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Lebaran 2019 – Danau Toba Pulau Samosir itinerary

27th August 2019 - 10 min read

Momen lebaran kemarin adalah momen pertama lebaran semenjak kita kembali ke Indonesia. Dari awal kami sudah alokasi budget untuk ke tempat orang tua ku juga Damar. Namun seperti pasangan pada umumnya, kami harus bisa membagi waktu, harus memutuskan akan merayakan lebaran di mana, apakah di keluarga Damar di Medan atau kah di keluarga-ku di Surabaya.

Mungkin setiap pasangan memiliki ‘metode pembagian’ masing-masing,  kami sepakat untuk ke keluarga Damar dulu karena dia yang lebih jarang berkumpul dengan keluarga-nya secara lengkap saat kami masih di Belanda. Plus, Surabaya lebih dekat dengan Bali, tempat tinggal kita sekarang, jadi umumnya aku akan lebih sering ketemu dengan keluarga-ku. Sebetulnya mau dibagi, lebaran hari pertama dengan keluarga Damar, lebaran hari kedua dengan keluarga-ku. Tapi sepertinya itu hanya angan-angan belaka yang tidak masuk akal apalagi Medan Surabaya bukan kota yang bisa dengan mudah ditempuh dengan jalur darat, pastinya tiket pesawat mahal-mahalnya di tanggal segitu.

Tahun ini adalah tahun ke 3 lebaran bersama Damar sebagai suami istri.. dan setiap tahunnya kami punya cerita sendiri-sendiri. Tahun 2016, kami ber-lebaran di Amsterdam untuk pertama kalinya pisah dengan kakakku yang merayakan di kota Delft, tapi besokannya kami berkumpul di rumah salah seorang teman untuk pesta opor. Tahun 2017, Bapak Mama memutuskan untuk berlebaran di Eropa dengan kami, kami membawa mereka ke KOLN, Germany karena disana sedang ada masjid yang baru dibangun sangat indah dan sedang mendapatkan spotlight. Kami ingin memiliki pengalaman itu bersama. Tahun 2018 sedikit berbeda karena  Damar sedang di Indonesia, dan aku di Belanda. Jadi kita tidak merayakan bersama-sama. Tapi yang membuat spesial adalah kakak saya dari Glasgow datang ke Belanda dan kami berkumpul disana bersama.

Lebaran dan ceritanyaa… Kali ini tahun 2019 berbeda lagi, tapi bisa jadi ini akan menjadi awal dari ritual ke depannya.

Kota Medan

Kami berangkat tanggal 31 May (H-5 Lebaran) dengan pesawat Lion Air. Pembelajaran banget nih, karena cari yang murah, ternyata jatuhnya sama dengan Garuda karena kami beli ekstra bagasi. Ekstra bagasi adalah sesuatu yang wajib karena pasti kedua orang tua kami membawakan berbagai macam makanan/masakan rumah yang pastinya tidak ada di Bali. Perjalanan lancar dan kami sampai sana malam hari, istirahat untuk memulai kegiatan esok paginya.

Foto di pesawat dengan perbekalan makanan 😀

Disana langsung disambut masakan-masakan mertua (lontong sayur, sambel goreng telor, dan teman-temannya). Setiap pagi pun selalu dimulai dengan nasi dan makanan berat lainnya haha dinikmati sajaaaa.. karena tidak merasakan itu setiap hari. Saat kami berdua berkunjung ke keluarga, mindset kami berdua pun sudah pasti fokus ke kegiatan kumpul keluarga. Di hari ke-2 kami di Medan ada acara bersama keluarga yang woahhh makanannyaaa mantap-mantap. Nah tapi ternyata di hari ke-3, kami bisa meluangkan waktu untuk berkunjung ke Danau Toba dan Pulau Samosir (pulau di tengan Danau Toba). Untuk aku yang super turis banget karena belum pernah muter-muter Medan, rasanya seneng kalau bisa sekalian jalan-jalan dan dapat pengalaman baru.

