Yes!

SaarLorLux Christopher Street Day 2011

2011-11-23T23:47:00.012+01:00

Sorry for being so lazy to update this blog!

Well, it's actually midnight now and I should go to bed soon but I'm just in the mood of blogging.

I'll try to post more about Jakarta foods tomorrow. And today, it's about gay pride parade in Saarbruecken last July!

CSD Saarbruecken is not as big as CSD Cologne or Hamburg but well it is the only street festival in Saarbruecken. Despite the bad weather, CSD was fun and interesting. Oh it was really cold by the way. It was on 24th of July but it was like almost 10 degrees. The gay parade was probably not as crazy as the parade in Amsterdam maybe because it was just too cold to get undressed or wear sexy stuffs.

Well, here are some pictures. Guests on the day were singer Katja von Kassel and comedian plus singer Daphne de Luxe.

There were all kinds of people coming to the parade.

Transvestites were there

Hunks were there too

And... not-special-and-kinda-boring-but-party-loving people were there

Latex lovers were there

The bunnies from XL Sauna. Big thanks to you guys for bringing CSD spirit although it was sooper dooper cold. But you guys made it topless and have fun on that van. Great job.

And last but not least leather lovers were there. This woman is Katja von Kassel. She is a singer, her songs are quite good actually. I'm sure there were many leather and BDSM lovers adore her so much.

I can't believe I wrote about fetishes. Lol

Jakarta Food City #1

2011-09-07T11:13:00.016+02:00

Last March I went back to my hometown, Jakarta. And of course I enjoyed it a lot. I ate all foods I cannot find in Germany.

I took pictures of the foods by the way and planned to write about it with details like the address. Unfortunately I took them from my phone camera so the quality is far from good. I tried my best though. Since I live in West Jakarta, most of the restaurants reviewed are in West.

And here are some of them, enjoy!

Bakmi Asui

It is a simple chicken noodle or mie ayam (read: mee ah-yum) how we call it in Indonesian. It is near my house and I'm so happy about it. Sadly I forgot to write its address but it's in Green Garden Blok Y, next to Duta Buah supermarket.

Noodle is not that special actually. I still can eat noodle in Germany. But the best thing about Bakmi Asui is that they have didih (read: dee-deeh). You know what that is? I bet you don't. It's chicken blood!! No, it doesn't look like blood. They don't pour it into a glass. It looks like this

It tastes a bit like tofu and it doesn't feel like you're eating blood. The blood is steamed so that it looks like that. At first when I was a kid, I didn't want to eat it. What kind of crazy people eat blood. But since my mother owned a paint shop and she sniffs chemical stuffs all the time, her doctor suggested her to eat regularly crabs and chicken blood. Then she took me frequently to eat blood there and I began to like it so much that I missed it in Germany.

Martabak Manis Bangka

THIS! THIS IS SOMETHING YOU SHOULDN'T MISS WHEN YOU'RE IN INDONESIA!!

There are two kinds of martabak: martabak asin (salty martabak) and martabak manis (sweet martabak). Martabak asin is deep fried and it's made of egg. The people in Surabaya have another term for martabak manis and it's called Terang Bulan, which doesn't sound like food at all.

I even brought one box for my friends and my brother in Germany because this is like the best food ever. And luckily the German immigration police didn't take it away and throw it like trash in front of me. I always order it separo-separo or half chocolate and half cheese. It's just fantastic to eat this in the afternoon or for breakfast. It costs about 30000 IDR.

Nasi Goreng, Mie Goreng

One of the most popular Indonesian foods. You can get it everywhere in Indonesia. So I won't write too much about it.

Nasi Goreng

Mie Goreng

Warung Leko

Warung Leko is new in Jakarta actually. At first it was only in Surabaya but 3 years ago the owner tried to open one in Jakarta. They always name themselves as spesialis iga sapi penyet. Iga Sapi Penyet is grilled beef rib with chili paste or something served on a bowl made of rock.

And I have its 3 addresses in Jakarta

1. Rukan Cordoba Blok F 19, Pantai Indah Kapuk, Jakarta Utara
2. Jalan Raya Pesanggrahan No. 168 F, Puri Indah, Jakarta Barat
3. Ruko Kebayoran Arcade CI No. 10-11, Bintaro Sektor 7, Jakarta Selatan

The one in Pantai Indah Kapuk is the best one. Make sure you order Iga Sapi Penyet there. It is just too delicious to be true. Anyway sorry for the bad picture

And yes that orange sauce is chili.

Sop Konro Kareboshi

Another beef rib dishes from Indonesia. It is from Makassar, South Sulawesi. People call it Konro. There are two types of Konro: Sop Konro (Konro soup) or Konro Bakar (grilled Konro). All of them are good. The problem with Konro is they don't contain vegetables at all so if you really want to eat healthily, it's not the right choice.

Sop Konro costs 35000 IDR and Konro Bakar costs 37000 IDR. I don't get it why Konro Bakar is a little more expensive than the soup one.

And the address

Sop Konro Kareboshi
Jl. Boulevard Raya TA2 No. 38
Kelapa Gading
Jakarta Utara
Tel. (+6221)452-0990

Ayam Mardun

OH GOSH I WANNA EAT THIS NOW.

This is not just a fried chicken. It's special. It's not crispy and we eat it with peanut butter. I often have it delivered to my home and I just can't get enough of it. A bit pricy though since one piece costs 17000 IDR.

Warung Ayam Goreng H. Mardun Martinah
Jl. Raya Panjang No. 66
Jakarta Barat

Kwetiau Sapi Mangga Besar 78

Kwetiau is the term for larger noodle. So it's like tagliatelle but made of rice. You can find kwetiau easily in Indonesia because it's simple and delicious. The best one is thie beef kwetiau in Mangga Besar. But they also have another one in Green Garden and I can have it delivered to my house (yeay!).

There are 4 kinds of kwetiau

1. Kwetiau Goreng -> fried kwetiau. It's very dry
2. Kwetiau Mun (or Kwetiau Bun) -> It's a bit wet but not as wet as Kwetiau Siram
3. Kwetiau Siram -> Kwetiau poured by sauce
4. Kwetiau Kuah -> the kwetiau is in the soup

Those are all great. Just try all of them and this is the picture of Kwetiau Mun. It's hard to describe it

Nasi Uduk Kebon Kavang Hj. Ellya

Nasi Uduk is rice cooked with coconut milk. This nasi uduk has an innovative way to sell it. They pack it in banana leaves with each costs only 2500 IDR. As supplements you can have fried chicken, tofu, liver or even appendix.

Nasi Uduk Kebon Kacang Hj. Ellya
Jl. Pesanggrahan No. 169
Kembangan
Jakarta Barat
Tel. (+6221)5835-8260

Miss Ecuador 2011 about Her Lovely Hometown

2011-08-23T15:17:00.002+02:00

Ximena Navarette has to give her crown next month and the candidates have been submitted.

I checked out their portfolios yesterday and found some interesting candidates, for example Miss Ecuador. Miss Ecuador 2011, Claudia Schiess is from Galapagos Islands, one of the most popular national park in the world. When I read it, I was like "What? Are there people who live there?" But then I thought about a similar national park in Indonesia, Komodo Islands and there are about 2000 people living there.

So I tweeted how interesting it is to know there is a native Galapagos in the running to be Miss Universe. And someone sent me her video about Galapagos. I think it's very interesting so just check it out

It's Been A While

2011-08-23T14:48:00.002+02:00

Hello.

It's been a while. Yes, it's been a while.

The internet connection was very shitty and I couldn't upload pictures from my computer forcing me to go to campus for updating my blog. I don't see it as a good option. So, I don't update it.

But anyway, my life has been very great. I've got a job for my school holiday until October. I've travelled to some awesome places which I'm going to write about.

And now I'm staying at a friend's house with a very nice view to Saar river and better internet connection.

So, catch up with my posts later!

Heidelberg - Germany's Oldest Town

2011-02-11T21:03:00.002+01:00

I don't know whether it's true or not. But people say that Heidelberg is Germany's oldest town. The general of US during the world war II didn't bomb this town because he had studied and lived there for a while. Well, it is probably true.

Heidelberg is famous for its good college. People from Germany and also from other countries dream to live there to study medicine. If I hear someone say that he studies medicine in Heidelberg, I'll be so amazed.

Heidelberg is also not famous for its good university, but also for its beautiful landscape and ancient buildings. Located in Baden-Wuettemberg, the city is crossed by the Neckar, an important river in Germany. I told you before, Heidelberg was not bombed during the world war II and that's why you can still find many ancient buildings. The Altstadt (old town) is the biggest I've ever visited in Germany.

I went there with my Indonesian friends. We went by train using this 24+ Ticket. It's a cheap ticket for travelling in Rhein-Neckar. Some of the cities in Rhein-Neckar are Kaiserslautern, Neustadt, Ludwigshafen, Mannheim, Heidelberg, Speyer, Landau, etc. It costs only 20EUR for max. 5 persons. And you can travel by train or tram or bus in this region.

I told you I went there with my Indonesian friends. And yeah, just like most Indonesian tourists, we looked for an Asian restaurant for our lunch. And our friend who lives in Heidelberg suggested us this Japanese restaurant, Mosch Mosch.

Mosch Mosch
Hauptstraße 136
69117 Heidelberg
www.moschmosch.com

It's a very nice and cozy restaurant located in the Altstadt. The cost ranges from 7 to 12 Euros. Not bad at all for an Asian restaurant. I recommend you having the homemade tea (hausgemachte Eistee).

After having lunch, we continued our journey to the Heidelberger Schloss, the most popular attraction of Heidelberg. And I was stunned. The castle is very very very gorgeous. I was blessed with a good weather too.

You should take a Bergbahn. It's a train to go there. It costs 5 EUR (3 EUR for students) and you can also get in the castle with that ticket.

The view from up there is way too epic. We can see the whole Heidelberg from the castle. And, oh the blue river, the ancient buildings, the alte Bruecke (old bridge), I think I fell for Heidelberg. This town is a really great destination in Germany. I love it. And I really want to visit this city again.

We walked to the old bridge, which is also famous. The bridge crosses the Neckar. And the view from the bridge is also spectacular.

And finally after enjoying the beautiful landscape of Heidelberg, we went to a pub for a traditional beer of Heidelberg. It is stronger than normal beer (but not stronger than wheat beer). And yeah I really had a good time there.

Tips for Travelling in Paris

2011-02-10T16:06:00.002+01:00

Finally I've finished posting my trip in Paris. And here are some useful tips for you.

1. If you're under 26 years old, buy this ticket Jeune Week-end. It's a day ticket on Saturday and Sunday, it costs only 3 or 4 EUR. Normal day ticket costs about 9 EUR. (more info: ratp.fr)

2. If you're not under 26 or if it's not weekend, buy this ticket 10+. A ticket costs only 1,20 EUR, normally it costs about 2 EUR (more info: ratp.fr)

3. Bring your student ID and show it before entering a museum. All museums in France (incl. Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, etc.) are free for students under 26.

4. Buy souvenirs in Montmartre, and bargain.

5. Do not visit Versailles on Monday.

6. If you're in a restaurant and want to drink water, order a carafe d'eau (read: karaf dow). It's free. Otherwise you'll have to pay for overcharged evian.

7. Cheap restaurants can be found in St. Michel near Cathedrale du Notre Dame.

8. It's better to bring 3 small luggages than 1 big heavy luggage. Most Paris metro stations don't have elevator and escalator. It can be really stressful sometimes.

Paris - Part 3 (Louvre and Sacré-Coeur)

2011-02-10T13:02:00.021+01:00

Day 3

On our third day, we decided to visit the world's largest museum in the world, Musée du Louvre. This is not just an ordinary museum. The glass pyramid is also one of the famous landmarks in Paris.

There were so many people there. I had never visited a museum that crowded before. Students under 26 have free entrance fee to all museums in France. So, I gave it a try. I couldn't believe I could enter Louvre with 0€.

The proof:

It is amazing. I think I will revisit this museum if I have the chance to go to Paris again. I mean, look at all those art works!

And finally, there we were. That is why everyone is so crazy about Louvre, Da Vinci's Monalisa. Everyone tries so hard to get a picture of this painting.

And then, the Venus de Milo.

And many other stuffs from various continents.

We spent like 5 hours in the museum. Seriously. It is huge! And we continued our journey to Montmartre to see the Sacré-Coeur. I can say Montmartre is my favorite place ever in Paris. From Sacré-Coeur you can see the whole Paris. And it is very gorgeous. Montmartre is also a place for artists. Unfortunately I was there in winter so I couldn't find many artists in the street. If you want to buy souvenirs, buy them in Montmartre. The price is lower than in Champs-Ellysées. And, bargain! They don't have fixed price.

We wanted to go to Pigalle actually to see Moulin Rouge. But my friends were all so exhausted after 3-day sightseeing. And we didn't get there.

Day 4

My host and I went to visit Versailles. It's quite far from Paris. And we were disappointed! Versailles is closed on Mondays. So, do not go there on Monday!

And finally, we went to St. Michel to have lunch and we found these artists in front of Notre Dame.

Then, I went back home to Saarbrücken. I had a wonderful time in Paris for sure.

Thanks to Gerry Prayogo and Yana Jurnatan for some of the pictures.

Paris - Part 2 (Eiffel Tower and Cathedrale du Notre Dame)

2011-02-09T16:57:00.020+01:00

Day 2 of my Paris trip

I woke up early in the morning. My head felt so heavy. Damn, I was having a hang-over. I had had a party with my host till 3 AM or something. And, oh it was Christmas. It was Christmas. And I was in Paris for Christmas. How awesome was that.

I immediately dressed up to pick my friends in the hotel. And then they phoned me like "Ricky, we wanna go to the China Town!". What the heck? You guys were in Paris but you wanted go to the China Town? Typical Indonesian tourists. But of course I took them there. So, we went to Place d'Italie, the Asian district in Paris. Well, not exactly, the real China town is actually in Porte de Choisy, not far from Place d'Italie.

So, we began food-hunting. It was extremely cold. It was about -8C. And, oh damn, no restaurant was open. It was Christmas! But finally we found this Vietnamese restaurant called Le Kok Pho Tong. And yea we went in there and had brunch. The food was not bad at all. I didn't regret eating there. They have warm Pho (Vietnamese dish), and it tasted even better in winter.

After that, we took a metro to Trocadero. What's that actually? It's a spot to see Eiffel Tower! You know, Eiffel Tower is big, and you cannot take any picture if you stand exactly under the tower. The right spot is Trocadero.

view from Trocadero at day

You will notice there are so many people selling souvenirs, mostly Africans and Indians (don't mean to be racist, it's the fact). I think they are actually illegal, they are not supposed to sell souvenirs there, but hey the souvenirs are cheaper! What you must do is bargaining. French ability would give you of course some advantages because it will make bargaining easier. The African guy offered us 5 Eiffel key chains for 1 EUR, and we ended up buying 9 Eiffel key chains for 1 EUR.

Eiffel Tower and Tour Montparnasse

We went closer and closer to the tower, which is the most famous landmark in the world. It was amazing, but it was too cold. Then we decided to take a boat tour. It cost about 8 EUR for students. We took this Vedettes de Paris. The boat goes from Eiffel Tower to Louvre. People can see the Place de la Concorde, Louvre, the statue of Liberty, and the tunnel, where Princess Diana died. It offers audio guide in French, English and German. The statue of liberty is very charming by the way. I think I ought to see the one in NY as well. The river Seine was so high! I was afraid it would flood.

Look how high the river was!!
Then, we went to Cathedrale du Notre Dame. You can take metro to St. Michel. St. Michel is HEAVEN! Well, it is the place for cheap foods. We went to this restaurant Le Depart. I can say it was the best meal we had in Paris. The service was amazing, the foods are not expensive, and the restaurant's easy to be found. It is near the bridge that crosses the Seine. And you can see the cathedrale from the restaurant.

So, there's this menu. 1 main course with 1 dessert or 1 appetizer for 13 EUR. Not bad at all. I ordered no dessert. I ordered escargot for my appetizer and duck for my main course. The escargot tasted much better than the restaurant near Opera Garnier the day before. Another friend of mine had a salmon and a pork as main courses

escargot

the pork

the duck

the salmon
Then we took a walk to Notre Dame. I have to say it is overrated. I don't see anything so special about this church. Because it was too late, we couldn't get in. Maybe there's something worth seeing there.

We found this small alley with many cheap restaurants! That's the St. Michel. And we found Amorino. The ice-cream is very delicious and it is flower-shaped. Amorino is actually everywhere in France. Besides St. Michel, there's another one in the food court of Galerie Lafayette.

Eiffel Tower is not only beautiful at noon but also at night. This tower is lit up at night and it is gorgeous. We went there again to enjoy the magnificent view.

Some pictures were taken by Gerry Prayogo and Yana Jurnatan. Thanks for the pictures!

Paris - Part 1 (Champs Ellysées and Galerie Lafayette)

2011-02-06T17:47:00.016+01:00

Oh Paris, the most beautiful city in the world. And, I am so happy I've been there.

I actually don't know what to write here since my trip to Paris was very touristic. You know, I didn't do much what locals do, which would be more interesting to be posted here.

Overall, my score for my Paris trip is 4 out of 5. Definitely Paris is a beautiful city. But the cold wind almost killed me.

Here are some objects I visited. I have no hotel review because I couchsurfed. And, my host is a very nice man. We went to Versailles together but unfortunately it is closed every Monday. So, remember: Don't go to Versailles on Monday!

I was there for 5 days. I took an ICE train from Saarbruecken central station to Paris Est. It cost me 39 EUR. Actually I could have bought it for 29 EUR. But I was just too late. I went there with 8 other Indonesians. And yes, I was the guide.

DAY 1

L'Arc de Triomphe

My first object was l'Arc de Triomphe. It is one of the most famous landmarks in the world. I cannot explain much about this because almost everyone knows it. It's just a monument in the middle of a big commercial street of Paris, L'avenue de Champs Ellysées. You'll find a lot of shops along this street. And it is awesome because I cannot find stores like that here in Saarbruecken. I don't think I can find them in Berlin too. If you're really into fashion, you'll love it. Unfortunately, I don't. I recommend you taking the metro to Charles de Gaulle - Étoile. That's where you can find this monument.

LV store in Champs Ellyseés

street artist in Champs Ellysées

Then we just took a walk along Champs Ellysées. Lucky for me, there was the Christmas Market. The Christmas Market was more expensive than in Germany. But it was pretty interesting. And I ate this beignets and churros. They´re actually just like donuts. Beignets are filled with melted chocolate. And they are delicious, especially because the weather was terribly cold and these beignets and churros were warm. The churros are better served with sugar, but Nutella doesn´t sound bad too. They´re also not that expensive. The one in Champs Ellysées is more expensive than the one in Montmartre. Well, that sounds logical.

beignet(right) and churros(left)

And we also had macarons. These cute colorful donuts are also one of the attractions in Paris. They´re quite expensive. Many tourists but it as a souvenir. I tasted the vanilla flavor and well that was not special at all. So, I didn´t really like it, although I admit they look very nice.

After having fun in Champs Ellysées, we decided to go to Galerie Lafayette. The thing is if you travel with Indonesians you´ll end up going shopping, which I don´t reallz like. But I was the guide so I went with them there too. There are 2 Galerie Lafayette-s in Paris: in Haussmann and in Montparnasse. The most famous one is the one in Haussmann. You can just take a metro to Haussmann St. Lazare or Opéra. I suggest you getting of at Opéra. You´d be able to see Opéra Garnier, which is one of the biggest opera houses in the world. We had lunch in a Japanese restaurant near Opéra Garnier. I know, this is another characteristic of Indonesian travellers. They tend to find Asian restaurants instead trying the local cuisines. The Japanese restaurant wasn´t bad. I hadn´t had Udon for so long.

Opera Garnier

Galerie Lafayette is a shopper´s paradise. It is very big and full with Chinese. Seriously, I was so surprised that there were so many Chinese going to Paris to shop. They´re definitely not backpackers like me. They shop a lot in Galerie Lafayette, not the cheap things but real expensive brands like Louis Vuitton or Bottega Venetta.

Then we had a dinner at a bad French restaurant named Chez Clément near the opera. It was very bad. The service was very bad. We had to wait for 45 minutes. The cook forgot to cook one dish. They didn't serve breads for us and they charged us for carafe d'eau. The french fries was not salted at all. The escargot was worse than the one we had in the other restaurant, which will be posted in the second part.

