March 2015 Jewish Heritage Europe Newsletter is out!

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News & info from Poland, Italy, Latvia, Croatia, Portugal and the UK and more... with a focus on synagogue history,  architecture & preservation.


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Al-Hamra Restaurant at Mataram - Capital of Lombok Island

After a long distance traveling from the jetty of Gili Nanggu, we reached the capital of Lombok Island - Mataram. Our driver directly drive us to the restaurant for dinner, yes...we were hungry!

Al-Hamra Restaurant (Arabian cuisine) (S8.58223 E116.10534),  we reached the destination in the perfect timing! Because power failure! The whole restaurant was lighted with candles and looks romantic in the way...haha!

Al-Hamra Restaurant, Mataram

There were candles lighted in every corner in the restaurant, and all us were waiting in the room...for dinner.

Patiently waiting...

Fortunately the electricity resume in about 15 minutes...smile on everyone face instantly! Haha!

And I started to snap around...the restaurant is decorated in Arabian way...cozy, relax and comfort in every corner.

Different deco in different corner of the restaurant

One of our tour mate is a vegetarian, and her dish was the first on our table...well, no comment on it.

The vegetarian dish of that evening

After a while, everyone food was served on table, pretty fast! Everyone has same dish which was the chicken soup, followed by their signature grilled lamb.

Chicken soup

The soup was tasty, and somehow a bit unique of the taste. I quite like it.

The grilled lamb was well marinated, but not tender enough...maybe due to the power failure...maybe...but we enjoyed the lamb very much!
It taste differently compare with Arab cuisine in Malaysia, I believe all because of the different herbs and spices were use to prepared.

The grilled lamb from Al-Hamra Restaurant

Everyone was served for the Arabian fried rice after the lamb. We like the special taste of it, went well with the sambal chili. Excellent!

Arabian fried rice

I'm not good to verdict in Arabian cuisine, but our dinner was taste above average. It's worth to try if you are happen in Mataram, Lombok Island.

The restaurant has ample parking lot, even for express bus...we realized it after the electricity resume.

After our dinner, we had another 45 minutes on road traveling back to Senggigi beach where our resort located...let's rockz!

Related post for Lombok island trip :-
*  Airasia media FAM trip to Lombok Island - Indonesia on July 2014

Location of Al-Hamra Restaurant at Mataram, Capital of Lombok Island - Indonesia.

Star fish spotted along the beach on our way back from Gili Nanggu and Sudak - Lombok island

A lot of fun activities at Gili Nanggu, satisfied lunch at Gili Sudak...while on the way back to the jetty, another surprised! Star fish spotted! (S8.74618 E116.01814)

It was low tide while we were back, and we had to stop at the other site of the jetty and walking back to the jetty where we parked our party van. There were many star fishes along the beach, every 5 steps...you will see one star fish laying on the beach...
Everyone couldn't resist to taking photos with the colourful star fish!

Star fish

This was also my first time holding the wild star fish in my hand! Not from the aquarium but from the ocean...
We were curiously hold, touch it and having photo with it then put all of them back to the beach...

The star fish

Our friend - Tony almost want to bite it...haha!

Beside the star fish, there were also mudskipper, sea urchin were found along the beach. I really like to stroll along the beach, too bad we had no enough time...

We were going on the long journey again to Mataram - the capital of Lombok for our dinner.

Related post for Lombok island trip :-
*  Airasia media FAM trip to Lombok Island - Indonesia on July 2014

Location map of the Tawun beach at Lombok island

Check out the February Jewish Heritage Europe Newsletter!

The Jewish Heritage Europe Newsletter for February shares calls for fellowship applications, papers, workshops and conferences -- including a training session at the National Library of Israel.

We also highlight new books on Jewish heritage in Ukraine, Slovenia, and Poland, as well as preservation initiatives and issues in Poland, Lithuania, England, Italy, Croatia, Spain, and Romania. For a change of pace, we even posted about an 18th century Jewish cemetery in the United States.