On the way ke unjung-unjung keluarga buka bersama bersama di rumah mbah Ti (nenek Damar)

 

Danau Toba

Perjalanan dari Medan ke Danau Toba ditempuh kurang lebih 3-4 jam. Kami melewati kota Pematang Siantar dan mampir ke Vihara Avalokitsvara – Statue of Dewi Kwan Im.

Disitu kami membunuh waktu karena kami ingin mampir untuk makan pagi (untuk saya yang sedang tidak puasa saat itu) di Roti Ganda yang baru buka jam 10 pagi. Yang khas disitu adalah krim isi meses dan srikaya. Kami pesan 2-2nya.. Tips dari adek Ipar: Beli yang mini saja karena lebih empuk rotinya dan emang betul saat roti ini dimakan di waktu maghrib, tetap empuk dan enak. Saat disana, saya beli oleh-oleh selai srikaya untuk mama mertua di rumah.

Source foto: Trip advisor

Source foto: Tokopedia

Selesai dari Roti Ganda, kami melanjutkan perjalanan ke Danau Toba. Kami tidak berhenti-berhenti lagi setelah dari Roti Ganda, perjalanan sekitar 2.5 jam dari Pematang Siantar. Begitu sampai di gunung daerah Danau Toba, kita semua disambut oleh monyet-monyet yang tersebar di seluruh penjuru. Mereka di pinggir jalan hidup biasa tanpa takut dengan mobil-mobil yang lewat. Sesaat agak sedih sih karena sebetulnya itu habitatnya mereka. Anyway, kita berhenti sebentar di salah satu entrance Danau Toba.

Setelah itu kami melanjutkan ke pelabuhan Ajibata untuk nyeberang ke Pulau Samosir. Kami membayar sebesar sekitar 15rb per orang dan sudah dapat life safe jacket. Lucunya saat kita sedang menunggu penumpang yang lain, banyak anak-anak kecil di air yang meminta-minta untuk dilemparin uang, ada yang lempar koin, ada yang lempar uang kertas. Mereka semangat banget untuk nyelem dan menjemput rejeki mereka yang dilempar orang itu. Perjalanan dari pelabuhan ke Pulau Samosir sekitar 30 menit, iyaa Danau Toba itu sebesar itu.

Pulau Samosir

Di dalam Samosir kita berjalan kaki ke tempat wisata yang paling dekat dengan pelabuhan, kami jalan melewati pasar sambil melihat-lihat kekhas-an produk-produk sekitar seperti ulos dan lain-lain.

Kemudian kami mampir ke Batak Museum yang di dalamnya ada banyak benda peninggalan jaman dulu yang digunakan oleh masyarakat batak. Agak ngeri-ngeri gimana gitu di dalem.

Bukit Simarjarunjung

Tempat ini termasuk wisata kekinian untuk selfie yang menyedot perhatian para turis-turis, yasud kita coba lha yaaaa.. yang menarik karena panorama danau toba-nya indah di situ. Masuknya gratis hanya parkir saja, tapiiiiii setiap pojokan tempat selfie-nya harus membayar sekitar 5 ribu per orang. Lokasinya asik dan asriiii bangett.. bisa menikmati keindahan alam. Bukit Simarjarunjung ini berlokasi di Jl. Simarjarunjung, Desa Parik Sabungan, Kecamatan Dolok Perdamean, Kabupaten Simalungun, Sumatera Utara.

Ini contoh beberapa spot yang kami pilih untuk untuk berfoto..

 

Selesai dari tempat ini kita langsung menuju ke penginapan Sibayak di Brastagi, tempatnya murah dan cukup nyaman. Untuk kita yang hanya semalam saja, sangat cukup sekali.. Dan aku baru tahu bahwa Berastagi itu dingin! Tapi disana sedia air hangat, jadi nggak masyalah. Paling kalau berbanyak orang, bawa ekstra selimut akan sangat membantu.

