Praha, miluji tě September 6, 2009

Right after the international symposium thingy I went for my celtral europe journey, I met mba Dian on Delft station , and we just rushed out to the to the airport (that god damn schiphol) we choose cheap airlines to prague, the name of the airlines is Sky Europe, the airlines was so cheap we even have to wait for 1 hour delayed flight, and to hear the announcer dry jokes after we hear the delayed flight news.

We arrived on the city by the midnight, and we have to rush to the hotel, luckily there’s no curfew for the hostel, and the hostel was indeed a cheap accommodation (8 eur/night). It was student boarding house, and moreover we got a room that used to be a boys room, well you could imagine the decoration of the wall it was filled by naked girl and extreme sports (whoa!) but luckily the room was spacious, the hot water was running, and yeah despite of the fact that we have to climb over the hill every time we have to return to the hostel it was a good bargain.

At the first day, we went to Prague castle, little bit lost on the first time especially due to the fact we’re not get used with the language, and the metro is showing us weird sign of the spotlight and we just follow the sign on the metro that showing the prague castle. Eventually, we were back on the track saved by trem 21. Prague castle is a complex of castle, church, vineyard, it is beautiful complex and now it is used as president’s residence. The building itself is pretty gothic, with lots of gargoyle and weary colour of wall.

We didn’t took a chance to explore the interior of the building, since they charge people about 20 eur if we wanted to get into the whole building, so we just walked around the area start form the castle untill the vineyard, one thing that interest me the most is they also use the area as to play teather and also there are few fancy restaurant surrounds the area. Ridiculous fact, one museum that available on the area is Toy Museum since they charge ticket on it I didn’t enter the museum.

We continue our journey to the city center to see the famous astronomical clock and then we continue walk to Jewish quarter, after return back to the bridge and another time of getting lost somewhere (that’s why they called it lost because we have no idea where we were), we took funicular to Petrin look out tower (Petřínská rozhledna) the tower resemble the Eiffel Tower, the history said that the tower was built by a group of people who adore Eiffel Tower on just 2 years.

We continued our journey after the sun set, but unfortunately we were little bit late, so by the time we wanted to took picture prague castle during the night it’s already turned off, moral of the story start early maybe a profit for me.

By the next day we spent time on focused on Charles Bridge and surrounds, the modern side of the city centre and (offcourse) shop for some souvenir, mba Dian is a big fan of Swarovski crystal, she bought like 8 crystal necklaces, while I’m only bought some matryoska broche.

In the afternoon, we went to the bus station and continue our journey to Bratislava.

Alkmaar – Haarlem August 10, 2009

Everytime I had short period time of break I’m always think to spend my time to go around Netherland.

Alkmaar and Haarlem are two cities in Netherland I’ve ‘targeted’ for a long time. Alkmaar is famous for it’s cheese market, eventhough the cheese market is reproduction from early 20th centu’s ry, but many tourists enjoy the attraction. Mean while in Haarlem, I have to admit that the city square is very beautiful, it is the best from cities I have visited in Netherland.

How should I explain about Alkmaar cheese market? It is not really impressive, despite of it’s great name, all I can see is some guy (they pretend to be the seller) carrying the stack of 8 cheese weighing 10 kg each, the kaasmeisjes (literally cheese girl) went around to sell the brochure, and there’s guide explaining about the process of cheese market in english, Japan, Italian, and Germany. Actually, I was enjoying the museum more than the attraction, there’s Kaas Museum nearby the square and there I could understand the process of cheese making. But since the weather was really nice, I made colourful photography during the Market.

Haarlem indeed a nice city, I think it’s one of the oldest city in Netherland. A long time ago they used the city as tulip planting area,  it was one of the luxurious city. The city itself pretty interesting, the square it’s really huge and surround by the stadhuis, church, restaurant, fountain, statues, and everything that possibly use as decoration hahahhaha..

One think I like from Haarlem is the secret garden, some of the old housing complex has secret garden on it and the municipality turn the garden as public garden, so we can enter freely, take something to eat and chat as long as we didn’t disturb the house owner.

Both of the cities certainly show beautiful aspects of Netherland, I like those cities better that flat landscape, farm, red bricky house that I saw everyday.

Pasar Malam Tong2 May 31, 2009

Last friday (finally a recent post) I went to Pasar Malam Tong Tong with my friends, well technically I walked all by myself because we were separated on Pasar Besar. this event has long history from 1959 and this year celebrating their 50 years and they didn’t seem to celebrate with invite some great artist, perhaps they already get a big name so whether it’s celebrated or not it doesn’t really matter.

