Browsing Category

Europe

Europe Hidup di Belanda Life

Ramadhan di Belanda

4th July 2016 - 7 min read

Nggak kerasa sudah memasuki hari ke-29 di bulan Ramadhan. Kalau dilihat ke belakang rasanya cepet juga dan sedih mau ninggalin bulan yang baik ini. Begitu banyak janji-janji yang belum bisa terselesaikan, seperti contohnya baca terjemahan hingga khatam. Tapi insha Allah masih punya waktu untuk nyelesein sampe tahun ini habis. Paling engga janjinya untuk nyelesaiin di tahun 2016. Bismillah, semoga masih diberikan kesempatan.

Alhamdulillah, kali ini Ramadhan-nya sedikit berbeda. YES I AM A MARRIED WOMAN NOW! hihi dan juga lokasi tempat tinggal yang berpindah ke Amsterdam (artinya lebih dekat dengan kantor dan bisa bangun sedikit lebih siang dari biasanya). Menjalani bulan Ramadhan sebagai istri itu sangat menyenangkan. Rasanya semangat setiap hari mikirin dan diskusi bareng mau buka pake apa. Seneng mau masak apa aja, ada yang dengan senang hati dan tulus ikhlas habisin. Sesederhana itu… 🙂 Di kantor bawaannya juga semangat, semangat buat pulang 😛 nggak sabar rasanya cepet-cepet sampai rumah dan cuddle sebentar. Biasanya Damar selalu tidur setelah jam kantor dan baru bangun jam 21.00 untuk bantuin saya masak. Sedangkan saya cuma tidur-tiduran sebentar terus bangkit dan “ngapa-ngapain”. Ya ngerjain projek, baca buku/berita, liat vlog terbaru dari vlogger yang menginspirasi atau dengerin podcast. Ohya dan pastinya, google untuk cari ide untuk berbuka. Biasanya saya cari di cookpad, tasty, masaktv, atau kokikutv, atau sebenernya simply google aja. Nggak bisa diem banget deh pokoknya walau agak lemas.

Kebetulan karena bulan Ramadhan terjadi di musim panas, puasa di Belanda jadi jauh lebih panjang dari puasa di Indonesia. Totalnya sekitar 19 jam, dari pukul 03.00-22.00. Setelah sebelumnya research, saya memutuskan untuk mengikuti puasa dari terbenam hingga tenggelamnya matahari. Dari hadist yang saya baca, kita baru boleh menjalankan puasa lebih pendek jika tidak ada waktu terbenam matahari, contoh seperti di negara-negara Scandinavia. Di kondisi seperti itu, kita boleh mengikuti jam buka di negara islam terdekat (Turki atau Arab). Tapi itu semua tergantung preferensi dan kepercayaan masing-masing ya, yang berpuasa mengikuti jam Indonesia juga adadan sah-sah aja. Tapi itulah indahnya perbedaan, kita cuma perlu toleransi dan menghormati. Karena bukannya itu poin penting bulan Ramadhan? Anyway, saya jadi sadar gimana powerful-nya the power of mind karena sebenernya semuanya itu bermula dari niat dan mindset. Saat kita yakin kita bisa, kita akan bener-bener bisa dan cari cara untuk menyempurnakan niat kita. Saya percaya bahwa segala sesuatu yang terjadi di hidup kita itu adalah hasil dari manifestasi proses kita meng-attract sesuatu yang baik untuk datang ke diri kita. Saat kita menjalankan sesuatu setengah-setengah, maka begitu pun juga hasil yang akan dituai.  Life has so many things to offerlet it offer you good things by thinking good. Saat kita bersyukur dan punya niat yang baik akan sesuatu, maka kita pun akan diberi lebih-lebih oleh hidup. Rasanya akan bahagia terus, karena kita jadi terbiasa melihat sesuatu dari perspektif yang baik.

Bagi saya, ajang puasa nggak cuma jadi ajang untuk beribadah tapi juga untuk mempromosikan agama islam. Bahwa islam nggak melulu hanya soal terorisme. Banyak teman-teman bule yang nanya tentang puasa, Ramadhan, dan alasan kenapa saya harus melakukannya. Ini kesempatan yang tepat banget untuk menjelaskan ke mereka tentang agama saya, gimana islam sangat mengedepankan kasih dan toleransi. Walaupun mereka selalu melihat saya dengan pandangan iba, sudah kering kurus kecil gini, tapi harus nggak makan dan minum selama 19 jam haha Saya berusaha ngejelasin dengan bahasa yang sesimpel dan nyampe ke pikiran mereka yang nggak percaya dengan Tuhan. Saya ngejelasin bahwa ini adalah  sarana untuk belajar ngekontrol pikiran kita, dan karena niat yang kuat saya jadi nggak ngerasa kesulitan (padahal kadang haus juga hahah). Saya bilang ke mereka bahwa saya juga jadi jauh lebih bersyukur dan nggak take things for granted karena saya menahan lapar dan haus seharian with knowing kalau malamnya saya bisa masak dan makan enak. Sedangkan orang-orang di negara bagian lain harus menahan rasa haus dan lapar endlessly karena mereka nggak tahu kapan bisa makan/ minum. Kolega-kolega saya di kantor sih mengangguk-angguku terkesima. Semoga itu membuka sedikit pikiran mereka bahwa ada contoh muslim yang menjalankan kewajibannya dan tetap open minded dengan segala perbedaan. Karena gimana-gimana saya adalah agen yang bisa membagikan hal-hal baik terhadap sesama.

Perbedaan puasa di Belanda di Indonesia

1. Panjang durasi- 19 jam

2. Ta’jil dn makanan buka yang harus disipakan dan bikin sendiri

3. Nggak ada kue kering! kecuali buat sendiri

4. Azan nggak akan kedengeran (karena disini dilarang) kecuali denger dari Youtube atau dari islamic Finder. Biasanya kita melototin jam kalau udah deket-deket waktu buka

5. Dulu di Indonesia, saat Ramadhan kita semua berlomba-lomba untuk tarawih di masjd. Kalau disini, kecuali mau begadang dan nggak tidur, baru bisa. Karena tarawihnya pukul 12 malam

6. Jarak antara berbuka dan sahur hanya 4 jam

7. Suasana kosong melompong, biasa aja kaya nggak ada apa-apa kecuali tinggal di neighborhood orang Turki atau Maroko

By the way, kemarin saya seneng deh akhirnya tercapai untuk bikin kue kering. Kemarin bikin Nastar dan Putri Salju (dari Resep NCC dan dari resep sahabat saya, Tania). Enakkkkk, tapi cuma bikin setoples dan nggak boleh dimakan sampai Hari Raya. Di sini, ambience Ramadhan dan hari Raya cuma bisa diciptkan sendiri, dan saya bersuka cita sekali melakukannya. Rencananya pengen bawa manis-manis ke kantor hari Kamis nanti untuk berbagi ke mereka dan untuk cerita bahwa saya sukses berpuasa sebulan penuh (minus seminggu). Di Belanda itu sebutan hari Raya adalah Suiker Feest (english: Sugar Festival), so it’s always associated to a day full with sweets, hence the plan. Ah we’ll see!