Brastagi

Di Brastagi kita buka dan sahur. Makanan cukup beragam, tempatnya ngingetin aku dengan Batu atau Puncak. Adem, tipikal kawasan pegunungan, dan orang-orangnya juga santai gitu. Sebetulnya banyak sekali yang bisa dilihat dan didatangi diBrastagi, tapi karena waktu kita limited, bener-bener cuma sepagian aja (kita harus pulang tengah hari kalau mau ngikutin takbiran hari itu). Tapi for info, bisa lihat-lihat disini apa yang bisa didatangi dan dilihat di Brastagi.

 

Pasar Buah Berastagi. Harus banget banget banget kesana! Untuk pecinta buah, kalian bisa kalap.

 

Taman Alam Lumbini Brastagi

Terakhir setelah kita main-main ke pasar, kita ke Taman Alam Lumbini Brastagi. Taman Alam Lumbini adalah candi Budha yang lokasinya di Desa Dolat Rayat, Berastagi di Sumatera Utara. Katanya, saat upacara pembukaan, dihadiri oleh lebih dari 1.300 biksu dan lebih dari 200 umat awam dari seluruh dunia. Tempatnya gedeeee banget.. dan modelnya memang taman gitu, banyak space di bagian depan jadi bisa untuk berfoto-foto.  Disana ada pilihan untuk foto dengan baju adat, yang mirip dengan baju adat hanbok korea. Aku kurang paham itu baju adat mana dan apa sejarahnya. Kita sih foto-foto tanpa modal aja.. Ohya terus kalau ke bagian bawah bisa ke arah hutan kecil dan air terjun kecil. Semuanya hijau dan alam banget.. small treasure yang nggak kelihatan kalau kalian nggak eksplor. Jadi memang ini bukan hanya candi Budha aja…

 

Nah setelah dari situ kita kembali ke kota Medan. Nginap di Medan 5 hari ekstra, selebrasi Idul Fitri di sana dengan keluarga suami. Kemudian lanjut deh ke Surabaya, kota kelahiran dan kota tercinta. Aku jadi punya perspektif berbeda setelah melihat beberapa kota di Indonesia. Keragaman budaya, kuliner dan alam Indonesia itu wow sekaliii!!!

Okelah, kira-kira seperti ini kemarin dengan waktu yang sempit di Medan. Kalau mau memanfaatkan 2 hari di Medan, semoga itinerary ini berguna yaaa…

 

Europe Events Family Germany Hidup di Belanda

Lebaran di Grand Mosque Koln, Jerman

9th July 2017 - 7 min read

Alhamdulillah, kita bisa merayakan hari kemenangan lagi tahun ini. Dan tahun ini lebih spesial karena bisa merayakan bareng dengan mama bapak. Mereka berdua datang dalam rangka berkunjung untuk Wisuda PHD mbak Fany (yang ternyata tertunda hingga November). Tapi karena tiket sudah terlanjur kebeli, mereka tetap berangkat ke Belanda.

Sudah beberapa kali belakangan ini saya menerima whatsapp broadcast group soal masjid baru di Turki yang sangat modern nan megah. Masjid ini bentuknya lain daripada yang lain dan diklaim sebagai masjid yang paling modern di Eropa. Bagaimana tidak, arsitektur dalamnya mencerminkan sisi progresif islam dan memutarbalikan anggapan bahwa islam harus melulu tradisional dan dibangun dengan kayu. Bapak dan mama were quite intrigued and so was I.

Sebenarnya perjalanan ke masjid ini sama sekali nggak terencana, tapi Bapak dan mama sudah berwacana minta untuk dibawa kesana. Saya terbuka dengan ide itu, tapi saat Bapak mengutarakan keinginan untuk sholat eid disana di H-2 lebaran saya agak kaget juga. Alasannya, karena Masjid itu bukan masjid Indonesia dan pastinya punya peraturan-nya sendiri. Apalagi saat saya buka websitenya semuanya bahasa Turki dan Jerman. Untungnya saya punya kolega Turki yang mau membantu untuk mengartikan bahkan menelponkan panitia masjid di Grand Mosque.

