Tour Commentary of City Tour (on Board)

Tour Commentary of City Tour (on Board)

Good morning every body. Have you all been here? It’s is… person, right? Now, please make your seat comfortable and if you have some questions or some problems when I’m speaking or during our tour, please let me know, don’t  hesitate. Well, everybody, let me introduce our team, this is Mr. Angga as our driver and this is Mr. Yohan as our co driver and I’m Dian, your tour guide. Before we start our tour, let’s pray together based on your belief. Pray begin… finish. (ok, pak sekarang bisa berangkat)

Everybody,  Have you ever visited Indonesia before ? Today you will know more about Indonesia because I will give you some information about Indonesia especially city of  Cirebon. Indonesia is located between two continent ; Asia and Australia continents and between 2 ocean, they are Hindia and Pacific ocean. Indonesia has many islands It has around 17.000 island which has name and around 25.000 island which hasn’t had name. Indonesia has 5 large islands, they are Borneo, Sumatera, Sulawesi, Java and Papua island. And now we are in Java Island,  exactly in West Java province

West java is located among Banten, Jakarta and Central Java province. The capital city of West Java is Bandung. In West Java, there are 26 regencies and municipalities. Two of them are Cirebon regencies and Cirebon municipalities.

Cirebon is located in the border area between  West Java and Central Java. In West Java, Cirebon is bordered by Kuningan, Majalengka, and Indramayu regency. In Central Java, it’s bordered by Brebes regency.

Everybody, Like the other countries in Indonesia which located in equator line, Cirebon is tropical area, so Cirebon has 2 seasons. They are dry and rainy season. Rainy season starts from September until March and dry season starts from April until August. And now it is rainy season, so the people usually take umbrella, raincoat, or jacket if they want to go out. But because change of climate so the season can’t be predicted. So what do you feel hot or cool ?

Everybody word “Cirebon” is derived from Ci and Rebon. Ci means place or location and rebon means small shrimp, so Cirebon is called as Kota Udang or the city of shrimp. And because the fact, Cirebon is city where we can find easily  shrimps any places and some product of food made of shrimp as the main ingredient. The Other version said Cirebon is derived from the word “Caruban” which means Campuran or mixed. Because, along time ago Cirebon was big sea port and some people from other islands come to Cirebon for trading. Because of that, their culture was mixed and assimilated  with Cirebon people. So Cirebon has some tribes and ethnic such as Javanese, Sundanese and Cirebon tribe, Middle East ethnic, Chinese, India and others. That’s why Cirebon is called Caruban or Campuran.

Some people also said in the past time the name of Cirebon is Grage which come from Negara Gede. It’s mean a big country. Because in the past, Cirebon wasn’t a city or a regency but an Islamic Kingdom which leaded by Sultan or moslem king. But Cirebon people usually call Sunan. The first king who ruled is Raden Walangsungsang or Pangeran Cakrabuana. Then, he was continued by his cousin namely Syekh Syarif Hidayatullah or Sunan Gunung Jati. Sunan Gunung Jati is one of Walisongo from West Java. Do you know Walisongo ? Walisongo is derived from 2 word, Wali and Songo. Wali means people who spread Islam in Java Island and Songo is from Javanese language, it means nine. So Walisongo is nine people who spread Islam in Java Island. But now Cirebon is not a kingdom. Cirebon is ruled by mayor and regent, because Cirebon is regency or municipality.

Everybody, the population of Cirebon is around 3 million people in regency and around 3 hundred thousand in municipality.  Cirebon people  have own culture and custom which may be different from the other countries. The culture and custom of Cirebon is influenced by geography, demography, and their region, belief, way of life, tribes, history which brought and developed by the local people and visitors. The culture and custom of Cirebon is different from the other regencies in West Java even though  Cirebon is a part of West Java, but In certain things Cirebon also has the same culture with the other cities or regencies in West Java. Cirebon also has the same  culture and custom with the people in Central Java, because Cirebon is located near Central Java. For example, in language,  there are some words which same with  Sunda language and there are some words which different from Sunda language. Bahasa Cirebon also has some same words with Javanese and there are some words are different from Javanese.  So that Cirebon language is not either Sundanese or Javanese. Cirebon has own language, that is bahasa Cirebon or Cirebon language. Example : Priben kabare, it means how are you. It is bahasa Cirebon which different from Javanese and Sundanese. In Sundanese, Priben kabare is kumaha damang and in Javanese it is piye. This word is usually used, when they meet the familiar people, the answer is waras. Well, I would like to teach you to say priben kabare, lets say together, priben kabare, that’s good. Ok, may I know your name mam, Lisa, ok Ms Lisa, say priben kabare, ok good, very good. Let’s give applause to Ms Lisa.  Thank you.

