Catatan Perjalanan

Setelah beberapa bulan merasakan tinggal kota ini, begitu banyak fakta yang berbeda dengan bayangan saya selama ini tentang Inggris, khususnya London. Catatan ini adalah pembuka seri beberapa hal tentang kota yang berusia ribuan tahun dan bagi saya menarik untuk dibagi. Demi menghadapi jetlag, tujuan pertama saya setiba di London adalah melihat Big Ben. Bagi saya Big Ben adalah landmark kota ini, selain London Eye dan Buckhingham Palace. Namun setelah membaca berbagai literatur dan buku petunjuk wisata, diketahui kalau St Paul's Cathedral-lah yang bagi mereka lebih 'nendang' dijadikan landmark. Salah satu alasannya adalah sejarah St. Paul's Cathedral sangat jauh lebih panjang dibanding Big Ben. Lagipula, Big Ben ternyata hanya panggilan 'sayang' saja. Aslinya, jam 'gadang' ini disebut Clock Tower (Menara Jam). oh, yang lebih menarik nih, St.Paul's adalah tempat dimana Putri Diana dulu menikah dengan Pangeran Charles. Selain mereka, keluarga keraj

Honestly, when I first heard this word it just remind me of the word 'barbar' or 'barbarian'. The morning I arrived in our London flat, my husband took us for a tube trip through Barbican Station. I notice this big building complex in dark brown as an old place but not typical english historical establishment. Totally not interesting. I only read slightly somewhere that Barbican was built as a divider between the financial/business district and cultural in the city of London. After few months living just 5 minutes walking distance from this place, I get to realize this big news that "The Barbican is Europe's largest multi-arts and conference venue presenting a diverse range of art, music, theatre, dance, film and creative learning events. It is also home to the London Symphony Orchestra." Oh my! I went in there accidentally, just because Jasmine's class teacher listing library near us, one of them is this the Barbican library. When I get in there,

Not once or twice I found my foreigner friends comment about how spectacular shopping centers in Jakarta. Not just big, but nicely put and mainly has good lay out and careful planning for its ambience. Not to mention that even the most posh ones still accomodate middle class visitors, at least for recreation and dining. Spacious, friendly and affordable. That could be my outline of those malls, back at my home city. But sadly, its not (yet) reviewed globally or acknowledge by many. Thanks to the traffic and polution where Jakarta's fame comes from. Since I miss Jakarta city quiet much, now lets talk about these malls again (i wrote about pejaten village a while ago). Plaza Senayan (PS) has endless charm. It situated in Senayan, very strategic location. I used to walk from work here for a bite or refreshing. My many early dates with Dave was also in here. I introduce this plaza to Dave maybe in 2002, and since then this is still his favorite shopping center. There are 2 major tenant

We get to stay in the castle by coincidence. All hotel we want were fully booked. Those surround it wont accept family with small children. It happened there is this place that eventhough very formal but very child friendly also! (Thanks to Dave for his browsing strategy). The name is Swinton Park Castle Hotel. It housed one of the top 10 best restaurant in uk. It has a reputable cooking class. But its so british. So you'll find their package for gaming-hunting to their own hunting range. It has lakes and streams with graceful swans passed by. Breed their own deer, plant their own veggie and salad garden, interesting bird prey with daily show, and so much more they offer.

I must say its not cheap to enter this very historic zoo. but, for the sake of the children and husband, i get into this nice vintage zoo for the first time in Iedul Adha day, right after morning pray. It happened this zoo and Islamic center of London located within walk distance. The day was cold (well, London always cold so far) but the kids still excited. amazing. the excitement contagious. While Dave taking photos of almost every animal he saw, I prefer to gazing in every corner of this zoo, while ensuring my kids well entertained. For my family, 2 adults and 3 kids aged five and under, we paid little bit more than 60pounds, that close to a million rupiahs! That could feed so many animals in Ragunan zoo back home. So, we must really get to everywhere and spent hours here, I said. We get in, across the tunnel which lead us to other part of the zoo that actually across the street (the zoo located in the corner of regent's park with inner circle road divide it into 2 parts). G

Here's jasmine walking the millenium bridge with st.paul cathedral background. Its an amazing walk thru this bridge as you pass the famous thames river by feet. The name suits this bridge well with its millenium color and built in the millenium era. This bridge is also good walk to reach tate modern and shakespeare globe after a good trip around the 2nd biggest cathedral in the world (after the one in vatican of course).

