My Picket Fences

Weekend at the traditional market

2011-11-13T16:39:00.001+01:00

What were you doing this weekend, mine was trying to slow down after a hectic week. We didn't have any big plan, just to explore our nearby compound as we just settle in to a new apt. The weather in Beijing is rather cold this day. It is predicted that next week will reach zero degree. I never feel like I am ready when winter is approaching, I hope I could find the guts to brave the cold this time. Time like this all you want to do is just bundle up on the couch, watching TV nonstop. Well they said the heater will be turn on nationally on November 15, which mark an official winter day...can't wait for that...*ehm..

Anyway, we found a traditional market not so far from our apartment compound yesterday. What I like most about traditional market is the hustle bustle of people in a hurry, the bargaining buzz and the local stuff that they offer which could surprise you in lots of way. For example here they sell fresh frogs and turtles that are still aliveas we speak and would be slaughtered right away as soon as we order it, yes they eat frogs and no I don't have pictures of those cute amphibien in their showcase...

Like most of local traditional market in Beijing, they sell groceries such as vegetables and fruits, they also sell rice and peanuts (they are crazy of chestnut)...and fresh homemade noodles. Here are some pictures of things that captured my attention...

fresh made noodle..yummy..

It's orange season now..everywhere you see people are selling orange..small, big, medium orange..

I don't know why carrots are so big in this city..

I think every city has its own authenticity, they know best of what locals would buy and their favorite food. The Chinese loves grilled chestnut and all kind of peanuts, you could see chestnut stalls everywhere. I remember when we went to Istanbul last summer, the Turkish also loves all kind of peanuts and when we stumbled in a traditional market which sells fresh vegetables, we saw that they too are selling different kind of homemade olives,which is unusual...by this I mean not all traditional market sells olives like this below..

yummy olives

The vegetables in that Turkish traditional market were so colorful I couldn't help but took tons of pictures of them, but of course I wouldn't bore you with my vegetables obsession. Anyway, I know you'll get the idea of what I am trying to talk about here. There so many things happens in a traditional market, it reflects real people in its own root, and of course local markets provide fresh goods with affordable price, that is the best thing about it. Enuff said, gotta take a rest, have to run again tomorrow, hope you all had a good weekend and ready to face another Monday. Cheers !!

Beijing Skyscrappers

2011-11-05T15:53:00.003+01:00

When we decided to move to Beijing, first thing that came into my mind is the ancient city. The traditional building on the Tiananmen Square where people used bicycle everywhere and all of that. Those imagination faded when I first landed in Beijing few weeks ago.

True we haven't yet visited Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall (they say autumn is the perfect season to go to the great wall). Nevertheless what we experienced in the last few weeks were beyond my imagination. One thing that is correct when people describe this city as huge, wide and massive. The street was really wide and just to go from one district to the other will take one day of your time. That how huge this city is. People. Yes, men and women, they are abundant, especially when you try to commute every morning and compete with them to get in the subway.

However, last weekend, we wandered to other part of the city, Guamao District the oldest business part, CBD (Central Business District). This section is full of skyscrappers, tall and huge buildings back to back. When we first saw these buildings, they're a little bit wow-ed us. It was like you expecting to see a traditional picture and come out and look at one modern urban city that tempted you to explore more.The more you see it, the more you want to get to know more.

CCTV Headquarters

One of them is the huge China Central Television Headquarters which was designed by Rem Koolhaas from Netherland. Believe me when I said, we just standing in front of it and stunned. What was that ??? It is difficult to explain whether you would compliment the building or anything else. Even the Chinese are undecided whether this building is a towering landmarks or lasting eyesores. One of the local newspaper wrote about this China new face architecture and said :

"Is china a playground for international architects or an abused testing ground for bad design ? These Urban Gurus not only brought their cutting edge design here, but also brought the whole worlds attention to what can be built in China....but later raised doubts and reflections of whether the country was being misused as a testing ground for maverick projects."

(Bad Boy Architects & China New Face, Liu Yujie, China Daily, Oct, 16, 2011)

I love this pink building !!

Reignwood Tower

Huuwaa..enuff about the skyscrappers...not far from Guamao section there is a traditional market where the gate is exactly what I have in mind when I haven't got arrived here.Somehow I thought that all the architecture building in Beijing would look like or similarly have these kind of design...however..reality check wouldn't misleading you..

" Zaha Hadid, the world's foremost female architect drives it home when she compares China to

"a perfect blank canvas" for architects with unlimited creation."

(Bad Boy Architects & China New Face, Liu Yujie, China Daily, Oct, 16, 2011)

Now, what have the Beijing urbane-ers do in their leisure times ? We went to the famous Sanlitun, shopping section and saw how packed the Apple store, most of the youngster used iphone or ipad almost everywhere...

apple store is packed with customers

However, you could enjoy all the festivities of weekend in this area, it's beautiful in its own bizarre way. Now I have to revise my description about Beijing whenever family and friends ask me, because in every way it is now becoming as a huge metropolitan city where you could find almost anything, anything beyond your imagination. However I will hold that revised description until I visit other part of Beijing that were labeled traditional...another trip to Forbidden city will do for that..until then...

Well, there it goes, and this is only the beginning of our own journey...will post another story on how I find this city surprising in every corner...meanwhile I must get back to my unpacking duties..and a plan to search for some furniture to decorate our new home...hope you have an exiting weekend too !! ciao !!

Makassar Beauty

2011-11-05T14:50:00.001+01:00

So glad to be back and write again in my blog. On my last post I wrote about how I dreamed to be back at the sea again. Somehow it came true last month. We went to one of the biggest island in Indonesia, Sulawesi. We had been planning on this trip for quite a while and when we landed in Makassar, South Sulawesi we knew we made the right decision to go. Our time was short, 5 days to explore the huge and well developed city but it was worth every cent.

We stayed by the Losari beach which has the best view toward the sea...

a view from our hotel

The Losari Beach, Makassar, South Sulawesi


a couple enjoying the beach..

On the second day, we took one day trip to visit Khayangan Island, an hour from Losari Beach. It's a small beautiful island, too bad the government has not prepare a proper accommodation (for e.g ferry boat would be suitable for passengers) to get to the island, otherwise it would be like the Princess island in Istanbul where tourist can wander to the island anytime they want and feel secure to go there. Even local Turkish loved to go to the princess island on weekends just to enjoy the view.

If you wonder how we got to this island, we took the fisherman motorboat, which is a little bit scary. Nevertheless we enjoyed the view...

care to choose which of these fisherman motorboats suitable for your journey ?

welcome aboard


view from the boat


what a huge ship when you look at it from a small motorboat..


The beautiful Khayangan Island


looking for empty shells

When we reached the island, there was nothing much to be seen in this island, I hope in the future the government would maximize the island's potential, at least they could open a public space, people won't mind having lunch at the island every now and then. If the government prepare this island to be a tourist destination, I think it will not only attract investors or international tourist but also local people who loves to spend more time in the nature. Anyway, so what we did in that island was...of course having our lunch, what could be better than seafood barberque-ing by the beach. We ordered grilled fish fresh from the sea and this was what we were having at that time...yummy...

grilled fish

fresh coconut...

By the time we sailed back to Losari Beach, it was almost sunset...

sailed back

almost sunset at Losari Beach, Makassar

For each of our trip we never forget to bring back something, something to remind us of our trip to the island. Makassar people are very proud of being a sailor, it's in their blood and their sailing skill has been passed from generations to generations. Bugis people are well known of their skilled craftmanship of building their phinisi, two masted sailing ship. A Phinisi boat has always been their symbol of persistence to outcome every challenge they have in life. So this is the souvenir that what we brought home, a tanah liat painting of traditional Phinisi boat made by Zaenal Beta at the Rotterdam Fort Museum Gallery.

Zaenal Beta made this tanah liat painting for us just in 15 minutes

So there was our trip to Khayangan Island, Makassar. I will write again about Makassar other attraction in the near future. Meanwhile I hope this post make you want to go visit Makassar yourself, until then, have a nice Saturday Night !!

Prince's Island, Istanbul

2011-09-20T04:40:00.001+02:00

Awww how I miss my blog...I miss writing and taking a whole chunk of things out of my head. I don't know something about me feels like I am about to sail, yes we are about to move..but why I have been thinking of sea lately..and dreaming of it...perhaps because we just got back from one beautiful trip to the sea and me wanting to go back so much...oh well.. here are some pictures from our last trip to Prince's Island, at Marmara sea in Istanbul. Tell you one little secret, this place has been recommended by Melodi on Garance's blog so I have been wanting to go there ever since I've read that post.

One hot day about 37 degree, we took a TurYol ferry from the ferry dock, Istanbul Kabatas .

The view was fantastic on the way to Buyukada the largest of four Prince's Island.

We can see boat and summer houses along the coast or on other smaller islands.

By the time we reached Buyukada, we are ready and very curious to explore this island.

It is about two square miles, not only it's the largest of four,

it has the most of beautiful view to be seen.

The island landmark clock tower and Mediterranean houses are few of the things

that decorate the island beautifully.

You can explore the city in two ways, jump in to fayton -the horse-drawn carriage or by bicycle.

After that we can not resist to stop by at one of the restaurant,

and try the best fish fillet served with salad and the most delicious bread,

what a perfect lunch by the sea..with an amazing view..

don't forget to buy some baklava and off we go back to Istanbul city...

Pick a Cherry

2011-08-15T02:17:00.002+02:00

What would you do for one fine day ? It's getting rare to get that "one fine day" these days, what with a cold summer this year. My friend invited us for a barbecue one afternoon, and we were surprised to find a cherry tree on her backyard. In Germany, June and July are the peak season for a ripe cherries and it was a perfect time to harvest it. So when we spot the ripened cherries on the tree, we were tempted to get them and taste the watery fruit right then and there. My friend allowed us to handpicked it ourselves..and so we had so much fun indulging the self picked delicious fruit..and that day was really made our one fine day...

What a delicious fruit !!

won't u pick one ?

I didn't know a cherry tree can be so high..

Definitely need a ladder to get them..

Of course it was worth the efforts...

This is how it cost if you bought it on the market...

