Time to Say Goodbye (07/10/13-14)

In 13th, I and my mom just went to graveyard. We call it Nyekar, that we clean the grave of our families, put flowers, watering the grave with water mixed with flower so it has flower scent, and pray for the soul, looks like we wish all the goodness from God for them. The grave yard was extremely a wide area. It's the center, I forgot the name and how we got there..

Then in 14th of October 2007, time to go home.. we were in Changi Airport.

Don't you dare to compare it with Soekarno Hatta. Even my mom has been frequently rudely interogated in Soekarno-Hatta, in term of accused as TKI (Indonesian labour) just because she wear Jilbab. Sucks! Thanks God she didn't come out with her Karate. Hehe.. But I meant it. She could, an she really got mad at that time.

You know? perhaps many Indonesian who never come to this island, think that lebaran in this place is just no tasty. But, there is a unique way of Singaporen when they celebrate lebaran.. One family use the same style of clothes, or same colour that we can identify them as one family.. go to the other part of family house.. still eat Ketupat.. Sayur Labuh and sometimes Rendang..

The last words from me, if I travel to Singapore again, I ain't make it happen for the reason of what-I-called my family. Many unpleasant things happened and also made my mom sad. And I hate that. But, I enjoy my first solo journey on those days.. See you on the next journey! I got in Wonosobo! Where Dieng is in there.. Find out the greats in my next post!

First Solo Rider with only A Map (07/10/12) :part 3

And.. I was looking at the opposite.. There is something which looks like letter made by arranged pieces. Like... Mozaic. You see? the yellow and blue one in the picture..


The other that catched my eyes was that almost every tree is surrounded by a spiral ring. Unique!

Then there was a newly wed couple celebrating their marriage.. Looked like they're going to have a dinner at night. Oow.. cocwitt.. jadi pengen, oops! Hope you don't understand Indonesian language


I took this about 4 meters from the real statue.

It was about 3 o'clock and I should go home. I took the same way aside the bridge.

First Solo Rider with only A Map (07/10/12) :part 2

Sir Stamford Raffles is still standing on his style.. This Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles is called as Raffles Landing Site to mark his landing site on the banks of Singapore River, precisely located outside the Victoria Theatre. Near it, there is a fake of Obelisk



I then got the wrong bridge. I crossed the bridge to Boat Quay in fact the Merlion is near the bridge named Fullerton Road. Gosh! I turned back and walked to the right bridge

You know? There's a way in each side of bridge for pedestrians, and a small Romanian gate for you to pass by.



and this is Singapore River where immigrants were firstly living out the Singapore also where a great seaport was built..


nice road, isn't it?! I forgot the name of that half-round shape building.. but it looks nice.

Hooray! I finally have been arriving at Merlion Park! And that is me flushed by Merlion..

We could take a seat in the park.. There is a stone with poetic words, let me show it for you.. in this post

First Solo Rider with only A Map (07/10/12)

I never went around lonely, my mom always accompany me. But not now. I'd explore some sites of Singapore by myself.. Yeehaa.. Touch Merlion is a must! It is this country symbol.. A fish with lion's head. I guess it was a pet of mermaid. Hehe.. Just joking..

Ok, I was taking a bus to Orchard at about 9 o'clock. One thing to be noticed (the one that I like from Singapore since I was a child), bus has a schedule to arrive and gotta go. So, watch out your timetable, guys.. Don't you wish it could be happened in Indonesia..
Tarara.. I was being on St. Martin's. I was going to start walking from Tanglin Road then Orchard Road continued to Merlion Park. On foot? Yes, of course. Kinda effort to loose my weight..
In Orchard, I was passing Hilton. I was wondering, why is there a creepy black Chinese guardian? Does it a request from Miss. Paris? don't take it seriously..

I was also passing Ngee Ann City, like a great dept. store with Chinese palace style building.. Cool!



Talk about palace, I was then passing Istana Park. Istana means palace, its Malay (Malaysian language), also Bahasa (Indonesian language). There was a light rain, but I think it caused a more dramatic photograph. By the way, I was getting wet, but I love to be under the rain. It was not a big deal.

These are pics of Singapore Art Museum...



I didn't get in there because I've been there a couple of years ago. I took the picture from the place I sat for a while, because the rain was getting heavy out there. There were tourists also, a middle-age couple and I got, from their conversation, that they came from Sweden. The guy offered me a candy, but I politely refused. Then, suddenly I knew they also were going to reach Merlion Park. But we took a different way..

Ulysses

Ulysses by the Merlion

I have sailed many waters,
Skirted islands of fire,
Contended with Circe
Who loved the squeal of pigs;
Passed Scylla and Charybdis
To seven years with Calypso.
Heaved in battle against the gods.
Beneath it all
I kept faith with Ithaca, travelled,
Travelled and travelled,
Suffering much, enjoying a little;
Met strange people singing
New myths: made myths myself.