WhatsApp-Image-20160702 (1) WhatsApp-Image-20160704

Europe Iceland

Iceland Tips and Itinerary

13th February 2016 - 9 min read

I just literally got back this morning from my journey in Iceland. Actually, our journey.. My boyfriend and his 2 siblings came along to make the experience merrier, better, and more memorable. As much as how exhausted I am at the moment, I cannot wait to share the amazing experience we all went through in Iceland. Before I forgot the little details, I might as well just jot down everything in writing, hoping that someone reads it and getting inspired.

It started years back when I set Iceland as a must-go destination. I want to witness the phenomenon of Aurora Borealis with my bare eyes. That’s all! Why Iceland? A lot of my friends have been there to catch Aurora, and besides I think the island is no-mainstream at that moment, unlike Norway and Finland. When I looked up about this Island/country on the internet, it captivated me even more with the hidden gems it has. Everywhere is about nature and it was its volcanic activity that is thought to have created Iceland. The pocket of magma that sits beneath Iceland is thought to be what created the island, as hot lava rose to the surface of the ocean, where it cooled and gradually accumulated into an island beginning about 70 million years ago.

Below is some general tips per our experience:

  • Ticket: I bought the flight ticket back in September with WOW air  for 200 eur/return. It’s considered as a normal price but I guess you don’t have to buy far in advance. Because in the winter time, the price will approximately be the same. Damar and fam bought the ticket on January and the price is fairly the same. 
  • Extra luggage: We bought one baggage (30 eur/ 20 kg/ one way) and split the expense to 4 of us, as we’d stay for a week in Iceland. I suggest to bring some convenient food (rice, indomie, tea, coffee, etc) from the Netherlands to cut down some expense and to ease the journey because we did road trip and it was a long long quite road, you could not find a supermarket/store that easily. So it’s good to always have snacks and food with you. As Asian, we always demand rice 😛 and proper meal. This way we do not have to worry to get hungry and get ill by the freezing weather. For 4 people, it was worth the expense. They say cabin maximum is 5 kg, but you can bring up to 7 kg. But not more than that. For luggage, it can be up to 21-22 kg.
  • Packing: It’s not necessary to change or dress up everyday in the cold weather (-4), you will not be sweating. Trust me, nobody would care what we were wearing. So, for a week, I just brought
    • 1 ski pant and 1 jogger (for the flight, don’t ask, but I always wear jogger/training on board)
    • Couple of sweaters
    • Socks for at home and outside, underwear, and did not forget my body thermal for beneath pants and tops, gloves, beanies
    • Toiletries: Moisturizer is a must and so is lipbalm! otherwise the skin and lips will get dry and itchy. The rests are usually as complimentary in the stay
    • Swimsuit: Because I stayed at the places with hot tub in their front yard and because we went to Blue Lagoon (which is a must)
    • Food/spices/ingredients
    • Lunch box and water bottle, for having lunch on the way. We always cooked in the stay and brought our lunch in the lunch box. Trust me! I did not regret the effort, because it is really uneasy to find a stop place in the road especially for us who has our preferences what to eat to be considered full during the day aka eating rice! 😛
    • Medicines
  • Exchange to Icelandic Krona? I don’t think it’s necessary. They all accept maestro debit card and credit card. You will be good to go!
  • Rent a car: Damar got his driving license recently. Thank God!! I am glad he did and I am glad we could rent a car. With car, there’s no time constrain, everything is at your convenient. Especially, when you wanted to stay at the remote area (like us) to be in the nature and catch aurora at night. The car is not pricey, gas price is fair, and we never payed any parking lot fee. Just make sure that in the stay, there’s an easily accessible and free parking lot. All the attraction places we went have free parking lot as well. Also they accept national driving license. Most of the rental car company requires at least 1 year validity of your driving license except Thrifty (a company where we rented the car from 😛 since Damar only received his like a week before our trip). A tip: A lot of people wonder about getting the two-wheeled or four-wheeled drive. If you want to go off road or go to a rough terrain, you should go get the four-wheeled especially in the winter. But we decided to get the two-wheeled considering our destinations. Price is 200 eur different for a week! 

It is handy to check on the road.is for the traffic, maps and the weather as well. Travellers should prepare well for each trip               and know its trail and route conditions. Often, the nature would give a tricky condition, like snow storm, slippery road, etc,             this can be anticipated by checking the road.

  • Itinerary and expenses for a week: We made the itinerary via  Tripomatic. I am thankful to know this trip planner website from my dear Turkish friend of mine, Cansu. It’s user friendly and you could see the map easily as well also the place/Lenmarc where you can choose, you can enter the hotel also and see it as a big overview so you know what to expect in regards to the duration, distance, etc.  However, I will break it down anyway as follows along with the expenses. We chose the route of the famous GOLDEN CIRCLE, so we only stayed in the south and did not go to the North. It’s one way or the other, for a week time, Golden Circle route is just perfect.

Itinerary1

                So it’s around 600 euro per person including the plane ticket for a week. It’s money well-spent!!!

AqnxPcHdnQYEFJuo_wvqmK37eNgPk7_pC3p7VwJsEmc7

AsltYmMAJ2mW8a6-XWxSZZehw3P8zEPK3ayNcpiFuPjMAhNYISGJoM_wyJSNVEpgqUWBjsrmkGTOlBmghn59YU_Y

AuC-tpdbXM-B83kqtr-BvY506H063mVg71Rs5NUS16wa AsVZjBO3D6LPHSHubZ5p5JJX1uNHOQaQJHwoN6UE5R3d AtwujwkOftCCv60V433FFJQOmKisU5fGR5uDNHua5pgL

Dreams Europe Iceland

Day by Day in Iceland

13th February 2016 - 15 min read

Day 1

We arrived at 14.30 pm local time Iceland and pick up the car in he airport. First time the plane landed in the airport and saw outside, I felt like in the other planet. Everywhere was white, there were no trees, and the area seemed really quite. I sat down in the plane next to 2 American people. Yes, I did not sit next to Damar nor his siblings as we checked in pretty late. Apparently, now there’s a stop over from or to the States. That explains why there are a lot of Americans in the flight. A tip also for WOW air, they do not have online check in, but you can reserve the seat online when you book the ticket. Else, you need to come early for the check in to have a nice seat as wished.

We drove to our stay in the centre of Reykjavijk. It took approximately 40-45 minutes driving. We arrived and took a rest.. I cooked dinner and we all stayed in bed until the next day.

Day 2

We checked out before 10 am and drove to the National Park in Thingevellir. In the summer of 2000, two severe earthquakes occurred in South Iceland. Though their source lay 40-50 kilometres southeast of Þingvellir, stones fell from the ravine walls and water splashed up from the rifts. The water in the Flosagjá rift, normally crystal clear, became so murky that you couldn’t see the coins lying on the bottom. The earthquakes were a result of movement of the Eurasian and North-American plate boundaries that run through Iceland. In the south, the plates inch past each other, but at Þingvellir, they break apart and the land between subsides. In here, divers can go to the plates of 2 continents at the same time. The view there was also amazing. It’s just the weather was freezing up to minus 4.