Cirebon also has some cultures, like traditional ceremony and arts,  such as Panjang Jimat, Nadran, Sedekah Bumi, Topeng Dance and the others. The most famous one is Topeng Dance. Topeng Dance is a traditional dance from Cirebon, it is Topeng Dance, because the dancer uses mask or in Indoensia it  is called Topeng . Topeng Cirebon has five characters, there are Panji, Samba, Rumyang, Tumenggung, and Kelana. Each character tells us about cycle of human life. Panji tells about human as a baby/infant, Samba tells us about the character of a child, Rumyang tells us about character of  a teenager, Tumenggung tells about the character of adulthood, and Kelana tells us about the a king or adult human who has bad temper. Here I bring the mask and I will show you some movement of topeng dance. But before that, you can see over here. In the back of this mask there is a holder for the dancer to bite this mask so that when the dancer dancing, the mask will not ,all down. Well, everyone here I show  you the example of  movement of  the mask dance,  but I’m sorry if I’m no pt good enough…..What do you think? … Am I like a dancer? Sorry if I am not as good as a dancer, because I am not a dancer

Everybody, Beside traditional art, Cirebon also has traditional food such as Nasi Jamblang, Empal Gentong, Tahu Gejrot and many others. The most popular one is Nasi Jamblang. The uniquely thing of Nasi Jamblang is the rice of this food packed by Jati leaf (teak leaf). So if you open it, you will smell teak leaf. And for the menu of this food you can choose based on what you like. It’s very delicious and unique. Have you tasted it? Maybe some of you have tasted it last night. No one ? Don’t worry if you  haven’t tasted Nasi Jamblang dishes, we will taste it when we have lunch.

Everybody, Cirebon has traditional hand craft. Do you know what  they are? One of them is Batik. Indonesia has many pattern of batik such as Batik Pekalongan, Batik Solo, Batik Pesisir, Batik Cirebon and the others. Batik Cirebon is different from the other batiks in Indonesia Batik cirebon has many patterns such as wadasan, singa barong, mega mendung and the others. The most famous one is Mega Mendung. This pattern is like cloud, It also has relation with history of Cirebon, so this pattern is very famous and different from  the other batiks in Indonesia. Now, I bring the example of Mega Mendung Pattern, can you see it ? and if you are curious about that, don’t worry because we will visit the central of batik production in this city.

Everybody, please look at your… side. You can see a small car which has blue color, right ? that’s one of traditional transportation mode in Cirebon. It is called Angkot or Angkutan Kota (Public Transportation in English). Angkot has special code based on the route. The tariff is around 2.000-5.000 depend of the distance.  Cirebon also has the other traditional transportation. It is called Becak or pedicab. Becak has 3 wheels and the capacity of becak is for 2 person. Becak doesn’t make pollution because becak is moved by human. The tariff of becak is around 5.000-15.000 based on the distance.

Alright, everybody .  It is not too long from here, we will arrive in the first tourist attraction where we will visit. It  is Gunung Jati grave. It is the grave of Sunan Gunung Jati and his family. It is one of pilgrimage tourist attraction in Cirebon. There, we will see unique building which decorate by ceramics plate from China. We will observe here about one hour, so you have to be here on bus at … Please prepare yourself and I just remind you not to forget to bring your  personal belongings such as wallet, handbag, camera, handy cam or others. Please make sure that every things which you need has been in your hand. Now let’s get off from the bus. Mind your step please… 

When the group  are arriving at a tourist attraction       

o    Well, everybody, we have arrived at Sunyaragi Cave. Please come along with me.

o    (at lobby) Please wait here, while I am coming to the information center.

o    Thank you for waiting. Well, Now  we will be accompanied  by local guide here, Mr. Iman to see and explore this tourist attraction for one hour. We should get on the bus at 10. 00 to continue our program.

o    Mr Iman the time is yours. Thank you

When the group are leaving a tourist attraction to the other tourist attractions    

o    Everybody,  Have all of you been on the bus, here? Anybody left? Well I think you all are on the bus, right?

o    Everybody, we have visited and explored …………, one of heritage tourist attraction in this city. We have seen the uniqueness of …… such as ….,……, …

o    What do you think about ………, after you visit and explore …….for one hour? Well, excuse me, Mr…., what do think about …..,  Thank you sir.

o    Well everybody, after visiting ……, right now we are going to the next tourist attraction, ………… (tell little things about the next tourist attraction).