It’s wild to think that one can switch countries in just 20 minutes, but in this particular city, it’s pretty possible. In this place, you don’t need expensive flights; all you need is to cross the other side, and you’ll travel to another country! Let me show you what I meant.

Replicas of World's Famous Icon

This particular city reminded me of Tianducheng in China, which I watched in a documentary. It’s a housing estate modeled after Paris but has become a ghost city. They even have replicas of the Eiffel Tower in the middle of it. I suppose this kind of replica has its appeal that makes Madiun, a westernmost part of East Java, want to replicate some of the world’s famous landmarks and revive their city. Thankfully, this one didn’t turn into a “ghost” city. Now, it’s buzzing and so vibrant.

I’ve passed through this city quite a lot, but I’ve never really explored it. In the past, though, this city was a snooze-fest. There was nothing too exciting, and the overall city layout was horrible. I often visit because my grandma lives here, and that was all. Beyond that, I didn’t think it had too much to offer. Things have started to change, and I started hearing about this place about two years ago. Still, since it was overhyped, I didn’t even care. Not until this city is practically a place I haven’t explored. It’s quite interesting because my grandmas are from here and my family comes here often.

While on my way to my grandma’s house, I passed through this area known as Pahlawan Street Center. It’s in the middle of the city and has a few spots with replicas of famous landmarks from countries like the United States, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and France. They even have the big Ben, which I didn’t explore just because we were short on time, and our main destination was to visit my grandma.

The Statue of Liberty

The first landmark that truly caught my attention was the Statue of Liberty. It’s certainly unlike the real statue and very small in comparison. They also look different, but I’ve honestly never seen too many replicas of it. This statue is also one of the tallest among the others and can be seen throughout the shopping malls in the area.

The Merlion

If you walk further from the Statue of Liberty, you will see The Merlion from Singapore. This replica looks funny as if it’s the child version of the adult Merlion in Singapore. Just look at how it’s a little cartoonish. This merlion has a smaller pond compared to its actual statue. When I was there, a lot of people, especially students, took pictures in front of it.

Then, when you want to change and travel to another country, you must cross the border to travel to Saudi Arabia, France, Europe, and the UK. This area is much bigger than those with The Merlion and The Statue Of Liberty.

Kaaba from Mecca

At first sight, we will see a replica of the Kaaba in Mecca. The surrounding area is protected and modeled to resemble the mosque Masjid Al-Haram, where you must take off your shoes because it is considered holy. The replica looks the same, except for the surrounding details that adorn the Kaaba. This area takes up most of the space, and we have to circle it to reach France, where we’ll see a replica of the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower

While I’ve seen a lot of replicas of The Eiffel Tower, the placement of this one was quite decent. It’s unique on its own that a river is underneath it. That creates a great reflection of the tower, although it wouldn’t have been nicer if the water hadn’t been so murky. Another thing that looks cool is the flowers around the area, which, when you get a great angle, create quite a dramatic look for the place. Unfortunately, we only stopped at Eiffel and didn’t want to explore further. It was also starting to get rainy.

Finally, one more place crossed, and I am not so curious about it anymore. At least when I am here, I don’t have to go to the city center anymore just for this place. This is a good use of public money because the local government builds all these areas. They also cleaned up the whole area and made it more livable. It’s not a place that’s boring anymore, there’s something to do and see here, especially in this area, where you can travel in 4 countries in just 20 minutes. I am sure people who pay taxes in this city feels proud that their city is cleaner and more well-organized with free recreational parks too!

Anyhow, see you around!