But you can see the cherry offers everywhere when its season came..

and you can always made a homemade cherry pie yourself..one can not resist...*yummy

"A growing body of science reveals tart cherries,

enjoyed as dried and frozen cherries and cherry juice,

have among the highest levels of powerful antioxidants

compared to other fruits."

via Cherry fruit

Color Me Happy

2011-08-04T01:29:00.003+02:00

It's August. Time to be happy for me. I am turning 34 years old this time, and all I want this year is simply blessing all the gift of life and to open my eyes absorbing the beauty surround me. Memorizing every bit of colors and save it on small compartments inside my head. Each has its own warm feeling. I want to hold on to this happy feeling forever, hold it close to my chest knowing it's a safe harbor to come back to.

"Time is more precious than gold, more precious than diamonds, more precious than oil or any valuable treasures. It is time that we do not have enough of it; it is time that causes the war within our hearts, and so we must spend it wisely. Time can not be packaged, ribboned and left under trees for Christmas morning. Time can't be given. But it can be shared."

-The gift by Cecilia Ahern-

Like a child..these are what I wish to share with you today;
candies, cookies, balloons, trumpets, and so on.

I wish you are having a great time in your life too.. and be happy wherever you are..

via dailys

Kinder Farm

2011-07-30T13:46:00.000+02:00

Have you ever seen Charlotte's Web the movie ? Ever since I saw that movie ( I saw it hundreds of times since my son 2 years old, back in Jakarta), I really want to go and see a real farm, just like that movie. Now that we live in Darmstadt, Germany, there are a lot of farm surrounding the area we live in. My son who is very fond of farm animals, has been begging me to go, we are lucky enough to visit one pretty farm here.

My friends, Fauke and Meike, their children, my son and I went to this Kinder und Jungen Farm last week. We went there with bicycles because it is located not to far from our suburbs. I found it so beautiful somehow..and all the important animal farm was there (except cow), so that was the best part for the children. I took several pictures of our trip that I would like to share it with you, hope you like them too.

Put off your Mask

2011-07-26T20:40:00.003+02:00

Have you ever felt being beside yourself sometimes ? It just occur to me that in life you have to go through on different phase and thus you let out different side of yourself respond to each of this situation accordingly. Sometime you put on a smile when you don't feel like it, sometime you seem sad when your thought was just away, sometime you put out happy face when your heart is actually sinking, sometime you have an angry glare while in fact you don't have any intention to...sometime you just put a mask to your face....

"Do you ever get that feeling where you don’t want to talk to anybody? You don’t want to smile and you don’t want to fake being happy. But at the same time you don’t know exactly what’s wrong either. There isn’t a way to explain it to someone who doesn’t already understand. If you could want anything in the world it would be to be alone. People have stopped being comforting and being along never was. At least when you’re alone no one will constantly ask you what is wrong and there isn’t anyone who won’t take ‘I don’t know’ for an answer. You feel the way you do just because you hope the feeling will pass soon and that you will be able to be yourself again, but until then all you can do is wait." via atomos

"If you spent ur life concentrating on

what everyone else thought of you…

would you forget who you really were ?

What if the face you showed the world turned out

to be a mask..with nothing beneath it ?"

-Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult-

"The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are. You trade in your reality for a role. You trade in your sense for an act. You give up your ability to feel, and in exchange, put on a mask. There can’t be any large-scale revolution until there’s a personal revolution, on an individual level. It’s got to happen inside first." -Jim Morrison- via blog-therevolution

"Because when you know who you are, you know what you want. You do not preoccupy yourself with things that do not burden or stir your heart and that marks the beginning of a dance with a big beautiful thing known as purpose. Purpose is not occupation or prestige or glamor. Purpose is fulfilling what you were designed to do. It’s really simple: just be yourself. Be yourself, excellently." via- Now Here, Everyday Isa

Kayaking Weekend

2011-07-24T07:29:00.001+02:00

It's a freezing summer this year. As I writing this the temp showed 12 C degree outside. I don't know about you, but lately I have been feeling like going to the sea, sailing on a boat or canoeing on the lake or simply swim and dive. Perhaps it's the weather, it might be because this is summer, it means that the sun and water is something that you want to collide into, but the weather these days seemed just too absurd, no sun in July is feeling like autumn already.

Anyway, I remember when I was still studying in Bandung, Indonesia, my cousin used to take me kayaking and canoeing with him and his friends every weekend. We used to go to lake Situ Patenggang or to go kayaking in Citarik stream. I really miss those times, I used to take dozens of pictures of me and my cousin's outdoors activities.

Now, whenever I saw kayak being piled and tight, I remember how we used to pack the kayak on the top of my friends car like these pictures below. I took these pictures beside the lake not so far from where I live. Hmm..how I wished I could go for another kayak trip with my cousin in Bandung again....*wishful thinking.

First Classic Concert

2011-07-11T16:47:00.002+02:00

A lot of things happened last weekend, other than Heinerfest, there was a classic concert held at Darmstadtium. Our friends, got us free tickets to this beautiful concert. It was a special Philharmonie Merck concert because they choose several young musician between age 10 - 19 years old and invite them to perform with the professional orchestra. They played most of the classic songs that were well known to us and in a happy tunes, my favorite was one from the Nutcracker, Valse des Fleurs by Peter Tschaikowsky. Because this concert was on Sunday morning and because there was youngsters involved, we decided to take the children, my son and my friends daughter to this classic concert.

Greetings from The Conductor

The youngest violin player, about 11 years old

Now, this was Omar's first time on attending a classic concert. Of course he got bored and refused to sit still and stay calmed during the concert. However, a couple months ago, we borrowed a book from the library about concerts and opera. He remembered some pages where there were pictures of the orchestra and its musical instruments. He also acknowledged the classic song that he heard sometime ago from the musical soundtrack in Disney movie or our favorite musical theme from The Pirates of Caribbean - Klaus Badlet . So to ease his boredom, I taught him to listen carefully of which instruments that he heard throughout the concert. When he heard a timpanist playing his tambourine or a drum, then he mimicked them with a drumstick in his hands, when it times to the flute, he mimicked them like he held a flute. When he listened to a violin played, he mimicked the violinist like he was playing the violin without a sound. That was what kept him enjoying the performance and occupied him the entire night. At least I know he appreciated the music by listening something that is familiar to his ears.

Book Im Konzert by Andrea Hoyer

He tried hard to sit still...

Standing Applause

Below is a video of Omar's mimicked the violinist.

He wants to be a violinist...*mother wish. from Fad Sat on Vimeo.

Our Last Heinerfest, 2011

2011-07-04T23:56:00.005+02:00

Summer is a festival season. Time to go outdoors and enjoy the sun. Every year Darmstadt state hold an annual festival, first the Schlossgraben Fest - music festival and second, the Heinerfest, a celebration of being Heiners (a Heiner is a person who is born and live in Darmstadt, Hessen, Germany).

This year is our 3rd Heinerfest and sadly, will be our last. Fortunately recent days weather is great, it's about 14 - 22 C degree, so we can enjoyed both the summer cool breeze and all the festivities.

Der Heiner und Die Heinerin

The Rocket, wished I have the guts to fly up there.

The Rocket project.

As today is the last day, children fare is half price. I took Omar to toss some fun around and enjoy being ein Heiner one last time. This year my son claimed he has no interest on the normal horse riding carousel. This year he wanted to go to The Pirates House, Ghost Riding House and Laughter House.

The Captain

The Pirate

Die papagei

The Treasure

However, once he got out from the pirate ship, he forgot he was planning to go to the ghost ride house. He said that the horse riding carousel is after all more fun than the ghostly pirate house. What do you know, he is still my toddler.

This year we didn't go to Herrngarten to watch the closing of Heinerfest fireworks. Instead we went to the rooftop of our apartment and enjoy the fireworks from afar. Below is the video of the last year fireworks, hope you can enjoy it too.

Fireworks Heinerfest 2010 from Fad Sat on Vimeo.

Baby Blue Weekend

2011-07-02T16:20:00.001+02:00

Hi, how are you this weekend ?

I am feeling blue this weekend, a kind of homesick..I just miss my friends back in Jakarta. I miss going out on Saturday night, dining out and just hang out together anywhere we can. I miss chatting with them, talk about nothing just for the sake of emptying my mind. I really miss being with people where I can be myself, not feeling a little bit less than anyone around. I miss being with my best friends where I feel safe and accepted, regardless my flaws. I just miss being at home with them.

As I walked to the city yesterday, I spot these baby blue house around. Baby blue window, baby blue wall..or is it just my eyes...seeing accordingly to what I feel at the moment...baby blue kind of feeling...

"If you are bored with life, if you don’t get up every morning

with a burning desire to do things – you don’t have enough goals."

-Lou Holtz- (via dollyrockergirl)

My Favorite Time is Me Time

2011-07-02T14:08:00.003+02:00

If you could choose your favorite time of your day, what would it be ? For me it would be ME TIME. Never ending domestic duties, being a mother and wife required 24/7 hours, it is certainly a full time job that's why I thought it wouldn't be too much if I requested some quiet time by the end of the day to enjoy my own me time, reading my favorite books, take hot warm bath, blog walking, or just starring to the sky. Anybody who says being a mother and full time Hausfrau is easy peasy, they are certainly never experienced being one of them.

Now, the next question is what is your most favorite Me Time ? Ever since I saw Julia Roberts inside this bathtub singing loudly, I know she shared what I like most to do by the end of the day...Would you agree with me if I said that bubble bathing is the best Me Time you could pick and is a soother for your stressful life ?

Every time I travel I always look for a nice bathtub to end my long travelling day, here are some pictures I took of bathtub that I enjoyed once.

Begawan Giri, Bali

@ Amanjiwo, Central Java

villa space, Bali

@ Losari Coffe Plantation and Resort, Central Java

and I can't resist not to post a link of pictures of beautiful bath tub from the net :

So what do you think, how do you cope with your stress ?

What do you do for your Me Time ?

Vintage Bags

2011-06-30T18:18:00.004+02:00

I have to be honest with you that I am a little bit obsessed with leather bag. Especially, the vintage one. This obsession is growing stronger ever since I saw the Kelly Vintage on Garance's Blog. Every time I went to a flea market I would search for them passionately and look what I have found. These two vintage travel bag was bought on an elderly charity flea market. The seller (a woman about 70 year old) was hiding these two bags under her table because she thought no one would buy them considering people only prefers roller travel bag now. But as I spotted these treasures, I assured her that I want these two bags more than anything and she sold me for only 3 Euro for both bags. What a good buy !!

Now, when I am walking on the street or waiting in the train station I couldn't help but observing what kind of travel bag people bring on their trip. These two bags below catches my attention...

and I really can't help to reblog all of these beautiful pictures of leather bags and vintage travel bags I found around the net...hope you like them too !!

