The Sands Sky Park

This is one of our target for this visit to Singapore: to go all the way up to The Sands Sky Park. When we prepared the itinerary, we couldn't find direct bus that links our budget hotel to The Marina Bay Sands. So we asked the hotel staff how to go there. The lady gave us a map and recommend us to walk. She said it's 15 minutes walking distance. And she often recommend guest to walk so that guest may see a lot of things, the boat quay, the merlion, the esplanade than the marina bay sands.


Ok than, we followed her recommendation, walking to Marina Bay Sands. First we pass the Boat Quay, than the Fullerton, passing by using Fullerton's under pass, than voila, we were in front of Marina Bay Sands. But we still have to cross another two bridges, the esplanade bridge, and also the bridge that links the esplanade with the marina bay sands.
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Christmas at Orchard

I have always wanted to enjoy the lights at Orchard on Christmas, because they say it's very nice and so on..The last two times I left Spore too early before the lighting started. And the other time, I came after christmas to Singapore.This time I came to Singapore exactly on the 25th Dec, and we went to Orchard for the lighting.


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Singapore Surprise Year End Holiday

Yesss we call it a surprise holiday as we have never planned it before. So in brief, suddenly the training which I have applied back in October is confirmed. The training dated 28-29 Dec, and we decided to go before the training. Too bad our boys don't have passport yet, so again it's going to be a holiday for me and rene. Another part of our Jalan Hemat ke Singapura version:p

Rene booked mandala air saturday Dec 25, a 6 am flight. And I book the same flight. But as Rene will return to jakarta on monday due to leave constraint, I asked the travel agent to find me the return flight for Dec 29, the night right after my training ends. They said that an SQ flight cost IDR 4 million!! Whattt? The price does not make sense. Though it will be my company expense, I said to the travel agent to find me another flight which is much cheaper. It ended up with value air:p

Another challenge is to book the budget hotel just two weeks before the d day. Most of them are full. Till I found Rucksack Inn. From the reviews, it's very recommended. So I email to Rucksack Inn 1 & 2 (they have two branches) and our luck that we still have a double room with common bath for SGD 75 per night. We'll have a bunk bed, but it's ok. While for the other two nights that will be paid by my company, I'll be staying at Park Regis hotel.

We'll share the review of both of the hotel as well as our singapore trip this time. Meanwhile kindly follow our twitter account which is @tesyasblog to read the live report. Enjoy...

written on December 25, 2010
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La Porchetta Grand Indo

We love Grand Indonesia mall for its food and of course because of the funworld section for our boys. We seldom go there, but once we go there, than we always try resto that we haven't tried before. This time we tried the La Porchetta, as it sounds, yes it is an italian resto, and the decoration is also really italian.For our boys' lunch, we ordered their penne carbonara and not only our boys who love it, but also both rene and me. It tastes really nice. The pasta cost IDR 40,000.We also tried their margarita pizza large size:p which cost IDR 45,000. For me the taste was not that special.And last but not least we ordered their chicken schnitzel, which also taste real good, but too bad it came with no steak sauce. It cost around IDR 40,000.written on December 12, 2010
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Jape Methe Cibubur

Now let's see what I can found around my house in Kota Wisata Cibubur. Near our cluster, there's a what so called Fresh Market, which also have food stalls starting at 5 pm. And I think I have to review one of the best stall which is Jape Methe. Actually they have some branches, not only in Kota Wisata. But I am not sure the precise location of their branches.


The taste is really nice and original from central java. Tried their mie goreng (fried noodle), we often order the mixed one between mie and bihun, and it taste better than only the mie or the bihun. It cost IDR 14,000.

However for me, the best one is their mie godok (soup noodle), the soup taste fabulous. Really nice to have this when it's raining. The price is the same both for the fried one or the mie godok.