Inspiring Travelbloggers in 2010

2010-12-23T13:16:00.002+01:00

Time goes by so freaking fast and now 2010 is almost over. This year is just too beautiful for me. Being in Germany during world cup 2010 was totally amazing. That was such an amazing time. I also traveled to many cities this year. Yeah, quite a lot. But the best trip in this year is this Saar-Lor-Lux trip with Eric. It was heaven. I went to Metz, Luxembourg and Trier. And the weather was so epic. And what else could be better than being an intern in Neunkircher Zoo! Damn, I miss this zoo!

Of course there are people who inspire me. Besides Tina Fey, these are 3 travelbloggers I admire this year.

1. Candice
We have one thing in common. We live in popular countries. She lives in Canada and I live in Germany. But, we don't live in popular cities with many tourist attractions. She lives in hmmm Newfoundland. I don't know I'm not really sure. But she doesn't live in cities like Toronto or Vancouver with lots of tourists. And I live in Saarland, a state on the border between Germany, France and Luxembourg which is also one of the smallest states in Germany. It is charming but unfortunately it doesn't attract many tourists unlike Munich, Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, etc. Candice posts the charms of her beloved Newfoundland. And her posts inspire me to write about Saarland as well until finally I decided to make this Saarland Destination of the Month to promote this region.

2. Nicky & Adam
Unfortunately the blog is no longer active since they have finished their trip from UK to Australia on an old motorbike. It had taken in fact more than a year to finish this trip. And I was so stunned everytime they posted a new post because their posts contain many beautiful pictures. And, they interact a lot with the locals. They've been through France, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, East Timor and Australia. They were in Indonesia! They were in my homeland! Lol I really wanna do the same someday. I just can't wait to end my puberty (LOL!) and finish my college and do this.

3. Earl
I just love his posts. He writes with many details and important infos about a destination. I started following his blog when he was in Syria. And his stories about travelling in the Middle East keep getting more interesting. I was like "Hell, I should immediately buy a plane ticket to Syria now and go through the same route!". And now he is in Iraq! He shows us that Iraq is not as dangerous as people imagine.

So, those are great travelbloggers of this year.

And, tonight I'm going to Paris woooohoo yeah! I'm going to update you with lots of pictures and stories from this beautiful city. Au revoir! and Merry Christmas!

Saarland Destination December 2010: Saarbruecken Christkindlmarkt

2010-12-15T23:56:00.014+01:00

Ho-Ho-Ho! Christmas is in the air! And I proudly present the Saarland destination December 2010: Saarbruecken Christkindlmarkt.

What is that actually? It's a Christmas market. It is held annually from Bahnhofstrasse to St. Johanner Markt from the end of November until Christmas day.

I actually cannot say anything about the market. It is very great. And it's the reason to be happy in this cold weather.

The foods

1. Dampfnudel

It is actually like mantou. Do you know that Chinese food? There are two kinds of mantou: steamed and fried. So is Dampfnudel. Unfortunately I cannot find the fried one in Saarbruecken. Of course Dampfnudel is different with mantou. Dampfnudel is served with vanilla sauce. And it is a great food during the cold weather because it's sweet and warm. It costs 2,30 EUR per portion.
My tips: Add cinnamon and sugar! It smells even better with cinnamon

2. Reibekuchen

It reminds me of Bala-Bala, an Indonesian snack. It is made of grated potatoes and then they are deep-fried. There are several ways to eat it. You can also have an Apfelmus, a dressing made from apple. But because I don't really like apple, I have no topping at all. Reibekuchen tastes also good with salmons and mayonaise. One portion contains 3 Reibekuchen and it costs 3 EUR per portion.
My tips: Take a lot of tissue papers. Reibekuchen are oily.

3. Schneeballen

Schneeballen means snow balls. Perhaps this sweet food get its name due to its shape. There are various flavors like Nutella, Rhum, etc. I'm unfortunately not a fan, so I can't say anything about this food. Each ball costs about 2 EUR, depends on the flavor of course.

4. Schwenker

Photos by Gerry Prayogo
THIS! This is so delicious! It is called Schwenker, it means like Barbeque. It's actually Saarlandish, even not all Germans know this food. It is basically just grilled pork and served with a bun. It costs 3,50 EUR and it is very big. You will have your stomach full after eating this. It tastes even better than normal steaks in restaurants. It can be found easily in Saarland actually. In summer festivals you can find it a lot as well.
My tips: The good schwenker is grilled above woods, not above coal.

5. Lebkuchen
Have a date? Buy him or her this gingerbread!

This only exists at Christmas market. They're gingerbreads with sentences like "Ich liebe dich" which means "I love you". The words are interesting actually like "Fuer mein Schatz" which means "for my honey" or even no-love-related sentences like Frohe Weihnachten (Merry Christmas).
My tips: hang it around your couple's neck after buying it. That's the tradition.

6. Coated fruits

Photo by Gerry Prayogo
Well, you know what this is. I recommend you the bananas.

What to do?

1. Buy these high quality wool products
Of course you need something to prevent coldness, and buy these handmade wool products.

2. Buy Saarlandish stuffs

Yes, this Made in Saarbrigge offers you Saarlandish stuffs like T-Shirt with rhyme "Oh Leck!" on it. And many kinds of interesting things. I also bought a Christmas card with Saarlandish greetings on it. Stated on the cards "Frohe Weihnachde un e gudden Rutsch ins neije Johr!". Lol. In German, it would be "Frohe Weihnachten und einen guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!".

3. DRINK!

Photo by Gerry Prayogo
Yes, spend a time to drink Gluehwein (boiled wine). It costs only 2,50 EUR. Or my favorite drink is actually Knecht Ruprecht (picture shown above). That's Bailey's mixed with hot chocolate. It tastes really good.

4. Listen to the Christmas carols
Yes, these musicians play Christmas carols and I don't know but Christmas carols always make me joyful. Don't forget to have a Gluehwein as well while listening to the carols.

5. Entertainment for the kids

They'll be happy for sure.

And, the main event is...

6. See the flying Santa Claus

Every 5 PM and 7 PM there is a flying Santa or fliegende Weihnachtsmann or Le père noel volant. He rides a carriage pulled by the reindeers from McDonald's to St. Johannermarkt. And then he tells children stories and Christmas tales. There's always fireworks afterwards! This is just great. I am always happy after seeing this spectacular show.

Unfortunately it's almost over. I'm going to miss Christmas market again. See you next year! And merry Christmas everyone!

Plans

2010-12-15T01:34:00.003+01:00

My friend, Kania has been very inspiring for me now. She just posted her life plans. And wow that's what I should think of as well especially because I'm turning 20 next year! She's a very nice girl btw. You should follow her blog. She studies architecture in Germany and she's a creative genius.

After reading her post, I thought of my life plans as well.

Oh before I begin, I'm sorry that I haven't posted the Saarland Destination December 2010! Tomorrow I'll go to St Johanner Markt and take some pictures of the Christmas Market. I promise! And I will post it this week before I go to Paris.

So, my life plans. My life is actually unplanned. Seriously. I'm a very spontaneous person. But lately I've been thinking that it's better to have plans. But of course I must be flexible with my plans. If I can't achieve them, hell yes that's a failure but I should never be pessimistic.

So here is my life plan, with condition: I don't die young. And I hope not. But yeah we can't say anything about it. No one knows.

I'll get my bachelor degree in 2013, or 2014. But no more than 2014. But if I still can't achieve it, then of course I'll keep studying until I get my degree. But yeah of course I must study really hard.

After having my degree, I'll work in a hotel or theme park or maybe a zoo or maybe in an airport. And I also take journalistic classes. I'll save money and then after 3 or 4 years working which means I'm about 26 yo, I go back to Indonesia. Not for working, but for travelling. Yes, I'll backpack around Indonesia. My journey begins in Sabang and ends in Merauke. I predict it will take about one year to travel the whole Indonesia. Then, I'll write a book about Indonesia. Or maybe I can submit it to LonelyPlanet or NatGeoTravel or I don't know.

After that I'll write a book again only about my hometown Jakarta. This book will be very detail and consist a list of great street food in Jakarta and insider tipps. And also, about 30% of the book will be about Kepulauan Seribu to promote this region's tourism. By the time I will be about 30 yo.

Then, I'll leave Indonesia and go to Timor Leste and make a book about it. Probably I'll live for a while and work there. I don't know but I always wanna live in Timor Leste.

After gaining success from my books and after a residence for maybe a year in Timor Leste, it's time to leave Indonesian archipelago. And I plan to make a book about countries starting with the letter R. R for Ricky. And there are 4 countries starting with R, surprisingly there are not so many. They are Réunion, Romania, Russia, and Rwanda. Okay although there are just 4 countries starting with R, one of them is Russia. You know that country's huge. Should I perhaps learn Russian?

So, I'll be about 35 yo at that time and it's time to find a settlement. And it'll be in North-, Central-, South America or Carribean. I actually wanna live in a French-speaking country with no reasons at all. Sorry, but I'm not that into living in the US. Quebec sounds like a good idea, I guess Montreal is a modern and beautiful city. And the people speak French there. Or maybe in French Guyana, Guadeloupe or Martinique! Yeah, French Guyana sounds nice too. And then I'll work there in a hotel or I don't know, and live there for more than 10 years. And I'll write books as well about French colonies in America maybe, or about Latin America or Central America or I don't know. And of course I'll organize my own travel blog.

And, I'll be about 45 yo and successful in my career. I'll try my TV career. I'll make my own show so it'll be like Anthony Bourdain. I'll find sponsors and production house for my show! I don't wanna host alone actually, I should find onw or two travelbuddies. I actually like the concept of Thirsty Traveller. But I don't know, of course not Bizarre Food.

What about marriage and family? Hmmm I don't know. My friendship with a Fringe fangirl is better than a marriage, except if she has a jealous husband who hates me. The problem is, all these dreams will be harder to be true if I have kids and wife. Except if my wife loves travelling too! Yeah yeah, maybe I'll get married when I'm like 35 and live in French Guyana and raise one or two kids there. And then after the kids are about 20 years, I'll pursue this dream to have a TV show, which means I'm 55.

Now I actually don't know if I wrote my plans or my dreams. LOL! Both of them I guess.

Okay, stop with long-term plans. Procrastination is totally the biggest problem I have to face. I targeted to post about Christkindl Markt in the first week of December! And now even the advent is almost over! I'm sorry! Lol

Randomness

2010-12-12T01:57:00.003+01:00

So this blog is in Indonesian, it's not an important post anyway, not dealing with travel or movies. Oh F I should make Saarland Destination Dec 2010! Sorry I'm just busy with all these Paris trip stuffs.

Oke, g abis baca blognya Kania & Vien. & mrka abis tulis 15 random facts abt themselves. so, g jg ikutan ah biar gaul kaya mereka.

1. Mata kanan g lebih buruk drpd yg kiri
Mata kanan g minusnya lebih parah skitar stengah gitu d drpd yg mata kiri. Kalo ga salah yg kanan -5, yg kiri -4,5. tapi ga tau g ga perna inget brapa minus g.

2. G ada masalah mengingat angka, khususnya harga
Believe it or not. g ga sk blanja sndirian. krn prtama, g ga bisa ingetin harga. jd misalny minggu lalu pisang 1 kg 80 sen, trs minggu ini pisang 1 kg 3 euro. mgkn g ga nyadar & g beli itu pisang 3 euro which is so expensive. tanya g berkali2 brapa uang sewa rumah g, mgkn u akan mendapatkan jawaban yg beda2. but weirdly, g inget password akses internet di htw yg terdiri dari 7 angka. & g inget matrikelnummer g yg terdiri 7 angka jg.

3. G ga tau hobi g apa
mgkn ini pertanda kalo g blm menemukan jati diri g? misalnya mesti tulis cv ato abis daftar social network br & ditanya hobi. g kaya hmm hobi g yg sbenernya adalah males2an sambil ntn youtube. but is that a hobby? kyny klo g tulis itu di cv g lgs ga ditrima kerjanya d. akirnya g slalu ngarang hobi g. misalnya hobi g main voli. ntah knapa g sk bilang itu. krn itu adlah olahraga favorit g emang & olahraga yg g plg bisa jg.

4. G ga ngerti otomotif sama skali
People say men like sex, car & beer. & g unfortunately ga punya minat sama cars. sriously. tmn2 g bisa kaya tau seri bmw ato apa2. i dont give a shit at all. ga tau, g sgt ga tertarik ama bidang itu. padahal bokap g kerja di bengkel. tapi ga ah males urusin mobil kaya gtu. & ini uda dr kecil lho. dulu pas kecil ga prna main mobil2an krn mnrt g itu mainan yg sgt ga mnarik. puzzles are the best according to little ricky. & pas zmn tamia ato apa itu g ga pny sm skali. for realz.

5. G ga ngerasa Extravaganza lucu
Kalo u org indonesia, u pasti akan sk extravaganza. ini bnr2 kyny acara komedi plg sukses di indo d. tapi it doesnt work for me. bnran d mnrt g ga lucu sm skali. g ga ketawa ntn ini. & i blame my friends in high school bcos of that!!!! g ngerasa tmn2 g slalu ngebuat jokes yg terlalu aneh yg ampe bs bkin ktawa ampe ngompol ampe akirnya sense of humor g pun brubah & g ga bisa ktawa ntn extrav krn jokes yg dilontarkan tmn2 g jauh lb kocak

6. G lebih kangen sama anjing g Lilo drpd ama ortu & tmn2 g
Okay, jangan tersinggung. But, skrg ada facebook, email, SKYPE dan sbagainya. u bisa kontek2 ama tmn u yg uda lama ga ktemu & u lama2 ga berasa kangen ama dy. bneran d. g ga kangen ama ortu g krn kt bisa dibilang kaya email2an gtu & ada skype. tapi beda ama anjing! anjing bisa diliat di video call. tp anjing itu ga cukup dgn obrol. anjing itu msti dibelai2 dimain2in, pkoknya g msti kontak scr fisik ama anjing g untuk melepas rasa rindu. beda ama tmn2 & ortu stelah ada social networks & video calls etc.

7. game komputer favorit g
game favorit g adalah ZOO TYCOON. ini super cool lho u bisa bikin zoo gitu d trs smbl blajar manajemen, geografi, biologi, & still having fun. g jg sk sims sih trutama pas bangun rumah. tp ntah knapa g sebel krn tmn2 g klo main sims keren bisa ampe beranak pinak gitu. sdgkn g ntah knapa slalu bikin lesbian ato gay couple di sims. aneh emang. pas main sims biasa 2 org cowo 1 rumah & 1 ranjang ato gmn gitu d. & sims gada pilihan untuk jadi gay! i mean cmon mgkn sims g sukses kalo cowo ama cowo bisa flirt each other. & game facebook favorit adalahh GEO CHALLENGE. u know, anak tourism

8. hasil psikotes sma
pas sma tuh ada psikotes gtu d untuk ks saran jurusan apa yg tepat buat g. & hasilnya tuh betulll bgt gila. g disuruh ambil antara pariwisata, jurnalistik ato hukum. & itu kaya 3 hal yg emang g suka.

9. what would i be if i were an animal?
mgkn g akan jawab koala. krn kehidupan koala sgt indah. tidur di atas pohon dgn tenang. & koala ga terpengaruh sama global warming d kyny. beda sama polar bear ato pinguin. trs kanguru lagi diburu org krn dagingnya enak. koala kan gada yg makan. gada yg buru jg lagi. ga prna liat kan ada org pajang kulit koala sbg karpet? beda ama harimau ato beruang dipajang2 gitu. & mgkn saat g masih anak2 masa2 koala itu indah bgt krn g bergelantungan di punggung induk g.

10. g suka bgt makan kambing
kalo ada pertanyaan daging apa yg paling g suka adalah kambing. ok emang itu ga gitu sehat. but gOLONGAN DARAH AB BAGUS MAKAN KAMBING. g baca itu di buku diet golongan darah ab. goldar g ab fyi. & kambing astaga enak bgt. kambing guling, sop kaki kambing, gulai kambing, nasi goreng kambing

11. bayangan g di masa yg akan dtg
somehow, g ngeliat diri g di masa dpn itu org tua yg sndirian. ini pikiran aneh ya. tp ntah knapa g bayangin 40 taun yg akan dtg g adalah dosen. bnran. g kebayangnya g adalah lelaki tua single. ga punya anak, ato mgkn ada anak tp uda ga tinggal brg & jarang kontek. ga punya istri. tp terkadang ada pacar yg berusia 20-30 taun lb muda. rich & successful. punya rumah di daerah yg tenang. mgkn skrg g kebayangnya di saarlouis, ato di daerah perbatasan luxembourg sana daerah2 mosel anjrit super cantik dsana. trs pny villa di karibia. g pake barang2 tommy hilfiger krn itu cocok untuk dosen & designnya simple elegan & menunjukkan kemapanan seorang pria. pas winter tinggal di karibia. pas summer mnikmati indahnya mosel & tiap minggu pagi bersepeda sepanjang mosel. okay, ini bayangan g akan diri g sndiri 40 taun ke depan LOL! g kebayang diri g rada kaya jack donaghy di 30 rock gtu modelnya

12. being completely naked in public is one of the things i wanna do before i die
ok tiap org pasti ada dong kaya hal apa yg u pngn lakukan sblm u mati. org2 katolik bnyk yg pngn ke lourdes ato yerusalem. org2 beragama islam bnyk yg mau menunaikan ibadah haji. ada org yg pengen cobain skydiving. dsb dsb dsb. & g adalah, naked in public. g pkokny pngn at least once berjemur di sbuah nude beach di france ato di spain ato ntah dmn. pengen rasain kebebasan itu. oh & sbnrnya ada lagi 1 hal yg pngn g lakukan di hidup g. tapi ada baiknya g ga tulis dsini. klo u deket ama g mgkn u tau apa jawabannya & itu hal yg lb gila drpd jemuran bugil. smua org yg g kasi tau ttg itu lgs syoknya ampe guling2 di lantai.

13. g ga ada buku favorit
g ga sk baca buku. itu intinya. tp g suka baca artikel. g sk baca berita ato essay gtu2 d. tp buku hmmmmmm ga tau d. g lg coba baca buku freakonomics. mgkn itu bs jd buku favorit g krn mgkn itu buku satu2nya yg g baca. LOL rubrik favorit g di kompas dulu itu tajuk rencana. krn bnr2 inspiratif d pkoknya.

14. tipe cw g scr fisik rd beda sama tipe cw cowo indo pada umumnya
kaya misalnya g ga suka cw yg kulitnya putih, g lb sk yg coklat ato item. mnrt g bunga citra lestari, sandra dewi ga cakep sm skali. yg mnrt g cakepppppp bgt itu shanty, fahrani & anggun. g krg sk rambut lurus jg. g lb sk cw2 berambut keriting alami, kaya cw2 africa. & g ga tau tp cowo2 baik di indo maupun di eropa pada suka bgt cw blonde? ok hair color doesnt matter at all bnyk blondes yg super cakep kaya anna torv & scarlett johannson. tp g prefer brunette ato black. & dr hasil tipe cw yg g sk scr fisik mgkn tipe cw g adalah yg kaya halle berry. & kalo scr personality mgkn yg kaya tina fey. LOL

15. g kaya org mati pas tidur
org kan klo tidur bnyk yg ngorok ato gerak2 gitu kan. g ga sm skali. posisi tidur g slalu telentang. menghadap ke atas. & diem. ga gerak 1 cm pun badan g klo tidur. smua org yg prna nginep brg g slalu blg g pas tdr kaya mayat. tp itulah salah satu plus point g adalah g ga gitu butuh bnyk tempat buat tidur. krn g bkn tipikal org yg gonta ganti posisi.

Movie Review: Easy A

2010-12-06T23:48:00.013+01:00

I once wrote that I disagreed with the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover". But I think I should agree now.

So a friend of mine showed me this movie Easy A. And I was like "Euuyh this must be only about high school bitches." But because I was bored to death, I decided to watch it. And, in fact BAM this film rocks my world. It's one of my favorite movies too.

This might contain spoilers. Might!

I have to say this movie has a similarity with Juno. Juno is a masterpiece, everyone knows that. I just love the main characters of these two films, a high school girl who faces her own problems by herself. I just wish I'd have a daughter like Juno and Olive.

Okay, yeah so the movie is about a girl named Olive (Emma Stone). She is just an ordinary school girl, definitely not popular. She has a best friend named Rhi. And Rhi wants to take Olive to dine together with her parents in a weekend. But Olive doesn't like Rhi's parents because they are nudists. And, Olive lies that she has a date with a guy named George. And the next day, Rhi asks her how the date was. Being forced and pressured by Rhi's curiosity, Olive lies she lost her virginity. Unfortunately Mary-Anne (Amanda Bynes), an extreme Christian, overhears what Olive tells to Rhi. And then the rumor begins to spread to the whole school that Olive has just lost her virginity. She is suddenly popular because of this totally false rumor.

