The Lost Wanderer

Gapyeong Tour

2012-01-18T12:49:00.002+08:00

Many people may know Nami Island in South Korea, famous with the beautiful tree lanes and shooting place of Winter Sonata drama, but not so many people know about Petite France, which is near Nami Island. Petite France is located in Gapyeong-gun (gun = county), the eastern part of Gyeonggi-do (do = province), and Nami Island is 3.8 km away from Gapyeong, in the border between Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do (but it belongs to Gangwon-do). If you come all the way from Seoul (or basically from anywhere) to Nami Island, it is worth it to also visit Petite France in the same day. I call it as Gapyeong Tour. Gapyeong is beautiful with natural views like mountains, rivers and lakes. There are many villas and resorts over there as it is one of the favorite relaxing and vacation destinations in Korea.

View Gapyeong Tour in a larger map

Petite France

The way to go to Petite France by public transportation from Seoul is to take subway/train to Cheongpyeong Station in Gyeongchun Line. For example, if I go to Cheongpyeong Station from Seoul National University Station (near my home), it would take about 100 minutes by subway with 2 transfers. So the distance depends on which part of Seoul you are going from.

Map from SMRT website

From Cheongpyeong Station, take exit 2 to the bus stop to catch Gapyeong City Tour bus (there is Tourism Center in exit 1). This shuttle bus passes several stops including Petite France, Nami Island, and the nearest subway stations and bus terminals. You can hop on and off at every stop you want by using single ticket, which costs 5,000 KRW ($5) per person. Ticket can be purchased to the driver inside the bus. You need to keep the ticket and show it to the driver every time you hop on to the bus. It runs 5 times a day. Here is the timetable (click it to enlarge):

My route was on the red timetable: Cheongpyeong Station - Petite France - Nami Island - Gapyeong Station. If you want to travel the other way around, see the green timetable

Gapyeong City Tour Bus

During the bus journey from Cheongpyeong Station to Petite France, which took about 20 minutes, the TV inside the bus showed us Running Man episode #40 which was located in Petite France. It looked funny even though I didn't understand Korean, and it is indeed funny when I watched it after that at home with subtitle. Not only funny, it also shows us the beauty of Petite France. It's hard to split my attention between the funny show inside the bus and beautiful white lake along twisty road outside the bus.

So, what is exactly Petite France? Petite France is a theme park designed like a French village in the middle of Alps mountains. The buildings are in European style, narrow and high, with bright colors. It is located in the middle of nowhere on the hillside, and surrounded by mountains (in the winter covered by snow) so it really looks like a Mediterranean village in the Alps.

2011 - Real Adventure

2012-01-04T17:07:00.000+08:00

My only one resolution in 2011 was: "Moving out from Singapore". I made it... after so much praying, thinking, debating, and crying. I am really grateful for the encouragement I got from my closed friends, to make this happened, to help me taking the risk. I almost canceled it. It was indeed the hardest decision I made in my life so far.

Now I feel good about it. Even though sometimes I think I am walking on the spot in term of my career, but I don't regret this. I get more in returns. This adventure is irreplaceable.

My highlights of 2011:

Trip to Europe
Moving out from Singapore
Living and traveling in Korea
Joining Toastmaster
Enjoying snow
Watching Lee Seung Gi live concert
Inviting my parents, sister and brother to visit Korea
Snowboarding

Most things happened in the second half of the year. Thank you Allah for everything. I still expect more adventure in 2012, but I hope I will be more focus in my learning and career. Someday this year, I will come back for good.

Lee Seung Gi Hope Concert 2011

2011-12-14T01:27:00.001+08:00

Looking back at my blog post in January 2011 about how I started to like Lee Seung Gi, who would have thought that I could watch him live this soon!!

Lee Seung Gi is an actor, ads model, reality show host, MC, and singer. Really multi-talented, right?

Seung Gi's current reality show is 1 Night 2 Days (1N2D). The show is about going on a 1 night 2 days trip traveling around Korea, introduce many places and cultural things in a funny way. Lee Seung Gi + Traveling + Funny = the most favorite Korean reality show for me. In this show I can see the real character of Seung Gi. He is a truly charming person, smart, handsome.... okay stop, this list will never end. I also like the other 1N2D members and ex-members. Too bad the show will end on February 2012.

Seung Gi is also hosting a talk show Strong Heart. This one is kinda boring.

Seung Gi's famous dramas are Brilliant Legacy in 2009 and My Girlfriend is Gumiho in 2010 (his drama from where I start to like him). He's probably going to drama again next year.

Seung Gi has been the most favorite model for goods commercials and advertisements. There are too many until I cannot list them. I can find his ads easily in the subways and supermarkets. He's everywhere.

Seung Gi just released his fifth album Tonight in the end of October this year. Hook Entertainment promoted it really well. I am impressed with their 4 episodes of 5 Minutes Broadcasts for this new album. My favorite is Episode 3, showing Tonight song itself.

His annual concerts were held last weekend, Saturday and Sunday, in Olympic Park. I came to the Saturday concert. I arrived 1 hour before the show, didn't care too much with the official merchandise. At that time there was also CNBlue concert going on in the neighbor hall, I almost went to the wrong ticket booth. Not like K-Pop concerts with full of teenagers, Lee Seung Gi concert audience was varied from kids to ahjumma/ahjussi.

Outside the hall

Uniquely Singapore

2011-12-08T11:00:00.001+08:00

Recently I have been involved in Toastmaster. It is an international organization that helps us improve our English, public speaking, communication and leadership skills. There are about 13.000 clubs in the world, including 33 clubs in Korea. If you want to join and to know more about Sinchon Toastmaster Club, you can contact me.

OK, that's not the point of my posting now (but yeah, you can contact me!). Last week in Toastmaster meeting, I did my second speech project about how to Organize Your Speech. I wanted to present something I know and experience very well. I gave a speech about 3 unique things of Singapore.

FINES

As you know, Singapore is famous for being one of the cleanest countries in the world, thanks to its government's strict regulations. In the buildings, parks and public transportations, you can find many signs telling people what they shouldn't do and how much they would be fined if they broke the rules. Some rules are common and can be found too in other countries, but some... are silly. For example:

Beast at Yongpyong Korean Wave Concert

2011-12-04T14:04:00.001+08:00

I went to Korean Wave Concert last night at Yongpyong Pyeongchang, sponsored by KTO. Here some Beast pictures and videos for the fangirls ;)

Pepero Day

2011-11-12T09:53:00.000+08:00

Eleventh of November (11.11) is the Pepero (빼빼로) Day. I am not sure how it started, but many Koreans, especially teenagers, celebrate it by giving out Pepero snacks to their loved ones. It's almost similar to Valentines Day (when girls giving chocolate to boys) and White Day (when boys giving chocolate to girls). The difference with Pepero Day is that everyone can give Pepero snacks to anyone: girls, boys, family, friends, teachers, etc.

Pepero is a biscuit stick coated with chocolate produced by Lotte, one of the biggest South Korean foods and shopping companies. It is a rival to Pocky, the same biscuit from Japan. Pepero also comes in many flavours such as almond and strawberry.

On the backside of Pepero box, there is a field to write down message. The stick represents number 1, that's why they celebrate it in 11 November (the day of the year that has the most number 1). Doesn't really make sense, right? Perhaps it was just a marketing strategy. A really successful marketing campaign, because many people are really into it now. In this past week, I saw mini marts and supermarkets were selling Pepero package gifts. Yesterday on the street and subways, I saw many people carrying it too.

I didn't celebrate it, but I was glad I didn't spend the day alone ^^

Taking Seoul Metro

2011-09-04T21:32:00.000+08:00

Like other big cities, traveling around Seoul is very easy with public transportation, especially with its massive Metro/Subway system. There are about 15 lines of train operated in Seoul and its urban area (more complicated than Singapore), including Airport Railroad from/to Incheon and Gimpo Airports. I always check the map, price, timetable and direction from one station to another station from this site.

Getting to downtown Seoul from Incheon Airport by train is the cheapest mode, depends on the destination but usually will not be above 5,000 Won. However I haven't taken Airport Railroad from/to Incheon before. When I first time arrived here, I was being picked up by a taxi to my home. Taxi from Incheon Airport to downtown Seoul would take about 60,000-75,000 Won. Other alternative is using airport bus about 8,000 Won, and (I heard) it's also convenient.

Can't Believe I am in Seoul Now

2011-08-17T23:04:00.000+08:00

Annyeong Haseyo.. long time not updating this blog. I was so busy with the crossroad of my life. I just made a big move to quit my job in Singapore and take a new one in Seoul, South Korea. I just arrived in Seoul this morning, and now still can't believe it! I will post my daily stories in Korea here, while this blog will be used for more general posts.

Golden Mile - Thaitown in Singapore

2011-06-19T16:18:00.005+08:00

Golden Mile Complex is one of the places where Thai immigrants in Singapore gather and look for Thai products. Yesterday I went there for the first time, with my Thai friend. Usually when we met up, I brought her to my favorite Indonesian eateries. Now it's time for her to bring me to try authentic Thai foods.

We stopped by Lavender MRT, because the complex was located within 10 minutes walking distance. It is full of Thai shops, restaurants, bars, salons and supermarkets. The environment is totally different, you will feel as you are not in Singapore. All signs are in Thai, everybody spoke Thai. In front of the building, I saw a tiny praying spot with Buddha statue inside, and 2 elephant statues on the gate.

We went to a recommended food place named Nong Khai, which was located on the first floor. She did all the orders for me based on her favorite foods (and the fact that I did not eat pork). So we ate Papaya Salad, Seafood Salad and Beef Soup. It's called Beef Soup but is filled with so many veggies. Moreover, three of the dishes are full of chilies. Thai people really like eating vegetables and spicy foods. This kind of foods cannot be found in localized Thai restaurants like Thai Express (I doubt that its owner is from Thailand). Plus sticky rice (my friend said this foods were better eaten with sticky rice rather than with normal rice) and ice tea, we spent about $30 for 2 people.

Done having dinner, we browsed the supermarket. As usual, my friend stocked herself with Thai foods for 1-2 weeks. She asked me to try some too. So I bought home an Instant Tom Yam Noodle, Koh Kae Peanuts and Strawberry Cakes. I tried Koh-Kae before, but never the coffee flavor, so I bought that one. It's good!

That's the end of my visit to Golden Mile Complex. I'm surprised there are so many Thai people in Singapore.

Wah! Korea Party

2011-05-30T01:01:00.009+08:00

As I wrote in this post, I was coming to Wah! Korea Party, and it was yesterday! The schedule was 2-11 PM, but me and my friends arrived there at 4 PM and finished at 10 PM. The party was located in warehouse hall at Scape, near Cineleisure Orchard. That was the first time I went inside Scape, a shopping mall that newly opened last year as part of youth park where young people gather and hang out. Flea market is held there very often. I did feel young again being around that area.

Inside the hall, there were few stalls inside the hall: Traditional Games where we could try a Korean traditional boardgame, Spa Scene where we could have makeover free from Spa Scene, Cyber Online Game where we could play and battle with wii, Photozone and Calligraphy Zone where we could take polaroid picture with a couple dressed in hanbok and have our names written in hangul, Koryo where we could have some drinks (they had soju after 9!) from a-cafela, Buffet Korean foods, and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) where we could get tourism information about Korea (I directly gathered the brochures for my upcoming trip to Seoul February next year, yeah I know still long time to go!). We could collect stamps in the dedicated passport book from each stall to join the lucky draw (I never been lucky to this kind of thing). There were also some beautiful photos about Korea decorated the hall. With all the foods, drinks, goody bag, and meeting new friends, $20 ticket was totally worth it.

Audi Fashion Festival 2011: Francis Cheong Couture

2011-05-20T10:30:00.010+08:00

Last week, 13-19 May, there was a big Fashion Festival here in Singapore, presenting international and Asian top designers, like Missoni and Antonio Berardi. This annual event actually has been held three times, sponsored by Audi which this year has the theme "Driving Imagination". Some shows are opened to public and we could buy the tickets via Sistic.

Luckily, together with some other bloggers, I was invited by omy to attend one of the shows: Francis Cheong Couture featuring Christy Chung (thanks, omy!). It was held on last Tuesday 9PM in Tent @ Orchard, in front of Ngee Ann City.

Join Korea Club in Singapore

2011-05-15T14:42:00.003+08:00

Last week my friend who's obsessed with Korea (after watching some KDrama) like me, found ads about this upcoming Korea party and asked me to come together.

What is it?
I also don't know haha everything about Korea just makes me excited. Well, actually you can see the list of activities on the above link.

How much is it?
Ticket price is $30 for public, $25 for Wah! Korea Club member, $20 for member who buys in early bird period until May 16th.

How to be a member?
We can fill up the application form via online, or directly visit Korea Tourism Organization office in Singapore. The card will be printed immediately on the office. It's free!

Where is the office?
It's called Korea Plaza, located in Samsung Hub, Raffles Place (walking distance from Raffles Place MRT). It's opened only weekdays (Mon-Fri) 10 am - 7 pm, so we went there as fast as we could after finished work on Thursday. When we arrived, there was K-Pop dance course going on. The place is very exciting and colorful with phototaking booth, hanbok (Korean traditional clothes), some small statues and accessories, and many more.

Visiting Biennale 2011

2011-05-09T00:16:00.003+08:00

As I don't understand and not interested too much in art, I rarely visit an art exhibition. But this Biennale 2011 is held in a unique venue that I haven't been before: Old Kallang Airport. It is the first civil airport of Singapore. I would never visit this abandoned building if not for this exhibition. And it is free admission. This event has been held three times so far, but for me it is the first time.

Exhibition in Old Kallang Airport

About 1.5 hours later, we took free shuttle bus at 12.15 PM to another free venue of Biennale 2011: Merlion Park. Two weeks ago I also came to this place but did not go inside because the queue was very long. This time the queue was quite long too, but we just tried it. And apparently it did not take too much time for waiting. When entering the hotel room, we should take off our footwear. Here some pictures inside.

Inside Merlion Hotel

No water pouring from Merlion's mouth, but we can be so much close to this famous icon of Singapore.

Traveling Soundtracks

2011-05-08T14:57:00.006+08:00

About 4 days ago, I listened up to Musicovery again, after feeling sick with playlist in my iPod. Its interface was changed a lot in a better way. I tuned in What's new? for the new songs (up to 1 year ago) while continuing my work in the office. Suddenly it played one familiar song that reminds me of France. At first I thought it was one of Amélie movie songs, but the lyric/melody was not too French. I opened the tab to check the title and singer: Riverside by Agnes Obel..... "hemm never heard about that".

And finally I realized, it was a song that accompanied me in flight to/from Paris last time. It is a slow and relaxing song so people can sleep conveniently during the flight. I like that song, but did not know what song it was (thank you Musicovery for discovering it for me). Oh what a nostalgic song, now I keep listening to it when I sleep, to remember those days in Europe. I really miss it.

Here are some my traveling soundtracks other than Riverside above.

Pure Shores by All Saints - Aceh, Indonesia
It is the main soundtrack for all beach destination, isn't it? I kept listening to this song when I visited beautiful beaches in Banda Aceh and Weh Island. It was my first visit to Weh Island (the most western part of Indonesia) and I fell in love so much. I spent 2 nights and 3 days there with my friend from Banda Aceh. In the ferry back to the main land Banda Aceh, I sit by myself near the window, trying to see the last sight of Weh Island while the ferry was leaving. I listened to this song and cried. I am sure I will be back there one day. It's funny that this song reminds me more about my traveling to Aceh instead of my trip to Phi Phi Island and Phuket.

Nobody But You by Wonder Girls - Phuket, Thailand
I don't like this song, but it kept sounding in my head after watching Simon Cabaret in Phuket, a lady-boy (beautiful transgender from Thailand) show. In the show, they danced to this song very similarly, even more flirty than the real Wonder Girls, which can make you shocked and amused. So sorry Wonder Girls, now your song reminds me of Thai's lady-boys.

I Am Strong by Tiësto - Kuching, Malaysia
Actually the song is about being strong for being alone after breaking up in a relationship. But somehow I perceived it as being strong for being alone in a foreign country. I have no problem traveling alone, but at that time I was not in the mood of solo-traveling and wanting to have friends besides me. So I kept listening to this song to make me strong and enjoy the trip.

Insomnia by Craig David - Lombok/Bali, Indonesia
It was one of songs we sang/karaoke during the long ferry ride from Bali to Lombok.

And many more. Do you have soundtrack(s) to memorize your previous trips?

Smash by Martin Solveig

2011-04-26T01:36:00.008+08:00

Martin Solveig is a DJ who, despite his weak tennis level and early Woody Allen style, is irresistibly ascending the contemporary music chart, knowing however that he will never become the Mick Jagger of the DJ world, but more a sort of hairless King Kong who wants to feel free to buy a baguette in a boulangerie, driven by his naive quest of the one true love that would bring him out of his shell, instead of simply enjoying the multiple sexual opportunities of a successful show business career.

You have to watch these great videos, especially the second one which shows Marina Bay Sands, Mambo Jambo and night view of Singapore! This SMASH album should be released this month.

Weekend Tour Guide

2011-04-25T15:36:00.010+08:00

During last weekend, a friend of mine who's never been to Singapore before, was staying at my place. I accompanied her walking around this tiny country to the standard tourist places. usually visitors/tourists from Indonesia do not need to be guided anymore, since they must have visited Singapore at least once. Ya, Singapore for Indonesians is like Bandung for Jakartans where you can go there for only short weekend gateaways, especially do shopping. Also, there are too many Indonesians living here in Singapore. If I was not available for guiding some tourists, I am sure they have other relatives here to meet and help them. Moreover, Singapore is the safest, most convenient and most tourist-friendly I've ever known.

I always ask first, "have you been here before?", "where/what did you go/eat in the last visits?" before I babble out about what's good in Singapore, because they might have already known so much about Singapore, might even known better than me. Traveling to Singapore is not so special anymore. That's why having a Singapore-virgin tourist like this friend of mine, brought me a simple joy.

Saturday morning I went to Harbourfront terminal to pick up my friend who crossed the sea from Batam. It supposed to be 45 minutes ferry-ride only, but this time took about 1.5 hour plus 1 hour queuing in immigration, due to heavy traffic tourists in the long weekend. First hour waiting in the arrival hall was not bad since there was a good-looking foreigner guy waiting there also, but when he's gone I got bored easily watching people passing by.

After I met my friend, we had lunch directly in Banquet (halal food court) nearby. I introduced her to Hainanese Chicken Rice. And then we went to Sentosa, walking from Siloso Beach, Merlion to Resort World. We did not enter any attractions, only sightseeing and taking a lot of pictures. Too bad the iconic Universal globe was hidden under maintenance.

In the afternoon I brought her to Raffles Place. The Singapore icon Merlion, which used to have fountain from its mouth, now is hidden inside a red box. It is actually a luxury hotel room with Merlion in it, during Biennale art event. It opens to public until next month. The room is fully booked at $150/night, but free admission during daytime.

Then, we crossed the bridge to Esplanade and Singapore Flyer. I let her take the Flyer alone, since I have tried it twice (day and night). $29 for the 3rd ride in 20 minutes Flyer-ride is definitely not worth it. So I waited her downstairs where Sakura Festival was held.

many interesting cosplays

Walking back to Esplanade to have dinner in my favorite place Makan Sutra (see this post). It was Saturday night in a long weekend, but fortunately we could still get some seats (by sharing table with a couple). We had Cereal Prawn and Sambal Kangkong (my favorite) and Roti Prata since my friend wanted to try Indian food.

