking view of the pier and Dufan Theme Park.

Of course the room accommodates all of the basic necessities, a favorite of mine is the spacious luggage area (picture above), spacious television area (refer to video) and outstanding bathroom (refer to video). One big downside is the quality of the water in the hotel, was not really clean and the water flow was quite weak, which was not very enjoyable I must say. The bad quality of water actually limits us to bathe in the spacious bathtub, which is a shame.

Dinner there wasn't a big issue, since the hotel itself is equipped with 24-hour room service and two mega restaurants. One of them is called Kembang Goyang, this is where we had breakfast and dinner that weekend. On Friday and Saturday nights Kembang Goyang holds a special barbecue themed buffet dinner. They mostly serve seafood, but upon special request (without any additional charges) we may request beef steak of our choice (sirloin or tenderloin). The food there was relatively very average I must say, nothing special in particular but it wasn't bad.

Desserts were fascinating and fulfilling! Displayed in the hotel's lobby, the patisseries there are indeed not only for viewing pleasure. It tasted as good as it looks, a personal favorite of mine is the rainbow cake here, also tried the Strawberry Cheesecake which was splendid.

Did I mention that they have a sky lounge? It is called Discovery Sky Lounge, located in the 9th floor. Getting there is quite a challenge since the elevator stops at the 8th floor, from there we asked the hotel staff regarding the location of the sky lounge and we were led to a 'secret door' that leads to the 9th floor. The place is really beautiful in my opinion but I must say that it is highly underrated and the Sky Lounge becomes a nightclub (with DJ and lights) at night.

I saved the best for last! Which was the bed. It is the absolute best that is available in the hotel, the best part of it is actually the type of the bed is the same for all room types (even the cheapest room!) so this facility is indeed the best. And if you guys do check my video out, you can see how addicted I am to the bed.

Unfortunately that is all I have to say for this post. I didn't do a lot of things there, but I did try the swimming pool and it was fun, but it gets really crowded especially on Sunday mornings. Aside from that I enjoyed the activity of Walk for HOPE, which involves a 5km walk around Ancol Dreamland, walking/jogging in Ancol Dreamland is actually really good. A simple drive in the beach area of Ancol Dreamland is also fun and refreshing. Refer to the video below for some more detail of Ancol Dreamland.

That is it guys for today's post! Thank you so much for reading until this point and I do hope you enjoyed it or found it useful and all. Pardon for the misuse of language if available or any of the grammar mistakes. Thanks once again and have a good day!

Make sure to check out my other social media!

Instagram and Youtube

BlackBall - Pantai Indah Kapuk [PIK]

Hey guys I am finally back after decades (lol highly exaggerated), but anyway today I am just gonna post the usual stuff so yeah. I would like to say sorry for being absent in most social media, because I am just so busy with myself lately, especially with assessments and exams/tests. I am currently having an exam right now so yeah all the best to me guys hahaha (the things I do for you guys). So, anyway let's just get on to the post!

BlackBall

BlackBall is a Taiwanese dessert house and it has outlets all over Asia, including Indonesia. The one I visited is the one in Jakarta, specifically the one in Pantai Indah Kapuk (PIK), they do have outlets in Bali, Tangerang and malls in Jakarta (like Central Park). This is not my first visit to BlackBall but in my opinion they never seem to let me down, despite the high growth of dessert houses in Indonesia (like Shirokuma, Sumoboo or North Pole Cafe). Once again the rate of a restaurant or food depends on each people's perspectives.

Located in the Ruko Garden House this place is not hard to be found and it is located in the area across Sumoboo's area. BlackBall is actually one of the pioneer of desserts in Indonesia, so I do think that BlackBall's dessert are so better than others (or just more original).

Interior of BlackBall Pantai Indah Kapuk

The interior is nice but I must say it is quite decent, but it does feel nice bright and very fun yet calm to be. It has like a 'park' kind of theme and this theme is applied to most BlackBall in Indonesia (based on my experience of visiting the different outlets in Indonesia). I do like the theme and yes nowadays restaurants are starting to really focus on increasing their appearance (interior-wise and exterior-wise) and of course the ambiance also.

Grass Jelly Section (for this specific one) [5.0/5.0]
Rp 28,000 - Rp 45,000 ++

I am sorry guys I forgot which specific one that I ordered, but it was pretty clear that it has red bean, mochi and green tea flavored ice cream. Ordering in BlackBall can be quite tricky since they name their dessert based on code, like A1, A2, A3, etc. I highly suggest you guys to ask the store clerk for details of each dessert and trust me without their assistance it'll be really hard.

