One day on a street in Bandung...
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| 'Bicycle Club' by NL architects, Hainan, China |
Designed by Amsterdam-based NL architects, 'Bicycle Club' is a super great idea of a cycling arena. Using the form of the traditional and functional pagoda, they designed the rooftop elegantly curved upward.
At the ground level, there is a glass-enclosed cafe that supported the open-air velodrome on the rooftop.
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| rooftop bicycle track appears to float above a glass-enclosed cafe at ground level |
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| aerial view of rooftop bicycle track |
Despite of the loud sound and rain controversy on the article's comments column, I really like the idea of the velodrome on the rooftop because it looks fun! And the shady cafe underneath it would be a great place for the cyclists after a few lap of cycling under the sun.
Here in Indonesia, bicycle (in general) is a very cheap vehicle that majority people could have. That's why, if you ever live or just travel to any city or even village in Indonesia, you will most likely find someone using it on the street. Some of them ride it because they care about the environment, other people ride it because it's trending, and a lot of people ride it for their life. They work with it. And for them, their bicycle is everything..
That first man is a tailor, we call them "Tukang Jahit Keliling". He ride around one or two housing to get some customers, bringing a table with a sewing machine inside.
Remember a man that ride with a huge bunch of grass behind his bike on my post here? Now this is the illustration of it. These kind of man usually bring grass or straw to feed their cows or lambs.
And this is "Tukang Siomay", a man that sells various of dumplings. Carrying a little stove in the right box to keep the dumplings hot, plates and forks in the other box and also a bucket of water to wash used plates, and some sauces on the back. Can you imagine how heavy it is..??
Well, that is only 3 of so many people in Indonesia that use bicycle to hang on their life. What a hard worker..
Do you know?? Cilok is one of the traditional Sundanese snack. Kinda similar with bakso or meatball, and you can eat them with the sauce. Actually, it's not a great one but it taste quite good. You should try it when you come to Bandung. Anyway, we had it last Sunday at the car free day on Dago - Bandung, hoooooo..
Bicycle parking lot is rare in Bandung, so don't forget to bring your bicycle lock everywhere you go..
Bicycle parking lot @ Paris Van Java mall Bandung.
Wall beside motorcycle parking lot @ The Harvest Patissier & Chocolatier Bandung.
CIMB Niaga Bank @ Dago St. Bandung.
Starbucks Coffee - Bandung Indah Plaza, Bandung.
I have a note on this one.. We parked in the motorcycle parking lot once, couple weeks ago. Sorry to say but I thought it was not worthy. Then we were wondering if we could put our bike in front of one of the store or in front of the mall. So we tried it out last Sunday, and we were just about to put them beside the fences while a security guard came and told us to park in the motorcycle parking lot. But when we were going to move them, another security guard (seems like he is a senior) came and told us that it's OK to park our bike there.. Aaaawww.. Thanks a bunch..!! :D
It's Sunday morning in Semarang, the capital city of Center Java, Indonesia.
At first I was wondered why Semarang doesn't have a car free day like Jakarta and Bandung. But then I got the answer when I was looking at the street that morning.. They don't need a car free day because there are a lot of cyclists in Semarang! It's nice to see people went here and there by cycling like.. everyday..!! :)
And this father with his two daughters is my favorite.. I love their bike too.. :D
So, after a constantly rainy days in Bandung, me and Sats decided to cycling on the bright bright Sunday morning and search for a place to have a couple cups of coffee and some snacks.. :D
There are lots of people cycling on Sunday. Some are taking part of a bicycle event, and you could see so many people with the same t-shirt along the road after the event is done..
And some are just enjoying the car free day (from 6a.m to 10a.m) on every Sunday morning.. and after that, they go back with their bike tied on the back of the car..
We decided to have breakfast at The Harvest. It was our first time to go there. They have great chocolate buns, lots of cheese cake and so many kind of chocolate there. But Bandung is still Bandung, rain will always comes during November even when the sun is shine brightly in the morning. We had to wait couple hours until the rain stop.
And we were just about to continue our Sunday cycling time when the rain drops again so we have to pull over. It was quite heavy and we were worried so much about our bike back then..
And we were just about to continue our Sunday cycling time when the rain drops again so we have to pull over. It was quite heavy and we were worried so much about our bike back then..
I came across this article couple weeks ago when I was wondering where in Asia should I stay if I want to cycling comfortable and safely, with some bicycle-friendly people along the road. As Tiffany Lam write, here are 5 best biking cities in Asia.. and I add some more link to some tour guide websites, in case you are going to travel to these cities.. ^_^
1. Kyoto
One thing that stands out to a first-time visitor to Kyoto is how everyone seems to commute by bicycle. Every morning, heavily made-up girls in miniskirts and salary-men whiz through the city’s narrow streets, some carrying passengers.
It’s easy to see why cycling is popular here. Kyoto is mostly flat and traffic is orderly. Plenty of alleyways make for quick shortcuts. The city’s grid pattern makes it’s hard to get lost. Roads slope slightly upward as you head north, but the incline is manageable.
Kyoto Cycling Tour Project offers tour packages and cycling information for tourists, and Cycle Kyoto is another reference site for tourist and commuters.
2. Beijing
It’s easy to see why cycling is popular here. Kyoto is mostly flat and traffic is orderly. Plenty of alleyways make for quick shortcuts. The city’s grid pattern makes it’s hard to get lost. Roads slope slightly upward as you head north, but the incline is manageable.
Kyoto Cycling Tour Project offers tour packages and cycling information for tourists, and Cycle Kyoto is another reference site for tourist and commuters.
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| Kyoto to Nara Bike Route in Arashiyama |
Asia's first city of cycling is renowned these days for its growing automobile traffic -- but the infrastructure for cyclists here is still the best in Asia.