Al2basoReLYjVPXm9-0Dja29YAoRLTRPTuo76-svy0RV

Then, we continued to Geysir. Eruptions at Geysir can hurl boiling water up to 70 metres in the air. However, eruptions may be infrequent, and have in the past stopped altogether for years at a time. The explosion was every 5-8 minutes. Just wait there and you will get the moment 🙂

Ahi_zDodUDfin1zQ1K-ic-5_6t6jPneArZKDALy94L6z (1)

We had a little coffee break in Geysir, so far Geysir has the most convenient waiting/break place with huge store and cafetaria, and proper toilet. Afterwards, we continued to Gulfoss. Gulfoss means Golden Waterfall. It was really cold, the wind was killing. I felt like if I did not properly wear hiking shoes, I would have flown away by the wind.

An5dqdtbB4XH9J9xv5FdZJ7uoecPfQEEJho8fAaDbRh2

AvDFPdGMau-qMYXf_8bWRzCVc2ZTahnErjN7uBx8ALtY

We did not stay that long in Gulfoss, because of the cold. We just stayed for 15-20 mins and we came back to the car. We drove away to our next airbnb stay, the owner’s name was Magnus. He prepared some fishes at home, that’s what we ate for Dinner. Iceland is very rich with its seafood, thus we were pretty sure the salmon was something he randomly caught. We were honored! This place also has hot tub at the back of the house, Magnus said that we did not have to be careful using the water because it’s unlimited and they have plenty of water. I believe it’s because of the geothermal power that Iceland is rich with. We were enjoying the hot tub until dinner time. Feeling soooooo good! Oh btw, do not mind the smelly water, especially the hot water as it is full with sulfur. This is not drinkable, but the cold water is.

That night we saw the aurora and this is the night where I was proposed 🙂 See the story and picture here

Day 3

We moved on to the next place. We drove towards Kerid Creter Lake. It is a volcanic crater lake located in the Grimsnese area in south Iceland. Again, the wind was pretty scary for a little girl for me. The trail was a little slippery too. The timberland shoes I borrowed from a friend has a proper grip to the ground, it helped a lot to walk. Damar wore just vans and he slipped a few times, more over when the canvas caught the snow, it would absorb and his feet would get freezing.

 

20160212133932

AuebtDLxFP8OrZ1FsSn3Fs_e1tuwPnfy2O7rGNnE6nGE

There was literally nothing in this place, but a person who manages entrance fee and the lake itself. No toilet nor cafetaria, so you better have your break before this or prepare to have it after. Almost all the places in Iceland precaution the visitors to visit at our own risks, and hospital is usually far from all these attractions. So, better be careful. Better safe than sorry!

We had lunch on the way facing the good view and continued to Selandjafoss

Al4SEq8tr6qzSDQdRGbu3InbgekZ0LfkRVA76vfQgbIk

Satisfied with what we saw, we drove to our stay in Hvollsvollur for like an 1/2 hour. This night is the night where we saw the dancing light in the sky and second time we saw aurora. We woke up at 2 am and drove to a quite place where there were no lights disturbing our sights.

Day 4

We drove from our stay in Hvollsvollur to the Sulfoss waterfall for an hour.  We spent around 1 hour and took some pictures.

AksQs4c63wtE22em3xEn-R9HCmARYKOLOpsE_sVF18qR

We then continued to Black beach which is located in the village Vik. The black sands in the side street greeted us, then we knew we were nearby the place.In 1991, the US journal Islands Magazine counted this beach as one of the ten most beautiful beaches on Earth. Its stretch of black basalt sand is one of the wettest places in Iceland. The cliffs west of the beach are home to many seabirds, most notably puffins which burrow into the shallow soils during the nesting season (source: Wikipedia).

AiIFDmyUWq8_W-x3QTJpEYQhVWl_AtVd_p3N76zrr7EZ AgU51IG_nYMDzXpC8QumumSD8KIsPqK4slmtCz-_u6tx

Here Damar bought me a postcard, as I have been collecting for sometimes. You could see little cafetaria and toilet, please please optimize the toilet when you see it, because it’s not easy to find a toilet in the street. Or you have to stop and pee in the snow, it’s obviously no problem for boys, but it’s difficult for me.

After we did the routine in the stop, took pictures etc, we went to Skaftafell. We did not go to the national park, we went to Svinafellsjokull glacier instead. The Svinafellsjokull ( ” Pigs Mountain Glacier “) is a small glacier tongue of the huge Vatnajökull in the south of Iceland. The Svinafellsjokull sandwiched east of the Hafrafell and west of the mountains Svínafellsfjall . The melt water via the Svínafellsá and then Skeiðará discharged to sea . This Skeiðará flows with very many arms by the huge Skeiðarársandur. (Source: wikipedia). I suggested to arrive there before getting dark because of the quite place and the slippery mountain. When  we were there, we saw a plate commemoration of 2 young people of age 23 who went missing after climbing the Vatnajokul mountain and saw the last time around the glacier area. Goosebumps got into me quickly..

We were there until sunset, it was beautiful. Not so many tourists in the area, no toilet, nothing, just the beauty of nature itself and a little parking lot.

AgQDwUQ0ioQnEEm1ZNOLJB0toqbxhFSg_4tH2qrmuinG

AuUa-rWDhBL7XRcBj0yfSSvygaW8viDug_3kKOC0BQQA

On the way back was a little scary, because the wind was really hard and I could feel the car moved by the wind to the other side. Moreover, the snow particles that were blown to our car direction made the sight radius was not more than 3 meters. It was super dark already and it was only our car in the long road, sometimes we would see another car passing us and then gone with the darkness by the split second. I was getting sensitive thinking that anything could have happened and would be difficult especially if you were alone so a few times when we saw a car pulled over and started their hazard, we would come over and asked if they were okay. Because that’s what we would have expected to be asked if we were in a problem. I think strangers don’t matter, because in the wild road, there’s no citizenship or shame, but humanity. Luckily, we could arrive in Hofn town safe and sound at 20.30.

Day 5

We had to drive back to Reykavijk and it was 4 hours distance. We had to entertain ourselves in that long journey, thankfully the road or traffic was far away from stress because the road was in a good condition and not so many cars. So Damar could enjoy the drive with his automatic engine car. We played a lot of things from charade to words guess to english dictionary. It helped quiet a bit to get us out from boredom and killed the time.  On our way to Reykavijk, we made a stop over at Jokulsarlon glacier, just half an hour from our stay in Hofn. 

We could see the seals swimming and we could see some frozen plates in the see surface. Very beautiful 

At7O8l88eEagrwvMaPBCoWql8kKB0kuWmFSK18l2vmNA

And we continued driving and dancing in the car……………….