I was not yet 15 when I dream of going abroad to Europe, particularly Paris and Vienna. Its a long story behind, but the hoping is on, for so many years. My first journey abroad finally happen when I was 23 leaving Jakarta to Singapore and KL. Since then, opportunity come and go. Until today I write this post in London, UK. I am telling you, I can't help myself from crying when the plane is about to land in Heathrow. It moves my heart so much to see the lights and the fact that I have gone thru so far to reach this european land. Me and my family flew from Perth, a city far down in southern hemisphere of the globe. Total of over 24 hours journey door to door. Although I married to a british, its hard to get the chance coming to his homeland. Not only time and financial circumstance but also our logistic with 3 toddlers. But who knows one's way of life. only just last month I was in my 'home' in Jakarta, and last week in Australia. God is really kind.

Tidak hanya sekali saya mengalami, mendengar dan membaca kisah orang lain yang pernah menjumpai pertanyaan serupa : “Indonesia di mananya Bali?”. Kejadian ini sudah berlangsung sejak lama dan herannya sampai sekarang pun masih saja ada yang bertanya demikian. Awalnya saya mengira mereka basa-basi atau memang amat sangat tidak berminat geografi. Namun beberapa hari lalu saya mendapatkan sedikit pencerahan setelah tidak sengaja berkenalan dengan Rough Guides (RG). Dalam penerbangan menggunakan maskapai Singapore Airlines hari Senin lalu saya membaca ulasan mengenai Indonesia. Tak lama saya menemukan satu kalimat yang mengganggu sekali “Indonesian food is lack of variety“. Setelah membaca lebih lanjut di bagian makanan Indonesia, saya semakin menyadari penulisnya tidak kompeten untuk menilai makanan Indonesia karena masakan yang sempat mampir di lidahnya sangat terbatas. Tulisannya tentang makanan Indonesia terasa tidak netral seperti ulasan mengenai hal yang sama dari negara-negara lain

Buat saya, balado merupakan 'signature sauce' untuk masakan asal Sumbar. Seperti yang saya temukan di kuliner barat, suatu masakan bagaimanapun teknik memasaknya, akan lebih bermakna tergantung sauce-nya (oleh orang Indonesia disamaratakan saja dengan saus, lalu jadi lebih sempit menjadi saus sambal dan saus tomat saja. padahal esensinya tidak begitu siih... ). Begitu pentingnya 'sauce' dalam dunia kuliner hingga terdapat profesi yang disebut 'saucier', kira-kira artinya 'tukang bikin saus'. :) Kembali ke balado, sauce ini bisa beraneka tampilan, wujud dan kombinasi isinya. Tapi asalkan bersumber dan didominasi oleh cabe, merah ataupun ijo, saya rasa sih sudah bisa diakui sebagai balado. dan hebatnya, balado ini cocok dengan semua jenis bahan. Daging, ayam, ikan, telur, sayuran.. you name it! Terkadang saya menikmati makan nasi panas hanya dengan balado dan kerupuk. Hal ini cukup berbeda dengan sambal di kuliner nusantara lain, yang kadang lebih cocok u

