Museum Tengah Kebun-Jakarta

Not many know about this secluded museum. No surprise, because this museum is actually a private house consisting various private collection. However in fear for the collection to be misused after the owner died, a foundation was established to organize this museum.
When I set foot inside this place, I just love it. Love the architecture, love the collection, love everything. It's a museum, but it's cozy and homey as well. You just can't find a museum more friendly than this.
Located on Kemang Timur St, South Jakarta. Feel free to visit their facebook page for more info. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=126934703192&ref=search
FYI this museum is not publicized commercially so probably their facebook fanpage will be the only official source from the management.
Enjoy!!

The White Sands of Belitung Says Hello

This is actually a trip with very little preparation. On a Saturday afternoon in August while waiting for Bedugh to end my fast a message from a friend came into my mailbox, talking about trips around the world. Then suddenly he sends me the email below :

Fw: Go Belitung Independence Day Island

Hallo TravelMania !!!

Saatnya mengunjungi gugusan pulai cantik nan exotis di jajaran Barat indonesia sampai Timur Indonesia. Kami tawarkan wisata "Independence Day Islands Adventure Trip August 2010".

15-17 Agustus 2010 Go Belitung Independence Day Island

Belitung adalah suatu kawasan wisata bahari yang menakjubkan. Pantai yang berair biru jernih, pasir pantai yang putih dan lembut, pasir nya bukan kuning apalagi hitam. Jangan sampai ketinggalan menikmati keindahan aneka bentuk bebatuan granit mencuat ke atas permukaan lautan bergelombang pelan.

SUSUNAN ACARA

H1. Minggu , 15 Agustus 2010
10.00 - 11.30 Kami jemput Anda di Bandara Tanjung Pandan - Welcome to Belitung Island
11.30 - 13.00 Check in hotel dan makan mie belitung.
13.00 - 17.00 Trip ke Replika SD Gantong dan kemudian ke Manggar untuk berfoto. Wisata ke Vihara Dewi Kwan Im sambil melihat bekas-bekas kejayaan perusahaanTimah masa lalu.
17.00 - 19.00 Kembali menuju kota Tanjung Pandang. Istirahat.

H2. Senin, 16 Agustus 2010
08.00 - 09.00 Selepas sarapan pagi, bersiap wisata bahari ke gugusan pulau sekitar Pulau Belitung.
09.00 - 16.00 Wisata bahari Pulau Lengkuas dengan mercusuar buatan tahun 1862, Pulau Burung, Pulau Babi, Pulau Batu Belayar dan Tanjung Kelayang
17.00 - 18.00 Sunset di Tanjung Pendam

H3. Selasa, 17 Agustus 2010
04.30 - 09.00 Sunrise di Tanjung tinggi
09.00 - 11.00 Bersiap untuk cek out dan mencari oleh-oleh. Diantar sampai bandara.

Harga Paket : Rp 795.000

Fasilitas :
- Transportasi kendaraan AC selama di Belitung.
- Penginapan AC 1 kamar ber 3.
- 6 kali makan selama di Belitung.
- Kapal Nelayan dan Life Jacket untuk wisata bahari
- Kaos Adventure Trip Exclusive (Bagi pelunasan pembayaran sebelum tanggal 7 Agustus 2010)

Did not think twice to sign up for the trip! Eventhough it was fasting month, A trip to Belitung on Independence Day is something I would not miss in the world. Okay quick comment on the trip:

• The travel agent service : pretty good for a low budget tour (I'll give you a copy of their info afterwards)
• The hotel : mmmm,, I wouldn't say it's the best low budget hotel I have ever stayed in. Not very clean (they don't clean your rooms daily), a bit smelly in the bathroom. And the breakfast is,, well,, mm,, unbearable? For those of you who loves luxury and comfort during your trip the hotel is NOT the place to stay. Instead I would recommend you to stay at Lor In Hotel, I guess it's the only star hotel in Belitung. Plus located near the beach. *although the price to stay there one night is almost the same as what I paid for the whole trip*
• The transportation : as public transportation is not widely provided, renting a car is a must. Rent a boat at the beach if you want to go island hopping. Or having to know someone there would be better.
• The food : Seafood lovers, this is your heaven!! You must try Lempah Kuning, which is actually the way they cook and season the fish.
• The site : Belitung is actually a small island on the west region of Indonesia. Only 4800 sq km wide, it wouldn't be a problem for you to actually go around this island from point to point. But,, what you need to do is not to only explore the Belitung island itself, but you need to hop to other small islands nearby. We even get to this small sand island in the middle of the sea, and this lump of sand only exist when the tide is low. For me the place is too mesmerizing to describe. I should say nothing speaks better than pictures, so please do enjoy some little slide shows I made below.
• The stuff you can bring home : Recommend you to bring home some fish floss, terasi, or kerupuk ikan.

P.S. Info on the travel agent

Indra - DAL Adventure
Jl.T1 No.5 , Kebon Baru II - Asem Baris Raya Jakarta Selatan 12830
Tlp : 021-4658 9090 dan 0857 557 11226
Fax : 021-8306151
Sms : 08129 040702
YM : dal_adventure

I Love You (NOT) The Way You Are

People say only a fool who falls into the same shit twice. Though knowing this fact, people tend to be a fool rather than being smart. This is when we have to be careful, because stupidity just refuses to have its limits. And we will keep on going this satan’s circle never knowing when it will end, trying the same thing over and over again, each time believing that each try will be different. Even Einstein calls it insanity, to do the same thing over and over again, expecting different results.

We might hope that people change. But sometimes they don't. We deliriously believe that the idea of you and me might work. But most of the times, what we believe is just not what will happen. We have hopes but not all people will live to meet our expectations. So when the time comes, it’s either you accept the full package eventhough the seals are broken or find a new bottle. The point is it’s just impossible to wait all day long for a brick to finally knock him in the head, and turn him into the one that we love just the way he is.

Ain’t live just a series of arrivals and departures? And maybe we just got to meet a million wrong people to finally meet the right ones. Why get stuck at one wrong people trying to turn him into right, when the right one is on its way to meet us. And he’s running as fast as he could.

People are just the way they are, you can either let it be or let it go. I’m just tired of letting it be, because then I will never be satisfied. And I’m also tired of moving a brick wall. So I chose to let it go, cause I just don’t love you the way you are.