Until we finally arrived to the most beautiful place we have ever stayed so far. It’s in the remote area, in the middle nowhere, but nature (mountain, sea where you can see the seals in the side playing). It is highly recommended! Because of its remote area, not so many human life there, hence not so many lights. It was really dark after the sunset.. Very peaceful. And you could easily find aurora without having to drive somewhere else. You could just jump outside and witness the powerful earth beauty. That is what we did in the midnight….. Damar made a beautiful timelapse that we will share in our wedding invitation video 🙂

Here is the link of the airbnb place click

Day 6

The next day, we just relaxed and did nothing in the stay. In the morning,  Damar and I went to the supermarket (20 mins from our place) to buy some groceries for Barbeque night as the stay is equipped with proper electric grill in their veranda. We went back and enjoy the hot tub until the sun was set. What a relaxing last day.

ArKUlUdMyg7zPSx8I1SLPXotY3_gQSQ7UmVmuhPFsv2w

Day 7

We get ready to go to the Blue Lagoon, a must go place in between the airport and Reykavijk. We had to drive like an hour to get us to the lagoon. We got the timeslot at 10 in the morning, just when it’s open. Note: Always book the entrance ticket far away in advance, don’t risk and buy it there, the chance for sold out is incredibly high. The price is 55 euro, I just noticed I did not put this on the expenses. Oops! We took the comfort package contains towel, a drink, complimentary silica mud and algea masks. While standard was really only the ticket to get in. Comfort package is definitely worth it!

Reserve the ticket here

Another tip is to not wear lenses as the sea salt water could melt the lenses and got you a sever eye irritation. I read this before I went there, and it was worth to know, because even with bare eyes it very hurts to have a contact with the water. Also, bring a bottle of water for drinks to prevent from dehydration.

Blue Lagoon is the best way to close this trip, we went off happily and relaxed!

AkHGE3dOqq3q5HAUzSgeIyV1abMGLbq26KXU3r3PNcbo AqQUiKAnz_KJ16jtqgQCnXMYedwW28bET9HEPZIrHn_T

Day 8

Off we go home!!!! For me, this is a very memorable trip. Not only because I came back engaged, but also because everything I experienced in Iceland was like no others.Up until recently, Iceland had been off the radar! With tourism on the rise, GO NOW before too many travelers find out about it! All weather are amazing! What is also fantastic about Iceland is connecting with other nationalities from all over the world, which gives Iceland a true international flavor.. It is one safe and convenient travel where everybody speaks english properly. Do not worry for a thing, Iceland is very developed and rich.

Read a nice Huffington Post 12 Things I love about Iceland article

Europe Iceland Love life Milestone Resolutions

Aurora Tips

12th February 2016 - 6 min read

Seeing aurora is the main purpose why I wanted to go to Iceland. Everything that has been written on my journal as a bucket list or resolution has a special place in my heart. This journey I planned with Damar couple of months ago as we shared the same dream: witnessing aurora with our bare eyes. It was even better when in between the day of buying the ticket and the departure day, we decided to date. Nice to know that my partner and I are in the same direction and has the same wish.

We are really lucky that in the 2nd day of our stay we can already witness the aurora even just a little. The tricky part of seeing aurora is that ones’ eyes have to be really sensitive and someone needs to really into it and keep on checking the forecast. Fortunately, we have Damar in our group 🙂 He is really concerned and did a lot of research until he could see where was the aurora even if it’s not that visible with our eyes. Aurora can be visible only in the darkness and around midnight and after. If it was not because of Damar, I am not sure we could have this wonderful experience. Although, there is of course Northern light tour in Iceland that will guide you in seeing the aurora, but we did not want that.

The aurora activity when we were there was only in level 2-4 out of 9. This is already good, the scientists who predict the aurora activity are very coutious about their predictions. Most of the year it never go up above 4. It was an incredible experience. Something that I will always remember, even thought it could not be captured by camera.

Here are some tips from Damar, at least how he prepared for it:

  • Check www.vedur.is  for the forecast, what you need to see from this is the aurora activity and the cloud coverage (see below). The one on the right is the aurora activity and the map is the cloud coverage. Bear in mind that the aurora activity shown here is per day. So we actually didn’t know whether the activity was 5 in early Sunday 01:00 AM or late night 11:00 PM. You can scroll below the map to see the cloud on your location within a  certain period of time. You can also see the moon phase, of course dead moon is better than a full moon. Full moon will hinder your sight of the aurora. We saw the biggest activity when it was level 4, we had no cloud above us, and it was on a dead moon. Although we also saw it when it was just level 2.Aurora forecast
  • He downloaded 2 apps in his iphone which basically do the same thing. They are called Aurora Forecast and Aurora (I downloaded the free version, it is enough). What these two apps provided but not the vedur.is is the exact aurora activity per 15 minutes for the next 1 hour. This was very convenient, we went out looking when the aurora activity is above 2 for the next hour.
  • This is perhaps the most important tip, just go out! The chance of you seeing the aurora is significantly higher outside than inside a house. We drove to somewhere where there are very little city lights if the aurora activity is above 2 and the sky is clear. Then just look north because the aurora should be there.
  • There is cctv outdoor (earth cam), where you can see from inside what the sky looks like outside. But it’s limited and no freedom to see the surroundings. Damar did not end up using this that much
  • Have your clothes ready in case you need to get out of the house to catch the aurora in the midnight
  • Prepare your camera, we used DSLR which capture more light so it’s more visible in the camera than with eyes. If you understand a little bit on how to use the DSLR camera, Damar used manual mode with high aperture of f4.5 and long exposure of 25 seconds, and of course a tripod to make your camera steady during those 25 seconds. I tried with my Iphone and it failed big time
  • Oh and you might want to plan something special for your loved one like how Damar did to me…….. Go on to the Aurora story

AsETbgVgo5jBsVWaK8L_tP6xbiyQF_z5f39H8loz9NqIAs8HQfBthsU0zywKjDV-wTfBMpDlvzfmQP67akRbZUvsIMG_7990IMG_7768 Av4K9-ID5i_zZRTMYPUIPX-ZOFnOkJveSbMZ5mcHhVdI

Dreams Europe Iceland Love life Milestone Wedding Series

And under the Aurora he bended knee

12th February 2016 - 4 min read

It was the second day of our trip when Damar set up his tripod and camera outside to create a timelapse.  I was waiting and falling asleep on the couch while he was busy with his camera, so did his siblings.

1 hour later, he got hysterical when he discovered his camera caught the aurora passing by the sky. He knew that in midnight it would appear again. He got me all excited in my exhaustion and sleepiness. It was 23.00 pm.

I went to the bathroom, brushed my teeth, cleaned up and changed to pajamas, got ready to sleep. Couple of minutes after, Damar was coming and half screaming saying that the Aurora appeared again and asked me to change and get ready to go out. I was super lazy, but then I remembered why I came to Iceland, this might be the only chance. So I quickly wore my socks and winter gears. We tried to wake Damar’s siblings but they did not move, so we took the car and went out to the quite field, just 5 mins from our stay.

The aurora was there, not that strong but I could see a little bit of the lights. I knew it was not a normal cloud or sky. It was the spectacular show of the earth, it was THE aurora. While Damar was busy setting up his tripod and camera, I was busy admiring the sky. He set the timer and came to me, we took picture together facing the aurora. What a dream comes true!!

