Showing posts with label English version. Show all posts
Showing posts with label English version. Show all posts

Bo et Obi's Diary : Pisa Land...


Once upon a time, in the land of Pisa, Italy
The Frakarsas was back on the road again.
Determined to explore the beauty of the southern part of Italy, my family of four set their heart on making a road trip from Geneve, where we resided from 2007 - 2011. And after stopping by at Cinque Terre as well as Firenze or Florence, we visited Pisa and its famous Leaning Tower.
And here's the story.

The Frakarsas at the Leaning Tower, Pisa, Italy

WARNING: this is a super #throwback post as the trip took place in 2011, 9 years ago LOL.





Pisa has long been known for its incredible landscape, yummy food and of course Pisa Tower. 
I bet many of you are familiar with this campanile, or  the freestanding bell tower of the church, as I read in the Wikipedia read. The city of Pisa. I came here for the first time in 2002 then 9 years after, I came back with my petite famille. 

It was the last road trip we took from Geneva, Switzerland. Months before we were scheduled to go back to Jakarta, we took the road trip to Cinque Terre and some cities in Tuscany, Pisa and Firenze. We drove from Geneva and stopped at those beautiful cities. Bo was 4 years old and Obi was 3 months only! It was quite a trip because we traveled with baby and the place was quite far. We drove for around 6 hours to Cinque Terre and it took around 1.5 hours to drive here from Cinque Terre.  As I said, besides that famous 5 villages that becomes one of the UNESCO world heritage. On our way to Tuscany, we stopped at Pisa. This cute city is indeed included because it has unique landmark, the leaning tower.

Before I shared more stories,  ere are some of the photos we took during the trip.




The Frakarsas at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
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The Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
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The Frakarsas at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy
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The Frakarsas at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Italy

Jakarta during the Pandemic

National Monument or Monas, one of Jakarta's landmarks, which looks deserted.
Hi, everyone.


Hope you all are okay!


I believe you are staying at home to ensure you are safe and healthy during this hard time.

COVID - 19 is still out there and addressing pandemic is not that easy at all.
We are forced to change the way we live and not all the changes are easily managed.
But we have to stay optimistic and positive.. that we can fight the virus back.


Indonesia is no exception.

We have seen the soaring numbers of confirmed cases lately as we have more tests being conducted.  It is better to know those who have been exposed to people suffering from the infection and treat patients under investigation with the full protocol. But of course, stronger discipline is the key. 


We have many new policies being in place in order to ensure that the spread of Corona virus is not getting worse and worse. Stay at home, work from home and study from home are all effective now. All my diplomatic training sessions, including all the tests are conducted online and still packed with sessions and papers or assignments.

It was quite a big adjustment for almost everyone but that's the best we can do at this point.


In Jakarta, PSBB or Pembatasan Social Berskala Besar, literally translated as Large Scale Social Restrictions, has been implemented since Friday, April 10, 2020.

Although it was a long weekend, as Easter starts to be celebrated, the streets was mostly empty and quiet. Only limited business sectors (14 sectors if I'm not mistaken) are allowed to open during this two - week curfew, including food and beverages (only takeaways, no dine in), groceries, hospital and pharmacies, gas station, and important services. Strict implementation of physical distancing, even in the car, is strictly imposed as well. 

The parking lot...which is never empty before..
I still have to go to my clinic and hospital for my monthly check up and get my medicine.
We have similar appointment method but we also have to follow a strict procedure at the hospitals, particularly as they become the centers of treatment for COVID - 19 patients.
I guess with social distancing, they significantly reduce the number of appointments in a day as it make the hospital less crowded as well.


I am on my way to my doctor.

Mask has to be worn and social distancing is strictly practiced, including in the waiting lounge and at the elevator.
Hand sanitizers are provided but you are encouraged to wash your hands properly with soap and running water and bring your own hand sanitizers in case of low supplies at the health clinic or hospital.
Chairs are clearly marked to give enough distance among the patients and less direct contact is made while processing documents or medicine.


