Why Bandung's Trademark Market is the biggest yet

The rain has started to pour frequently and heavily in Bandung these days. On Thursday, despite such weather, Trademark Market VI opened for the first day of its four-day event at Miniapolis, Paris Van Java Mall at Jl. Sukajadi, attracting crowds not only from Jakarta but also from neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.

The sixth event of the Trademark Market, one of Bandung's most-awaited fashion markets, promised to bring out the biggest event it has done so far to live up to this year's theme: "The biggest yet to come." This translated into 120 of Bandung's tightly selected fashion brands and 10 food and beverage brands, all set to lure shoppers and visitors.

"This year, we set up the Trademark Market in a much larger space to anticipate the crowd," said Saira Nisar, the Trademark Market's founder and director, who added that the event occupied an estimated 2,000 square meters and successfully attracted 70,590 visitors in the four days it was open.

Despite its highly selective tenants, according to Saira, most of the products sold at the Trademark Market were less pricey compared to those offered at similar events in town.

This fact was also observed by Carline Darjanto, who came all the way from Jakarta and had marked it down in her calendar to purposely attend the event, bringing along some of her team to feel and observe the event's ambiance: what interested the crowd and such things. Carline is a founder and creative director of her own established and popular fashion brand, Cotton Ink.

"I also noticed that the Trademark Market offers quite large collections and brands of men's wear and apparel compare to similar events in Jakarta," said Carline, adding that most of the brands also offered street-casual wear at affordable prices suitable for teenagers and youngsters.

One of the tenants' staffers, Rina, commented that the young crowd could come to at least two out of four days if not all.

"On the first day, they would probably just do window shopping, eat and hang out while enjoying the music, but I found that they always come back the next day to shop," Rina said.

At the Trademark Market, besides hunting for fashionable items that suits their styles, visitors could also savor delicious culinary treats at the food and beverage booths and enjoy musical performances by DJs and bands such as Marco & Marce, Barsena and Dira Bongs, among others.

The Trademark Market, in the end, showed the talents and creativity of Bandung's young fashion and culinary entrepreneurs and their role in making the city's creative economy trendy and thriving.

3 must-visit new parks in Bandung

When in Bandung, one way to get to know its citizens and the city is through its parks, which offer many fun yet free activities.

Bandung city government has kept its promise to build more parks around the city. Offered with various thematic designs and concepts, they have become the locals' favorite spots to unwind in public spaces.

Fitness Park

Yearning to keep fit while traveling in Bandung? Then go visit this very interesting park on the corner of Jl. Imam Bonjol.

Last October, Bandung mayor Ridwan Kamil inaugurated the Taman Fitness park and, as the name suggests, it is designed for those who wish to keep fit and in shape.

At the park, you will find a football field surrounded by a pathway designed with stones providing a surface imitating reflexology therapy and, on one side of the park, sport equipments similar to that found in a gym.

That afternoon, a female and male team seemed to be practicing American football.

I also met two local residents, Yanti and Ivon, who came to the park as first-timers.

Yanti, who walked around on the stone pathway, said that she found the park quite pleasant.

Ivon, who lives nearby, added that she wanted to lose some weight and had high hopes that the routine she'd been meaning to do at the park would help her reach that particular goal.

The library park at Taman Tongkeng

This latest edition to Bandung's unique parks opened just last month in the city's residential area of Jl. Tongkeng.

Designed and built in dominant red and themed around the library, it offers a library corner, small playground in one corner -- equipped with a sand pit and interactive play area -- and a futsal field nearby.

According to Tini, the park's library staffer from the GSSI foundation that runs the library, they have around 400 books available, mostly children’s books.

Open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the library has an affordable membership fee of Rp 20,000 (US$1.56) and monthly events are set to be held in 2015 to enliven the park.

If you happen to come by in the late afternoon like I did, chances are you'll see a batch of mothers or caregivers wandering about with small plates or bowls in their hands feeding their toddlers, who typically still have wet hair fresh from their afternoon shower, a sight that somehow shows a hearty warm scene of typical daily life in the country.

Skate Park

Located under Pasopati bridge near Balubur Town Square on Jl. Taman Sari, the park neighbors Taman Film and Taman Jomblo; the latter is uniquely designed for singles to mingle.

When I came in the afternoon, some teenagers were seen practicing their skating skills by gliding along and trying to jump.

According to a young skater I met, Iwan, the skate park is open for everyone who wants to play or learn how to skate. In fact, he said, usually at around 3 p.m., a batch of young children from the area would gather, watching and learning how to skate.

"Usually the older boys, or anyone who's here, are more than willing to teach. Just come and join in," Iwan said.

Whether you skate or not, or merely interact with the locals, watch the skaters practicing and take photos, the park is indeed a fun place to visit.