He went to the camera and set the timer again while I was still busy facing the sky. He came next to me…. and all of the sudden, there he was bending on his knee…………………… I looked at his face, he was looking at me with his usual loving sight, haltingly making his promise to me through his beautiful speech. I could not say anything, but cried.

Did not see that coming..

And the questions came, he asked ‘will you marry me?’. I said firmly ‘YES’.

And yes, we are engaged. We are getting married. This year.

I am very grateful that I am going to marry a man of my dream. Someone who never is selfish, care about my opinion, and ultimately about my dreams. He apparently planned this for quite a while. The ring he chose was also something that I always wanted, 3 stones vintage art deco ring from 30-40s. I am one lucky woman 🙂

The happiness is beyond measure. Alhamdulillah…

It’s the start of our journey. I cannot wait to start the life with him.

AhCwX_BymjwO6xvEktDN4pTG2lAo9pPhafv7Q41rbN9r

Aqiw1_TuSSH34c5c0D3IWcr0smXApxiuXBRskOc_5Ael

AoHtYVjDoYjKKwzONTRNvtnLOiiFLK16yM3JFeaRNqV_

 

 

Europe Netherlands

Jalan-jalan ke Pasar Natal di Valkenburg, Limburg

27th December 2015 - 5 min read

Valkenburg is a Christmas town in the Netherlands. In 2014 the event attracted, welcomed by the US television network CNN was placed on a list of “twelve best places to spend Christmas” more than a million visitors (source: Wikipedia).

Akhir tahun nggak harus kok jalan-jalan ke luar negeri (sebenernya alesannya karena budget constrain sih haha). Jalan-jalan mengeksplor Belanda juga nggak kalah serunya, karena sebenernya banyak tempat yang masih belum dikunjugi. Kebetulan di selatan Belanda, perayaan natalnya relatif meriah mengingat mayoritas penduduk mereka masih memeluk agama Kristen secara kuat. Daerah Limburg seperti Maastricht dan Valkenburg, termasuk tujuan utama turis lokal maupun asing untuk merasakan suasana natal. Kerstmarkt (Pasar Natal) di Maastricht adalah pasar natal yang paling ok di Belanda, sedangkan di Valkenburg adalah yang paling unik karena pasarnya ada di dalam Goa. Kerstmarkt itu sebenarnya adalah origin Jerman dan memang pasar Natal di Jerman sangat besar, marak dan banyak makanan enak-enak, seperti wafel, churros, roti-roti, cokelat. Tapi sekali lagi, karena budget constrain, akhirnya aku memutuskan untuk menetap di Belanda aja dan menjelajah apa yang ada. Pilihanku jatuh ke Valkenburg, karena keunikan pasar natal di dalam goanya. Dan memang Valkenburg itu benar-benar kota natal, terbukti dari rute natal yang disiapkan oleh pemerintahnya. Rute natal itu sebagai berikut, fyi Valkenburg itu kota kecil bangettttt, jadi kemana-mana bisa jalan kaki…

Cable car

Ini tujuan pertama kita karena kita sampai pukul 15.30 dan cable car ini tutup pukul 17.00. Letaknya di Wilhelmina tower. Ini salah satu hal yang bikin aku excited haha terakhir aku naik cable car itu di jakarta kayanya, di Dufan dan itupun aku minta turun cepet-cepet. Takut! Aku sekarang berani bukan karena ketakutanku hilang, tapi karena ketakutanku bisa dimanage 😛 Cable car ini untuk naik ke tower di atas. Disini ada magic sand dan slide ride. Aku ga masuk ke magic sand tapi ikut naik slide ride, seru banget.

IMG_3505 IMG_3517IMG_3526IMG_4046

 

Christmas Gemeentegrot

Ini nama dari pasar natal di bawah gua yang paling terkenal dan besar di Valkenburg. Guaini dijadikan pasar semenjak kira-kira tahun 80an. Sayang sekali, waktu kita kesana kemarin pasarnya sudah tutup. Sedih.. Tapi kira-kira bisa kebayang kaya gimana, di dalem. Kita jadinya cuma foto diluar dan kita ke Pasar Natal yang outdoor.

IMG_4091

Makan di A en B Thai Restaurant

Enak bangetttt. Sangat autentik..

IMG_3533

Christmas Parade
Parade Natal ini sebenernya 2 kali seminggu (Rabu dan Sabtu) dan terjadi di hari kita mengunjungi Valkenburg. Tapi pukul 19.30, takut kemalaman, jadi setelah dinner kita bergegas pulang. Tapi kita tetep melewati rute natal dan mampir ke pasar natal yang diluar.

IMG_3527 IMG_3536

IMG_3534

Santa’s Village

Foto di bawah ini adalah foto pintu masuk Santa’s village dimana Pasar natal outdoor bertempat.


IMG_4148

 

In a nutshell, I loveeee Valkenburg. It’s perfect for a day trip. I felt like I was out of country for a bit, karena bangunan yang berbeda, lampu-lampu, juga letak kotanya yang jauh (3 jam dari Den Haag) dan mepet sama border ke Jerman. Not too shabby at all! It’s my kind of city, petite and quite….

Europe Hidup di Belanda Life Netherlands Thoughts

Dutch – Indo Cross Culture

21st December 2015 - 10 min read

Setelah resmi keluar dari pekerjaan, aku punya waktu 2 minggu untuk berlibur sebelum mulai bekerja di TOMS. Aku memutuskan untuk nggak berlibur ke luar negeri, mengingat bulan Februari aku berencana untuk berlibur musim dingin untuk mencari Aurora di Islandia, jadi sekarang waktunya untuk menabung karena katanya Islandia itu mahal banget. Dan juga, di pekerjaan  baruku, bulan Januari nanti, ada beberapah hal yang aku harus pelajari untuk menunjukan performa maksimal hihi maklum anak baru. Selain itu juga, aku sedang dalam proses mendapatkan permanen residen di Belanda. Dan step yang harus aku ambil adalah mengambil tes Inburgeren (Bahasa Belanda). Tesku dijadualkan tanggal 8 Januari, jadilah aku harus mempersiapkan tes yang jumlahnya 6 itu.

Jadi ceritanya kemarin aku lagi latihan di website inburgeren.nl. Dan banyak menemukan pertanyaan tentang perbedaan kultur Belanda dan negara asalku. Asik juga kayanya nulis diblog tentang ini.. Terutama buat orang-orang yang berencana tinggal sementara, sekolah atau menetap lama di Belanda. Ini bisa jadi persiapan dan antisipasi untuk cross cultural barrier.