- vintage suitcase
- brown beauty
- wrinkled bagpack
- I love this green and brown travel bag
- I've been looking for this sling bag
- Old man bag is a good catch

Kite Festival Malang 2011

2011-06-29T20:48:00.000+02:00

The Kite Festival took place in Malang, Indonesia on 18 - 19 June 2011. About 60 giant kites were competing for the mayor award. How I wished I was there to see these magnificent kites flying. I saw this pictures of colorful kites in my friends facebook albums and ask his permission to publish it in my blog. I hope I wouldn't be wrong to share these amazing pictures with you. These pictures taken by Ambar Setiawan, they are my favorite kites by far.

Sang Naga

Choco chips Cookies

2011-06-29T19:20:00.000+02:00

My son is a little bit bored today, his summer holiday begins last week and we already run out of game to play. Today is raining outside so we can't go to the spielplatz. He has been begging me from some cookies and I told him to try make them for himself. We went to library last month and borrowed the children cookbook. So he scroll down the page and instantly knew what he wants to cook..and.....

he can't help picking the chocolate chips

by the time we finish, he already ate half box of the choco chips

Alles klar !! Who wants our choco chips cookies now ??

Secret Alleys

2011-06-25T20:21:00.003+02:00

When travelling in Europe, I couldn't help to notice medieval alleys that are unique and pretty... I use to imagine they hold so many secrets, stories untold. Not only they captured your sight but you can't help feeling curious of where this alleys lead you to. These alleys had witnessed whatever happened in the past centuries and they keep all of those history in silence.

These few pictures are secret alleys that I took from several trip.
I hope you like them as much as I do.

@ Passau, Germany

@ Berlin, Germany

@ Cordoba, Spain

@ Granada, Spain

"Silence is the absolute poise or balance of body, mind and spirit. The man who preserves his selfhood is ever calm and unshaken by the storms of existence … What are the fruits of silence? They are self-control, true courage or endurance, patience, dignity and reverence. Silence is the cornerstone of character." -Ohiyesa, Santee Sioux-

via runningnakedthroughtheforest

"True silence is the rest of the mind; it is to the spirit what sleep is to the body, nourishment and refreshment". via kriminalromantic

Regenbogen..

2011-06-19T01:00:00.002+02:00

I saw a rainbow this afternoon..and took some pictures of it from the bus...sehr schön...

God put the rainbow in the clouds, not just in the sky. It is wise to realize we already have rainbows in our clouds, or we wouldn't be here. If the rainbow is in the clouds, then in the worst of time, there is the possibility of seeing hope... We can say 'I can be a rainbow in the cloud for someone yet to be.' That may be our calling. -Maya Angelou-

Rainbow at Messel, Germany

IF I COULD CATCH A RAINBOW

If I could catch a rainbow
I would do it just for you
And share with you its beauty
On the days you are feeling blue
If I could build a mountain
You could call your very own
A place to find serenity
A place to be alone
If I could take your troubles
I would toss them in the sea
But all these things I am finding
Are impossible for me
I cannot build a mountain
Or catch a rainbow fair
But let me be what I know best
A friend that's always there

Where do we go ?

2011-06-18T00:29:00.000+02:00

I have been humming a song this past days I can't seem to escape it. It's an old song from Diana Ross, Do you know where you're going to ? I remember this song was a background soundtrack of one of the coffee TVC I saw on the 1990's. Every song tells a story and that song is about a woman who's facing a troubled future. The lyrics goes :

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to? do you know?
Do you get what you're hoping for?
When you look behind you there's no open door
What are you hoping for?
Do you know?

Once we were standing still in time
Chasing the fantasies that filled our minds
You knew i loved you, but my spirit was free
Laughing at the question that you once ask me

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to? do you know?

Now, looking back in all we pass
We've let so many dreams just slip through our hands
Why must we wait so long before we see
How sad the answers to those questions can be?

Do you know where you're going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to? do you know?
Do you get what you're hoping for?
When you look behind you there's no open door
What are you hoping for? do you know?
via lyrics007

I like the lyrics because of the questions that one point of time in your life you would ask to yourself. Do you really like the things that life is showing you ? Have you ever thought of that ? I look around and count all the blessing I have and felt grateful for them. But still questions will always pops in my head...What are you hoping for ? Do you know ?

I walked through one street in Berlin and saw this graffiti on a giant wall, and thought of how true is this question...

How long is now ? How long are you going to wait ? Why must we wait so long before we see ? Why so many questions has been troubling our head when in the end we know how sad the answers to those questions would be. The best thing to do is stop asking so many questions and just go with your flow. How long is now ? Now is here, today.

"This is your life. Do what you love, and do it often. If you don’t like something, change it. If you don’t like your job, quit. If you don’t have enough time, stop watching TV. If you are looking for the love of your life, stop; they will be waiting for you when you start doing things you love. Stop over analyzing, all emotions are beautiful. Life is simple. When you eat, appreciate every last bite. Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself. Some opportunities come only once, seize them. Life is about the people you meet, and the things you create with them so go out and start creating. Life is short. Live your dream and wear your passion." source : thelittledinosaur via kriminalromantic

Let's Sail Away

2011-06-13T23:46:00.020+02:00

Have you ever thought of going somewhere but you don't know where your destination would be ? I have been feeling like that lately...

I remember in 2003, my friends and I went sailing in Bali with a family who sailed from Italy to Indonesia...that was a long journey...around the globe was their destination. I wish I could be like them...they seemed like they don't have the burden to settle down somewhere, just sailed wherever the wind took them...

picnic at a sea..what about it ?

"The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are." John Pierpont (via hopelesslymg)

"I found that every single successful person I’ve ever spoken to had a turning point and the turning point was where they made a clear, specific, unequivocal decision that they were not going to live like this anymore. Some people make that decision at 15 and some people make it at 50 and most never make it at all." Brian Tracy (via hopelesslymg)

"Go without a coat when it’s cold; find out what cold is. Go hungry; keep your existence lean. Wear away the fat, get down to the lean tissue and see what it’s all about. The only time you define your character is when you go without. In times of hardship, you find out what you’re made of and what you’re capable of. If you’re never tested, you’ll never define your character."

Henry Rollins (via dailystendhalnitesaudade)

Found some fancy picture of people sailing around the net, like this cute family or cute couple and sexy lad. What a girl can do when she's sailing ? What she's wearing ? Dangerously sexy ? or simply beautiful ? Who's going to tight the rope ? Or should we just enjoy the beauty ?

I love the old sailing pictures of John Kennedy & Jackie O, what about this woman hat, the wind may blow her hat...what a perfect kiss, and look at this cute couple. What about this pink yawl and all of these colorful headsail..would give everything to go sailing again...one day.

So let's sail away and be forever baby...

The curve of flower arrangement

2011-06-10T22:58:00.001+02:00

I found these pictures of flower arrangement created by my cousin Kasha in my old files and thought what a waste to let this beauty being kept inside my private folder for my eyes only. She created these amazing flower arrangements for a featured in Noor magazine. These pictures were taken by me during that photo shoot.

"Always remember, child" her first teacher had impressed on her, "that to think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral you down into ever-increasing unhappiness. To think good thoughts, however, requires effort. This is one of the things that need disipline –training- is about. So train your mind to dwell on sweet perfumes, the touch of this silk, tender raindrops against the shoji, the curve of the flower arrangement, the tranquillity of dawn. Then, at length, you won't have to make such a great effort and you will be of value to yourself,…" James Clavell (Shogun)

It's another long weekend in DA this week, hope you enjoy all the beauty surround you

and...have a nice weekend !!

My kind of day...

2011-06-06T22:49:00.001+02:00

Where were you last long weekend ? It was long weekend all over the world from Thursday til Sunday. We had plan to go picnic for quiet sometime, after all the frizzly and cold winter, this season is a perfect season to spend a day outside. We went picnic in our favorite garden last Thursday. It was a simple picnic, no fuss no hurry, just the three of us enjoying a fine day.

nothing beats your baby's hug

We brought a loaf of bread with tuna sandwich and canned peaches for our lunch

and memory cards for Omar to play with...

What do you usually bring in your picnic basket ?

"The great moments of your life won’t necessarily be the things you do, they’ll also be the things that happen to you. Now, I’m not saying you can’t take action to affect the outcome of your life, you have to take action, and you will. But never forget that on any day, you can step out the front door and your whole life can change forever. You see, the universe has a plan, and that plan is always in motion. A butterfly flaps its wings, and it starts to rain. It’s a scary thought but it’s also kind of wonderful. All these little parts of the machine constantly working, making sure that you end up exactly where you’re supposed to be, exactly when you’re supposed to be there. The right place at the right time." Ted Mosby (via lifesseasons)

Coffee Travellers

2011-06-05T13:07:00.001+02:00

A family from Germany is planning to visit Indonesia for the first time this summer. I think about recommended places to be visited by them. One of them is the Losari Coffee Plantation in Central Java. I went there in 2004, I remember I was mesmerized by the beautiful panorama of mountain view and enjoyed the unique resorts and spa there. Gabriella Teggia, a native of Rome, who came to Indonesia in 1965 and the former owner of Amandari Resort in Ubud Bali, developed a new concept of resort. She preserved the Architectural Heritage building, by moving the old Ambarawa station Mayong-Losari to this resort as its main front office. Plus she provided the only one Turkish Hamam spa in this region and unique decorated villas where you can rest and relax.


the view from Losari resort

If you are a coffee lovers, than this place could be your favorite destination. You could experience trekking in a coffee plantation and see how the farmers work from grinding to harvesting this organic Robusta coffee.

The workers are following the old Javanese traditional coffee processing...these are the coffee beans that are well known as the earthy wet process Indonesian Coffee and I'd got an opportunity to help them..*wink.

So I hope one day you would have and opportunity to visit my country and enjoyed so many variety of organic coffees. Just don't get lost and addicted to our dangerously beautiful nation. Have a fun summer holiday !!