Things get worse when Brandon asks for Olive's help. Brandon is a gay and bullied because of his sexuality. He asks Olive to pretend to sleep with him. So they go to a party and act as if they have sex. They moan and make noises. Everyone hears them. And finally everyone thinks she is paid for sex, like a prostitute. She then embroiders a red A on all her clothes, inspired by her reading assignment. Until finally she decides to stop bitching around because things have gone too far.

Why do I love this movie?

1. It's not cliché
Most teen movies have these characters. The total bitch (excuse my language lol) is usually a naughty cheerleader. But here, the bitch is a very nice girl, an extremist Christian. She always judges people in Jesus' or God's name.

2. Olive and Todd!
Oh my God this Olive and Todd (Penn Badgley) really make good couple. Todd likes Olive and Olive likes Todd too. But they don't show their feelings. They always get into these awkward-but-cute conversations.

3. Olive's family
I envy her because her parents are the coolest parents ever, especially her dad.

4. Witty!
I always like witty films. And Easy A is also witty, just like Juno or Date Night. I'll write some of my favorite lines later.

5. Moral value
Don't judge people based on just a rumor. Olive is in fact a nice girl. She pretends to be an adulterer to help those virgin nerdy boys. But in fact she still keeps her faith. She tries so hard to remain virgin. And through this film I learn not to be affected by what other people say about us. Just like what Olive says in the end, "(What she wants to do), it is nobody's goddamn business".

6. Olive herself
She's interesting and beautiful. But the greatest thing is she is tough. She finds the solutions of her problems alone. And she is a good friend. She still treats Rhi as a friend although Rhi hates her.

Here are my favorite lines from the movie

MaryAnne: Olive. That's your name, right?
Olive: Yeaaah. And you're MaryAnne. We've got 9 classes together since kindergarten.

Brandon: Do you wanna go out with me?
Olive: What?
Brandon: I mean like do you wanna be my girlfriend?
Olive: Uh Brandon, just a couple hours ago you told me you're a gay

Olive's mom: You know, I dated a homosexual once. For a long time actually
Olive: Dear God, dear Lord, tell me you didn't marry and have children with him

Olive's dad: Is everything alright? Sounds like you're having sex in here, which I know can't be true due to the fact that you have a homosexual boyfriend
Olive: He's not my boyfriend!
Olive's dad: Hey! No judgement, all God's children, it's fine. I was gay once for a while. No big deal, we all do it, it's okay.

Olive: Hey Anson
Anson (Rhi's boyfriend): Hey
Olive: I just realized the funniest thing. My name is an anagram for 'I love'
Anson: What's a- what's an anagram?
Olive: Look it up, big boy

Mr. Grifith: That would be when everyone is putting everything on facebook. I don't know what your generation's fascination is with documenting your every thought but it can assure you they're not all diamonds. Roman is having an okay day and bought a coke zero at the gas station, raise the roof? Who gives an ass?!

Mrs. Grifith: Okay I've never seen that girl (Olive) before in my life
Mr. Grifith: That doesn't surprise me
Mrs. Grifith: I know but I'm a guidance counselor, I should know all the students, especially the one who dresses like a prostitute

Olive: I knew there was one person to count on to set stories straight, Brandon. I'd helped him, and eventhough it'll destroy his new reputation as a straight stud, I knew he'd help me.
a girl: OH MY GOD! Did you hear that Brandon run away from home? Yeah, totally, he left his parents a note that said "I'm gay, bitches" and then he skipped out with some big old gay black guy. AAAH!

Olive: I really like this guy. I might even lose my virginity to him. I don't know. When it will happen you know maybe 5 minutes from now, tonight or six months from now or maybe on our wedding night, the really amazing thing is, it is nobody's goddamn business.

Saarland Destination November 2010: Voelklingen Ironworks

2010-11-26T20:44:00.022+01:00

It might be just old metals. But, it is Saarland heritage to the world. It is Voelklingen Ironworks, my Saarland destination of the month.

Voelklingen Ironworks is located in Voelklingen, a city near to Saarbruecken, the capital city of Saarland. In year 1994 it was listed to UNESCO World Heritage Sites as a cultural heritage based on criteria ii (to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design) and criteria iv (to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history).

Voelklingen Ironworks was built in the 19th century. The ironworks portrays architecture during the industrial revolution in Europe. During this time, Saarland depended on its steel productions. Besides Voelklingen Ironworks, there is also another big ironworks in Neunkirchen. Until today the machines in Voelklingen Ironworks hasn't been replaced by the new one. That is why this ironworks is a cultural heritage. We may imagine how people produce steels from 19th to 20th century.

The area is divided into 7 parts. It is open everyday from 10 AM to 6 PM. The entrance fee is 12 EUR for adults.

How to get there?
There are actually many public transportations to reach this site. You can take a train from Saarbruecken and get off at Voelklingen. The ironworks is very near from the train station.

My personal experience

Okay, enough with all infos about Voelklingen Ironworks. I'm going to tell my personal experience today. First, screw snow. I could only get in to 2 rooms because the area was too dangerous. I haven't explored the whole ironworks! That is so lame.

But the good part is that it has this exposition: Die Kelten. Druiden, Fursten, Krieger. It is an expo of celtic culture. And, I'm happy because I learned many new things. I even hadn't known that the Celts lived in Saarland around 400 BC. And, I got many infos about the Gauls and the Romans.

In the end, I recommend you to visit Voelklingen Ironworks before this expo ends. It ends on May 22nd. Besides that, Voelklingen Ironworks is a must-see destination in Saarland for its huge unmodernized machines. Voelklingen Ironworks also lets you experience a miner's life in the 19th century.

Source:
http://www.voelklinger-huette.org/
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/687

n.b. some of the pictures were taken with my phone. Sorry for the bad quality

Reasons to Love 30 Rock

2010-11-25T23:53:00.003+01:00

If you ask me right now what's my favorite TV show, I'll answer 30 Rock. But, that is now. It can be Fringe in 2 months, it can be Modern Family in 5 months or it can be Mad Men in 9 months. The point is I love 30 Rock now. This show gives me good moods after exhausting days at college and at work. Of course there are reasons why I love it so bad that I even wake up at 2 AM on Friday to watch it live via streaming.

Just like other situation comedies, I love it because it never fails to make me laugh. That is obvious. But there are more than that actually.

First factor is the Liz Lemon factor. She is the main character of the show, an intelligent single woman who finds difficulties in finding the Mr. Right. She is witty, she is selfish sometimes, she represents new type of women, career-oriented women. I don't know why I find myself as Liz Lemon. I often think: "Oh hell, why do we have so many things in common?". We are nerdy, but funny as well and know how to have fun. We enjoy eating unhealthy foods and watching TVs. And, we are creative, let's say that. I was the concept and content manager of a designer team, and she is the head writer of a show called TGS. And we are different with other people.

The second factor is the Jack Donaghy factor. I just really want to have a boss like him. He is smart, but he never does everything alone. He realizes that human beings make errors and that's why he is close to his subordinates. He parties with them and jokes around with them.

The third reason is that all casts are very interesting in their own ways. Jenna Maroney always makes me laugh out loud. She is a proud blonde all-american girl (no, woman!). She's middle-aged but always feels young. She flirts with every wealthy men. And she does stupid stuffs like dating her impersonator. And then Tracy Jordan, a very funny but stupid comedian. His stupidity sometimes makes us laugh. And of course the really funny Kenneth! He's just so awesome and weird in a good way. I hope I can meet someone that kind and generous.

And of course the jokes are witty. 30 Rock always has a creative and fresh jokes about politics, social issues, or any current issues. The show makes jokes based on the climate change, racism issues, etc.

I'm going to write longer in this last paragraph. Did you realize it that the casts love to work for 30 Rock as well? From season 1 to 4, the casts stay. Even guest stars come back again to act in 30 Rock. Jon Hamm attended the 30 Rock live show although his character has broken up with Liz Lemon. Let's compare this show with Grey's Anatomy. I also like Grey's, by the way. Both shows have won Golden Globe Award. But it is weird that Grey's Anatomy has lost 3 main characters so far because the stars decided not to sign the contract again. And then stories were made to make these characters disappear. For example, Dr. Preston Burke decided not to marry Christina and leave with no traces. That's because Isaiah Washington quit. And, also Dr. George o'Malley suddenly had an accident and died. Dr. Isobel Stevens left with no traces as well. But look at 30 Rock. Even some casts who don't play big roles stay, for example Jonathan (Jack's loyal assistant), Cerie, Tucker, Grizz, Dotcom, etc. They stay until today!

In the end, I'd like to high-five all 30 Rock casts and crew members. You guys rock my world!

Sayings I Disagree

2010-11-24T22:38:00.005+01:00

1. Money can't buy happiness
People say this if they don't have money. Or, if a kind 25-year-old man is dumped by his girlfriend and she chooses a wealthy 60-year-old grandpa. Face it. Life without money is meaningless. We live to earn money as much as we can, and allocate that money for our own happiness. Money does buy happiness. I will be very glad if I can buy everything without worrying my financial situation. With money, you can buy a nice house with a nice kitchen and a big garden, where you can plant beautiful red roses, and a very good security system so you don't have to be afraid with robbery. Now who cannot be happy with that? Money itself is happiness, that's what Jack Donaghy of 30 Rock tells us. He said to Liz Lemon: "Lemon, money can't buy happiness. It is happiness."

2. Tiada kata terlambat untuk belajar (eng.: It is never too late to study)
Once there's a commercial in Indonesia to promote education. The ad was actually for uneducated farmers, fishermen, etc so that they go to schools and learn to read, count, and many more. But face it. It is sometimes too late. My colleague, he's a cook in the restaurant where I work, he once said to me: "Oh I should have gone to college so I don't have to be a cook like this". Yes, it's too late, my friend. You are 50 years old. First, a 50-year-old cannot learn as well as a 20-year-old. Second, a 50-year-old must work full time because there is nobody who can finance his life except if he receives money from the government or I don't know. Sometimes it's just too late.

3. There are 3 basic needs: food, clothes and shelter
We always learn that in economics. That is a proof that all knowledges are Europe-oriented. Europeans began teaching economics and created some economic theories like these 3 basic needs. Yes, everyone needs food to survive. But clothes and shelter? If you live in a tropical country, you can still live without them! It may be difficult and forbidden, but it is still possible in tropical countries like Indonesia. It is definitely impossible in cold countries, everyone needs jackets in winter to survive. But in tropical countries, theoretically you can still survive without clothes and shelter.

4. Don't judge a book by its cover
People who aren't confident with their looks say this. Hello, it's important to judge someone just by his appearance. You can figure out someone's personality just by observing what he wears, what he reads, what kind of music he listens to, and even from what country he is from. I hate to say this, but stereotypes are mostly true. I learned sociology in high school. And I learned that one's personalities are determined by many factors, such as where he lives and his cultures.

5. Islam is terrorist
This statement always makes me angry. First, this statement leads to conflicts. Second, that is so not true. Islam never teaches terrorism. And of course most muslims HATE terrorism. Who likes to feel unsafe anyway? Ask all muslims in this world if they are for suicide bombing. I'm sure there will be only 0,001% of them who agree. The problem is just that most terrorists are accidentally muslims. And, our point of view has been set and influenced by western medias. Anyway, did you know that terror acts happen as well in Colombia? Almost 100% Colombians are catholics, right?

6. Men think about sex every 7 minutes
Who stated that at first actually? That is like so dumb. Okay, I used to join a debate club. The speech takes 7 minutes. I am a man, that's obvious. And I never think about sex before, during and after my 7-minute speech.

I only found six. But I guess there are still many more. Comment and share yours!

2010-11-10T00:35:00.003+01:00

So I promised you that I would make this Saarland destination of the month. Yes I will. No worries.

But I just want to tell you that Saarland Destination November 2010 will be posted quite late.

It's because I will write about Voelklingen Iron Works, an UNESCO world heritage site in Saarland, and there'll be a big expo about Celtic cultures from November 20th. I think it will be a great loss if I don't write about this expo just because I visit the iron works one or two weeks earlier.

So, I will post this Saarland Destination November 2010 in the last week of November. I'm now so excited about the expo! You know what, we can see its advertisements everywhere now in Saarbruecken.

Project until October 2011

2010-11-03T02:17:00.003+01:00

Hello.

First of all, I'm sorry for my unannounced hiatus. My life as a college student has begun and I needed to get used to it. I'm now a student at HTW des Saarlandes and study Internationales Tourismus-Management (international tourism). It is actually interesting. My favorite subject so far is probably microeconomics. I know people think it's a hell. And, of course French and English. I always have this huge passion to languages. My least favorite subject? Math.

To avoid more absence in posts, I decided to make a project for a year. This project begins on November 2010 and ends on October 2011. If I see good responses, I will extend this project.

So, what's the project? The project is...

SAARLAND DESTINATION OF THE MONTH

It is simple. Every month, I write at least one touristic destination in Saarland, where I reside currently. I will explain to you in the next post about Saarland.

This is the plan

November 2010 - Voelklingen Iron Works (UNESCO world heritage sites), Voelklingen
December 2010 - Christkindlmarkt in Saarbruecken (Christmas Market)
January 2011 - Churches in Saarbruecken
February 2011 - Wolfspark Werner Freund, Merzig
March 2011 - Neunkircher Zoo*, Neunkirchen
April 2011 - Bostalsee*, Nohfelden
May 2011 - Saarlouis City
June 2011 - Saarschleife, Mettlach
July 2011 - Bliesgau, Blieskastel
August 2011 - Roemische Villa Borg, Perl
September 2011 - Deutsch-Franzoesischer Garten, Saarbruecken
October 2011 - Schlossberghoehlen, Homburg

*I might be in Indonesia for 5 weeks on March and April 2011, so I don't think I can travel in Saarland, I will just post about Neunkircher Zoo, where I used to be an intern, and about Bostalsee. I've actually reviewed Bostalsee in this blog.

I hope I can do this project well. And I'm so excited that I'm going to visit Voelklingen Iron Works this month.

Thanks to Neunkircher Zoo

2010-10-10T12:54:00.007+02:00

This post might be late. But I gladly inform you that my internship at Neunkircher Zoo is over. I've received the certificate. And I am just very satisfied I've spent 12 weeks of my summer vacation in the zoo, not lazying around at home.

Well, I'm neither sad nor happy that I left the zoo. I'm sad because my colleagues are all very nice to me. And I just love working there. But I'm happy since I don't have to wake up at 6 AM everyday and catch the train and buses to my office. And I'm happy I've received the certificate. I'm happy I've learned many new things.

I will not forget this zoo. And I will visit it again for sure.

And here are some pictures from the zoo.

2 Great Restaurants in Kaiserslautern and Mannheim

2010-10-08T13:10:00.004+02:00

2 days ago I went to Kaiserslautern, Germany to dine with my friends at my favorite restaurant in Germany, Cantina Mexicana.

Why do I love this restaurant?

First, when you're there, it feels like you're not in Germany but in the US. The US Army has a base in Kaiserslautern, Germany. I never know the reason why they have it there but they make Kaiserslautern a very unique city. It is not unusual to hear people speak English in big cities like Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich or Cologne. But in small town like Kaiserslautern? Yes, Kaiserslautern is a small town in Germany but we can hear people speak English everywhere there. And in Cantina Mexicana some waitresses and staffs can hardly speak German. It's not a problem at all for them because basically most of their guests are Americans... American armies.

Second, every Wednesday the restaurant has this all-you-can-eat baby pork ribs! I mean a pork rib is very expensive. And we can eat pork ribs as many as we can there with only about 9 Euros!

And the foods taste so great. The nacho, the fajita quesadilla, and the fried ice cream. They all taste very great. The place is also very cozy and 'mexican'. Last Wednesday a Mexican trio sang and played music for all the guests in the restaurant. The staffs are all very friendly and helpful too.

So how to get there? Well the nearest train station is Einsiedlerhof. It is only about 2 or 3 stations from Kaiserslautern Hauptbahnhof. And then you have to walk for about 8-10 minutes to the restaurant. But of course if you have a GPS in your car just type the address of the restaurant.

photo taken from speisekarte.de

photo by Yana C. Jurnatan

Cantina Mexicana
Kaiserstrasse 117
67661 Kaiserslautern
Germany
Tel: +49 (0) 631 99328

The next day, I went to Mannheim. I just found out that the ticket to Mannheim is very cheap. You can buy this 24+ ticket from any ticket ATMs in Rhein-Neckar (well cities like Kaiserslautern, Neustadt, Ludwigshafen, etc.). It costs 20 Euro for the whole day and you can take 4 persons with you.

Mannheim is a nice city. For me, it is like a smaller version of Frankfurt. And Mannheim is also not far from Frankfurt by the way.

Wasserturm in Mannheim

But the best part of Mannheim is Supan's Kueche. Well that's a Thai snack bar in the city center. Why is it so special? Because Supan's Kueche has that original Thai foods. My favorite food is probably the La Ped (not sure how to write that correctly). It is a salad served with duck meats. And it is very very very spicy. The tomyam is also great. I definitely have to come back to Mannheim and eat here again. And also, the restaurant has Thai ice tea with milk just like in Indonesia.

Lha Ped at Supan's Kueche, Mannheim

Thai Ice Tea at Supan's Kueche, Mannheim

How to get there? It is in the center. And you can go by tram from Mannheim Hauptbahnhof to Paradeplatz. Then you have to go on foot. I guess you should first find a Commerzbank and Nordsee. Well, just call

Supan's Kueche
Tel.: +49 (0) 621 26172

And here are some snapshots taken in Mannheim by Yana C Jurnatan.

Why Do I Love 30 Rock?

2010-09-30T09:52:00.005+02:00

If someone asks me what my favorite sitcom is, I will answer '30 Rock'. It is because all of the characters are just too funny. My favorite character is of course Liz Lemon. Despite her unhealthy lifestyle like being too lazy to clean up and eating too much junkfood, I'd love to have a woman like her to be my wife. Funny, smart, and beautiful in an elegant way.

And I am definitely her type too, as quoted from 30 Rock Season 4 Episode 17

"I want someone who will be monogamous and nice to his mother. I want someone who likes musical but knows to just shut his mouth when I’m watching Lost. And I want someone who thinks being really into cars is lame and strip clubs are gross. I want someone who will actually empty the dishwasher instead of just taking out forks as needed, like I do. I want someone with clean hands and feet and beefy forearms like a damn Disney prince. And I want him to genuinely like me. Even when I’m old. And that’s what I want." - Liz Lemon 30 Rock 4.17

That's like so me. I like Opera Jawa, Dreamgirls, Mamma Mia, and Bollywood movies. I never want to have cool cars like most men want. I just want to have a city car that's environment friendly, easy-to-ride and doesn't catch attention. I'm nice to my mom. I've never cheated before because I've never been in a relationship. I've never been in stripclubs eventhough I am already allowed to. I always empty the dishwasher and I prefer doing it to cooking. I'm not skinny so my forearms are beefy although I'm definitely not like a Disney prince at all. And, I think old people are still lovable. Voila.

Indonesian Stereotypes and Misconceptions

2010-09-16T23:33:00.006+02:00

So I'm inspired by Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil, the Canada's adventure couple. They really share many great travel tips. Check out www.theplanetd.com

As proud Canadians, they realize some people tend to have misconceptions about Canadians. And they created an interesting post, Canadian Stereotypes and Misconceptions

So I am a proud Indonesian and I want to make this post so that people won't have misconceptions again about Indonesians.

1. Indonesian language is written in Arabic script
Somehow I often hear people say this. First, let me share a brief explanation about Bahasa Indonesia. The language is actually influenced by Malay, Hindi, Arabic, Dutch, English and local languages like Javanese, etc. Indonesia was ruled by sultanates (Islamic kingdoms) and Indonesia has a very large Muslim population. But the language is never written in Arabic script! Never! We use roman alphabets just like English making it one of the easiest Asian languages. Our alphabets are also very simple. It contains 26 letters. Well, just like English. We don't have things like e accent in French or things like o umlaut in German.

2. All Indonesians are Muslims
Yes it is true that Indonesia has the most Muslim citizens in this world and that's of course something to be proud of (world record yeayy!) But compared to countries in middle east and north Africa, the Muslim population in Indonesia doesn't reach 95%. I guess it's just around 80%. This thing often happens to me in Germany. So I chatted with some Arabians who live in Germany. And they asked me where I come from. I answered: "Indonesia." And then they assumed that I'm a Muslim. Well, there are 6 religions in Indonesia. And note again that the Muslim population is only about 80%, not more than 95% like in middle east and north Africa.

