Senin, 20 Juni 2016

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

Senin, 29 Februari 2016

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

Kamis, 21 Januari 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

Selasa, 05 Januari 2016

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

Jumat, 27 November 2015

Milky Way

I came outside to look at the sky
I see many constellations
And maybe planets, too
So much mysteries in this universe
That can't be solved

I wonder
I wonder what is up there
I wonder
I wonder what is in your heart

I see you
The milky way
With your greatness and hugeness
I'm part of you

You're like a milky way...

15-11-15

Sabtu, 12 September 2015

Summertime Ritual: Jogja 2015

Summer 2015, I decided to spent a holiday in Jogja. The city I've always wanted to spent my holiday long time ago. I've been there three times before visiting Jogja, however the first time was when I was I kid, while the second and the third time was just there for transiting. So, this 5-days-holiday was my fourth time in Jogja.

With Fadly

So, this is Fadly, my companion in Jogja. Fadly is a student of Universitas Gajah Mada, lived in Terban area in Jogja, so nothing to worry about the accomodation and transportation. We took train from Pasar Senen Station, Jakarta, and after 8 hour of rail trip we arrived Lempuyangan Station, Jogjakarta, at 5 AM. We took a rest for few hours at Fadly's place, had a breakfast, and then using motor scooter we went to Bantul area. First, we had a lunch at Depok Beach, we were tasting local seafood while our eyes looking to the sea and our ears hearing the waves. After having our senses pleasured, we went to Parangkusumo Sand Dunes, and watching sunset at Parangendog Hill. Those three tourist attractions are located in Parangtritis Beach area.

Seafood time!


 
Sunset at Parangkusumo

Another beaches time! The second day we managed to visit some beaches in Wonosari, southwestern of Jogja. But before that, we visited a place called Kebun Buah Mangunan in Imogiri. This is a popular photo spot for tourists, where you can see the hilly landscapes with a river splitting the hills from the heights. Simply beautiful. From Imogiri, we headed southwest to Wonosari, about 2 hours with motor scooter. We wanted to visit Nguyahan Beach, Ngobaran Beach, and Kukup Beach. But we need to race with the time, so we only went to Nguyahan Beach and Ngobaran Beach which is located next to each other. Nguyahan Beach was a calm beach where you can go for a swim or splash, while Ngobaran Beach was more extreme with big waves and steep hard rocks.
Selfie at Mangunan

Beach! Ngobaran 
Beach! Nguyahan

The next day, we met Fani, my college friend which coincidentally also in Jogja with her friends, Hafidz and Adrian. So I, Fadly, Fani, Hafidz, and Adrian, spent the day together, visiting some of historical sites in Jogja. We visited the historical Kraton Palace of Jogja and Taman Sari Water Castle. We also visited Ratu Boko Palace, which we can see a very beautiful sunset from the top. After the night came, we went to Bukit Bintang to had some light meals and close our day in Tugu area with kopi joss and "sego kucing", it translates to cat rice, but actually it was "rice in a portion for cats", it was really cheap, like with 10.000 Rupiahs you will get your stomach full.

Taman Sari Water Palace
Keraton
Ratu Boko
The famous Malioboro Street near Tugu Station

Fourth day! Still holiday! We went to jeJamuran restaurant, "Jejamuran" roughly translated to "everything is mushrooms". Like it's name, all of the menus here is made of mushrooms. It was a very good experience for mushroom lover like me, especially when I tasted Es Dawet with mushroom. We also visited Malioboro Street, my favorite street, shopping for souvenirs, and at night we ate gudeg at Gudeg Sagan Restaurant, not the best gudeg, but still delicious, I prefer the gudeg that I ate from street food stall in C. Simanjuntak Street the next day.