One’s sexual life pretty much affected by his/her history. How the culture brought them up develop a belief that sometimes misleading. Sexuality is coming from our brain. It links but can be disconnected, sometimes by choice. Having a healthy sexual life means being honest to one’s being while use the brain wisely. (summary, SEXPO Perth 2011) Tidak terbayangkan sebelumnya saya akan masuk ke dalam Perth Convention Center untuk mengetahui event terkini mereka bertajuk Sexual Lifestyle Expo SENDIRI. Hal-hal seru dan baru seperti ini akan lebih menarik untuk dibagi dengan teman dekat juga pasangan. Sekedar lucu-lucuan tapi siapa tahu ada yang memang berguna. Sayangnya, saya terlambat tahu acara ini sehingga tidak sempat mencari teman. Suamipun sedang malas jalan-jalan, jadilah saya berbagi dengan rekan kompasianer saja di sini. Rupanya ini adalah agenda tahunan dimana agenda dan exhibitornya pun beragam. Dari buku program diketahui tahun ini terdapat 204 stand yang diisi hampir 150 exhibit

Going to Margaret River region won't be complete without visiting this historic site. Located in Cape Leeuwin, the very tip south west of western australia (and maybe the australia continent), this lighthouse has interesting aspects to talk about. Mainly for me is because the light can be seen up to 47 km in the ocean.. actually 2 oceans! because this spot is the meeting point of Indian Ocean (warm) and Southern / Antartic Ocean (cold). It only take less than 4 hours drive straight from Perth. Once you arrived in Augusta and driving toward the cape, you might feel hard to breath.. literally. The view is stunning. I can't stop to thank God for the blessing given so i can witness His works, always be magnificent work. The greenery from the land meet the clear blue ocean and light blue sky. A bit of rocks here and there along the coastline of white sandy beach. What other would you expect? The lighthouse complex itself is very well-maintained with every old establishments still th

you don't really know what you had until you loose it... kira2 begitulah. saya sudah 'tidak punya' jakarta ataupun bangkok lagi. dan skarang smakin jelas bahwa 2 kota itu BEDA. gak sperti banyak orang yang bilang : bangkok tuh kayak jakarta lah.. mari kita beda satu-satu 'persamaan' yang menurut kebanyakan orang (termasuk saya, hingga beberapa saat lalu) berlaku di kedua tempat itu : 1. metropolis macet, berdebu, panas, padet ah masak sih sama? di jakarta maupun bangkok kita emang ketemu macet. tapi emangnya di hongkong, KL, NY, Dubai, gak ketemu macet? macet itu mah penyakit kota besar toh.. jadi gak bisa dibilang sama. karena feeling macetnya juga beda kok. stidaknya kena macet di bangkok dalem taxi, kita bakal denger dangdut ala thai yang lama2 menarik didengar itu. berdebu? again, di kota lain juga ada. panasnya bangkok itu juga beda dari jakarta. kadang lebih kering, kadang lebih menyengat.. serasa keliling kota sama aja dengan keliling tanjung priok. tapi tauk

Tulisan pertama tentang mall yang jumlahnya ratusan di Jakarta justru membahas mall yang 'biasa' berjudul Pejaten Village. Tentunya ada alasannya. Karena Pejaten Village lokasinya terdekat dari rumah di Jakarta, tepatnya di perempatan republika, di ujung buncit ke arah ragunan. PV jadi langganan setiap saat kami butuh jalan-jalan atau mencari barang. bye bye citos. Lokasi PV yang masih hijau disekitarnya juga termasuk daya tarik buat saya, dia tidak terlihat angkuh seperti mall jakarta premium pada umumnya yang kaku dan kering dari luar. Satu jam lalu saya baru pulang dari sini. Membawa 6 orang anak nge-mall. Karena jarak dekat memang rasanya praktis. Tapi kalau mall-nya gak nyaman, kita juga males dateng. PV mulai beroperasi medio 2008 dan sejak itu rasanya mereka memiliki pengunjung setia. PV menawarkan semua hal basic dari suatu mall. Supermarket, bioskop, toko buku, salon, bank, dept.store, tempat main anak, foodcourt dan tentunya aneka toko-toko. Jadi untuk mencari sesuatu