Kematian IV

 

Mistery of death,  

Unbelievable, 

shocking .. sadly .. 

I don't know, 

what I have to do, should I ???

what I have to say, 

speechless .. 

sadness .. 

nor happiness, 

I don't know about my feeling anymore, 

as you make me numb before the happening, 

before you leave me infinitely, 

I even already say good bye 

However, 

when the real good bye is in front of me, 

I can not barely understand the meaning of good bye! 

Is it real for the person like me???

Is it true that we're done??

Really ... really .. such a sad story to have  at the end! 

But .. 

I need to close this chapter or end the story 

Even though .. you are still asking, 

It is kinda sad to see the truth that I already know 

But ..  this is not what I thought so soon and 

I am really sorry ,, 

I do really sorry, 

That this is happening to you for good, 

without compromise!

You can rejected or argue, 

This is your  life that gotta be end, 

I know ... 

Even though .. 

I can  even still .. smell of it, 

your  breath smell, 

your tongue twisted, 

your gentle touch 

your  eyes that make me love you,

We had a great memory, 

Great one absolutely, 

Never ever forget about it, 

Such. a good part that stay in me, 

It is the hardest thing for me to erase 

all the memories of you, 

still vivid .. 

whatever you wrote in messages, 

I can see how you are .. 

Become other person because  .. 

you are next to me

Thank you for being who you are, 

I'll always treasure our moments, 

even .. it is painful for me, 

but at least I know you better, 

Hope you are happy up there, 

end of June 2021

I do understand

When my mom was 50 yrs old, she visited me and I asked her if she’d like to live with me in Canada. She rejected my proposal as she told me that she can’t live without her best friends and her big family in Indonesia, the other reason she told me that adjusting to different life is not as easy as flipping coin. 

This morning I woke up at 10:30 a.m. I slept at 3 a.m. in the morning as I watched Netflix series movie (duhhh ...).  I woke up at 7 a.m. only to make a sandwich for my son luncheon and I went back to my bedroom to continue my sleeping beauty, lol.  

I woke up as I realized today is Wednesday and I have to go swimming at noon, so I jumped from my bed and take a quick shower (well .. after swimming am gonna go shower again anyway).  By 11 a.m. I already line up with my gals for deep water workout. 

When am changing in the locker room, I was thinking about my mom. I do really understand now what my mom was thinking about adjusting her life. I always having a difficult time to adjust my life as well after I got back from Indonesia.  It takes me about 2 weeks for jetlag and it is always worst when I am going back home here. Especially, after I visited Indonesia for 3 months! 

I did really understand why she rejected my proposal.  Living in Indonesia for a while, even temporary, it is kinda easy for me as I don't have to : cook, clean, even laundry!!  damn, Any!  What a good life it is .. it is in fact, that is why it called "vacation" hohoho  

Well .. I am thinking, it is not just vacations here, adjusting my life from here to Indonesia, even it is very easy breeze as am thinking it is for temporary, still ... it is not as easy as you think as this is the first time am on vacations more than a month.  I missed driving my car, walking my dog to the park, cooking my a gourmet meals,  doing my yoga and swimming that I used to do it three times a week or walking and running once in a while.  Even though I had a really great time with my friends and family. 

Don't get me wrong,  it is totally different when you are on vacations and when you are live for a while. I am trying to think about how if I am living there,  I mean moving there as if am moving there,   I am trying to put my shoes to my mom's shoes at one point.  Well .. I know what she is thinking right now. 

It it a hard thing to do - adjusting your life to the place that even you live there since you were born and for 23 yrs. I do now understand if my mom thinking is hard to move to different country on her age, 50 yrs old that time.  As am 51 yrs old right now and I am still struggle with my thought, where am gonna end up when the time is coming, pension. 

I had a lot of friends and best friends like my mom did. Even am very independent and did not rely my life on them, still .. having a great circle of friends is away better when you are old. I guess am very lucky and blessed to have beautiful people in my life.

However, It is not just a great friends what you needed when you are old.  There are a lot of factors to consider in terms of living in a develop country even it is my homeland that I used to live for 23 yrs!! 

Yup .. thinking about where to stay is more complicated than the time I was young over there.  Now is more complicated as I am considering about the hospital?? the family doctor?? the big family or relatives?  friends?  should I???  .. the story being an old lady is totally changed the perspective!! 

to be continue ... 

NEW YEAR 2019

Last time I wrote about greeting in New Year 2015, and now .. it's 2019! Dang. What a days, months and years had been passed.  I felt so running out of time being alone. People usually happy when new year is coming, it is like a birthday celebrations. Not me.  I definitely not happy as my age is adding up = I am losing a lot of time and I am getting more digit. I don't like that idea at all.

I am not afraid being old at one point  but .. it is kinda slow pace movement in my brain to except the reality that am getting there sooner or later (fuck!!).  Yup .. am gonna be 50 in no time and I do still believe that life is one time thing, meaning there is no such a hell or heaven or whatever you wanna believe after death.  My point is .. in my losing time, I want to make sure that my life is worth it for  my kids, my family, my friends, my environment, my world  etc etc .. with no regret. As I told you in 2015, even I wasn't born to be a winner nor the loser.                                                                                           

From 2015 to present, I learn a lot! I mean a LOT .. LOT .. in life.  I am not perfect but I learn that life is not about being happy or having a lot of money or hangout with beautiful bitch or handsome guy or the smart people or stupid people or  or or else  else  ...  etc. etc.  I learn that life is better when you are alone without noisy from others. 

Anyway, I wore a lot of black and love black and white picture, but my mind is very colorful if you can see my brain, lol.

HAPPY New Year 2019.

AGING

Aging.  It's a noun.  It's only one word but the meaning it's quite heavy on all aspect. Still .. I need to talk about it even in my head I want to forget it! lol

It's easy to say to someone :  "Nahh .. you're still young! no worry about that!!  Then my friend will say the same thing to me : you think you're old???  well .. I did.  I can say am not the same age as I was 5 or 10 years ago.  That number is not just a number!!  I mean it.