Mostly Mushrooms

Jogja has it all. Nature and culture. From highland landscapes to romantic beaches, from historical sites to cozy hangout place,
Jogja also has many tasty foods for gastro travelers out there. While I'm not into gastro traveling, but some of Jogja's food were really capturing my taste. Besides the tastiness of the foods, Jogja also, somehow, has nice ambience for your soul. Like eating roasted corn while seeing Jogja city lights from distance in Bukit Bintang, laughter and warmthness from friends when drinking Kopi Joss in the  angkringans, eating pecel in the middle of the crowd in  Beringharjo Market, also don't forget the seafood in  Depok Beach and the famously gudeg which can be found anywhere in Jogja.

Beautiful view from Kalibiru
Magical gamelan music
Tiwul
My favorite. Pecel at Beringharjo Market

So, my time in Jogja was lovely. Well, Jogja is lovely. Definitely will go back there.

Minggu, 23 Agustus 2015

Perjalanan Satu Hari Pangalengan - Rancabuaya

Rabu, 5 Agustus 2015. Bermodalkan keisengan dan kenekatan, Saya bersama teman saya Agung dan Ryan, memutuskan untuk pergi ke Pangalengan. Tujuan utamanya adalah hunting foto di perkebunan teh Pangalengan, Kabupaten Bandung, sekaligus mengunjungi obyek-obyek wisata yang berada di dekatnya.

Perjalanan dimulai dari pukul 4 pagi dari kost Agung di Dago, Bandung, menuju rumah Ryan di Dayeuhkolot, Kabupaten Bandung. Dari rumah Ryan, kami bertiga menggunakan mobil melewati Banjaran menuju Pangalengan. Tempat pertama yang kami kunjungi adalah Situ Cileunca. Kami beruntung sekali dapat menyaksikan matahari terbit dari balik danau kecil tersebut, lengkap dengan kabut tipis yang menyelimuti permukaan danau.


Sepanjang perjalanan mata kami dimanjakan dengan hijaunya kebun teh yang terbentang hampir di setiap sudut perbukitan. Kami sempat berhenti di suatu tanjakan dengan pemandangan kebun teh yang luas untuk berfoto kemudian melanjutkan lagi perjalanan ke sebuah villa di daerah Cukul, Pangalengan. Villa tersebut dinamakan Villa Merah. Villa tersebut dikelilingi kebun teh dan yang membuat spesial adalah kolam teratai yang ada di halamannya.



Setelah puas dengan perkebunan teh, kami memutuskan untuk mengunjungi Blue Lagoon Cisewu. Dari Cukul memerlukan waktu sekitar satu setengah jam untuk sampai di Blue Lagoon Cisewu. Blue Lagoon Cisewu merupakan sebuah kolam kecil yang dialiri air terjun kecil, terletak di pinggir jalan raya dari arah Pangalengan menuju Rancabuaya, air di sini berwarna biru jernih.


Merasa belum puas, akhirnya kami melanjutkan kembali perjalanan menuju Pantai Rancabuaya yang terletak di selatan Kabupaten Garut. Menempuh jalan yang berkelok dan rawan longsor selama dua setengah jam akhirnya kami melihat laut dari kejauhan, itu dia Pantai Rancabuaya. Saat itu Pantai Rancabuaya sedang sepi karena memang bukan musim liburan. Pantai Rancabuaya memiliki pasir yang putih dan dihiasi batu-batuan karang di sepanjang pesisirnya. Dari saung-saung yang ada di sana kami melihat pemandangan laut, mendengarkan suara ombak yang menenangkan, di sini juga bisa terlihat kegiatan nelayan, anak-anak yang sedang bermain di pinggir pantai, juga warga setempat yang sedang memancing.


Akhirnya hari itu kami merasa puas dan memutuskan untuk pulang. Kami melalui jalur yang sama seperti tadi, via Pangalengan. Ketika sore hari jalanan cukup terasa menantang dikarenakan kabut tebal yang menghalangi jarak pandang, serta tikungan-tikungan tajam yang menuntut pengendara untuk berhati-hati. Meskipun lelah, tapi kami senang!

(All photos taken by Agung Dwi Prabowo)