3. Indonesians often see elephants and orangutans in the wild
So you know I'm an intern in a zoo currently. And my colleagues thought I often see elephants and orangutans in the wild because I'm from Indonesia. So let me explain this
Asian elephants and orangutans are listed as endangered species. If I could see them easily, they should not be listed as endangered species! Too bad we cannot see elephants and orangutans easily in Jakarta. By the way, I've never seen elephants and orangutans in the wild. It's probably because I've never been in Sumatra and Kalimantan, where people may find these animals. And also it's because I rarely (or never) visit national parks.

4. Indonesians eat noodle as staple food
Nope, the staple food is rice. Do people have this in mind because of our famous Indomie?

5. Indonesians love surfing
Very wrong. Hell yes Indonesia is a surfer's paradise! The beaches are very gorgeous with great waves for surfing. But not many Indonesians love surfing. It is also not a popular sport in Indonesia. Most surfers in Indonesia are actually Australians I guess. I even never surf how pathetic is that! But, Indonesians love football (or soccer) and badminton... That's true. I guess all Indonesians are born to play badminton. All of us can play badminton for sure.

6. Indonesia doesn't have alcohol drinks
Maybe it's because people think Indonesia is a Muslim country. But actually Indonesia produces and sells beers like Bir Bintang, Anker Beer, etc. We even have many traditional liquors. But of course not all people drink alcohol due to religious reason. I think alcoholic drinks can be found a lot in Jakarta (due to its multiculturalism), Bali (because the Balinese are almost 100% Hindunese and also multiculturalism) and Manado (Manado people are mostly Catholics). But basically alcoholic drinks are easily found everywhere in Indonesia. However, alcoholic drink is not really our culture. It doesn't take many parts in our lives. We're not like Germans or Irish, who believe beers are very important.

7. Indonesians are poor
Fact: Indonesia has the highest Blackberry user in the world. Another fact: Indonesia has the most twitter user. If we're that poor, how can we afford to pay for blackberry and internet? We're not that poor actually. Yes, you may still find people begging in the street and undernourished kids. But it is very normal for developing countries, isn't it? Go to China and India, the world's new economy powers and you'll find the same thing.

8. Indonesians don't speak English
People in travel forum often compare Indonesia and Malaysia. And people often say visiting Malaysia is easier because the people speak English. Well, English may not be the official language in Indonesia but it is widely spoken. In fact, our government worries that Indonesian youths prefer using English to Indonesian. I think Indonesians speak like Indians now. We tend to mix English with our local language. You'll see more "No Smoking" sign than "Dilarang Merokok" (means: no smoking) sign.
By the way, I write my posts in English not because I don't love my own language! Indonesian is a very interesting and exotic language. I love my language. I even wanted to study Indonesian literature. I write my posts in English so that non-Indonesian speakers can understand what I write!

9. Indonesian government does not uphold human rights
Indonesia's a democratic country. We have elections. We have freedom of speech. We have freedom of expression. We're just not that human-right-oriented like western countries. We just still believe death penalty has advantages and it's good to combat corruptions and terrorism. We have not legalized gay marriage and many other democratic countries haven't legalized it too, right? And we have school uniform, but it doesn't mean we don't uphold freedom of expression. It's for equality among students so that nobody wears branded products to school and show them off to schoolmates. I personally love my school uniform. Firstly, it reduces bullying. Secondly, I also didn't have to think "oh what the hell should I wear today?" early in the morning and spend my time mix-and-matching clothes in front of the mirror before going to school.

America's Got Talent Finale

2010-09-16T00:32:00.004+02:00

I love art. And that's why I love watching America's Got Talent. The contestants of this show are just mostly very artistic. And I'm happy America has done a good job by picking Prince Poppycock, Michael Grimm, Jackie Evancho and Fighting Gravity to the finale.

First, let me mention some contestants who should have also been in the finale but too bad they just didn't make it. It's too bad Maricar and Kaya&Sadie didn't make it to the finale. Even they weren't chosen as wildcards. Too bad. I like them not because their sexiness. Well, yes I admit it they're extremely sexy, but they're very talented. Maricar, for example, her painting is just very edgy and she can make the painting process not boring at all. You know, painting might be boring. The process takes sometimes for more than an hour. But Maricar can paint for less than 5 minutes in an edgy way. Kaya and Sadie are just too beautiful to be missed. These 2 belly dancers show to the world the real techniques of belly dancing. I also believe CJ Dippa should be saluted. I have never seen a cocky but talented kid like that. He's going to be a rap star.

The AscenDance is also very inspiring. It's a combination of acrobat, dance and sport act. Dancing on the climbing wall is like a very unique concept. Studio One Young Beast Society should also be named as one of the best contestants of the season. This dance troupe is just so amazing. They're somehow better than winners of America's Best Dance Crew. Another great dancers are the two ballroom dancers, Anna and Patryk. Despite their young ages, they perform like true artists. In the top 10 Anna slipped on the stage but she kept on dancing like nothing had happened. The judges all saluted her because it is the sign of a true professional artist.

And of course, I have to mention the best act in this talent show, Michael Grasso. I still cannot get it how come he could not advance to the final. I still have no idea how he does his magic tricks.

Anyway, this is the final show of America's Got Talent

So here is my response.

Prince Poppycock was disappointing. I have to agree with Piers. I think his final performance is so boring. It is definitely a wrong song choice. Well, his voice is suitable for the song but it should not be performed in the final. We want to see something more spectacular in the final.

Michael Grimm is very consistent. He is always good. His voice is just perfect. I really like his performances especially because he's very good-looking. I really admire his style. But not only his style of course I also fall in love with his voice and musical ability. I am a fan of soul music and Michael Grimm is just fantastic.

The third performer is a very pretty girl, Jackie Evancho. She is definitely talented. If you shut your eyes and just listen to her voice, can you really believe she's just 10? She is magnificent. I've never heard a vocal performance like that performed by a 10-year-old. And she's just too pretty. I really agree with Sharon. She's so angelic. The problem is, it's not my favorite performance. I prefer her previous performance. She sang Pie Jesu. This Ave Maria is also incredible but not as brilliant as Pie Jesu.

And the last performer is Fighting Gravity. This is a totally different act than the other three. The other three are singers and Fighting Gravity is... hmmm performer. I don't know whether they belong to dance act or not. Anyway, Fighting Gravity is just way too cool. It should really win this competition. It's very edgy. And it always has cool songs! These studs are just too cool.

So which one is my favorite? Seeing only from the talent, I'd have to say Michael Grimm is the one who deserves to win followed by Fighting Gravity, Jackie Evancho and Prince Poppycock. But should we give him the title as a winner? He is definitely talented. Even if he doesn't win, he will for sure make award-winning records. So I won't let him win. I also won't let Jackie Evancho to win. Although the name of the show is America's Got Talent, one of the price is a headline show in Las Vegas. So basically I prefer acts, which are suitable for Vegas. Little Jackie is undeniably talented. She will be a real big star and she will collaborate with big opera singers like Andrea Bocelli. But she's just not a Vegas star. Then left only Prince Poppycock and Fighting Gravity. These 2 contestants fulfill all my criteria to win: talented, unique, and Vegas star. These 2 contestants definitely bring something new to the stage. I would vote for Fighting Gravity. I would pay more to watch them in Vegas than Prince Poppycock. Poppycock might be boring after several times watching him. But Fighting Gravity never bores me.

All I can do is now checking out trending topics in Twitter to find out who is finally named the winner of America's Got Talent season 5.

Magazine Review

2010-08-27T18:30:00.004+02:00

So, I'm reviewed in Es Heftche, a free local magazine in Neunkirchen. It's not about my blog actually it's just about me. The kind journalist of Es Heftche just asked everything about me mostly about my country, Indonesia and my opinion about Germany. So here's the link to the article. It is in German by the way.

Am I from Russia? Or Ethiopia?

2010-08-26T21:30:00.007+02:00

Hello.

A very interesting thing happened to me today. And I just want to share this incredible moment. I know it sounds a bit exaggerating but I still think it is incredible. I'm going to tell you later. And, today I'm going to teach some non-Asians about something.

First, some quick facts about me: I am originally from Jakarta, Indonesia and I live currently in Saarbruecken, Germany. I have slanted eyes, my skin is not white but not yellow but not brown too. I don't know. it's a combination of these 3 colors. I have black hair and it's not fake. My eyes' colors are also black. I'm not too tall, actually short for a man.

And then comes the problem. Almost all Europeans or Africans or whatsoever who had a conversation with me asked "Hey, are you from China?". Even sometimes in the zoo where I do my internship program or in the supermarket or in the bus, some persons pass me and say "Ni Hao!".

First let me get it straight, I don't like it. It might sound weird but it's a kind of my South East Asian pride. One man asked me if he pronounced his 'ni hao' correctly, and I just answered to him in German "Well, I guess you said that correctly. I don't know I'm not Chinese. I'm sorry but you just insulted me by saying that too". Okay that sounded rude and I just smiled at him and walked away. It's a pretty sensitive thing for me.

Few months ago, a little girl stood in front of me and then faced me. She put her hands on her eyes and tried to pull it so that her eyes looked slanted. And she sang "Meine mutter ist Chineser... Mein Vater ist Japaner..." (my mother is a chinese... my father is a japanese...) and I responded by saying "Halt die Klappe." (Shut up.) Unfortunately she's just 10 or something so I cannot say bad words.

The thing is Asia contains many countries with different cultures and different languages. Asian country is not only China. Did you know by the way that Israel and Turkey are also Asian countries? Okay forget that, let's talk about Asia Pasific.

I know it might be hard for people not coming from Asia Pasific to know the difference between Indonesian and Chinese and Thai and Vietnamese etc etc. But please do not generalize things! That is also the same like Canada and US. Canadians don't like it of course if people think they're from US vice versa. And of course a German won't like it if I suddenly pass him/her and say "Goedendag!". So stop calling me Chinese or Japanese because I'm not and I don't like it.

I also think some Indochinese look similar. But I don't come to an Indochinese and greet him "Sawadeekap!" (Thai). I won't do that because he/she's probably Lao or Cambodian. And I also believe South Asian look similar but I never greet a South Asian "Namaste!" (Hindi). He/she doesn't have to be Indian, he can be Pakistani or Sri Lankan and he might speak Urdu or Tamil not Hindi.

The point is: Stop generalizing things. That's it.

So the interesting part. I don't know but I've heard this question directed to me 2 or 3 times. The question is: "Are you from Russia?". This question always makes my day because finally I meet someone who can think out of the box.

I was asked if I came from Russia today. I met a staff of Neunkircher Zoo. We see each other quite a lot but we never really get to know each other because we were always too busy. We just always said 'hi' or stuffs like that. And today this conversation happened

he: Hey. What's up?
me: I'm great. Thanks. You?
he: I'm great too. Hey how long do you still have to come here?
me: Well my internship ends on September 30th. So I still have 5 weeks left here.
he: What kind of internship do you do actually?
me: Well, I'm in the marketing and PR division here. So I do stuffs like making a survey, organizing events, etc.
he: Why do you have to do an internship by the way?
me: Well it's for my college.
he: Ah you're a college student! What do you study?
me: I study tourism.
he: Wow tourism. I guess you should be able to speak many foreign languages right?
me: Exactly.
he: And what do you speak? German. English? French?
me: Yeah exactly. I have to use those 3 languages in the college
he: And you speak Russian as mother tongue, don't you? You're from Russia right?
me: (confused) Well no. I don't speak Russian at all. (laugh)
he: Ah I thought you're from Russia. Because your accent sounds like Russian accent and you look like those Asian Russian who live in Siberia. Seriously.

That was not the first time. An old lady also asked me once if I was from Russia. I was in the bus to my house and I phoned my friend, Gerry and of course we spoke Indonesian to each other. And after our conversation ended, the old lady who sat next to me asked me "Kommen Sie aus Russland?" (Do you come from Russia?)

I kinda like it actually because it is a unique experience. And yes probably Indonesian accent sounds a bit like Russian accent because of our 'R'. Indonesian and Russian have the same pronunciation of 'R' I guess.

But something funnier happened to me. This is actually very hilarious. So there was a drunk man in the bus. He is about 30. And he was drunk and he suddenly asked me "Hallo. Kommst du aus Aethiopien?" (Hello. Are you from Ethiopia?). I just cannot forget this moment. Well, he probably didn't realize it because he was drunk. And that made my day! It was a unique experience because almost all people think I'm Chinese or Japanese and finally there's a guy (well a tipsy guy) thought I was an Ethiopian! Well, I always want darker skin, and probably this means my skin is dark enough to look like African.

So I just answered to him "No, Sir, I'm not from Ethiopia. I'm from Zimbabwe." And he just nodded and said "Ach so...".

Picture of the Day: Pony of Neunkircher Zoo

2010-08-08T12:26:00.005+02:00

Well, this picture wasn't actually taken today.

I noticed this pony behaved strangely. And, I figured out the reason immediately. This pony was turned on. And he wanted to make love but he didn't have a mate.

Visit Neunkircher Zoo to see more interesting animals.

Neunkircher Zoo
Zoostrasse 25
Neunkirchen
Saarland
Germany

Or check out the website! www.neunkircherzoo.de

Picture of the Day: Ostrich of Neunkircher Zoo

2010-08-04T01:34:00.005+02:00

Well, you know I'm an intern in Neunkircher Zoo. And I'm glad about it because I have the chance to see unique animals everyday.

This is the zoo's elegant and chic ostrich. I always believe it is very elegant. The way it walks through the savannah is very classy. And, the coolest part is, it knows I work for the zoo. And when I'm there, it begs to be freed. It knows just the staffs of the zoo can do that.

Visit Neunkircher Zoo to witness more exotic animals!

Neunkircher Zoo
Zoostrasse 25
Neunkirchen
Saarland
Germany

or visit its website! www.neunkircherzoo.de

Hello August

2010-08-02T10:47:00.003+02:00

So, this is again a quick-update post from me.

1. I'm officially a student in the faculty of international tourism at Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes.

2. I went to an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant in Zweibrücken named Kinto. It was good. Just good, not superbe.

3. I can't wait for Wednesday because I'll have dinner with my friends in Kaiserslautern at Cantina Mexicana or something like that. All-you-can-eat pork ribs every Wednesday!

4. I was at Nauwieser Fest yesterday and it was very awesome.

5. I can't believe it's August already, which means I'm about to be one year in Germany, my internship at Neunnkircher Zoo ends in 2 months, and summer is about to end. I'm unhappy that the summer's about to end.

Saar-Lor-Lux

2010-07-18T13:14:00.004+02:00

Travelling in low-budget in Europe? That is definitely possible. I recommend you to buy a Saar-Lor-Lux ticket!

DB (Germany), SNCF (France), and CFL (Luxembourg) have this cooperation that allows people from Saar-Lor-Lux to travel cheaply on Saturday and Sunday. Saar-Lor-Lux stands for Saarland-Lorraine-Luxembourg. The ticket costs 20 Euro for one person, 30 Euro for 2 persons (@ 15 Euro), 40 Euro for 3 persone (@ 13,33 Euro), 50 Euro for 4 persons (@ 12,50 Euro), and 60 Euro for 5 persons (@ 12 Euro). Of course it will be cheaper if you have 4 people to travel with so you can buy the ticket for 5 persons.

So, what are the rules of this ticket? With this ticket you can travel for one day with all trains in these 3 regions (Saarland-Lorraine-Luxembourg) inclusive Trier and Zweibruecken in Germany. The ticket can be bought just in these 3 regions. So you cannot buy it in Paris or in Cologne.

Last Saturday I travelled again with this ticket. The first time I travelled with it was in spring and the weather was terrible. And it's summer this time!

I travelled to
1. Metz Ville, France
2. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
3. Trier, Germany
and I'll give you then some info about the city where I live: Saarbruecken, Germany

Metz Ville, France
I departed from Saarbruecken Hauptbahnhof at 7:30 am to Metz. The journey takes an hour. Metz is the capital city of Lorraine. The city is still very ancient and unique. It is so 'french'. It has many allies with old buildings and the best part of it is that it is passed by the Moselle, a beautiful river that in the end meets with the Rhine in Koblenz (read my previous post about Koblenz). In Metz you should visit the Cathedrale St. Etienne. It is basically the main attraction of the city. It's a very big cathedrale with beautiful sculptures at the front gate. Unfortunately it was under renovation when I was there. But actually there are more to see in Metz than just the cathedrale. The centre ville is very interesting with lots of shops if you're into shopping. And of course you have to visit the Mosel. There is a delta on the river and on the delta there's a little church. And it is so beautiful. I actually don't know what's the name of the church.

The cathedrale St.Etienne, Metz

This is the beautiful church on the Mosel. Look at those swans!

Ville de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
So let's head to the capital city of Luxembourg. I always believe Luxembourg is the heart of Europe because of its location. Luxembourg is an interesting country for me. It's like so small and so rich. I guess it has higher standard of life than France or Germany. The EU parlament building is here and Luxembourg is the country where Schengen policy was ratified. Its capital city is now part of UNESCO World Heritage Sites due to its uniqueness. The people don't have any stereotypes I guess. I don't know what's the typical character of Luxembourgeois. Anyway let's just talk about the trip there.
I departed from Metz at 12:20 pm. The journey to Luxembourg takes 45 minutes. I can divide the great spots of Luxembourg into two parts: Ville Haute and Ville Basse. Well, if you speak French of course you know what it means. Ville Haute means high city and Ville Basse means low city. Well I recommend you to first take the Ville Basse. In Ville Basse there are beautiful old buildings and a medieval castle or something like that. Walking in the Ville Basse is really enjoyable and romantic. The river, the old little bridge, the flowers, the trees they're really a perfect dating spot. I haven't done it yet but I recommend you to have a picnic at Vallee de la Petrusse. It is very beautiful there.
Here are some views from Ville Basse

In Ville Haute you can see the Ville Basse from above. And they're extremely beautiful. In Ville Haute you can also find the Centre Ville with many shops like Louis Vuitton, etc. If you like shopping, it is the right place. Sorry I don't have any pictures of the centre ville. It's not really my thing.

Anyway, tips to travel in Luxembourg:
Wear comfortable shoes! Luxembourg is very up-and-down with lots of steep roads. Never use high heels because the streets are still made of stones.

Trier, Germany
I don't know whether it's true or not but all German towns were totally destroyed during the second world war except Heidelberg and Trier. That's why Trier is worth a visit because it still has medieval buildings. The main attraction of the town is Porta Negra. It's a medieval monument. There are still many other buildings like Roman amphitheater. And, visiting the Mosel again is not a bad idea.

And the last I'm going to tell you about the city where I live, Saarbruecken, Germany.
Saarbruecken is the capital city of Saarland, one of the smallest state in Germany. If you read its history, Saarbruecken was badly damaged during the world war. Of course it was. Saarbruecken is located at the border between France and Germany. So, all french or english troops have to go through Saarbruecken first to reach Germany. Although we don't have many medieval buildings than other cities in Germany. The city is still very beautiful. It has a river at least and sunbathing or biking or jogging along the river is worth a try. Saarbruecken doesn't offer you many things to see. But I think Saarbruecken is a very nice place to live. A friend of mine told me that all cities in Saarland are not very interesting for tourists but they're nice to live in. Most Saarlanders come back again and live in Saarland eventhough they have got a good job in other parts of Germany. I guess it is true. I also feel so comfortable in Saarbruecken that I don't want to leave this city anymore. But if you're a tourist, then visit Ludwigskirche. The church is unique because it's all white unlike other churches in Germany. Churches in Germany are mostly dark with coloured glasses. But Ludwigskirche and St. Basilika in Saarbruecken is so bright with white walls and transparent glasses so that the sun can come in. And of course I suggest you to hang out along the river Saar.

So one day, you can visit 4 cities in 3 different countries with just 12 euros for the transport! Worth trying, right?

Quick Update

2010-07-08T22:22:00.003+02:00

1. I've received my Studienkolleg diploma. I am so satisfied with the results.

2. My internship programm at Neunkircher Zoo is very interesting. My colleagues are nice and well I just love having an office right in front of the sea lion exhibit :)

3. I'm so busy. Because of this internship I have to wake up at 6 everyday.

4. I need to reduce my working hours at Zum Schanzenberg Gaststube.

5. I'm disappointed that Germany lost to Spain yesterday. But c'est la vie! I support the Netherlands to win of course.

6. I told you I'm busy that's why I haven't watched any movies.

7. My hands are so disgusting right now. They're too dry.

8. I'm going to Metz and Luxembourg again this weekend!!!!. Travelbuddy: Erick

Party After Defeating England

2010-06-29T14:53:00.002+02:00

Sorry that I post about German football fans lately because well World Cup is still in the air. And Germany is still on its track to win!