"I hate how coffee turns into an addiction and how it keeps you up all night. How it burns and makes your heart beat fast, especially how it makes you crave for its rich and sweet promises of grains, milk and sugar. Moment later, it puts you into a melancholic mood of coldness. Before you realize, it has consumed you before you should consumed it. Empty. Hollow. Bitter. Then again, you crave for another cup. Just like love." Unknown (via alliwantinmylife)

via kriminalromantic

Love the Forest

2011-05-27T18:46:00.003+02:00

I wake up every morning and the first thing I do is opening my apt front door. I like to breathe fresh morning breeze and am especially fond to see the greenery surrounding me. I don't think I will live inside a small forest like this again anywhere in the world. Good thing they placed this student apartment inside a small jungle in the heart of the city (one reason is because all the loud parties students held every weekend here won't bother the neighbor). I wonder how far people would do to preserve the forest inside a city. Have we thought about what we have done to the forest of the world ?

The forest is not a trash bin

I felt eerie to read news about the forest fires in my country, Indonesia, which had lost 2.1 million hectares of forest every year. Silly illegal logging, so many wood wasted without the thought of restoring and rehabilitating the forest again....most of the time the trees was cut for economic reason without considering the ecosystem balance...wherever would we be without trees ?

and how far people would go to make efforts to preserving the nature....it would be a challenge for us but there might be a way to overcome this. I know that conservation efforts are not going to be cost-free. But the ecotourism ideas might be a good idea, people might want to experience living inside a forest, for example like staying in this tree hotel ? In the future we certainly don't want to end up only enjoying the nature through a background picture or wall poster like this cafe below.

a cafe in front of Post-Dam Platz Theater in Berlin

WHY ARE RAINFORESTS IMPORTANT?

Rainforests are important to the global ecosystem. Rainforests:

provide a home to many plants and animals;

help stabilize the world's climate;

protect against flood, drought, and erosion;

are a source for medicines and foods;

support tribal people; and

are an interesting place to visit

The last important reason..that a forest is an interesting place not only to visit but to live in also are my reasons why I wrote this post. I still want to enjoy the beauty of nature and hope that my children will too. Hope you feel the same way too...

"It is a blessed act to plant a tree even if it be the day the world ends"

(Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) narrated by Al-Bukhari and Ahmed)

‘and the leaves of the tree were for the healing and the restorations of the nations.’

The Bible Revelation Chapter 22 verse 2

*both quotes above are taken from the book of 1001 Muslim Heritage book

Crazy about Tulips

2011-05-22T11:29:00.000+02:00

Living in Germany, I see people holding a bouquet of flowers everywhere, at the airport, train station, or on the street. I become obsessed to see what kind of cut flowers they bought and bundled to their homes. This spring fresh cut Tulips are flooding the flower markets and I love each of them.

I fell in love instantly with the pink tulips, so I bought a bundled and carried them home, placed them inside my favorite vase and you know what.. I kissed them every morning, the petals were soft like velvet and they smelled very good. That does it.. I am officially addicted to Tulips....wished one day would visit them in Tulips Garden.

Blue Terrace

2011-05-17T01:01:00.001+02:00

When I went to Jakarta last March, I took this picture from my apartment. I found it cute, a blue terrace on someone balcony among that tin roof. I would imagine the owner sit on that green chair just for the sake to get some air from overly humid weather. Thought this terrace is unique because it's stand out from its surrounding.

While posting this, I stumbled on one website with a beautiful poem :

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese,
harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.

"Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver

Then a quick thought seeped into my head, no more temptation to be good, like that blue terrace above.. it is not afraid to be fifferent from others, just be yourself no matter what they say. Well I guess it's time to sleep now.. it's 1 AM in DA....g'nite all..

After a week of the Royal Wedding

2011-05-06T00:50:00.002+02:00

One week after the Royal Wedding...the fever has already gone. What with the news of Osama bin Laden deaths and roasted Trump. Just wondering were you watching the royal TV at home or on the public spot with others ? I was happened to be in Postdam Platz, Berlin at 12 PM on 29 April 2011. So I watched the Royal Wedding thru a big screen in front of the Post Dam Theater.

Obviously people were sharing their excitement on that special day...
and of course we all wish the happy couple all the best on their new journey..
and...last piece of every woman thought this week is..

the most important thing is to calm down..Prince Harry is still single.

(source : bippity boppity bo)

Oh well..I am expecting a happy weekend this week, what with the bbq invitation and picnic plan..

hope you all have a free of worry weekend too !!

Are you tempted ?

2011-05-04T00:34:00.004+02:00

One morning I was walking on the Oranienburger Strasse in Berlin

and saw this advertisement, posted on a wall.

I was attracted to the tagline "Temptation To Be Good". I didn't know what advertisement it was until later on I google it and found that it is meant for a painting exhibition in one of Berlin Art Gallery by Mercedes Helnwein. Now that I read more information about her, I am starting to admire her works of stunning expressive female subjects.

As I walked after I saw this advertisement that day, I was struck to think that even in doing good things we are sometimes tempted to do so. I am reflecting this to my situation right now that when I am about to make a decision I always counting of the good deeds that would follow, which somehow in a way frustrating me. I think I would envy people who can freely opt to do things without considering the result of their action in a good way.

This is why, when I go blog-walking tonight I saw this on the post of That kind of Woman tumblr , it made sense to me that somehow other people might have the same situation like me. This is what the question on that tumblr :

Q : yieldofthemind asked: It seems as though you want to run away from life. Why is that? Why are you dissatisfied? And don't worry about being dissatisfied or people thinking that you're ungrateful. It's alright to be dissatisfied with even the most opulent of lives, so you shouldn't feel bad about it.

A : thatkindofwoman : I am not necessarily dissatisfied, I just know that I have so much I want to do, but I have to practice patience. So, I take the opportunity now to change the things I can to have more opportunities in the future

I hope you know what I mean, that answer is related to what I felt at this moment, it's a temptation to be good...to do good.

"As you’re reading this, your life’s getting shorter. It’s ticking away. I’m not saying this to frighten you. Or even scare you. Though it may. I’m saying this to awaken you. To inspire you. To rise you out of your deep slumber. To really know you won’t live forever. To share your unique gifts. To ignite your great inner fire. To ignite your great inner strength. To ignite your great inner light. To shine. Brightly shine. To awaken your great inner beauty. To motivate. Yourself and others. To love. Yourself and others. To paint. To write. To teach. To innovate. To sing. To dance. To care. To feel. To listen. To learn. To laugh. The clock’s ticking. The world needs you. Make your move." Mike Litman (via melancholicsoul)

Superlicious Strawberries

2011-04-24T23:33:00.000+02:00

Aww..now is the best time to eat Strawberries. Spring is the season when fresh strawberries are available abundantly on the supermarket or traditional markets. I am sure you are aware of all the vitamins and beneficial of this red-hot-colored fruits. You can have 'em fresh, juiced or you could have it as the best homemade desserts strawberry short-kind-of-cake (the one that I love most).

Have a bite, will ya' ?

Words on the window

2011-04-24T19:53:00.000+02:00

What is writers block..I don't know..all I know that lately I am having difficulty to write my thoughts on my blog..or just simply to get them out of my head. Then, I went for a walk and saw these words on one of the shopping windows I passed by. There..words that has been stuck on my head, somebody spilled them out of me.

Now I believe that.. some people can really read your mind...

Have a happy long weekend !!

Sign of Spring

2011-03-05T19:41:00.001+01:00

Spring is almost here. I saw fresh wild flowers are blooming already.

Plus the weather is warmer these days, today is 10° C...
although cold breezes still made us shivered.

It's a sign of hope..winter is almost over...

Time to clean up the rubbish on my tiny garden.

It is full of dried leaves and dead plants stomped by frozen snow.

I've got a little help here by my little assistant..

I am planning to plant some flowers this year.

I didn't succeed on nurturing the last chili plants ( yes it's dead),

but perhaps I want to give it another try this time.

I may not enjoy it when it blossoms, but I would just do for the love of it...

"Where flowers bloom, so does hope"

-Lady Bird Johnson-

let's plant..shall we ??

Hundertwasser Children Arts

2011-02-26T20:34:00.001+01:00

I was sooo excited to see the result of the children's arts in my son kindergarten this week.

They were inspired by the Hundertwasser building, a landmark of the city that we're living now. The Architect, Herr Friedensreich Hundertwasser built this building from used materials and he thought a lot about recycling materials and re-using water from raindrops as the water resources for residents of this building.

Back to little maestro creations, the idea was to give them a theme for their artworks and this building with its unique irregular grid and colorful stones took the children's imagination wandered to extinguished paintings and artworks.

Their paintings are so colorful, one adult mind can not bear the thought of what was really inside the mind of these little painters. Their interpretation of the building as a theme are beyond our expectations. Every painting is different... exotic colors and bright imagination created authenticity and bring out the little painters personal characters.

Not only painting, they also formed their fantasies into creative arts that were unique and authentic.

They even create a colorful stones into creation inspired by the wall spiral built from stones that has been craved on the building site.

All of the praise goes to the teachers who have the brilliant idea to make these children imaginations turned into reality. Not to mention their dedication and patience with these unsettled children which I believed during the process of these creations won't even sit still on their chairs. Still, out of the mess they had made, the teachers bring out the best from them, and for that am so grateful to have them as my son kindergarten teachers.

What have they done to make it happen ?

First they took the children to the building and explored all the important details :

the stone, the colors, the onion domes, the irregular grid..

"The windows of the Waldspirale, which number over 1000, are all unique: no two windows are the same. Similarly, different handles are attached in each apartment to the doors and windows. Some of the apartments are decorated in Friedensreich Hundertwasser's personal style and exhibit the colorful tiles in the bath and kitchen that are characteristic of his work. Furthermore, all the corners are rounded off in these apartments along the roof and walls in an application of Hundertwasser's dogma "gegen die gerade Linie"^[2]^[3] or "against the straight line.".

(via wikipedia)

Then..they practice it on the papers, the colors copies of the building pictures...

added a little bit colorful stones on it..and waited for any stunning ideas came out from the children..

After that...they start to made it real..they start to paint on the canvas

and put real stones on it like what you have seen above.

Next they sent an invitation to the parents...

While they were preparing the arts exhibition of the works our children had made..

and of course the parents came with the happchen and snacks..

and was surprised to see such amazing works and creative presentation..

that the teachers and our children had put into...

It was one of the best 'being a parent' moment...

I can assure you we come home with swelling heads over so much proud of our children..

and for that we can not thank the teachers enough...

HundertWasser Ausflug

2011-02-21T20:05:00.003+01:00

Today, Omar and his friends from kindergarten went to the Hundert Wasser Haus. The reason Omar's teacher took them to this site is because they are going to have an art class with this building as a theme.The hundertwasser haus or The Waldspirale is an unique apartment that has been of one of Darmstadt landmark. This building were built on used materials and provided water resources from the raindrops for its residents.

