Indonesia may not have Europe’s high class and sophisticated charm, nor America’s fast-paced life, but behind the cover of practiced humility most Asian nations have taken to, Indonesia is a country that, given time, could easily be at par with the highly industrialized nations of today.

Jakarta, as the heart of the archipelago, hums with the busy bustle of a rapidly developing city. Jakarta alone can already give you a dash of Indonesia’s culture, through their world-renowned wayang kulit (shadow puppets), incomparable batik, and spicy foods.

Indonesians are friendly, although generally cautious to foreigners, especially fellow Asians. They rarely intermarry so the individuality of their physical features has been preserved.

The famous Borobudur Temple which is in the province of Yogyakarta is a mere 25 minutes flight from Jakarta. Its every bit as wondrous as it must have been to archaeologists in the past, when they considered naming it as one of the seven wonders of the world. The temple also depicts the life of Buddha, through the intricate stone carvings on its walls. You have to walk around the entire temple to finish it. At the topmost level, you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic view of mountains, including the range they call Sleeping Giant because it resembles, well, a sleeping giant.

Tagged as the Paradise Island, the island of Bali is a place i truly dream of. The usual tourists here are those from Europe or America, with a few Asians drifting in and out. A vacation atmosphere hangs heavily in the air and you can detect it simply by looking at people.

Bali is a weird, totally cool place. Its like one very big house. You can wear anything you want (or nothing at all), and get away with it. And the beaches are really something, although I have some reservations of calling it the “second heaven.” Its just miles and miles of unspoiled beach, with the softest sand you ever stepped on. You can go in for as far as thirty feet, and not get anything but your knees wet.