Myrna's visit: day 1, stop 2 — 29 February — Puncak, Taman Bunga

After the tea plantation, we had a choice: animal park or flower park. Because we still needed to grab a bite to eat and get to Dewi's by 3:30, we chose the latter, less extensive destination, even though Taman Safari has more spectacular views.

On the way to Taman Bunga Nusantara, we drove through Cipanas, Cianjur, home to the presidential palace renovated by Soekarno from a 1740 Dutch building. The wedding of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's son took place here last November: 1000 guests for this "intimate" ceremony, 3600 for the reception at Jakarta Convention Center.

 Rice fields dotted the landscape.

 Topiary at Taman Bunga.

 

 Unsurprisingly, crews of gardeners were hard at work.

Best photo of the day: Connie's snap at just the right moment.

American garden with split-rail fencing.

Mystery pods.

 

 Beautiful variety of lavender.

 Purwanto in Japanese garden.

 

 

 

 

Myrna with gardener in the orchid house.

 Another of Connie's perfectly timed pics:

On our way from the flower park to the restaurant Dewi had recommended, we came across an irresistible nursery:

 

 

 

 I came home with one of these cacti (photo by Connie).

 Lunch at Rindu Alam, Puncak Pass:

Ikan bakar (barbecued fish)

 Ikan goreng (fried fish)

 Two of Connie's photos at restaurant:

 

We failed to take photos at the antique shop where Connie bought her iron, Myrna picked up two old wayang kulits, and I found kue (cake) makers, an old metal box for Michael, and a crazed W: Loonen Batavia plate.

 An iron I bought later at the annual Jakarta Convention Center Inacraft exhibition in greedy imitation of Connie's purchase. From Yogyakarta.

 

Myrna's puppets, Arjuna and his brother Yudistira (thanks to Anggoro for identifying the latter), back in Pinnacle — a beautiful but costly framing job. Successful flattening, too; they'd been badly warped over the years.

 Arjuna.

 Yudistira.

Two scenes along the road Connie took from the car.