All About Indonesia

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The old building on jalan Asia Afrika is getting a makeover. The walls are being repainted, the rooms inside being cleaned, old light fixtures being replaced. And on the outside, the sidewalk is unusually clean and adorned with brand new steet lights. The old building - Gedung Merdeka, the "Freedom Building" - looks young once again.

Built in 1895, Gedung Merdeka has a spesial history. Fifty years ago it was the scene of the first Asia-Africa Conference, which played a great role in changing the fates of many nations in Asia and Africa, especially those not yet independent back in 1955.

To prepare for the coming flashback to the 1955 Asia-Africa Conference, Gedung Merdeka is being thoroughly renovated. The most extreme change is in the interior: The conference halls are being restored to exactly as they were for the 1955 Conference. This year’s delegates will be able to indulge in nostalgia and re-experience the atmosphere of 1955.

To this end, the building, which is usually open as a museum, is closed to the public through May 2005. The old building seems lonely at the moment; no guests are comingto view the relic kept in the Asia-Africa Conference Museum

Gedung Merdeka has changed its function many times in its 110 years. It was first used as a coffe shop. Then, in 1928, it was remodelled by two Dutch architects and converted into a social hall for the Dutch community of Bandung, called Societeit Concordia.

Later, in 1955, when Bandung was chosen to host the Asia-Africa Conference, Indonesia first President, Ir. Soekarno, changed the old building’s name from SocieteitConcordia to Gedung Merdeka, the “Freedom Building” and the name has stuck ever since.

Before it was converted into a museum, Gedung Merdeka was used as a conference hall and as the office for various high state instutions. As the 25th anniversary of the first Asia Africa Conference approached, it was proposed that the building be established as the Asia-Africa Conference Museum, and as the peak of the 25th anniversary commemoration, Indonesia’s second President, Soeharto, inaugurated the Asia-Africa Conference Museum on the site.

The museum’s collection deals mainly with the conference held fifty years ago: Photographs, books, and a diorama portraying Soekarno giving his openingspeech at the conference, with the Vice President and five sponsoring Prime Ministers in the background.

The 1955 Asia-Africa Conference had a significantimpact on world events. Around 79 Countries achieved independencein the years following the conference. The indicates that the conference resolution, the Bandung Principles, was more than mere words on paper.

This evening, Bandung has just been drenched with rain. An elegant old building stands on one corner of Jalan Asia Africa. The glow from the streetlights around the building gives the building a majestic feel. The old building is ready to welcome her guests, who will give thanks for the conference held here fifty years ago that helped their nations to breathe the air of freedom.

Bali, the fabled “Island of the Gods”, has been enchanting visitors for centuries with its rich cultural tradition and spectacular panoramas. From lofty, mist enshrouded volcanoes and cool mountain lakes down through terraced rice field to a golden strand lapped by azure waters, every square inch of bali offers a fresh and unforgettable image.

No less enchanting are its people, some 2.7 million souls whose artistry and piety are recognized throughout the world. Balinese Hinduism, a complex fusion of indian cosmology, is the primary faith of Bali’s inhabitants, and so deeply woven into the fabric of their daily lives that the line between the spiritual and the material is blurry at best.

Those of you keen on delving into the island’s fascinating culture will have plenty of opportunities, as colourful ceremonies and traditional performances occur with the regularity of sunrise. Most hotels offer nightly dance showsof one form or another, tailored to tourist audiences but none the less exquisite. The will town of Ubud, the island’s premier arts centre, also has a full schedule of performances, and the nearby stone-cutter’s village of Batubulan is famed for its barong lion dances.

The shopper among you will find Bali a treasure house of handicrafts and fine works of art. The Balinese are incredibly gifted artists and craftsmen, and their material creations are imbued with the same sense of wondermentwith which the regard their universe. Stone and wood carvings, traditional and modern paintings and intricately designed jewelry in gold and silver are readily available in shops and galleries throughout the island.

As for recreation, there is no shortage of options. Nature walks, horseback riding, diving, surfing-efen bungy jumping and white water rafting-await the adventurous here.

Pulau Seribu Marine Resort

Every city dweller dreams of being stranded on a desert island. Out here, you can be stranded in luxury. Consisting of two islands, the resort offers highly professional services, including delicious food and spacious cottages. Designed to let you enjoy nature, at the Marine Resort you can experience a variety of sports facilities and recreations or simply enjoy the beautiful white sandy beaches. The resort has more than 90 spacious cottages, on both the Timur (east) island and Barat (west) island. Each island is also equipped with tennis courts, a multinational restaurant, snack counter, souvenir ship, disco and marine sport rental ship, convention hall, scuba diving boat, swimming pool and japanese restaurant.

The House of Sampoernais everything that a museum should be but usually isn’t. Rather than a display of dry artefact from the past displayed in glass cases, the House of Sampoerna recreates history and shows its links to the living present, allowing the visitor to savour and enjoy rather than merely view and ponder.

In a single stately Dutch colonial-era compound, the museum tells the unfolding story of Sampoerna, the oldest and fastest growing manufacturer of kretek, the sweet smelling, clove scented, distinctly Indonesian tobacco product. The story begins with Liem Seeng Tee, a Hokkien immigrant who began his life as humble trader, selling flavoured tobacco from his small shop under a railroad bridge. Eventually, he concieved of the idea of selling pre-rolled cigarettes containing a blend of tobacco, cloves and other flavourings. His enterprise boomed, and within years he was the successful propieter of a major business. At the museum, the simple push bike that he first rode as an iterenant peddlar is on display as is the stretch limousine he bought several decades later. There is also a full range of photo and other momentoes from the company’s colourfull history, with pictures of the community brass band and testimonials from recipients of Sampoerna’s sholarships testifing to just how deeply the company is rooted in the social and cultural life of the region and nation.

But what makes the House of Sampoerna trully remarkable is that site of the museum adjoins a fully functional work unit of the present day company, where hundreds of nimble-fingered women workes hand-roll Sampoerna’s cigarettes at a dazzling speed. The visitor can view the operations from air-conditioned comfort through glass windows looking out over the operations. You can even try your own hand at rolling up Djie Sam Soe in the special display section. But there is much more to the House of Sampoerna than merely one of the nation’s best museum. The site also contains the Cafe, an art deco extravagance creatively restored and decorated with leaded glass windows and teak panels, and offering a fine range of Indonesian and Western dishes.

The art Gallery presentsa rotating series of exhibits from contemporary artists around Indonesia, either on loadn or for sale, while the Kiosk offers a wide selection of merchandise including mugs, t-shirts, jackets, ashtrays, caps, bags and much more besides.