Jadi menurut kesimpulan aku yang sudah beberapa tahun tinggal di Belanda, berikut adalah perbedaan paling menonjol dari kultur budaya Indonesia dan Belanda:

1. Belanda itu tepat waktu. Indonesia suka telat

Indonesia terbiasa dengan orang-orang yang nggak menjaga janjinya. Telat itu adalah sesuatu yang lumrah. Saat sesuatu dianggap normal, maka pada saat itulah perkembangan kultur baru akan melejit. Semua orang akan berpikir, kalau semua telat, kenapa kita harus ontime? Orang jadi meremehkan arti waktu dan jadi memiliki asumsi tertentu kalau acaranya pasti telat, pasti molor dsb. Aku pun juga begitu, karena kalau semua orang terlambat, acaranya pasti molor, dan kalau kita nggak ikut acara sampai selesai, kitu juga ikut rugi. Serba salah yah.. Yang jelas kalau disini, orang sangat menghargai waktu dan semua terencana dengan baik. Aku tidak menyalahkan, mungkin banyak faktor eksternal di Indonesia yang membuat terlambat, seperti macet atau tidak adanya jadwal transportasi publik yang jelas, jadi pada akhirnya semua orang menghadapi masalah yang sama. Sedangkan disini, semuanya tersedia online dan memungkinkan untuk merencakan perjalanan. Mungkin saat Indonesia sudah memiliki ini semua, mentalitas soal waktu juga bisa ikut dibenahi. Mudah2an… Tapi tetep, menurut aku telat itu adalah pilihan, bukan alasan.

2. Belanda itu direct. Indonesia suka ngalor ngidul dan pemalu

Dulu saat pertama kali aku sampai di Belanda, teman satu grup pernah konfrontasi soal kecewanya dia saat aku nggak membela dia di suatu grup diskusi. Saat itu kelihatan dari mimik mukanya kalau dia marah banget. Tapi setelah itu dia baik lagi, mengajak makan bersama di kantin. Aku kaget karena nggak biasa menerima konfrontasi langsung. Bingung harus ngapain. Tapi karena dia santai, aku pun juga santai. Di Belanda, orang akan menyatakan maksudnya pada saat itu juga. Iya iya, enggak enggak. Kalau nggak suka mereka akan bilang, begitupun sebaliknya. Tapi yang aku suka dari mereka, direct-nya mereka nggak menyebabkan fraksi di hubungan profesional atau pertemanan. Nggak ada yang taken personally.. Positifnya dari kebiasaan ini adalah, aku jadi tau secara jelas maunya apa dan harus ekspektasi seperti apa. Juga, aku jadi nggak usah bingung dengan hipokrasi, karena saat mereka bilang A, maksud mereka adalah A, bukan ABCDE…. Saat mereka bilang mau membantu, mereka akan mengerahkan segenap jiwanya untuk membantu. Bukan menawar-nawari dengan setengah hati berharap tawaran bantuannya ditolak, hanya karena menawari adalah hal yang benar haha pengalaman pribadi.

 3. Di Belanda, semua orang punya hak dan diperlakukan dengan sama. Di Indonesia, tergantung bawaannya apa

Mau kamu naik mobil, naik sepeda, naik angkot, dll, semua akan diperlakukan sama. Nggak banyak yang namanya kesenjangan sosial disini. Jadi jarang tuh ada orang pamer setelah dia beli tas Hermes atau mobil Lamborghini. Kalaupun mereka punya, mereka akan biasa saja, karena pertemanan atau pemberian servis di toko atau mall tidak didasari dari bagaimana orang berpenampilan dan dari status seseorang tersebut.

4. Di Belanda, cara hidup mereka sangat individual. Di Indonesia, sangat berbasis kekeluargaan dan gotong royong

Orang Asia khususnya indonesia, suka banget sama yang namanya kumpul-kumpul, arisan, makan-makan. Saat kamu tinggal di suatu perumahan di Indonesia, kamu akan mengenal tetangga sekitarmu dan mereka akan dengan senang hati menerima kamu. Itu adalah salah satunya pilihan yang bisa dilakukan dan juga the right thing to do. Di Belanda, mereka punya pilihan untuk terbuka atau tidak. Di Indonesia, saat terjadi sesuatu dengan kita, kita merasa tenang karena orang-orang disekiling sangat ramah dan mengenal kita. Sedangkan di Belanda, orang-orangnya cenderung tertutup dan hanya akan terbuka dengan teman yang sudah dikenalnya lama. Disini kita harus sedikit berhati-hati, karena orang Indonesia cenderung banyak omong dan juga suka berkomentar. Orang-orang bule tidak terlalu mengapresiasi hal ini, apalagi kalau belum dekat.

5. Di Belanda orang-orangnya perhitungan. Di Indonesia sangat royal.

Orang Indonesia menganut faham banyak memberi banyak rejeki. Hal ini juga diajarkan di agama. Sedangkan di Belanda, planning adalah everything, mereka tidak biasa mengeluarkan sesuatu yang tidak terplanning atau untuk sesuatu yang hukumnya nggak wajib. Saat kamu diundang oleh orang Belanda di suatu acara, jangan lupa makan dulu dari rumah, karena mereka biasanya tidak menjamu tamunya dengan makanan. Hanya minuman dan snack ringan. Ada cerita lucu dari kakakku yang diundang ke pernikahan temannya orang Belanda. Untuk kita, pernikahan adalah ajang makan makanan-makanan enak dan gratis. Jadilah, dia berangkat dengan perut kosong. Eh ternyata, di acara pernikahan itu tidak sedikitpun makanan disuguhkan. Hanya minuman keras, soft drink air putih, juga cheese dan olive. HAHAHAH Dan itu saat musim dingin, jadi dia pulang kedinginan dengan perut kosong. Akhirnya besoknya dia masuk angin.

6. Di Belanda, acara ulang tahun, adalah acara untuk menyelamati semua orang dan duduk melingkar. Di Indonesia, acara ulang tahun adalah untuk menjamu tamu undangan 

Saat diundang di acara ulang tahun orang Belanda di rumah, kamu harus masuk dan menyelamati semua orang yang ada di rumah itu dengan ucapan ‘gefeliciteerd’.  Ini adalah tradisi Belanda. Di dalam rumah akan tersedia kursi-kursi melingkar, minuman, dan juga kacang atau chips. Setelah itu disambut dengan obrolan-obrolan, kemudian pamit pulang. Bosen yah? Sedangkan di Indonesia sebaliknya banget. Ah yaaa, dan di Indonesia saat kamu mengundang orang ke acara ulang tahunmu di luar rumah, maka yang bertanggung jawab membayar adalah orang yang mengundang. Di Belanda, orang yang mengundang atau ulang tahun-lah yang harusnya ditraktir. Lucu ya…

7. Di Belanda, kamu bisa berteman dan hang out bareng dengan bos. Bisa ngomong apa aja ke dia. Di Indonesia boro-boro…

Di Belanda, kamu bisa panggil guru atau bos kamu dengan nama depan mereka. Berpengalaman kerja di Belanda, membuat aku jadi mengerti bahwa hierarki itu hanya struktur organisasi yang nggak membuat kita nggak bisa berteman dengan bos kita. Mereka bukan orang yang suka dipuja-puja, hal yang berkebalikan sekali di Indonesia.

8. Planning is everything, agenda di tangan. Indonesia angin-anginan

Semua orang disini punya agenda di tangan. Jaman sekarang sudah pake ponsel yaaa, jadi nggak perlu buku lagi. Orang Belanda sangat menghargai waktu, jadi mereka membuat rencana hari-harinya dengan baik. Itulah mengapa mereka selalu menepati janji, karena waktu mereka terencana dan dibukukan. Jadi saat mereka membuat janji dengan seseorang, mereka akan cross check dulu dengan agendanya dan tidak ada yang namanya membatalkan di hari yang sama atau 1 jam sebelum ketemu. Jangan kaget kalau buat janji dengan orang Belanda, biasanya mereka sudah memiliki jadwal sebulan atau dua bulan ke depan. Dari sisi ini, aku suka banget, karena aku dasarnya emang perencana, jadi hal ini aku adopsi dengan cukup baik.