The Waldspirale is a residential building complex in Darmstadt, Germany, built in the 1990s. The name translates into English as forest spiral, reflecting both the general plan of the building and the fact that it has a green roof. It was designed by Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser, planned and implemented by architect Heinz M. Springmann, and constructed by the Bauverein Darmstadt company. The building was completed in 2000.

The Waldspirale apartment building is located in Darmstadt's Bürgerparkviertel. It contains 105 apartments, a parking garage, a kiosk as well as a café and a bar (the last two being located at the top of the spiral). The inner courtyard contains a playground for the children of the residents and a small artificial lake. Peculiarities of the U-shaped building are the unique facade, which does not follow a regular grid organization, and the windows, which appear as if they were "aus der Reihe tanzen," (dancing out of line)^[1] everywhere different and appearing out of order, often with 'tree tenants' - trees growing out from the windows. The diagonal roof, planted with grass, shrubs, flowers and trees, rises like a ramp along the U-form. At its highest point, the building has 12 floors.

The windows of the Waldspirale, which number over 1000, are all unique: no two windows are the same. Similarly, different handles are attached in each apartment to the doors and windows. Some of the apartments are decorated in Friedensreich Hundertwasser's personal style and exhibit the colourful tiles in the bath and kitchen that are characteristic of his work. Furthermore, all the corners are rounded off in these apartments along the roof and walls in an application of Hundertwasser's dogma "gegen die gerade Linie"^[2]^[3] or "against the straight line." For cost reasons, only a few of the apartments' interiors were designed individually.

From the outside, the typical elements of Hundertwasser's personal style attract attention: the gilded onion domes, the absence of straight lines and sharp corners, the multicoloured painting of the building in earth tones and the colourful ceramic columns. (via Wikipedia).

If you ask me it would be an interesting object for the children to paint and draw this building according to their imagination. What with the colorful and out of shape line, one can not get bored to explore it. Let's see how the result of our junior maestro comes out this week.

Tanpa itu semua..KITA BISA !!

2011-02-21T01:34:00.001+01:00

Sedih sekali membaca status FB seorang keponakan yang kecewa pada keputusan pemerintah untuk menaikkan pajak impor film hingga ia ingin cepat- cepat keluar dari Indonesia. Sebenarnya saya pun merasa lebih indah jika pemerintah sebelum membuat kebijakan seyogyanya mensosialisasikan terlebih dahulu pada masyarakat, melalui diskusi dan lain - lain.

Kembali ke persoalan..hilangnya film holywood dari peredaran...sejujurnya saya tidak terlalu bersedih hati. Don't get me wrong..saya pencinta film2 keluaran mereka spt Pretty woman, You've Got Mail dan Avatar. Film- film tersebut menginspirasi dan termasuk film yang saya tonton berulang - ulang.

Akan tetapi, saya ingat sewaktu saya kecil, bioskop kita penuh oleh film - film Indonesia yang bermutu seperti Naga Bonar dan lain - lain. Ajang Piala Citra benar - benar bergengsi kala itu. Entah kenapa di tahun 1990an, perfilman Indonesia mati suri, terakhir yang saya ingat bertahan di bioskop hanya film - film komedi seperti Kanan Kiri OK atau Kejarlah Daku Kau Kutangkap.

Entah rumor ini benar atau tidak, tapi saya pernah dengar masuknya film- film Holywood kala itu adalah hasil barter pemerintahan, ketika Indonesia berniat mengekspor textil atau apalah tapi terhambat proteksi USA, hasilnya negosiasinya..katanya..kita boleh eksport ke US tapi film Holywood boleh banjir masuk Indonesia...(bener ga sih berita ini..tolong diluruskan kalau salah karena ketika itu saya masih terlalu kecil utk mengerti politik..hehe....mungkin cuma rumor belaka...). Yang jelas, saya masih ingat ketika itu para sutradara dan produser kelas kakap banyak sekali yang kecewa dengan keputusan itu.

Mengenai hilangnya film - film holywood di jakarta, mudah - mudahan ini menjadi langkah penting dalam kehidupan seni di Indonesia. Mudah - mudahan kita bisa bangkit dari orang - orang yang hanya duduk manis menonton film menjadi orang - orang yang berkreasi membuat film. Mudah - mudahan bukan hanya bioskop yang penuh dengan film - film produksi nasional, tapi teater kita pun penuh dengan pertunjukan - pertunjukan seni karya anak bangsa. Street performers atau pekerja seni jalanan pun harus bangkit agar kita bisa menikmati pertunjukan yang gratis tapi tetap bermutu.

Negara kita diwarisi kebudayaan luhur yang dekat dengan seni. Bangsa kita penuh dengan budaya seni yang mumpuni dari mulai lenong betawi, lakon Srimulat sampai gelar adikarya Swara Mahardika, saya masih ingat itu semua. Harapan saya, ketika saya kembali ke Indonesia nanti, pusat seni, gedung teater dan bahkan gedung Opera tumbuh subur di Indonesia (di tiap kota khususnya bukan hanya di jakarta), saya ingin anak saya, Omar bisa pergi mengunjungi teater khusus untuk anak - anak di Jakarta seperti yang dia alami di Jerman. Saya ingin setiap berkunjung ke sebuah kota di Indonesia, mengunjungi teater lokal yang menyuguhkan kebudayaan seni khas daerah tersebut menjadi tujuan utama saya, seperti layaknya nonton tari kecak di Ubud bali atau tari Sedauti di sebuah gedung opera berakustik canggih di Aceh dan lain sebagainya. Lebih banyak lagi konser - konser musik dari yang bertaraf Internasional sampai lokal (kabarnya pemusik di Jerman bayarannya paling mahal karena konser musik tidak pernah sepi pengunjung di sini.). Kalau pekerja seni dibukakan tempat untuk berkarya, negara kita akan jauh maju lebih pesat dari sekarang.

Saya ingin munculnya banyak pilihan pertunjukkan di Indonesia yang bisa dinikmati semua kalangan bukan hanya untuk orang yang berpunya saja. Saat ini rasanya seperti tidak ada pilihan lain selain pergi ke Mall untuk berekreasi atau pergi menonton bioskop adalah hiburan yang termurah untuk raga penglihatan kita..(again don't get me wrong..going on a date to cinema is by far my favorite things to do). Tapi kalo diberikan pilihan lain seperti misalnya kemarin pertunjukan teater musikal laskar pelangi, pasti masyarakat pun akan memilih yang terbaik. Atau pertunjukan - pertunjukan seni jalanan yang di gelar di taman terbuka, saya yakin tak kalah menariknya

Semua itu harapan saya, my kind of dreaming movement yang saya impikan. Semoga.

"Artists create identities for cultures and societies"

(Anonymous)

if u could see me..now.

2011-02-20T11:15:00.001+01:00

So what are you planning to do this weekend...Monday is a day away..don't even think about it..

I thought of refurbished my tiny garden in my balcony, it is totally a mess because all the plants dried out and smashed by the frozen snow. I already saw some green leaves about to grow.. I better clean up the rubbish so by the time spring is here, they grow in orderly...as I wrote this post..my thoughts are away....

I have been reading some books that I borrowed from the library these days. I just finished reading one of Cecilia Ahern (yes I'm her big fan) titled " If you could see me now". As usual, words and characters from her books couldn't be shake from my head for days, those sentences would lingered and haunted me until I wrote down in my journey books just for the sake of not losing them. Like this one here, makes me wonder..has anyone have ever felt like this before ?

"In situations that were totally unrelated to her, I would think of her and she would become part of the scenario, I would suddenly wonder what she would think, how would she feel, what would she do or say if she was with me. That was all part of giving someone a piece of your heart; they ended up taking a whole chunk of your mind and reserving it all for themselves."

She wrote it very clearly how a broken hearted must sound..in silence. It just stunned me of how true it is..

"When you drop a glass or a plate to the ground it makes a loud crashing sound. When a window shattters, a table leg breaks, or a picture falls off the wall, it makes a noise. But as for your heart, when that breaks, it’s completely silent. You would think as it’s so important it would make the loudest noise in the whole world or even have some sort of ceremonious sound like the gong of a cymbal or the ringing of a bell. But it’s silent and you almost wish there was a noise to distract you from the pain.

If there is a noise, it’s internal. It screams and no one can hear it but you. It screams so loudly your ears ring and your head aches. It trashes around in your chest like a great white caught in the sea, it roars like a mother bear whose cub has been taken. That’s what it looks like and that’s what it sounds like, a thrashing, panicking, trapped, great big beast, roaring like a prisoner to its own emotions. But that’s the thing about love; no one is untouchable.It’s as wild as that, as raw as an open flesh wound exposed to salty sea water, but when it actually breaks, it’s silent, you’re just screaming on the inside and no one can hear it.

But....she saw the heartbreak in me and I saw it in her, and without having to talk abour it we both knew. It was time to stop walking with our heads in clouds and instead, keep our feet on the harder soil of ground level we should always have been rooted to."

Yep, those words have been haunted me for days...can't seem to escape..

hope u have a great weekend !!

Do you surf ?

2011-02-20T10:23:00.002+01:00

I promised you to write about where I went last weekend. But even when I don't keep my promise sometime, I still want to share with you about what I saw last weekend.

I have always love to go to the garden on weekends, as long as the temperature above zero I don't mind strolling through cold garden. Last weekend, I strolled around English Garden in Munich. I am sure the scene would be more green and luscious on spring or summer. However, just to see how the Isar river is beautiful and clean, was a refreshing treat for me. I have never seen a river inside a city that is sooo clean and clear. I heard that people can drink the water now.

When we walked through the garden, we saw people surfing by the end of the river. At first we were stoned by those sight. What ?!. Surfing in the middle of city ?? These guys must be crazy, what with the cold weather and narrow river.

"The Eisbach is an artificial stream that runs through the English Garden, Munich's largest public park. The surf wave is located at the southern edge of the park, next to the Haus der Kunst.The wave is about 1 m high and about 12 m wide. The flow velocity is about 5 m per second.

The wave, if left to it's own devices, is unstable and can sometimes disappear for months at a time. The instability is due to variations in the amount of water flowing in the river, as well as the build up of silt. Several people in the local community, however, found that planks of wood can be used to shape and stabilise the wave. These planks are "hung" in the flow, suspended via ropes attached to the bridge arches. This practice started around the year 2000 and since then surfing the wave has become more and more popular.