The next day was shopping time. After walking around Chinese Garden (see this post) for a while, we went to Orchard to have my favorite Ayam Penyet Ria (haha I always make tourists come to this place! See this post) and do some shoppings. Around 3.30 PM we decided to walk outside the malls. There were so many people, waiting to watch F1 cars passing by Orchard road from Mandarin Gallery to Ion (which was closed for any other vehicles). This was not happening often, so we decided to join the crowd and waited until 4 PM when finally David Coulthard drove his car.

couldn't capture the car, just the crowd

After that, we moved to Bugis, Arab Street and Kampong Glam (see this post). Some replicas in the yard of Malay Heritage Center were gone, they're soon closed for renovation. Then, in the night we went to Chinatown. When we passed by a foot and body massage place, my friend directly asked me to take 15 mins foot massage together for our tiring feet after these 2 days non-stopped walking. It's very relaxing, and making my feet light again.

Around 8 PM, we went to Harbourfront terminal where my friend took the latest ferry back to Batam. I went home and ended my week by watching the latest episode of 1N2D (Korean TV show haha). Argh Monday comes again! I can't wait for next weekend which I will be going to Jakarta to meet the sweetheart(s).

Lost in Translation in Paris

2011-03-24T05:28:00.005+08:00

This is a story about my very first day in Paris. After flying 13 hours by Air France from Singapore, I arrived in Paris - Charles de Gaulle airport around 6 AM, together with 2 colleagues. I had one day to walk around Paris before flying to Marseille on the next day. No problemo in immigration, they just asked me to show working assignment letter from my company. There was free 15 minutes wi-fi in the airport, and suddenly everybody's busy with their phone for a while.

As my friend Audi, with whom I was gonna stay in Paris, told me, I needed to take RER B train from airport to La Croix de Berny metro station to go to her place. Later she would pick me up in that station. Okay, sounds easy, there were many signs of Paris by Train in airport terminals, we just needed to follow that. Three of us took the same train but we alighted in different station, I was the last. During that one hour commuting by train, I already informed Audi via SMS twice with "delivered" status, but I didn't get any reply. I started to worry when I reached the destination station. It was a small and desolate metro station, where no one speaks English. I did not find Audi, did not have any credits left in my Singapore number to call her, and I could not speak French at all. I was doomed. What did I do?

1. Look for Convenience Stores
My first mission since arrived in Paris was buying France simcard. That was really the most important thing to do. Do you think it's easy? No, I did not find any place to buy it since in the airport until La Croix de Berny metro station. I was thinking I could buy it in convenience stores like 7-11 (later I knew from Audi that we cannot buy a France simcard in usual convenience store like other countries). So, with big luggage and backpack, I walked a bit from the station to explore the surroundings. Hopeless. It was all residencies. I went back inside train station to ask the lady in ticket counter (who could not speak English, of course). "Supermarket?" with my arms rotating above my heads, means "is there any supermarket around this area?". She said "Nay!" with arms crossing and head shaking. Okay, that's clear, no supermarket around here. I sat back on my luggage in front of station, thinking what to do next.

2. Ask Friends in Singapore to Top Up My Singtel Credits
Actually I did not think about it, until suddenly I got SMS from Singtel telling me that I could ask friends or family at home to fill up our Singtel credits. What a coincidence! Hopelessly I used that feature to send message to some friends of mine in Singapore. But later I realized they would not believe or buy credits for me just like that. So what next?

3. Use People's Phone to Call Audi
I approached a not-so-old guy next to me: "Phone?" while my right hand was put on my right ear like I use phone, what else?! He replied me with some French words while pointing to streets downstairs. Okay, maybe he wanted to say that there was public telephone down there. I pulled myself and my luggage downstairs. There was just a bus stop, no telephone! I asked again to a lady near bus stop: "Phone?" I didn't have any clue at all of what she said, so I just went back to the station.

4. Go to More Hectic Place Where I Can Buy Simcard, Use Public Telephone or Meet Someone Who Can Speak English
On the train from airport, I saw many tourists exit in Notre Dame station. That might be one of the central places in Paris (by the way, this business trip was so sudden that I could not have proper time to browse about Paris. In fact, I did not know which tourist places to visit, except Eiffel, I just depended on Audi's guide). So I bought a ticket to Notre Dame station in the ticket counter. The train should be in the other platform of my previous train, but I did not know how to go to the other line. I asked a lady next to me: "Notre Dame?" while showing my ticket. She spoke in French while pointing to the other side (yeah I knew, but how to go there ma'am?!)... and then she moved her arms again, somehow I understood that I should cross the bridge upstairs. Owkaaayy.. merci, ma'am! With the heavy luggage I took up the stairs and went to the other platform. Suddenly a familiar voice calling: "Rika!"

And there was an angel, I mean Audi, standing across the platform (imagine like a movie haha). She actually had been there waiting for me quite long. She got all my messages and replied 4 times, but somehow my phone did not receive them. Anyway, that was such a relief to finally meet Audi after one hour lost in translation. What an experience!

I went to Audi's place to put my bags, take shower and eat some foods, before we went around Paris. We visited Musée du Louvre, Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées and Eiffel Tower. It was really beautiful, of course. It would be more beautiful if I was not suffering from jet lag.

More pictures here.

Merci beaucoup Audi for your hospitality :)

Bonjour

2011-03-18T15:12:00.004+08:00

I can't believe it has been 6 days I am in this other part of the world, time flies so fast when you enjoy it ya. There are a lot to tell even I don't know where to start. From getting lost in translation (because everybody speaks language I don't know at all), seeing many beautiful places almost everyday, until the feeling of working in a new environment and culture with awesome French colleagues.

This is my first business trip ever in about 3 years working experience, because my job doesn't need me to be mobile. That's why I am glad to have the opportunity to learn a new project in the branch office in Gémenos, in the Southern France, for about 2 weeks.

Also, this is my first time traveling to Europe. Not exactly to countries I always dream (England, Italy and Greece), but I am happy enough. In this very short time, with my tasks and jobs, I took the opportunity to travel to surrounding cities during the weekends. Last weekend in Paris, this weekend will be in Barcelona, next weekend hope to visit Amsterdam and Brussels (not fixed yet). Not to mention the cool places around Provence where the colleagues took us during lunch or after work.

Two weeks is not a long time, so I want to enjoy every moment of it. Will update again soon, au revoir!

Learning Hip Hop Moves

2011-03-02T00:08:00.006+08:00

In a posting last year, I said that I was interested in joining regular Hip Hop dance class. Been looking for course with reasonable price, I finally joined the one in Sports & Recreation Centre near my flat (just across the street, very nice right?!). It's $80 for 12 sessions, quite cheap compare to usual dance schools that charge around $10-$15 per session! There are about 20 people joining this term with me, from young teenagers until late 20s, which slowly disappearing one by one :P (tonight only 10 people coming). Classroom is very nice, better than in any dance schools I have seen. It is very big, all covered with mirror and woody floor. The teacher is not bad. Even though he still cannot blend much with participants and cannot make the class more alive, but his Hip Hop skill is unquestionable. The duration is 1 hour, once a week every Tuesday night. For me, it's good for exercise and getting away from problems in real life for a while. Cause every time I dance, I so feel young and free again. Or like Usher said: feel like a zombie gone back to life :D

Except learning a little bit popping, sliding, freestyle, body wave and other basic Hip Hop things, in the first 5 classes we danced into a Korean Hip Hop song with strong beats. Then since last week we've started a new song that's quite slow: Mad by Ne-Yo. It's getting more difficult and it made me frustrating in the beginning, but I will practice more often! Here a short video of the dance.

Wanna try? ;)

Support Indonesian Literature

2011-02-27T03:16:00.004+08:00

Lately I found myself having a list-of-books-to-buy everytime I went home to Indonesia. Many people come to Singapore to buy books heavenly in Bras Basah, Borders and Kinokuniya, while I am going home to stock myself with some Indonesian books. I must admit that Indonesian literature is going more interesting with a lot of newcomer writers. They're also good in publication by being active in social media. They really got me in Twitter.

Pictures from kutukutubuku.com

(1) Two authors above are a blogger, I've loved their stories and collected their first books since the beginning, before I moved to Singapore. That's why each time they published new books or comics, even though the comics are so lame (Goat Guy, you should stop producing the comics, just focus on the books/blog), I need to get them asap. Sometimes I pre-ordered online and asked my sister to buy books I want, so the books were already there when I went home.

(2) One of the books above, the author is very famous and was once a singer (or maybe still). Many people talked good about this book, so I bought it one year ago but until now I haven't even opened up the plastic cover yet. It was just because everyone in social media praised this book, but actually I do not like the author.

(3) Another book, the author was my senior in university and is very funny in Twitter. So I tried to read his new novel about tragic comedy of a marriage life. For me, it is not disappointing but not so special either.

(4) Another one is the first novel of a trilogy about education. It is very inspiring, and there will be a movie soon filming the story from this novel. I really like quotes in front page (in Indonesian):

Orang berlimu dan beradab tidak akan diam di kampung halaman
Tinggalkan negerimu dan merantaulah ke negeri orang

Merantaulah, kau akan dapatkan pengganti dari kerabat dan kawan
Berlelah-lelahlah, manisnya hidup terasa setelah lelah berjuang

Aku melihat air menjadi rusak karena diam tertahan
Jika mengalir menjadi jernih, jika tidak, kan keruh menggenang

Singa jika tak tinggalkan sarang tak akan dapat mangsa
Anak panah jika tidak tinggalkan busur tak akan kena sasaran

Jika matahari di orbitnya tidak bergerak dan terus diam
Tentu manusia bosan padanya dan enggan memandang

Bijih emas bagaikan tanah biasa sebelum digali dari tambang
Kayu gaharu tak ubahnya seperti kayu biasa
Jika di dalam hutan.

By. Imam Syafii’

Second book of the trilogy has come out, and it has been put in my list-book-to-buy next month in Jakarta.

(5) The last book is really interesting especially for Indonesian people who lives in Singapore. It tells a story of her life when studying in NTU Singapore and living here for 4 years: A land of opportunity but also a land of desperation. I like her writings, so I might buy her other books soon.

Can you guess which book(s) I refer to in each paragraph? :P

Foods in Singapore

2011-02-15T10:58:00.020+08:00

I am not a healthy person nor strong enough nor having a really good shape of body, but I rarely get sick. In 2009, I took only half day sick leave from work. In 2010, only 1 day. So, last month when I had sore throat, cough and fever more than 3 days, I got panic and asked the doctor to do x-rays immediately. The doctor laughed and said I was too exaggerating: "no need lah". He gave me stronger medicines, then fortunately the fever's gone, but the cough was still there until about 2 weeks later. Most of my favorite foods in Singapore were not edible (because of oily, etc). I did not have appetite. I was really homesick. I had never felt like that before because I always went home every month. Maybe I should start to learn my mother's cooking. Not some recipes from the internet, but really my mom's recipes.

Talking about foods, I would like to share my favorite foods here in Singapore, which are not too many because I am not a foodaholic. I am the kind of person who eats for living, not lives for eating. I eat something just so I can live, work and do other things without starving. I do not care too much about the taste, art of making, contained ingredients, etc, as long as I'm full. But this view of mine was changed after I watched 1 Night 2 Days, a Korean TV show (with our lovely Lee Seung Gi in it). They play games and fight for foods, so they value foods so much. They are familiar with many local delicacies and seasonings. Start from now, I will try to praise the foods I eat. But for now, let me share my favorite foods in Singapore so far. This is really subjective.

Chili Crab

Chili Crab is a unique local food of Singapore. There are other taste of crabs, such as Black Pepper Crab, but the most famous one is chili. Even Lady Gaga sang for it when she performed a concert here. Singapore foods are never spicy, so is this Chili Crab, even though it's named chili. The sauce actually tastes sweet in my tongue. Usually people also eat fried bun by dipping it into chili crab sauce. I am not a master of Chili Crab, so I do not know which restaurant is the best for this dish. I usually go to Makan Sutra in Esplanade Marina Bay to eat this food, because the location is easy to reach, and very happening at night. Together with Chili Crab, I often order Cereal Prawn and Kangkung Belacan which are also Singaporean dishes.

Ayam Penyet Ria

Pic is from Ayam Penyet Ria's website

No matter where you go, nothing beats your hometown's foods. Like I said before, it's hard to find spicy foods here, so Ayam Penyet Ria is a blessing. Even my Thai friend, who's craving for spicy foods, keeps going back to this restaurants. Actually the real Ayam Penyet comes with smashed chicken mixed together with chili sauce, sometimes we even cannot recognize the chicken's shape anymore. So, this one is actually just normal fried chicken with an incredible chili sauce.

Since many Indonesians living in Singapore, there are many Indonesian foods available. Other favorites of mine are Iga Bakar (Roasted Rib) in Bumbu Desa, Bakmie Pangsit (tasty noodles with MSG) in IMM Jurong East, Sop Buntut (Oxtail Soup) in Pondok Jawa Timur, and Nasi Tumpeng in Java Kitchen (Food Republic Vivo City). I also often visit Resto Surabaya, Ayam Penyet Presiden and Ayam Bakar Ojolali restaurants in Lucky Plaza Orchard, but only because my friends like to go and hang out there, nothing special dish for me.

Hokkien Prawn Mee

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkien_mee

This is another not bad Singaporean dish. I usually eat this in Banquet Vivo City, Food Republic Wisma Atria and Pioneer hawker center near my flat.

Others:
- Butter Kaya Toast and hot milk tea, Ya Kun Kaya Toast
- Spring O, Old Chang Kee (fried snacks or gorengan in Indonesia are much better)
- Laksa, Toast Box
- Chicken sausage with black pepper sauce, Eighteen Chefs
- Garuda Padang, Seoul Garden, Thai Express, Mind Cafe, Just Acia

This is the list of my favorite foods and restaurants that I can remember for now. Looking at this list, hemmm, apparently there are many things to eat here. But when you're sick, your Mom's cooking is still the best.

Lee Seung Gi, Nomu Nomu Nomu Chua!

2011-01-18T01:43:00.008+08:00

This is so embarrassing, I will ignore my age for the moment. I am once again fascinated by a Korean star!

aaaarhh the Smile Boy *faint*

The last time I had a super-crush on Korean actor like this was more than 3 years ago, after watching Goong S series with Se7en as the main actor. After that, of course I still watched some Korean series, but was never being starstruck like this, until I watched My Girlfriend is a Nine-Tailed Fox (Gumiho) last weekend. I finished all 16 episodes in 2 nights, and directly 'fell in love' with this guy, oh God.

What I mean by super-crush is:
1. Checking his name and biography. Some guys in Korean series I watched, even when they are really cute and I like the stories, I do not too care to know their name.
2. Looking for his pictures. And create a special folder for this.
3. Setting his picture as desktop background. His photo just replaced a wonderful picture of 12 Apostles I took in Melbourne.
4. Checking his videos on Youtube, like movie snapshots, awards, TV shows or ads. My favorites:

Always like him in suit. Who doesn't like a man in suit?
Surprisingly like Se7en, this guy is a singer-become-actor. So,
5. Downloading all songs from his albums completely. The songs (together with soundtracks of Gumiho series) are being my playlist of the week.
6. Looking for his other TV series, Shining Inheritance, which actually came out before Gumiho.
7. And his nice, cool and romantic character as Cha Dae Woong in Gumiho is still stuck in my head (or my heart?).

I hope he will perform a concert here in Singapore before I lost my obsession about him. Because you know what, I just found out that Se7en actually came here last November. But I do not crush on him anymore, so I do not care.

And now I want to learn Korean language. Any good course in Singapore?

(*) The title meaning: really really really like you ♥

2010 - Keep Traveling

2010-12-29T17:22:00.001+08:00

One good thing of updating blog/journal regularly, at least once a month, is I can read and look back on what I've been up to in the past year. This year I was wandering like crazy. Not necessary traveling to oversea, but also to places in Singapore where I haven't been yet (quite difficult tho to find new place in this teeny weeny country).

When nobody wanted to go, I kept going, solo-backpacking it was. When I didn't like my traveling partners, I kept going. When no other girls in the group, I kept going (the Boy was quite angry about this). When the works in the office were hectic, sorry Boss, I kept going. When my Dad didn't approve my next trip plan, what the heck, I kept going.

My family do not like going out that much. Holiday means staying at home lazily, watching tv and sleeping whole day. Sounds 'fun', huh? I could not do much other than obeying this rule since I did not have enough money to go around by myself. The young-me also did not have many friends to go out, so I was left at home. Now I have my own money, I do not live with my parents anymore, I am free, and I have a bunch of friends. Sometimes I did not tell my Dad that I was going somewhere, I was afraid he would be angry and try to stop me, so I always told him after I finished traveling. I think somehow this made him change. He does not forbid me traveling anymore, in that way I won't be afraid to tell him about my upcoming trip.

But I just realized what he was trying to say to me was quite true. He wants me to not travel too much, in order to save money. He wants me to see traveling as learning new things in other countries, not only for having fun nor collecting stamps. Instead of traveling to near countries in 2-3 days every month, he suggested to go to a faraway big country once a year.

Now I start thinking about it.

One of my resolutions this year was traveling around South East Asia. I am really keen about that, and I am quite satisfied with my journeys. I haven't finished them all, like Laos and Philippines (psst I cannot write "Philippines" without checking it to dictionary first), but I feel enough. I set too many small resolutions for this year, but only 5 out of 14 are achieved. So for next year I just want to set one goal, but SUPER BIG. I hope it will determine my future and passion, because I'm tired of feeling "what am I doing in my life?"

Meanwhile, I will be still wandering around. It is not about completing the checklist anymore, it will be more about the journey.

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”

Dealing with Visa

2010-12-28T14:48:00.010+08:00

Since I only have traveled to neighbor countries, I rarely needed to apply for visa. Except twice, when I went to Australia and Cambodia (I thought we're friends, Cambodia!). But after this agreement with our handsome foreign minister, Indonesia will be exempted from Cambodia Visa, hooray! You may need to check to the embassy for more details.

Cambodia has a system called e-Visa to apply the visa online. I applied it via this website which cost US$25 (US$20 + US$5 processing charge) per person. Not long time after submitting the application, I found this website saying that the site where I applied for visa was a scam. But this one only charges US$10 per person, quite strange because the normal price should be US$20. I didn't know which one was right.

On the next day my visa arrived, less than 12 hours! They sent it via email as JPG file. I had to print 2 copies and bring them for entering and departing Cambodia. No further issue when I arrived there and showed this print-out, so we can conclude that this website is not a scam, right?

E-Visa is only valid at 5 ports of Cambodia entry:

Phnom Penh International Airport
Siem Reap International Airport
Cham Yeam (Koh Kong) - Thailand Border
Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchey) - Thailand Border
Bavet (Svay Rieng) - Vietnam Border

So when I booked the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, I made sure that it passed through Bavet border.

If you don't want to pay extra US$5, you can get the visa by visiting the embassy directly in your country or by visa on arrival. Visa on arrival is a good choice for those who are entering Cambodia via international airports with no limited time (possibly long queue lines). While for land traveling, there are many scam reports upon the borders where the staff asked you for more money (up to US$30), so better to have the visa already before traveling.

Now, my visa to Australia. On my first visit to Australian High Commission in Singapore, I had all the documents but I still got rejected, because my Singapore Employment Pass (EP) would be expired very near to my traveling dates. I traveled on 19-28 November 2010, while my EP expired on 2 December 2010. I said that my company would extent my pass for sure, but the lady who served me did not accept that statement, she wanted me to have my new EP first before applying Australian visa.

I was quite apprehensive. My company HR said we could not renew employee's EP until we got the letter from Ministry of Manpower which usually arrived 1 month before EP expired. After that, there will be few weeks to process the application, how could I get new EP AND Australian visa before November 19th?!