Ternyata di masjid Turki, sholat eid hanya wajib untuk pria, tidak bagi wanita (atau sangat jarang). Jadi pada umumnya, masjid tidak menyiapkan tempat khusus untuk shaf perempuan dan hanya memprioritaskan sholat untuk pria. Bahkan memberi kan ruang khusus wanita untuk pria-nya. Dan panitia masjid Grand Mosque pun tidak bisa menjawab saat ditanya apakah akan ada ruang khusus untuk wanita. Yang jelas, masjid akan penuh dengan pria. Terutama tahun ini adalah sholat ied pertama yang digelar di masjid ini. Kami pun tetap memutuskan untuk datang tanpa ekspektasi apa-apa dan sudah ikhlas jika memang tidak bisa sholat. Yang berbeda lagi dari masjid turki adalah sholat eid dilaksanakan pukul 6.15 pagi sedangkan masjid Indonesia di Belanda baru dilaksanakan antara pukul 09.00 hingga 10.00.

Dengan berbekal informasi itu saya dan kakak saya cepat-cepat menyewa mobil dan mencari akomodasi. Alhamdulillah semuanya dilancarkan..

Kami menyewa mobil dari snappcar dan menginap di sini. Dua-duanya super memuaskan. Untuk persewaan mobil ada hal yang perlu diketahui, Jerman adalah Green zone jadi mobil yang digunakan harus berstiker tertentu (green sticker), jika tidak bisa kena denda atau tidak boleh masuk. Tidak hanya Jerman yang menganut anti-air-pollution, tapi juga Austria dan beberapa negara bagian lain.

Kami tiba satu hari sebelum Idul Fitri dan atas usul bapak, kami sholat maghrib di Masjid Grand Mosque agar bisa menikmati kemegahannya dengan lebih puas dan tidak terburu-buru. Tanpa kami ketahui ternyata ada buka puasa yang diselenggarakan oleh panitia masjid tersebut. Kami ditarik oleh salah satu panitia masjid tersebut, wanita Turki yang baiknya masya Allah. Ah indahnya kebersamaan ini, rasanya tidak ada yang membedakan kita walaupun kita tidak mengerti bahasa masing-masing, tapi kami semua saudara. Kami merasakan sekali kehangatan di dalam ruangan makan itu. Makanannya pun enak sekali.

Keesokan paginya kami siap-siap dan ternyata Grand Mosque menyiapkan tempat untuk wanita sholat. Kecil sekali dan tidak sebanding sama sekali dengan di Indonesia atau masjid Indonesia di Belanda, namun saya dan mama bersyukur sekali bisa berkesempatan sholat Eid. Karena saking terbiasanya, jika tidak sholat Eid rasanya bulan Ramadhan dan puasa sebulan nggak afdol 😀

Ada satu perbedaan lagi yang kami temukan saat sedang sholat, mereka melaksanakan sholat dengan 5 takbir di rakaat pertama lalu alfatihah, kemudan di rakaat kedua alfatihah yang diikuti dengan takbir 3 kali. Karena saya nggak ngerti (dan nggak fokus) setelah alfatihah di rakaat kedua, bagian imam takbir, saya rukuk, kemudian berdiri lagi. Baru ‘samiallahu liman hamidah’ saat saya sedang sujud hahah. Dan anehnya orang-orang di bagian perempuan itu juga salah, yang berarti mayoritas wanita-wanita itu bukan dari Turki. Karena kebanyakan perempuan Turki tinggal di rumah dan mempersiapkan makanan untuk keluarganya.