9. Di Belanda gift giving bisa menciptakan ketidaknyamanan, di Indonesia gift giving sangat lumrah

Ini terkait lagi dengan orang-orang Indonesia yang suka memberi dan loyal. Dengan atau tanpa tendensi, orang Indonesia suka sekali memberi dan membuat orang lain senang. Seperti contohnya oleh-oleh souvenir yang harus dibawa saat pergi jalan-jalan. Seperti mamaku, semua orang di kompleks harus dapet. Satu sisi, memberi adalah habit yang baik selama itu tidak merepotkanmu sendiri. Lain halnya dengan orang Belanda, aku pernah cuma ngasih teh 1 kotak ke salah satu kolega karena aku tau teh itu baik buat dia yang susah tidur. Dengan sopan dia bilang, terima kasih sekali tapi lain kali jangan membelikan dia apa-apa, karena itu membuat dia nggak nyaman.  Uhmm okayyyy.. Orang Belanda akan merasa harus membalas budi jika menerima sesuatu dari orang lain tanpa occasion tertentu (ulang tahun, dll)

Seru banget sih punya pengalaman hidup di 2 negara yang bertolak belakang tapi juga punya banyak keterkaitan. Pikiran aku jadi lebih terbuka dan nggak gampang menghakimi. Dunia ituu kaya bangettt.. Akan sangat baik, jika kita bisa eksplor dan meninggalkan hati di beberapa tempatnya.

 

Netherlands Thoughts

Setidaknya untuk aku

13th December 2015 - 5 min read

Musim dingin datang lagi perlahan menapaki bumi Eropa. Temperatur mulai menunjukan ketidakramahannya. Membuat orang disekeliling tidak lagi bisa meninggalkan rumah tanpa perlengkapan yang cukup. Tidak terasa, ini sudah menjadi musim dingin keenam-ku disini. Banyak hal yang aku lalui dengan latar belakang musim yang berganti. Caraku mereferensi waktu pun sudah tidak sama lagi. Dulu aku selalu menyebut bulan sebagai acuan waktu, aku mulai bekerja di bulan Februari, tapi sekarang aku lebih suka menyebutkan musim, aku pergi ke Indonesia di musim panas lalu.. Entah kenapa, itu membuat arti sedikit berbeda. Membuat memori waktu menjadi lebih spesial. Setidaknya untuk aku.

Belanda membentukku menjadi pribadi yang berbeda, pribadi yang terbuka dan menerima. Tidak ada pandangan aneh terhadap orang yang memutuskan untuk melakoni hidupnya melewati jalan lain, bukan jalanan umum. Itu yang aku suka dan akan aku rindukan suatu saat nanti. Dengan tidak ada ruang dan batas, kreativitas pun melega. Tidak ada label agama.. Semuanya sama, satu, dan semua berhak memiliki hidup yang sejahtera. Ekonomi dan infrastruktur yang baik membuat indeks kebahagiaan meningkat, tapi lagi-lagi, setidaknya untuk aku. Aku merasakan hidup di dua tempat, negara yang miskin dengan rakyat bahagia bernuansa kekeluargaan dan juga negara yang kaya dengan penduduk yang individualis bahkan cenderung kurang bahagia. Aku bersyukur diberi kesempatan untuk bisa mengeksplor keduanya, mengambil sari-sari baik yang bisa kuterapkan di hidupku… dan juga keluargaku nanti.

Enam tahun lalu, di bulan ulang tahunku, bulan Agustus 2009, aku menginjakkan kakiku di negara kincir angin ini. Perempuan muda yang belum 18 tahun harus melihat sekeliling dengan pandangan kosong, tanpa ekspektasi. Terlalu sulit buatku untuk menghadapi perubahan yang terlalu drastis. Aku tidak berekspektasi bukan karena aku sudah cukup dewasa untuk mengerti arti dan ruginya sebuah harapan, tapi karena aku terlalu naif untuk bergumul dengan lingkungan dan hal baru. Aku merasa cara hidupku selama ini adalah benar. Aku terlalu nyaman. Tapi arti nyaman selalu bias, nyamanku bukan berarti nyaman orang lain. Setidaknya itu untuk aku.

Itulah aku enam tahun lalu, tidak bercita-cita, tidak berharap, hidup hanya melewati arus.. Setelah beberapa tahun, aku baru sadar, pandangan dan cara berpikir itu terbentuk saat kita terbuka, mau berpikir, tidak hanya melihat tapi juga mendengar. Menggunakan panca indera sebaik-baiknya. Beruntunglah aku, masih remaja, masih bisa tumbuh dan berubah. Beruntunglah aku memiliki keluarga yang menuntun jalanku ke arah yang lebih baik. Aku perlu melihat dunia lain. Orang tuaku tahu, kakak-kakakku tahu, tapi aku tidak. Itulah yang aku butuhkan. Mereka menuntun, bukan menuntut.. Mereka memberikanku ruang untuk berpikir dan menentukan sendiri jalan hidupku.

Butuh waktu sekitar 6 bulan untuk aku mencerna apa yang terjadi dan beradaptasi sepenuhnya dengan perbedaan yang ada, pemahaman bahasa, musim yang jauh bertentangan dengan Indonesia, selisih waktu yang terjadi, dan sebagainya. Sampai akhirnya aku sadar, semua hal yang aku sebutkan itu adalah kelebihan dan hak istimewa yang tidak bisa didapatkan semua orang. Setidaknya untuk aku, aku bisa perlahan-lahan menikmati makna yang dikandung dari perbedaan. Makna yang dikandung dari perubahan. Dunia itu kaya, maka apalah aku. Semakin banyak aku tahu, semakin aku kecil rasanya. Semakin ingin tahu makna banyak hal yang tidak aku ketahui. Sesungguhnya, sekolah paling efisien adalah hidup, dan guru terbaik adalah pengalaman. Setidaknya untuk aku..

Enam tahun lamanya aku membentuk pribadiku. Ketidak mudahan hidup membentuk pribadiku ke arah yang lebih solid. Pribadi yang pantang menyerah. Aku percaya pada diriku sendiri bahwa apapun akan mungkin jika kita berusaha keras. Setidaknya itu untuk aku. Enam tahun berjalan cepat, aku menikmatinya, aku berjalan menoleh kebelakang dan melihat seberapa jauh aku berkembang. Jalanan ke belakang itu tidak terlihat, memaksaku untuk mengingat-ngingat, bukan kembali menyusurinya. Aku melihat, mendengar dan berpikir, maka terbentuklah aku. Setidaknya itu untuk aku.

Apa yang aku lakukan dan aku pikirkan sekarang, aku anggap benar. Tapi sebatas aku..
Kamu? Berpikirlah, setidaknya untuk kamu… dan bisa jadi itu juga benar.

