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

Beautiful Details on Earth

One thing that amazed me is the detail of every single wayang. Imagine that there is hundreds of wayang in that Museum and they have distinctive clothes based on their characters and personalities. I saw this family tree and they have about 5 layers each has about 15-30 family member. Brilliant, brilliant!

Wayang Kulit, puppet shadow =) Originally Indonesian!

Wayang could be stylish too =)

Shining as diamonds!

The family!

Elegant.

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

My Indonesia

Haven't really been in the mood of uploading good stuffs. Well, this one that I'm uploading isn't a bad stuffs tho - but I'm trying to figure out how it's working if I am uploading videos on my blog. This video is about Indonesia! It was selcted as the national campaign with its title "My Indonesia, Just A Smile Away". I know that my country is really famous with its friendly and warm people. We are just so welcomed. Every of foreigners/artists always answer things that they like about Indonesia: 1. The people
2. The culture
It's really nice. It is as good as the Visit Indonesia 208. I can say this one says more, because it has song, and the singer is a "go international" Indonesian singer named Sherina. Just enjoy, if you want to know about this 4th biggest and very interesting yet beautiful country!

Some Amusing facts about this country:

1.Indonesia is home to 35cm miniature deer, fish that climb trees to catch insects and spiders that catch and devour small birds in giant web.
2.Ape-man...Java is one of the earliest places in the world where ape-man lived. The skull of an ape-man who lived at a time when most of Europe was under ice was discovered here - aw cutee!
3. Indonesia An ethnological goldmine...the variety of ethnic groups is unparalleled anywhere else in the world (316 ethnic groups).
4.These were just a few interesting facts about Indonesia. There remains much more to be discovered and explored in this place
5.Indonesia is now the world's third-largest democracy, the world's largest archipelagic state