Please keep me informed about your own Jewish heritage projects, concerns and ideas so that I can share information with our expanding readership. Thanks!


 

Nirvana Beach Restaurant at Gili Sudak, Lombok island

After our fun activities at Gili Nanggu, some were tired, some were exhausted but all of us definitely hungry! So we moved to the next island for late lunch - The Nirvana Beach restaurant at Gili Sudak. (S8.72575 E116.02772)

The area was nice and the restaurant is just situated next to the beach. A simple timber style setup, but the attraction is the surrounding...

Once we settled with everyone bags and belonging, we started to snapped around...the BBQ of tropical colourful parrot fish became our main attraction!

Everyone was busy taking photos with the fish...rarely have a chance to see the process of the BBQ parrot fish...

BBQ parrot fish at Nirvana Beach Restaurant

Our fellow tour mate - Sock Peng (http://mylovelybluesky.com/) was helping the BBQ preparation...haha!

While waiting for the lunch to be serve, the corns soup was ready for everyone in the restaurant. All of us can't wait to try out the Lombok food at the restaurant...actually, we were starving...:)

Corns soup offer by Nirvana Beach restaurant

Before we finish the soup, other delicacies like veggies and toufu were ready at the serving counter...

Then followed by the BBQ fish...

BBQ parrot fish

For every dishes we chose, don't forget to taste some of their magic cut chili, which was super hot! I like it very much!

The cut chili and local sambal

One fish for one person (or more).
All of us enjoyed each of the BBQ parrot fish and some of us took 2...the fish was fresh and I believe only BBQ with a little salt which made perfect of the taste!

End up, I couldn't resist myself to had another BBQ parrot fish...oh! it was excellent!

We took more than 2 hours to enjoyed the scene and our fabulous lunch along the beach of Gili Sudak, it was a unforgettable experience, especially with the friendly staffs in the restaurant.
Recommended for the first time visitor to Lombok island!

Related post for Lombok island trip :-
*  Airasia media FAM trip to Lombok Island - Indonesia on July 2014

Location map of Gili Sudak (island) at Lombok island.

Snorkeling and having fun at Gili Nanggu (island) in Lombok, Indonesia

Gili Nanggu (S8.71957 E116.00938) is one of the beautiful island located at southwest of Lombok island. 'Gili' is means island in the local. After 20 minutes ferry ride, we reached the paradise island with the super clear water! Very excited!

Jetty of Gili Nanggu

The weather was cloudy and was good for snorkeling...but not good for photography, too bad...

Crystal clear water of Nanggu island

Not wasting any minute, everyone started their own activities...some went for snorkeling, photography and other activities...
Some of our tour mates not forgot to taking photos with the youngest boat boy who brought us the island.

Photograph with the youngest boat 'boy'

Our guide - Pak Uji started to gave snorkeling briefing to those who want to enjoy snorkeling around the island.

Pak Uji and the beauties!

Everyone had their nice pose before getting wet...

The best part of snorkeling in Gili Nanggu was, we no need to swim far away from the island, you can really enjoy the corals and the colorful tropical fish approximately around 10 meter from the beach.
This was Great!

You can see from the photo above that our snorkeling activities was only nearby the beach. This proved that the area is really unpolluted.

I was enjoyed my walk around the island for photo taking, the jetty was my favorite place of the island.

Part of the jetty

The lovely couple having their own sweet time strolling on the beach...spotted female photographer action at the jetty...and pretty lady relaxing on the jetty...bread feeding for the fishes around...beside that, there were still many many more that I missed the shoot...

We spend almost 4 blissful hours at Gili Nanggu and proceed to the next island - Gili Sudak for our late lunch...

Related post for Lombok island trip :-
*  Airasia media FAM trip to Lombok Island - Indonesia on July 2014

Location map of Gili Nanggu (island) in Lombok