Come to Kota Wisata and try this Jape Methe. I am sure you'll love it.

written on December 12, 2010
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Bakso Malang Putra Arema Bogor


Do you miss how the Bakso Bakar in Malang city taste? Just go to Bogor....you may find it! Located just a few minutes away from Kebun Raya Bogor (Bogor Botanical Garden), this Bakso Malang Putra Arema is on Jalan Suryakencana Bogor. To be precised, the little resto (warung) is located near BCA's ATM, on the left side of the road.

The special one is the grilled meatballs (bakso bakar) which cost IDR 10,000 for 12 meatballs. It is different than the one we had in Malang before, as it is served with a peanut sauce.



The bakso malang is real cheap, it cost only IDR 8,000 for one portion. Really good to have this during the rainy days in Bogor :)


Their other speciality is the bakso rudal which is actually a huge meatballs, for IDR 10,000. But I don't like it that much, I would prefer the grilled bakso.



Everytime visiting Bogor, this place will be our must visit place to buy some bakso bakar!

written on November 18, 2010
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Hema Dutch Resto

This is the second review on Hema, our fave dutch resto for its affordable price and also its look alike Dutch atmosphere. Hema is located in several locations in Jakarta: The TIS Square Tebet, Bekasi Square, Kemang Raya Bekasi, KH Ahmad Dahlan and heard that they have one in the Netherlands Embassy as well.

The decoration is trully dutch with its windmills, old houses of amsterdams, tulips, and also de klompen (the wooden shoes). All will remind me of my one year stay in Holland back in 1993. What a long time ago... Always a nice place to visit even only to eat their dutch potato!

We ordered their Huzaren Sla which cost around IDR 20,000. It contains fruits and vegetables, and topped by mayonaise sauce. It is so yummy.

And my fave is the fried potato, well the potato is only an original fried potato. But the sauce really reminds me of the sauce in Holland. It cost also around IDR 20,000.

And the last menu we ordered was their poffertjes which came with one scoop of ice cream. It was a perfect dish to end our date that day:p

written on November 15, 2010
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Jimbaran Seafood Jogjakarta

Yesss the name of the resto is Jimbaran, but this seafood resto located in Yogyakarta, to be precised at Sleman area, just 5 minutes walk from Rumah Palagan, the guest house we were staying.

We visited this place in April 2010, and we must say that the place and the food is a perfect combination! The place is dominated by bamboo, and at the backyard, we can find ricefield, which made this place really peacefull. We can also choose the fresh seafood by ourseleves, and that time we only ate crab and their grilled fish.

The crab is so fresh, and taste real good. It cost around IDR 80,000 for the portion we ordered.



While the fish, as I am a grilled fish lover, I must say it is very delicious..of course with the spicy sambal which comes with the fish. The fish cost around IDR 50,000.




At the time this review is being posted, Yogyakarta suffers from the Merapi volcano erruption. We all pray for our brothers and sisters there, and hope that Yogya, our beloved city beside Bandung, will be recovered soon. Aminnn.. Be strong Yogya, we love you!


written on Nov 9, 2010


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Hard Rock Hotel Bali



So this is one of the outstanding stories from our travel experience, our 2 nights stay at Hard Rock Hotel Bali back in Sept 2009. Why on earth I postponed to write this review for more than a year!! Anyway, we love this hotel so much. The room rates back then was IDR 1,050,000 nett per night, best rate they offered to us. We went there only with our kiddos#1, while kiddos#2 stayed at Bandung. So we have a reason to stay at this hotel again someday for our kiddos#2:)

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Ulun Danu Beratan Temple

One of our most fave place in Bali is probably this Ulun Danu temple. At first, I wonder why Rene would really love to do his photos hunting here. Especially coz he made me wake up early, as well as leaving the hotel early (5.30 am), and made this early morning trip from Kuta to Bedugul which is about 1,5 hours.