Beginner are very strongly discouraged from surfing here. In 2007, as in most years since the Eisbach was first built, there were a spate of deaths in the river. These included the deaths of an Australian tourist, a 61-year-old local teacher, and a PhD student at Munich university. These deaths prompted calls by a city council member to remove the wave. Naturally the local surfers were appalled at this idea, and they started a petition called save the Eisbach wave. In early 2008 the council finally decided not to remove the wave. The rationale being that nobody has actually died as a result of surfing here. The only deaths have been from swimmers. Surfers generally know what they are doing. Swimmers, however, are casual users are are often reckless. Surfing is now tolerated, but swimming is banned and offenders can be fined if caught." ( via toytowngermany).

Bake-Risk

2011-02-17T10:09:00.002+01:00

I am wondering why is it that whenever I pass through a bakery, it seems like I don't trust my nose at all. It felt like it has its own will (my nose, that is). So I have to be honest with you that I have the Berliner ungefüllt crises here. How can you ignore the smell of fresh croissant ? That would be like fighting your own destiny...what with the re-proclaimed resolution to loose some weight this year (no fat chance)...

Look at these..can you resist them..?

This is the bakery that keeps me coming back for more...

famous bakery @ Linz, Austria

I Heart U. Today.

2011-02-14T20:47:00.000+01:00

I've read those words on the bus advertisement today.

What are you doing today..have you buy something for your loved ones ?

An ice cream treat, a box of chocolate or sweet cakes that both of you could eat together?

Well, I received these couple mugs for a treat this year..how 'bout it ?

Happy Valentine Day !!

Violin Concert @ Darmstadtium

2011-02-10T17:42:00.008+01:00

I went to a violin concert last weekend. A very good friend of mine, M, was informed me about this concert. Her husband played the violin and he was one of the violinist of TU DA Orchestra that was performing last Saturday. So ja, I had a great time, the concert was beautiful. The Conductor or Dirigent, Herr Christian Weidt really brought the music alive, he was very young and vibrant. Another performer was a violine soloist, her name is Hyeri Kang form Seoul, South Korea. She is just 25 years old but she played her violin like a master, she played it by her heart, she was just amazing.

The concert was held in one of the prestigious building in DA, the Darmstadtium.

It is a sophisticated building that has been a modern landmark of Darmstadt, right in the center of the city.This building is a multifunction venue where concerts, seminars,exhibitions or even weddings take place.

The glass panels on this site of the building mirroring the old building in front of it

Hope by seeing all of these picture, you will get an idea of the city I live in now...Some of them are the landmark of the city, for e.g Mathildehohe and the lake that we love so much. I will post something about the Hundertwasser Apartment in the future, will keep you posted then. Anyhow, what are you planning to do this weekend ? I am planning to go somewhere, will spare you the details..I promise. Hope you have a great weekend...ciao !!

Library Week

2011-02-04T22:04:00.002+01:00

I had been on the phone with my cousin K, when she asked about what I have been up to this week. This week has been a library week for us. Last weekend was Omar first trip to Die Stadtbibliothek (City Library).

We love it so much that we noted this library will be our second favorite place to visit after the HerrenGarten. The Children section is huge and comfortable. Omar was bewildered by all of the book, he wants to read them all. I was surprised when the librarian told me that we could borrow 50 (yes fifty) books from this libabry at one time. Imagine who would read so many books at one time. Membership for children and student (including university student) cost nothing, while normal citizen would have to pay 10 euros per year, which I think is worth it. The library provide not only books for children, but we could also lend DVD and Videos from it.

Nice to know that Omar find another spot to visit on weekends because these days are a little bit too cold to play outside on the playground or rambling through gardens around our apartment. As for me, this week is also a library week for me. I have a Deutsche test by the end of this week (yes today and tomorrow), so I have to study hard for it. Since it is impossible to study at home (blame it on domestic duties and social network, ehm), so I went to study in the University Library. Membership is also kostenlos / free / gratis here. The University and State Library took place in an old building that used to be a castle / schloss. The studying room was big with high ceiling and huge windows from wall to wall. I imagine the room must be one of the hall in the old castle,like the dancing hall in Cinderella movies. However this library is always full of student studying that it is very hard to find even one chair to sit. But I like to study there because of the silence, yes the silence is deafening, even people will hear your own foot steps echoed when you are circling them to find a sit. One thing I like about Deutscher is they strictly obligated when they were required to keep their mouth shout or simply be silence. With this kind of environment student can concentrate to study, believe me I tried.

The University and State Library Darmstadt

How I wished Indonesia, especially Jakarta has one of this library, it is so comfortable that I don't mind spending my weekend there (instead of going to the overcrowded mall in Jakarta), don't you think ? Oh well for the time being, other than being a library wanderer, I better study tonight (at home of course) and ...wish me luck on my test tomorrow.....

Magnum Mini

2011-01-27T12:41:00.001+01:00

Hellow..I didn't know that magnum ice cream has a mini collection, do you ? This afternoon my son and I strolled around Luisen platz to search for any ice cream cafe. What ?? yes 1° C degree and we are feeling like having some ice cream !! No wonder all of those ice cream outlet are closed, no one would dare to eat ice cream this time of the year.

So we went to ReWe supermarket and peeked on their freezer, voila..we saw that tempting magnum minis package...gotta have it, we bought it, aaanndd..we ate it right away (yes, after we paid the cashier).... and those sweet marble ice cream were soft and melted in our tongue...who said we can not have ice cream on winter in snowyland ? well my mom did, but that doesn't count....want to try some ?

I told you the ice cream outlets were all closed. Why ? Is it sinful to eat magnum today ?

I know well, it is bad if we don't share our favorite things with our friends..

So we gave one white magnum to Echa, our dearest friend whom we met at the bus Haltestelle.

When you share your magnum with ur friends...it tasted more delicious..

and it lasted longer in ur mouth too.....

Sunset in Passau

2011-01-23T19:15:00.002+01:00

We have two weeks of Christmas holiday, but unfortunately we don't have any plans to go anywhere. What with the bad weather (snow, glatteis etc), me with flu attack and also we really want to have a good rest at home this time.So it's a perfect time to look back again to places we visited during summer and fall season. I really want to share a lot of beautiful places and things that I saw but have no times to write and post it here before.

I am going to start with Passau. We had a chance to visit this town because my brother is studying there. We have never heard of this town before, but fall in love with this beautiful ancient town when we first set foot on it.

On our first day we took a walk by the Danube river, it didn't get us long to reach the Baroque old town between Danube and Inn rivers, the road was made by stones and there is long and narrow alleys that was built on medieval Gothic foundations. Those mystical alleys lead us to the the Dom of St. Stephan Cathedral.

But that Dom is not what I am going to talk about. I am going to talk about how beautiful the scene by the river when the sun was setting out. I was mesmerized by the glowing water reflecting the sun. You will know what I mean when you see this picture below...

Passau is a place on the border of Germany and Austria that wherever you look in any direction you will see rivers by..or what people called of this city as the three rivers city...the danube, Inn and Ilz rivers...

It was past lunch time when we decided to have our lunch by the river.
We enjoyed sitting on the Drei-Ecke and the view was amazing, it was beautiful and serene..

You can explore the city by a leisure boat...
or you can walk circling it back and forth..both ways are great.
These two men were kayaking around the river
and if you could do that it would be superb,
while the water is calm and not too cold at that moment.

At first I thought that Passau is an old town where usually a lot of pensioners live. I was expecting to see a lot of old people on the street. However, because there is University of Passau in the middle of the city,
this town is crowded by students and young fresh people.
Everywhere you see, there is a perfect spot to hang out...
Especially by the river of course....

By this time of the year, it is very cold out there. I heard that annually this place is flooded badly.

But still it's nice place to be visited. I wouldn't mind coming back again.
What do you think ?

Terrace Cafes

2011-01-23T16:35:00.005+01:00

Last two weeks had been totally awesome. The weather was nice and though it was sometime windy, the sun was out quite often. How I wished all the gloomy winter colors are gone by now. What I really want was to sit by the terrace in one cafes with my dearest friends and chat about a lot of things, guess I miss my best girls in Jakarta so much.

Last Sunday my brother visited me and we went for a walk. I saw one cafe that provide green stool on its terrace. I bet they served delicious food as it was crowded with people. We didn't have the time to stop by at that cafe , but I will visit it soon and report it to you all the details. Meanwhile across the city I passed by I saw several terrace cafes that are still providing their thick winter blanket for their customers. I can't help to stop in front of every cafes that catch my eyesight. Usually the one with so many vibrant colors or cozy sofas..

@ Passau

@ Frankfurt

What do you think about this Haagen-Dazs cafe in Frankfurt ? One scoop of caramel ice cream while sitting on that cozy couch ? Anyone who put those rattan couch there is a genius, I really want to sit there..

@ Berlin

@ Passau

I search for any terrace cafe in the google and it came out with one in Charlotte, NY, I agree with their ideas of creating a comfort environment for their customers :

"Obviously, the most artfully prepared food served in a less than comfortable environment is a recipe for failure. That's why we put so much time and energy into creating and furnishing our interior. We conjured up a space that manages to combine warmth with relaxation, openness with soft acoustics. From the classic breakfast counter, to the expanse of windows, to tiny touches like wavy glasses and note pads at each table, our goal was to set a perfect stage for the main event---our food"

@ Linz, Austria

@ Passau

Vincent Van Gogh once painted a terrace cafe and he wrote to his sister :
"In point of fact I was interrupted these days by my toiling on a new picture representing the outside of a night cafe. On the terrace there are tiny figures of people drinking. An enormous yellow lantern sheds its light on the terrace, the house and the sidewalk, and even causes a certain brightness on the pavement of the street, which takes a pinkish violet tone. The gable-topped fronts of the houses in a street stretching away under a blue sky spangled with stars are dark blue or violet and there is a green tree......."

@ Linz, Austria

@ Passau

I would give anything to sit on one terrace cafe with my girlfriends these days, watching people passing by, gossiping about lots of stuff and sharing our endless stories. However, as reality bites, I wrote this post while the snow is falling heavily outside my window. Slim chances to sit at a terrace cafe by minus 3 degree today. Regrets always comes too late, I should have try that green cafe with my brother last weekend, but time is not always been ours. Until then, I will wait again for one fine day to sit and enjoy sunny day in a terrace cafe.