Two days after my first visit, I came back again to Australian High Commission, bringing the same documents. This time I was served by another lady. She scanned through my documents (while I was silently praying hard in my heart), asked me to pay S$142 by credit card (so expensive! Well, everything in Australia is expensive), asked me to sit for a while... 5 minutes later, voila, my passport was stamped with the visa!! Imagine my hands were shaking when I received it. The lady was so generous, she did not question my EP at all. I even got 1 year period for multiple entries, haha I'm happy! So sometimes it can also depend on your luck. And you know what, my new EP was finally issued on November 16th. How troublesome it was if I needed to wait until my new EP came up.

Okay, that was my story in dealing with tourist visa.

Tinkerbell Wannabe

2010-12-17T00:24:00.008+08:00

My company's Dinner and Dance (DnD) this year was held last week in one of ballrooms in Resort World Sentosa. As committee, we chose that place because it was quite new in Singapore therefore could bring more enthusiasm for people to come. DnD is an annual event from companies to unite their employees together and celebrate what has been achieved during a year... in summary: free deluxe dining foods haha! I think it is only common in Singapore. My company's branches in other countries like China and France, do not have this event. Or maybe I just don't know it.

Including this year, I have been attending DnD party 3 times. First time was in December 2008 when I just joined the company. Theme of the party that time was MTV Night, everything about music. But I did not dress up anything since I was newbie and I still had no idea what it was all about. The girls all dressed up so pretty in a night gown, I felt not confident at all! But never mind, I just wanted to enjoy the foods and the show. I was new in town, everything still looked amazing to me.

But then something happened, MC called employees who just joined company less than 2 weeks to come upstage. My friends pushed me, so yeah, I went upstage not knowing what would happen to me (actually I hoped I could get some prize). There were about 5 people on stage, our eyes were closed by a cover. DJ was playing some kinds of songs, and we were supposed to dance according to the song: Indian, 80s, Rock, RnB, Dangdut (seriously they played Kopi Dangdut!), Pop, Arabian..... phewww finally the music stopped! MC released my eye-cover and ta da..... I was alone on the stage! Nobody's around anymore, all people were laughing and clapping their hands looking at me, even the VIP guests (directors) sitting in the fronts were giving me standing ovation. Apparently while we're dancing, MC released one by one until the best dancer staying alone! This is a picture of one of my rival dancers.

Last year DnD's theme was 80's and not too memorable. This year we had Movie Star theme! Since 2 months ago I had planned to come as, of course, Hermione Granger.

Until 3 days before the day, I changed my mind. I realized the girls would come all pretty, glamorous and sexy, while my costume would be too boring, dark and plain. I doubt people would recognize it as Hermione Granger anyway, they would say: "are you dressed up?"

So 3 days before DnD, I went with some friends walking around Bugis looking for costume rental shop. We found one in Iluma: Otaku House. They have interesting stuff but only related to Japanese characters which are not my cup of tea. On the way home to MRT, I found a simple green dress in a woman clothing shop. The dress made me think of Tinkerbell, so I bought it (SALE anyway!). On the next day after work, I and a friend went to No 1 Costume Costume shop which was not in the middle of city, was located far from my office and home, but was selling fairy wings I needed for Tinkerbell. Blimey, I did not regret at all for going there, they had GREAT collections of costume to rent and buy! I could spend many hours trying the clothes and hats, but they're closed at 8 PM. Quite expensive tho, but it is the most complete costume shop in Singapore. I heard from a friend, there are other good costume shops also in Far East Plaza Orchard which are more convenient to go. Maybe next time.

The next night, I did some preparations for the dress, the wand (I used my Voldemort wand haha, sorry Voldie!) and the whole looks for the next day event. Tadaa... I am Tinkerbell!

There were a lot of people dressed up as well!

I was chosen as 5 best female dresses. Now I am a little bit famous at office. Yesterday when I passed by some guy I didn't know, he said: "hi Tinker!"

Some Things are Better Unplanned

2010-12-15T23:50:00.011+08:00

I really like this traveling article, especially in the part: Most of your best memories will come from unplanned things.

When I and some friends went to Bintan last month for one night, we really had it spontaneously. Accommodation and ferry bookings, even how many exact people coming, were finalized only two days before the trip. And activities to do in Bintan? We asked to the hotel staff once we arrived there! Nonetheless, that was one of the most fun trips I ever had, thanks to the awesome traveling partners!

In other occasions, especially for far and long trips such as Australia, I prefer to plan them carefully and details. So I can be a spontaneous traveler, and also an organized traveler, depends on the needs haha. I used this helpful web-tool to create my itinerary. But... of course, things do not always work as we planned.

We arrived at Melbourne in the afternoon, planning to go directly to Phillip Island to catch little fairy penguins on sunset. But the car we rented did not come along with GPS. The car rental staff said they ran out of GPS for that day, but we could come to the office the next day to get GPS for other 2 days (we rented car for 3 days). No one has been to Melbourne before, we were strangers in a strange place, we drove around based on a confusing map book... and we got lost. From airport to our hotel in St Kilda supposed to be only 30 minutes, but we reached there in 2 hours. Hell yeah! There was not enough time anymore to catch the penguins.

On the first day of our trip we already missed a plan in the itinerary. There was no plan B. Finally we decided to go to St Kilda beach nearby, that was not in our itinerary at all. Since we were not in a rush anymore, so I sat back and enjoyed the view. Oh my, there were no high apartment buildings like here in Singapore, the houses were beautiful and really homey, flowers and trees were blooming nicely, the environment was quiet, safe and friendly. That's when I started to fall in love with Melbourne (see previous post? The picture was taken in St Kilda beach). I do not regret at all for skipping Phillip Island (even though I will visit it if I go to Melbourne again someday) and seeing this beautiful part of Melbourne.

Other unplanned things happened in our last days in Sydney. We had gone to most of places and attractions, until we did not know where to go anymore. Itinerary was finished! But I really enjoyed our spontaneous activities below:

On Friday afternoon, Indi (a friend who lives there) told us about The Rock's Market. It's a bazaar of foods, clothes and some stuff. So we went there to catch the crowd. After few days of having unhealthy plain western foods (foods there are so expensive!!), this market with many delicious Japanese and Arabian foods was heaven! There were also some unique desserts
On Friday night, we met up and chit-chatted with Indi, who brought us to eat at Harry's, a famous Australian meat pie, and to go around the happening places in town
On Saturday night, we met up with new people, a friend's cousin and her friends, who brought us to eat Kangaroo and Emu meat! And then we walked around Sydney Harbour again, and realized we had not taken Opera House picture at night. Yay, and now our journey is complete haha!
On Sunday morning, we visited Hogwarts a.k.a Sydney University! This was not in our plan before, but I am sooooo happy we could make it.

So now I have learnt a lot. When things go out of plan, do not feel angry and disappointed, because maybe the journey is about to begin.

I Left My Heart There

2010-12-04T12:03:00.002+08:00

Some places make me want to come back.

Some places are enough to be visited once.

Some places are really not recommended.

But this is the first place I fall in love with.

Dance Music Holic

2010-11-07T21:56:00.008+08:00

When you like a song so much, you tend to repeat it in your music player many times, and even update your twitter status to the lyric. Like:

And when you smile, the whole world stops and stares for a while. Because girl you're amazing, just the way you are

Nice, right?! But unfortunately my favorite songs mostly have no good lyrics.

Damn Girl!!! Damn, you's a sexy bitch, sexy bitch!

Or no lyric at all.

It is Warp by Steve Aoki, who was one of DJs performed in GO! Avalon At Large last September. He was AWESOME!! I think I like his performance more than Flo Rida on that night. Nevertheless, Flo Rida (I just know recently that it's read as Flow Rider) gave me a big Chupa Chups!!

Ha ha, he has a song called Sugar: my lips like sugar... When he sang that song, he threw this big Chupa Chups to the audience. It ended up in.... not my hands, but a girl in front of me and she just passed it to some people in the back which was me.

And this is my song of the week:

I can't wait for Zouk Out this year! There will be David Guetta (happy birthday! 7th Nov is his birthday) and Tiesto!! Ha, I am going to watch second show of Tiesto this year, hell yeah!

And also Akon, who's singing Sexy Bitch (or Sexy Chick?) featuring David Guetta, will be coming here in the beginning of January 2011!!! Ah I'm such a concert-holic. But don't ask me to come to jazz music concert, I'm gonna be veeeery sleepy during the show.

Nature Walks

2010-10-25T21:47:00.008+08:00

Living in a metropolitan city sometimes make you sick of high buildings, malls, buses and trains packed of people. All you want to do is getting away to a jungle, beach or secluded island. Too bad there's no decent beach here in Singapore. Beach in East Coast Park is full of ships, while Siloso Beach in Sentosa is fake (it's nice for party tho :P). But Singapore has many parks and gardens with good care and maintenance. You can see the list of parks in Singapore here, from tiny garden to huge forest!

One random morning, my friends and I went to MacRitchie Reservoir for trekking. The air was fresh, many people did sport activities (jogging, canoeing, etc), monkeys were around, but at some points there are still sights of HDB or apartments haha. Confidently, thinking that we are young we are free (you can run away with me..), we decided to take the longest trail until Tree Top Walk. We walked about 10 km with some climbings! On the way back I was thinking to look for shortcut, but one of us (which is my boss in the office by the way :P) said something like "don't give up, let's finish what we've started." Ups!

It was really exhausting, but worth it. Below is the collection of our pictures in a beautiful video made by my boss Kiky.

In other day, my friend invited me to join her trip to Pulau Ubin (Ubin Island). It is a small separated island, located not far from the east of Singapore. Going there we should take bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal in Changi Village. Ticket price is $2 (additional $2 if you bring your own bicycle), and the journey will take 10-15 minutes only. Pulau Ubin is well-known as a place for cycling, with challenging trails. There are many places to rent a bicycle, usually it costs $3-$8 for whole day, depends on its type. At that time I spent $7 for my bike. Beach, lake, forest... the view are nice.

One unique thing is Durian trees. If you're walking or cycling along the street and then suddenly you hear a durian fell to the ground, then it's yours! We were not lucky enough to find any fallen durian, so we just bought it from an uncle who waited there whole day to get some durians then sold it to visitors.

I felt instantly skinny after few hours cycling, but then we had a HUGE lunch. Seafoods there are heaven! We spent about $16 each. So I was still fat after all haha. Below are some pictures from the trip (courtesy to Andi and Sylvia).

in the bumboat

just arrived

one of the beaches, not so good tho

cycling together

stopped a while at a lake

Durian trees

Getting Old Happily

2010-10-15T01:30:00.014+08:00

Look who's in my blog header!

Yes, I am that narcissistic.

Anyway, last Friday I was kind of having birthday. Yes, I'm getting old, thank you, but I was REALLY happy that day!

Usually, I spent hours before 12 AM with daydreaming and contemplating my life in the past and future, but that night I was not interested to think too much. I guess I've started taking this life not so serious anymore, that's good.

I didn't know what to do and I was not sleepy yet, so I phoned The Guy to demand a birthday greeting. Usually the birthday-person is being called, right? But this one vice-versa.

Around 7 AM, my parents woke me up by their call to say happy birthday and all the prayings. Thank you so much, Mom, Dad! :) Then, as always, they told me to wake up early, and I said yes, but of course after the phone's closed, I slept again.

I waited until 9.30 AM to go to the office because at that time taxi here won't charge 30% more. I took taxi because I brought a baggage to office, planning to go directly to airport in the afternoon for flying to my home in Jakarta.

Arrived at the office, I found a gift on my chair.

Tadaaa! It's Quidditch Lego!!!

I really love it, but I didn't know from whom was that, no letter nor card. Maybe it's from some wizards. I guessed Hagrid finally came to bring me to Hogwarts, like when he picked up Harry on Harry's 11th birthday, but me on my 25th. Well, better late than never. (Thank you my wizard friends, for this fabulous gift :D)

Then some other friends came to my cubicle bringing flower saying it was from a handsome guy haha! During lunch they surprised me more with the cake.

Crazy People

Around 5.30 PM I went to Changi airport. While waiting for boarding, I replied the greetings on my Facebook one by one. Imagine without Facebook, no one will remember my birthday haha. Isn't it nice, even though they didn't remember it by heart and only said default words like 'wish you all the best', but I still feel like having full attention from the universe. Every human-being wants to be noticed.

Arrived in Soekarno Hatta International Airport, The Guy had been waiting there for me :)

And at home, my younger sister had prepared cakes!

The Day was just perfect. Thanks for making this birthday girl happy. I love my life :)

Lost in Life

2010-09-21T20:23:00.002+08:00

Happy Ied! I just got back from long holiday in my hometown.

It started on September 8th. I still went to work on that day since my flight was at 7.10 PM. I had brought all my baggages to the office, I planned to go directly from office to airport by taxi at 5 PM at the latest. Around 4.45 PM, I approached my boss to report my task (and ask permission to go) but suddenly we had a long discussion and I could not dare to stop it (well, he's the boss!). I was so panic "I'm gonna be late!" but fortunately around 5.15 PM, my boss remembered to ask "what time is your flight?" Me: "Errr.. 7.10 PM". Boss: "Huh? Why are you still here, go go!" Phewww.. thanks a lot, Boss! :D

I ordered taxi via phone and waited at the front gate. Still waiting, I called the customer service to ask why my taxi hadn't come yet. She then tried to call the driver with no avail "the line is busy, Ma'am. But the GPS showing he's already around that street". Apparently the driver was trying to call me (to tell me that he had arrived, but at the other gate), but my phone was busy calling customer service who's calling the driver who's calling me....

I arrived in Polonia Airport Medan around 7.30 PM local time. Dad had been waiting for me there. It was so nice of him to pick me up to Medan. My hometown is about 8 hours drive from Medan. So he went to Medan by bus at day for 8 hours, then (together with me) took bus again at night, on the same day, for 6 hours! Thanks and sorry Dad, you must had been very tired.

Trip at night was faster than the day due to less traffic. The bus I took, named Kurnia, was quite nice. For such a long trip, they provide pillow and blanket for each seat. I think that bus was even better than Mekong Express bus I took between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap.

Arrived in Lhokseumawe Aceh around 4.30 AM, the town (or should I say village? :P) was still quiet. We took Becak Motor (motor-tricycle) from bus station to our house. It was so nice to feel the fresh air of early morning on my face!

There, as usual, the agenda was visiting grandma and many families, sleeping a lot, eating everything and playing with siblings. Practically no substantial things to do in that small town. We once went to a secluded river in the middle of nowhere where no signal of mobile phone. We had a picnic there and, of course, jumped into the river happily.

Ten refreshing days have gone by, now it's time to be back to reality.

To The Far Far Away

2010-08-13T06:48:00.004+08:00

Finally I stepped my feet inside Universal Studios Singapore (USS). It was on weekend, so I booked the tickets online since 2 weeks before. Last time I wanted to go there on weekend also, I checked the tickets 10 days before but it was already sold out. After I purchased online, tickets and confirmation was sent to my email, and I just needed to print and bring them along on the day. Presented the printed tickets to the staff in the gate, they scanned the barcode, then voilaa.. I came into another world.

First we went to the Guest Service to redeem our vouchers. Each ticket comes with $5 voucher of Souvenir, and $5 voucher of Food. Our bags were not inspected like when I went to Hong Kong Disneyland. It is okay to bring drinks/bottle from outside. There were many water tap spots around the studio for us get water refilled, that way we would save much money, because it was so damn hot and we would need so much water! Don't forget to bring your sunglasses, umbrella, hats, sunblocks and raincoat.

So I started my journey around 11 AM and finished around 7.45 PM or something. Basically there are 7 main areas: Hollywood, Madagascar, Far Far Away, The Lost World, Ancient Egypt, Sci-Fi City, and New York. It was on Sunday, very hectic, but we managed to try all attractions, from the most scary ride Revenge of the Mummy until the lousiest ones like King Julien's Beach Party-Go-Round (carousel) and Accelerator. But if you really-really do not have so much time, here are few recommended attractions from me:

Shrek 4-D Adventure (Far Far Away)
An amazing adventure of Shrek and Fiona, not really the story, but the 4D experience. My seat was moving when Shrek rides a horse, water spout to my face when they jumped into the water, and sometimes wind blew my face, neck and legs.

WaterWorld (The Lost World)
Witness death-defying stunt, awesome explosions and thrills at this sensational 'live' water show. It was from Water World movie, starring Kevin Costner (I never watched this movie). There were some people fighting, shooting, and throwing bomb. They were not really shooting at each other but it looked real.

Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure (The Lost World)
A thrilling river raft ride through primeval dinosaur habitats. This is the place where your raincoat is needed, you mostly get wet and possibly soaked. Too bad we did not bring any, so we bought it in the souvenir shops ($2 each). I guess this is the most favorite ride among visitors, because the queue was always long (60-90 minutes). We checked it several times, until finally around 6.30 PM the queue was already short enough and we took the ride.

Revenge of the Mummy (Ancient Egypt)
A thrill roller coaster with forwards and backwards movement. I could not bare to open my eyes because it was really dark and sometimes the mummies showed up in a sudden.

Lights, Camera, Action! Hosted by Steven Spielberg (New York City)
Be blown away by the filmmakers incredible special effects as an empty stage becomes the setting for a major hurricane about to hit New York City, right before your very eyes! It was so stunning, looks real. Filmmaking is magic!

Pantages Hollywood Theater (Hollywood)
Come watch the Universal monsters in a rock-n-roll musical show: Dracula, Frankeinstein, The Mummy, The Bride, Were Wolf, and some other things I forgot. They sang popular songs like Nobody But You (Wonder girls), Low (Flo Rida), It's My Life (U2) and many other songs with beautiful dances and fireworks.

There were some small shows in the street in particular times: Madagascar Boogie! (I like to move it move it...), The Rockafellas (street dance!) and Kowabunga Kove (singing and dancing). Also along the way I met some characters: Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Betty Boop, Dr. Frankeinstein (many children were crying when taking photos with him).

Most attractions were closed at 7 PM but merchandise shops and the studio itself were still opened. You better take pictures around studio (when there are not so many people anymore) and shop some merchandises at that time, so you could safe times for the whole day before 7 PM to catch rides and attractions. In that way you will be able to try all the rides. The ticket is not so cheap, so better use it effectively.

That world was very perfect: cute shops, beautiful views, happy people, friendly staffs, stunning shows, amazing costumes... me and my boyfriend were singing, laughing, jumping, being child again, forgetting problems on the real life.. can I live there forever? :P

(*) More photos here

Sudden Tourist

2010-08-12T23:03:00.014+08:00

For past 3 weekends, I was busy-busy bringing some people around this small dot country. Since I lived here, I have been to Sentosa million times, watched Songs of the Sea twice (okay, not much enough like my friend Ronny, 4 times! It's not like the show is THAT good, but we just need to come over to accompany some people watching, by the way it IS a recommended show), been around Marina Bay couple of times, gone to Orchard gazillion times... oh well, this one is indeed my favorite place here, so yeah..

My ex-housemate from Bandung came by. Then my Mom, Sister and Aunt visited me (sudden inspection, whoaa I cleaned my room keener than usual). Then a week after, The Boy came. And there will be a bunch of people are coming tomorrow (hey you, guuuys!). Singapore is really really easy-reachable by many people, even for those who do not have so much budget, because the flight tickets nowadays are very cheeeeeeeap! You even could get free accommodation by joining couchsurfing or something. Isn't that nice, traveling becomes more and more economics.

Okay, back to my guide stories. During my tour (I should open a tour agency), I also had times to visit some places here I never been to, except trying Extreme Log Ride and the new Circle Line MRT. Here they are.

Marina Bay Sands Skypark

This is newly opened (last month I guess), located on the top of the three towers of Marina Bay Sands which shaped like a ship. The cool Nashe has posted how fancy it is, I need to have a look! Up there, we can see the whole city, by paying $20 per person. There is swimming pool with a really nice view, but only for hotel guests. I am so envy!