Arriving there at 7 am, and Rene still said that we were too late to take picture of the foggy lake in the morning...:p We were the second visitor at the lake, the first was a couple which also did some photo hunting. We ended up taking pictures of each other..hehe..thank u Pak Leo for this beautiful post wed picture of the two us :)

To thank Pak Leo, would love to post his picture as well. Later on Pak Leo and his wife told me to begin learning photography, so that I can do photo hunting together with Rene just like Pak Leo and his wife. Wah pak, I am not really into that kind of activity:p

Anyway, about the place....it was really peaceful and cold..the scene is really beautiful and I might say well maintained. The park is gorgeous, and I really love the lake! The early morning wake up that day paid off with how beutiful this place is. Again I must write here: I love Bali for so many reasons!!



written on October 14, 2010
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The Bali Bird Park


Been to Jurong bird park and thought Indonesia does not have something like that...but then I proof it myself our Bali Bird Park is as good as the Jurong Bird Park. Actually before visiting the place, we compared to other two destinations which are Bali Safari and also bali Zoo. After reading the reviews, we choose this park and will visit the other places on our next visit to Bali.

The park located at Gianyar, so if you plan your visit here, you can continue going to Ubud after visiting this place, as the park located not far from Ubud. I love all the birds here, they are very unique and also cute.



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Bali Reptile Park




Finally we decided to go to the Bali Bird Park and also the Bali Reptile park on our Sept 2010 visit to Bali. Because we took a lot of pictures, the two parks review will be decided into two parts. Let me share with you the Bali Reptile Park in this review.


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Cactus Glass House at Bali Botanic Garden



Heard the Eka Raya Bali Botanic Garden from our friend Yenni -who is also a travel freak:p- and how she likes this place, made us travel from Kuta to Bedugul to visit this place. In the morning we visited Danau Bratan first, than continued by visiting the botanic garden.

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Encore Pizza Sunset Road

Going to Bali with our kids, made us had to shop for our boys' milk on the first night we arrived in Bali. So we went to Carrefour Sunset Road, bought AW soup for our boys, and just beside AW they have this Encore Pizza.

From the menu I read that the Encore Pizza came from Australia. I haven't found it in Jakarta and Bandung before, so I was curious how the pizza would taste.

We ordered their chicken salad for the appetizer. It cost around IDR 30,000, and the salad is so fresh and taste sooo good.

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Halal Food Option in Bali: Makbeng Sanur


Going to bali without trying the Makbeng resto on our last visit to Bali, made us put this as one of the must visit place in our itinerary this time. It is located at Sanur Beach, near the Plaza Hotel (previously Radisson).

It has been there since 1941 and people keep coming there until now. They only have one set menu: fried fish and also the fish soup. Per set menu cost IDR 28,000. I don't like fish soup, I think that fish should be either grilled or fried. But to my surprise, I love the taste of Makbeng fish soup. Although it's too spicy for me, but it taste really fresh.


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Review on Tune Legian Double Six




We were confused of where we were going to stay in Bali for our Idul Fitri holiday (Sept), actually we had booked Casa Bidadari at Seminyak which cost us IDR 750,000 nett/night for four adults and two children, including breakfast. Quite cheap right? But we were not sure of staying at Casa Bidadari as it is not located in a walking distance to the beach.
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Umaku Sushi Citra Grand Cibubur

So glad to find this sushi resto just few minutes from our home called Umaku. It is located at Citra Grand Cibubur. Though only a small resto, it serves really good sushi! I must say that the sushi at Umaku is as delicious as Sushi Tei, believe me or not:p  The ambiance of the resto is also so nice, the wall is covered by "a newspaper" wallpaper, giving it a Japanese touch.

We often seat on their sushi bar, so we can see how the chef provide the sushi, step by step.



The best menu is their volcano sushi cost IDR 30,000. It has half baked salmon on the top that made it more special.



And also their Dragon Roll which cost IDR 28,000.