But this lion of the sea
Salt-maned, scaly, wondrous of tail,
Touched with power, insistent
On this brief promontory...
Puzzles

Nothing, nothing in my days
Foreshadowed this
Half-beast, half-fish.
This powerful creature of land and sea

People settled here,
Brought to this island
The bounty of these seas.
Built towers topless as Ilium's.
They make, they serve
They buy, they sell.

Despite unequal ways,
Together they mutate,
Explore the edges of harmony,
Searched for a centre;
Have changed their gods;
Kept some memory of their past
In prayer, laughter, the way
Their women dress and greet,
They hold the bright, the beautiful,
Good ancestral dreams
Within new visions,
So shining, urgent,
Full of what is new.

Perhaps having dealt in things,
Surfeited on them.
Their spirit yearn again for images,
Adding to the dragon, phoenix,
Garuda, naga, those horses of the sun,
This lion of the sea,
This image of themselves

Edwin Thumboo
February 1977

Dedicated to Maurice Baker

Came Home.. Hello Aidil Fitri.. (07/10/11)

This is not Hawaii or tropical suite.. This is right forward of our apartment, at least that WAS my thought. Correction! This is right forward of their apartment.

Then.. Let's talk about the other places. I encouraged my mom to just take a walk in a few points.. (You know, the oldies can't walk too far We must comprehend them. I took a solo ride by tomorrow to grab much more. I will tell you a lot. My mom didn't mind if I'm leaving all day long.. She suggested it 2 days before..)

So.. as I've said, touring is more happening if we walk, you not gonna miss a thing and also taste the place in a different way.. So, after we arrived at CHIJMES with bus' route passing Orchard, we were finding perfume store for her gals and fellows, she was choosing City Hall, kinda mall I think.. But trust me or not, we were not buying fragrance inside.. They could be expensive. We should spend wisely.. we bought them in other common places selling handies..

CHIJMES, in Victoria Street, as far as I know, is a Gothic Chapel with beautiful architecture. Unfortunately, I wasn't going inside, because I think it's being renovated at that time.

We were goin'on, and.. we were passing the St. Andrew's Cathedral. More beautiful than a cathedral in Indonesia.
Then she loved to be captured, mosdef she likes church, cathedral, cross, and honestly, she honours Christians and their faith, either do I.

After we got handies, my mom was screaming for being hungry. I could survive for more couple of hours, but she couldn't. Finally, McD was always our solutions. Just wanna say.. (You can say this promotion right ahead) the chickens are not as oily as on McD in Indonesia. The fries is properly saltier, and what I love the best from firstly I go there in '94, until the last time in this '07, is their nuggets. Ulala.. It's like the real chop of chicken's meat, not like a preservative one. With chili sauces, would be tremendous! Note: i like spicy food

After a long day, we were going home. The traffics? this is what you can see in every single day in Singapore, or perhaps in Western, but you just only see this once in a year at Jakarta, Indonesia. When? Aidil Fitri of course! How could that be? Most workers in Jakarta are commuters and some expats.. In Aidil Fitri, almost all commuters go back to their hometowns. Roads could be yours, but still don't be a road rage, dear..

OK, time to recharge! Because the next day would be my solo journey.. this bridge is the way to the apartment. And guess what? recently this year ('08), you can see similar bridge in engineering faculty, University of Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia. This's the place I got my bachelor..
I was not taking many pics this date, but quite many in the next day, in my next posting. Still with me, don't ya?!

Came Home.. Hello Aidil Fitri.. (07/10/10)

You know what, suddenly I think some of our family would never able to accept this condition that we are family. It's just no pretence now. Yes, you right! I was dissapointed. My mom was more. So, she desired to go outside, bought some handies for her friends. In the first day we were there? Ow yeah.. And actually, her friends asked for it to my mom. Hehe..

Um yeah, that's OK for Indonesians.. Every little thing you bring from your voyage could be interpreted as you care and remember them. Some people prefer you've just appoint what they should buy for you. It eases them to find out what you are interest in, because sometimes that could be hard to pick the right handies, interested for you.

So, why don't you join us? I also did a solo grabing places in this Merlion's country.. It's only need a couple of time to imagining. I've got the pictures for you all.. Enjoy..

Came Home.. Hello Aidil Fitri.. (07/10/09)

Ok, first I always sign my journey with the pic of my foot, shoes, or any kind of that, just... to make a sign I don't know why I always capture my foot in almost every of my journey.. May be because it's the fattest parts but also the parts that have brought me to many incredible places

"I'm coming home..", that's my thought when I went to Clementi Ave last year. Yes, the other of family member are living there. I went there to celebrate Aidil Fitri. FYI, I am a Moslem. It has been 2 years perhaps (dunno.. I forgot), that we didn't meet each other. So, I think, just let us be together till end of long weeky. Because after that, I should back to work.. aaa..