1 Night Escape to Pulau Payung

Let's have a throw back. November 2015, I had a holiday in Payung Island, part of Thousand Islands at northern of Jakarta, with my elementary school friends. I haven't met them for a long time, so that was a chance to get reunited! This time, be were going to beach camping.

Using taxi, we arrived at Muara Angke Port, Jakarta, at 7AM. We met our local guide and we took the speed boat and heading to Payung Island.

Actually the island was below my expectation. The beach was not good as beaches in Bali , the island was very quiet and not so many people there (I am more a crowd seeker) and not so many attraction there. But then, I thought "come on! this is a small island. not an Indonesia's main tourism destination."

After took a rest for a while and had lunch, our guides started to set the tent for us to stayed tonight. We had two tents, one for the boys and one for the girls. That was when my excitement went back. That was my first time to camp in a beach. We really built tents in the beach, just 10 meters away from sea water. Imagine, you will wake up and the first time you'll see and feel is the sea. Who can say no?

The same day, we explored the island. The island was called Payung Besar Island, and the island has a "sibling" named Payung Kecil Island. Payung Besar Island is not a big island, only a few people lived there, and there was a one big villa owned by a rich guy. In front of the villa, there is a very beautiful lagoon, which everyone can access. Payung Kecil island is a very small uninhabited island.

Other agenda we had was snorkeling! Yes, another first time for me. I thought snorkeling will be scary, but not at all! I was really amazed seeing what was happened below the sea. Fish, corals, and more! If you can swim, then snorkeling will be easy for you. But some of my friend was not good at all at swimming, even they were using floats but they got hysteric and feared so they can't even enjoy, so sad for them.

We visited three different snorkeling spot. One were in a spot between Payung Besar Island and Payung Kecil Island, one was in the shore of Payung Kecil Island, and lastly, a few kilometers from Payung Besar Island.

At the night we had a seafood barbecue and enjoy the locals playing music. We joined them, dancing and singing.

Before went to sleep, I tried to get a solitude. Lying in one of the unused boats, just stargazing and listening to some music. Very mesmerizing experience.

The next morning, I woke up and open my tent. The first thing I felt was the sea breeze in my face, then my eyes seeing the sea and blue sky, and don't forget that your ears now hearing the waves and birds singing. Very beautiful short escape.

We were not staying in the island for long. Our boat will arrive this morning, to pick up back to Jakarta. While waiting our boat to come, we spent our time exploring the island, going to the lagoon, built sand castles, and get to know with locals and other tourists.

Bye Payung Islands!

Magical Aceh

So, I'm doing another business trip. I never posted about my previous business trip here because it usually in a tight schedule that you couldn't even went anywhere beside your hotel facilities. But this time was different, because the trip was visiting smaller cities, the schedule was quite loose.

I was given a duty to be a facilitator or moderator in an FGD for one of government institutions, another duty was to be an interviewer, interviewing the local institution head. Because my client is a government instituon, they treated me like government official guest hahaha. They provided a car and driver to picked me up in airport, afford all my accomodations there also giving me a short little vacation, lol.

So, I arrived at about 3 PM at Sultan Iskandar Muda International Airport in Banda Aceh, the province's capital. The flight from Jakarta was near 3 hours, it was quite longer than flight to most  of another big cities. So, I reccomend you to take full service airlines, because they served you full meal and they had in flight entertainment, The moment the plane was going to landed, I stunned. The view from above is so breath taking, Anything about Indonesia's natural beauty looked like they all lay down there, from the hilly mountain, forrest and cliff also the beaches and the islands.

Baiturrahman Grand Mosque

Upon my arrival, I asked Mr. Surya, my driver, to take me to the famous Baiturrahman Grand Mosque, the mosque that survived during the tsunami. Unlucky me, the mosque plaza was went under renovation. So I can not see (and taking selfies at, lol) the iconic picture which consists the pool view and mosque in the background. But, without the plaza, the mosque is already looked wonderful, isn't it?