At the elevator...keep your distance.
And I go out to get groceries once in a week or two, depending on our supplies.
Once we went out to go to the hospital and  get my medicine and we passed Gambir train station as well as my office and the surrounding areas.
It was almost deserted.




The gates at Gambir Train Station are locked


I have never seen Jakarta, the capital city, like this before.
The streets are almost empty.
Of course we still have a few people on the streets, many of them are the officers, but still it is eerily empty.
We passed the streets which were always be the worst traffic spots during regular time, like Pramuka, Pemuda, Cikini, Gambir Station, Pejambon, Medan Merdeka, and the surrounding areas.

Aku sebelumnya ngga pernah lihat Jakarta sesepi ini.
Bahkan saat lebaran, di mana jutaan penghuni Jakarta mudik ke kampungnya masing - masing pun tidak pernah sesepi ini.
Paling tidak, jalanan masih dipadati orang - orang yang memang sengaja menikmati kelengangan ibukota.
Tapi kali ini terasa sangat lain.
Sepi yang mencekam.
Tanpa bermaksud lebay, aku malah agak sedih melihat Jakarta yang sunyi senyap seperti ini karena terbayang banyak mereka yang dirugikan dengan kondisi sekarang.

Tugu Pembebasan Irian Barat in Lapangan Banteng..so empty!


But I have to admit I love to see the clear blue sky!
With less traffic, the sky is returning to its prime state and it will certainly benefit everyone.
I sincerely with we will be able to keep this beautiful sky even after the pandemic.
Can we do that? I honestly don't know.

Yang pasti aku sangat menikmati langit biru, udara yang relative lebih bersih dan juga jalanan tanpa macet. Nyaman sekali memang, walaupun sekarang ada ancaman virus yang tak terlihat mata. Semoga sesudah pandemik ini berlalu kita bisa tetap menjaga keindahan dan kesegaran alam Indonesia.
In front of my office, Jl. Taman Pejambon

Rawamangun Bus Terminal. Also empty..

So sad to see how horrible the impact of Corona virus to many of us.
Especially to those who are depending their lives on daily basis.
I mean, Jakarta is no longer suffering from crazy traffic which is good of course, but it also means that people are having issues staying at home without any assuring income for their family.
I am glad the government is working extra hard to make things better.
Although of course it might not please everybody but at least helps and assistances are provided to those in need. I really hope those programs will work.

I also sincerely hope the pandemic will end soon and we all can enjoy our healthy and social lives again. Let's fight it together!

Stay safe and healthy everyone, wherever you are!



WW: Jatiluhur Dam, Purwakarta, West Java


On our way back from Bandung, we decided to stop by at Jatiluhur, Purwakarta.

This city is famous as the location of the biggest dam and hydropower in Indonesia, Waduk Ir. H. Juanda or famouly known as Waduk Jatiluhur.

Built in 1957 by the first President of Indonesia, Soekarno, and inaugurated in 1967 by his successor, President Soeharto, this rockfill dam is surely huge. Surrounded by Mount Lembu, this lovely water reservoir provides a serene and calm ambience, with natural landscapes and fresh air. Truly a lovely spot to spend some times with your family.

We stopped here to admire the green scenery  and to have our late lunch.

Guess I have to visit this place again to explore more of the area.
Enjoy some photos we took along the way and hope you like it.





There is a hotel and resort here as well, d'Jatiluhur, managed by Grama Tirta company.
There are various rooms and cafes as well as restaurant by the dam where you can enjoy traditional cuisine and the sunset.



the tree house near the hotel..

Have you visited similar place as well?
Do you like it?

Join us on (almost) Wordless Wednesday and have fun with the link party

Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World, Oh My Heartsie Girls and Friends


Enjoy the beauty of Indonesia :)
Hello again and happy to welcome you back on another round of our weekly link party.

Just a little update from my corner, where live has pretty much continue in its usual pace.
Meetings, draftings, reports, and more meetings are pretty much in the horizon.
But I's super excited as I will be back to 'school' in a way and join the senior diplomatic training.