The match between Germany and England last Sunday is actually controversial. One goal of England was cancelled by the referee. Of course I'd hate it too if I were a fan of England. Well, however Germany won 4-1 to England. Even if the goal hadn't been cancelled, Germany would've won this match too. I'm not a football expert but the strategy of German team was very awesome I think. Well fine, Germany had a bit of luck too actually. But I guess England was disorganized last Sunday.

Of course we partied again after winning this tough match. The party was even better with this great weather. So, a friend of mine captured some photos of the party in Saarbruecken, Germany. And, the pictures are interesting and have lots of interesting stories. They were captured around Rathaus, Wilhelm-Heinrich-Bruecke, Staatstheater, and St. Johanner Markt. Thanks to the photographer, Nurfaqih Irfani for the great pictures!

The problem is Germany always has to play against difficult teams this year. Germany was in Group D forcing them to play against Ghana, Australia and Serbia, which are not bad at all. And, against England in round of 16. And in quarter final against ARGENTINA. Oh hell. It's too bad I won't be able to watch this match against Argentina. But I guess there won't be many guests in the restaurant so probably we can hopefully watch the match in the restaurant. And, I hope Germany can still go on to semifinal. I believe they can do it.

Anyway, my internship at Neunkircher Zoo begins on Thursday. I am so excited about it.

Movie Review: Cassandra's Dream

2010-06-27T12:10:00.011+02:00

I watched this movie yesterday and am totally satisfied with it. This movie is great. I always enjoy this kind of movie I'm not sure how to describe it but I can say it is "dark". You know, like dark comedy or something like that.

At first a friend of mine told me he was going to download some movies and he asked me what movie could be good. I browsed some movies at IMDB. Having found no good movie, I then remembered how stunning Colin Farrell's acting in one of my favorite movies In Bruges. So I then opened Colin Farrell's page in IMDB and found one of his movie which sounded very interesting. And, that is Cassandra's Dream.

The movie is very interesting because Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor star it. After reading that these 2 guys play here, I guessed this movie was set in UK or Ireland. And that is true. This movie is set in London. Attention: this post may contain spoiler.

The story is about 2 brothers, Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell). They buy a boat named Cassandra's Dream. Ian is a businessman. He helps his father's restaurant but actually that is not what he wants. He wants to have a better life by investing some money to a hotel in California. He is head over heels in love with an actress, Angela and they decided to move to California to fulfill their dreams. Terry works in a garage. He fixes cars and he has a girlfriend named Kate. Terry is addicted to gambling and he owes 90000 pounds. So, they both need money. Terry needs money to pay his debts and Ian needs money for his investment in California.

Then comes uncle Howard, who has been living in China. He is a very successful man. Ian and Terry then ask for a financial help from him. But they must do him a favor and that is not an easy task. They must kill uncle Howard's rival.

Okay, let me tell you. The murder is successful. They kill this man and nobody witnesses and they burn the guns. Everything seems to be perfect. But the problems come later. Terry cannot get away with it. He feels so guilty that his behaviour change. And, I'll give you a clue about the ending. The story ends on the boat Cassandra's Dream.

I love this movie. This movie is I think a combination of 2 of my favorite movies, In Bruges and Brothers. Well the storyline is more like In Bruges and the tension I got while watching Cassandra's Dream is like the tension I got while watching Brothers. Colin Farrell has exactly the same character here with his character in In Bruges. In In Bruges he acts as a gunman who feels guilty after accidentally killing a little boy.

Germany Made It to the Next Round!

2010-06-24T00:04:00.006+02:00

After losing 0-1 to Serbia. Germany had a chance not to go through the qualifying round. And, today! Today finally the German team succeeded again.

I was in a cafe in Saarbruecken. I don't know the name of the cafe but it is at St. Johanner Markt. And, it was fantastic there. We all jumped happily when Oezil scored a goal.

Yes, Ghana is definitely not easy. Ghana was the runner-up of this year's African Cup. But Germany is too strong for Ghana. And, I am just so happy that Germany can still make it to the next round. Because if Germany had lost to Ghana, German football players would've had to pack their belongings and go back home.

It is too bad that my favorite team the Socceroos doesn't make it to the next round. But I'm quite satisfied! After being defeated 0-4 by germany, the Australian soccer team could have a draw with Ghana and today it won over Serbia, who had defeated Germany. And finally Australia has the same points with Ghana, the runner-up of the group. Australia cannot make it just because it lost 0-4 to Germany. But it is still a good job from the Socceroos I guess. Here is the result of Group D

1. Germany 6
2. Ghana 4
3. Australia 4
4. Serbia 3
What a tough group! Each team has made a victory at least once.

And, of course all Saarbriggers (people who live in Saarbruecken, Germany) celebrated it happily! Too bad I didn't bring my camera because I was afraid I could lose it in the middle of the crowd. So, I captured some moments with the camera from my handphone. The pictures were captured in Rathaus. The Saarbriggers blocked the road! They even lifted a motorcyle and the motorcyclist on it! House music was played and everybody sang "DEUTSCHLANDDDD! DEUTSCHLANDDDD! DEUTSCHLANDDDD! DEUTSCHLANDDD!". Even they made fun with the police car.

But it was a very very great time. I really enjoyed my time here. And, Oezil is totally a national hero! I can't wait to see Germany play against England this Sunday. And oh la la I won't be working at that time! Super.

10 Reasons to Love Jakarta

2010-06-22T09:34:00.006+02:00

Hello.

It is June 22nd. And, you know what day is it today? It's Jakarta's anniversary! Today Jakarta has reached its 482nd anniversary.

All Asian capital cities have problems. The problems in Jakarta like traffic jam and overpopulation are also found in cities like Manila, Bangkok, Beijing, etc. I have to admit Jakarta still has many problems. Jakarta has too many inhabitants because our former president Mr. Soeharto was very centralistic making Jakarta has everything to offer. Jakarta has many factories, offices, malls, shops, etc and that makes many people from other cities move to Jakarta to find a job here but they don't know life in Jakarta is much more harder than life in other cities in Indonesia. The next problem would be the traffic jam. This is actually very normal for 3rd world countries. Bangkok, Manila, and even Manhattan cannot solve this problem completely. And, the next problem can be found only in Jakarta. We have floods. And, that is so lame.

Despite all the problems, Jakarta is a loveable city. I love Jakarta so much. And this post is a tribute for Jakarta from me, a Jakartan who is now so far away and missing Jakarta so much.

Why do I love Jakarta?

1. Jakarta is multicultural
I told you earlier that many people from other cities move to Jakarta to work or I don't know. Many Indonesians dream to live in Jakarta I also don't know why. But that makes Jakarta a very very culturally diversed city. Not all people who live in Jakarta are actually Jakartan (I actually don't know if people really say Jakartan in English but you know what I mean with it :p ). I am one of the example. My father is from Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung and my mother is from Purwokerto, Central Java. So I am in this case "biracial". I am a combination of Sumatra and Java. But I live in Jakarta and many other Jakartans are like that too. That is why I love Jakarta. You can always find different kinds of people with different backgrounds.

2. Jakarta has the greatest food ever
This is the effect of reason #1. Well, people from other cities come to Jakarta and then they want to work here. Many people open a restaurant or food stalls and sell their local foods. And to be honest the foods taste better than the foods sold in its original cities. For example, Mie Bangka (Bangka noodle) in Jakarta tastes better than Mie Bangka in Bangka. Seriously. And I have a friend from Bandung and he said that Siomay Bandung in Jakarta tasted better than Siomay Bandung in Bandung. And, there are so many street foods in Jakarta. And they're very great. Even there are some street vendors only open at night to fulfill the need of night food.

Source: Elyanigunadi.blogspot.com

3. Jakarta is religiously diversed
Yes, it is. Even Indonesian biggest mosque (Masjid Istiqlal) is located exactly across Indonesian biggest church (Katedral). And it is definitely diversed. Compared to city like Banda Aceh for example. Banda Aceh is definitely not diversed. Denpasar in Bali is not religiously diversed too.

Indonesian biggest mosque and Indonesian biggest church
Source: Jakarta Post

4. Jakarta has many shopping malls
LOL! And they are open from 10 AM to 10 PM everyday even on Sundays they are also open. Wait a minute. I'm from West Jakarta. And, I can mention hmmm 6 SHOPPING MALLS JUST IN WEST JAKARTA: Puri Mall, Taman Anggrek, Citraland, Central Park, one mall in Cengkareng but I forget the name, and ITC Roxy. And there are still many more. Even you can find 3 malls in Pluit. Pluit is just a small district in Jakarta but there are 3 malls there! Pluit Village, Pluit Junction, Emporium. And even there are 3 malls around Bunderan HI: Grand Indonesia, Plaza Indonesia, eX. And in Kelapa Gading there are I don't know more than 3? Artha Gading, Mall Kelapa Gading, Mall of Indonesia, and a mall with lots of cafes I forget the name. You see? That is crazy right? But that makes you always have somewhere to visit every weekends. And, even you can bargain in some malls like MANGGA DUA or Glodok. Oh that is heaven there. Am I right but Taman Anggrek is the largest mall in South East Asia? Or Grand Indonesia? Or Artha Gading? I don't know but one of them are the largest in South East Asia.

5. Everything in Jakarta is spesific
It's hard to tell but every mall, every restaurant and every parts of Jakarta has its own characteristic and specialties. If you ask someone "where can I buy a good handphone?" then everyone will answer "ITC ROXY MAS!" or if you want to buy Muslim clothes than go to Tanah Abang. And if you want to buy electronics than go to Glodok. If you want to buy antiquities, go to Jalan Surabaya. If you want to buy chinese medicines, go to Petak Sembilan. If you want to eat Pangsit Goreng (fried dumpling), go to Bakmi GM. If you want to eat the best porridge, go to Bubur Mangga Besar. You see, everything has its own specialties.

6. The songs~!
The songs! The songs of Jakarta are always HAPPY. That portrays the characteristic of the local people of Jakarta. Listen for example songs from Benyamin Sjuaib. The songs are always happy and cheerful. The songs always contain humor and the stories are always not that important! For example I know a song from Benyamin titled Roti Gambang. The song is about a woman wants to buy a bread from Benyamin but the bread is no longer good and the woman complains. That's so funny right pop songs are normally about love or something like that. But the topic of this song is so funny! Basically the music of Betawi is always happy. ALWAYS! Sundanese, Javanese and Balinese songs tend to have minor melodies making the songs a bit sad. But Gambang Kromong and Tanjidor (Jakarta music) have happy melodies played with lots of gendang and trumpets. Trust me you'll feel happy after listening to those music.

7. BAJAJ!
This can be found only in Jakarta. It is small but very noisy. But bajaj is a very good way to go around in Jakarta. It is small so it can avoid traffic jam sometimes. And it is relatively cheap and you can bargain of course. Bajajs are found everywhere in Jakarta. They are mostly in front of supermarkets, schools, etc. They are easy to find. Really easy. And, they are safe! Taking an ojek (motorcycle taxi) has dangers because you don't have helmets for protection. Taking a taxi is actually well there are some crimes happened in taxi. I often hear stories like the taxi driver forces you to give your wallet, you cannot shout for help because you can't open the window, etc. I guess many girls in Jakarta are not brave to take a taxi alone. Bajaj is the safest. If something happens, you can easily scream and ask for help or just get off from the bajaj.

source: Littlejakarta.blogspot.com

8. Cheap mass transports
Well, the transports in Jakarta are actually not enough. We haven't had any subways and we haven't had monorails or boats. But who says the buses are not good? Well they are good! TransJakarta for example they cost only 3500 (2000 before 7 AM) and you can go wherever there is Busway. You can go from Ancol to Ragunan just with 3500. And TransJakarta are all placed in important places of Jakarta like train stations, regional bus terminals, zoo, theme park, etc. And the Metro Mini is even cheaper. Good thing about it is you don't need to wait in bus shelter! You can just get out from your house, then raise your hand and the bus will stop and wait for you to get on it. And they are only 2000 rupiahs.

MetroMini
Source: Lovejakarta.blogspot.com

9. Very very diversed
So this is again the consequence of reason #1 and #3. It is like Jakarta is just a city divided into 5 kotamadya and 1 kabupaten (well 6 regions). And you every region has its own characters and styles. If you see a guy wearing Converse shoes, skinny jeans, funny printed tee and big framed glasses, then people will think "Ah this guy is from SOUTH JAKARTA!". Like seriously. Or you hear a girl speaks Hokkian very fluently and then people will think "Ah this girl is from PLUIT or MUARA KARANG or PANTAI INDAH KAPUK, NORTH JAKARTA!". That means we're very diversed. Even in one city our cultures, our behaviours, our ways of thinking are different.

10. Street musicians
Many people see it as a bad thing. But we have a high rate of unemployed people in Jakarta. So they have to beg for money and they play music for example. When the traffic light is red, lots of street musicians come. Some of them are children. I actually don't know whether we're allowed to give them money or not. But it is just great when you eat in a street vendor and then a street musician comes and sings with guitar. And some are actually quite talented. Well, some not many actually.

If you want to know more about Jakarta culture, I recommend you to watch BAJAJ BAJURI in Youtube. The stories and the people in this films are so Jakarta.

Once again Happy Anniversary Jakarta. I wish Jakarta would always go forward. I wish all projects like subway or Jakarta Tower or St. Moritz or Regatta would be done immediately. Love you forever.

LA's Got Talent

2010-06-20T13:04:00.003+02:00

I posted some videos from New York audition of America's Got Talent 2010. My favorites from New York are Fighting Gravity and Prince Poppycock.

So, I decided to find more videos and more talents from America's Got Talent auditions. And I find Los Angeles has really got talent! I have 3 favorite acts in this city.

The first one comes from a woman named Maricar. She wore a very very sexy and erotic outfits. She also has that sexy and erotic voice. But hey she doesn't look like 38 years old at all! She still looks like 25 or something.

The coolest part about her is that she can combine fine art with performance art. If you just have a pallet on your hand and then you paint on the canvas, it will be very boring. But look at this girl. She has made painting on stage no longer boring. She moved that booty a little and danced to the music by Pussycat Dolls. And what about the painting? Extravagant. Her painting was simple but very edgy.

I really like her. But I'm afraid she can't stay that long in this show. You know, painting on stage tend to be boring. She should find more creative ideas. She's really got talent. And, look how Howie was so excited! His expression makes me laugh.

The next talent is a singing act from a man named Michael Grimm. I thing he has an angel voice. His voice is so beautiful and perfect-pitched. He plays guitar very very well too. And he joins America's Got Talent to help his grandparents. What a good grandson he is.

But my favorite of LA audition is New Directions Veterans Choir. They're good and they're inspirational. They're not just talented but they're all brave american heroes with sad stories like being homeless for over 10 years. This is a very touching audition. And all the judges, all the audience gave standing ovations for them. "WE LOVE YOU, VETERANS!" shouted an audience. Yes, we do. We love you, veterans!

Serbian Party in Germany over Germany's Loss

2010-06-19T13:20:00.010+02:00

Yesterday I was in Frankfurt am Main because I needed to do something in Indonesian consulate. Yesterday was a special day for Germany especially for the football fans. Germany played against Serbia.

The bad news is, Germany lost 0-1 to Serbia. It was totally unexpected. Germany had defeated Australia 4-0 and it lost yesterday to Serbia.

I kind of believe the referee was a little bit unfair. Miroslav Klose didn't deserve a red card. And, it was very bad that Podolski did not succeed the penalty kick. Man, that was a very good opportunity for the German team to have a goal. But Podolski's kick was so predictable and bad that Serbian goalkeeper could catht the ball.

Good thing about watcing this match in big city like Frankfurt (not in my city Saarbruecken) is that there are pretty many Serbian fans too there. If I had watched this match in Saarbruecken, all I could see would have been sad and angry German fans. But I was in Frankfurt and Frankfurt is a multinational city. All I could see was Serbian fans dancing to the music played by the Frankfurt street musicians. They did not care at all eventhough they're in Germany but they were very happy for Germany's loss.

These are the pictures from Serbian party tomorrow. All of them were captured in Hauptwache and Konstablerwache, Frankfurt a.M., Germany.

New York Got Talent

2010-06-15T00:37:00.005+02:00

I am just so stunned by the performance of Fighting Gravity in America's Got Talent. They are like so awesome. The concept is brilliant and one of a kind. I don't know how to describe them. I guess they're hmm hmm let me think... they are edgy. Yes, edgy is the right word. And that's what Sharon also said. Yes, they're edgy like the Blue Man group. These dudes are just so fantastic and none of them is dancer.

I wish they would win this season. I also showed my brother this video. In fact he had seen something like this and probably it was Fighting Gravity's inspiration. And my brother gave me a link to this video

Yes that is from my favorite show when I was still a kid. Masquerade! This show is very inspiring and shows how creative people in Japan are. Yeap this pingpong masquerade might have been Fighting Gravity's inspiration. But I prefer Fighting Gravity more somehow. The Japanese team brought this performance into comedy. Fighting Gravity brings it in more serious and elegant way.

The next super talent is Prince Poppycock! Let's laugh at the name!

I had the same thought with Piers. When I first saw him coming dressed like that and calling himself PRINCE POPPYCOCK, I underestimated him. But his first note was perfect and not pitchy at all. FIGARO!

And, he's like a true artist. He's elegant in a different way. It feels like living in Renaissance era after hearing him sing. It feels like having a dinner with Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI. And, he dares to be different.

Ah, New York really got talent! I have to visit this city someday

Bostalsee in Landkreis St. Wendel

2010-06-11T18:31:00.013+02:00

I just solotravelled today to Bostalsee!

Actually not many people know about this place I guess. I bet many Saarlaenders don't know this place. So, further info just check out www.bostalsee.de

Bostalsee is a lake. See means lake in German. So, Bostalsee can be translated as Lake Bostal. Bostalsee is located in Saarland, exactly in Bosen. It is a very very small town in Landkreis St. Wendel.

How to get there?
You can get there by train from Saarbruecken to Frankfurt or Mainz and get off at Tuerkismuehle. Then, you have to take the bus. This was my itinerary for today. I got in a train to Frankfurt at 12:52 PM and then I took bus 630 from Tuerkismuehle Bahnhof to Nonnweiler. And then I got off at Campingplatz. You can also take bus R11 from Tuerkismuehle Bahnhof to Selbach am Sengert. And you have to get off at Campingplatz or Strandbad. Bus R11 comes only once every 2 hours. I admit that the access to get there is not really good. And it is even worse on Saturdays and Sundays.

So what can we do there?

I guess there are basically 3 things to do in Bostalsee: cycling or trekking, sailing, and bathing.

Bostalsee is passed by the Saarland-Radweg (Saarland's cycling track). You know, Saarland has this track for those who like cycling. Cycling in Saarland is definitely worth it. Saarland offers beautiful view of green field and river. Cycling or trekking along Bostalsee is a recommended thing to do. Bostalsee brings you peace with all those chirping birds and gorgeous large green field.

You can also rent a boat in Bostalsee. Unfortunately I don't know how much it costs. I guess you should check it on its website. There is also a boat where you can sit down and drink beer. The boat then sails around the lake.

You can also enjoy white sand in Bostalsee! It's perfect right? There is an area called Strandbad. You can lie on white sand or play beach volleyball and enjoy the sun. You have to pay some money to get in there. Just check its website because I didn't get there.

If you want to stay overnight, you can also rent a tent there in its camping area. I guess it's worth trying. You can hear the orchestra of insects at night and birds in the morning.

I enjoyed being there. I just sat in the area where people can rent boats (I sat there because it is free lol). And I don't know I just sat there watching boats. I had 3 waffles with butter too. And I listened to John Legend and Joss Stone. I let my feet a little bit wet. The water was not very cold and it felt so fresh after soaking my feet into the water. Then I took a walk around the lake. The large green field with the voices of birds is amazing. And I was so blessed with a great weather!

What I like about Bostalsee is that it is quiet. There aren't many cars passing this area. All you can hear is just birds and wind. I hardly saw young man like me. I guess the visitors were above 45 or under 15.

I recommend you to go back to Tuerkismuehle Bahnhof by Bus R11 to Nohfelden. The views during the journey are fantastic. You can see green fields with horses and little wooden houses. And you can also see the lake from above.

OH LOOK AT THAT BLUE SKY. gorgeous!

