In the land of Gods and Goddesses

                                                        Bali Bali Bali....

                 No words can fully capture and explain its endless beauty....

truly a paradise for everyone...
I don't feel like adding some more stories to its breathtaking view..
just sharing some photos I love from Bali...

I hope you don't mind :D

sunset at Kuta Bali

I was there for work, no chance to actually go and fully browse this lovely island.

Yet, I managed to sneak out to the back of my hotel, tried to enjoy the beauty of mother nature.

Even that leaves me speechless.....

Bali, we'll surely come back..

Clean your teeth kiddos :D.....

Mengajari anak untuk sikat gigi bisa menjadi tantangan tersendiri untuk orang tua..at least for me and Udi :D... Two kids...with 2 different stories and approaches..

Seperti anak-anak kecil lainnya, Bo sukaaaa banget dengan yang namanya permen dan coklat. Living in Switzerland gives you more choices of those great chocolates..untung ngga tinggal di Belgia nak, bisa-bisa kita ngabur ke Grote Markt terus untuk minum coklat gratis di Godiva 

So, berhubung syusyeeeh banget untuk forbid Bo from munching chocolates (berhubung Bapaknya demen banget makan coklat..), jadi compromise yang kita ambil adalah ngajarin Bo sikat gigi sedini mungkin. And It proved to be sooooo much fun 

Sejak pertama diajarin sikat gigi, si Bo ternyata suka banget karena odolnya rasa tuttifrutti :p. 

Lucunya, si Bo tuh masih belum bisa nyengir yang menunjukkan giginya semua (kebayang kan kalo kita mau pamerin gigi, hihi..), jadi kalo mau sikat gigi yang ada dia malah ngelewein (bener ngga sih tulisannya...bahasa apa ya ini )  kita..kayak gini   . 


otomatis semua odol dia makan, hehehe...tapi lama kelamaan si bo mulai diem aja kalo aku gosok gigi di bagian bawah en atas plus gerahamnya yang mulai tumbuh. Gigi si Bo tuh baru tumbuh sepuluh, 4 di atas, 4 di bawah en geraham kanan kiri...so, sebenernya ngga repot-repot amat. Yang bikin ribet tuh kalo si Bo udah ngegigit sikat giginya, karena dia pikir odol enak nih untuk dikunyah, hehehehe...yang ada jadi tarik-tarikan sikat gigi deh sama mama, hehehe...

Terus, kalo selesai sikat gigi, Bo ngotot nyuci sikat giginya sendiri. Sebenernya sih alasan aja supaya dia bisa main air dengan gelas plastiknya . Kalo udah begitu lama deeeh mandinya...

Dan sekaraaaang ...Bo juga sudah menggunakan odol yang pedaaas daas daaas.... dia somehow merasa 'dewasa' (lebih-lebih sejak punya adik :D) dengan menggunakan odol pedas..plus cool katanya karena sama dengan Bapak :D...

Well, I know it might sound silly, but all those simple things surely brighten up my day..

Lain lagi ceritanya Obi....

karena sudah  ada abang Bo, it is a loooot easier to teach her  how to brush her teeth and she  insists on doing it herself....herself lhoooo "D...

Good girl, rite...

in her tender age of 18 months, with lotsa teeth already, Obi has her own toothbrush...hhmmm, toothbrushes by the way, because she sure has a great collection of toothbrushes :D...

No need to persuade her to brush her teeth, once we have done the same thing, my lil' princess will do the same .... copy cat, but in a good way, in this case....

One thing for sure, Obi likes bright colors (just like Mommy) and cute toothbrush...many famous kids characters have adorned our bathroom until now :D....just like any other kids, she's a copy cat with an attitude :D...

I love them both, dearly....no doubt about it...so happy teeth cleaning Bo et Obi :D...

Amazing Indonesia: Kadriyah Palace, Pontianak, West Kalimantan

Well, well...after Rumah Betang and Tugu Kathulistiwa, I still have one more place you should not miss while visiting Pontianak.

Kadriyah Palace....or Keraton Kadriah.