I have probably mentioned it to you before and I have formally submitted my application.
I am happy to have a good TOEFL score as well.
647 out of 677.
Well, not that bad at all I suppose, after being away from school fro quite some times and the last time I did the test was probably 6 - 7 years ago.
I was a bite nervous I had no time at all to prepare but I crashed the night before reading the old book of TOEFL preparation and ended up sleeping faster LOL.
All in all, I guess I am ready now and I still have series of tests before I can formally join the program.

Meanwhile, my son is getting ready for the final test.
They also have so many tests in between as well, including cooking test!
So the boys, my son and 3 of his friends, came to the house last weekend to practice cooking nasi goreng, the famosu Indonesian fried rice.
It was hilarious to see them learning how to cook when they don't even know different types of onion nor never peel an onion before. It went well though..my son was pretty much do everything as he's quite a cook hehehe. Their nasi goreng tasted good and I sincerely hope they will produce the same thing during the real practice/test at school.Too bad I didn't take pictures of their work. I should have, shouldn't I?

I am spending some times in Bandung, the capital city of West Java, for meetings and this time, I took the train to go here.
It's always fun to take the train and I love the wonderful view we can definitely enjoy along the way.

Read also: Bandung - Jakarta by Train for more lovely photos and stories from the train.

View from the train

So now, let me invite you to our weekly Wonderful Wednesday and have fun with the links!


Welcome to A Wonderful Wednesday Linky Party#190!! We always get a head start each week and our Co-Hosts make the choices from the previous week’s linkup! Add Your Message Here And now we are ready for you to share with us your blog, plus Linky Parties & Giveaways are all welcome! Please follow our Hostess and visit and comment, on some of the blogs that we are sharing! We appreciate your visit today, let us know in comments if you are following us so we can follow you back!

Oh-My-Heartsie-Girls-WW

❢❢ We would love if you would post our Party Banner or this » Link « on your site for others to enjoy the party each week! And if you looking for something special from last week, you Can Still See See Them Here» Last Week Features ❢:❢ And Please Feel Free To Pin A Few Features From Original Source Be Notified When Our Parties Start Each Week Add Your Email Unsubscribe Anytime ❢: [...]
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Wonderful-Wednesday-Hostess-Features-Party-190.

Karren Haller // Oh My Heartsie Girl Lemon Coconut Clouds-Cookies Twitter | Bloglovin | Facebook | Pinterest | InstagramDivider 989321gyey13hzit
Indah Nuria Savitri // My Purple World Way Lalaan Waterfalls Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram Divider 989321gyey13hzit
Suzan White // Country Crafting Nana’s Pineapple Pecan Cake Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Divider 989321gyey13hzitBest Picks from last weeks party
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Feature Chosen by Suzan // Country Crafts Claire Justine // Pecan and Cranberry 
Cinnamon Rolls 

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Feature Chosen by Alice // DIYerfy Shelbee On The Edge // Stop The Spam Busy-Being-Jennifer-30-Gluten-Free-Game-Day-Recipes

Feature Chosen by Kaycee // My Crafty Zoo Busy Being Jennifer // 30 Gluten-Free Game Day Recipes! 

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Feature Chosen by Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl Decor Craft Design // DIY Rustic Winter Hello Sign

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Feature Chosen by Indah // My Purple World Follow The Yello Brick Home // Winter Decorating With Paperwhites Lazy-Gastronome-Top-10-Recipes-of-2019

Feature Chosen by Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl Lazy Gastronome // Top 10 Recipes of 2019 The-Everyday-Farmhouse-How-To-Make-a-Custom-Charging-Station

Feature Chosen by Clearissa // Clearissa Command Center The Everyday Farmhouse // How To Make a Custom Charging Station Beautiful-Fashion-FeaturesAmys-Creative-Pursuits-Grandma-and-Me-Winter-Blues

Fashion Features Chosen Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl Amys Creative Pursuits // Grandma and Me Winter Blues


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Midlife and Beyond // Without the fuss Casual Glamour During The Holidays 

But Now......Lets Party..
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Wonderful Wednesday with My Purple World, Oh My Heartsie Girls and Friends

Beautiful Bali..