World Cup 2010!

2010-06-11T10:28:00.002+02:00

The football's World Cup is back in the air! After 4 years of waiting finally it is time.

source: Wikimedia

For me, this year's World Cup is something special. It is the first time being held in Africa. And, South Africa is the host this year! I guess I shouldn't have written that here because everyone knows that.

I really hope that this year we can have a new winner. And, my vote goes to Australia! Seriously. Well, I don't watch much football so I don't know which team has the strongest players. But I vote for Australia because basically for me Australian football team has improved a lot in these last 5 years. But too bad Australia is in Group D with Germany, Serbia and Ghana! I think Group B is very interesting. There are Argentina, Nigeria, South Korea and Greece.

What I love about this year's world cup is that South Africa isn't just simply the host but it presents African culture and spirit. This year's theme song is superb. It is collaboration between Shakira and a local band of South Africa bringing a bit African groove in it. Well, compared to World Cup 2002 in South Korea and Japan, did they present Asian culture? Not at all. The mascots had nothing to do with Asian culture and neither did the theme song. They were just simply the host.

So, it is no longer time to frown. It is time to be happy because World Cup is in the air. And, this time for Africa!

Movie Review: Jeux d'Enfants

2010-06-07T19:18:00.014+02:00

I always enjoy watching french films. I even believe that french films are overall better than Hollywood. Yes, I admit it Hollywood wins in technique. Hollywood can produce films like Avatar, 2012, etc. But the stories? I guess french films win.

I always love films whose ending are so unpredictable. That is why I am not such a fan of superhero movies because well even since the beginning of the film I've known how it's going to end. The good guy wins and the villain loses. That's it. French films are unbelieavbly unpredictable making some people hate french films. Some people are upset that the movie ends just like that. But for me I'll be so glad if a movie ends very weirdly.

Today, I am going to talk about one of the sweetest and most romantic movies I've ever seen. It is starred by my favorite actress Marion Cotillard. The movie is Jeux d'Enfants. Attention: This post may contain spoilers.

This movie is basically about everlasting love. 2 kids, Julien (Guillaume Canet) and Sophie (Marion Cotillard) play a game called Cap ou Pas Cap. Probably if you don't speak french, you don't know how it goes. So the rule is simple. They have one box. When Julien has the box, he dares Sophie to do something. If Sophie is cap, she deals to do that. Then Julien gives the box back to Sophie and she dares him. However, nobody can understand the jokes they make. Julien's father is so mad at him and Sophie.

The problem is they continue playing this game till grown up. They know everything about love and lust. Sex and kisses are very hard to resist. They begin falling in love. But it is very strange for them to fall in love each other. It feels of course very awkward when you date your -let's say- soulmate.

How will their love story ends? I cannot tell you here. Clue: c'est l'amour sans fin.

I have to give this movie 100 out of 100. This movie is so perfectly made. Great actors, great stories, great music, great clothes, great settings, great dialogues and great scenes... great love scenes, great kissing scenes, great love story! This movie is beyond words for me.

My favorite scene in this film would be hmmm I don't know. I love every part of it. I love when Julien and Sophie have a pillow fight. And I also love it when they kiss on a car. And, the scene when Julien sings La Vie en Rose to Sophie under the rain.

Alors, aimes-moi comme le fou, cap ou pas cap?

Eat Pray Love

2010-06-06T14:05:00.005+02:00

Oh 2 posts in a day. I just got so excited after watching Eat, Pray, Love trailer

I must see this film! Too bad she said, "I'm going to Italy, I'm going to India, and then I'm going to Bali". Hello! She has mentioned at first 2 countries. Bali is not a country. Bali is just a province of Indonesia. She should have said "... and then I'm going to Indonesia".

But, I just really want to watch this film. I know a russian who gets so inspired with the book and now she is in Bali, Indonesia. And she doesn't want to come back to Russia again. I don't know whether this movie brings good or bad effect to Indonesia (in this case Bali). But I guess and I hope it will bring many advantages.

Now that I live in Europe I need to go to Italy and eat great foods there.

Tag des Schafes at Neunkircher Zoo

2010-06-04T19:52:00.030+02:00

Last Sunday I visited Neunkircher Zoo because I got an invitation to attend Tag des Schafes (Sheep day). I got it because I might do my internship there this summer. You know, my favorite computer game was Zoo Tycoon. I played it like everyday. I just loved it somehow. We can play something and learn about management and zoology.

Neunkirchen is the second biggest city (after Saarbruecken) in Saarland, Germany. It is not really interesting actually. It is not as beautiful as Saarlouis, my favorite city in Saarland. But however, it's the state's second biggest city. So, it is also important. Neunkirchen has a mall and I guess it's the biggest I've seen in Saarland. It is Saarpark. Neunkirchen also has Gondwana. It is like a prehistoric theme park. So you can see robots of dinosaurs. And, Neunkirchen has the best zoo in Saarland. It is definitely better than Saarbruecken's.

I told you before I went there last Sunday. And, Neunkirchen is like a dead town on Sunday. There aren't many buses too and that makes Neunkirchers not so mobile on Sunday. I even had to wait for an hour in Stummdenkmal to the zoo. So, I decided to get around and capture some pictures.

This is Saarpark, the mall in Neunkirchen. It is quite interesting. It is better than Saarbasar in Saarbruecken. I guess it is so far the biggest shopping mall in Saarland. Probably the SaarGalerie will be its big rival.

This is so lovely

So after waiting for an hour, the bus to the zoo arrived. You can reach the zoo by bus number 304 and 312. You can get in those 2 buses from Hauptbahnhof or from Stummdenkmal. If you get there by 304, you must get off at Tiergartenweg and then go to the entrance on foot. It takes just about 10 minutes. The busstop for 312 is Neunkircher Zoo. It stops right in front of the entrance gate. Neunkircher Zoo is open everyday from 8.30-18.00 from March until October. From November until February it opens just until 17.00. On Sundays and public holidays it opens at 10.30 and closes at 17.00. The ticket costs for adult 6EUR and 3,50EUR for children from 3-16 years old.

On Tag des Schafes (Sheep Day) last Sunday the zoo displayed several sheep races mostly from the Alpines. We could also see how people shave sheep's fur. I guess everyone knows sheep's fur is a very good and definitely not cheap. The zoo also organized a sheep-shaving championship. The winner was supposed to be the fastest shaver.

And, now it's time for tour around the zoo. Unfortunately I could not take some pictures of the orangutans. They were like so far and hid on a tall tree and I guess nobody could take good pictures of them that time. But there are many nice animals here. Surprisingly Neunkircher Zoo focuses itself in Asian animals. Besides orangutan, we can see Asian elephants, vietnamese Sikhas, Timor deers, and peacocks. It also has several animals from the down under like wallabies, emus, kookaburras and dingos. It also has giraffes, zebras, ostriches, beavers, falcons, grizzly bears, camels, llamas, etc. So, here are some nice pictures from the zoo

And these are my favorite photos
I just really like the way it looked to the camera. It looked so peaceful

makin' love LOL
I guess these kookaburras are in love. They played with the swing happily. They kissed each other too. They are so sweet. They live far away from their real habitats in Australia and they have found true love here in Germany.

And, I was so lucky the peacock spreaded its tail right when I was there. It looked tremendously gorgeous! This is the best picture I took.

BEFORE

AFTER

And, this is my favorite attraction there. I always love sea mammals. They are really smart and easy to train. I really wish I could have seals or dolphins. Even when I was a kid my favorite Pokemon character was Seal and Dugong. Sea mammals are just very cool and cute.

Movie Review: Bangkok Traffic Love Story and Bangkok Love Story

2010-05-29T21:38:00.027+02:00

This post is all about Bangkok! I have never been to Bangkok but I'd love to. I think I can fall in love with this city because it has many similarities with my hometown, Jakarta. This post may contain spoilers by the way.

So I watched a movie titled Bangkok Traffic Love Story. I decided to watch this movie from Jagoan Movie.

I had never heard about Thai drama. I used to think Thai movies are mostly horror and they're really good, for example Alone and Coming Soon.

Bangkok Traffic Love Story is amazingly interesting. I cannot say it is good. But I was so amused watching it.

It is a story about a girl named Li (Sirin Horwang). She is 30 and she never dates a guy. Her best friend then gets married which means she loses a friend to spend time together because she is married now. Once, she met a handsome man ridiculously. He is Lung (Theeradej Wongpuapan). And she fell in love with him.

The problem is Lung works at night and Li works at noon. It is very hard for them to arrange a meeting. Lung is asleep during the day while Li stays awake. Li is also a very clumsy woman. She breaks Lung's computer, camera, etc. She also often comes late to work. But in the end, they like each other. Lung asks Li out during Sungkran. I don't know much about it but it is a festival in Thailand.

For me this film is not really special. I like it. But I guess Hollywood is the master of romantic comedy. However, it is still interesting to see a romantic comedy from Thailand. And some scenes made me laugh out loud. But, the greatest thing about this movie is that it shows Thai culture and daily life in Bangkok. I always love movies like Paris Je T'aime because they can combine touristic value with romance. And, I guess that is a good way to enhance a country's touristic sector.

Snapshots of Bangkok in Bangkok Traffic Love Story

Woho! Thai women also love to watch soap opera together in the evening. Exactly the same like in Indonesia! Too bad my mom doesn't have a daughter :) She doesn't have company for watching soaps.

The cute couple in Bangkok Traffic Love Story

I want this badly. It is so sweet to see a dazzling temple in Bangkok together with your couple at night, right?

I have to visit Bangkok on this day (is it called Sungkran?) let's get wet in Bangkok!

And I also found a movie titled Bangkok Love Story in IMDB. And it sounds even more interesting. This one is definitely not comedy and not suitable for underaged. So, I watched it and I am very impressed with this movie.

Bangkok Love Story displays 3 social problems: homosexuality, HIV/AIDS, and poverty. It is a story about an everlasting homosexual love. A gunman named Mehk (Rattanaballang Tohssawat) is paid to kill Itt (Chaiwat Thongsaeng). Mehk is poor and Itt is rich. His mother and brother have HIV because his late father was homosexual. Mehk doesn't kill Itt because Itt is not a bad guy. Mehk is injured in a shoot-out with his boss and Itt helps curing the wounds. They hide together. They finally fall in love. And, it feels just strange. Itt is married and he loves Mehk more than his wife. Then, problems appear. Mehk doesn't want to see Itt anymore. Itt tries to see Mehk and tell him he really loves him. They are really really sweet. They see each other in the eyes, hold hands, and kiss under the pouring rain. I give two thumbs up for the 2 actors. I actually don't know whether the 2 actors are gay or not in the reality. But their actings in this film are just fantastic.

There are actually many things we can get from this movie. First, we must not discriminate HIV victims. We should encourage them to always stay strong. Many HIV patients also intend to spread the disease. They don't want to be alone in this world so they sell themselves to spread the disease. That is what Mekh's brother does. Second, love is everywhere. Everyone has freedom to love whom he/she loves even with the same sex.

Mehk's HIV-infected mom

this is where it all begins!

Itt's wife finds something strange about Itt. She realizes Itt has found a new love.

sweet everlasting love

After watching these 2 movies I just really have a big desire to visit Bangkok. I wish political problems in Thailand esp. in Bangkok would be solved as soon as possible.

Facebook Is Funny

2010-05-26T14:59:00.002+02:00

I want to tell you that my interview at Neunkircher Zoo yesterday went very well. I only have to do something with HTW and then I can be an intern there on July. Hopefully I can take care of these things correctly after finishing my final exams.

I just had a very stupid quiz in facebook. It really made me laugh my a** off.

Makna Cinta Dari Nama Mu (Meaning of Love from Your Name)

R : ..seorang yang lucu (a funny person)
I : ..manis dan romatis (sweet and romantic)
C : ..suka penting kan diri sendiri (love to take care of himself)
K : ..seorang yang hot (a HOTTIE :p)
Y : ..disukai oleh sesiapa saja (being loved by everyone)

A : ..seorang yang gila-gila (crazy)
S : ..membuat orang tertawa (make people laugh)
T : ..senyuman yang menawan (attractive smile)
R : ..seorang yang lucu (funny)
I : ..manis dan romatis (sweet and romantic)
D : ..kekasih yang terbaik pernah dimiliki oleh siapapun (THE BEST DATE EVER)
A : ..seorang yang gila-gila (crazy)

H : ..setia kepada yang satu (faithful)
E : ..memiliki mata yang cantik (gorgeous eyes)
R : ..seorang yang lucu (funny)
M : ..membuat pacaran lebih menarik (make dating become more interesting)
A : ..seorang yang gila-gila (crazy)
N : ..pemberi ciuman yang bagus juga (good kisser)

HAHAHAHAHA I think if all of them were true, I'd make a good male escort.

And, I just checked out my friend's facebook and a photo made me feel homesick. No, it's neither a photo of my parents nor my dog. It's not a photo of my friends too. It is this picture

For God sake now I wanna buy a ticket to Indonesia and eat this. You have any idea what that is? It is like a roll with mayonaise. Very delicious.

And, I promised to post something in my blog. It is my friend's Saman Dance performance. My friend, Leoni, lives in ShangHai, China. She just joined a talent competition with her friends. They performed Indonesian traditional dance, Tari Saman from Aceh. I have to give these students thumbs up. They are very great. They just made and learned the choreography from Youtube. And they were the 3rd winner of the competition. Congratulations! My friend is 3rd from the left wearing a white T-shirt and blue&pink skirt

Unfortunately I cannot post this video because I do not have its URL. And, I cannot download it too because it's from Facebook. So, just click here if you want to see the video. It is recommended to see it. It is very great. I wish my friend didn't set it to friends only.

Busy Busy

2010-05-24T11:28:00.007+02:00

It will be a busy week for me. Final exams are coming. Well check out my schedule for this week and next week

25.05 interview for internship at Neunkircher Zoo
28.05 final exam: German
29.05 french test
31.05 final exam: math
01.06 final exam: economics

and morover, I have a new job now.

So, hopefully I can keep healthy after all these big things. Being too busy can make me sick. Hopefully I can be an intern at Neunkircher Zoo (oh I'm so excited about the idea having an internship in a zoo!). And, hopefully I'll pass the french test. If I don't, I cannot study in Saarbruecken.

I just want to end this week immediately. I'll probably go to Paris after these exams. I'm very excited about it and that's why I wanna end this week immediately

Have an amazing week.

Me Answering Questions about Life

2010-05-19T11:42:00.007+02:00

I read an interesting post on my favorite travel community, Matador Network. So, one of the writers, Ian MacKenzie made this post which deals with spiritual thingies. I guess I'm not a spiritual type. But I wish I was spiritual. And, Ian wrote some questions to be answered. I hope it can make me realize what life actually is.

The questions are in fact not that easy. I think they should be the questions for beauty pageant contests.

20 Questions For Every Spiritual Seeker

1. Why is there poverty and suffering in the world?
Poverty exists because of the European imperialism from 16th until 20th century. The imperialists fooled the people in the colonial lands. For centuries they took the resources and developed their own countries. Then, the colonies demanded an independence. And, the imperialists do not give a damn again at all on the land's economy, law, education, etc. Till today there are just few rich countries which were colonialized before. I can only mention the US, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. But what about the rests? They cannot survive from poverty.

2. What is the relationship between science and religion?
Religion contains science. For example according to Qur'an, God forbids the Muslims to drink alcohol because alcohol is not good for our health. I also heard in Bible there is written that men are not allowed to eat animals are dead due to illness but not being slaughtered. Well, animals which are dead due to illness might contain more bacterias in its flesh and blood. Religions also forbid homosexuality because gay sex has higher risk for STD like HIV/AIDS, etc.

3. Why are so many people depressed?
People are depressed because of having dreams. Everyone wants to achieve their dreams but it is not that easy. If you never have plans in your life and let your life flow, you won't be depressed.

4. What are we all so afraid of?
I think our biggest fear is basically being unhappy. Some are afraid being dead because they think they will go to hell and have an unhappy afterlife. Some are afraid of ghosts because after seeing ghosts you'll be haunted like forever. You won't forget its cold look. And, that makes no fun at all.

5. When is war justifiable?
If something makes you afraid. For example, terrorism makes me afraid frankly. I don't feel comfortable in Bali which is supposed to be really fun. And, I want people to declare war on terrorists. The Somalian pirates create fears to many cargo ships. So it is better to declare war on them.

6. How would God want us to respond to aggression and terrorism?
God would want us to educate children well so that there will be no more dumbie who wants to wear a vest full with bomb and explodes himself. Education is the key.

7. How does one obtain true peace?
By travelling. Travelling leaves you happiness no matter your destination really sucks. No matter your hotel doesn't provide good facilities, it still feels different and peaceful when you're not home.

8. What does it mean to live in the present moment?
It means that I have the chance to contribute to world's history. I need to be succesful and leave something important for the future generations before I die. And to achieve this goal, I study and work hard.

9. What is our greatest distraction?
Value on our society. We always try hard to be what society expects, eventhough we don't want to. People try to look good because everyone puts a high value on beauty. People hang out wearing T-shirt and jeans because people will stare at you weirdly if you just wear your boxer.

10. Is current religion serving its purpose?
Yes. I guess religion has the purpose to make its followers feel optimistic and confident. For example, I feel optimistic after putting a candle in front of a statue of Mother Mary. I always believe then my problems will be solved.

11. What happens to you after you die?
We will still live but we cannot communicate with those who are still alive. We have our own world and we're free from norms there. I can sleep in the palace of Versailles. I can enter Musee du Louvre without paying lots of money like alive tourists. So I guess it is not that bad.

12. Describe heaven and how to get there.
Heaven is a place that is very strange because you can feel all climates. You can easily be in a rainforest, in the middle of desert or on an iceberg. But they are very beautiful. The desert is not hot at all. The iceberg is not cold at all. There are mosquitos in the jungle but they can't bite you. They just sing and the voice is so beautiful. To get there you have to avoid the basic sin: Stealing. I get this from The Kite Runner. One of the character there believes there is only one sin and that is stealing. Other wrong actions are based on stealing. If you kill, you steal his life. If you cheat in a test, you steal answers.

13. What is the meaning of life?
We live to be happy. We live to have some memories after we die. We live so that we can still smile remembering days of our lives after we die.

14. Describe God.
God is man-made. Our forefathers made God. They made 'someone' to be scared of so that everyone cannot do all what they want. God exists.

15. What is the greatest quality humans possess?
Humans can adapt well and quickly. I moved from a tropical country to a four-seasoned country. And I don't have any problem at all. I can still stay alive. But imagine an adult komodo sent to Germany. It will die in 1 month.

16. What is it that prevents people from living to their full potential?
Same answer with #9. Values in our society.

17. Noverbally, by motion or gesture only, act out what you believe to be the current condition of the world.
Thumbs up! I am happy with the current condition of the world. People may say the world is now bad. Everywhere is war. But I guess the world today is still much better than before. The discrimination has reduced dramatically. Everyone from any religions and any ethnic groups have the same right now. It is not like 20 years ago, when there was still apartheid all over the world. Or it is not like the 1940s, when the Jews are massacred in Europe. Things like this exist today barely.

18. What is your one wish for the world?
No more wars. I wish the solution in the Middle East will be found soon. And then everyone can focus to save the environment.

19. What is wisdom and how do we gain it?
Wisdom is a knowledge to distinguish what is right and what is wrong. We can gain it from experiences. If we have a friend who raped a girl, then our friend gets to jail and suffers afterwards. Then, we can know raping is wrong.

20. Are we all one?
No. Everyone has their own personality, interest, hobby, etc. We are definitely not one. And we should never be one. We should always have difference between us so that we can be useful one another. If we were one, you would not find someone to ask when you're having a trouble. Your friends would not be able to help you because they are also the same. So, we are not one. We are different one another.

3 Unique Behaviours of Indonesians

2010-05-18T20:46:00.002+02:00

After moving to Germany I realized that there are some behaviours of Indonesians that other people cannot understand. And they think these behaviours are quite strange and funny. Well, that is normal. I also think it is strange to bow for showing respect like what the Japanese do.

So these are the behaviours. Hopefully this post can help you understand Indonesians when you visit Indonesia.

Sorry! Left hand!