I am trying to recalled when I was 20 years old, 30 years old .. that was like .. yeah,  it's just a number! My time still far away from the hell, hohoho.  I'm seriously never ever think that number is running and competing with my life!  However,  when it comes to number 40 and the rest  - I do really felt like  someone is slapping my face and make me wake up and realized that I am running out of time!  That's exactly what I felt.

I still remember when my parents spoiled me like a hell.  I was crying out loud when I didn't know how to cook the first time!! - that was in my early 20. Then, 10 yrs later I do really know how to cook from A-Z!  Whenever I went out to eat and I don't like what I ate, I'll find the answer how to make it! I am so evolved from stupidity to know how deal with it.

Exactly.  I remember mom said one time : you'll understand when you're old enough. Bang. It slaps my face.  Whatever she said is right.  I am trying to recall everything that she said.

Now, my age is even 100 divided into two and still plus ... the equation is even more than I thought and that is not just slapping my face but knocking my head .. wake up .. wake up, Any!!! Yup .. hell ya. 

I do understand when my body is not as great equation as when I was 30 or 40ish. It is make me  thinking all the time what I should do every time I am gonna do something! I have to think about the effect or the impact when something might go wrong with my action.  It doesn't matter what I did, I have to think twice or more. That is my reality right now before am on my 60th! That is not just a number!! It is a serious number in every actions. 

to be continue ... 

DUNIA MAYA

Judulnya "Dunia Maya" - entah itu Maya Rumantir, Maya Blah blah .. yg pasti MAYA - alias tidak nyata. Kasat mata pun tidak! well .. kasat mata di otak kale, ya?! Duhhh.

Judulnya sosial media ini emang bener" HOT like a stove. Semua terekspos habis"an karena saking Maya nya tadi, si miskin jadi kaya,  si kaya  merasa masih miskin, orang jelek jadi paling cantik, orang cantik jadi jelek. Semua heboh"an exhibit kekurangan dan kelebihan masing".

Apalagi kalo baru pertama kale kenal dengan MAYA,  orang jawa bilang ora ndhelok jitok e dhewe hahahaha pasang foto habis"an sambil teriak "notice me-notice me! (miss Insecure biasanya yg model gene).  Typical : orang kaya baru, orang yg kaya tapi gak ada self confidence, orang gak cantik tapi sok cantik dah pasti hahaha (dalam hati yg lihat mbatin: masio foto 200 shots dengan model kemiringan di semua sisi, pencong kiri kanan muter 45 derajat, ganti model baju pun) tetep aja gak ngaruh.

kalo yg dah pede, kaya, cantik, semua titel diborong, masih ikutan lomba "notice me" bikin orang semakin pengen ngelempar bakiak. Kasian juga sih benernya karena pada dasarnya dia gak PeDe, cuman punya modal cantik ato kaya aja, jadi sekalian numpang lewat bablas hehehe.  Sekali dua kale muncul di mass media is okay karena wajahnya bikin orang seneng, hiburan gratis lah untuk cowo" yg bininya gak se cantik dia, tapi kalo setiap kali dia keluar rumah foto, setiap pergi dia upload semua foto di medsos yg dia punya mulai dr FB, instagram, Path, apalagi??  bukan cantik lagi yg kita lihat tapi pengen muntah hahahahah

Aku inget pertama kali mulai FB, thn 2008 masih belum serame sekarang. FB bener" sarana untuk cari temen" ku yg antah berantah keberadaannya! Hebohnya setelah ketemu, malah bikin eneg karena setiap kale isinya reuni terus hahahaha.  Well .. kalo keadaan kita super jauh dan gak ketemu 2 dekade lebih masih okay lah,  reuni masih ada cerita. Lha ini ketemu terus, reuni terus, ora bar" ceritone, malah nggawe cerito dhewe, edan tenan.

Yang paling mengenaskan, lomba" di dunia MAYA tadi.  Saking hebohnya, sampe bergelimangan dengan korban". Jangan tanya kasus penipuan ato korban cinta dadakan sampe kasus cere pun gak karuan banyaknya! Aneh tapi itu kenyataan yg ada dinegara yg sedang berkembang ini.

So sad ...  MAYA MAYA

J A P A N

Finally I am flying to Japan! It was the last minutes when I got a good deal from my travel agents!
Thanks God! Japan is already on my bucket list for years after my Europe trips.

Japan is exactly like what I imagined when I am reading and learning hiragana when I was in university 26 yrs ago! Such such an amazing country!!! I am so facinated with this country since very long time ago,  frankly since I was a little gal as someone (one of my mom relatives) is always called me " a little japanese gal".  Since then I always had in mind that word " japan japan japan" lol.

At the same time, one of my uncle went to Japan with their family and they send a postcard from Japan and I did not blink one second  when I saw the picture on that postcard. How beautiful the mount Fuji and sakura flowers. However, I still had no luck to go there until I am 45 yrs old! Damn! 40 years to finally my dream comes true! lol  hahahaha

Kematian III

 Death is a mystery

I should, 

trust it!

the eyes, 

the brains, 

they talked each other, 

they see each other, 

they knew each other, 

instead, 

I ignored them!

Hate it,

Fuck it!

Disbelief, 

Why?

Especially, 

it's an angel!

the best creature! 

Painful, 

Painful, 

Sorrow, 

so deep, 

Touching my soul, 

can't bear It. 

So sorry, 

see you,

Rest in Peace, 

Abel. 

SURGA dan NERAKA

Sejak kecil aku di didik oleh orang tuaku secara Islam dan sampai detik ini pun aku masih memegang agama warisan ini.  Waktu aku masih kecil, aku belajar dan diberi buku soal Surga dan Neraka ini. Namanya jg anak kecil, aku selalu ketakutan kalo setiap mau tidor diceritain tentang Neraka ini. Selalu  kebayang gambar" di buku tersebut tentang Neraka yg panas sekale dan Surga yg indah sekali dan serba bagus!

However,  aku sangat berterima kasih sekali kepada orang tuaku karena mereka tidak mengirimku untuk bersekolah di sekolah agama kecuali waktu aku Kindergarten! Aku bahkan dimasukkan ke sekolah Katholik waktu kuliah. Walopun aku tidak belajar agama Katholik tapi aku bergaul dengan dengan bermacam" teman dari berbagai suku dan agama.