Along the way to the hotel building, we walked pass the shopping mall and casino. I have written about it few months ago actually. Now, the sampan ride is already opened with a discount price $5 (I don't know until when). Also there is this big round glass with a tiny hole in the middle, people throw coins there and hope they will fall inside the hole. I don't know what's the point, but still I threw some and failed.

Chinese Garden

This park is not located in the city, but really near my house and office, yet I had not been there until last week. There are pagoda, statue of some Chinese heroes (Mulan, Confucius, etc), dragon shaped grass, twin towers, bridges, traditional tea houses, Chinese astrological signs.. very beauty! There is Japanese Garden also just across the bridge, but me and my family were already tired and we went to Chinatown instead, shopping yay! Maybe next time I'll visit the Japanese one.

Memories at Old Ford Factory

Last Monday was Singapore National Day, when usually the entrance fee to national museums are free! So I took that chance to go to some museums I never been. This is one of them, which is located in Bukit Timah. In the old days this building was used for Ford motor factory. During World War II, this spot was marked as the place where the British colony surrendered to Japanese Commander. So now this building is used as museum to memorize the 44 months Singapore (they called it Syonan) under Japanese colony. The most interesting part was the giant Snake & Ladder board game on the yard with 44 squares. We can also play its game online from here.

There is another place, but I will write it in the next post ;)

Ramadhan Mubarak

2010-08-11T21:15:00.011+08:00

This is epic!

Yesterday in Chinese Lunar calendar, the Ghost Month (7th month) was started. They believe during this month, the gates of hell are opened, and evil souls visit the living.
Today in Islamic calendar, the Fasting Month (9th month, or we called it Ramadhan) was started. We believe during this month, the gates of heaven are opened while the gates of hell are closed tightly by Allah, so no evils come out.

During this month, the Chinese offer to the ghost in the form of prayers, food and paper money. They burn fake paper money, paper television, paper car and paper house to give to their dead relatives so they will live comfortably in their world.
During this month, the Moslem do not eat, drink, smoke and do any sexual activities, from dawn to sunset. It's believed to teach us about patience, humility and spirituality.

This month, the Chinese are visited by the hungry ghosts, while the Moslem make themselves hungry.

During this month, the Chinese prefer to not be outside too late at night because the ghosts are wandering in the streets. Sometimes they make stage performance at night to entertain the ghosts.
During this month, the Moslem prefer to not be outside too late at night because they want to have break-fasting with family at home and then continue a special praying, called Tarawih.

All bad things happen to the Chinese in this month, they consider those as Hungry Ghosts' curse. It is a taboo to move house or get married during this period.
All good things happen to the Moslem during this month, they consider those as Ramadhan's power/magic.

This month is a dangerous month for Chinese, but a holy one for Moslem.

Happy Ramadhan, Moslem fellas! This is a time when we slow down from worldly affairs and focus on self-reformation, spiritual cleansing and enlightenment; this is to establish a link between themselves and God through prayer, supplication, charity, good deeds, kindness and helping others (from wiki). I hope I can be a better person, especially in terms of my relationship with Allah. Amen!

You're Going Places, Baby!

2010-08-11T20:18:00.001+08:00

I just remember that I got this award couple weeks ago from the lovely Tiara (thank you, Dear!) but I haven't done it yet. It's called You're Going Places, Baby! The rules are "describe where you think you'll be in 10 years and then pass it along to other bloggers".

Ten years from now I will be in my thirties (and awesome), already back to my country, most likely staying in Jakarta. By that time I would have already visited/lived in the other side of the world before going back to Indonesia. I would have already found what my passion is, what the happiness means, and how to live life to the fullest. My life will be more exciting and meaningful. Like any other girls' dream, by that time I would have started my own family and lived in my own house.

Now it seems more like You're Growing Old, Baby! award.

I would like to pass this award to Elfira, Christin and anyone who just want to write about it in their blog.

Angkor Rocks

2010-08-06T13:42:00.006+08:00

Hula! (New background, btw!)

Still from my previous trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, now I put some pictures of me (and my friend, Helen). (If you notice,) I did not put my pictures in previous posts, so here they are. Angkor Wat and its surrounding temples are heaven for taking narcissism pictures!

I really love that place. We watched sunrise in Angkor Wat, went to Angkor Thom (Bayon etc), Ta Phrom (Lara Croft Tomb Raider's scene), watched sunset in Phnom Bakheng, visited Banteuy Srei, had tracking to Kbal Spean and the 1000 Shiva Lingas, and went to other small temples which are SO MANY! I bet an archaeologist will spend few years to finish exploring all those old stuffs.

Crossing the Borders and Mekong River

2010-07-19T23:37:00.004+08:00

10/07/2010

Nowadays there are many buses, night and day, operated between Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Siem Reap (SR). It took 6 hours to go from HCMC to Pnomh Penh (PP) and plus 6 hours to SR. We decided to take Mekong Express (in the day time) based on people recommendation in internet. It is the first bus company that operates HCMC - SR route, so the buses were considered old but I believe they were more professional and experienced.

Our hotel in HCMC offered this bus ticket for $25 per person, but we could get $20 from other tour agent. We waited in the tour agent office, to be picked up to bus terminal where the bus was waiting. It was just few blocks away from the office (around backpacker area), but we brought along some heavy luggages so the picked-up-guy took taxi for us (he paid for the taxi).

They have one steward/stewardess (with uniform) for each bus who's traveling along. When the bus started moving (around 8 am), she started talking in bilingual, one was English and another one was a foreign language which we noticed were not Vietnamese. It was Cambodian language, or they called it Khmer. Most passengers were Cambodian people going home, not tourists. She then gave snacks box, mineral water and wet tissue for each passenger, Cambodian arrival card for foreigners and then collected our passports. When we reached Vietnam border Moc Bai, we alighted from the bus by bringing along all our luggages. We were waiting in front of immigration counters while our stewardess taking care our passport. Once a passport was stamped by the immigration staff, our stewardess called out a name on that passport, and the owner of it could go passing immigration staff back to the bus, without any further checking on our face/body nor our luggages. This is the first time I experienced this kind of collective passport stamp in immigration border, so careless.

Cambodian border Bavet International Check Point seems better, just like other immigration borders where we need to queue and hold passport by ourselves. Me and my friend who are Indonesian passport holders had already applied for Cambodian e-visa since May 2010. Well I just read news that Indonesian and Cambodian government recently signed agreement on visa exemption for both countries, that is good news! But I still don't know when it starts. Meanwhile, if you need to apply for Cambodian visa, better to apply it online. Be careful, there are many scam websites out there, do not apply from other websites. It costs $25 for tourist visa. Few hours after submitting the detail information plus payment, we will receive our visa by email, so fast and easy. Later just print it out, even in black-white color is OK :D

Just after the border, there are A LOT of casinos! Maybe 30? I didn't know that Cambodian and Vietnamese people like gambling.

After that, the bus stopped in one of restaurants for early lunch. With so many stops like that, the 6 hours journey between HCMC and PP was not so boring. We arrived in PP after crossing Mekong River where the bus (and other vehicles) boarded a ship for only 10 to 15 minutes. In PP, passengers who continued the journey to other areas, such as SR or Sihanoukville, were being transferred to another bus (from the same company, no need to pay more). In this new bus to SR, there were more foreigners than local people. We also got free snacks, mineral water and wet tissue like previous bus (this time there was a steward). Along the journey, the view was rice field, trees, poor people's houses with lack of electricity like villages in Indonesia. We only stopped in one place for 15 minutes. There I saw fried cockroaches as a food. Cambodian people seem like eating anything: cockroach, snake, crocodile, etc.

Finally around 7.30 pm we arrived in the bus terminal of SR, which didn't look like a terminal but someone's house, very small and dark. Tuk-tuk from our hotel was already arrived there to pick us up. The driver was really nice and speaking English very well. Later on the next 3 days we would be accompanied by him going around Angkor.

Horrible Tour

2010-07-14T08:12:00.010+08:00

09/07/2010

Today we woke up early because we took a full day tour to Cu Chi Tunnel and Cao Dai Temple start on 8 am. Mrs Vu (the hotel owner) booked the tour for us which costs $8. FYI, do not book any tour via online, usually it's much expensive than the usual price, better approaching travel agents directly once you arrive in HCMC. Cu Chi tour half day should be around $5, Mekong Delta 1 day tour is around $7 and City tour is around $10.

After breakfast, Mrs Vu gave me the receipt, and I spotted that she'd booked us for half day tour to Cu Chi Tunnel (without Cao Dai Temple). Tried not to panic, I reminded her that we wanted full day tour, hope we could get it. For few minutes she tried to contact several tour agents until finally she got spots for us. We were picked up by a guy and sent us to this minibus. The tour guide was too much speaking, in a bad way, I didn't like it! First we went to Handicapped Handicrafts, a workshop for handicapped people, victims of toxic chemicals from US war or they called it Agent Orange. Two hours later we arrived in Cao Dai temple, where 3 religions mixed: Buddhism, Taoism, Kong Hu Chu. We saw they were praying.

After that, we stopped by in small restaurant for lunch, the foods were not that good. Two f*cking hours later finally we arrived in Cu Chi. It was so depressing to see former war prints, imagined how many people died there. The most exciting part is when we went inside one of the small tunnels. We had to bend over to walk inside, it was so dark and hot, really not suitable for people who have claustrophobia. Around 4.30 pm we went back to Ho Chi Minh City. It was just 1.5 hour. Apparently Cu Chi Tunnel is closer than Cao Dai Temple, and more interesting. We should just booked half day tour without visiting the temple, because for me it's too far and not worth it.

On the way back, we were all sweaty and tired. And there's one guy who spread 'Agent Orange' inside the minibus. Do you know people from one particular race who are always smelly? Ya, that one. Sorry for being racist, but seriously those people should have their own tour.

Arrived back in Hotel, we met again with our local friend, Vinh and her niece. We told her that we wanted to eat Banh Xeo, Vietnamese pancake. The most famous one is Banh Xeo 64 in Dinh Cong Trang. She ordered for us which ones the best. There were spring rolls of noodle and shrimp and raw vegetables, being eaten with a sweet sauce. I personally would prefer the fried spring rolls, but those Vietnamese seem really like this raw food. The main course is Banh Xeo, which is pancake contains of tauge (bean sprouts) and shrimp. The way to eat it is very unique. Cut the pancake, put it on top of one leaf of (again) vegetable, roll the leaf, dip it in sour and spicy sauce, then eat it. Vietnamese eat so many vegetables.

We went back home by taxi. We just realized our VND only left 50.000. I asked the driver if he received USD money, but he didn't understand. So we planned to alight the taxi when the metres had reached almost 50.000. Hopefully it's already close enough by our hotel.

That was our last night in Vietnam.

Sent via BlackBerry from SingTel!

Going Around Ho Chi Minh City

2010-07-12T21:39:00.004+08:00

08/07/2010

Today I woke up late almost 9.30 am due to world cup and holiday mode on. Hurry up going downstairs to catch the breakfast that lasted til 10 am. Our day plan was easy and relax, walking around the city to visit landmark buildings of Ho Chi Minh City. We didn't take any tour (which usually costs around $10), we went around by ourselves: War Remnant Museum, Reunification Palace, Notredame Church, Post Office building, Opera House, People Committee Hall, and Revolutionary Museum. That way we could go anywhere we wanted, and total costs we spent not even $5. One funny thing when we went to War Remnant Museum by cab, the driver who could not speak English ask us: "voom voom voom?" like a gun/bomb shooting sound, to make sure our destination. This museum really made us depression with all the bloody pictures during Vietnam war with US troops.

We had lunch in a famous Vietnamese foods restaurant named Nha Hang Ngon or Quan An Ngon. From internet we noted the address was in 138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghai but it was moved to another street nearby, Pasteur 160. We love the seafood with sweet and sour soup! I think I like Vietnam soup more than Thailand tom yam. We also ordered Bánh chuối (Vietnamese Banana Cake), it was good if we're just not too full.

In the afternoon we went back to hotel to take shower (it was raining season there but the day was freaking hot!!!) and got some rest while waiting for my local friend's coming. She then took us for dinner in a small restaurant that is famous among local people for its yellow rice (we'd already had enough Pho (noodle soup), so now we tried rice foods). After that, she took us to a local coffee shop: Trung Nguyen (she said there's one in Orchard Singapore, I didn't know!). Their coffee maker is really unique, small and made of aluminium. There we chatted many things especially about Vietnam (for example on how their government banned accessing Facebook :P). Not just enjoyed the trip, I also learned a lot.

Greetings from Saigon

2010-07-08T19:01:00.005+08:00

Yesterday morning I was still in Singapore. I called and got taxi to office around 9.30 am when taxi fare was not in Peak-hour anymore, which was less expensive. I put my luggage in the receptionist, then went upstairs to my workstation for working half day. I didn't expect much works to do, I'd already sniffed the smell of holiday. But the universe stated otherwise. Don't you feel that every time you're going on leave, suddenly there are many things to be done?

From office, the hectic madness moved to Changi Airport. Ok, this is not something you should try. Me and my friend had Tiger Airways tickets without check-in baggage and was sure we would not bring more than 7kg, but on the day it turned out each of us carried luggage around 8kg. In check-in counter, they didn't check about it and I thought we were already safe. But after passing the gate towards immigration counters, there was additional checking session for the cabin baggage. Crap! I am sure this is new and was not there in the beginning of the year. So yeah we both were caught up and each of us had to pay $18 for 1 kg exceed baggage. This is so expensive compare to $12.5/15kg if we just bought it online. Then we excused to go back outside the gate to throw some things, but all we did was transfering some things from the luggage to our handbag. They did not weigh handbag, only the luggage, so yay we did not have to pay anything! :P

The flight from Singapore to Ho Chi Minh City takes 1 hour and 40 minutes. Tan Son Nhat International Airport is decent and nice. We went towards taxi stand and was offered a cab to city for $10, by the taxi stand keeper guy. Before, the hotel staff had already informed me via email that taxi fare to hotel is $10, so we took it. But when we were already inside, the cab was moving, we showed our hotel's address, the driver who did not speak English suddenly said something about $20. Shoot, the guy in the airport said $10 but the driver asked us for $20 because of far distance, traffic jam and airport parking ticket, WTF! Of course we said no. Along the way he still tried to say $20, and then down to $17 then to $15. But we insisted to pay $10, and additional 50,000 VND ($2.5) for the airport parking ticket. He seemed so unhappy, whatever! Deal is deal. Next time please get Mai Linh or Vinasun taxi with metres!

Arrived in Luan Vu Hotel, located in backpacker area Bui Vien St, Pham Ngu Lao Ward, District 1. I have booked via email the cheapest double room they have, it's $18/night for 2 people. The room is good filled by aircon, fan, fridge, tv and bathroom with hot water. Also free breakfast and free internet are provided. What I dislike are the room's location which is on the 4th floor without lift. There is free wifi, too bad it was not reliable, but it's no big deal lah!

After putting all belongings, we walked to Ben Tanh Market. It's already closed but there is night market around the place, selling all unique things from Vietnam. Along the way, we crossed many streets full of motorbikes, crazy hell! Also electric cables there are chaotic, just like in Phuket.

We had dinner in Pho 2000, to try the best Vietnamese noodle soup in Ho Chi Minh City. One funny moment, when we tried to order Shrimp Spring Roll, the waitress said to me: "you pork?" Huh, she called me pig?! Apparently she wanted to say that the spring roll contains of pork, and (surprisingly) she guessed correctly that I don't eat pork (maybe from my appearance like a moslem Malay). While my friend is a Chinese who really looks like a Vietnamese.

Back to hotel. Another good thing in this guesthouse is many TV channels. Trinity was right, movies are dubbed into Vietnamese language by only 1 person! A man, girl, child... all have the same voice. I slept and woke up at 1.30 AM to watch the hot match Germany vs Spain on local TV channel, with Vietnamese commentator.

Ok that's it for the first day, see you on the next story!

Sent via BlackBerry from SingTel!

Days Lately

2010-06-27T20:53:00.002+08:00

Finally not about World Cup, eh! These what I've been up to lately (except World Cup, d'oh!).

Mika concert and River Festival (click the picture to read more)

Another thing is Just Dance! So in the company, we have Recreational Club who organizes fun activities for employees. This month we held a dancing workshop called Just Dance, one free session each for Hip Hop, Club Groove, Salsa and Belly Dance in Dance On Us. Hip Hop, as I expected, was fun! The instructor taught us few movements for one particular song (an MJ song, to commemorate 1 year of his death). It was practically the same like Hip Hop class in Fitness First Pacific Place I usually took every week when I was still in Jakarta. That was my favorite class among others FF classes like Yoga, Body Balance and Body Combat. My favorite instructor was Bayu, I don't know he's still working there or not.

Anyway, this one, as I not expected, was more tiring than in the last times. Besides the fact that I had not practiced for long time, it might be because we tried to finalize one full dance in 2 hours straight. So not only tired physically but also overloaded in brain, too much information. Usually the regular class only lasts for 1 hour. And now my feet are shaking and so painful!

The second class I took was Club Groove.

Club Groove is a dance class that teaches your body a new language that makes you feel instantly cool and confident in any occasion you choose to strut your stuff. The class prepares your body to be at ease with various types of music. Recommended for beginners who wish to pick up some cool moves for clubs and social events.

This class was more relax than Hip Hop, not too challenging, but really helps to be confident in moving in social life. Hip Hop is like what I want, Club Groove is like what I need. Humm, I am thinking to join the regular class.

Still about World Cup (from the amateur)

2010-06-24T03:32:00.004+08:00

First of all, yay for ENGLAND to be in the Round of 16! I was watching the match with some friends, and one of them hates England. During the match I really wanted to choke him, haha sorry mate :P Then I told The Boy about him, he said "he must be Italian supporters?" Ha, how did he know?!

Apparently there are these interesting facts about football world championship The Boy told me:

"Italian supporters always hate England team, vice versa England fans do not like Italy team. England supporters usually also like Argentina team."

Hm interesting, somehow it's proven, on me.

By the way, the picture above was taken when I watched World Cup in Resort World Sentosa: free screening everywhere, big screen, good seats, doorprize(, pole-dancing)!

Sent via BlackBerry from SingTel!

Some People are Just Egoist

2010-06-18T00:29:00.012+08:00

I started reading and loving Harry Potter since the first printing of its first book from Gramedia (its publisher in Indonesia). Should I be offended by the newbie Harry Potter freaks out there who just started creating a fan group? No!

I started reading and loving Raditya Dika books since the first printing of his first from-blog-to-book that was ON SALE in every bookshop because it didn't sell well in the first year. Should I be offended by his sudden thousands newbie alay fans? No!

I started reading and loving Naked Traveler books since the first printing of her first book, I came to her talkshow that was attended by only few people. Should I be offended by the newbie travelers who just read her book and said "hey, this is a must-read book for travelers, you should have it"? No!

I started using twitter more than two years ago when twitter was still private and peaceful. Should I be offended by the newbie tweeters who claim themselves as Social Media Junkie/Expert or whatsoever with so many followers even though their tweets are nonsense? No!

Why people are so protective to what they even do not own? Everyone can like Harry Potter even if he/she knows it recently. Everyone can like Raditya Dika books even if he/she's alay. Everyone can like Naked Traveler books even if he/she's traveling only for shopping and not so adventurous like Trinity (the author). Everyone can use Twitter even if he/she's selling something. Everyone can be a fan of GONZALO HIGUAIN even if she (this one might be specific for girls :P) just realized there's this upcoming handsome football star in the earth. What is your problem sih, I know you have been a fan of him since... I don't know, since he was born maybe, but you don't have any rights to insult people who just join your interests.

By the way, he IS REALLY hot, isn't he?