Do not give anything with your left hand in Indonesia. It is considered impolite. It is also for shaking hands. So, what is it is so imposible for you to give or accept something with your right hand? Apologize. Seriously. I mean it might sound so strange that one should apologize just because he uses left hand. You can apologize by saying: "Maaf. Tangan kiri." (engl: Sorry. Left hand.) Your interlocutor will than say it is okay.
Actually I also still don't get it why Indonesians do that. Some rumors say: "Because we use our left hand to wipe our bottom after defecating". Probably. But c'mon Indonesians also wash hands after it so I guess it is not the reason. Well, the point is there is no reason why Indonesians do not use left hand. Nobody knows.
Even when I was a kid, my teacher at school taught me like this: "Hey. Do not use your bad hand. Use your right hand". What? Bad hand? Left-handed are so misfortuned in Indonesia.

Wipe your mouth with....

TOILET PAPER! I know it sounds so strange. I used to think it is normal to use it to wipe your mouth or blow your nose. But my friends looked so disgusted when I did it. They are also confused why the hell I do not have facial tissue in my house but I only have toilet paper. Well, that is because for Indonesians they are the same. A clean toilet paper also has the same function as facial tissue right. It is just a bit rougher. It is just not as soft as facial tissue. But it can wipe your mouth just as well as facial tissue. When you eat in a restaurant in Indonesia, you will often find toilet paper served on your table. So do not be surprised. It is definitely clean and not disgusting at all. I also put my toilet paper on my table when I eat.

Well if a left-handed is misfortuned in Indonesia, I guess a toilet paper is so lucky to be in Indonesia. It doesn't only have the job to wipe the bottom, it may have the job to wipe the mouth. I guess being kissed is much much better than being ass-ed.

Your First Name Is More Important

Let's say your name is Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn is your first name and Monroe is your family name. In almost all countries people will call you Mrs. Monroe. But in Indonesia, people will call you Mrs. Marilyn. Even in governmental office you will be treated the same. They will add something like Mr. or Mrs. but they will call you with your first name not family name.
My mother's name is Astrid Herman. Herman is the last name. It is so obvious. But everytime someone who sounds like a credit card salesman calls, he will say: "Hello. Good morning. Could I speak to Mrs. Astrid?" Seriously. Mrs. Astrid not Mrs. Herman. But it is definitely not impolite at all. In fact, this man is so polite because he mentions 'Mrs.'
In school people also call teachers their first names. Even to the headmistress. My headmistress was Duma Hutahaean. And, people always call her Mrs. Duma.
That's why I feel quite uncomfortable when people call me Mr. Herman. I feel better being called Mr. Ricky. Although it sounds strange, I prefer that.

Miracle Happens!

2010-05-12T11:22:00.003+02:00

Found this absurd news in okezone

Astaga! Perempuan Lahirkan Bayi Tanpa Proses Hamil

BLITAR - Ini bisa menjadi peristiwa langka yang mungkin tidak pernah terjadi. Seorang janda berumur 37 tahun bernama Suryati tiba-tiba melahirkan bayi laki-laki seberat 2,9 kilogram tanpa proses kehamilan.

Yang lebih aneh lagi, sang bayi dilahirkan dalam kondisi sudah disunat alat kelaminnya. Ini tentu peristiwa yang tidak biasa, lantaran Suryati, warga Desa Sukosewu, Kecamatan Sukosewu, Blitar, Jawa Timur, sudah menjanda sejak dua tahun lalu, setelah suaminya bernama Budi meninggal dunia.

Suryati yang bekerja sebagai buruh tani dan sudah memiliki dua anak ini mengaku tidak pernah mendapat firasat sebelumnya. Menurut pengakuan Suryati, pada suatu malam usai membantu tetangganya yang mengadakan hajatan, ia kemudian pulang dan langsung tidur.

"Bangun terus tahu-tahu saya sudah melendung, pokoknya antara setengah sembilan sampai jam sembilan sudah melahirkan bayi," jelas Suryati, Rabu (12/5/2010).

Sementara saat ditanya apakah ada keanehan saat melahirkan, Suryati mengatakan, kelamin bayi sudah disunat dan melahirkan tanpa darah tidak seperti (proses kelahiran) anak-anak yang lain.

Proses persalinan Suryati dibantu salah satu tetangga di rumahnya sendiri. Kejadian ini tentu saja membuat warga Desa Sukosewu langsung terkejut. Dari sudut pandang medis, bayi yang dilahirkan tanpa melalui proses kehamilan merupakan hal yang ganjil.

Apa yang dialami Suryati tentu menjadi pertanyaan banyak pihak karena di luar nalar serta logika manusia. Apakah persalinan ini melalui proses yang normal atau ada sesuatu di balik kelahiran sang jabang bayi, tentu hanya Suryati yang tahu.

OH MY GOD! A Woman Bore A Baby Without Pregnancy

BLITAR - This might be a very rare case that will never happen anymore. A widow (37) named Suryati suddenly bore a 2,7-kilogramm baby boy without being pregnant.

Even stranger is that the baby's penis has been circumcised. This is of course extraordinary because Suryati, who lives in Desa Sukosewu, Kecamatan Sukosewu, Blitar, Jawa Timur, has been being a widow for 2 years after her late husband, Budi passed away.

Suryati works as a farmer and has 2 kids. She never had a hunch before. Suryati said that one night after helping her neighbour, she went home and slept.

"I woke up and suddenly my stomach got bigger, and then I bore the baby between 8.30-9 PM", explained Suryati on Wednesday May 12th 2010.

When being asked if there is strangeness during delivery, Suryati said that the penis has been circumcised and she bore the baby without bleeding at all unlike the delivery of her first 2 kids.

Suryati's delivery process was helped by one of her neighbour in Suryati's house. This phenomena surprises the inhabitants of Desa Sukosewu. In medical point of view it is very odd that a baby is born without pregnancy.

What happened to Suryati is of course unbelievable. Is this delivery normal or is there something behind it? Only Suryati knows.

Wir Sind Lautrer!

2010-05-09T18:36:00.004+02:00

Germans love footballs. Football has already become this nation's pride. Yes, we admit Germany has many football achievements.

Yesterday I went to Kaiserslautern to have a BBQ party with my friends there. I actually had planned not to overnight there but I was just too lazy to go back to Saarbruecken alone at midnight.

And, today it was an important day for the Kaiserslauters (the people of Kaiserslautern) because today they celebrate the FC Kaiseslautern's comeback in 1. Bundesliga!

Well Germany's football Bundesliga has 2 leagues: 1. Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga. I guess it's the same with Italian leagues serie A and B or something like that. I'm sorry I'm not really a football fan so I don't know much about it.

FC Kaiserslautern (FCK) finally made it to be in 1. Bundesliga again this season (2010-11), which means FCK can from now on compete with another great football clubs in Germany like FC Bayern Muenchen, FC Koeln, Borussia Dortmund, etc.

And, today it is a day full of party in Kaiserslautern. All FCK fans (which I assume they're all Kaiserslautrers) get out, wear FCK uniforms and accesories, drink lots of beers, listen to loud music, and sing. They sing their own songs for FCK.

The fans of FCK are not only come from Kaiserslautern itself but there are still many fans, who live in other towns around Kaiserslautern like Landstuhl, Ludwigshafen, etc. All trains to Kaiserslautern are today full with FCK fans leading to some late trains and schedule changes.

And, who gets so busy? The cops.

Oh I used the camera from my phone so the quality is not good.

Want to know more about FC Kaiserslautern? Visit its fanpage, Lautrer Dynamite

So, have fun all FCK fans!

Rumah Dara: Movie Review

2010-05-07T23:19:00.007+02:00

After 4 months of waiting I finally just watched one of the most frequently-talked Indonesian movie this year. It is Rumah Dara.

I guess not many people know about Indonesian movies. I am ironically not a fan of Indonesian movies. But to be honest some movies are very excellent. My favorites so far are Opera Jawa, Berbagi Suami, and Ruang. Unfortunately the films I love didn't have good responses in the market because Indonesians don't like those kind of movies. However, these films (except Ruang) won lots of awards in international film festivals.

So what kind of movies do Indonesians like to watch? Horror and comedy. That's it. I have to say Indonesia has lots of horror movie collections that are spooky for Indonesians. The ghosts are usually Indonesian ghosts like Pocong, Kuntil Anak, etc. Because of positive response from the society for horror films many production houses keep making horror films and I'm now so sick of horror films. Finally, Indonesian horror films are no longer interesting.

Early this year movie lovers were made curious for one film. That is what I just watched Rumah Dara. It is not a horror, but a thriller. Directed by the Mo Brothers, Rumah Dara is also starred by many popular young celebrities like Julie Estelle, Shafeera Danish, Arifin Putra, Ario Bayu, etc.

Finally I got to watch it in dennyshotspot(dot)com. It is a site for Indonesian movies.

taken from Jagoan Movies

So what is this film about?
This film is about 6 young people on their way back home from Bandung to Jakarta. They suddenly met a young girl in the rain. And they take the girl to her home, which is deep in the forest. There they meet the family of this young girl and have a dinner with them. And, strange things happen. The family is in fact not a nice family but cold-blooded murderers.

My opinion:
I have to say this is the best horror film so far in Indonesia. Well, I actually haven't watched Bangsal 13. I heard that film also rocked but yeah I am just too afraid to watch it. And, I love Rumah Dara. Rumah Dara is a pioneer in Indonesian movie industry. We hadn't had this kind of film before. I think it is a bit inspired by Texas Chainsaw Massacre. And, they're successful. I really enjoyed watching it and got so thrilled. My heart beat really fast and I just really wanted to know how it would end.
My critic would be in its technic. Well, I don't know much about making a film. But, I still think the technic here is not yet perfect. It's good and it's a lot better than other Indonesian horror movies. But it's somehow not yet perfect.
I expected something cool but actually the scene was not really that good. It's hard to find an English expression of this but in Indonesian it is kurang nendang. Okay, this might be a bit spoiler. For example, the scene when this guy Mike Lucock is decapitated. I really expected to hear the loud screaming of the character before his death. But we hear no screaming. We just hear a very mysterious old-school music.
And, the actors. Well, the actings are OK-ish. It is quite unnatural (well I guess nobody speaks like this Dara - so slow and flat). But that's not a big deal at all. My favorite here is probably Arifin Putra. We know Arifin usually stars in drama series. And, his roles are usually like yeah a man in love or something like that. But this time he surprised me. He is a real killing machine. His face is so mysterious and stares people in a very strange way. Of course I also love Shareefa Danish, the most talked actress in this film. Her face is seriously so unique that she is good to be the boss of the murderer. Her voice is low and heavy. And she speaks in a slow and flat way. She sounds very strange there. At first, she is so calm and cool. But in the end, she yells and brings a chainsaw around. Oh I love the antagonists here.
Of course I give two thumbs up for the make-up artists. Without their good works, this movie is just a trash. The blood really looks real. I'm actually curious. Is Dara's hair natural or fake? It is so long and so shiny.
And of course I also appreciate the marketing team of this film. This is the first time I got so curious about an Indonesian horror film that I checked out its website. And I fell in love with its site. I always wanted to watch this film because of its website. The poster design is totally attractive too.

taken from IEW
Wow look it has participated many film festivals!

taken from Horrorblog

taken from resilla(dot)wordpress(dot)com
really like this Dara's mysterious look

So, I hope Indonesian movie industry keeps improving its quality and partipates more in international film festivals.

Jakarta in 12 Hours

2010-05-03T21:37:00.005+02:00

I just found Lonely Planet's video in Jakarta. Really interesting and worth-watching

I actually haven't been to Setu Babakan. But I've been to the other 5 sites.

1. Monumen Nasional (Monas)
Situated exactly in the center of Jakarta, Monas is Jakarta's landmark. And, you haven't been to Jakarta if you haven't visited Monas.

How to get there?
All Jakartans know where Monas is. No matter you get there by taxi, by bajaj or by ojek, they won't get lost taking you there. Everyone knows it. But I recommend you to take TransJakarta. You can get there by TransJakarta 1st corridor Blok M-Kota. It is just 1 stop after/before (from Kota to Blok M/from Blok M to Kota) the Harmoni Central Exchange. The Busstop is Monumen Nasional. TransJakarta costs only 3500 IDR. You can also get there by KRL (electric train). You should get off at Gambir station and voila the monument is exactly across Gambir.

What to do in Monas?
If you want to know more about Indonesia, visit the "diorama". It is like the chronology of Indonesian history displayed in mini statues. You can also listen to the recording of Indonesia's first president Mr. Soekarno when he read the so-called "teks proklamasi". He proclaimed the independence of Indonesia which happened on August 17th 1945.
It is also recommended to go to the peak of Monas and see Jakarta from above. The view there is fantastic. You can see skyscrapers in Thamrin (Jakarta's business district) and you can also see the old Jakarta (Harmoni, Hayam Wuruk, etc.)
Taking a walk aroung Monas is very great (even better with your girl/boyfriend lol). The park around Monas is full with green trees that make the weather cooler. If you're lucky you can also find some kancil (it's like deer but very small).
And, as what displayed in this video, go try the delman, Indonesian horse carriage. Unfortunately I don't know how much it costs. But I guess it's not expensive.
If you go back to Monumen Nasional busstop, you will also find Jakarta's national museum popular known Museum Gajah. Gajah means elephant. The museum is popular called Museum Gajah because it has an elephant statue in the gate. Museum Gajah displays plenty things from Indonesian kingdoms.
You can also find the statue of Arjuna Wijaya. The statue is inspired from a character of an Indonesian epic. He is Arjuna, a brave warrior.

2. Kota Tua (Old Batavia)
This place was the central of Jakarta. Dutch colonies built buildings with European architecture here.

How to get there?
I guess almost all Jakartans also know this place. You won't get lost getting there by taxi, bajaj or ojek. Cheapest would be by TransJakarta. This time you should stop at end station of corridor 1 Kota. I'm not quite sure if there is KRL to Kota but there must be. So you can also get there by KRL and get off at Stasiun Kota.

What to do in Kota Tua?
Well, just sightseeing! European architecture in a tropical country is too beautiful to be missed. Everytime I am there, I shut my eyes and imagine Jakarta during the Dutch colonization as the base of VOC (Dutch East Hindies Company). I see the Dutch pass by and hear everybody speaking Dutch. And, they dress in elegant oldfashioned suits. I also see lots of Indonesians selling their goods like spices, chillies, etc. to the Dutch.
In Kota Tua, there are many great european-style cafes (but they also offer authentic Indonesian food). I know one good cafe named Cafe Batavia. Museum Fatahillah also displays many things from Indonesia's past. Then, just go take a walk and see Jakarta's old train station Stasiun Kota.
It is also very interesting because after feeling European atmosphere you can suddenly feel the oriental atmosphere if you walk further. Not far from Kota Tua, there is Jakarta's China Town. The China Town is till today famous for its market. And people can bargain there. Glodok offers low-price electronic stuffs. But sometimes the stuffs are not bad at all. Pasar Petak Sembilan offers everything from dried salted fish to chinese herbal medicines. It is even better if you visit this China Town by Chinese New Year.

3. Pelabuhan Sunda Kelapa
This is where the Dutch first arrived at Indonesia. And they fell in love with Indonesia after they arrived at this port. Sunda Kelapa is still active today. Many ships load and unload their goods here. But do not imagine the ships are modern. The ships are not modern at all and that's what makes Sunda Kelapa worth-visiting.

I was also there not long before I moved to Germany. And therefore, I have a picture of Sunda Kelapa in my cellphone (I used to have pictures of Kota Tua, Monas, Museum Gajah and China Town before a dickhead robbed my handphone while I was waiting for the bus at Senen bus station. Dammit)

How to get there?
Hmmm... It is a bit difficult to get there. It is unaccesible by TransJakarta. I gues the only thing is by taxi. You can also get there by bajaj or ojek (if your accomodation is not far from there). The nearest TransJakarta busstop is Ancol (corridor 5 Ancol - Kampung Melayu)

And, don't forget to eat in a seafood restaurant named Restoran Sunda Kelapa. Ohh... now I'm imagining its cumi goreng mentega (butter squid) and its kepiting soka (crab but not an ordinary one lol). It is already famous among expats too. I often see cars from embassy parked there.

4. Jalan Surabaya
It's time for antiquities! You can see lots of antique goods in Jalan Surabaya. Eventhough it is expensive but it's definitely worth-seeing because probably you will never see this thing again. There I found a very very old camera, telephone, typing machine, etc.

How to get there?
Again, it's a bit difficult. It is also unaccesible by TransJakarta but it's accesible by buses like Metro Mini or Kopaja. But I really forget the number. Then I'd go by taxi.

5. Pasar Seni
Pasar Seni (art market) is in the site of Taman Impian Jaya Ancol (TIJA). At Pasar Seni you really can see the works of Indonesian artists. They sell paintings, sculptures, etc. And they are really wonderful. Here in Pasar Seni you can also find sometimes interesting performing arts.

How to get there?
You can get there by TransJakarta and get off at Ancol (corridor 5 Ancol-Kampung Melayu).

What to do there?
TIJA doesn't only have this art market. It also has Seaworld, Dufan Themepark, and many other things. The beach is beautiful although you cannot do parasailing or banana boat like in Bali. But walking along the beach is very amazing. The wind is breezy. I recommend you to come here very early in the morning, jog there and witness the sunrise. And then, have breakfast in a cafe above water named Le Bridge. Besides Le Bridge there are also 3 good seafood restaurants: Bandar Jakarta, Jimbaran, and Segarra. But they're expensive and I would leave Ancol and have better seafood with low price at Dapur Umum. It is not far from Ancol.
The accomodations there are also fine. I suggest Putri Duyung Cottage.
Or what about leaving mainland Jakarta and visit Jakarta's Kepulauan Seribu? Many ferries depart from Ancol.

The TransJakarta map

Unfortunately I haven't been to Setu Babakan. Actually I also don't know where it is. I guess it is in Jakarta Selatan (South Jakarta) or near Srengseng. I really don't know.

So, enjoy Jakarta.

Dedicated to (My) Teachers

2010-05-02T14:24:00.006+02:00

2nd of May is an important day for Indonesia. Today we celebrate national education day to commemorate our hero, Ki Hajar Dewantara.

Ki Hajar Dewantara is until today teacher for Indonesians. He was born on May 2nd 1889. He was an educated Indonesian. He worked as a journalist until he made an article that insulted the Dutch government. He then believed that he should have educate Indonesians because education is the key to success. He established a school named Nationaal Onderwijs Instituut Tamansiswa (Taman Siswa). He then became the first minister of education of Indonesia.

Due to national education day I'd like to dedicate this post to my teachers. They are 5 teachers I admire the most.

1. TH
His name is Tri (I forget his last name). He taught me civic in SMAK1. One thing about this man: he is unique. He has an interesting view about politic. He does not hide facts to his students and he knows a lot. He told us story that US participated in the G30S/PKI. Even he showed us the notorious short film Fitna and we discussed it together in the class. He used to be a bad guy before teaching. He worked for government and he was a corruptor. He was once jailed. And, finally he decided to begin a new and better life by being a teacher. He might not be a popular teacher in SMAK1. But he is one of my favorites. He is also used to multiculturalism. He is a catholic but his siblings are Islam, Christian and Hindu. His class makes a lot of fun. He once told us his experience witnessing ghosts too. In his class we also learn how to develop our view in politic.
I actually had a unique experience with him. He once caught me texting with my handphone. I was so afraid that he would take my cellphone and I lied I wasn't texting. He finally made me confess I was texting. He didn't take my phone. He just warned me softly to pay attention in class.

2. KM
It is interesting that I put 2 civic teachers of SMAK1 in top 2. Her name is Katrina (I know her last name but I decided not to write it because I'm afraid she googles her name and find this site). KM is a very very great teacher. I think Indonesia should have her as a leader. She is smart, tough and respectable. Unlike Mr. TH, Mrs. KM is one of the most popular teachers in SMAK1. Everyone in SMAK1 knows her. And everyone fears and respects her. She is the most obedient teacher in SMAK1 and she makes students obedient. Every girl has to tie her hair. Every students have to be on time at class (and she also always comes on time). During her lesson, the class is always so quiet and perfect for learning. Somehow, the quietness is not boring because Mrs. KM always has interesting story to tell (and if we fall asleep, she will yell at us so I guess nobody dares to sleep in the class). She is the realisation of female emancipation. She doesn't think like an ordinary indonesian woman. She is a very tough lady.
She makes her students read newspaper, watch news on TV, keep updated with political issues. In her test the questions are not only things like this: What does parlament means? But some of her questions are like this: What is happening in Greece and what do you think would be the best way to solve the problem? And, that makes us read newspapers and watch news programmes.