Or some might say, Kadariyah Palace, once belonged to the Pontianak Sultanate.
I can imagine this royal palace during its hayday.

Crowds gathered in festive modes and full of joy...cheering the new-born heir of the Sultanate, celebrating love and marriage, or even saddening event of the loss of lives of the loved ones...

Grandeur 'panggung' architecture, dominated with bright yellow malay-arabic inspired decorations..

This palace housed the remainings of the royal attires, thrones, antique furnitures, small canon, and other objects belong to the royal family..lovely antiques collections for sure...

Unfortunately, they are in poor condition...

In front we also have some ladies and kids asking around for petty money, sometimes half shouting using their traditional dialects..


I sincerely hope this historical place will be maintained in a far better way...

The Thrones...

I found it in the back of the Palace...

Nevertheless, for those who like to see the historical past of Pontianak, this palace can be a good start.

Have a great time in Pontianak.

Amazing Indonesia: #Singkawang, West Kalimantan

I welcomed myelf to Singkawang last October 2012..

We had an official visit to West Kalimantan, exploring Pontianak, Singkawang and Entikong, Indonesia's border with Malaysia..

Quite a colorful journey for sure...

one of the many statues in the oldest temple in Singkawang...

And this time, let me share my lovely time in Singkawang...


Literally adorned with thousands of temples, Singkawang is indeed the jewel in the western part of  Kalimantan..

traditionally composed of Chinese- descent offsprings, the city indeed reflect the vibrant cultural heritage of our Chinese ancestors..


Wherever you look, you'll easily spot temples...colorful ones for sure :D...

 in the oldest Budhist temple in Singkawang...

perfect mural for photo session :D...

then....Another white sandy beach is waiting for you to enjoy here.....

After religious visit to the Budhist temples, it's time to hit the beach...

Yuuuup ..... it's Pasir Panjang Beach, still in Singkawang, West Kalimantan...



Well, well...surely we were having fun thereeee...

Pasir panjang beach...

enjoying the beach...

It was a windy and cloudy day when we came, but we still found it amusing to stay on the beach while waiting for our lunch..

clear, blue sky coupled with turquoise water...guarantee to feast your eyes and refresh your body, mind and soul...

So, all in all....do take some times to visit Singkawang....I heard the best time is during Cap Go Meh or Chinese New Year...hmmm, I can't wait to come back...

Amazing Indonesia: #Pontianak, West Kalimantan

A lovely city for sure....That's what Pontianak is for me ...

Our guide in Pontianak :D...

I was very intrigued when I search Pontianak for the first time in google....the search hits back many pictures of Kuntilanak (perhaps the modern name of Pontianak...who knows), one of the scariest and the fiercest ghosts in Indonesia....Can you imagine that? 

Then I read more of its history ....



Back in 1771,almost 4 centuries ago  the city was formerly the capital of the independent Sultanate of Pontianak and was founded in 23 October 1771.  Buit around an old trading station on the Borneo coast, It was founded on swampy ground. 




Then when it comes to the name, apparently  it originated from the story that the founder had seen an appearance of Kuntilanak ghost at the place to be built for the palace, which he fought to save the people. Well, lucky me they didn't keep the photos of their captures.

Another interesting fact about Pontianak is that it is located almost precisely on the equator.....no wonder it is widely known as Kota Khatulistiwa (Equatorial City)


So, when you are around, don't miss Tugu Khatulistiwa (Equatorial Obelisk) or the Equatorial Monument :D....



A bit outskirt, it takes around 45 minutes to go here from the city center.

 It was built directly under the 0 degrees equator line, how cool is thaaaat :D..... 

Approximately 11km from the city center, there are many displays showcasing interesting facts about the equator. 

For sure, that's what  Pontianak is unique as one of the few cities in the world situated exactly on the equator line. Well, the consequence is...the city is very hot :D...





And of course, if you don't have time to actually go to the Dayak village, then come and visit Rumah Betang, the traditional house of Dayak Tribe residing in Kalimantan since ages ago.
The original ones are situated in the smaller cities and vilages, but they have one in the middle of the city as the sample of this traditional house....

the traditional pattern in the wooden columns of the house...

