Merapi After Eruption

These are the pictures that I took two weeks ago during our vacation to Jogjakarta. Kali Adem is one of the village that is the closest to the peak. Last October it was completely burnt and devastated. Now it's becoming a "touristic place" if you want to see the peak and the pain.

Next Destination: Blue Indonesia

It seems quite funny for an Indonesian to say my next destination for traveling is Indonesia (her own country) , I mean most of the people rather to list another country than his/hers. But this actually tickles me that I haven't really been around anywhere here, only some of places like North Sumatera, some parts of Java Island (not even Karimunjawa Island!), North Sulawesi (Manado), and Nusa Tenggara: Bali only. You see, it's nothing compare to the places I have been to in Europe: Italy (Venice, Padova, Mantova, Bologna, Verona, Naples, Sardegna, Rome), Croatia, Barcelona, Germany (Frankfurt, Heidelberg), Switzerland (Zurich, Luzern), The Netherlands (Utrecht, Rotterdam, Amsterdam), Brussels, Paris, ok stop, basta..

Not to blame the geographical structure of Indonesia, an archipelago country and to praise Europe that it's such a very close continent that each country is connected, in the same land, it's just like one Kalimantan (Borneo) Island!

Another thing is that, I list traveling as my hobby when I started to live in Europe, which is two years ago. However, the kind of traveling you''ll enjoy in Europe is a complete different with what they offer in Indonesia. In Indonesia traveling is about nature, sea, tropical forest, gastronomy and the surrounding. Going to a super crowded traditional market, a bit smelly, things you can't find in Europe, but that's the part of your vacation, you can eat from a fine dinning restaurant or savor some snack from food seller who uses a kind of cart to stash all the food. Things like that, you can only find it in Indonesia!

Yesterday, my family has mentioned that we're going to do a road trip, while I am in Indonesia. As usual, my parents just simply put Pacitan a village in East Java as one of the places that we will visit. It a very innocent place, it's not as crowded as Bali, but they have two beaches that is as wonderful as Padang-Padang Beach or Tanah Lot. However, it's not so accessible that you need a car to reach those two beautiful blue lagoon.

I suggested my parents to try new places for a road trip such as Karimunjawa Island in Jepara, but you know most parents just don't want to step out from their comfort zone and they adventurous sense is not even closed to high anymore. Especially my mom, she is just not into taking a 5 hours trip to cross another island. She (and most Indonesian/Jakartan moms) says the weather is not always good, the wave is always high. This was also happened when my friends and I went to Tidung Island last month, our parents were actually worried that somehow we will sink.

You see now, this could be the problem for a young Indonesian to travel, parents. Most young adults 17-24 are still dependent to their family, it is nice to travel with them, but since they are the money maker, you should not complain, some things can be negotiated but not all of them. This is what happens to me sometime, lately I'd rather to go and taste new exotic places with a group of friends. I desperately need to find travelmate who share the same passion. Young people just match each other. For example, once we went to Srau Beach, one of the three most beautiful white sands beach in Pacitan, it was an hour drive, we arrived, and took a look, got some pictures for only 45 minutes and went back to the hotel, I mean if I were with my friends we would have definitely dipped our body into the water. You can't call it a holiday if you haven't dipped your body into water!

I was really fall in love with my own country when I went to Manado, North Sulewesi in 2008. Early in the morning, we sailed to Bunaken National Marine Park, we went (just) snorkeling not so far away from the shore and I was just amazed with the sea animals that they have, colorful starfish, corals, splendid! Bali always makes me fall in love, but everybody just love that island for so many reasons, so magical. But there are way just too many beautiful beaches, sunsets, sunrises, white sands you can find in Indonesia. And this is why, Indonesia is my next destination. Either I will travel Indonesia, when I have traveled the world or after I have graduated from the university, but I absolutely will explore its archipelago, above and under the sea!

Here are some places that I've "missed" out instead traveling Europe...

Klayar Beach, Pacitan, East Java
We are prolly dropping by next week during our road trip

Ocean View Residence is the best place to stay I've browsed so far...

You can swim with the sharks in a semi-natural pool

Karimunjawa Island, Jepara, West Java
I should definitely go there, not this summer tho.

Gili Trawangan
And the the other Gili Islands!! Must must must!

Pink Beach at Komodo Island
Heaven only knows!

Raja Ampat, Papua
Those old tourist just spoiled the beauty, eew!

ps: none of the pictures are mine, credit to photgraphers

Summer Updates 2011: Welcome to Tidung Island

My hoilday so far has been so good, despite the fact that I have been just staying at home these two days, I haven't really had a big going out after my last quite big vacation to Tidung Island, part of Jakarta's Thousand Islands.

From Thursday to Friday, this early weekend was packed.

Day 1: Cilacap

The village is famous for its stones.

This is how it looks, when the fishermen's boats anchored

Nusa Kambangan Island lays there

Anticipated the boats of being sailed away by the wind

A fisherman that wanted me to take his picture

These are the pictures from our trip, first day. All located in Cilacap, Center Java. Nothing much, because the beach is typical kind of fishermen port, so it was not really touristic, the wave was calm rather than interesting. We thought it was a inclusive beach from google . From the beach side, you could see Nusa Kambangan Island, an Island where "The Alcatraz" belongs to, Indonesia's Alcatraz. In the colonial time, the island was used by the Dutch to prison the locals. And now, the GOI uses it to jail crime doers. Some Indonesia's number one crimes are there, and also the son of the former Indonesian's President, Soeharto. After Cilacap we went to a village Magelang and celebrated new year's s eve there. I just knew that every new years they hold a wayng performenace in Borobudur Temple. It was beautiful.