Dreams Europe Events Germany

Frankfurt Book Fair 2015

21st October 2015 - 6 min read

Once again, I got another opportunity to go somewhere with basically no significant efforts but had a huge impact in my life.
It’s an offer from my sister and family because they had one free seat in the car. I was a little reluctant in the beginning, but then I thought this was the biggest book fair in the world with more than 100 countries participated, and 7000 exhibitors. Especially, by the fact that Indonesia was being the guest of honor this time which (normally) will not come twice. Indonesia had to wait for 5 years to get to this position. I guess, this was meant to be for me to attend as well. I just needed to tag along in the car, and spend some bucks for the extra bed as well as some food and entrance ticket. What else could I ask for?

Frankfurt Book Fair: the world’s largest event of the publishing industry. The Frankfurt Book Fair has a tradition that spans over more than 500 years. Soon after Johannes Gutenberg had developed printing in movable letters in Mainz near Frankfurt, the first book fair was held by local booksellers. Until the end of the 17th century, it was the most important book fair in Europe. As a consequence of political and cultural developments, it was eclipsed by the Leipzig Book Fair during the Enlightenment. After World War II, the first book fair was held again in 1949 at the St. Paul’s Church. Since then, it has regained its pre-eminent position.

It turned to be a real amazing personal experience, because to be Indonesian and to be able to witness how Westerns adore the country you were born in, is definitely priceless. The sense of the pride was certainly coming in this kind of moment, in which I knew I had to cherish. All of the details of Indonesian Pavilion was done properly (huge space Indonesia got as a guest of honor), or I must say whole heartedly. Everything about it was simply marvelous, from the art installations until the performances. Not only that, but also the invited authors and contributors. They were all well-picked, all legends and again I emphasize I was super lucky to be able to meet them and admire them from close distance. Especially for the authors whom the book I read and had a relation with.

In the first day, I was strolling around and checking out some books when an architecture book was captivating me. I saw the author data, and the name was Imelda Akmal. The name was somewhat familiar, but I had never really encountered on what has she done until I opened the book and liking the concept she made in compiling the information from different architectures. The point is one, to optimize small spaces. Usually, I think thoroughly whether to purchase something. But after opening her pile of books in a section, my eyes captured one book called “Houses by Indonesian Architects”. The houses style inside the book is exactly how I visualize my future dream house. So I bought it.  I just didn’t want to not buy and regret after..
In the cashier, the woman said that the writers are somewhere around. I was looking for her to ask for photographs and autographs. She turned to be one of the influential people in architecture industry who focus in optimizing minimum space (minimalist – which fyi, I very much like the concept).  She gave me a business card and we took pictures together. I would definitely remember this time because this book would be an inspiration source of how my future house will look like.

Beside that, I also met Dewi Lestari whom the book I read and love! It’s nice to see her in person and listen to her excerpt of “Partikel”. Such an amazing and inspiring women. Being in the same room with them, with Slamet Rahardjo, Fauzi Bowo, etc give a different synergy to surroundings. Glad to experience it. I came back knowing name of authors I have never known before, and a philosophy I’ve never encountered before.

No regret at all! Caution: It’s a huge place and event, 2 days were simply not enough. Not enough to stroll around Indonesian part itself.

IMG_2657IMG_2656[1]IMG_2696 IMG_2686[1] IMG_2684[1] IMG_2699[1]

 

Maurilla
Europe France

Cote d ‘azur – Nice and Monte Carlo

10th October 2015 - 7 min read

Oct 2nd – Oct 5th

My office good friends and I have been planning to go for a little trip together for a while. They are literally the rainbow in my days, the light at the end of the tunnel everyday at work. It all started in the induction day when we were all rookie. We happened to start relatively in the same period. Hence the simultaneous office induction.

Anyway, after a year talking about it, we just needed to execute and make it happen. So one day, we browsed literally all the budget airlines before finally deciding to go to Cote d ‘azur (English: French Riviera) considering the flight price and the weather forecast for September (the only month we all are free). French Riviera is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. It consists different cities in the coast line, the famous ones are Nice, Cannes, Antibes, St. Tropez and one little country in between called Monaco. Actually the best time to visit this place is around July-Aug, because the sky would be very blue and the temperature will just be really warm like a proper Mediterran area. However, it has the downside in which the amount of tourist that grows rapidly as well as the sky high flight tickets during its peak season. The easiest access for flight is Nice and that is where we landed and stayed.

After Andalusia, with hopping on hopping off to new places, I wanted to just have a chill holiday full of relaxing time by the beach. Ironically we could not really do so due to the heavy rains, that fyi, only happens very seldom in a year and that just decided to occure when we were there haha we just had to laugh and cherish it.

So we flew on Friday with the early flight. Once we landed, we were already hungry and decided to go around looking for breakfast nearby our AIRBNB stay. We could not go straight to the place for the owner’s domestic issue. It was pouring rain, so we went to one famous Patissarie chain named PAUL. We had some pastries (it’s a must if you visit France, the best place to have Pastry and Sweets) then went to the museum waiting room to literally wait (until the rain a bit stops and to kill the time).

We stayed right in the city center that eases all the access to go everywhere. It’s recommended to stay around the city, especially if you want to go to the beach and to other cities with public transportation.

The first day we just went around the old town (Vieux Nice) then continued to the Parc du Chateu. We enjoyed the view of Nice (not really, because of the rain), we were just looking around with sad faces. We actually looked for some bites in the old town, but it’s so pricey, as it’s where all the tourists go, so we did not prefer as usually the taste is also average. I’d like to go to a good proper place, with an extraordinary taste. We often went to supermarket (Monoprix) to buy groceries and cooked our selves. Nice is a city full with tourists and considered as fancy place for decent people, so it is kind of self-explanatory that the price of food or hangout (especially in the tourist part) is relatively more expensive. That  is what we did also for the 1st day dinner. We tried to live as French, we bought all kind of cheeses (blue cheese, goat cheese, you name it) with bagguette, but then with Pasta. Easy, cozy, and yummy. Nice is also famous with the Rosé, and the girls bought to accompany the dinner with. Not bad at all!

Saturday was still raining really hard, but we decided to go out and have a look at the city a bit and then continued to Monte Carlo, Monaco. It only took 40 mins by bus and the ticket was around 2 eur. On the way back, we decided to take train to see another point of view. Bus is better because it went through the coast where we could see the beauty of the ocean and the typical view in French Riviera. It is recommended to take the bus early in the morning as it goes full quickly.

IMG_2498[1]

IMG_2474[1]

IMG_2499[1]

IMG_2471[1]

IMG_2476[1]

And the next day FINALLYYYYYY the sun was up and no rain. Hence the azzures in the below pictures. Nice is one of the rare beach with pebbles, and we just did not want to miss it. We went to a little part of the beach called Villefranche-sur-Mer, the part where not so many people in it. Felt like private 😉

IMG_2517[1]

IMG_2562[1] IMG_2569[1]  IMG_2523[1]

IMG_2510[1]

IMG_2512[1]

IMG_2509[1]

Last night

 

IMG_2554[1]