Woo Hoo!

Tonight Ming and I crossed the Madura Straight on Suramadu Bridge and we drove to Bangkalan

Why?

Because we can.

Suramadu Bridge is the longest Bridge in Indonesia so far, connecting Surabaya, the second largest city in Indonesia with population of more than 3 millions on the island of Java and the island of Madura. Before the bridge was built, the only way to go there was by crossing the straight on ferry, like when you cross to Bali.

The bridge is as a big of a deal as the San Fransisco bridge for the Indonesians....in other words, it's only a bridge, but if you go to San Fransisco and didn't go to see the bridge, than something felt missing, you know what I mean?

I've never been to Madura and I've been wanting to go since the bridge was completed last year, but Ming had always refused to go because A) We didn't know how to go there, B) We simply didn't have any time / we have other (admittedly better) things to do, and C) again, Why?

But today he went in the morning with his friend who owns business in Madura and has to commute back and forth every day from Surabaya to Madura. His friend showed him around and he tried one of the food stalls there, Warung Bebek Sinjay, which sold VERY delicious fried duck, and he went home bringing Madura Rice for me ( I preferred that compare to fried duck, but then Ming said it's so delicious and he's not easily impressed with food so I want to try the fried duck now)

Then tonight when we went home after some errands, suddenly he asked me, want to go to Madura? It was 9 pm and I left home in the middle of writing an email assuming it's going to be a short trip, and I was thinking I'd prefer staying at home, but then....I HAD been nagging Ming to go since forever, and a little spontaneous trip to anywhere but the malls is always a welcome distraction.

So only fifteen minutes later we're already on the bridge, which is surprisingly close to my house. I know it's close, but I've never imagine it's THAT close. Anyway, there's barely any traffic and aside from few stalls right after the bridge ends, there's nothing to see all the way to Bangkalan.

Literally, there's no street lights, no buildings at all. Only darkness and some other occasional vehicles. Then we entered Bangkalan, which is like a much much quieter Pasuruan. Ming showed me where he had his lunch and where he bought the Madura Rice

The air was clear since it had been raining in the afternoon, the weather was slightly cooler than in Surabaya at 27.5C, the sky was dark, but not dark enough that you can see the stars. At 9:30pm, the town is already sleeping, and I can't believe it's only half an hour away from my home! It would take me the same time to go to my in laws' house, and even longer to our workplace, and yet it feels SO far away ...

It totally has different vibe. Different dynamic. Different world. It feels farther than Trawas or Tretes, mountain side resort towns a couple of hours away from Surabaya

Anyway, by 10pm, exactly one hour later, we're back in Surabaya, the radio playing Canon in D by Pachelbel, one of my favorites, the song we used on our wedding day... what a perfect way to end the day!