Aku tidak mempermasalahkan soal agama kamu apa, ato agamaku apa.  Aku setuju dengan quotation ini : Your Beliefs don't make you a better person, your Behavior does".

Anyway,  orang bilang hidup ini mulai usia 40 thn, sementara gua dah hampir kelewat 5 thn dari 40! Damn.  Sementara aku perhatikan orang" sepantaran denganku (di negaraku otomatis)  pada berlomba" menyiapkan "Hidup setelah mati" alias kehidupan di Akhirat ato Surga ini!!! and me .. dari jaman masih ingusan sampe sekarang masih mikirin tentang buku Surga dan Neraka dolo!!! Shit.

Entah aku di kutuk, entah aku dibukain mata ato malah dibutakan? , entah aku goblok, entah aku gak dapat hidayah (kata kawanku), entah aku apalah .. terserah penilain kalian! Yang pasti aku masih haus dengan jawaban yg ada di kepalaku saat dolo dan saat ini!!! Kebetulan aku jg punya group ibu" cantik nan Sholeha and roarrrrrr ... jadilah kita diskusi soal Surga dan Neraka versi groupku ini.

Pertanyaanku gak banyak, sementara 10 dolo yg pengen aku tanyain!

1. Ada pembantu gak ya di Surga? #maklum lah .. awak dah capek gak pake pembantu 22 tahun! boleh donk sekali" ada yg bisa gantiin gua jadi "Inem pelayan sekseeeehhh ..

2. Kalo misalnya ada, pembantunya orang apa, ya? #maklum jaman sekarang susah cin cari pembokat!!!!

3. Pake bahasa apa ya mereka ngomongnya? #maklumlah .. gua cuman bisa bahasa Jawa, bahasa Indonesia, bahasa Madura sikit sikit, bahasa Mandarin dah lupa, bahasa Jepang gua jelek banget, bahasa Ingress gua jg cuman ngomong doank .. duh! French apalagi .. Je ne parle pas Francais.

4. Makanan apa yg ada di Surga ya? Ada bakso gak, ya? ato empek"? ato Nasi Padang? #maklumlah gua dah tinggal di negara kedua gua lbh dari 2 dekade! Judulnya homesick dah gak keitung!!! Gimana kalo gua di Surga gak nemu lagi!!! semangkin lah gua homesick seumur hidup!!!

5. Dibilang kalo di Surga bakalan bisa cantik dan ganteng abadi, muda terus, kebayang kalo disana makan tidor doank, apa kita gak gemuk? Ato kita disana gak makan biar gak beol?
#maklum lahh ... bawaan orok perut suka gak bisa diajak kompromi kalo makan gak bener! jadi mikir geto.

6. Apa status kita di Surga ya? Single? Double? ato Menunggu keajaiban? Gimana kalo ketemu suami kita?

7.  Dibilang ada bidadari, kalo tidor sama bidadari cowok (eh ... bidadari untuk cewek aja ato ada untuk cowok jg, ya? #mikir dah gua!  Anyway, bisa hamil gak, ya?

8. Dibilang kita nanti tidak ada rasa cemburu, apa berarti kita seperti robot? #jadi keinget Pinokio!

9. Gimana sih Surga itu? Seperti base camp? ato seperti rumah tahanan tapi mewah? ato seperti pavilion? Gimana cari kita berinteraksi dengan sesama warga di Surga?

10. Kenapa gak masuk Surga dolo aja kalo geto?


Jawaban dari ibu" yg ahli Surga

1. Surga tempatnya yg baik". Nikmatnya surga tidak terbayangkan oleh manusia. Ada sungai" mengalir, kita berpakaian sutra tebal, pake gelang emas, buah"an ada dimuka mata!

2. Tidak ada pembantu dari jenis manusia! Yang ada bidadari dan bidadari yg melayani kita disana!

3. Tidak ada beol! Tidak ada rasa cemburu, tidak ada rasa dengki, semua hanya nikmeeehhhh nikmehhh .. tidak pernah terbayangkan oleh manusia betapaa nikmehnyaaaaa!!!!  Mau makan apa aja tersedia!!! Muda terus, gak pernah tua!!! Itulah kenikmatan abadi.  Tak pernah pupus!! Penduduk neraka sampe ngiler" kata ustad melihat nikmehnya surgaaaaa.  Sementara itu penduduk Surga tidak akan keliatan kehidupan neraka (najissss, bo!). 

5. Mau ML dengan bidadari A, B, C, monggo ... Mau ML seharian hayooookkk .. karena tak ada rasa capek lagi, tidak ada rasa cemburu ... semangat teroossss .. nikmehnyaaaaaa

6. Status di Surga Single abadi lahhhh ... Alias perawan dan jaka terusssss.  Dijamin Tuhan gak bakalan hamil walopun ML terus dan berganti" pasangan denga bidadari A, B, C!  Tidak ada jaminan bakalan ketemu dengan suami dan anak disana!

7. Kata ustad lagi .. sesama penduduk Surga bisa saling berkunjung (pak Ustad dah pernah ke Surga soalnya). Kita langsung terbang, werrrrrrr ... dan ketemua si A secepat kilat!
#Wehhh .. kaya Harry Potter donk?

# I don't give a shit about silk clothing or gold bracelet as I can get it in the real world instead of waiting in Heaven! However, kalo di iming" bidadari seperti Jenifer Lopez ato bidadari cowo model "Captain of America" lebih dari satu yg serving kita, hmmm .. sweru juga kale ya kalo bisa 3 some or 4 some? at least bisa melipir dari satu bidadari ke bidadari laennya!

#Apalagi dibilang walopun dah ML bisa tetep perawan terussss .. Wuihhhh .. mantab banget lah yaaa!!! Tidor sama 10 cewek sehari misalnya tanpa kena cervical cancer!!  Booo abooo .. judulnya bener" HEAVENNNNN ...!!!!

