Losari: Coffee, trains and nostalgia

Losari: Coffee, trains and nostalgia

Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Magelang, Central Java

If you want to sip real coffee, you should go to Losari, an old
coffee plantation in Magelang, a coffee aficionado friend of mine
told me.

He was right. One dusk, after a 90-minute drive from
Yogyakarta, we were enjoying the fresh and strong robusta coffee,
which immediately charged and energized our tired minds and
bodies.

To add to the sensation, the coffee was served on the terrace
of an old house situated in the middle of the huge Losari coffee
plantation.

The coffee's strong aroma also woke us in the morning and
helped us get ready to face the day after a little walk around
the house and a glimpse at the blanket of coffee trees. This time
the coffee was served in the bamboo gazebo. Our coffee time was
special because the coffee powder brewed with boiled water was
picked directly from the coffee mill. The scent of fresh coffee
grounds wafted through the air, stimulating our nerves when we
inhaled the heavenly aroma.

Losari, often referred to as the heart of Java island, is
actually a small village in Magelang regency. The coffee
plantation, dating back to the Dutch colonial era, is now the
Losari Coffee Plantation Resort and Spa.

The resort, opened in late 2003, sits on 22 hectares of land
900 meters above sea level. Modern spa and resort facilities --
with classic Javanese touches -- sit enticingly in the middle of
the estate.

Some 26 villas of various sizes are built facing the green
hills. The villas are named after famous mountains like Gunung
Sumbing, Merapi, Merbabu and Andong.

The only old building is the Indies-style Manor House. It was
built in 1928 by Dutch architect Van der Swan. The building is
now used as the dining room, library and a multifunction area.

The old Dutch-style estate has become an exclusive resort,
offering comfortable and refreshing weekends or holidays. To
emphasize the colonial setting, an old railway station office was
brought in from the town of Mayong.

"This railway station office is original. We brought it here
because it was just being ignored," said resort owner Gabriella
Teggia.

The railway station is still intact and now functions as the
resort's lobby. Upon entering the railway station, you are
greeted by old photographs of trains from around the country.

"The Yogyakarta-Semarang railway was fantastic. Too bad that
it's now damaged and not maintained by the authorities," said
Italian Teggia, who has lived here for about 40 years.

Her comment opened an intense conversation about trains in
Indonesia, showing her profound love for Indonesia's trains and
railway development.

For her guests, Teggia includes a trip to the Ambarawa Train
Museum to ride on old trains. The antique trains at the museum
now serve as tourist trains plying a sight-seeing route around
the Ambarawa railway station.

Guests can also walk around the coffee plantation and watch
how coffee is produces, from the picking of the beans, drying and
milling them. Teggia assures that her coffee plants are naturally
grown and no chemicals are used.

"So it's safe to drink and more delicious," she said.

Back at the resort, a friend boasted that he felt like a
respectable Dutch official enjoying his leisure time. Tasting the
Losari coffee was indeed like gaining a peek into the Dutch
colonial times, when Dutch officials and businessmen lived in big
mansions with large yards, with maids at the ready and delicious
food and drink at hand for their pleasure.