In addition to traipsing around in the woods, I love to walk around in the older sections of the city of Malang to look for cool vestiges of the past. Malang was embraced and developed as a vacation and resort town during the colonial era and there are remnants of that time all over the place, especially buildings and private homes.
The central administrative area of Malang lies around this garden roundabout called the Tugu (the monument in the center; in this picture the amazing tree is in the center)
Tugu Malang (Central City) |
Around the Tugu |
It's not too hard to walk here - the sidewalks, where they exist, are clear and mostly free of obstructions. I've always been a big supporter of pedestrian rights and accessibility, so I will say again that there is so much more to see when we walk rather than riding in a car, on a motorcycle, or even on a bicycle. Walking is the best way to get to know a city and to see things that otherwise might be missed.
In the central city of Malang, there are markets, parks, historic buildings, and good places to eat. Sometimes it's hard to know where to go, but some rules of thumb are helpful: look for what you like (I like big trees so I'll head in that direction), ask locals and people for advice (people here seem to be proud of this fine place and know what's cool to experience), and watch where you're going (just because you're on the sidewalk or other place that is usually not frequented by vehicles on wheels doesn't really mean that much all the time)!
An example of the kind of small road that draws me to the center |
This one took my breath away - a surprise on an afternoon walk! |
A fenced-off jewel, seemingly abandoned |
A lush aisle, or "gang" |
Salam Satu Jiwa!