"Dan sesungguhnya Kami menciptakan mereka (bidadari bidadari) dengan langsung dan Kami jadikan mereka gadis gadis perawan yg penuh cinta lagi sebaya umur mereka. Kami ciptakan mereka untuk golongan kanan" (Al-Waqi'ah : 13-38)

# Mikir sekarang gua : Jadi .. ini Surga Dunia pindah ke Surga Surga?? Ato gimana???


continue or not? depend on God! lol

SYDNEY

Finally I landed in Sydney! It takes 3,5 hours from Wellington directly. It's really nice weather! I am so excited to see this city since I've never been here before. Can't wait to walk and captured all the beautiful scenery this city had.  The domestic airport reminded me to the airport in Rome and Surabaya International airport. It's so busy busy until I get out and get in to Sydney's airport train. 

From the airport, we stopped to Central station and we transferred to platform 22 go to Redfern. It's cloudy and the sun already set. We walked about 6 blocks to our airbnb apartment in Darlington. Right on time in front of our landlord house, the rain came! 

Our apartment is behind the landlord house (actually is on top of the garage - to be precise!!).  It is a one floor studio apartment with a double bedroom on the side of bathroom. Even the washroom  (shower and toilet) is old but it's really organized and clean. On the other side,  a little cozy living room connected with the kitchen (open space). Finally we got kitchen! Everything is there include the oil, sugar, salt, pepper.  

When morning come, I can hear the bird singing from outside and pretty quite in the neighbourhood. 

From the outside (the back of the house) the alley is remind me of the house in Indonesia! Even the house building is totally different than a house in North America!! I was like .. hmm .. is it Sydney? or is it Indonesia??? totally remind me of my grandma neighbourhood!!! The smells of Frangipani  (kamboja) flower is fragrant and mysterious at the same time, especially after raining. 

One thing that I don't like it about this apartment, they didn't provide us with wifi as wherever we travelled usually wifi is standard. Even though we're not in the apartment the whole day but if we got home we need to catch up with the news and so on.  Luckily, we can rely on Starbucks! As long as I got my cup of tea, I got an hour free wifi! 

The next morning, we woke up in the morning and ready to scroll down town. We left apartment @ 8 in the morning and still quite on the street. Totally different than in North America, people go to work as early as 7 so they can go home early as well. Not in here, street busy after 8 a.m! I did not see "coffee culture" in the morning as well in here. However, I love to see a lot of people walking!!  The ambiance in Sydney as one of the biggest city in Australia, is similar as Toronto and Vancouver.  They're really conscious with their style! Totally different than New Zealand that is very laid back! 

I love the weather in here, it's just perfect. It's not too hot, it's not cold, it's not dry and it's not humid also! Damn. The second things that I love in here, the food! Yessss .. since it's too close to Asia, so the food is unbelievable!! There are Indonesian cuisine, Thai cuisine, Malay cuisine, Korean, Japanese, Chinese and all of them are all over the block!! Even in their mall, the food are so damn good!!! Nothing to compare to Calgary or Vancouver even. It's just amazing!!!!  They had Thai town, Korean town, China town, exempt Vietnamese - it's not a lot!  They even had a Japanese bookstore : Kinokuniya!! I love this bookstore!! Can't describe it how awesome it's inside this store the whole day!!!  

One more thing that I love about Sydney ... Bondi beachhhhhh, Bitch!!!! Not too crowded. The golden sand is so soft and clean. Love to see the water and the sky! It's not too hot for suntan also. It's a lovely!!! 

Everything is perfect in Sydney, except the transportation! The train is quite expensive, damn expensive! In here, I paid the c-train $3 for one way, over there I paid $6!!! except if you're senior (60 yrs old) you got half price! Dang. The food is about the same or a little bit more compare to Calgary, not bad compare to New Zealand with too many choices!!!  That makes the minimum wages in here a bit here $20 per hour - that's what I heard from my friend. Don't ask about the property in here! It's so damn expensive compare to Calgary!! Yup. 

Sydney is one of the biggest tourist destinations, especially from Asia and Middle east! Every time I am walking, I heard people is talking in my language, lol! Even one time I went to Malay restaurant, all the worker are Indonesian! hahahaha. It was nice as they are really helpful and friendly as they know am from the same country with them.  They let me know which dishes is the good one or not! hahahaha.

Time flies, 4 nights gone like a second!! Going out in morning and back to apartment when the sun set come. I do really enjoy walking daily in Sydney since I did not have time to go swimming this holiday. Even I am so damn tired after walking 8-10km daily but walking is one of my fave after swimming! Especially in this kinda weather!!!  I always wish to live in the city that I can just walk every where. I used to it when I lived in Toronto. I love the rhythm of walking. It's healthy and it's cheap at the same time. Felt so good also when you're walking at the same time with people from all over the world without seeing you are poor or rich! basically we're all a human being and we're walking in the same path!

My last journey in 2014. See you in different journey in 2015!

NEW YEAR 2015

Finally the year of 2014 is ended gracefully, lol.  Time flies at the same time with my age.  I am trying to think out loud about  one year that already passed! What did I do? Where did I go? am I the same O same O?? Do I wanna be like that? or Should I change it? What's my project for 2015?

One thing that I know about myself : I want to be different, and I am. I don't like to follow someone else path! Especially right now am getting old with my age. If God is still nice to me, I probably still am gonna walk through another quarter or half or all the way to the end.

I believe that Life is one time thing. I want to make sure that  my one time is worth it, either  for me, my kids, my family or for others with no regrets. Even though am aware that I wasn't born to be a winner nor the loser, but was born a chooser!

Thanks for all the lesson in  2014. Whatever happen in the past, stays there!
I am ready for the future ahead of me, no matter what.


HAPPY NEW YEAR  2015.

NEW ZEALAND

It takes about 14 hours from Vancouver to Auckland and still another hour to reach Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It's very long flight! As if I am going home to my country, Indonesia even further!

Arrived in Wellington at eight on Sunday morning.  We take our time as the check in time around 1 p.m.  Stretching our feet after very long flight and having a butter chicken pie is really good in the cloudy morning. Never had Indian pie before. Quite interesting! I should try to make it next time.  We took shuttle bus to the air bnb apartment in Oriental Bay, $25 for two persons, stop exactly in front of our building.

