I wear THREE layers of jacket. Sweatersplus a layer of jacket fleecewith a jacket windbreaker outside ; they were all unable to withstand the stinging of Pangalengan’s morning mist.
Bandung is currently getting cold and cold, especially in high areas like this mountain. Traveling about two hours from the city of Bandung made me extra careful. Steep descents and turns accompanied by fog made me maneuver a lot like games rapid roll on old school nokia phones!
Entering Pangalengan, I pointed my motorbike to the left of the bus terminal and headed straight for the Malabar tea plantation. I was immediately hypnotized by the view of the morning here.
The immeasurable expanse of leaves is like a green rug interspersed with thin mists as if to say good morning. Really wide, up to the top of the hillside in the distance there are still tea gardens. No wonder the stock of bottled Sos*ro tea never runs out. Their garden alone is this wide.
Cultuurstelsel. Malabar is a silent witness to Dutch colonialism in its system which forced and tormented the Indonesian people at that time to grow tea. (edit: according to this source, in Malabar there is no forced cultivation, in fact the farmers are more prosperous than other areas. Because their crops were the prima donna of the world at that time). Luckily, one of the kind-hearted Dutch left a contribution of knowledge to the city of Bandung. The Malabar Tea Plantation and the Boschha Star Observatory are among its remains. Graaf Johannes van den Bosch also rested himself for the last time here. However, I am not very interested in pilgrimage. Boscha, ah, sherina how are you? #eh
After I was satisfied with taking pictures, I turned around to go to another plantation. Actually, I want to relax a bit and enjoy some fresh malabar tea in one of the tea corner there. Luckily I still remember today I fasted. The original fresh hot Malabar tea was kept for another time.
I turned around, past Cileunca there. The road is very good, different from the road in the Malabar tea plantations. Finally, I also met the Cukul tea plantation. Cukul has a steep ground contour. There are many gaps here. But that’s what makes the scenery here even cooler than in Malabar.
While chatting with one of the tea pickers, I knew that the path from this cukul was to Rancabuaya beach! This beach, which I have visited quite often, turns out to be through Pangalengan. I’ve heard of this route for a long time, but he said it was very bad. The good news, the people there say the road has been repaired, already soft. Must try for the next line.
In Cukul there is also a unique house with old-school European architecture. he said the hell have a german. The house was empty and locked when I approached. But, this house is enough to make me fantasize about flying to Europe there. Anyone want to accompany?
Actually, there is one more garden that I want to visit, namely the Kertamanah garden. However, I was quite tired and was a little afraid that the fast would only last until the midday drum. In addition, the beautiful cows of KPBS Pangalengan have released their mouth-watering fresh milk. Next time I will come again.
~ I miss the green ones, that’s why I’m here.
Adieu!
**photo taken by BenQ GH800 except last photo :3
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