09-Jun-2023
Another two trips across the river. We've been wearing the other bank out since we got back...
First up, the roti trip. A friend had been recommending her favourite roti-maker for a while. We knew the shop in Kampung Sourabaya -- indeed, we'd passed by, and said hello many times -- but we'd somehow never been there at the right time to eat.
This time, invited to join three others on a mini-boat trip, we sorted out our eating schedule so that we were primed and ready to consume roti.
So, first you go downriver for a while:
These boats are always fascinating
And then you walk back along the far bank, heading west:
Where you'll find this tiny shop...
... which really does have exemplary roti, the perfect blend of crispiness and softness
And then you return via the normal cross-river perahu tambang.
Very pleasant.
Then, today, we did our first trip to the Taman Botani for a good long while. Normally, we walk across on the footbridge, do the loop round the park, and come back on the little ferry. But the water level in the river was super-high today... We're not sure what they were doing out there at the barrage, but having seen that embarcation was a bit tricky, and might become even more so, we thought we'd get across the river while the going was good, and walk back:
The jetty we came back from on Wednesday was flooded today
The boat had to nudge up against the steps instead
Along the road, and up through the village. A bit more demolition has been happening here, and the derelict school is now gone:
The archery targets are still there, though, and look -- spiffy new toilets at the top of the hill
Great views today
And the flowers over here are superb
Having zigzagged our way around the park, which is always peaceful, we headed off down the road to the pedestrian bridge.
The Pangkalan Sapi area beneath the Parliament building is really shaping up now:
And, of course, you can sit and watch the river traffic
From the bridge we also got a good view of the work that has started on The Flagpole, which is apparently going to be the tallest such mast in Southeast Asia...
The plan was announced at the beginning of this year; it's supposed to be completed within the twelvemonth; and it's expected to be a big tourist attraction... I can never rake up much enthusiasm for projects like these, but I'll keep you posted...
A big flagpole needs a big crane
Meanwhile, the river rolls on...