Setelah trip ini saya bahagia karena bisa menghabiskan lebaran dengan keluarga, yang jarang sekali terjadi. Saya sampai sudah tidak ingat kapan terakhir kali saya idul fitri dengan mama bapak. Alhamdulillahh.. Selain itu saya tidak akan pernah lagi berburuk sangka akan perbedaan. Dalam hal ini, kami semua islam walaupun kami mempraktekannya berbeda, tapi bukan berarti salah. Saya ingat kata Ust Quraish Shihab soal pertanyaan mengenai bagaimana dengan Islam dan cara yang berbeda-beda. Beliau menggunakan analogi penambahan. 7+3=10, apa 5+5 bukan 10, apa 6+4 bukan 10, apa 2+8 bukan 10?

Selamat Berlebaran semuanya.. Semoga ibadah kita diterima di sisi Allah SWT dan bisa bertemu kembali dengan lebaran-lebaran berikutnya. Aamiin aamiin yarobbal alamin.

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Europe Family Life Netherlands

Birthday and 2nd time at Giethoorn – with parents and husband

28th December 2016 - 7 min read

How time flew, just a few years back I visited Giethoorn with good friends that are now back in Indonesia, with my brother who is already back in Indonesia, and I was still in a long distance relationship with my ex, then.

This time, I touched the water of Giethoorn for the second time with my husband and my beloved parents. My parents were visiting me and my sister, while also babysitting my sister’s children during their Hajj time in mid of September. They stayed in the Netherlands for more than a month. I hoped it could re-pay the time we missed to spend together and paying back a little bit for everything that they have sacrificed for me and my siblings. I know that all of those efforts were priceless and could never been re-paid, but I’d do anything to make them happy and to listen to their wishes. Too bad I was not able to take too many days off, but we managed to escape during the weekend or a little bit more. This little trip to North-West of Holland was in the first weekend of their stay. We were afraid of the weather that gone back the days prior our visit, but our worry was proved to be wrong. The weather turned out so great, very beautiful and sunny. It was just us four and actually the very first quality time my parents spent together with their son-in-law. I had to say it went pretty well. There was something magical seeing Damar interacted with my parents. I shall cherish the moment… Hence the bunch of pictures..

Oh and by the way, my birthday was also that week. Damar got me a beatiful mirrorless camera that I fell in love instantly. To be fairly honest, we had this discussion about camera way before my birthday so I am quite aware for his little surprise. He said so I can take better pictures. That just motivated me to start learning about photography. I was born in a family who loves photography, my dad (and brother) used to be a photographer himself.  The camera is Canon EOSM3 with 24.29 Megapixels (as sharp as the reality). Lens 3.10xzoom 18-55mm, shutter is 1/4000-30 seconds and it is quite light as well just 350 gram. I’d ike to say this is mini version of SLR.

So below are my captures with  my new toy, no editing involved (it’s too beautiful as is but also because I took it from my lens, my perspective while considering the amount of light already). Another challenge in the new age for making my life always alive: Photography and Videography.

Cheers to more adventurous life with my forever travel buddy and good moments with loved ones..



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About the place

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Giethoorn. It is so peaceful, so different and has such simple beauty that is very gentle. The only transportation back then was through the canal/water hence the boat as the main tourist attraction. For local, this place is not considered as a place to go, and not so many Dutch know that people call this city as ‘the Venice of Netherlands’. But believe it or not, because I reckoned, a partnership of a Holland trip agency, there a lot of Asian especially Chinese tourist in the city which allows you reading chinese/mandarin menu in the restaurant ad store.

I went from Amsterdam by car and it took around 2 hours via the highway. According to Damar, it is quite convenient driving city to city by car because of the accessibility of high way and lower cost, only we did not contribute to the emission decreasing. Train goes to this city as well. You have to stop in Almere and then Steedwijk and transfer to Bus 70 to the city of Giethoorn. Because of its size, the last public transportation is quite early as well. You have to assure you leave the city no more than 7 pm especially in the winter.