Also, I heard skeptical words about people who don't like football but suddenly being noisy for this World Cup event. That is egoist! World Cup is not yours only, or football freaks' only. Who knows, because of World Cup they're going to love football afterwards. Now I AM OFFENDED by these kind of snob people.

What Up!

2010-06-12T17:36:00.004+08:00

More World Cup wallpapers here

The World Cup fever is back! I don't like football but I love Euro Cup and World Cup, who doesn't? I always support for England. I started watching these since World Cup 2002, when I was living in Jakarta, influenced by my Dad. He brought home a nice printed schedule from his office. Then me and my little brother became so excited even more than Dad himself. I bought the cassette tape of WC2002 songs (you know, cassette was still popular at that time :P). When England lose, I went to school wearing a black cardigan. Then teacher asked me to put off that jacket during exam time. I still don't see the correlation of exam and jacket.

Two years later, there came Euro Cup 2004. I was living alone in Bandung at that time studying in college. It was already school holiday, so I was free to watch any midnight matches without parents bugging me around to turn off TV and go to sleep. I didn't have a nice printed schedule like in WC2002, then I drew my own schedule with the flags and everything. Although I'm not so good at art, I was quite creative back then :P. The official song of it was Força by Nelly Furtado, and it's still my most favorite football championship song ever!

Then, World Cup 2006... no memorable things, except the silly web game to get the highest score of Zidane headbutting Materazzi. When Euro Cup 2008 held, I was already working in Jakarta, so not much to see cause I need to wake up early. Oh how I miss school life! And now, I am in Singapore, in this materialized country World Cup is not being aired freely, fuck up!!! We need to subscribe to tv cable channel by Singtel or Starhub for $70.62 until $94.16 (plus $53.40 if you're a new signed-up costumer). Local TV Channel 5 only aired the opening match, semi-final and final match. They even didn't air the opening ceremony last night (but I saw in the newspaper, they will air its encore tonight). So sad. I live with only one house-mate now and she seems not so interested in World Cup. Then I found some friends who want to split the price, subscribe it in one friends' house, then we'll watch it together there. Yes it will be more fun to watch football together with many people, but it's not so enjoyable to watch in other people's house at midnight. Also, like now, all friends in that house are not at home, they're all going oversea. So, I could not watch any matches in this weekend at that house. I tried to do web streaming last night, but it's not so smooth. So sad. I think I'm gonna go to one of these places with friends to watch ENG vs USA tonight 2.30 AM (or should I say tomorrow morning?).

I love how Shakira shakes her body :D

Happy World Cup, everyone!

Internet and Mental Health

2010-05-23T12:04:00.006+08:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

I have noted in Singapore that there is a tendency to shy away from direct engagement with strangers and to retreat behind a mobile screen and a set of headphones.The Digital Consultant, May 2010

Picture's taken from here.

I feel this, and somehow started to follow the stream, became introvert and solitary. Help?

Dalle!

2010-05-21T14:21:00.034+08:00

PITBULL
Originally uploaded by lamcproductions

I've been listening to Pitbull since I watched Fast and Furious 4 movie last year. The soundtracks are full of his songs: Blanco, Krazy, etc. Few months later he released his new album, it's also enjoyable! How can we not dance when hearing I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) and Room Service?! No wonder when I heard he's coming to Jakarta this May, I was excited and disappointed at the same time. The concert was held in the middle of the week, I could not take day off to fly to Jakarta from Singapore only to watch Pitbull. Why wasn't he coming to Singapore?! That's when I realized, maybe he IS planning to stop by Singapore as well.

I googled and found an unfamous site stated Pitbull is coming to Jakarta and (yay!) Singapore this May, but no other details about the Singapore one. I guess people in Singapore are less maniac about this Doggy than Jakarta people. Tickets were already sold out in Jakarta, while here's no any news how to buy the tickets yet. The publication was not so big here.

Well anyway, I watched it last Tuesday! It was 1 week after the concert in Jakarta (you could see the review in Andhari's blog, haha IN YOUR FACE! You know what, I also read so many bad words about Pitbull on my Twitter timeline. For those who don't know about Pitbull, you're really not happening, guys!). Opening act was by DJ Inquisitive, the one who also performed on Lady Gaga's concert and City Alive! There must be only few DJs in Singapore.

The show started at 8 PM, but Pitbull finally came out around 9.30 PM (I heard a lot of voice "come on, I have to work tomorrow!"). It was so fun, even though I could not sing along the songs which mostly in Spanish. There's one song I never heard before, Pitbull asked us to say it out loud: Watagatapitusberry (I didn't know how to pronounce it at that time). There was a latino couple behind me laughing and screaming it out loud, like they really understood what it means. Don't google the meaning, okay!

Although the lyrics are absurd, Pitbull's songs are always fun to dance! One of my favorites was Shut It Down where Pitbull sang: "oooh can't nothing hold me down, I'm gonna touch the sky" and asked us to look at the sky and try to touch it (oh the concert was in Fort Canning park, an outdoor venue. I was quite worried, because 2 hours before the show it was still raining). The sky was beautiful, I barely notice it in my daily life. The last song he performed: "now jump up let's get Krazy!" I literally jumped up. It was great! I came home with no voice, shaking legs and tired all over body. Dalleeee!

My Workstation

2010-05-20T14:05:00.015+08:00

Hula,

This is a view of my workstation in office. The cubicle wall is quite high I can't just stick out my head to talk to other fellas on the next cubicle. One cubicle consists of up to 4 stations, mine now is occupied by 3 people. Some cubes have a round table in the middle, for small meeting or lunch. It was usually full of foods or snacks after holiday seasons, when everybody's just back from their hometown or oversea trip and bringing foods to share. But now it is empty. The environment is so quiet, no one shouts or talks loudly from one cubicle to another.

On my desk, there are many cables for a Switcher. It links my monitor, mouse and keyboard with 2 PCs located below my desk, near my feet, so I could easily kick them if they're acting bad. On the back, people come and go behind me, sometimes approach me and see what I am working on without I notice it. It sucks, it's like someone comes in to your room without knocking the door. On the left side I hanged some inspirational writings decorated with traveling souvenirs I got from friends and myself.

This is not my dream workstation. It's too neat haha! When I was studying in high school and college, I always intentionally made my desk messy. Even though I didn't really study, I just like the idea of working busy. I want: stack of books and paper all over the desk, colleagues come and pass by to discuss important work stuffs (not just for gossiping), phone rings all the time (about work, not wrong number call), there's no wall in front of me, a wall should be behind me.

Well, lunch time is over. Have a good work, everybody!

Take a Peek on Marina Bay Sands

2010-05-06T00:11:00.005+08:00

Last Sunday I went to the newly built Marina Bay Sands (MBS) integrated resort, which they call it as Asia's most spectacular entertainment destination.

It was just opened for public last week, even though some parts haven't finished yet. The name said it all, it is located in Marina Bay and built by the well-known casino company, Las Vegas Sands. I've been to Venetian Macao before (one of Sands resorts), and it was spectacular! I still couldn't see yet this MBS can be more spectacular than that, but we'll see later after all construction and development done.

So far they've already had 3 towers hotel, some shops, restaurants and 2-Storey casino. Not like in Macao, here they will check our ID first before coming inside the casino. If you are Singaporean or Permanent Resident, you have to pay S$100 for 24 hours, while foreigners are free. This rule is also applied in casino of Resort World Sentosa (I haven't had chance to go there yet) which is developed by the same developer who built Genting Highland in Malaysia. Like in Venetian Macao, there will be fake canal with Gondola in MBS, but they call it Sampan ('Sampan' in Malay means small boat).

To go to this resort, I walked from Esplanade and then walked through the newly opened Helix bridge.

Too bad I went there in the afternoon, I bet it looks more stunning at night, just like the picture below from wiki.

Are You Traveling For Souvenirs?

2010-05-01T18:33:00.003+08:00

Is there any country you visit without buying its local souvenirs back to home? I know it would be very nice of you to bring back gifts from your trip to friends and families, but that doesn't mean gift is necessary when you have to sacrifice your own traveling schedule. You're busy looking for souvenirs and not enjoying the travel itself.

A: We're going to this place tonight
B: Argh! Me want to join, but I need to buy souvenirs for my colleagues, take the pictures for me 'kay?
.......

That's just stupid. Or maybe it is just me who doesn't get it why people want to skip visiting a place they want to see for buying key chains or shirts for somebody else. I mean, you don't often come to that place (maybe you wouldn't come back again for the rest of your life), yet you let it go.

There is an advertisement of Washington State in one of Natural Geographic Traveler magazines: Come back with stories. Not refrigerator magnets. I think that's a traveler should do.

Apprehensive April

2010-04-20T16:40:00.016+08:00

This month....

I like: How I Met Your Mother TV series. I've heard about this very long time, and I've already got some latest copies since few months ago, but I just had time to watch them last week. And I could not stop watching it since then. Yeah I know it's late, but who cares. I like Barney, the suit guy.

I want you to know: that lately I've become apprehensive about my future. Have you been in this situation: you're taking holiday, forget about the real world, you're having fun, then you're back and find your surroundings suddenly are moving on, this friend is getting married, that friend is taking higher school, another friend resigned and got a better job? What?! Whoaa.. seems like you're left behind. Everybody is chasing their dreams while you're traveling too much. That's what I felt last month after going back from Kuala Lumpur holiday. I wanted to sit down and take a moment to think what I am going to do with my life, but I'd already had another holiday plan on the next weekend (to Phuket). And also the next weekend (to Jakarta). Yeah I still don't know how I planned my holidays, last month I went oversea to neighborhood countries on 3 weekends in a row. When I departed to Phuket I prayed, "God I hope there won't be any news again about my friends, that make me jealous, after I come back from this holiday later. Amen!"

I don't like: Batam Center. To complete the 3-weekends-in-a-row-traveling, on the next weekend I went to Batam (so it becomes 4 weekends in a row going oversea). It is one of small islands in Indonesia but very closed to Singapore, only 1 hour by boat. So, I went there in the morning and came back in the afternoon. Yeah the people are friendly, in fact they're too friendly asking too many private questions and I freaked out. So if you go there (especially for solo woman), my suggestion is do not talk to anybody, even the security guys are creepy. Anyway, things there are cheaper than Singapore. Except shopping, I planned to have hair spa, manicure and pedicure, but the salon in the mal connected to harbor terminal was full. The town is so boring, I will never go back there again.

I've planned: to wear suit or dress or any formal clothes for one whole week. Let's call it the perfect week: seven days, seven suits. Not only it's inspired by Barney, but this is also because I am tired with my office environment where everybody is wearing jeans and t-shirt. Once I wore a nice suit to office, a colleague asked "are you going for interview in other company?" *sigh*. I know some people may prefer casual clothes for work, but I just don't like it. I'd love to wear the blazers, pant and skirt suits.. you know, all those stuffs. So, let's do this challenge!

I want to say to: myself (oh God I'm so self-centered), to become more sociable.

30 Year Old Guy in a 12 Year Old Body

2010-04-17T23:57:00.007+08:00

Can you like an artist without loving his music?

I never understand Jazz music, even the commercial and pop version of it, like Michael Buble's and Jamie Cullum's songs. I found it boooooring, just not my favorite kind of music. Honestly, I bought Jamie Cullum concert ticket in the first place just because a ~~jazz fanatic~~ friend said that Jamie always performs very well and amazing on the stage, for example by standing on the piano. And he is famous. So I bought it. I didn't realize he is THAT famous, because the tickets sold very quickly. On the third day it was released in SISTIC, we only could get seats back on the forth floor (considering the price tho)!

Last Tuesday Jamie performed in the fantastic Esplanade Concert Hall. That was my first time coming into that beautiful hall (even Jamie himself admired the hall). Not like other concerts I have watched, this show was very on time, and no admission after the show started (made us running along the way there). He turned up in shirt, coat, tie and jeans (very cute!) with 3 other supporting musician guys who played drums, violin, bass, guitar, piano, percussion and trumpet.

I didn't care about his music but I really love his performance! He was funny and interactive with audience. For example after about 2 or 3 songs, he glanced at few audiences in the front seats who just came in (I don't get it why they could come in, I thought the door had been closed) and joked to them "don't worry, you don't miss anything." And yes, he did standing on the piano and jumped off from it. He was very energetic and lively, I wonder if he drank any dopes (in a good way).

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Park Hopping

2010-03-20T18:20:00.017+08:00

I don't like animals, perhaps because of I wasn't being introduced closely to any animals since kid, so I don't get used to them. I don't like cats, I hate dogs, and once a monkey jumped into my lap. I rarely get in touch with any animals (except mosquitoes?). Maybe that's why I rarely visit zoo anywhere (only once visited Taman Safari Bogor), never visited Ragunan when I lived in Jakarta, neither Kebun Binatang Bandung even though my campus was located right next to it. And finally in Singapore I have visited its 3 animal parks: Singapore Zoo - Night Safari - Jurong Bird Park, after living here for almost one and a half year. There is discount if we bought 3 tickets all-together, which we could use in 30 days. Since Singapore Zoo and Night Safari are just few meters away, I went there for one day, and Jurong Bird Park on the other day.

Once I Had A Robot

2010-03-11T03:33:00.011+08:00

To celebrate 2nd anniversary of my bachelor graduation day on March 8th (yeah it is so important for me, I still remember the struggle to finish it, lol), I want to share a little bit about my Final Project, or Thesis, or whatever its name. I just checked my blog postings on two years ago, there isn't any writings about it, so here it is.

At that time, even searching for the inspirations was so hard, it took few months for me to realize what topic I wanted to work on, after I set my mind as simple as: what do I need? I was laying down on my bed, and asking that question to myself, while looking around my messy room: I NEED to clean up my room. If only I have a remote control for each thing inside my room so I could move it from this point to another without moving my ass (yea I am that lazy). If only I have a personal assistant who cleans my room according to my commands without any hurt feelings. So from that, a robot to clean a room!
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Disclosed Kampong Glam

2010-03-09T00:16:00.003+08:00

Kampong in Malay means village, and Glam is not from GLAMour as I guessed before but it is referring to trees that grew a lot in this area. It is located near Bugis MRT. I like walking along the peaceful Bussorah street there, a pedestrian mall with old building shops selling souvenirs, halal foods and Arabian things. The great Sultan Mosque stands as the background, quite attract few tourists to visit it because we can hardly find a mosque with dome in Singapore, and this mosque is one of the historical buildings.

Not too far from the mosque, there is Malay Heritage Center which was once being Sultan's palace in the old days. Before British came to Singapore, this country was in authority of Sultan of Johor, but then he made a treaty with British. In exchange, British gave this area for Sultan's residency.

From the outside it looks kinda boring, so I did not go into the museum. In the yard we can find replica of Rumah Gadang (which is traditional house from West Sumatra, Indonesia) and Pinisiq boat (from Bugis, Indonesia). Nothing original, because actually Kampong Glam was the place of Malay and Muslim immigrants.

Marvelous March

2010-03-04T22:49:00.010+08:00

This month....

I like: that The Boy is coming here next week, for 6 days! Oh my God I even never went home to Jakarta for such that long time, I like to save my leave days for traveling to other places :P Anyway, The Boy said he doesn't care wherever we go as long as to see me here (maybe he's just bluffing), but I have already made plan to visit some tourist places here in Lion City I have never been before, and also planning to go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with him. I am such an organizer traveler (because I got easily lost), while he is an easy going type. This is gonna be so much lovely... if I could handle what I'm gonna tell you in the next paragraph.

I don't like: that I have a never ending bunch of works to do, with all code bugs and database error logs. Work life is getting harder.

I want you to know: that I love my new perfume so much! Actually I walked around Orchard to look for a particular perfume that my friend in Bali asked for, but I ended up buying thing for myself *giggles*. So there is this small perfume stall in Lucky Plaza where I like to shop (because there is one friendly clerk from Indonesia). I asked him for a women EDP with fruity scent, and I've fallen in love directly with his first choice.

I've planned: to go to Phuket, Thailand, in the end of this month with my friend, and friends of friend. Beaches, here I come! Last time I visited a proper beach was in November.

I want to say to: my little sister who's currently doing thesis in university, Never Give Up! I know this time is hard, but trust me you would miss it when you've been graduated and come to the work life, so enjoy every moment of your last times in college. And don't sleep too much.

Oh My God They're Back Again

2010-03-02T22:55:00.016+08:00

Music I listen to is so random, one day trance music, the next day is.. pop boyband *SCREAM*! I think most people who grew up in 90s, cannot forget the boybands euphoria back then, or more appropriate to say 'Male Vocal Group': they only sing and dance without playing musical instruments. My favorite is Backstreet Boys (BSB), but I admit I know complete lyric of some songs from Boyzone, N'Sync and Westlife. Don't you?! *giggles*

As I wrote here, BSB was coming to Singapore and I was going to see them! The concert was started quite late, about 30 minutes from schedule (but trust me, that is considering 'on time' compare to previous gigs I saw). They opened the show with... ~~Everybody~~ Backstreet's back alright! Accompanying by one DJ, they performed old phenomenon songs like Quit Playin' Games, As Long As You Love Me, I'll Never Break Your Heart, All I Have To Give, The One, Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely, Shape of My Heart, The Call, Larger Than Life, Incomplete, and the ultimate I Want It That Way. They said it was the last song they would perform that night. Then they were gone, but light was still off. Few people started to go out (poor them!), but the rest were still screaming "we want more!"..... and they're back! Only for singing one more song, then the show was completely over. There were also some new songs, we would have noticed which ones new and which ones are old songs by the voices from audience. I hadn't listened to any of their new songs, but they are quite catchy.

Deserted

2010-02-25T23:29:00.007+08:00

Pic From Balinese Hideaways

When you're going for holiday, would you be off, like really really off, from internet?

I am thinking about this after my boss, who just came back to office from his hometown, told me that he intentionally didn't 'touch' internet for 10 days. I was like.. woaahhh, I never stand living without internet for umm... one day! One of the first things I always asked to lodge's staff, before asking about recommendation places, is the password of their wifi. Even when I was on holiday to my hometown, where I do not really need any guidance to going around, I still need to use internet at least for spending time because I got easily bored at home. Sometimes I even signed up for weekly internet service for my blackberry, from one of the providers in my hometown, to still get in touch with all emails and social networking buzzes, without any roaming overseas.

I don't know is it good thing or not, being so deserted from internet in holidays. Some says being offline means you have a life. I think it's worth it to try on my short holiday next month. Guess where I am going! *clue: beaches ;)

Street Dance Alive

2010-02-21T23:37:00.019+08:00

Last night with some friends I went to City Alive, what they called as Singapore's Biggest Street Dance Party, placed in Tracks at Pit Building. I've visited Pit Building before, not for watching F1 of course not my favorite, but for Club 21 big sale *doh*. But this is my first time coming into the Tracks. The floor dance was on that road.

One of the Highlights said in its website is: Big Surprise! City Alive! 2010 will have a big surprise to kick start the party, be on time when the party starts to catch it! When I came in (too on time, cause they're getting late for 30 minutes), there were many people in front of a main bus which is wrapped into DJ station. This crowd looks like ordinary audience....

Suddenly they're dancing in the same move.
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Tributë to Tiësto

2010-02-18T14:29:00.022+08:00

I've been listening to Tiësto since 2006, when I was still young, *ahem* in university. He was coming to Jakarta and Bali at that time, and I watched his performance...... ads in local television. The ads was about date and venue of his tour in Indonesia and where to get the tickets, but it's not important because I didn't go to the show. What really important is I just fell in love directly with backsound of the ads. It's supposed to be one of Tiësto tracks, but I didn't know the title. There is no vocal in that song (it's a trance music, what do you expect?!), so I couldn't google the lyric to find its title. I never listened to Tiësto playlists before, that was the first time I heard about his name anyway. So everytime the ads showing in TV, I paid full attention. I love the beat!