This is the largest festival for European-Indonesian culture in Netherland. Inside the festival  they provide the information of indonesian culture, and like heir name “Pasar Malam besar” or literally Big Night Market they sell various thing, from craft, typical indonesian food, hobby paraphernalia, massage, tropical fruit *such as durian*, and many many other stuff that I don’t think it will be available like fortune teller.

I had a great time ther, eventhough I walk alone I never walk alone, everyone speak Indonesian and I met some friends who live in Den Haag and worked as a waiter (in Dutch:Ober) there, it was a nice night, it took gorgeous photo, and eventhough I had little regret I can’t get along with my friend, at least I get new experience ofnPasar Malam besar.

Kuala Lumpur May 31, 2009

Last spring break I went to Kuala Lumpur to visit my parent (they had a vacation there), my brother (whose studying there) and my boy friend (whose working there). I took wmirates flight with stop over in Dubai, I walked through the biggest airport terminal in the World, and I mean it it’s huge, and in the middle of the terminal they put super huge duty free mall *yes. it’s a mall, not a duty free shop*

Peoples asked my why did I go there? If you want to feel metropolitan just go to Jakarta and stay in Kuningan+Thamrin area, hell yeah back there in Jakarta didn’t have my precious boy friend or should I say my fiancee *blushed*

Kuala lumpur is basically the future of Jakarta, the city defenitely has same ‘aura’ for example those cities has same temperature *eventhough Kuala Lumpur is slightly higher*, same people, same type of food, same type of shopping mall, same type of house, same type of cars, same type of plants, same type of hawkers, same type of chinese products.

For your information KL has tons of shopping mall, and just like Jakarta’s malls they put like super expensive and luxurious brand on fascinating structure with beautiful interior (ex:KLCC) and they put less expensive brand on average sub urbanmall (ex:Ampang Point), although sometimes they combine average+luxurious brand (ex:Bukit Bintang)

KL definitely has better transportation system than Jakarta, they have LRT , metro  buses, all those transportation units has air conditioner *it makes sense considering the heat of the city* unfortunately they never show the schedule of the public transportation, furthermore they don’t have ‘unified’ ticket on transportation system so everytime we take a ride we have to pay for the ticket, that’s little bit turn off but it doesn’t stop me to use it *I still need it anyway*.

Everyday when I took a walk on KL I always bring my Lonely planet book as my guide, first day I went to Kolonial walk, it’s super hot walk that cover little India, Masjid Jamik, and Merddeka Square, it should take only 2 hrs for the walk, but due to the fact that I’m always lost on first day makes my walk turn into long walk for 4 hrs. but indeed it turn to be tiring walk. I walk by myself, I spotted few tourists taking the same walking path like me, and I feel that I’m not alone, especially along the way there are plenty people wearing hijab juat like me, I felt that I’m save there the good thing from KL because it has not musc different than Jakarta, every time I felt thirsty or hungry I just stopped by on a hawker and buy cold drinks or snaks.

This walk start from Asian heritage Row and ended in Merdeka Square, how do I return to Bukit Bintang *where my parents stayed* ? I walked all the way back to Masjid Jami LRT to take another train to their place, by the time I got there my parents were so angry and worries about me, basically because we should meet each other and then walk together, but eventually we were separated on Bukit Bintang LRT station right after we came out of the hotel. O my parent, I’m really sorry to leave you guys.

On my next walk I took a trip to Malaysia Islamic Art Museum, I really recommend this museum, this is like one of the best museum that I ever visited, I have to be honest and put it on below Uffizi museum *well ok, it’s not really historical* but from aspect of collection and the explanation of the item, it was really impressive. My walk start from the old train station and walk continue to Lembah Perdana, it’s like a huge park on the hill and they built a museum complex there, if I had another time I’d like to visit all museum, unfortunately I started as late as 12.00 and I spent 3 hours on the Islamic Art Museum, by the eime I got out of the museum the time shows 16.30 I took a short walk  with Planetarium but unfortunately I missed the last show, it’s really a pity. But that’s Ok coz that night I had a date with my boyfriend *joy*, ooops fiancee *blushed* to watch movies on KLCC.

As a moslem I’m really proud to have my own art museum, it was fascinating just check this marvelous entrance.

I’m affraid this post will be very lenghty if I wrote all my experience on KL, I will write on next post or in dutch word volgende posting

Promise April 22, 2009

Every time I cry I promise myself that it will be the last time that I cry, tragically it never happen, everytime I cry I will eventually smile again, laugh again, and cry again.

