Surabaya is an interesting city and has a number of spots that are on the tourist map…or should be. One of them is the House of Sampoerna, a museum, cafe, gift shop, and factory for clove cigarettes.
Now while I am personally not a smoker and don’t recommend starting the habit, the House of Sampoerna has been a very large employer in the area and in particular, has helped women earn a living, participate in cultural activities, and more.
Now owned by the Philip Morris giant, the factory still produces hand-rolled cigarettes and you are able to watch the process from a viewing area. I had hoped to include a short video or photo but they have a strict no photo policy. I got this from the museum wall photos:
The speed with which the women work verges on impossible…hands flying, fingers a blur. Quite impressive and well worth a visit if you’re here in Surabaya.