It was an interesting visit...
looking at the way the house is built..
and the philosophy surrounding it...

wrapped in fuschia Papuan  batik, right in front of the Betang House... 

There are some totems too...too bad I didn't really catch the story on it...

the stairs used to climb up the house..pretty steep...

I really enjoy the visit to this western part of Kalimantan or Borneo Island. Their unique tradition and cultures really fascinate me...

one of the faces in totem..

And I still have more stories on Kadriyah Palace as well as Singkawang temples and city  in the next post, so hopefuly you got a chance to check that one out as 
well.. :D...

Travel note: #Basel, Switzerland..

Traveling, traveling, traveling....

Traveling around proves to be the best remedy for me, Udi, et the kids....no matter how hard we have worked during the days, our itchy feet have always sucessfully lead us to new places, new spots, new adventure..

While we were in Switzerland, we tried to go around and see this land-locked country...

Don't get me wrong...I love Indonesia to my bones, but Switzerland is a pretty little country, too..

So, here's another note and this time is on BASEL...

One weekend, we got two free tickets to go to any cities in Switzerland  ...so, off we went to Basel...

Being stationed in Geneve, the Capital of Peace (that what the billboard said ;D), was quite an advantage for us...well, near the border of Germany, Basel holds an interesting piece of history as it joined CH..well, as it was rather long, feel free to check it on ....  

A lot to see on the way there as well....as we truly enjoy our train ride, beautiful weather allowed us to enjoy the scenery out there...

to

the clock, right under the painting of Emperor Heinrich II and Queen Kunigunde






the town hall is indeed unique..

The clock for everyone to see...

Outside of the Hall, the city center is there to see... Beautiful cafes, petite stores...

 

It was quite a journey....

  

in front of the station...with Bo's ransom :D...

Indonesia Fashion Week 2013

And agaiiiin....

Indonesia is celebrating her colorful, upbeat, and outstanding work-of-art in the fashion world...

This time, Indonesia Fashion week is unveiled.. 

Brilliantly managed and conceptually tantalizing , this  first ever Indonesia Fashion Week had 405 booths with 380 local brands participating. 

That's a lot...  

Imagine spacious Jakarta Convention Center filled with colorful patches, beautiful cutting, unique patterns and aesthetics work-of arts with finishing touch...Oooh, heaven...

It was a blast indeed...and a big statement for sure...

At least 114 designers had take part in this event and successfully drawn 32.351 visitors in 4 days. Not bad for the first event, I guess..

Coining Inspiring Indonesia as the main theme, the spirit is high in the air..In this even as well, Indonesian blue print of fashion was born...

taken from the official website of ifw 2013...

I see how sarong can be such an amazing element in a haute couture collection..or tenun Lombok beautifully shaped a sleek cape ...or beaded works from Borneo adorned edgy wedges...or batik incredibly turned into one-of-a-kind matching necklace and earrings...Supeeeer...

I managed to come and visit on Saturday, 16th, to see my dear friend Novita Yunus and her fabulous Batik Chic Borneo Beat collection....

and many more, of course...

in one of the fashion shows...

Proud to see soooo many young designers, like Riri Rengganis, Didiet Maulana, and Qisthas Noeman, to name a few,  showcasing amazing collection using indonesian beautiful and inspiring heritage..I was so proud I almost cried :D...
˜

I was lucky I managed to be part of this fashion haute celebration .. together with Bo et Obi, and my two aunties, it was surely a colorful experience..

loook at Obi.....

...and Abang Bo...

Combining fashion shows and trade exhibition, that's what IFW is all about. Not only providing avenues for promising as well as well-established  designers, with a number of extravagant fashion shows, but this 4-day event also present a complete fashion exhibition for all ages....ranging from Women’s wear (you name it, you got it...Moslim, Casual, Cocktail & Party), men’s wear & kids wear. Of course, accessories are there as well and textile as well as traditional fabrics are available. Apparently, seminars and competitions are conducted, too...