Die Sonne Scheint

2011-01-08T16:01:00.003+01:00

Ah today is one of the rare winter days. It is 13° C and the sun is shining. So what am I going to do today ? Domestic duties comes first, while the sun is out, I will do my laundry and hang them outside after that I plan to visit my favorite garden, Herrengarten, ducks feeding time.

We took these five pictures on early December, the snow wasn't thick yet but the water had turned to ice.

As we experienced -12° C last month, even +13° C like today we still wearing our jacket tightly. My son had ear infection last week, so we have precaution of the wind and cold right now. By the way, I am taking Garance idea seriously ...this year I won't be addicted to facebook and twitter no more, they are out of the 2011 trend. I have to admit it has consumed a lot of my time previous year just to peek on what everybody is doing. I wonder why people don't mind their own business anymore. Sometime I realized that I don't have any lust to write my blog, is that true that it kills people creativity ? But facebook also helps me sharing info about my son development with families in Jakarta...so what about it ?? Oh well..this year...no more excused like that. Let's see how I survive it.

My shop

2011-01-07T21:36:00.005+01:00

I am thinking about my shop today...yes, in Jakarta, thousands miles away. I am thinking about the colorful wrapping paper, boxes and other things that we sell inside. I am thinking of our dearest shopkeeper, a friend of mine that running the store for a time being and some people who depends on the existence of my little shop.

I was thinking of closing it down, once, when I planned to go to Deutschland. But our neighbor shop around us talked to me that if I closed down then they all will lose hope to survive too. They said my shop has marked the traditional market because of its dynamic colors. I was moved, but still business is always means business. If it is weighing you down then you got to let go the burden.

However, as a women I am, emotional factor always get in the way. I remember why I created the store almost 4 years ago. I wanted to have an independent bookstore in my neighborhood, dreaming the little bookstore in You've got mail the movie.

But my dream doesn't stop there, I want everyone to have their own independent store, it doesn't have to be a bookshop, it could be a handmade bags shop or anything. I want Jakarta to have unique independent shop that marked the city with characters of the people who lives in this city.

I walked in a narrow street in Passau a little while ago, and I saw this small shop. This shop sells kitchen utensils, but the owner put all of her heart decorating her shop that somehow the presentation feels like a tourist spot ( in a good way, of course). When I saw this shop, it made me dream about my own kitchen and took my mind wanders about English kitchen that I used to see in a movie.

As I walked a little bit further, I saw this fragrance, bath and body soap. The shop called La Vie en Rose (my favorite song). I have to admit that I stopped in front of that store because of its name, but then just to look on its windows I could smell the fragrance from soaps and parfumes inside. I swear it smelled sweet and soft. While I think they decorated the shop professionally, they still didn't lose the owners personality in it. I could read their message clear, "If you buy our soap, then your body fragrance would be irresistible..you would smell soft and tender, anyone would cuddled you anytime."

Not too far from this shop, I was looking for a place to buy something to drink. Then I saw this shop. It's a small fresh juice shop, but the red bench in front of it was sooo inviting you couldn't stopped yourself to go inside and buy some delicious fresh juices, of course after that you would sit on that bench making a memories of your own.

You see, those three shops marked the city beautifully (there are still bunch of them if you asked). People would say, don't forget to stop by at that shop once you visit Passau. This is what I really want to happen in Jakarta. Every corner of the city has to have its own landmark shop that reflects the originality of Jakartan natives with their own character. And that is what I wanted of my own bookshop, to stand out and shout that this is me, this is us, Jakarta the way we love, the way we know it. All of those reason are preventing me from closing down my shop. I really hope it can survive for another year, another decade if I may dream so.

bye bye 2010..

2010-12-31T21:35:00.001+01:00

Dear 2011,

Please be gentle with human kind this year, no more natural disaster, we had a lot of that on 2010, thank you very much. Please be kind to us, we really want to enjoy the ride of 2011 and to mark your year as the best year ever.

I promise I will be a better person this year, I will think carefully of plan I would make this year and all of those useless resolutions I throw them away already. This year I won't target anything higher than my expectations, I will just simply go with your flow...but please take me to a better day...

Goodbye 2010, so many memories I held inside my heart...and all those tears I cried, I have no regrest for them. Thank you for giving me one good year, it was not my best year, but I am blessing all the things that had happened to me, I know it would only made me a better person next year. So long 2010, welcome 2011..

Merry X-Mas

2010-12-25T12:57:00.002+01:00

It started to snow heavily again here in DA, two days ago all the snow was vanished, washed away by the rain. But yesterday, persistently..the snow falling again. It's white Christmas this year...

People are staying home with their loved ones today.
Last week I saw a man bought a Christmas tree.

I wondered how they were going to decorate it...

"Wishing you the light of faith,

the warmth of home, the love of family--

all the deepest joys of Christmas."

(Hallmark e-cards)

Dreaming your dream..

2010-12-21T18:39:00.008+01:00

The year is almost end, I can't believe time flies so fast. Now it's time to make another new year resolutions. I wonder what surprises "the universe" has for me. We have said our prayer and hope only for the best, but sometimes only the lucky one get through all test to win the rest (or so..I've heard).

My aunt who just celebrated her 51th wedding anniversary said, to get through all those years in marriage and life you got to do your own things. DO YOUR OWN THINGS. Apparently that is a good advice. In order to stay healthy in life is to keep doing your own things, do things that you like to do. But somehow it is not easy to find balance between managing family life and achieving your own dreams.

When it comes to make a new year resolutions, I find myself in doubt and sometimes in fear. Will I be able to achieve that goal, will I ever have the heart to do it, will I earn the persistence to overcome what may happen? Often, I long for part of me that was dare to do anything, a part that never weigh to much worries, but life is like that..an excuse always comes in a way...

"It's funny because when you're a child, you believe you can be anything you want to be, go wherever you want to go. There's no limit to what you can dream. You expect the unexpected, you believe in magic, in fairy tales and in possibilities. Then you grow older and that innocence is shattered and somewhere along the way the reality of life gets in the way and you're hit by the realization that you can't be all you wanted to be, you just might have to settle for a little bit less.

Whoever thought those childhood dreams weren't quite beyond our grasp after all ? Why do we stop believing in ourselves ? Why do we let facts and figures and anything but the dreams rule our lives ?" (Love Rosie, Cecilia Ahern p.198)

That passage explain what's inside my head at this very moment. New year resolutions for me would be more or less the same with last year perhaps...somehow I feel like I lost all the excitement of making a new goal..a new resolutions...would it matters if I don't even have any resolutions at all this year ??

"Dumbed down and numbed by time and age

Your dreams to catch the world, the cage

The highway sets the travelers stage

All exits look the same"

(I and Love and You - The Avett Brothers)

Breakfast @IKEA

2010-12-16T00:48:00.002+01:00

What is it with IKEA that you can not resist...even the catalogue is irresistible. Especially this time of the year...when "giving is receiving" is everyone motto. Though the store is open at 10 am, people already wait inside and have their breakfast before they shop.

I really like the canteen at IKEA, not only the food are delicious, you'll get a free refill for your drinks too (psst..the hot chocolate is super delicious #1.60 euro and u can refill it till u drop)...I also like how they design the canteen, warm and cozy...so people can sit there comfortably.

really like the white standing lamp behind me..

and of course after you go round and round inside the huge store..I can't help but dreaming about my own future home whenever I saw beautiful room displayed, the furniture, the interior design..everything is inspiring (too bad i can't take a picture of them).... after that you'll end up spending most of your time in the Markthalle (yes it's a place where u don't think twice when u put something inside your cart)...

My friend Al, really wants to see what I had buy today... I told her I bought nothing, but she didn't believe me, so I guess I just have to give her a peek inside my closet to see what IKEA things are stored in already..

That white thing is called Skubb, I really need it to organized my gloves and hat and other 'small things but important' inside my cupboard...it is really a good buy of the day....and it's always nice when I could find things unusual but useful in IKEA...soo who's coming with me to IKEA next time ???

Time stood still

2010-12-10T21:46:00.005+01:00

Have you ever realize that sometimes time stand still ? You long for those hours and days that were left behind you...People wished to turn back time or others want it to go byes...

At this moment, when 2010 is almost come to end, it felt so much like those time were another blink to my eyes. How time flies so fast...so many things happened this year...so many memories made this year that I want to hold it dear to my heart...

At this time of the year, days are shorter here in DA. Everyday my son and I walk to our school (his to kindergarten, mine to Deutsche Course) at 7.30 AM. The sun is not yet out, in fact it's pitch dark outside, but we can not help but enjoying our moment at dawn on the street. When the snow is not melted we play with it along our way to school...this is the kind of time that I will remember forever...who knows..perhaps next year we won't cross this path again...but for the time being...let those thought sleep away...let us enjoy the beauty we have right in front of our eyes today...

feels like having a cup of hot chocolate, will you...??

on this date..

2010-11-27T01:10:00.001+01:00

On this date...6 years ago..we said "I do" to each other...

On this date...6 years ago...we celebrated our marriage..

On this date...6 years ago..we are officially Mr & Mrs S...

I have always been amazed by couples who celebrate their 25th, 30th, 40th or even more 50th's wedding anniversaries. Wonder how they could reach those amazing accomplishment...wonder how they get through all those years together...how they persistently fight for any challenge they may have...how they stay together and not losing their insanity (*wkwkw)...

Six years is only the beginning of those milestones...we may not be a perfect couple nor the most romantic one and the road is still long and wild out there...but we try hard to accept each other flaws (at least i think so)..and enjoy the best of what life offers today.. savour it while it lasts...

Happy Anniversary, my hubby...

Michael in Bubble

2010-11-21T23:41:00.000+01:00

I can not believe, it was almost a month ago that I went to Michael Buble concert in Frankfurt. This post had been saved inside my blog for that long..unpublished.

Oh well, the concert was amazing, he was as cute as ever until he announced that he was engaged to his beautiful Argentinian girlfriend. However, he sang beautifully on his concert that I couldn't love him more. Here's some pictures I took on his concert, I hope you like 'em.

He was of course in bubbles..

Can't help but I found myself capturing his cute faces all night long..

wouldn't be the same without the perfect band

the stage..the lighting..everything made the concert worthy every cents..

and don't forget about the wonderful audience...

last but not least...the closing confetti...super !!

unproductive

2010-11-08T18:13:00.002+01:00

I have been feeling so unproductive these days. Most of the time I just doing absolutely nothing. Somber mood. All I do just surfing the net without any enthusiasm.