Merry Christmas

One of the way to show your loved-ones your heartfelt gratitude

I know it's 27th, but here is the thing that there is no way it's late for saying Happy Christmas, if we really mean it from our heart, as a moment of us to be a new person, reborn and therefore it is everyday.

Last 25th, I went to church with all family members - and it feels so different compare to last year when I was in my grandparents' house in Frankfurt. That night during the mass, I feel my heartfelt gratitude to celebrate Christmas with my family again, father, mother and brother I love you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL!
Get ready for the upcoming New Year 2011!

XOXO
RUT

Especially for my mom, she deserved a present with a special card

Museum of Wayang Indonesia

Last Thursday, I and two of my friends from junior high school (well we still be friends anyway!) went to Museum Wayang in Kota Tua (Old Town), Jakarta. Since I am a newbie on photography, I asked them to go hunting with me so that they could teach me. Then Kota Tua said my friend is one of the facilitated spot for a photographer to get cool pictures. Since there are so many old building that were left under the Dutch colonization. There is a really big piazza in the middle, pretty much looks like somewhere in Europe, with an ex Governor Office as the central of everything.

I love all the photos I took. Since the wayang are so expressive and alive, because they have the same body parts like human - and the genius creators made them look so impressive. I am grateful God has been so good to this country by giving such an incredible heritage like wayang!

"UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theater and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003. In return of the acknowledgment, UNESCO demanded Indonesia to preserve their heritage"

They represent the diversity in Indonesia

Gatot Kaca, a flying hero. He is the most handsome wayang on earth "__"

Wayang Panakawan being renovated

Bagong

Semar, the most ridiculous of all

Wayang theatre is considered to be a highlight of Javanese culture. Over the centuries its religious character has increasingly developed into a distinct art form; foreign influences introduced new stories, characters were added, and new refined styles were developed at the courts. There are various types of wayang, but, in Java, the most important is the wayang purwa, which uses kulit (flat cut-outs of painted leather puppets) whose shadows are projected on a large white screen. Wayang purwa makes use of the purwa repertoire: the oldest stories about cosmic events and divine will are represented; the course of events is seen as being predestined, part of a cosmic law. The Javanese word purwa means ‘beginning’ or ‘first’ and derives, probably, from the Sanskrit parwan, a word used to denote the chapter of the Mahabharata.

Although the origins of wayang purwa have been subject to intense scholarly debate in the last part of the Nineteenth and the beginning of the Twentieth centuries, its precise origins remain elusive. Some scholars view the wayang as an ancestor cult, connected with dual organization initiation rites in which young men learned the secrets of the tribe. Wayang is clearly of Javanese origin with animistic features. Originally it was not individuals who were depicted on stage but legendary beings. These mythical figures, represented by the most important puppets, were used to explain the relationship between heaven and the human society; and the origin and the structure of the world. .
sources semarweb.com

Here is our zoo/inland/jungle

Those pictures on the previous post haven't really shown you how "zoo-ish" our house is. Well, you can also consider it as an inland or a jungle - since a lot of ancient wooden sculptures inside.I found it great that one candle could make a really great effect! Those pictures seem so alive and expressive. All these pictures above are from the different part of the room.

This is absolutely my favorite, i took it once and it was awesome. The color of the elephant is so bright. And also it an Indonesian elephant from Lampung, a region in Sumatera Island.

That sclupture is an Irian. My dad brought it during his report there. Irian Jaya, the one on the border with Papua New Guinea, has so many cool crafting sculptures, one of the best in the world.

This spot is definitely my biggest inspiration.

This naked woman comes from Kalimantan or people know it as Borneo. Kalimantan and Borneo are the same. But, Borneo is in Dutch I guess, but still both belong to Indonesia.


I remember that I used to ride that turtle around the house when I was 5 or sumtin. FYI, its eyes are actualy marbles - and I always tried to take it out, but never succeed.


The miniature of Phinisi boat. The boat that the Bugis people used to fight against the Dutch during the colonialism.

That little black miniature is a bull, (from a dialect Jawa, banthèng), Bos javanicus. And a little cupid and a wooden bowl.

p.s: Well by this post I also want to say that the increase of the electricity base fare would be sensible if it is followed with an improvement in quality. No wonder if people against it, if we have to wait for 6 hours to get lighted. Imagine, 6 hours how many products have been wasted and stopped? On me, I take the best of it. But, please PLN next time, don't let the Indonesian doubly suffer by you.

Black Out Yields Creativity

This is how the Indonesian farmers look like. Brown skin, pretty old and wearing that famous cap.


Well, I said pretty old, because the youngsters aren't interested on doing field.

Twenty minutes ago, our house just recovered from blackout. Well, it is as bazaar as earthquake, because it happens quite often. It was for about 6 hours since 12 something until 18.30 - pretty long. Once, or twice it was on then off again and it damaged our tv and lamps, because the color changed dramatically screened.

Then, the house became so hot - since the candles had been lighted since 17.30 - the air cons were all of!! I became like a worm that was burnt by the sun. I went back forth from my parents' room then outside. Whenever I walked from my mom's to the living room, on the left there is this guess room that full of ethnic thingies, and there was one candle to light all the room, then I was thinking it looked pretty magical yet mystic. Then - a girl like me - won't let a moment just pass away. I grabbed my Canon and captures lots of picture around that room. I just realized that we have pretty a lot of "animals" inside the house.


g

Well, that's one is me. That mirror is actually so beautiful.

Kasuari Birds, from Irian Jaya and that (I think) Thai elephant. Wait, don't think we are animal hunters! Not at all. I am a big fan of PETA. Those stuffs were my grandpa's they were there since before PETA existed. We as family, just preserve it. And since we have it already, none of us is going to do the same thing ;-)