Bike lanes cover nearly every inch of the city. What's more, small repair shops can be found on nearly every street, and shops selling cheap, secondhand bikes are legion.
For the timid, safety can be a concern. Helmets are nonexistent and Beijing's breakneck biker veterans often exhibit an alarming disregard for traffic regulations.
Those wanting to ease into the flow might first wheel through Beijing's hutongs to get a feel for the old road.
The labyrinth-like hutongs near Yonghegong are a great place to start. Once inside the maze, you’ll deal with less traffic, giving you plenty of time to see the sites -- locals hanging laundry among bird cages, elderly women peddling vegetables, men playing chess on corners.
Beijing-based travel agency The China Guide offers hutong bike tours.
For the timid, safety can be a concern. Helmets are nonexistent and Beijing's breakneck biker veterans often exhibit an alarming disregard for traffic regulations.
Those wanting to ease into the flow might first wheel through Beijing's hutongs to get a feel for the old road.
The labyrinth-like hutongs near Yonghegong are a great place to start. Once inside the maze, you’ll deal with less traffic, giving you plenty of time to see the sites -- locals hanging laundry among bird cages, elderly women peddling vegetables, men playing chess on corners.
Beijing-based travel agency The China Guide offers hutong bike tours.
You can also travel by the bike to exploring Beijing with Bike Beijing, they have some bike tour that looks interesting.
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| Bike Beijing Shop |
3. Kaohsiung
"Kaohsiung is the most bike-friendly city in Taiwan." That's been one of the city government’s favorite lines for the past two years. And it's actually true.
Kaohsiung has a growing network of bike lanes that currently adds up to 150 kilometers -- not bad in a nation known for scooters and busy streets. Kaohsiung is also the first city in Taiwan to offer self-serviced bike rental kiosks to the public.
The service, known as C-bike, is available at 50 rental stations around the city. Prices start at NT$30 for the first half hour; riders pay NT$15 more for subsequent half-hours. The C-bike official website has detailed maps of the city’s cycling routes and rental details.
If you’re planning a two-to-four day trip from Kaohsiung, we suggest that you ride out toward Taitung City via the scenic South Cross-Island Highway.
Kaohsiung has a growing network of bike lanes that currently adds up to 150 kilometers -- not bad in a nation known for scooters and busy streets. Kaohsiung is also the first city in Taiwan to offer self-serviced bike rental kiosks to the public.
The service, known as C-bike, is available at 50 rental stations around the city. Prices start at NT$30 for the first half hour; riders pay NT$15 more for subsequent half-hours. The C-bike official website has detailed maps of the city’s cycling routes and rental details.
If you’re planning a two-to-four day trip from Kaohsiung, we suggest that you ride out toward Taitung City via the scenic South Cross-Island Highway.
4. Jeju
As anyone who has biked there will tell you, the island of Jeju is the best place in South Korea to take a ride. The island is surrounded by smooth, continuous cycle tracks that run for 182 kilometers, and has gorgeous natural scenery. Traffic is light in Jeju, and the mild coastal climate makes cycling a breeze.
Flanked by bike lanes on both sides, Highway 12 circumnavigates the island. A round-island trip will take three to five days to complete. Bike rentals can be found near the bus terminal at Jeju City and Yongduam Rock.
Discover the magical nature of Jejo with Jejueco.
Flanked by bike lanes on both sides, Highway 12 circumnavigates the island. A round-island trip will take three to five days to complete. Bike rentals can be found near the bus terminal at Jeju City and Yongduam Rock.
Discover the magical nature of Jejo with Jejueco.
5. Singapore
Cars may still be most Singaporean’s ride of choice -- this is the home of the legendary F1 night race, after all -- but there’s no denying the city’s biking culture is growing.
For the past year, Singapore's government has been actively promoting cycling as a mode of transport, not simply a leisure activity. To back that up, it’s been building a network of bike lanes on the city’s main roads that is expanding weekly.
Dedicated cycling paths will be in place in seven towns in Singapore by 2014. For the time being, we like the ones near parks like East Coast and Bishan Park.
I'm sorry but there's no link for a tour in Singapore but here is a link to the Singapore Cycling Forum if there is something you would like to know about cycling in this city.
For the past year, Singapore's government has been actively promoting cycling as a mode of transport, not simply a leisure activity. To back that up, it’s been building a network of bike lanes on the city’s main roads that is expanding weekly.
Dedicated cycling paths will be in place in seven towns in Singapore by 2014. For the time being, we like the ones near parks like East Coast and Bishan Park.
I'm sorry but there's no link for a tour in Singapore but here is a link to the Singapore Cycling Forum if there is something you would like to know about cycling in this city.
Well.. Here I am, started to cycling (again) since I got Pixy, my fixed gear bike that built up by my BF couple weeks ago..
Then I started to blog about it and everything interesting about cycling and cyclist in Bandung and some other city in Indonesia ever since.
My biggest inspiration is the Copenhagen Cycle Chic. Amazed with the city of cyclist that can not be separated from a chic style. Makes me realize that cycling could also be really cool, haha.. I would really love to be there someday.. :D
Anyway, enjoy my blog with some of my artworks and I do love to hear your thought of any post here. So, feel free to leave some comments on every post!! ^_^
Love,
Pritz
Then I started to blog about it and everything interesting about cycling and cyclist in Bandung and some other city in Indonesia ever since.
My biggest inspiration is the Copenhagen Cycle Chic. Amazed with the city of cyclist that can not be separated from a chic style. Makes me realize that cycling could also be really cool, haha.. I would really love to be there someday.. :D
Anyway, enjoy my blog with some of my artworks and I do love to hear your thought of any post here. So, feel free to leave some comments on every post!! ^_^
Love,
Pritz