It is worth visiting but it is not necessary to take more than 1 day in this city and you don’t have to stay over in the hotel locally.

Cost

Return ticket Ams-Giethoorn = € 49.17

Boat = € 17.00

Haring = € 3.00

Kibbeling (fried fish) = € 5.00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ME!

Europe Family Hidup di Belanda Life Milestone Netherlands

Idul Fitri 1437 – Lebaran di Belanda

18th July 2016 - 3 min read

Alhamdulillahhh akhirnya melewati hari kemenangan juga. Puasa selama 1 bulan penuh terbayar dengan makanan yang berlimpah di hari raya 😀

Damar, saya, dan mas Argo (kakak Damar) memang sengaja ngambil cuti tanggal 6 Juli kemarin karena kami pengen merayakan hari Idul Fitri dengan proper. Apalagi kan tahun ini adalah lebaran pertama sebagai istri, jadi pengen banget masak masakan Lebaran yang serius. Dan tahun ini ceritanya mau bikin menu Lebaran yang beda, karena keluarga suami yang berdarah Medan. Menu yang biasanya lontong opor, berubah jadi lontong gule nangka dan rendang. Untuuuuunggg banget mamanya Damar super baik bawan bumbu gilingan gule dan rendang, jadi gak perlu terlalu repot bikin semua dari scratch. Dan pastinya terbebas dari potential error hhaha. Jadi cuma tinggal nambah-nambahin sedikit spices dan santan, bikin lontong, bikin sambal balado, dan nggak ketinggalan opor (pengen banget!).

“Lebaran sebagai minoritas hanya bisa dirasakan lewat suasana yang diciptakan sendiri”

Jadi di hari H-nya, kami bangun pagi-pagi, sarapan, pake baju muslim yang akhirnya sukses bikin orang-orang dijalan ngeliatin kami haha padahal belum lengkap sama jilbab dan kopyah lho. Sepi banget rasanya hari itu, nggak ada kumandang takbir atau apapun, sama sekali nggak kerasa suasana lebarannya. Tapi ini lebaran ke-7 saya di Belanda, jadi sudah lumrah. Kami pergi ke masjid komunitas indonesia di Amsterdam yang namanya Al Ikhlas. Sholat ied disini dimulai jam 09.00 pagi. Setelah selesai, kami dibagikan goreng-gorengan dan lontong opor. Alhamdulillah rejekiii! selama ini saya selalu sholat ied di Den Haag dan setelah sholat nggak ada dibagikan lontong opor karena pukul 13.00 ada makan siang dengan sajian lengkap menu lebaran di wisma duta (rumah duta besar).

Hari itu penuh dengan makan, makan, dan makan. Makanan yang full dengan santan *elus-elus perut* dan akhirnya bisa menikmati kue kering yang sengaja disiapkan jauh-jauh hari hihi. Sorenya saya beli kue spekkoek di toko Oriental untuk dibawa ke kantor, ceritanya berbagi dan merayakan idul fitri bersama-sama, supaya mereka aware soal kultur islam yang suka bersyukur dengan cara berbagi. Besoknya orang-orang senang sekaliiii dibawakan kue indonesia, dan banyak yang mengucapkan selamat idul fitri ke saya. Indahnyaaaa!!

Foto-foto di bawah ini adalah foto-foto yang diambil di akhir pekan, saat kami berkumpul di rumah kerabat dan akhirnya bertemu dengan mbak Vicka (kakak perempuan saya) sekeluarga. Suddenly feeling like home. Itu ada foto saya sedang skype dengan bapak mama di rumah 🙂

Taqabbalallahu Minna Wa Minkum – Taqabal ya Kareem

Lebaran

Asia Dreams Family Indonesia

Dimensi Lain Bernama Indonesia part 2

1st December 2015 - 4 min read

I am celebrating almost a year of my Indonesia journey occurred last December. This post dedicates to recall the beautiful moment I spent with my family. I told a lot about my boyfriend – now ex boyfriend – but not so much about my family. And I promised to  continue writing about my trip as the part 2 of Dimensi Lain Bernama Indonesia part 1. So here you go…