The news about Mount Merapi eruption and Tsunami in Mentawai let me down in so many ways. Those natural disasters didn't affect my family, but seeing those pictures of people in my homeland made feel like I have been swallowed by the earth.

Pray for Indonesia, they said. When you have nothing left to be done, you just pray, they said. Whatever it is, I feel the pain for my country in turmoil. Hope there will be a better day tomorrow.

"I find hope in the darkest of days, and focus in the brightest. I do not judge the universe."

-Dalai Lama-

Autumn Leaves

2010-10-21T22:12:00.001+02:00

My mother just left Darmstadt few days ago, she continued her journey to Munich vis-a-vis Passau to visit my brother. As she left I felt like I miss her already, but after one day all I did was sleep in a deadly mode. Until today I still feel totally exhausted. Perhaps having guests in your home not only required your attention, but also your energy. But it was all worth it, we had fun, we had our moment and that was all that matters.

It is officially autumn now. As I wrote this post, the weather stated it is 3º C, to tell you the truth...I don't have the guts to brave the cold outside my warm and cozy apartment. However, it would be a pity if I missed the autumn beauty.

One thing I like about autumn is how trees changed the color of its leaves.

When it was spring and summer, all the leaves were only colored in green. Dark green, shade green, light green..only green and never been blue. But when autumn comes the leaves are starting to change into several different colors. Yellow, orange, pink, lilac, purple, red tomatoes, just red, magenta red or even colors that I never knew the name....

I stared at this building and wonder how beautiful those leaves are blanketing the whole building. Perhaps it knows that their presences could warm the residents inside in this kind of weather....

Who has the right to determine which leaves are turning into what color ? Why do this all green leaves have different tendencies for different color ? Can we do the same in our life, can we change our colors according to our season of life ?

I am not going to make things complicated. Everyday is a different day this season. There always be some leaves changed its color, some fall to the ground and some stick to its branches try to challenge the wind. While I am bundled into my heavy coat....all I want is simply to enjoy autumn scenery and craving for the warmth of hot chocolate.

"Autumn is a second spring
when every leaf is a flower."

-Albert Camus-

As everything that breathe in this universe..in the end it will all turned out brown and fall...

Frankfurt Book Fair

2010-10-20T09:55:00.003+02:00

The annual Frankfurt Book Fair was held 2 weeks ago.

The last time I went there was in 1994, quite a long time ago.

This time my visit was clearly on different intentions.

This year I was attracted to the home section, cooking books and home decorations stuff....ehm.

Does anyone ever feel the same like me ?

Being a mother change your reading directions ? oh noooo !!

If they displayed those recipes and set the table the way they did
how could not one feels hungry when they saw those delicious books..

feels like you are ready for dinner...(*chuckled)

and the cooking demo..
have you seen Nigella Lawson around ?

How I tempted to go to the Paris cook Book Fair next year....(*wink)

and what do you know...

I came home with a gardening book,

this one will be my best friend for easing my winter this year...

Grow Herbs - Jekka McVicar - DK

So how 'bout you any favorite books you can recommend me to read this coming winter ?

More than words..

2010-09-30T03:30:00.006+02:00

It's 3 am in DA, something awake me and I can not get back to sleep...(and no..counting sheep won't help..*wink). A lot of things are going on in my world this week, my husband graduation, family visit, this and that as usual.

I went to the cinema yesterday and watched Eat, Love and Pray. I have anticipated to see this movie since last year as I already read the book and met Ketut Liyer in Bali. I have always like quotes and words, in this movie there are several quotes that catch my senses. The first one is when Liz was writing an email to David explaining about their relationship and Rome, she wrote :

"Ruins is good..

Ruins is the road to transformation.."

It got me thinking somehow that sometime we are afraid of change, we are afraid to build something out of ruins..something out of our mess. Sometime we are afraid to face our ruins and prefer to walk away. For the first time I agreed with Liz Gilbert, ruin is good, sometime when everything is falling apart, we have the courage to stand up and start something new and rebuild our own life. I know there are moments that we are so afraid of losing our balance..and this is why I like the second quote in this movie from Ketut Liyer when he said to Liz :

"Losing balance into love is like

living (keeping) balance alive.."

(i hope i heard those sentence right, please correct shall you know better)

What do you think ? I always thought that quotes and words that people wrote can really touch your mind and soul. Like this writing below, it is written on windows of a cafe in Hofgasse street, Linz, Austria, in front of a house where Amadeus Mozart once lived.

I stare at those writing and imagine why the person wrote that on the window. I love to see unexpected quotes when I am travelling, it can get me thinking of those words until the rest of the day. The same goes with quote that I saw on the wall of underground station in Vienna :

"Art washes away
from your soul
the dust of everyday life"

-Pablo Picasso-

Do you agree with him ?

almost autumn in Vienna..

2010-09-27T12:30:00.001+02:00

Hi..

How have you been ? I've been travelling these weeks and may not be updating my blog often. I am surprised and happy to find my blog was added in Little Brown Pen's readers list. Anyway, it has been very cold today..the weather is around 5 - 11 C degree this week, luckily we've got sunshine last week so our trip to Vienna was perfect.

it's almost autumn here in Europe, the leaves are starting to fall down...

I would sit there like this couple here for hours..if I may..dreaming, wondering, reading, chatting with my hubby...whatever suits me fine as long as the view can be as beautiful as this...

This passage of tree is the backyards of this beautiful castle, Schloss Schoenbrunn in Wien. Well I wish I have more time to write about Vienna, but I have to go now...will continue later..have a nice day everyone..

Picnic Day

2010-09-16T22:26:00.000+02:00

Someone was having a picnic on this very cold day. I like the fact the she thought of having a different kind of picnic and made all the efforts to bring the table to the Herrngarten ...I wouldn't remember to bring those glass-cutleries on my picnic, do you ?

How far will you go to make a picnic of your dream come true ?

Anyway, my brother is coming tomorrow...all the way from Jakarta. He is accepted in Passau University, so nice to have your sibling around when you live in a far-away land. We are going on a trip next week, so I'll be off for a while..will tell you all about it when I came back. Ciao !!

Art-floh-markt @ Berlin

2010-09-06T20:59:00.002+02:00

One thing I like about living in Germany is the fleamarkets or what is known as flohmarkt. You can buy everything in a bargain price here. Most of the stuff are in good conditions, and sometime the market are specific for our every need. There are kinder flohmarkt where you can buy things for children, buch flohmarkt, and general flohmarkt where you can buy bicycle to household items.

However, in Berlin there is one flohmarkt that is unique and as a tourist, this place is one of the destination if you hop in on a bus tour. It is located on Strasse des 17 Juni and whatever you buy there are chances that you cheat or be cheated...

This flohmarkt is different because it sells art and original handwork that is rare and unique.

This flohmarkt is also sells second hand items that you may never find anywhere. From mink coats to silver cutleries, from vintage leather bag to crystal chandelier, from Russian porcelain to Turkish tepich. I am telling you, you can find all the rare and odds here.

old trumpets and compass

All of those things and more, you can find things that you can not think would find anywhere. I remember that I almost bought one snake leather vintage bag that is soo beautiful and sometime you can find branded items too. If you have any plan to visit Berlin, don't forget to visit the flohmarkt and try to see other places too. Of course you wouldn't want to miss other Berlin amusement. Have a nice trip !!

Chilly Plant

2010-09-04T01:51:00.001+02:00

Whoa..I just bought one beautiful chilly plant from the Marktplatz. I hope it will grow beautifully in its new home. I place it on my windowsill, I thought it was a perfect spot for my newbie. The lady who sell it to me said that it needs a lot of sunshine and warmth, and not to water it too much...

I admire the nice lady who sells these beautiful plants. Not only she is a true green thumb-er, I can say that she has so many affection for all the plants in her stand. Selling me one pot of chilly plant was like handing me her own pupil. She had poured so much love to this plant that it grows into a very attractive plant, and her only wish is only that this chilly plant has been taken care properly so it can live and grow...

What is more is that I made a new friend today, this man is also a gardener and he explained to me briefly about plants and fruits that have been displayed there...in English of course (as i still can not communicating in deutsch). He gave me his email address so i can write and ask him anything about plants..(i hope i won't write panickly about my plants being dried becoz i forgot to watered them..*chuckled).

Anyway, what are you doing this weekend ? As I wrote this post, it is 1.30 AM here, I can't sleep somehow though my body ache so much. Something is lacking inside me I don't know what...perhaps it was just a feeling of homesick. Honestly, I felt a little bit too tired and I miss my friends in Jakarta, so many things I wanna to tell them, like you have so many stories to be shared and they were all locked inside your head..I hate this kind of feeling...I miss being me (don't read this too seiously, I might just daydreaming writing all of these)...ah I better sleep for couple of hours before dawn is here. Ciao !!

Are U Hungry ?

2010-08-30T18:05:00.000+02:00

Are you feeling hungry today ? Moslem around the world are still fasting today. Ramadhan will end in ten days. I wonder how people battle their hunger, we are fasting from 4.30 am until 8.30 pm here...yub... no food and no drink....but you can always stare at the food ads on the street...

and no one says that we can not stare at the restaurant menu in front of its window...

and one can always plan on what to have for break-fasting or diner..

sooo...what are you having for diner tonight ??

Spielplatz

2010-08-23T11:37:00.003+02:00

Do you know how hard it is to make your toddlers satisfied with their toys ? hfmmhfh...They got boring easily, especially if they are stuck in their bedroom due to bad weather. Believe me I try everything to occupied them, but it always end up messing our whole apartment. So whenever the sun is out and shine, we go to the playground or Spiel Platz..

We are lucky to live where there are a lot of options of playground near our house, he could spend so many hours playing in these field and after that we will go home hungry and exhausted. Which is good for me, after he eats, he will sleep soundly, so mommy can do domestic duties...*sigh. What about you, what do you do to keep your kids busy ?

The Lake..

2010-08-22T11:39:00.001+02:00

I couldn't help but posted some picture of the lake i love..here. The scenery is sooo beautiful, I could sit there for hours, plug in my ipod, stare at the beauty of nature and let my mind wanders...Somehow I find it so soothing looking again at these pictures..hope u like them too. Do you have any place that makes you feel soothed too ?