I started to listen to his latest album, Just Be, and find which track was the one in the ads. It's called Traffic! Tiësto introduced me to Trance and Disco music, since then I like this kind of music. It feels dark but wrapped in joyfulness. At that time I was in miserable phase of my life where I didn't like anybody and everything in me, it was complicated... I can't describe it well. I know the problem is not going away if I listen to this kind of music, but it just makes me feel that I am not alone, and I could be happy for a while. I used to listen to it when I was sad, makes me high. Weird, isn't it?

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Flowery February

2010-02-06T21:54:00.004+08:00

This month....

I like: that I am going home to Jakarta for few days using Chinese New Year holiday. As you may know, Singapore in CNY is a death city: quiet with shopping places are mostly closed. So I am going out this city, plus because I haven't been home for 3 months. It is so blessed that this holiday falls on valentine day, I can be with BF in valentine day, yay! Not that I care with valentine thingy, at least I don't have to spend the day by feeling envy and giving resentful looks to all couples I see on the street.

I don't like: people too skeptical with Microsoft. [Added:] And Apple fanboys *sigh*

I want you to know: that sometimes I mention words wrongly. I said X but what I meant is Y. For example I said River Valley for River Island, and John Mraz for Jason Mraz. Of course I know it is River Island and Jason Mraz, but my tongue just slipped. Oops.

I've planned: to see Calvin Harris at Zouk Singapore, Tiesto next week at Ancol Jakarta, and Backstreet Boys at the end of this month in Suntec City Singapore. More gigs!

I want to say to: all people out there who haven't been in holiday (going back to your hometown is excluded) for few years, pack and go!!

Cache with the Cat

2010-02-02T00:04:00.005+08:00

Heya, I'm still alive!

View Larger Map

Last week I went to the cat city for 3 days. I had booked a cheap hostel before I arrived there. However, in Kuching immigration queuing, I saw an ads about Tunes Hotel. I really had no idea there's Tunes Hotel in Kuching, no traveling sites mention about that hotel, I guess it's kinda new. I never stayed in Tunes though, but I heard the beds and showers are good and we don't have to pay for things we don't need and use, it is a 3 stars hotel with hostel price. I know there's in Bali and Kuala Lumpur, but not in this small city (and apparently there's one in Kota Kinabalu and Penang as well). I tried to call the hotline with no avail and surely charged my roaming phone badly. So, back to the previous plan then, stay in a hostel I booked via telephone few days before (without fee).

When the taxi dropped me and I saw the place from outside: tiny and hidden, even many good reviews about this place in traveling websites but still I decided to walk away and find another place. That was quite terrifying for me since I never find hotel on the spot in my solo traveling before.. I'm in a strange place alone, how if I cannot find a place to stay?! From the map I knew many hotels around there because it's near waterfront of Sarawak River. So yeah, not too faraway from that, I spotted Singgahsana Lodge. I truly recommend this place, it's cozy, clean, having female dorm, nice staffs, and a bar on the rooftop facing the waterfront from apart. Later I realized in-flight magazine of Tiger Airways (flight I took from Singapore to Kuching) also recommends this place. Singgahsana also offers tour packages and transportation to some tourist places out of town.

There is one saying goes: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." Since I went alone, surely I couldn't go too far to Sarawak forests, rivers, caves and other wild natural things. But I didn't plan to go around fast either. In fact, I didn't have any plan haha. I just asked the lodge staff where to go in Kuching. To make a long story short, I walked along waterfront and trying local foods in hawker there, took Sarawak River Cruise while watching sunrise and traditional dances, went to Sunday Market where they sell anything. Also as a beach bum I'd like to try all beaches in places I go, so I went to Damai beach and quite disappointing to find the plain beach. Conclusion: special things in Borneo island are the forest, natural park and river, not the beach.

Well it was a nice trip to getaway from hectic Singapore for a while.

Here They Were

2010-01-17T18:05:00.006+08:00

It is kinda related to the previous post, now I am talking about some tourist spots in Singapore I went when my family (finally) visited me on last end-year holiday.

1st Day
We're walking around Sentosa and Vivo City. Vivo City is a mall near harbor where the terminal going to Batam and train station to Sentosa. Other public transportation to go there are by bus (whose terminal is not too far away from Vivo City) and Cable Car which is closed right now since months ago until I don't know when. Taking Sentosa Express train cost S$3, you can purchase the ticket there in machines in front of the gate, or use your EZ Link card. There are another ticket counters near the gate, for purchasing any PACKAGE TICKET (they have some choices of attractions package) or SONGS OF THE SEA TICKET. We made a mistake at that time, by queuing that long line while actually we didn't want to buy package tickets. We only wanted to buy tickets of 2 attractions. So when we've finally reached in front of the cashier, they said we could not buy there and should go on the spot instead. What the eff!

2nd Day
We're going around Orchard (my favorite place in Singapore, don't ask), then headed to Mustafa for a while because Mom and Dad wanted to buy some perfumes. It is a 24 hours shopping center in Little India that sells everything and (people said) cheaper. In the evening we took river cruise to sail us along Singapore River from Clarke Quay to Marina Bay.

3rd Day

I was working, yes sadly. So on my lunch break time, I picked them up to go to Singapore Botanical Garden. They're walking inside there (one of the the places where your eyes can be free from seeing high buildings in this city) while I was back to work, and after I finished working we're going to Suntec City to see Fountain of Wealth.

4th Day
We went to Bugis Street, the largest street shopping location in Singapore where you could find cheap clothes, bags, and souvenirs. Near Bugis, we visited Kampong Glam area: Arab Street, Sultan Mosque, and Malay Heritage Site, where Sultan palace was located before English colonial came to Singapore (I'm not too good in Singapore history, CMIIW). Then in the evening we shopped in IKEA Queenstown.

5th Day
While I was working (again), the family visited Science Center (which I've already visited 3 times, as an Engineer I love that place), then at night we went to Orchard and ate my most favorite Indonesian food in Singapore: Ayam Penyet Ria.

6th Day
We're going to Jurong Bird Park, and then had New Year countdown in Marina Bay.

Different Perspective

2010-01-17T16:18:00.003+08:00

Have you ever experienced this, when you saw people you know from distance, for example your colleagues who are on the same way towards office, but you were not in the mood for talking to them (for any reasons), so you just runaway taking another bus or hid behind, and when they discovered you and said hello, you said hello back pretend you didn't see them before. It is so poker face, and sometimes I did, but I hope I could minimize this thing happen again, because I want to be a nice girl, for everybody.

Okay let's move on, my post this time is actually about how we see things differently from others. When you've lived in one place for long time (describe yourself how long precisely the long time is), you might feel no special anymore, not like when you first time coming to that particular city. I've lived in 5 different cities so far, each time I moved I thought those cities were mystery. I didn't know where the hanging out place, I didn't know how the people spend their times, I didn't know what areas they're talking about, everything seemed blur and I was excited to know more and more. But the time goes by, we're trapped in our routine activities, commuting between home to office or on the way to anywhere else around the city feels no amazement anymore, we make ourselves busy with gadgets and books, not looking around and sightseeing. In one word... BORING!

One day I came to a blog post telling about her short visit to Singapore. My way of seeing Singapore is totally different than her touristy story. It happened also when I lived in Jakarta and Bandung before. My family from out of town were so excited each time visiting me in those cities. I missed that kind of feeling. So that day in the bus going home from office, I put aside my Blackberry, iPod and book, then stared to the window looking at the flats, apartments, trees, roads and people. Things that we'll miss someday when we no longer live here. Things that we'll regret someday why we didn't have a look when we lived here. We're (some people) focus on living in Europe and going around the world, maybe we can try to explore new places in our current city/country first that we haven't visited before. When was your last time you're being a tourist in your current living city?

Like the way baby/kids seeing things for the first time.

Small Island in Bali Sisterhood

2010-01-07T16:38:00.021+08:00

The long journey to get Gili Trawangan: 2 hours drive from Kuta Bali to Padang Bai Harbor, 5 hours by ship from Padang Bai Harbor to Lembar Harbor in Lombok, 1 hour drive from Lembar Harbor to Bangsal, parking the car and taking Cidomo to the port, and 45 minutes by boat to (finally) Gili Trawangan... is worth it. Easy to say that because I was not the one who drove the cars ha-ha. There is a faster and more expensive way to go there from Bali which is by a fast boat, but since we're 11 of us, it's gonna be fun just like we did, rent 2 cars together and experienced this longer trip.

Jake January

2010-01-03T17:08:00.011+08:00

I've just been blogwalking whole day and found many interesting blogs to read. One of them is offering this game called Piece of Me.

This month....

I like: that there will be another oversea trip for me. I am going to visit Kuching for 3 days. Where the hell is that, rik? Well, it is in Sarawak, one of Malaysia states in Borneo Island near Pontianak, Indonesia. I haven't gone there before, so I decided to just book the tickets when I heard about Tiger Airways promo last year. Amazingly I could get the tix only S$12 for both ways Singapore-Kuching. I repeat, 12 Singapore Dollars! It's like 8.55 USD or Rp. 80.375. So if I canceled going there anyway it was not so big deal to lose that amount of money. But I think I keep going. I am now inviting some travelers who are interested to go there together (love the rhythm) and contacting some travelers who are living there. Might this be an opportunity to meet new nice friends *crossfingers*.

I don't like: that... surprisingly I don't have anything to dislike about (yet).

I want you to know: that I have appointment tomorrow for applying Singapore Permanent Resident. Some friends of mine got rejected last year and might re-apply again 6-24 months (if they want to), but I hope mine is being approved.

I've planned: to start fulfilling my resolutions constantly (such as reading 1 book, watching 1 movie and cooking 1 recipe per week) and give myself a hard work in office. Work hard play harder!

I want to say to someone special: to BF, I.M.U.L.

It is fun. Visit Notes from the Toothfairy and join it.

2009 - Freedom

2009-12-31T23:52:00.000+08:00

Last year I wrote that I want to live happily. Yes it is so abstract, but if I compare how many times I was hiding away from the world and crying alone in my room, this year definitely I AM MUCH HAPPIER! Except of being myself, here are some highlights of my 2009.

1. Learning swimming
For 23 years I could not swim and now I can, at least the basic style lah! I've started to love swimming since I did diving last year in Sabang.
2. Traveling
This year I managed to go to Macau and Hong Kong, Malacca, Kota Kinabalu and Brunei, Bali and Lombok.
3. Learning cooking
My resolution about this was actually trying 1 new recipe every week. But it turned out that I only can do 1 new recipe every month. But it is still considering a highlight because I never be interesting in cooking before for the whole my life. Will make it more routine next year.
4. Watching some gigs: Oasis, Lady Gaga and Lenka. Love them all! And there will be more artists I like coming next year such as Backstreet Boys ("aaaaaaarghh!!") and Kings of Convenience.

I don't like to talk about the lowlights actually, so just a short one(*). Except about LDR thing, the lowlights are the feeling of not enough for everything: not enough reading, not enough learning, not enough working, not enough saving, not confident enough. Sometimes it's good being an ambitious person to catch all dreams, but sometimes it's so tiring. I need to learn how to be grateful in some points, and not envy others' life too much. (*so this one you called 'short'?)

What I want to do on next year are very clear. I want to wear bracket (think my teeth got a problem), do lasik, take diving lesson (without r), traveling South East Asia, read 50 books and some other privacy targets. What about yours?

Well the most important thing is being happy. I am happy! This is the best year ever in my life, and I hope I can say that in the end of every year onwards.

P.S. I am writing this on my waiting time of countdown in Marina Bay with the whole family. Happy new year everybody!

Sent via BlackBerry from SingTel!

The Show

2009-12-20T23:23:00.009+08:00

Lenka was here! I'd got the ticket to the shoooow...
I reached the venue on time but it had a long queue to come in. When I was in front of the club 30 minutes later, Lenka had already started singing her first song on that night: Trouble Is A Friend. (Btw apparently there is another cute video of this song in digital puppet show way.)

Lenka performed all songs in her album (with cute backscreen... owl is my favorite!). Plus 2 new songs she made about a boy *winks*, 1 song for her ex-boyfriend (it's kinda sad), her version of Friday I'm in Love (The Cure) and All My Bells Are Ringing for the Christmas festive mood (love the part: I'll wrap it with a ribbon and a bow).

Can We Disqus It?

2009-12-14T16:52:00.008+08:00

Testing new sophisticated application for blog commenting: DISQUS. With this app, you can allow your blog readers to leave comments by using their Facebook, Twitter, OpenID, Yahoo! and Disqus accounts. You can add some restricted words and blacklisted items for filtering comments. You can see all comments you've posted and the reply (if any) all over the web. This is just so integrated. And for me you who are too lazy to design your blog by looking into html/css code, the installation of Disqus only takes few minutes, not complicated at all. For Blogger user, just Download Full Template of your current template, then choose that .xml file to be integrated with Disqus code which will be generated automatically, you just need to copy paste the code back to your layout template. Easy peasy! Well I can't compare to other services because I've used only blogspot default comment system for my whole bloglife, so this Disqus is good.

Glad to have new toy. Thanks to Gia, and happy exploring! :)

Get Your Sexy Back with JJ Lin

2009-12-12T16:17:00.153+08:00

Singapore people have a campaign for young adults to drink alcohol moderately. Isn't it nice? This program is named Get Your Sexy Back (GYSB), has been run for 2 years now. It is sponsored by Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore (APBS) to hold some positive events and activities. Having a slogan: "It's not the drinking, it's how you're drinking", they want to spread the message to people (especially young adults) for drinking responsibly and knowing your own limit, you would not be sexy anymore if you got too drunk.

Last Wednesday they made an event: GYSB Boomz Concert '09 in Zouk's Velvet Underground. Zouk is one of the best clubs in Singapore and now supporting GYSB. The concert was nice, featuring some local musicians which are Jillian Marie Thomas, Da Feng Chui, Carrie Yeo and Chen Diya, En-x and the superstar JJ Lin.

Mystical Taste of Borneo

2009-12-07T23:27:00.020+08:00

Song of the night: I Gotta Feeling - Black Eyed Peas

Today work is good and slow, starting new projects for the end of Q1 next year. But the Monday blues came at night, being mellow and sentimental about life, passion and relationship... woohoo I guess quarter-life crisis beat me again. So anyway, I successfully got off this mellow feeling by taking shower, slurping hot tea and listen to above spirit song repeatedly. What will you do to rip off empty feeling?

The 'angel' tea that helped me through this night is this Sabah tea I brought back from... Sabah! Let's quote what they wrote here on the package. "Sabah Tea is cultivated in the pristine foothills of Mount Kinabalu, Malaysia's first ever World Heritage Site, where nature offers the most conducive natural environment for tea growing..."

"Brew yourself a cup of Sabah Tea and enjoy the mystical taste of Borneo Rainforest."

So here I am, willing to write a synopsis of my solo traveling to Borneo.

Cabin Baggage Dilemma

2009-12-05T12:46:00.009+08:00

As you know, budget airlines give cheaper tickets for flying without checked in baggage. Some of my last trips were using this type of flight, and sometimes made me confusing about how big items and how much liquid I could bring in.

When I traveled alone to Borneo, I brought one big bag and one backpack. I did not have scales, both are not heavy so I guess they would not exceed than 7 kg. But the lady in AirAsia check-in counter in Changi Airport Singapore (SIN) seems hesitant seeing my big bag, she said I had to check-in it because maybe it would not fix inside cabin. It would cost S$8 one way (up to 15kg), 4 times than checked in baggage price via website, S$2 (now they raise it up to S$4, so in airport would be S$16 I guess). Because I looked disappointed and reluctant to pay for the baggage, the lady kindly weighed my bag (and it was indeed only 5 kg, but still she's not sure if it fixed the cabin or not) and let me go with my bag and boarding pass. She said if it did not fix, the air crews would put my bag inside baggage airplane for free. Yay! And well, actually it fixed. The lady just exaggerated.

In Brunei Airport (BWN) I was not that lucky. Somehow my bag's weight was increasing, more than 7 kg so I had to pay 8 dollars (Brunei and Singapore dollars are in the same rate). Hiks, if only I added S$2 for checked in baggage online in each flight SIN-BKI (Kota Kinabalu), BKI-BWN, BWN-BKI and BKI-SIN! Different than BWN and SIN, AirAsia counter in BKI is not so annoying to check our carry on bags.

I did not have any difficulties in bringing liquid in my Borneo traveling, because I've prepared all travel-pack things such as toothpaste, perfume, contact solution, soap, shampoo etc, all accumulated were less than 100 ml. But when I went to Jakarta last week, I needed to bring some 100 ml perfumes and one face-wash tube 125 ml not from duty-free shops airport, excluding my own liquid things. I had to give up the 125 ml tube, but I brought other liquids and put them inside plastic zipped bags (and praying). I thought one person is only allowed to carry up to 100 ml in TOTAL. But apparently more than 100 ml is OK as long as each item less than 100 ml.

In my last trip with Jetstar airlines, in Changi counter they did not check my carry on bags, but in Soekarno-Hatta Airport Jakarta (CGK) they asked. Or it depends on the counter staff? I did a "Hiding" method, which is approaching check-in without bringing bag, so they wouldn't check the weight (but for liquid they will check inside boarding gate, should not play any tricks for this one). In CGK, apparently they asked for carry on bag to weigh it and patch-up with 'Jetstar' sticker. Then in boarding gate I got nervous, how if they realized that my bag had no 'Jetstar' sticker?

I was lucky, they didn't care. Buuuuut I'd just known that carry on bags in Jetstar is up to 10 kg (not 7 kg like AirAsia)! I shouldn't need to hide my luggage at that time, seriously it did not exceed than 10 kg. I think I will not do this hiding method again. Better to check my luggage's weight first at home. Or just purchase checked in baggage ticket for safe.

Travel Sick

2009-11-24T23:38:00.013+08:00

Before the Internet, if someone disappeared, it meant you should go looking for them. Now it means they got a life.
_FunnyJoker

Please consider me as getting a life for not having any chance to update this blog :P

In this last one month I had fun and thrilling experiences in Kota Kinabalu (Malaysia), Bandar Seri Begawan (Brunei Darussalam), Bali and Lombok (Indonesia), not included my small trip back to Jakarta for visiting ~~boyfriend~~ family. Three weekends in a row I was not in Singapore. When you've traveled a lot (as a newbie, these are a lot :P), you'd find that you miss your time just for lazying around in your apartment. I even almost slapped my friend last week who asked "what will you do on weekend?" and when I answered "just staying at home" he was kind of seeing me with a pathetic look. Dude, seriously!

Wookie, now I want to share what's inside my tiny backpack!
Read more »

History Walk

2009-10-12T22:44:00.012+08:00

As part of Southeast Asia, Indonesia always teach their children at school with historical of big kingdoms existed before colonizers came, such as Sriwijaya, Majapahit, Pasai, Aceh and Melaka (or Malacca). Pasai Kingdom was located very near my hometown Lhokseumawe, but nothing much left from it. Aceh Kingdom was located in Banda Aceh now, I saw some of its heritages last year in my trip to Banda Aceh. And last weekend I just visited Malacca, which is already announced by UNESCO as world heritage site. It is very nice that Malaysia can keep their historical sites well. Indonesia should learn from them, really, we Indonesia also have, even better and more unique cultural heritages. Be proud!