Basically the dessert above is one of the best sellers and it is one of my favorites also (I think I have always ordered the same kind). The taste is just on point, as it has a very good balance of flavors, creamy delicious but the grass jelly balanced out the heavy taste. Overall this is just a perfect dessert for me, not that expensive, the right portion, flavorful and it really cools your body down. I highly recommend this dessert, especially if you guys just want to cool off or chill.

Snow Ice Series (for this specific kind) [4.0/5.0]
Rp 33,000 - Rp 55,000 ++

Yes I forgot the specific name again (so unprofessional of me), but anyways this is a part of the Snow Ice Series and I think (not sure here) my friend customized her own dessert here, since red bean didn't really suit her taste so she customized one without red bean. That is what I remembered, since I did the visit a month ago (I think, not even sure with the date of visit).

Anyways, this specific dessert is just really good and perfect for the one who seeks something a bit more heavy in terms of creaminess and milkiness. It uses vanilla ice cream, oreos, mochi and shaved ice at the bottom. The shaved ice gave a heavier flavor to the dessert, not like the grass jelly where it delivers a herbal flavor. This one tastes quite common in my preference, but I still do recommend this and plus you can always customize.

QQ Cake (Original Flavor) [5.0/5.0]
Rp 18,000 ++

QQ Cake (Matcha Flavor) [4.0/5.0]
Rp 18,000 ++

One of my favorite waffles in the dessert industries and I honestly don't know why do they call it QQ Cake, but they are just amazing good. I always go back to BlackBall to order the Grass Jelly and this QQ Cake and I do like the original one better, because some things are just not meant to be matcha flavored. Sadly adding toppings like chocolate, maple syrup or jam adds the cost also by Rp 5,000 and adding ice cream adds the cost by Rp 7,000 - Rp 10,000 (depends on flavor), so in the end it is not as cheap as we expected it to be. All of that plus plus is worth since the maple and the ice cream is just a perfect combination, I have a feeling that they make their own ice cream since the ice cream just taste really good. Overall I highly suggest you guys to try this out, but some of you guys might find the QQ Cake very decent as well.

Overall my visit to BlackBall as I said before, never seem to fail me and it has always put a smile on my face and my wallet also. It taste clean, original and fresh but yet it is highly affordable and satisfying. I do feel that dessert houses's rate all depends on the consumer's taste, so might as well try all right?

Thank you guys for reading up to this point and that is it for today's post, I do hope to update soon or at least by next week (when my exam finishes). Please do stay tune to my blog and thank you once again. Have good day all!

Make sure to check out my other social media!

Instagram and Youtube

TRIP TO SINABUNG - MEDAN

Hey guys! I am back once again with a post that I should have done like weeks ago or a month ago probably. I deeply apologize for this unprofessional delays and I must say that my schedule have been pretty packed for the last few weeks, so updating was difficult. In my absences I did a lot of things basically and one of those thing is actually a trip to Medan in island of Sumatera, Indonesia. This trip was done for a good cause and it was held on the 28th of March until the 30th of March 2015. So anyways without further ado let's just start!

Here are a few background information to help you guys understand the trip more.

Why did we go to Medan?

Medan was chosen due to the recent natural disaster that happened more or less a year ago in the mountains area. The disaster was caused due to a volcanic eruption that exerts hot air and volcanic cloud which results to hot volcanic ash. People who lives in those area had to be evacuated to a safer area and only until now that they are allowed to go back to their respective houses. Even so they will always have a feeling of being threatened by nature.

(Personal Justification: Sunlight still passes through even though there are boundaries)

We chose Medan -specifically Mount. Sinabung- because we planned to help them with adapting to a new environment and encourage children there to keep their heads up even in hard times. Mount. Sinabung was chosen because one of our teacher actually has someone she knows there which made it so much easier.

Who did I go to Medan with?

I went to Medan with my school friends and teachers that acts as the supervisor. This activity is actually student-led and it is a part of a social group called LBLS (Little Brother Little Sister) activity. LBLS is also a student-led and student-made group, so most activities are carefully though together and of course with full support from the school.

MEDAN

Our flight to Medan was quite early, around 6 in the morning. What was a pain was that we had to gather at 4.30 in the morning, for some unknown reasons I guess. We chose Garuda Indonesia as our airline to ensure all of the safety issues and of course the excellent service.