3. YB
History is not just about memorizing complicated names like Sri Maharaja Rakai Halu Sri Dharmawangsa Airlangga Anantawikramottunggadewa or memorizing when the first ASEAN summit took place. Yustini, the history teacher of SMAK1, makes me realize that history is just a puzzle. One thing leads to another thing. Eventhough my friends always fell asleep during her class, I did not want to miss her class. She answers the question why West Java and Central Java have different cultures but Sumatra has the same. She makes me know why Japan is not the same with other Asian nations. Other history teachers just sit down and tell bedtime stories. But she stands in front of the class and tells what makes the world become like this right now. She is the only one who explained to me the background of terrorism. And, I told this to my dad and he also hadn't known about this story. I admire her so much.

4. Anwar
Indonesians student underestimate Bahasa Indonesia teachers. They think everyone can be Bahasa Indonesia teacher. But Mr. Anwar, the Bahasa Indonesia teacher of SMPK7 Penabur, makes me believe everyone cannot be Bahasa Indonesia teacher. And, Bahasa Indonesia becomes something important. He taught me that even Bahasa Indonesia has structure and grammar (which most Indonesians say: "Ah, Bahasa Indonesia is so easy. It has no grammar). That is wrong. Bahasa Indonesia has grammar but the grammar doesn't deal with time like most european languages (well in English, French, German, etc. the verb changes its form when it describes an action happend in the past or present or future). Indonesian grammar is in fact more complicated. Mr. Anwar taught us how the prefix me- can have different meanings. He taught us too about KMS, KMB and KMC, which people think they are complicated and weird. And, he taught us how to make Indonesian poems.
I thank Mr. Anwar because I got 98 for my Bahasa Indonesia final exam. Bahasa Indonesia exam is the hardest exam I think. And I could achieve 98 which means I only made 1 mistake. And, I could not do it without Mr. Anwar.

5. Catur
Catur is a real musician. He sits all day in his own room filled with 2 sets of drumkits, 2 keyboards, lots of amplifiers, electric guitars and violins. It is amazing how one person can expertise lots of musical instrument. He is great at playing piano, playing drums, guitars, bass, violins, saxophone, flute, everything! He is even a good conductor too. He is just too admirable.

And I have to add another one. These persons don't have profession as teachers. But they're still my teachers. They're still my heroes. And, my number 6 is...

UI English Debating Society
Being a part of SMAK1 EDS makes me learn a lot. I learn how to speak in front of public. I learn how to develop my ideas, how to work with my teammates, how to make notes, how to criticize others and how to convince someone. Without these amazing students, I may be just as dumb as a donkey.

Happy Education Day. Hopefully Indonesia has more admirable teachers like mentioned above. And hopefully Indonesia can educate all of its children.

Koblenz - Where Rhein and Mosel Meet

2010-04-25T21:42:00.007+02:00

How can we describe heaven? I'd have to say heaven is Europe in a warm sunny day. And, I am now in heaven. For two days the temperature stays at about 20 degree. Sun shines too. Of course I should not just stay at home and do nothing in this weather. I decided to travel yesterday. And, my destination was KOBLENZ.

Koblenz is an interesting town in Rheinland-Pfalz (eng. Rhineland-Palatinate). Why is that so interesting? Here, in this town, the 2 important rivers in Germany meet. These rivers are Rhein and Mosel. Without these 2 rivers, Germany cannot produce wines. Rhein and Mosel bring somehow appropiate heat for grape tree plantation.

Hey, isn't it interesting? My brother lives in Mainz (the Rhein passes through Mainz) and I live in Saarbruecken (the the Mosel passes through Saarbruecken). If there were no access from Mainz to Saarbruecken vice versa except by boat we would meet then in Koblenz!

I went to Koblenz with my friend, Gerry. Well, he used to live there for about 6 months. We departed from Saarbruecken Hauptbahnhof at 9 AM. We bought Saarland-Ticket. It costs 28 EUR max. 5 persons. You can travel by train (only Nahverkehr), bus and tram around Saarland and Rheinland-Pfalz for one day. The journey took about 2 hours 30 minutes. I enjoyed my journey there. The landscape is amazing. We can see a river and lots of grape tree plantation along the journey. And, there are so many trailers along the river. Beautiful.

We arrived at Koblenz at about 12. And, it was lunch time. So Gerry took me to eat the best Currywurst he has ever tasted. And, voila! It tasted so amazingly great. The shop's name is Broedis, situated in the central. I'm not so sure but I guess it's not really far from Loehr-Center.

Currywurst mit Broetchen 1,40 EUR

Then, we ate ice cream! It was so sunny and warm, and Gerry knows a great ice cafe named Gelosia. 2 scoops for 1,20 EUR. I guess it was the best ice cream I've ever had in Germany.

Tiramisu flavour is recommended!

And then, well the only and the most important destination in Koblenz, Deutsches Eck - where the Rhein and the Mosel meet. There is this large statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I too there.

Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I

The Mosel

The Rhein

And, they meet

You see, I was so blessed with a damn great weather. So, it was then beer time! We decided to kill the time by drinking beer in Biergarten am Deutschen Eck

Many travellers in fact are interested to visit Koblenz. Koblenz also has a nice Altstadt (old town). Well, actually there's nothing special because all european cities also have old town like this.

In the end, I really had a great time in Koblenz!

Sport Achievements and Events Enhance One Country's Image

2010-04-23T23:49:00.004+02:00

Finally it's weekend. I had a pretty tiring week. Tomorrow I'm going to Koblenz. I deserve to have fun after this tiring week. I am also quite stressed because I must begin looking for internship programm this summer.

I just read a very interesting article in a free magazine named magazin-deutschland.de. So I'll write this interview here.

Sport as Image Factor
How much does sport influence a country's image? An interview with British political advisor Simon Anholt about countries as brands.

Mr. Anholt, you are recognized the world over as the leading expert on a concept referred to as "nation branding". In the world of marketing, the Nation Brands Index (NBI) is equally loved and feared. Why has nation branding become so important in the age of globalization?
I hope that the Nation Brands Index isn't loved or feared in the world of marketing, since it has almost nothing to do with the world of marketing! The index is produced for the benefit of national governments that wish to track their national standing and profile. As I have explained many, many times in my books and articles, this is not a marketing discipline: there is absolutely no evidence that countries can alter their international images through marketing communications, and many of them continue to waste enormous sums of their taxpayers' money every year in futile propaganda campaigns in press and television, without any indication whatsoever that this can succed in changing anybody's mind. Countries are judged by what they do and what they make, not by what they say.
I don't, therefore, believe in nation branding: It's a false and dangerous idea. Nations have brands - in the sense that they have images - and those images are absolutely important to their progress and prospertity in the modern world. Countries with a powerful and positive image can export more products, more culture, more people, more services and attract more tourists, more investors, more immigrants and the attention and respect of other governments. Countries with weak or damaged images find it much harder and more expensive to achieve all of these goals. That's why it is so important. I repeat: countries have brands, but they can't be branded. Only new policies, new investments and innovations can change the image of a country - and it takes a very long time.

You use your own methodology in your research. In short, how do you actually obtain your results?
In partnership with GfK Roper, one of the world's largest market research companies, we poll around 20,000 people in 20 countries, and ask them about 50 questions to measure their perceptions of 50 different countries. These questions include asking whether people think the country has a beautiful landscape, friendly people, good products, vibrant modern culture, whether its government respects human rights and free speech, contributes to the environment and poverty reduction, whether the country's economy is strong or weak, whether they would like to visit the country as a tourist or to live and work and study there, and much else besides. These scores are then averaged to create a series of rangkings whereby each country's image can be directly measured against that of the other 49 countries.

Admittedly, this is not your particular area of reseach, but can you see a connection between sports and nation branding?Indeed it is part of my area of research, and it's one of the questions we ask in the "culture" section of the Nation Brands Index. I have written many times about the connection between major sporting events and a country's image, and what makes the difference between a successful Olympics or World Cup, and one that's forgotten within a few months. I have also researched in great detail how perceptions of a country's sporting excellence contributes to people's perceptions of the country's pouplation. The connection is a very strong one.

Hosting the 2006 Soccer World Cup catapulted Germany to the top of the NBI in 2007 and 2008...
Yes indeed, but as I predicted, the effect didn't last very long. Enhancing a country's image is a relay race, not a sprint, and countries need to become obsessive about asking themselves "What do we do next?". Germany hasn't followed up on its World Cup succes, so people are starting to revert to their previous beliefs about the country. This always happens and it can only be prevented by projecting a constant, unbroken stream of dramatic evidence that the country deserves the reputation it desires.

Even in countries where Germany did not previously enjoy a great reputation, the country's image was massively enhanced after what has gone down in the history books as "Germany's summer fairytale". Does this mean that some elements od the "brand essence" are in fact very volatile, in other words, nice weather, high spirits, exciting matches is all it takes to change an image? Is it really that simple?
No, they really aren't volatile at all: quite the contrary. National image is more like a fixed asset than a liquid capital, and normally can't be changed at all. Nothing could be more difficult than changing any of these attributes. I have great respect for the way in which Germany managed to "move the needle" on its image during the World Cup, in exactly the way it wanted to, but it hasn;t been able to make this sustainable. One must distinguish between public opinion - which can change almost literally by the minute - and national image, which is virtually fixed.

What is Germany's sporting reputation at the international level?
Extemely positive. In 2009, Germany ranked 2nd in the world on the "sport" dimension, after the USA. Almost all of the countries in the study gave 2nd or 3rd place ranking on this dimension, apart from the "Anglo-Sphere": the UK, Australia, Canada, South Africa ranked Germany around 5th or 6th, as did Egypt and Japan.

What can athletes and sports associations do spesifically to contribute to nation branding? I am thinking along the lines of jerseys and tracksuites. There are dozens of different sports whose national teams represent Germany internationally. Should they have a more striking appearance by wearing the national colours black, red and gold? What would be ideal from the point of view of successful nation branding?
Things like this play such a very peripheral role in something as vast as the image of a country that I think it's hardly worth thinking about it. If a country regularly wins events, especially in high-profile events like football and (Olympic) athletics, year after year, then it will gain a positive reputation for sporting prowess. This is why the USA, Russia, China, Germany, Italy, Brazil, France and the UK are always at the top of the index for this dimension.

In just few weeks the sporting world will be looking to South Africa for the first World Cup ever to be hosted on the African continent. How will this impact on the country's image?
It entirely depends on how they use the event. Some countries are highly successful at using their hosting to present a picture of their country which captures the public imagination - like Australia and Barcelona, did in their Olympics, for example - while others put on highly successful events which don't really tell a story abd are quickly forgotten, such as Athens. It's more than just whether the event is well organized, trouble-free, spectacular, or not; it's about whether this huge media opportunity is used in the right way to project something true, something relevant and something unforgettable about the host nation.

Are you a football fans?
No. I was put off all sports at a very early age because I was very bad at them.

Archive: .de - Magazin Deutschland 2nd edition of 2010

So? Interesting? I find it very worth reading. I underlined some sentences, which I find great. Well, here we can see that sport achievements and events can bring lots of advantages to a country. With great sport achievement more tourists and investors are interested in a country. I also believe an athlete has the role as a ocuntry's ambassador. That is probably why the Palestinians murdered the delegation from Israel in Olympics in Munich.

I also wish that South Africa can gain succes this time. I know it is a bit weird that the World Cup is in winter this year. But well I don't know whether the winter in South Africa is bad. I guess it still has sunshines during winter. And well yeah World Cup is coming closer. I am so excited.

Kartini Day

2010-04-21T19:59:00.005+02:00

April 21st is an important day for Indonesians. On this day the Indonesians celebrate Kartini Day. But Kartini Day is not a holiday. Offices are opened on this day. But this day is just special, especially for Indonesian women.

I guess it is not just in Indonesia but also in almost all countries in this world that women were (or maybe ARE) discriminated. Women could not go to school and study like men. Women just stayed at home and learned how to be a good wife and a good mother. Women did not have as much freedom as men had.

Indonesians (both men and women) believe that Kartini is a heroine. Yes, I believe that too. I think it will be too long to tell Kartini's life here so I'll just give the link to her article in Wikipedia.

Okay brief biography. Kartini was born in an aristocratic family in Java. She attended school but just until 12 years old. Then she had to stay at home and learn how to become a good wife. She had to marry a man she did not love. It was her father's wish. She wrote letters to some Dutch pen pals about how women are discriminated in the Javanese culture. She passed away when she was just 25 after delivering her baby.

After her death, the minister of culture of East Indies Mr. Abendanon collected her letters and published a book titled Door Duisternis tot Licht. This book was the foundation of gender equality in Indonesia. April 21st (her birthdate) is now Kartini Day.

Kartini lived more than 100 years ago. Now, Indonesian women are no longer discriminated. Women are allowed to go to school and have the same right with men. Even Indonesia elected a female president, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

However, there are still discrimination among women and men. And I think it is not only in Indonesia but everywhere in this world. So, today I'm going to post my view on what to do to vanish the discrimination.

1. Same earning for men and women
I just read a very interesting article in Time. The title is Why do Women Still Earn Less than Men?. I guess it's an interesting article. But actually it is very hard to make it practical. I mean how can a government guarantee same earning for men and women? I guess that's what politicians should think now. Can same earning for men and women regulated by government?

2. Forbid schools to drop out pregnant teenagers
I really have no idea whether that's real or not. One of my favorite movie is Juno. And in this movie, Juno, a pregnant teenager, can still study and do activities in school just like she is not pregnant. This kind of thing does not happen in Indonesia. I guess in Indonesia a girl will be dropped out from school if she's pregnant. This is so unfair. It leads to things like this. The pregnant girl cannot find a new school because all schools will not accept a dropped out student. She cannot attend college because she doesn't have school diploma. She must get married then with the one who has made her pregnant. But, what if she had been raped? What if the guy who has made her pregnant were just a teenager? So, it is clear the government should forbid schools to drop out pregnant teenager. She still has the right to study and attend college and have a life just like all women. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she has to stay at home, raise her kid and have no more access to education.

3. Eradicate women trafficking
Women trafficking is a problem in Indonesia. Young girls are often kidnapped and then forced to become a prostitute in another country (usually Malaysia). Even there are agencies which promise good job as maid in foreign countries. Some women believe this and they pay some money and attend some training to be a maid or babysitter. But in the end, they are forced to be a prostitute and live in misery.

So how do Indonesians commemorate Kartini on Kartini Day?

Okay. First, see her picture

archive: Wikipedia

Well Kartini is such a truly Indonesian woman. Her beauty, her style, her look are truly Indonesia. Unfortunately people then tend to think Kartini Day is not about fighting for female emancipation but about dressing in traditional costume of Indonesia. Girls dress up with kebaya and konde exactly like how Kartini dresses. And boys wear traditional costumes of Indonesia. Today Kartini Day does not deal anymore with female emancipation. It is becoming a bit meaningless.

But good sides:
Kartini Day is becoming a bit meaningless because Indonesian women have achieved their goals. Women are now treated equally in Indonesia. And, another good side despite its tendency to become meaningless, Kartini Day becomes the only day when Indonesians want to wear traditional costumes at work or at school.

Happy Kartini Day. Have a good lives, women.

Recipe: Poulet en Sauce Hollandaise

2010-04-18T22:39:00.005+02:00

Hello. Actually I didn't plan to post 2 blogs in a day. But I just had a dinner and it was worth-posting.

Do you buy something you don't really need it just because you're in a good mood? Well, I do. And that sucks. Sometimes I buy useless things just because the weather's great. However, it has positive sides.

I was once very happy. And I went into Aldi buying some stuffs. And I found waffles. Well, waffles aren't very important stuff, right? I mean I can still live without waffle. But I was such in a good mood that I bought it. I put butter on it and it tastes like heaven. Now I always have this waffle at home.

So, I was once again in a very good mood. I went to Aldi. I was queuing and then I found this product. It was....

Price: 0,79 EUR. I cooked it today for dinner. It was magnificent and easy.

Ingredients:
-butter
-potato
-carrot
-rice (optional)
-chicken (better with fish actually)
-of course the holy KIM GOURMET SAUCE HOLLANDAISE MIT CREME FRAICHE

Instructions:
1. Cook rice and chicken with rice cooker and wait until cooked
2. Cut potatoes and carrots (shape? whatever)
3. Heat butter on a pan
4. Fry potatoes, carrots and chicken with the butter
5. Pour the sauce hollandaise

TA-DA!~~~

Poulet en Sauce Hollandaise

And, served with a red wine. That would be better. It's funny I don't have red wine glass so I used this glass instead. And an advise from me: Broccolis would make it taste better. And, I think this is not the right food if you're on a strict diet. You know, it's so creamy and it contains quite lots of butter.

Well, if you want to cook this, I wish you good luck! Bon appetit!

Tari Saman Inspired A Music Video

2010-04-18T10:50:00.008+02:00

I just found an interesting song. It's Charlie Winston - In Your Hands. I never heard of this singer before. But when I first listened to the song, I fell in love with his music. His genre is quite different. It's like I don't know African Jazz or something like that. He has the same genre with Amy Winehouse. The music is unique and it tells about poverty - well a very rare issue for a song. He has a nice style. He is really a jazz artist. And, his voice is amazing. His voice sounds like my favorite singer, John Legend.

But the most interesting part of this song is its music video.

Somehow I think the choreography is inspired by Tari Saman (Saman Dance) from Aceh. Tari Saman is now popular. The dance deals with clapping hands and singing. The dance is not that easy. You need to practise a lot with your friends before performing.

Well I don't know if the choreographer was inspired by this dance. But I'd be glad if Tari Saman were the inspiration.

Hi

2010-04-14T22:09:00.005+02:00

Hi again! Finally I decided to reconstruct my blog and start again from the beginning. I blog because people keep saying I always have different thoughts than other people so I guess my thoughts are worth-sharing.

-I'm Ricky Astrida Herman. You can just call me Ricky. I am Indonesian but now I live in Saarbruecken, Germany. I'm studying right now at Studienkolleg, well it's like a preparation course for those who don't have European high school certificate. And I'm taking economy as my major. I plan to study tourism after finishing this Studienkolleg (hopefully I'll finish it this June)

-I don't know what to answer when people ask me about my hobby. I like volleyball and tennis but I don't think they're my hobbies because I don't play that much. I like watching movies but I don't think it's my hobby too because I'm not really updated. I watch movies after 6 months being released. I play music but that is also not my hobby. I play piano anyway. Travelling is definitely my interest and what I live for. But I don't think it's my hobby too because I don't travel much due to my financial condition (well I'm a student). I really love learning languages. I speak fluent Indonesian, English and German. I also speak French and Chinese but not really fluent. I also used to learn Japanese in high school and I can write hiragana and katakana. I understand Jawa Ngoko (a dialect in Indonesia) and of course Malay (all Indonesians understand Malay). Back to hobby, well I guess my hobby would be checking out videos in youtube and read interesting articles in internet. That really sounds like a real geek. But I don't care.

-I wear round-shaped glasses while most people wear square-shaped glasses. And I like my own style.

-I cannot describe my favorite genre of music or film. I just love something unique and different. I hate superhero movies because they're always so predictable (except Watchmen - it's kinda shocking). Villains lose and the heroes win in the end. I listen to John Legend and Joss Stone a lot. So I guess they're my favorite singers. Jason Mraz is such an inspiring artist for me. I love reading his notes in his facebook fanpage. Tina Fey is the sunlight in the middle of a gloomy day for me. She's the butter for my bread. Okay, it's getting a bit exaggerating. But I love her. She's so hilarious and witty.

-I was involved in several organizations during high school: SMPK7 Youth Red Cross, Smukiez Choir, Q Design Community, and SMAK 1 English Debating Society. And I'm so grateful that I was involved in the debating team. I love discussing lots of issues. The topics can be politics, economy, human right, or even God. And that's what I'm going to write in this page.

-I really wanna work in tourism and hospitality industry. But honestly I don't know what I'll be. Will I be a tour guide? Or a manager in a 5-star hotel in Bahamas? Or maybe a cabin crew in Ryanair? No, please not Ryanair I should aim higher. Okay, cabin crew in Cathay Pasific maybe? I really don't know. But I think I wanna be a journalist too. So, I guess I'd love to work for a travel magazine as hmmm a writer maybe. Or maybe I'll write travel books for LonelyPlanet.

So, I guess that's enough. At the left of this page you'll see some links to my favorite websites. The websites deal with travel (except: Milk Toof haha this blog is just too cute). That's because yeah that's where I belong to. And what am I going to write here? I will write about my thoughts of an issue. Firstly I'll find an interesting topic and then share it. I'll also write movie reviews. I will also write about my country, Indonesia. Its culture, its philosophy, its food, everything. I'll write how the Indonesians think and probably I'll give you tips for dating an Indonesian woman :)

Well, thank you for reading my first post. Have a great day.