We visit this resto almost once in two weeks, we love the food and also the place, no need to go to Sushi Tei anymore.


written on September 19, 2010
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Flap Jack Kuta

If Jakarta has Pancious Pancake, Pan O and whatsoever, Kuta has this Flap Jack Pancakes, Waffels and Ice cream. Located adjacent to Ramayana Hotel, near Kuta Art Center, the resto is so eye catching as it is dominated by red. Anyone heading to Kuta Square from the discovery mall may notice this resto on the right side.

The price is about the same as the Pancious, ranging from Rp 30.000 to Rp 50.000 but the taste is much much better. Or maybe because we're in Kuta so it taste different?

We tried their fruit and ice cream waffle..nyammm nyammm...the portion is sooo big. It should be eaten by four person I guess.


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Bebek Bengil Ubud

The most famous Bebek is probably the Bebek Bengil which originally located in Ubud Bali (well, now they also have Bebek Bengil in Jakarta..). We tried the Bebek Bengil one day when we visited Ubud, and was amazed with the queue at their lobby. Before entering the lobby, you will not find any parking place for your car, so they provide vallet service instead.




After waiting for about 15 minutes, the waiter called my name and we have a seat near the garden of the resto. The ambience is so nice, really Bali. There's a garden in the middle of the resto, with a cute statue of a mom who brestfeed her babies. We can also enjoy the ricefield at their backyard.





Of course we tried their Bebek Bengil, it was half of a duck and very crispy. The taste is just so so...*Bebek Goreng Suryo in Jakarta is much much better* And it was also very expensive..rice and bebek is IDR 65,000. Hmmmm....still the resto was so full !!!





And we tried also their nasi campur bali for IDR 35,000. Nasi campur in warung Wardhani Denpasar is much better:p




This resto will be much much better if the price is more friendly..hehe..


written on September 4, 2010 by @tesyasblog


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Review on Casa Bidadari Seminyak


I love Bali for so many reasons, and now I found this great place with affordable price to sleep in. The vila's name is Casa Bidadari, they only have view rooms, very spacious, very homy. We stayed there in May 2010, and the room cost us IDR 550,000 nett.


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Fashion Pasta Dago Pakar

Been to Dago Pakar lately, for sure you don't wanna miss this place, it's called Fashion Pasta where they serve real Italian food. It is located at Jalan Pakar Timur Dago Atas Bandung. If you go to Dago Pakar area, you will first find Sierra Cafe, just go up and up, than you will find Fashion Pasta on your left side. Inside is very romantic I might say. And the beautiful thing is, they have an outside kitchen, where we can see how they make our food. Really inspiring.

We tried their creamy fettucini..the size is so small (well, at least for me:p) but it taste real italian. The fetucine cooked al dente..yummy..The price for the pasta range from IDR 30,000 to IDR 40,000.

Than of course my fave margarita pizza. There are of course many varieties of pizza, but still my fave is only the margarita. The pizza range from IDR 30,000 to IDR 70,000. We also have it packed for our parents. And the pack is so cute..

Rene ordered a cup of coffee, and it looked really nice..

After all, we like this place, but I don't know because we are not italian or what..but for us this place is for one visit only. The food is not something that made us want to come back. Again..this is only our personal oppinion.

written on August 30, 2010
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Oenpao Dim Sum and Noodles

Yess I am a dimsum freak, so I was so happy when I found this place called Oenpao, which serve halal dimsum. We tried first at their Kemang branch, it was really a cozy place to have a break. But then, it opened in Cibubur Square, the rest area in Jagorawi Toll Road (from Jakarta heading to Bogor). So I am really happy.

The dimsum is around IDR 12,000 up to IDR 21,000. We ate a lot, so enjoy our dimsum pictures!




Their noodle is also special, we ate their duck noodle and swekiau noodle. I prefer the swekiau noodle though, the duck taste a bit rare. The noodle range between IDR 20,000 to IDR 35,000. The noodle is small, smooth and cooked al dente. We really love the noodle.


written on August 1, 2010
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