We're very lucky to find this apartment @ air bnb.  It's very neat for the price of  $145/nite.  Quite surprise as it's on the top of the building and it's a small studio apartment - I like a small space compare to a big place as I'm more minimalist compare to maximalist so this apartment is just enough for us. There is a 1m x 4m washroom, no kitchen unfortunately. But there is a small fridge,  a microwave and kettle are available. Also, dinning table, arm chair and kitchen utilities (everything is prepare for two persons) beside  TV and radio. The owner is also preparing organic : fruit,  bread with homemade jam, juice, tea, yogurt, milk and cereal enough for 5 days. That is very nice of them! We didn't get this kinda deal for that price previously on the other place. It's quite generous.

I was quite surprise when my husband said we have to go from the back, darling! I was like : what?
Then he told me that we've to go up with that cable car! Me: What? Seriously? Really? He assured me one more time: Yes, we're take that cable car.  Honestly, am very afraid with height and see this thing up there coming down. Okayy ... I've to go up then! That's very high and it's scary when I look down!! Damn.

After settling down, we went out for walk. We just take stairs to go down. It's not bad at all when you're going down compare to go up, I guess .. lol.

I think I fall in love with New Zealand! This view is so beautiful and I see it in front of my bed before sleep and when I woke up the first thing in the morning! Love to see sunshine and water when you wake up! and see all the beautiful light in the night time before to sleep! It's so romantic! Besides, it's very quite and so peaceful. I only hear the sounds of waves. It's amazing! I never seen this view before. I see this kinda view but it's not right in front of me, if you know what I mean. This is totally awesome.  It's perfect country to life if it's not very expensive, lol.

The food and beverages is quite expensive in this city! Especially when you buy it in convenience store! That is totally wrong to buy a drink in there as the price is gonna be 2 time more expensive compare when you buy it in the grocery store! Just for a bottle of drink you'll pay $4.90 instead of $1.99.  The food is also very expensive, except if you're going to Asian cuisine, you're still can get a big noodle bowl for the price of $10.50 instead of paying $18 for 4 slices of quesadillas.

Well .. usually I am cooking when I stayed in apartment but this time I can't cook much as there is no stove. However, I'm not too worry too much as long as there is microwave and kettle to boil water! As I don't want to eat outside all the time!  For example : I still can cook egg using microwave.  I can make soft boil egg and egg benedict for breakfast to accompany my toast. I also can make a noodle and make a steam rice by Uncle Ben. This smart Uncle Ben rice is really helpful as I love eating rice on dinner time. I just buy chicken BBQ and salad or noodle to accompany the rice. Voila. I am good now!

Love my vacation!

Some of Padang Dishes

This is Sambal Ijo (Green chillies sauce).  I love this samba ijo, you can eat with steamed rice and whatever food that accompany it,  either chicken curry, grilled fish, steam vegetable or tempe or just with fried egg! Basically this sambal ijo is really a good complement for everything, as sambal ulek.  

I know this sambal Ijo from my relatives who is originally from West Sumatra. One time they prepared "Teri sambal ijo - Sambal Ijo with a little anchovy. That's so damn good!!!! I just love eating this menu with steamed rice only.  I can eat more than one plate if I don't remember that I can't eat too much carb! This little anchovy is really something to me! Very powerful and tasty. 

I am originally from East Java and my mom is cooking a lot of Javanese cuisine. I have no clue either about how to make this kinda of food at the beginning. As I like it so much  so am trying to nail it.  I am very lucky to have relatives from West Sumatra and one of my best friends also from West Sumatra so they share the recipe with me. 

This is Telur balado - Egg Balado. This is sambal balado is the second thing after sambal ijo, when I am preparing a Nasi Padang. It's like sambal Ijo, this balado is one of the base ingredients to make all kinda of dishes : Dendeng balado, Teri Balado etc.

Teri Balado

Padang cuisine is very addictive as it is very rich on taste of spicy and savoury.  In my country, this is one of the famous cuisine. It's not only in a restaurant you can find Padang cuisine, so many warung "street food vendor" also served this cuisine. They even make it so good as they served it with banana leaves as a plate on the go. It called "Nasi bungkus Padang".

Now .. I really do wanna go to Padang to eat the originally cuisine, lol.

NOODLE

Noodle is one of my fave food.  It's because I am Asian or it's because I am one of noodle people, you name it.   Noodle is one of our food culture since we're kids.  In my country, since I was a kid, my mom is always cooking noodle as one of the second course after rice.  There is a rice and also noodle at the same time at one plate. I know it's too much carbohydrate at one plate.

I got train eating noodle by my mom as she is a true culinary gal.  I remember, when I was in elementary school,  she took me to one of the biggest department store SIOLA (that day) in Jl. Tunjungan.  These noodle shop is one of the famous. The chef is a chinese. That is the first time I know how to eat using a chopstick.  My mom is always order me "Pangsit mie ayam bakso and bakso goreng.  Damnnn .. it was so good. Too bad right now that place is gone. However, my memory of this noodle is still in my head!

When I was teenager, I got train to eat so many noodle from different kind. I remember in Jakarta, my fave noodle is bakmie gang kelinci, then bakmie GM,  bakmie toko 3 etc etc.  Then I live in Toronto, and got to know "Thai noodle", Korean noodle,  "Vietnamese noodle soup or Pho" beside "Malaysian noodle soup" or Laksa and "Japanese noodle soup "Udon", Yakisoba and Ramen.

However, noodle soup is still one of my fave food all the time especially when I was under weather.  One time, I went travelling to Vancouver, BC  and I tried this ramen that according to urban spoon is one of the best ramen in town. It was a long line up when I was there but it was worth waiting. Love the ambiance of this place. It's remind me of 'warung" in my country. Warung is a small or casual or modest cafe in my country, we're all have to seat together with other customer. It doesn't matter you have money or you don't, you seat together without seing the title or label as human being. That's the ambiance that I love.