The flight took around an hour and forty minutes, so we arrived at around 9 in the morning. As usual we had to go to baggage claim first and all, so we departed at 10 from the airport to go eat lunch, since the airport is located quite far from downtown Medan. 

Funny story, we were supposed to go to the restaurant first and then the hotel, but I have no idea what happened to me that day (probably I was malfunctioning), and I told the driver in to go to the hotel first. So, people in my car had to experienced my stupidity and odd leadership skills. Luckily the restaurant and the hotel was just a 10 minutes drive apart.

Another thing that happened was I broke one of the glass in the hotel's meeting room when we were discussing the activity we were gonna do in Sinabung. That proved my malfunctioning state. The hotel we stayed in is called Grand Serela Hotel, located on Jalan Gatot Subroto. It is a 4-star hotel and it was really nice I must say. (room details refer to vlog)

Day 1 was basically meetings and adapting to the hotel. Day 2 is where the fun happened. Day 2 is the day of our visit to Mount. Sinabung and it is located about 80 km from the hotel, so we were to depart early in the morning (around 5 in the morning).

On the way to Mount. Sinabung we passed villages, paddy fields, cliffs and so much more. I must say the scenery was very beautiful, it was like hidden Europe in Indonesia (and I had been to Swiss and Austria). We made a stop at this picturesque cafe by the cliff and took pictures.

It was really cold outside but it was all worth and plus when else can we experience cold in Indonesia.

We finally arrived at a specific area on the mountainside of Mount. Sinabung, where there lies a small village there. We arrived at 8 in the morning (wow a 3 hours drive, even in the morning) and I was touched by how warm they welcomed us to their village. That day was a Sunday, we were welcomed in a Christian Church, so as we were welcomed a holy mass also occurred. It was my first time in undergoing a Christian Holy Mass (cause I am Catholic and it was different in a way), so it felt so exciting and all of the songs were sang by this amazing lady harmonized with an electric piano. 

The part that really touched me is that even in the most difficult time, they still believe in God and they do rely on to God as much as possible. They were all so devoted and determined (I can see their determination) to God. I might sound like I am exaggerating but I am actually not, they placed all of their fate on God's hand even if disaster strikes, because they believe God has a purpose for everything, even in situations like the volcanic eruption.

After they welcomed us, we were set to prepare ourselves in the activity of children enrichment or encouragement. It was around 11 am, so the sun was quite hot already. We started of the activity with an Ice-Breaking activity, the activity was dancing. Our purpose was actually to make the children more comfortable with us and more brave and confident, especially in expressing themselves. We danced to the song Happy by Pharrel Williams (with our own simple choreography). We divided the groups of children by age, and the younger ones get to sing local children songs (which you guys can see in my vlog)

Afterwards he had a half an hour break at 12 noon. We ate food that the locals made for us, which was really good in my preference and it was also our first legit meal of the day, since we didn't eat anything in the morning (we did request packed breakfasts from the hotel, but the hotel gave us three small piece bread that was good but unsatisfactory). 

We then gathered back at the same area and grouped the children into age groups again. We divided them into two, Grade 1-3 and Grade 4-6. I tackled the older age group, we grouped the children into 6 or 7 people and this resulted to three big groups. Each of the group is given a piece of paper and they must work as a team to create an imaginary village or city. Through that village or city the children must determine what's inside the city and who will work there. e.g A drew a hospital and A works there as a doctor, because A's dream is to be a doctor.

After each group finished their work they were ask to present it in front of everyone else. Most children here wanted to be a teacher, doctor and police. There was one who wanted to become a priest and it really is amazing in my opinion.

At the end of the day we cooked them 'Kolak' (a traditional Indonesian warm dessert, consist of bananas and sweet potatoes) and just enjoyed them together. They were all so lovely and ambitious. They were all so happy and energetic in a way that me myself can't even compete even with so many things that limits them to actually be that happy and ambitious they are still able to feel that way. My only wish for them is to keep up their happiness and ambition close in their lives!

We then said thank you to everyone and donated some school supply to the children and also money to help the village in buying seeds to be able to regrow corps after the ash that killed nearly all. We departed around 3 pm from the village. I must say this trip is truly remarkable and one of the best I have experienced so far in my life.

Check out these two vlogs for a better understanding!

MEDAN VLOG DAY 1

MEDAN VLOG DAY 2

I thank you all for reading until this point and I do wish that you guys are here to support the people and the children of Mount. Sinabung also. I thank you all once again and have good day! God bless you all!