Where to stay in Semarang?

I was staying here until my 3rd grade... And after so many years, i'm back again and seems nothing changed in this city. 

My first visit i stay in Gumaya, around 2012. The hotel is sooooo good, the room is clean, spacious, the service was excellent and not to mention the food. I love staying there. What i dont is only the price. Lol.

Now is the second visit and i choose to stay in novotel. It's been ages here, the building is renovated but still old. Room is also spacious, staff were friendly and nice, budget wise hotel and it's in central semarang so practically everything is near from here. If you want to go to the biggest mall, u can cross the street to paragon mall. If you interest in historical site, lawang sewu is only minutes away from here. So, if you here for business purpose, i highly recomend you this hotel. 

Culinary semarang

After the travel, now i want to share my story about the food... Semarang, is always fame with the food. As you know there's a lot of food from central java here so in 1 night, i'm trying to taste whatever i can reach. 

Day one i choose to have breakfast in soto bangkong. This soto is already well known since long time ago. However, now the taste is become so-so. Clear soup in this soto was suppose to be good if they serve it hot. And the portion is relatively too big for me. But the side dish is still good, specially the satay kerang. 

I skip lunch because i still have to work but my dinner is good. I decide to try bakmi jawa pak doel beside novotel semarang. I just 1-2 min walking distance from novotel. I was too tired to go too far to find dinner. Bakmi jawa was cooked with charcoal, so the place is a bit smokey, but for me it's worth it. Some people said the portion is too small, for me, it just perfect. I order mie nyemek, which is looks like fried noodle with soup. And off course i  order it spicy. It served with chicken and somehow there's chinese style 'cakwe' as topping. 

As for my breakfast, i decide to skip hotel's breakfast and try soto ayam selan which is recomended by a friend. Soto was served like soto kudus, but the soup is almost like soto surabaya. Taste good, woth a lot of side dish, but my fave is tempe goreng. This place is only 7 min walking distance from novotel. Located in jl. Depok. 

Before i leave this city, off course i have tp buy something for my mom. She asking for lunpia gang lombok which is already famous from long time ago. It's located in china town, small yet clean place. 

And while waiting for your lumpia (yes, the queing is pretty amazing) you can have lunch in bakmi siang kie next to it. It contain pork, so definitely good. The soup is hot n the noodle is home made. I love the texture of the noodle. Try mie pangsit if you have chance to visit here and you'll  know what i'm talking about.

Travel from Jogjakarta to Semarang

Hello again...I'm back today to share to you about my experience. Well, as the title said, today i travel from jogjakarta to semarang. There's a lot of shuttle travel or bus that you can use to semarang and today i choose day trans travel. I depart from Jogja around 6AM (yes, i know, that's crazy right???) but to avoid traffic, i decide to leave earlier. 

And now i want to share to you about day trans travel. They leave on time! Yes! I love it! And this is important because you dont like to wait with unclear information, right??? They have big bus, small bus, big shuttle car and not so big shuttle car. Haha now you confuse! I dont know how they decide wich care they will use, guess it depend on how many passenger on the day. So I go witth medium size shuttle for around 14 people but there's only 3 passenger from jogja with 1 driver. They provide us mineral water and bread (dont ask how it taste). But remember, for 5 hours ground travel, it's enough.

Now about the car. Well, the car is ok...but if you book, please avoid seat number 2(near door). It's not convinience. But if u depart in the morning, i would prefer to have a seat on the left side to avoid sunshine. And the good news is...they HAVE WI-FI!!!! Yes, now i become like teenage who cannot live without wi fi... But, hey, who's not!?

And another important thing is they have charging spot. You can charge ur phone or laptop or anything if you seat on the right side. 

Oh i forgot to tell you. They cost me 80.000 IDR. Which is a very reasonable price for around 100km away with not so smooth traffic. Will update you later about the route and the view. See ya on my next story. 

Jogjakarta 2016

After so long not having business trip, today is my first trip on 2016. And this time, i have opportunity to visit Jogjakarta, again, after a long time. Even for a short time, i choose to stay in Santika Premier Hotel, as usual. I only have 3 usual hotel in Jogja, Aston, Novotel and Santika. I always wanted to try Phoenix Hotel because it looks so cool from outside....but I don't know, some people say it spooky...so i don's have gut to stay there...yet. 

I departed from Jakarta today around 10.25 and arrived in Jogjakarta around 11.20 with Garuda Indonesia. Is it satisfying? off course it is.. i always happy with the service of Garuda Indonesia. Waiting quite long time for my baggage to appear, and finally it's coming after 20 minutes. I went directly to outside departure area to get taxi to Santika, it cost me around 70.000 IDR. 

Now about the hotel, Santika is quite old hotel here,but they have very friendly and helpful staff. They renovating room about 3-4 years ago, and the room is clean. I got room facing pool with small balcony outside. Spacious room, clean, not-too-cold room but not-so-warm either, small television, minimal charging space (they only have 2 charging space), and pool view. What do i expect more? 

I will have quick rest here today before leaving Jogja to Semarang tomorrow. Will share my story later about food here :) but for now, i have to prepare for my next meeting. :)