I've tried all the ramen in this town you name it : Shikiji, Muku, Menyatai, etc. but my taste bud still name : Marutama Ra-men is the best!!!!  This chicken broth ramen with vegetarian topping accompany with 'ajitsuke tamago or "flavored egg" is nothing to compare with the ramen in this town!!  This noodle is remind me of the noodle soup in my country when I was young!!! The chicken broth is so rich, tasty and hot enough until the end of last spoon! The marinated egg is perfect. The portion is also enough if you are hungry.  I thought it's only me who has this opinion, before I finished my last spoon, there are bunch of people who's order the same noodle that I ordered and they keep talking about this ramen and one of the lady is actually Indonesian also!! and she had the same opinion like I did. She said this ramen is remind her of Indonesian ramen! hahahaha

This ramen is remind me of Indonesian fried noodle by Indomie, but this is non soup ramen is better than Indomie. I never think that lettuce is good with fried noodle! even the egg is not too flavour full as the Marutama Ra-men but the chicken still good.

However, Shikiji is still one of the best in this town if you are pork lover.   I don't eat pork but my husband did and he said that Shikiji is the only one that has the best ramen compare to Muku or Menyatai. The best thing at Shikiji is the appetizer, Takoyaki - as am a Takoyaki lover. Damnn .. it's so good.

It's kinda funny when we are talking and discuss about this ramen as my son is also culinary addict and he said that Menyatai is the best compare to Shikiji. Well .. it's okay darling, you don't have to go with us to Shikiji, hohoho.

I am cooking a lot so I got train well on my tastebud. However, the presentation is always important. I  even can  see it right away if that ramen is no soul on it! If you don't know how to cook very well or you're not train well eating noodle like asian, whatever the food that you ate is always good, hahahahaha.

It's not just me who said that! Even ramen master also say that! Now .. make me wanna go to Ramen museum in Japan, hohoho

Arigato Gozaimasu.

Hari raya Idul Fitri 1435 H

Enggak terasa  kalo aku sudah berpuasa selama sebulan (well .. minus period - kalo kamu perempuan). Yang tadinya 29 jadi bisa cuman 25 hari.  Lagi mikir, kenapa aku gak ngerasain sama sekali, ya?! sementara buat some people terasa lama ato bahkan mungkin ada juga yg sependapat dengan aku, entah lah. Itu bukan urusanku pulak.

Bulan Juli tahun ini, aku rasakan sangat beda dengan tahun" sebelumnya. Bulan ini sangat berarti dan penting untuk orang"/rakyat dinegara aku lahir (Indonesia) karena pada bulan yg sama, semua orang disibukkan dengan pilpres (pemilihan presiden) yg diadakan setiap lima tahun.  Aku memang tidak ada disana jadi aku tidak melihat sendiri keadaan yg sebenernya terjadi disana.  Aku hanya melihat dan memantau dari dunia maya alias internet alias facebook ato twitter ato socmed disana karena keadaan dan situasiku yg super duper jauh.

Kebetulan juga disini sedang summer vacation, anak"ku dah pada libur sekolah, aku sendiri juga tidak bekerja, puasa at the same time. Jadi waktuku bisa dibilang super bebas alias no time limit for using socmed. Sebenernya aku gak terlalu mau ikot urusan  politik, alasan pertama memang itu bukan bidangku, kedua aku dolo jg selalu bolos pelajaran sejarah (excuseeee meee!!), ketiga aku jg gak ada kepentingan apa" dalam pilpres ini karena aku sudah bukan warga negara Indonesia.  Tiga alasan tersebut bukan berarti aku gak peduli dengan negara kelahiranku!  Aku merasa aku harus belajar banyak soal ini, itu pertama.  Kedua, walopun aku jauh  bukan berarti aku gak mengikuti perkembangan dan situasi disana.  Well .. no matter what keluargaku masih ada disana, sahabat"ku tercinta jg masih disana semua.

Sebenernya aku dah janji gak akan bikin status di facebook ku, posting ato publish tentang politik aja, bisa dibilang jarang. Biasa aku lebih suka posting yg lucu dan sharing sesuatu yg bisa lihat kawan"ku pada smile. Anyway,  this time around aku dengerin dan baca di koran tentang pilpres ini dan semakin aku hanyut didalamnya. Terutama saat salah satu calon presiden dan calon wakil presiden diserang habis" an dengan kubu lawannya.  Mulai dah aku penasaran, ini berita kok seperti ini?? Ini bener ato tidak? Mulai aku kontak kawan"ku yg ahli dalam hal sejarah, perpolitikan, basically orang yg lebih tau dari aku!  Aku butuh ilmu kebeneran dan belajar ilmu kepalsuan!

Ternyata politik itu bener" politik!!! Ampooonnn dahhhh.  Seremnya bukan main! Semakin aku baca berita semakin aku dapat masukan dari semua kawan"ku, dari keluargaku, semua ini membuatku belajar banyak! Jujur aku ini bukan orang religious walopun kedua orang tuaku sangat religious sekali. Bisa dibilang aku ini rebel ato apalah namanya, kamu bisa sebut aku kafir pun, aku gak masalah walopun aku masih memegang islam sebagai agamaku.  Pointku disini, aku menghargai kebeneran absolute dan kejujuran!! Itu suatu hal yg aku sangat aku pegang dalam hidupku dan sangat aku tanamkan ke anak"ku. Walopun sangat menyakitkan mendengar semua kebenaran, selama itu memang faktanya, lebih baik untuk aku dibandingkan "comfort with the lie".

Akhirnya sebulan ini dari pagi aku melek (setelah sahur) sampe sebelum aku tidor, yg aku pelototin komputer!! Reading reading chatting chatting dengan semua temen dan sodara soal pilpres ini. Yang akhirnya aku tahu dimana kebeneran itu berada, dimana kejujuran itu dibalik dengan fitnah.  Negara aku lahir ini memang sedang belajar demokrasi. Bukan kepalang judulnya dengan barang baru ini. Aku ingat" selama aku besar di Indonesia, belum pernah aku merasakan hal seperti ini! Semua orang mau gak mau dan dipaksa untuk belajar dan berpikir kalo mereka ingin menulis dan menyampaikan apa kata hati mereka!  Ini suatu hal yg menggembirakan karena kita dituntut untuk memahami sejarah yg sebelumnya mungkin kita dah lupakan, kita harus ulas semua yg pernah terjadi di masa lampau untuk bersilat lidah dengan sesama teman ato sodara.   Banyak aku perhatikan baik teman ato keluarga yg jadi pengamat politik dadakan ( included me) hohoho.

