A journey through nature and legend

Last school holiday, i brought my kids on an exciting trip to Tangkuban Perahu, a famous volcano near Bandung, Indonesia. As we drove up the winding hill roads, the air became cooler and the scent of sulfur filled the air. From afar, the mountain looked strange; just like an upside-down boat! No wonder they called it Tangkuban Perahu. When we reached the top, we stood at the edge of Kawah Ratu, the main crater. It was huge, smoky, and smelled like rotten eggs! But the view was magical. We took photos, ate roasted corn, and listened to a local guide who told us the legend of Sangkuriang and Dayang Sumbi. He said that Sangkuriang was a young man who wanted to marry a beautiful woman, not knowing she was his mother. To stop the marriage, the woman challenged him to build a boat by sunrise. When he failed, he kicked the boat in anger, and it landed upside down forming the mountain. As the wind blew through our jackets and laughter filled the air, we felt like we were inside a fairytale. Visiting Tangkuban Perahu wasn’t just a trip, it was a journey through nature and legend.