From the mosque, we headed to my real destination, Meulaboh, a city in west coast of Aceh province. Mr. Surya were asking me if I want to visit Aceh Tsunami Museum before leaving, but I afraid that I would arrived at hotel late night, I felt quite tired (and hungry, :D), so I asked Mr. Surya to went straight to Meulaboh and visit anything interesting on our way.

The first stop was Keude Leupung. Which is an Acehnese Restaurant. They offer mostly seafood menu and of course, the famous Mie Aceh or Acehnese Noodle! The taste was not so different compared to Mie Aceh in other cities, but tasting Mie Aceh in Aceh is exciting, isn't it?

Magical view during the trip

After stuffed my stomach, we continued our journey (the view was magical), and this time we stopped at the Puncak Geurutee. Another unlucky me, the weather was unfriendly. It should be a nice view of clear blue sky and sea with small little islands. But okay, I can google it later.

Not so good weather at Puncak Geurutee

In Meulaboh, my colleagues were so kind. Between works we visited some places such as the destroyed beach (I forgot the name) where I can witness how devastating the tsunami was. I also visited some monuments and tried the "kopi terbalik", which is a local fresh brewed coffee served in an upside down cup.

Kopiah Teuku Umar Monument. He was shot dead at this place

After 3 days in Meulaboh, I went back to Banda Aceh. I really need to catch my flight but I have like 2 hours before the flight. So I took my time to visit Aceh Tsunami Museum. The museum was amazing, it really gives you the feel of the tsunami victim. And there was a chamber where a list of victim names is carved on the wall and a prayer was played on the speaker, at the roof of the chamber there was glowing Allah calligraphy. I got so emotional there, I even cried. The experience there was so immersive. But I needed to go fast to the airport.

(sorry for very few pictures. I broke my phone before I have the chance to upload it)

This isn't something new

God breaks your heart,
to save you from the wrong
This isn't your first time
This isn't something new

You've been in danger
You've been sad
And you already know,
after the rain comes the rainbow

This isn't something new for you
God breaks your heart so you can start loving again
You already know,
you will always smile at the end of the day

25-07-16

Why China Named China?

Had a conversation with my friend from China, we were talking about many linguistic things when suddenly this question popped in my head "Why China named China?". As you probably know, nowadays people of China call their country Zhongguo. The name China itself came from other countries. In the 18th century Europe, the Changnan Porcelain (from Changnan city in southeastern China) was so popular and almost represent the country. As time passed, people in Europe forgot the meaning of Changnan and switched the original meaning of porcelain of the word 'china' to the place of its origin ― China. Nice little thing to know :)

And vice versa, they have their own names to call city around the world, based on historical or easiness to pronounce, such as:
Jakarta is Yajadia, used to be called Pashia (Batavia era) and
Yecheng (Sunda Kelapa era)
Bandung is Wanlong
Palembang is Jugang (which means Big Port, refers to Palembang as a center of Srivijaya Empire)
Bogor is Maowu

Vedette

I'm sneaking up to the shore
Pull my head out of the sea
This ship is about to wrecking
But I don't really mind

Enemy! Enemy!
I raise my hand with a gun
Canon! Canon!
Shoot 'em all with no mercy

Now, this ship is sinking
With my body as well
But I'll keep watching over you
Until the end

29-02-2016

Lighthouse

I've sent the biggest love
Sending signals from my heart like a lighthouse
Did they reach you?

I've been standing here
Brave and strong
Waiting  for you to come back and throw my lights at you

Did they make you happy?
Or did they make you blind?
Will you come?
Or will you just turn around?

I will always wait

Z- 18-05-15

image source: flickriver.com

Melted

Just a stone, tiny little stone

Sat there for a long long time
In the middle of dessert
Just a tiny little stone

Rain, thunder, happiness and sadness
Everything that made it stronger
Then you came
Your wamthness just melted it down

All means nothing
It's melted and flows to the ocean
All means nothing
It's melted and flows to the ocean

Your warmthness just melted everything down
Your warmthness just melted everything down

All means nothing
It's melted and flows to the ocean

8 - 6 - 15

img source: wallpaperbeta.com