English Lesson

The two major historical memorials in the city are the Tugu Pahlawan (Monument of Heroes) and the 10th of November Museum, both located on Jl. Pahlawan in the downtown area. The Monument of Heroes, officially opened by then president Sukarno on Nov. 10, 1952, after a year of construction, was built to commemorate the Indonesian soldiers and militias who died in battle against the Dutch and British troops in Surabaya in October and November 1945. The Battle of Surabaya is widely regarded as the heaviest of the revolution for independence and became a national symbol of Indonesian resistance that helped the nation in gaining international support for its freedom. Standing more than 41 meters tall, the monument sits on a 2.5-hectare plot of land that used to house the Raad Van Justitie, or the high court, during the Dutch colonial era and also the Japanese military police headquarters during the period of Japanese occupation. During the wars of independence, the buildi...

Before even tasting her lunch of soto ayam (aromatic chicken soup) Hanna, 24, immediately grabbed the sambal container from the food court table and added five spoonfuls to her steaming hot dish. "I can't live without sambal. If the food is not spicy enough, I can't eat it," said Hanna who is a native of Medan, North Sumatra. She then added another two spoons of sambal after finally tasting the soto ayam and deciding it was just right. Many Indonesians are like Hanna, spiciness is an integral element to their food. Even if the main course is sweet, such as gudeg (jackfruit stewed in coconut milk), they will add sambal to complement the taste. Almost every region in Indonesia has its own special chili sauce, in fact, there are so many that making a top ten list seemed like a herculean task. Fortunately, master food connoisseur Bondan Winarno offered to share his ten favorite Indonesian sambals. Bondan is a renowned TV personality ...