Bukan hanya itu aja, masih ada efek lainnya! Dengan adanya dua kubu 1 (satu) dan kubu 2 (dua) ini, pendukung masing" kubu sangat antusias dan bahkan sangat loyal dalam pembelaan walopun yg dibela belum tentu benar! Hadeehhhh .. ini yg bikin rame dan akhirnya sampe ke judulnya tarik urat leher dan saling bermusuhan! Walopun dengan sodara kandung pun! Unbelievable. Sama temen laen lagi, banyak banget baca cerita yg gak di 'unfriend", banyak jg dari kubu satunya yg dapat temen banyak, so cute.

Alhadulillah, semua ini berakhir pada tgl. 22 July 2014!  Thanks God. It's time to move on.  Lebaran dah tinggal 6 hari lagi.  Semua orang sudah sibuk memikirkan hari raya dan mudik ke kampung halaman mereka untuk bertemu dengan sanak saudara mereka.  Melupakan sejenak kalo dah sebulan ini mereka ribut di dunia maya! sekarang waktu mereka untuk bersilaturahmi dan saling memaafkan.

Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri 1435 H. Mohon maaf lahir dan batin.

PARIS 2

Our train to Paris is still 7 p.m! and we have to check out from our apartment in Venice @ 10 a.m.  I know it's gonna be a very long day for us. Basically, we are going to stroll in Venice for the whole day before we go to Maestre station and took a train to Paris.  We took a lot of a good pictures and I love to see my boys get along really well and we're really take our time to enjoy every moment of it. This is the experience one of the life time that we had with them that never repeat it again.

Time flies and we're heading to Santa Lucia just walking instead of taking water bus. The weather is perfect and the boys are so excited to take a train to Paris. This is the first experience for them to take a sleepover train.  For me this is not the first time, when I was young my mom used to take me travelling  from Surabaya to Jakarta with a sleepover train.  I remember when I was their age, I did not quite enjoy taking a sleepover train as I don't like the idea if I have to go to the washroom and there is no compartment for ourself,  I felt I have to be on guard all the time. Basically you don't feel so safe as people walking around in the train.

Anyway, we got to the train and we got one compartment just for 4 of us instead of 6 peoples.  The boys sleep downstairs and the owner is on top hahahah  Behind our compartment there are two washroom, one washroom with toilet seat and one washroom for brushing teeth and clean your face if you wish.  I like the washroom, it's so neat and super clean basically.  In our compartment, we got pillows, blanket and toothbrush.  Since we've been strolling the whole day,  all of us so damn tired, just want to sleep!

Finally we arrived at 9:30 a.m  in Gare de Lyon - one of the six large mainline railway station termini in Paris. From outside looks so old but the inside is very modern train station. This train station is one of the busiest station in Europe.  From this station, it takes 9 minutes to Saint Lazare from line 14 metro before transfer to line 12 to Jules Joffrin. We paid only euro 2 per person.  I like this station, all the directions  is very clear and easy.

Italian and Parisian are totally different in terms of dressing up. I like the way Parisian dressing up. It suits my personality as I am very free spirit but I still wanna be sassy hahaha.  Travelling like a local is much better as  no one see you as a tourist! The best feeling when you take a train and you can blend in well without people noticed that you're not local!  Felt am so Parisian now hohoho.

Parisian loves leather jacket! Every where you see on the street, people wear leather jacket. As the weather is not too hot and not too cold as well, just perfect! Don't forget to wear a scarf! That's one of the item that you must wear as a Parisian hahahaha.   The clumsy neat you're the more Parisian you're hahaha

Got to our apartment and meet the owner of the apartment. He's very straight forward kinda guy, he asked us where we are from and he said that we're already like local, hahahaha. It's so funny and make us laugh.  Jules Joffrin is very close to Sacre-Coeur - a Roman Catholic church and minor Basilica.  This  area is kinda Brooklyn of States.  It doesn't make me afraid at all to hear that even you see a lot of homeless or people asking for money, it's quite safe as long as you dress down like a local. Even you went home very late is still quite safe.

Bonnie Nuit

SOTO Mie Jakarta

What you need:

yellow chomein noodle

green cabbage

tomato

 springroll

Ingredients:

beef broth

 garlic

shallot

candle nuts

coriander seed

tomatoes

 Salt and pepper

Green onion

lime leaf

How to make it:

Make beef broth first (boiling beef bone and meat, tendon as you like)

 Ground all the ingredients

Sautee all the ingredients that is already been ground finely as a paste

 Pour it to the beef broth

PARIS

I do really fall in love with this city of France! It's my second time around and it's not gonna be my last time for sure! I will go again and again and again hohoho.  Even I did not speak french but I am not afraid at all as long as I still can speak english and there is my pocket dictionary and google translate hahaha.

This is how it works, if you're in the shopping district, the shop keeper is know how to speak english, that is for sure as shopping is one of the first destination people from all over the world come to this city besides sight seeing! For eating, usually the menu on french - this is when you need a google translate, but sometimes they have menu with two languages - english and french.

I have never seen this scenery in North America! They're selling the fish outside the store!! Love to see this fresh fish on display, without wrapping it  like in supermarket. It remind me when I was a little girl, my mom used to take me to traditional market.  I still remember when she asked how much the price of the fish and if it's a bit expensive according to her, she will bargain and my mom is very good at it! As every time I went shopping with her, she got all the stuff in her grocery list!   If I did not think that am on vacation, am gonna buy and cook it hahaha. 