So about my trip, me and friends took bus from Kovan bus terminal, Singapore. It takes 3-4 hours to get Malacca depends on how hectic there in CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) of Singapore and Malaysia checkpoints. The bus ended in bus terminal Melaka Sentral. Our inn is located in Jalan Portugis, so we asked some people in terminal which bus to take to get there, and they all gave the same answers, by Bus 17 or Panorama. After we got there, we apparently did not arrive at the hostel area, but at one of tourist spots: Portuguese Settlement (Perkampungan Portugis). We got lost... but it's OK, at least we had already come to one famous spot :P We tried to stop bus like in Indonesia, you know... in random place of the road, not in a particular bus stop (cause we couldn't find any bus stop nearby!!). Luckily it stopped nyahaha! Yes, Malacca is a small city without too many restrictions, you can alight, board bus and cross the street anywhere.

We put our belongings in the guest house, Ringo's Fo yer. I don't know how my friend found this place (booking fee is only $1.5), it doesn't look fantastic (yea it's a backpacker hostel, very cheap, what da ya expect) but the owner (Howard) is very friendly. The place is just a walking distance to the city. We then went looking for foods in Jonker Walk, it's an antique street full of souvenirs, unique shops and local dishes (reminds me of Braga Bandung and streets in Macau). The street ends with the bridge of Malacca river. From this part, the city of Malacca in past times begins. Malacca Kingdom fell when Portuguese colony under Afonso de Albuquerque sailed and conquered the city on 15th century. On 16th century they were defeated by Dutch. This place is really attractive since many people did commercial trade around Straits of Malacca. Dutch built forts and administrative area which is called Stadhuys means town hall, also named Red Square because of the color. We can find ruins of forts, museums, churches and many historical buildings around this area.

Interesting places: Jonker Walk, Stadhuys, Maritime Museum (inside a ship), Ruins of Fort A Famosa, Ruins of St Paul, Taming Sari , Eye on Malaysia (it's like Singapore Flyer), River Cruise, Cheng Hoon Temple. More pictures can be seen in my facebook (courtesy to Fajar for some pictures shown here).
Traditional foods: All Baba Nyonya foods, Chicken Rice Ball, Satay Celup, Baba Laksa, Es Cendol (I drank it 3 times a day, so damn hot there). Nyonya means Chinese women who get married with local people, and their descents are called Baba.

So, will Sriwijaya and Majapahit be my next destinations?!

Where There is Water, There are Chinese

2009-10-05T07:16:00.010+08:00

Last weekend many parts of Singapore made an event to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival. First I found it strange since here in Singapore we don't have such that season. But apparently it's Chinese tradition to celebrate harvesting time in the 15th day of the 8th moon of Chinese lunar month, around the time of the autumn equinox. In the Western calendar, the day of the festival usually occurred sometime between the second week of September and the second week of October. This year it falls on 3rd October.

This is a day to worship the moon god. This festival signs that the year's hard work in the fields had been finished, with fruits, vegetables and grain had been harvested by this time and food was abundant. Chinese people use this opportunity to express their gratitude to heaven for the blessings they have enjoyed over the past year. One of special foods for this festival is moon cakes.

Thanks to omy for inviting me (again) to explore more about this festival and Chinese culture in general in Hua Song Museum, inside Haw Par Villa. I think it is the best place to celebrate this festival. The event includes mooncake tasting, calligraphy, free dinner and goodie bags, walking by the light of lantern, and a tour of the Museum.

Hua Song means 'In Praise of Chinese', it is a museum about Chinese community. It shows statues, posters, and descriptions about their jobs in the past, their women, their education, their festivals, their kitchen and foods.

It shows also how they went around the world to seek a better life. There were 2 big migrations in the past, first was on 14th-16th century where China people went to Nanyang, or now we call it as Southeast Asia. In this museum we can find also the history of Lee Kuan Yew's ancestors emigrated from Dapu. The second one was on 19th century when they migrated to America, working on railway track project or mining.

I like this phrase:

Don't you agree?

Quick Swimming

2009-09-23T23:02:00.012+08:00

Hey-ho! Now I am here. For a week. For holly-day.

Aceh is located on the west of Indonesia and surroundings by Sea. It wouldn't be perfect if we go there without visiting the beaches. Beaches in Lhokseumawe are not as good as the ones in Sabang and Banda Aceh, but still it's fun to go. Along the beach side, there are stalls provide foods specialty in Rujak: fruits mix peanuts sauce.

Yesterday I promised my little cousin (9 years old) that we'd go swimming today. But I was taking nap, forgotten already, and woke up almost 6 pm, about 40 minutes before sunset. I found my brother and sister also too lazy, no one wanted to go. Then my little cousin frown. She sat down in the corner, covered her face down (so cute :P). So I gave up, my Dad took me and my little cousin with motorcycle to the beach spot named Soraya, where she and her family likes to go. Some beach spots in Lhokseumawe are already covered with high stones, one of ways to block high waves like Tsunami.

We said to her, if no people swim then we don't swim and will come back again tomorrow morning. Me and my Dad believed that no people left swimming on that hour, 15 minutes to sunset. But apparently there are still a lot of people, so yeah I must jump to the water, accompanying her. But not too long, because suddenly everyone went out and the beach started quiet. in Aceh, activities in the beach have to stop after sunset (or we call it Maghrib). After that 10 minutes swimming, I was ordering Rujak for taking home, and the seller pushed me to order hurry because it would be Maghrib in a minute.

P.S
Apparently not only activity on the beach stop when sunset, but also in the city center. All shops are closed on Maghrib, only food stalls are opened again after it. Like my sister said, life here begins at 4pm until Maghrib, then starts again on 8pm. Don't try to go outside without car on the day, it's so f*ckin hot!! Morning is also a good time for sea bathing and food hunting but it's so hard to wake up early on holiday :P

Also there are too many rules in this land. Girls should not be a pilgrimage to the grave, should not wear pants, especially tight pants or leggings, should not hang out in coffee stall (I break all the rules, of course)... Booo how can people live here??!
Well the foods are awesome! I know, people will always love their origin foods and each person has their own favorite taste, but for you who wanna try Acehnese foods in Lhokseumawe that worth it: bakso rahayu, pangsit bejo, mie goreng aceh (fried noodle) in everywhere, rujak ujongblang, nasi gurih (crispy rice) in everywhere, mie caluek, roti bakar bandung (I know it's from Bandung, but it is really good and mushrooming now in Lhok), martabak telor (like omelet), sate matang (beef satay, Matang is a name of area in Aceh), kerang rebus (boiled cockles), kupi aceh (coffee). People here are freak of coffee. While I am here, I drink 2 cups of coffee everyday (even 3-4 cups when visiting many ~~houses~~ families on Hari Raya): Kopi Gayo, Kopi Samalanga, Kopi Ulee Kareng... each coffee name is based on the place where it comes from.

The best ~~my version~~ Acehnese foods in Banda Aceh are listed here.

How to Make Computer Slower

2009-09-10T22:58:00.006+08:00

It is not a joke. I was looking for adjustable tools to make computer slower. Yes I know, we can have it just by installing windows vista, software games or some heavy applications, but I need something general for my validation application that will run in many PCs. I entered keyword 'How to Make Computer Slower' in ~~search engine that answers every problem in your life~~ Google, all articles told me the other way. Don't they understand that this problem also important so I can finish my code and work and the boss will let me go home for Hari Raya holiday next week?! Well actually it is my fault to procrastinate everything :P

So after spent few times searching needles among the straws, I found this website that lists all PC Slow Down tools (now obviously that I didn't key in the exact keyword). I decided to use CPU Grabber because this software is from DirectX Microsoft so I believe it won't do much harm. Another good app is CPU Killer, but not a freeware.

CPU Grabber has small GUI with trackbar to set the percentage of CPU usage, and buttons to start/stop and close. So, if you need it either for playing old games, showing the slow PC to your parents so they will get you a new one, or running software validation in stressed environment like what I'm doing, just run number of copies of this program (number of your CPUs/cores) and set for each 70% or more.

So sorry this is being a geek posting, I hope it will boost up searching index of 'How to Make Computer Slower' in Google leads to the correct articles.

Love My New Place

2009-09-06T13:32:00.010+08:00

After exhausting day, last night I went swimming... below my home! Yep, since last week I have moved to a new place that has swimming pool, fitness club, BBQ pit, tennis and basketball court. After swimming, I just laid down on pool chair reading books. Ahh this is heaven, with so many trees and waterfall sounds.

My room is also amazing, with wooden floor, queen size bed, big wardrobe, full sunlight and windy! I like to decorate it, and will buy some furnitures like bookcase, standing lamp and cute chair. I am so excited! It's located on 14th floor, and this is my window view.

Now I feel like not wanna go outside. I won't feel dead-style (a.k.a mati gaya), if I don't have appointment or activity outside I am still happy just being at home (or around the pool :D).

Pain?ball

2009-09-06T11:50:00.011+08:00

Yesterday company event was playing Crossfire Paintball 2.0, in Singapore Discovery Center. The participants who joined mostly never played this before, and were not Singaporeans... of course leh, they already experienced this in National Service what! This place is located far far away from the city, the most west green line MRT statio n: Joo Koon. Ha, I wouldn't take a visit until this far if not because this event (that's what my friend Kevin said).

We played 3 modes: shoot the balloon, save the flag, and elimination. The first session is to shoot the balloon of the opponent that is located in opponent's home base. The second one is to get our own flag that is located in the middle of field, then bring it to home base. Elimination is to shoot as many as possible of the other team, after being shot they can not go into the field again. My team only win the second session, (what I believe is) because we only got the good side at that time. FYI, the sides are really unfair: 23 of 25 winning was from the team that played in that specified 'lucky' side, the one that its maze is not too difficult to get to the closest place to other team's home base to shoot them. Well yeah, it's just a game (but the winner team got S$500! *gagal dapat THR T_T*).

This is absolutely not my kind of joy (fortunately it's free). Each time my turn to play, I was afraid like hell blabbering: "I'm dead, I'm fucking dead, shit shit." They said it's gonna be painful... this is PAINball! Hopefully I only got shot on my left foot and the mask. I was so scared hearing the pellets flying around my body, geez I wanted to finish all the game quickly and go home lol. It was in the hot afternoon and I was fasting. Perfect! Next time, please get me into shopping war or something, then I can rule the game, ha!

Other attractions that can be found in Singapore Discovery Center are: iWERKS (2D-3D cinema), XD Theatre (4D simulation ride), SAFTI tour, shooting gallery, and Army Museum.

Blonde Bitch with a Bunch of Bubble

2009-08-14T00:29:00.010+08:00

What's going on on the floor?
I love this record baby, but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, alright
Just dance. Gonna be okay

Last night I was almost having cramp stomach again (after one day before I got gastric acid T.T) on Lady Gaga live in concert. At 7.30 PM I went inside, DJ Inquisitive was playing some ~~fitness~~ disco songs, such as Get Low (Flo Rida), Insomnia (Craig David), Boom Boom Pow (BEP), I Know You Want Me (Pitbull)... all remixed. I danced and shouted, couldn't stop moving! That's why I started to feel cramp again even before Lady Gaga came out. She's very late actually, the show started on 9 PM, not 8 PM huh. But when the gig started... even though I couldn't see straight anymore, just dance! The pain was gone.

She started with Paparazzi. Then Lovegame, Money Honey (Lady Gaga: "You know what I hate most in the world? It's MONEY!"), Just Dance, Fame, Boysboysboys, Beautiful Dirty Rich, Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say). What annoy me most is people not dancing crazily! They care more to get pictures of the stage, not enjoying the show. They didn't jump up, didn't sing out loud, only moved their body from left to right. It's really different when I watched Oasis concert last April where all people in standing festival jumped and pushed around, really hectic and crazy, and I like it! Maybe it's because most of audiences here are girls, and many kids/teens. Well I didn't care, I kept jumping around by myself. I love and I know all of her songs.

She changed costume 3 times, all with "you-can-see-her-butt" clothes. She's really gorgeous and sexy (that's why I had full spirit to go to gym today, I want her body)! After those songs, she changed cloth for the last time (I knew it because most songs in her Fame album had already been out, only left Poker Face). Then I moved back to get more space, air and viewing to the stage, because she doesn't only sing but also act cool performances and dances. You know what, I should do it since the beginning, because no point standing in the middle of crowd if people not moving. And I could dance freely with more space.

She sang Brown Eyes before finally Poker Face... I mean DOUBLE Poker Face! First she played it with piano acoustically (sambil nungging-nungging), then the real version. TOTALLY AWESOME! She's so unique, eccentric, different and confident! I like her spoiled voice. She's good at jokes. She said many times that she can't wait to eat chili crab in Singapore (hm I haven't tried that). She also crazily loves her own creation rhythm: "Sing sing along Singapore... I gotta be honest that I've been waiting whole day to say that to you."

I went home with tiredness and contentment :)

The Genius

2009-08-12T00:57:00.005+08:00

"There shall be wings! If the accomplishment be not for me, 'tis for some other."
Da Vinci, Father of Flight

In this exhibition, it shows theories, replica of tools and paintings that had been created by Leonardo Da Vinci in 15th century. He was inventor, artist, mathematician, scientist, engineer, sculptor, anatomist, biologist, musician, architect, philosopher, writer... He even designed a humanoid robot and diving equipments! Seriously, I am amazed. I feel like I know nothing.

44th Singapore

2009-08-11T03:54:00.009+08:00

"I don't like Singapore, it is a rotten place as is indeed every other town. I am simply crazy to get away again."
1903, William Louis Abbott.

Two days ago I went to the city to feel the euphoria of Singapore National Day. I've been here only for 8 months (still considered as tourist?), so I need to see how people celebrate it. First I made a stop in Suntec City to have lunch on one of the restaurants there around Fountain of Wealth. It is the world largest fountain, with colorful lights at night (see pictures below I took a month ago).

When the big fountain is off, we can come in to the small fountain, go around of it and touch the water while making wishes. They said our dreams will come true (still not sure of it, because friends have already did it and not proven until now :P). Actually I have visited and seen this fountain many times, but never have the chance to do this ritual. So I did it! Not like there's something I wish for, but only for spending my time waiting for friends come. After finish, you could buy photo of you're turning around the fountain for S$10.

If I'm not mistaken, the theme of National Day this year is to show how Singapore ready for any terrorist attacks. When me and friends ready to go to see National Day Parade or F16 or fireworks or whatever they offer on that day, it's almost evening and the enter ways to Esplanade area and Marina Floating Point (where the ceremony held) were already closed, but on the way there I still got the chance to see President helicopters group carrying the Singapore flag, and some F16 aircrafts.

Many ways were blocked there, and fucking damn hectic fulled of people (berdesakan sama India/Bangla yang keringetan dan bauuuu *pingsan*). We decided to just go home. But on the way to Raffles Place MRT, we passed Asian Civilization Museum, I came inside by myself while my friends went home. I actually planned to go there (and some other museums) on this long weekend when the entrance fee is free. I found it was a good idea to went inside to enjoy the quietness and spookiness of night at museum, exploring Singapore history on its National Day. Some interesting things I found:
1. Bencoolen (one of street name in Singapore) is actually derived from Bengkulu, one of province in Sumatra, Indonesia.
2. Long time ago along Singapore river, the boats have two eyes on the front part (picture below), it is their believes that the boat can see so is not going to strike.

3. I just like this miniature of the old times coolies place (sorry for the lack light of my blackberry camera)

At 8.22 PM, big exploding sound heard from outside, I peeked to the window, ah the fireworks starts. It's just stunning (as usual, Singapore fireworks)! And they recited their National Pledge:

We, the citizens of Singapore
pledge ourselves as one united people,
regardless of race, language or religion,
to build a democratic society,
based on justice and equality,
so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and
progress for our nation.

On the silent museum window where I stand, there was a museum guide girl that (I claim she is Singaporean because she) also recited it with soft voice and clenching her right fist to the left side of her chest (as a gesture to symbolize loyalty to the nation). I am touched :)

After the fireworks, I started to look around the museum again, still got so many things to see while waiting for the crowd outside vanished. The museum would be closed on 10 PM, I planned to go home at that time. Apparently many people thought the same thing as me, to hide inside the museum first until the crowd finished, because suddenly the museum filled up with many people (and kids were so annoying and noisy grrrrr!!). I came to the main galleries that show history and culture of Asia especially in Southeast. So it's not only about Singapore, it's about Java, Minangkabau, Malay Peninsular, Bugis, Dayak, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Islam.... ahh there are so many articles I wanted to read! I just realized that I love museum.

In ACM from 25 July to 21 Sept 2009, there is Southeast Asian collections in Hunters and Collectors gallery. It's collection from some world hunters such as William L. Abbott and many others (just knew about them, I think they're famous). One of them is maniac of magic, had owned the Museum of Magic and Witchcraft at Castletown, Isle of Man. Superb!

Well, happy birthday Singapore! Although like Mr. Abbott said, I plan and might get away again someday (to explore the world), but it is nice living here :)

Bookworm

2009-08-10T02:28:00.001+08:00

Two days ago I visited National Library of Singapore, the central one in Bras Basah. No intention at first to subscribe the membership, we still can read the books on the spot although not being the member, and I didn't read much lately (despite of my yearly target to read minimal 50 books). But when I looked around the books and everything, I fall in love again in reading. I straightaway registered myself, it costs S$53.3 per year for foreigner, while free for Singaporeans and S$10.5 for Permanent Residents (isn't that too cheap, Singapore really care about education of the citizens).

Lending and returning books are made automatically, I was like villager (kampring) when I tried to borrow 2 books (let's start with chicklit :D), inserted my membership card, scanned the books one by one on the machine. And for returning, there are 24-hr Bookdrop booth outside the library. There are also more than 20 regional public libraries in Singapore, we can lend and return things in any public libraries. Each lending things can be return in 2-3 weeks. In Indonesia, public libraries are so boring. To get interesting books, we have to register ourselves to renting books place, by paying based on how many books we want to borrow, with a very limited time.

Went out the library, got myself in hunger, I tried Hanis library cafe, it's bakery and western cafe. Eating there with people around are sipping coffee, reading, working on school tasks, doing something on their laptop... made me feel smart, really. Environment is influential. And the burger is perfect! I love this kind of burger (like Botak Jones), rather than burger in fast food restaurant even than Burger King.

By joining the library, I hope my reading habit will boost up.

Piñata e Bailar

2009-08-02T17:50:00.004+08:00

Last night I had so much fun in surprise party of my friend's birthday. The host works in the same company as mine, he is from Colombia. We also celebrated his wife's birthday, so the theme is Latin America. This is the first time I know about Piñata. It is a colorful container filled with sweet, candies and toys, hanged with ropes on the wall, ceiling or tree branches. Someone will hit it with stick and blinded eyes until it is smashed, then all people snatch and collect the candies.

This tradition comes from Mexico, usually for special occasions such as birthday, Christmas or Halloween. It is made from materials that are easily breakable like balloon or clay. Piñata also can be formed in any shapes. I would be glad to punch Harry Potter piñata, lol!

Last night the rules are each person must take at least one Chupa Chupa (lollipop), otherwise he/she will get penalty. If everybody has it, then who has the Chupa Chupa with X signed on it would get penalty. One of the host's friend from Venezuela got it, she must dance with one of the guys there, chose between Tango or Salsa dance. Lol it was very fun, while we're waiting for them practice and dress up, we're also being taught by the couple host how to dance Salsa. Whole night we spent there with Spanish songs (includes the birthday song). I saw their habit is very spirit and energetic with dance and music, they couldn't stop shaking their body even when talking and eating foods.

Vamos a bailar, la gente!

Because That's Not Me

2009-08-01T18:18:00.004+08:00

Will write it mostly in Bahasa Indonesia.

If there is someone not cover her hair again in public, the first question that should be asked (if you dare and care to ask) is not "Kenapa dilepas?" but "Awalnya dulu kenapa dipakai?" If there's nothing wrong in the beginning, so the problem should be along the way. In my case, it's already in the beginning, so I kinda difficult to answer "Kenapa dilepas?"