I totally ashamed to my self

Lowest Low April 22, 2009

For all my 24-years of living

I never been in my lowest point on my life just like this time, let me tell you what happen during my past 2 weeks:

- I accidentally flushed water to my camera, the result? I have to bring the camera all the way to Schiphol to repair it and today I got the letter that indicate that my camera can’t be repaired (and then I think do the all sensor on the camera burnt? because it was burning when I try to dry the camera). The thing is I forgot to buy the guarantee when I bought the camera, dead end, I’m doomed. My Sony A200 camera that I just used for 4 days just became a nice memory to me. I’m thinking just to take the camera and bring it all the way to Indonesia, where (sometimes) some creative skillful guys could repair it (if I’m lucky enough to find one)

-I got an opportunity to do thesis on one company (yay! \(^o^)/) but when I made appointment with my lecturer they said they were busy and unable to have a meeting with me untill the 2nd week of May, so eventually it means that I have to postpone my thesis, and my graduation.

-I feel like my housemate avoid me to talk, I don’t know why, perhaps they are  the type that ‘I choose to speak outside the house than here’ i feel like my homey becomes cemetery at night and also at the day.

- I haven’t finished to work on my ANSYS assignment, eventhough it’s just 1 ects, it’s surely hell pain in the ass, especially when all I do is procrascinating

- I didn’t pass the Dynamic of Structure’s exam for the 3rd time, that’s it! I’m officially dumb,  I’m not good enough on this stuff, and for godsake now I feel regret for taking Floating Structure and Bottom Founded Structure as my specialization

- to add my miserable life now I’m having my period, it hurts so much, not only mentally but also phisically

- I feel like I’m away from my god…

I feel alone, but actually I never alone, I feel so dumb, I feel so silly, I feel I’m nothing, I feel like I don’t want to live any longer, and I really don’t know what to do with my future.

God, are you there?

teenage and cigarettes April 8, 2009

On not very distant past, by the time I still put all my ego on my heart that hard as a rock.

I did all the mistakes that could be thought by teenage girl, I did smoke, I did late night trip, I did crash my car for so many stubid times on same place, I did hate people whose I’m not supposed to, I spent night with boys, I procrascinating, I rarely went to my courses that I supposed to take.

Now, as I’m (supposed) to be more wise I still did it all except smoking and crashing my car (but I’m still able to make my bicycle broken).

Now, I really regret my decision back then especially the smoking decision, back then I did that to compensate all the sleepless night and all the stress that comes out on my mind. Now everytime I stay up late to eork or just insomnia my body starve for the nicotine, caffeine, or any toxin that includes on 4000 cigarrete’s toxin.

This feeling is kinda weird, you hate it but also like it, you miss those smoking time but also wants to forget it. It’s part of my past that always be part of my present and future.

Untill now everytime that smoking idea crossed on my mind, I try to focus myself on something else and make a mental note that I don’t want to die younger than my expected year. Untill today it’s been 2.5 years since my last butt, nice huh?

People said ‘It’s just a memory, it doesn’t have any power’

I want March 30, 2009

I browsed DSLR camera price (again!) I found that sony A-200K with price tag 294 eur,or 4.5 million rupiahs. Even in Indonesia I will never found this type of camera within this range of price.It would be more expensive in Indonesia. To be concise it’s a great deal.

I’d like to buy it, but I’m officially broke, I don’t have any job, should I ask my dad to buy it for me? Or should I just give the money to victims of Situ Gintung?

Blabbering March 24, 2009

A friend of mine is a campus activist, when I talked with him or just listened to his stories I felt so small.

He, who has same age as I do already did a lot of thing in the world in the name of idealism and nationalism.

Me who is still struggling with my quarter life crisis and hate to think deeply about my future and prefer to go with the flow than stuck in a problem.

I don’t know which one is better, but when I talked to him I felt that my life is worse, I never thought about my future, my country, and what should I do to improve the quality of my surrounding.Kinda sucks.

Makes me felt tired being me.

will I ever get a chance to improve my surrounds?or just to improve my self, I guess the answer to that question is I’ll never get a chance unless I look for it.

what is love? February 20, 2009

what is love?

I don’t know how am I supposed to answer this question

They said love could defeat anything, they said that love is something that bind to people together, they said if you love someone you will forgive everything.

I haven’t found my own definition about love, does love that stick me and my boyfriend or because I’m just used with him?Does he feel the same and in the same amount of my love? I don’t know either, everytime I talk to him about this topic he turned him self into anger that’s ridicolous but I have no idea why he did that.

-love is listening love is acknowledging and seeing thing as ordinary-

taken from this website