Talking about the food in this city, damn .. I am mouthwatering already! Wake up in the morning and line up for the best croissant in one of the bakery close to our apartment. Totally different than my country right now!   I am totally local and love it every step I walk in there.  I love our apartment in here. It's just across from Jules Joffrin (Paris Metro) and to get all the grocery and the food is only a block away!! Damn, it's superb. I wish I live here! even both of my son and my husband is agree that we are dreaming first to live in this city hahahaha. 

The owner of the apartment is a very nice couple (french guy and philippines gal) with a little fruit salad - that's what he called her daughter.  This is our best apartment while we're travelling in europe. Love their apartment! 2 spacious character bedroom with a small african ethnic living room and modern medium kitchen and bathroom, beside a beautiful garden.  The beautiful bird song in the morning   wake me up peacefully,  the best feeling that money can't buy!  

The feeling that I had similar as if I live in a small village either in my homeland - especially when am on vacation in Ubud, Bali or I live in here, Calgary. The different in here is I only can hear bird song on Spring and Summer time! But I value that sounds even very short period of time. Feeling peaceful is the best thing you've ever had when you just open your eyes.  Thanks God for it. 

to be continue ...

VENICE 2

What I love about Venice is walking, walking and snap here and there, having gelato in the hot   weather and having the best pesto for my lunch. That's make me smile and happy for my feet! Sound like I am so easy to pleased hahahaha.  Well .. first of all, I did not exercise (swimming while I am on vacations) so walking is the alternate for my swimming regime.  I love walking too! I enjoy walking and grab some pictures.  

Venice is quite clean even I see so many people who visit this city.  We're planning to go on May as we thought the school is not over yet means less busy.  Actually, it was wrong. Italy, Paris and London are still first destination all year around. Well ... I am thinking probably because so many small european city that neighbour with Italy, Paris and London.  

San Marco .. the landmark of Venice.  Don't ask me how many people there! Speechless to see so many people from around the world! I even met a couple gals from my country accidently while I am browsing in the neighbourhood vintage sale. 

The good part when exploring Venice is walking to the neighbourhood. It remind me when I was kids and living with my grandma. So many narrow street and you have to pay attention to the sign where it will turn, either right or left.

I love shopping, I can't deny that but shopping in Venice is no no for me.  Even, from one corner to the other corner is all  boutique especially selling bag.  Hello? Yes, I admitted that I addicted with bag but this time I will not spend my money to get one here. The bag that they're selling from one store to the other's are all same and all made in China!! Means .. it's almost like the one that I see in my country, fake bag without brand with no no quality with higher price. Even there is one or two store that are selling a good stuff made in Italy but I already changed my mind not to get it here.

Beside fake bag, there are a lot of store are selling clothing from the cheap one to expensive, not interested.  Also accessorize from murano glass that's very famous, well .. am not interested also! They also had neat stationery (paper and all stuff) .. am not interesting also.  Sorry .. just want to take a lot of picture hheheh.

Bye Venice!

VENICE

We took Trenitalia from Rome to Mestre station. It's about 5 hrs 30 minutes for 530 km.  Economy class - four of us (it's Euro 67). From Mestre, we took another train to Santa Lucia, we paid only Euro 5 as it's very close!!  But we has to spend Euro 28 to reach our apartment in Rialto! Dang.

Finally, we're reach our apartment in Rialto! It's on the 2nd floor, open space one bedroom mix with living room.  One queen bed for us and one sofa bed for my kids.  The location is quite in the centre if you are walking around to San Marco.  The owner is a nice young couple, but I don't like it when she asked another addition Euro 20 for cleaning up after we check out! That's never happen before every time we stays in the apartment! However, they're still okay as they gave us welcome "tea coffee and bread for breakfast" and they're waiting for us patiently.

I love to see an old building with different colour. It's unique and has a character. Sometimes, I was wondering what's the inside of this apartment!

Drying clothes in front of their apartment is remind me how to dry the clothes in my homeland. It's very colourful and very cool but at the same time it's very efficient.

I am not a fan of blue but when I see this view and I captured it, I do really fall in love with blue at that moment.  I can see why people are coming to this city as it's so beautiful.

to be continue

Spring in ITALY

My second time to visit Rome. It's already end of April but the weather still juggling  between rain and shine as the weather forecast tell you!.  Raining is almost everyday but it doesn't mean that I have to stay inside all the time! NO WAY!!!

4 years ago,  I was travelling with my best friends, all of us gals and pretty (hohoho).  We decided to walk and taking a bus tour so it's easy for us to hip and hop from one place to the others. But this time,  I am going with my family : my hubby and my two boys. Basically I got three bodyguards and they're really want to explore wherever we're going, not taking an easy way or  a bus tour but we are commuting like locals, using the metro ( the underground train or subway). 

Smells like in New York subway when we're entering the station, except here everything written in Italy, some in english.  There is police inside the station!.  Never see this in Toronto or Paris or Underground in London.  Just realized why after inside the train and there are beggars, a lot of them kids with mother and baby.  This is the first time I saw this scene in the subway! I see this a lot in my country, Indonesia, especially on the traffic light. There are a lot of beggars with babies to make money.  They're jumping from one train to the others, as if she is out of the station she'll have to pay another euro 1. 50 for 100 minutes.  

Anyway,  If I go with my gals, we definitely stay in hotel to be safe and easy for us. Not when am travelling with my family, we are usually stay in apartment for a lot of purposes. First of all, it's a good deal compare to hotel.  Second, it's very convenience for the boys, felt like moving from our house to different house. In the morning, they're eating cereal and scrambled eggs like every other morning, in the afternoon since we're exploring the city - so we're usually eat out and we're having dinner in the apartment as I am cooking as usual.  

We're trying to rent an apartment that is very strategic and close to the train station.  As  we're planning to travel by a train.  Train terminal in Rome is not bad at all, you can get everything you need included grocery! Don't ask me how busy this train station. As this station is the point from the airport to the city, and even from city of Rome to other city in Italy, and it's all connected to underground train.    

Also, if you're in a rush, to get a good deal of breakfast (croissant and tea or coffee) or a slice of pizza is affordable and everywhere you can see.  However, this second time around, I got enough of Rome! Grazie!

to be continue ....