The local fashion Industry is on its hey day. And this event has sucessfully united all important elements and significant stakeholders of the fashion industries, from designers to academic institutions, from business and association to government and potential buyers.

Bravooooo, Indonesia ...

I can't wait to see the next Indonesia Fashion Week...

Hasta la vista, fashionista....

P.S: I know it's been resumed but if you would like to find out the details, check http://www.indonesiafashionweek.com/about_exhibition

This event is surely buzz-worthy...

Istanbul revisited - # Dolmabahce Palace...

On my 7th visit (I just realized that :D...) to Istanbul on my to Geneve last January, I managed to visit Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul...

One majestic palace, that is...

Claimed to be the biggest palace in Turkey, residing almost 15.000 m2, this relatively modern palace was constructed between 1843-56. Many Sultans had lived here..

Several choices of tour are available...

I took the Selamlik tour, or the administrative part of the Palace. It lasts around 45 minutes and you have to wait till the designated time with a guide, no individual tour, et no photos inside. If you're coming with your own tour guide et group, you'll get a priority.

In less than 1 hours, I saw a lot.The inside is really lovely, too bad we cant take pictures inside...

some are amazing while the rest need to be maintained. The heavily Turkish accent guide took us around.  We saw the secretariat's room, entrance hall, noble room, crystal staircase,  wood panels, noble floor, ambassadorial, waiting room, sultan's reception room, crown prince room, sultan's apartment, with ebony, mahagony, and walnut wooden floor panels , and of course french baccarat fireplace..

We also see the study room, library, and remarkable turkish hamam with carved marbles, and lovely, lovely view of the Marmara sea...I would loveee to spend sooo much time here :D

The best part is indeed the grand ceremony hall..with biggest chardeliers, weight around 4.5 tons, great carpet, huge pillars, and special balconies for jurnalists et musicians. Picture yourself dancing around the room...or maybe not dancing, just roaming around :D...

Btw, most of the information given by the  guide are printed in the brochures...so, make sure you have one copy...

In one of the rooms we saw collections of big paintings,  dining sets in gold et silver! Crystals and many gem-tinted objects..

Vases, draperies and some other valuables are presented, but the  information on those  displayed objects are not always available.//

All in all....The interior  is amazing...the outside is also lovely...overlooking Marmara Sea..

The ticket price is quite costly, compared to others....

40TL for all parts (selamlik or official parts) and harem (Sultan et families' houses); 
30TL for selamlik, and 20TL for harem only..

Do come and enjoy the palace..especially of you have visited Topkapi; :D...

I really enjoy my historical visit to Istanbul...I really wish we can do the same in Indonesia, particularly Jakarta...

What a start....

2013...

A year of anticipation...for all the good things, and the bad things as well, unfortunately..

2013 really starts with a kick-off for me..

The first 2 weeks, particularly...then goes to the weeks after...and after....

When I have back-to-back important tests, followed by similarly back-to-back trips to the hospital as my hubby suffered from acute ashtma...8 days in hospital was quite an experience, after spending long hours in ER, watching people come and go and died....

I was lost in time, fatique, and angry, too....

Then came along the worst flood in Jakarta, or some might say, city of the dammed (oouuch...)...
Literally being stuck for hours on the roads, watching people and cars and everything went frantically chaotic and seeing children and families suffer from floods...that's another roller-coaster ride  for me and my family...Lucky us, it was not as bad as other areas, as Rawamangun is relatively managable in terms of flood... Some of us might not that lucky..

Then, some more rather unfortunate events occured as well... Either to me or those I love...

Well, well... Is it a sign? I certainly hope not...I always keep my positive me shining, kicking back the negative one...but this time, perhaps, it is too much and too frequently in such a short period of time...

Well, again, ...is it tough?

Perhaps....
Frankly, I don't know..for sure I know that there were tougher times that I have to get through in the past...and alhamdulillah I have always managed to survive...

Maybe I have to stop at one point and look back... Reviewing all the steps taken so far and have a frank dialogue with myself and my Creator...

And hope Allah SWT has mercy on me...

Amiiiiin...