Malang

Malang 14-15 Sept 07

(Draft)

Was feeling down this week ... and feeling the need to get away from it all....

....from Sidoarjo... and thankfully too, for I realised why people in Surabaya adjourn to Malang for their weekend getaway.

One very noticeable difference is in the air. Reminiscent of the mountaino us cool of Sapa in Vietnam, we felt the evening breeze clearing our lungs of the residual smog of burnt rubbish in Jln Pepelegi. The streets are clean, drains covered (only saw 2 mosquitoes in 24 hours a compared to > 20/hr in my house), roads that spoke of a recent repaint, and infinitely more interesting shops. Quite a number have tie-ups with HSBC for special offers, so flash it in Malang. But the key is the eye-candy many shops near Enny's (the lovely 20-year guesthouse we stayed in) provide, especially Breaddu (the name says it all about the stuff it sells - good bread from 5000Rp onwards) . Turtle Creek and their soft toys-laden frontage display over 2 storeys.