Kalau kenapa awalnya dulu pakai, jawabannya gampang: Syariat Islam di Aceh. I come from Aceh, where every girl there MUST wear veil, if they don't want their hair being cut or to get other punishment from Polisi Syariah. In my opinion, kerudung disana dianggap sebagai budaya, dimana cewe-cewe ga boleh keluar rumah dengan pakaian seronok (kalau pakai baju minim 2 kali jadi 2 ronok *halah*). Kalo cuma ke warung deket rumah atau bertandang ke rumah tetangga atau ada saudara berkunjung ke rumah (meskipun bukan muhrim) ya preman aja ga pake kerudung. Kalo jalan-jalan ke Aceh coba liat deh cewe-cewenya pake baju agak nanggung.. pake kerudung iya tapi lengan baju pendek, atau poninya dikeluarin, atau rambut panjangnya muncul di belakang.. ajaib emang! Tapi ada juga yang pakai pakaian tertutup karena kesadaran sungguh-sungguh :)

When I was 15 years old, masih lucu-lucunya, I moved to Jakarta with family. Waktu itu sempet ada pembicaraan kecil (amat sangat kecil): "ntar ke sekolah tetep pakai kerudung ato engga". Gw kan masih anak bau kencur, ga ngerti dandan cantik dan sebagainya, nyokap bilang "udah lah tetep pake kerudung aja, ribet nyari baju lain dan sayang baju nya ga dipakai lagi ntar.." (semacam itu lah) *kan ceritanya waktu itu baru pindahan* Ya udah bo, keputusan gw pake kerudung di Jakarta (seinget gw) cuma karena itu.

Ternyata oh ternyata, aturan kerudung di kota besar justru lebih ketat: apapun urusannya kalau ketemu yang bukan muhrim, ga boleh buka kerudung (eh itu aturan agama ya bukan kota besar :P). Ihiks aku terkekang dan terjebak, because it's too taboo to open it after you wear it (I care too much of what people think, I know :|). Dulu waktu di Aceh I didn't care much about it cause every girl wearing it. Tapi pas pindah ke Jawa gw jadi sirik banget ngeliat cewe-cewe lain yang ga pake kerudung, cuih. Dan gw ga alim-alim amat orangnya, serius deh biasa aja! Gw hapal lagu-lagu Rihanna, bukan nasyid. *ga nyambung* Ya mungkin gw belum dapet aja hidayahnya. Kalau gw membayangkan keesokan hari gw mungkin akan mati, gw nangis ampe banjir bandang. Gw merasa belum menikmati hidup, doing what I want to do, being myself.

When I was in college, I promised myself will move to other place after graduation, to the place where nobody knows me, so I can start my life all over again, without tudung. Trus gw udah pindah nihhh ke Singapore, but still get many friends who know me before. Gw ga berani buka. Trus tiba-tiba di kantor ada yang buka kerudung juga doooong.. ampir gw bawa pisau kan ke cubicle dia (to peel apple together *halah*) "You took my place bitch! I've already planned it long long time ago before you were born!" *lebay! Jadi Iprit, maapkeun saya, I had felt so much anger to you at that time*.

So the point is Saya lepas kerudung bukan karena pengaruh lingkungan di luar negeri. Dan Saya tidak ikut-ikutan siapapun. I never change, I simply become more myself. I don't know why I should clarify this, in fact is I don't care! I don't care anymore with what people are gonna say about me. I never feel better than this. I feel free. I love myself and my life now :)

There, I write my confession. Have a nice life, everyone!

Voted in Singapore

2009-07-09T23:09:00.007+08:00

Yesterday is the Indonesian presidential election day. I registered myself to Indonesian embassy few months ago, then I got the invitation letter. We could come to embassy directly, or send the paper vote via post. It was not a public holiday, so me and friends went there on lunch time. I informed my boss so it's OK to come back quite late.

When I arrived, many people have queued in the yard of Indonesian embassy (voting time is from 8 am to 2 pm). There were 2 type of queue lining, people that have invitation letter from Indonesian embassy in their hand, and people who don't (they still can vote by showing their passport or employment pass). The first queue is longer than the second one, so one of my friend pretended she didn't have invitation letter and queued up in the shorter line, while the rest were still on the line, waiting for her report... yess the grass is always greener in other side :P

Few minutes later my friend came back. She saw that they have to fill some forms, it would take longer time at the end, so she went back to our line. It drizzled there with hot weather, committee prepared some umbrellas for needy people (like mother with her baby), and tiny cuts of cardboard to cover head or just use it as hand fan (if we need it).

There is a bar code in our invitation letter, committee only had to scan it. There were 2 places for voting (A and B), each of them has about 25 vote rooms, so no need to wait for nyontreng: tick one of 3 candidates. The committee also moved fast and efficiently, compare to vote place near my house in Indonesia when I voted for legislative people last April. I think the time when I was looking for taxi from office is quite longer than this whole election process.

After voting, I went to Lucky Plaza to grab Indonesian foods for lunch =D~

Well, good luck Indonesia for new president or vice president!

Butterfly Blouse

2009-06-15T21:02:00.005+08:00

BF gave me a blouse from Bali. He said it is called butterfly blouse and very famous back there in Indonesia. It has butterfly embroidery and the shape is like butterfly wings.

Weehee I feel like a little light fairy flying over the world beautifully... OK, enough!

Despite of its thin material which makes it almost look like a table cloth, I think it's cute and genius.

Land of the Lost Review

2009-06-10T23:32:00.008+08:00

So yesterday my friend and I were going to watch premiere of Land of the Lost in Shaw Lido Cineplex. This is my first time experience watching in this cinema, I would say the place is very unique and not user friendly, the ticket booth is isolated behind a wall stage. Well I didn't purchase tickets there since I got them free, I just had to show the email invitation print out and my IC on omy booth near Lido 3 theatre.

At the beginning all I know was Land of the Lost is a comedy adventure movie, with Will Ferrell on it. It starts with Dr. Rick Marshall's theory about parallel time dimension and his invention of time travel machine. When he almost gives up with his theory, there comes a british assistant research named Holly that is helping him to test his travel machine in an isolated theme park.

Along with a huckster tour guide named Will, they got sucked into parallel prehistoric dimension and got friends tenuously with a primate named Chaka. Not only has problem relationship with Chaka, Rick also makes war with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. In the way, they meet mysterious race of creatures called Sleestaks who wants to conquer the world. So apart from how to find the travel machine to take them back to their world, they also have to deal with this T-Rex and how to prohibit the creatures from coming into their world.

It is very relax to watch this movie after working, because we don't have to think much with its simple story. It is also very stupid and humorous on Chaka's life, how Rick likes to insult Chaka and fight T-Rex, well on many things. But the jokes mostly are for grown-ups, not appropriate for children. I would rate this movie for 5 of 10 points.

Last Day Trip

2009-06-07T10:25:00.008+08:00

May 4th, 2009

This is the last day of our trip, and we make it relax after several tiring days back then. We woke up late and looked around Mong Kok for shopping and searching gifts. Not like Singapore, Hong Kong shopping centers are closed quite late at night, streets are still crowded on 11 pm. But then they're opened late too in the morning around 11 am.

At 12.30 pm noon, we got ready for checking out hostel and went to Hong Kong Ferry Terminal to catch Turbo Jet ferry on 2 PM. When we bought tickets from Macau to Hong Kong with Visa card promotion, we also had to buy return tickets with fixed departure time. We decided to go there by taxi, because it is not that expensive actually where HK taxi can be filled up to 5 persons.

Arrived in Macau at 3 PM, we went to Airport to deposit our luggage (1 for MOP 15) because our flight was still 4 hours later. We planned to go to Senado Square again to buy some gifts, and had a little time to visit Macau Fisherman's Wharf. It is the first theme park in Macau, located near Macau Ferry Terminal. There are restaurants, hotels, karaoke places, shops, and casinos themed in coastal towns like Miami, Cape Town, New Orleans, Amsterdam, Venice, Spain, Portugal and the Italian Riviera. There are also some attractions in Roman, Chinese and Arabic style. But unfortunately I didn't have enought time to observe all. Maybe next time ;)

Bye Macau-HK. Back to Singapore.

(*)Courtesy to Arie for the pictures. Click the images for bigger view.

In Lantau Island

2009-06-02T01:52:00.015+08:00

May 3rd, 2009

Now we go to the other part of Hong Kong, Lantau Island. There are 2 attractive sites: Ngong Ping Village with the Giant Buddha, and Disneyland! Because we wanted to see the great Disneyland fireworks at 8 PM, so first we went to Giant Buddha in the morning. Giant Buddha is located in Ngong Ping village, where we only can reach it safely by cable car. I said safely, because actually there is another way to reach the village which is located quite high on the hill. From above I could see some people do tracking to go there.

Around 8 AM we started to go out. From Mong Kok MRT Station to Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal only takes 45 minutes. Opening hours of this terminal is 10.00 am - 6.00 pm on normal days, and 9.00 am - 6.30 pm on weekend and public holidays. We bought round trip ticket of Standard Cabin Cable Car, each HKD 96. There are 2 types of cabin, the standard one and the crystal cabin has transparant glass in the bottom part. Can you imagine that, like you're standing in the air. Since it's more expensive and I am not brave enough for taking it (maybe I would close my eyes along the way haha), my friends and I took the standard one. It takes about 25 minutes to get to Ngong Ping village. Along the way we can view Hong Kong International Airport, Tung Chung Bay, Lantau North Country Park, and of course the Tian Tan Buddha.

We walked through chinese restaurants, vegetarian stalls (the way Buddhist monks eat), Buddha souvenir shops, and fake Bodhi Tree (where Buddha spent his meditation). Like Borobudur in Indonesia, we need to climb the stairs to reach the statue. It's quite high (wiki said 268 steps) but not too tiring, even aunties and uncles can climb well and fast, d'oh. We climbed at almost noon, so it's VERY hot, sisters and brothers, you should bring your umbrella, hat, handy fan, water, sunglasses, or anything that can make you feel cool and chilly a little bit!

After taking pictures for a while, we turned down to visit Po Lin Monastery temple . At that time, there is a celebration of Shakyamuni Buddha's Birthday , so it's fulled with banners, flowers and smoke of sticks (hio) when some visitors are praying.

We had lunch in Food Republic at Citygate Tung Chung. This mall contains of branded factory outlets, so everything must be very cheap. But since we're in a rush to get to Disneyland at noon, we skipped shopping there. To get into Disneyland, transit in Sunny Bay MTR Station which is only 1 station ahead from Tung Chung, then take this cute train (bonus: a masked guy)!!

Yep, the window shape is Mickey's head. Once you get off the train, you come into Disney worlds, you don't realize that you're in Hong Kong anymore. "Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy".

Like I said in previous posting, there's a discounted Disneyland tickets from our hostel. So we bought the tix there the morning before we went out. HKDL Opening Hours: 10.00 - 19.00 on weekdays, 10.00 - 21.00 on weekends and holidays. On the gate, our bags were checked by security. Water is not allowed to be brought in from outside, they will take it. First, my friends and I took a tour in HKDL Railroad Train from Main Street Station, which is going around park to see the whole part. The park is actually not too big because HKDL Railroad finished to take us around only in 15 minutes.

(While I am writing this, I listen to Disney songs to remind me of my journey back there). There are 4 parts of HKDL: Adventure Land, Main Street, U.S.A, Fantasy Land and Tomorrow Land. Recommended attractions not to be missed:

1. Festival of the Lion King
It is located in Theatre in the Wild, Adventure Land. A musical colorful pageant inspired by animated film "The Lion King" lasts for 30 minutes live. You will find familiar songs of Lion King like Hakuna Matata, I Just Can't Wait to Be King, Can You Feel the Love Tonight. And the dances are awesome!

2. Jungle River Cruise
Still in Adventure Land, we can take the adventure of humorous tour for 8 minutes to sail the mysterious river full of wild animals. Tours are offered in Cantonese, Putonghua (standard Chinese language) and English, you should line up in the right queue.

3. Day Parade Performance
It's daily parade on 3.30 PM. The best parade viewings are around Main Street, U.S.A and in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle. All Disney characters will come out to parade with dances and songs.

4. Mickey's PhilharMagic
An amazing 3-dimensional screen that showcases some of the most memorable moments in Disney animated films. Well in my case, they showed Donald Duck's stupidipity. It's like real, when Donald get wet in the screen, water from somewhere spotted my face. When Donald swing on the air by Aladdin's carpet, wind blew my face. It is hilarious.

5. The Golden Mickeys
It is located in Disney's Storybook Theatre, Fantasy Land. A beautifully decorated theatre showcases a live "awards" musical. This 30-minutes show has all our favorite Disney characters. I love Beauty and the Beast!

6. Space Mountain
Located in Tomorrow Land, a thrilling high-speed journey to the far reaches of the universe and back on this interstellar roller coaster. Enough to make me nauseous.

7. Disney in the Stars
Fireworks are held daily near the closing time of the park, lasts about 20 minutes, transforms the sky above Sleeping Beauty Castle into a stunning evening spectacle. In the same time, on walls of the castle we can see picked out of animated magic Disney films, like Aladdin, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast along with the soundtracks.

I had soooo much fun!! Nice to be child again :)
After fireworks, we went back to Kowloon... to shop in Ladies Market. Yes, the day is not finished yet. Ladies Market opens until 11 PM, there we can find Hong Kong souvenirs and cheap KW bags (pirated branded bags) like in Mangga Dua Jakarta.

OK, that's it for today.

(*)Courtesy to Arie for some pictures. Click the images for bigger view.

In Hong Kong Island

2009-06-01T00:59:00.017+08:00

May 2nd, 2009

Today plans are Ocean Park, and Madame Tussaud in The Peak. Both are located in Hong Kong Island.

To get Ocean Park, take the MTR trains and get off at Admiralty MTR station on Exit B to get on the special CityBus No. 629 (HK$10.6). There are 2 entrances of Ocean Park, the main entrance and Tai Shue Wan entrance on the higher place. CityBus 629 can take us up to Tai Shue Wan entrance, or alight at main entrance then take free shuttle bus or cable car later. We bought the tickets from Dragon Hostel where we're staying, because they give 10% discount for Ocean Park and Disneyland tickets.

In the down part of Ocean Park (main entrance), there are Giant Panda Habitat, Madagascar 2 Live, Dolphin University... well nothing much. It's actually more suitable for kids, regret that we spent too much time here until we wanted to move to upper part of Ocean Park with cable car but the queue had been already like hell. Sadly we decided to go up by shuttle bus, with hope that we would take cable car on the way back.

There are many attractions, like Dufan in Indonesia, such as Space Wheel, Raging River (Niagara), Mine Train (mini rollercoaster), The Dragon (giant rollercoaster), and The Abyss. It was very hot, should bring sunglasses, wear thin clothes and bring extra clothes if you want to get wet by riding some attractions. Unfortunately, the cable car had even much longer queue, so we went out by CityBus 629 direct from Tai Shue Wan entrance to Admiralty MTR station.

From there, we're heading to The Peak Tram terminus by taking MTR until Central Station, took Exit J2 and walked along Garden Road which is between The Bank of China building and The Cheung Kong Centre. The walk to the tram station only takes about 15 to 20 minutes. There is a fast line queue for buying Tram + Sky Terrace + Madame Tussaud tickets. Once you are onboard The Peak Tram, take a seat on the right hand side which has the better view, we can see skycrapper buildings along the way to the peak. The journey itself is not too long, only 15 minutes, but so crowded in public holiday.

It's very windy on Sky Terrace, we can see the Hong Kong buildings in the lights, so nice but we're in hurry to get into Madame Tussaud that's closed on 10 pm. There are many world famous artist figures like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Michael Jackson, Madonna, The Beatles, etc. There are also some political, historical, religion, science, athlete figures, and maybe only in Madame Tussaud HK that's filled with HK artist figures like Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok and Jackie Chan. Well, we can take photos with all figures free except Jackie Chan and Barrack Obama. Inside there's also ghost house named Scream. We walked in group of 5-7 people in the dark. I just held my buddy's shoulder and walked with eyes closed haha I was very scared.

Finish for today. My legs were so f*cking tired, and there was news of some people being quarantined in HK due to H1N1. It was not bothering us at all.

(*)Courtesy to Arie and Helen for some pictures. Click the images for bigger view.

Across the Canal and the Sea

2009-05-31T13:15:00.023+08:00

May 1st, 2009

Today we're having breakfast at hotel. Ole London Hotel is nice, neat, clean, safe, simple, having free wi-fi and not too expensive. But tell you what, the foods are terrible. So if you're staying in this hotel, better get some foods outside.

First stop is Venetian again, because we hadn't tried the Gondola yet. It is located in 3rd floor Grand Canal Shop. They make whole things look real, such as decoration of European buildings on top of every shops, fake sky on the roof top that can be changed into sunrise or sunset, ancient Venetian street walk, and of course the canal with some bridges. The Gondola starts operating on 10 am until 10 pm (last departure is 9.45 pm), can take up to 4 people in one boat with 108 MOP for each person. There will be 1 Gondola man/woman who takes us sailing for about 15-20 minutes while singing Italian songs. Aside the canal, we can find world famous branded stores (some from HK) along the way, such as Tiffany & Co, Zara, Mango, Giorgo Armani, etc. These shops are opened until midnight.

At noon we're going back to Macau city, we planned to cross the sea to HK on the afternoon. We looked for Portuguese foods for lunch in Senado Square, found one near the fountain right opposite of Macau Tourism Center.

After lunch, we walked around Senado Square for a while (some are shopping, others are visiting St. Dominique Church), then by taxi went to Hotel. Btw, since the first day we got hotel's namecards in Chinese language of "Please Send Me To...", so we could just show it to the taxi drivers that mostly can not speak english.

On the morning we already packed all stuffs and checked out from the hotel (we can deposit luggages for a while), so we just stopped by hotel to take luggages then with the same cabs we went to Macau Ferry Terminal. We reached ferry terminal around 3 pm. There is Turbo Jet ferry Macau-HK every 30 minutes. Because the last check in is at least 30 minutes before departure, so we only could take the fastest Turbo Jet ferry on 4 pm. There are some promotions for Visa credit card. First one is buying 2 return tickets, get 1 return ticket free. The second one, can buy up to 6 tickets with 20% discount. Because we only have 2 Visa credit cards and there are 11 people of us, we took the second promotion. The trip to HK takes 45-60 minutes. And guess what when we reached HK ferry terminal... we got lost haha.

So there are 4 islands in HK: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Lantau Island and New Territories. Our hostel is located in Kowloon. We knew that there is ferry terminal in Kowloon, but we didn't check it again when we bought the tickets, we're just so sure that this ferry would go to Kowloon. Well actually it ended up at ferry terminal in Hong Kong Island, we bought the wrong ticket. Then because we're afraid it would be so expensive to take taxi, we bought Octopus card (minimum 50 HKD) for taking MTR from Sheung Wan to Mong Kok while carrying our big luggages.

Hopefully our hostel is quite near with Mong Kok MTR station. We're staying in Dragon Hostel, a famous backpacker hostel in HK. OK, the room is very small for 5 people inside, but I didn't care too much since we didn't have too much time in the hostel, and instead spending money on nice hotel I can save the money for shopping yay! After putting our bags, we directly went out to Avenue of Stars to catch Symphony of Lights show at 8 pm, where there would be lights flickering according to the music. To get there by MTR, alight at Tsim Sha Tsui Station then walk through Exit E. It will pass New World Center shopping center.

The show lasts about 15 minutes, unfortunately there's no fireworks that night. After it finished, we came into New World Center first looking for dinner then going back again to the waterfront promenade. It is very cold and windy, glad I brought my jacket. In Avenue of Stars, we could find printed hand and signature of HK movie artists like Jet Li and Andy Lau.

So this is it, our first night in Hong Kong.

(*)Courtesy to Arie for some pictures. Click the images for bigger view.