Back to Bali and I am super happy!


Well, it's always a mixture of excitement, bliss and slightly sad as I wish my petite family join me here in this paradise island. Too bad the kids have their school days and my hubby has his works as well. I promise I will return to this lovely island soon.

Many of my friends on the other sides of the world are also celebrating many festivities

And as the end of the year approaches, we started to arrange some plans for it.
Frankly speaking, we haven't decided anything but for sure I' planning to have my hysterescopy and hysterectomy soon. Wish me luck! I hope this operation will help me handle my cancer and all its negative impacts.

And meanwhile, my hubby was admitted to the emergency room and rushed to have appendicitis operation. I abruptly left Bali, a day before scheduled, to be by his side. He's doing well now but we had so many changes of plans as Udi my hubby was scheduled to have bike tour in Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara. Well, I believe my Rabb has better plans for us.

Now, let me invite you to our weekly party with My Purple World, Oh My Heartsie Girls and friends. Have fun!

And Happy Thanksgiving to my dearest friends in the US who celebrate it! Have a wonderful time with your family!




Welcome to A Wonderful Wednesday!! We always get a head start each week and our Co-Hosts choose from the previous week’s links and we are featuring 8 blogs from last weeks party and all our Co-Hosts too on week #183 This party comes at a time when we are all getting ready to sit down with our families to enjoy a Thanksgiving Tradition, gathering to enjoy a lovely meal and to give thanks for all that we enjoy together! Happy Thanksgiving To All Our Friends of Oh My Heartsie Girl, we appreciate you all! We are ready for you to share with us your blog, plus Linky Parties & Giveaways are all welcome! Please follow our Hostess and visit and comment on some of the blogs that have linked! We appreciate your visit today and if you are following us let us know in comments so we can follow you back!

Oh-My-Heartsie-Girls-WW

❢❢ We would love if you would post our Party Banner or this » Link « on your site for others to enjoy the party each week! And if you looking for something special from last week, you Can Still See See Them Here» Last Week Features ❢:❢Join-us-for-wonderful-wednesday-linky-party

And Please Feel Free To Pin A Few Features From Original Source Be Notified When Our Parties Start Each Week Add Your Email Unsubscribe Anytime ❢: [...]oh-my-heartsie-girl-wonderful-wednesday-hostess-features

♥ Indah Nuria Savitri // My Purple World 🍁Tromsø, Paris from the North Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram Divider 989321gyey13hzit♥ Clearissa Coward // Command Center 🍁 Christmas Shopping Tips Everyone Needs Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest Divider 989321gyey13hzit
 

Feature Chosen by Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl Debbi Dabble Christmas Blog // Wreath Re-Do, Dabbling and Sneak Peaks!! Her Wreath which was featured on Pottery Barn not to mention all the blogger friends that have shared it on their blogs ...

Feature Chosen by Alice // DIYerfy Across The Blvd // Melted Snowman: Wood slice Christmas Craft for Kids

Feature Chosen by Suzan White // Country Crafting Across The Blvd // No Sew Buffalo Check Ornaments THeses are the cutest handmade ornaments where the front and back are decorated 


Feature Chosen by Kaycee // My Crafty Zoo My Slices Of Life // Holiday Center Folding Card Tutorial If your looking for inspiration to making Christmas Cards for exchanging you'll find the tutorial here. 


Feature Chosen by Karren // Oh My Heartsie Girl Marilyns Treats // Thanksgiving Stuffing Cheat Using Stove Top If you are not super good at making a stuffing, you need to check out the recipe and added ingredients to make Stove Top fabulous!

Feature Chosen by Clearissa Coward // Clearissa Coward's Command Center Comfort Spring Station // Small Batch Grapefruit Mandarin Jam This is a jam that can be made year-round and given as gifts to family and friends 
Feature Chosen by Indah Nuria // My Purple World An Artful Mom // Holiday Cookie Preview Not too soon to be planning those cookie recipes, there are lots to see.



Vanity and Me Style // Why I choose separates over a dress But Now......Lets Party....
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