It has always been my dream and my life goal to make my parents happy. Can not do a lot, but at least I wanted to take my parents to a short getaway trip, to have a quality with them and relax together. Although such thing can’t really happen when my mom is around 😛 😛 I had planned this along the way, after I booked my flight, I immediately asked my dad for some destination options. The options that time were Madura, Bali, and Banyuwangi in which my dad decided for Banyuwangi because he knows someone from a group he is currently in, called Friendship Force International. This ‘bapak’ is also an active member of the organization. He is a photographer who happens to own a ecolodge called Baloeran Ecolodge. He is passionate about wildlife in East Java and he’s the permanent residence of Baluran National Park, meaning he stays for days or weeks inside the park or Savanna area to catch momentum. He succeeded in capturing many rare events, the presence of White Tiger and Panther as well as Tiger, a fight between Eagles, etc. They are all hanging in the wall of his Ecolodge. Him and the Ecoledge is super recommended, staying there giving the feeling of being local. It felt like home complete with the local wisdom from the residents around.

We took a short flight to Banyuwangi airport called Blimbingsari. SUPER TINY airport, smallest I have ever seen. We literally walked not even 50 meter to get to the parking lot. But I believe a good thing comes in a small packages, the airport is new, and I am certain Banyuwangi has a lot of potentials especially from tourism. What I like about going with locals (Om Nurdin himself guided us throughout the whole journey), we’d be shown non mainstream place. Like the one below:

 

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Dreams Europe Family Spain

Al-Andalus trip (Islamic Civilization trail)

10th October 2015 - 17 min read

I returned from Andalusia today with a big smile in my face, looking back to the experiences I had been through. I am still overwhelmed by all the Muslim history that actually was forcedly demolished and not so many people learnt. As Yasin put it ‘if you imagine europe continent as whole, andalusia was the only light can be seen, other countries were in the darkness”

I am glad that I am once again able to scratch what has been on my list for so long, visit Andalusia. This time is even more special because I could bring along my parents, plus my  sister number 2. Little did I know back then that I could be able to trail Muslim history in Andalusia with my family member although for so long I have been dreaming to take my parents around, but I would not think it would be in this Pilgrim trip. Pilgrim because it is a journey to a holy place, where a lot of Islam milestone history written. For once they were so much ahead and ruled the world, through Europe. Yes.. Europe. Not so many are aware because Islam is merely associated with Middle East or Arab country. I am lucky that my dad is a very curious man with many knowledge who seems to know everything and try to find answers to his questions especially concerning our religion. I first acknowledges about  the story of Andalusia from him. It makes me want to go to Andalusia so badly. I want to witness with my own eyes, the magical leftovers building from the glory of Islam more than 7 centuries ago. Gratefully, my parents are able to come a long. I am very happy to experience this together with them.

I booked the ticket months before the departure days. I managed to buy the ticket from Easy Jet for 150eur/ person, which is considered as a  normal rate. We decided to stay in Andalusia for a week. A week is perfect because there are a lot of things we wanted to see and we would move from on city to another. Yet, a week is enough to make my parents not to have to jump here and there too much. I wanted them to still be able to enjoy the visit without being rushed with time constrains. After ticket booking, I tried to build the itinerary myself until I got recommended a halal tourist agency. This halal tourist called Eren tour, it is guided by a local who is fellow Muslim and what makes it special is that he studies the history of Islam in Andalusia area. They guy is named Yasin. The money we payed were worthwhile, since visiting alone without clear story in mind and with someone who could explain every little details on what were you looking at, were very much different. Moreover, the accommodation was convenient with Yasin’s car.


Day 1 & Day 2- SEVILLA
We arrived at 9.30 om in Sevilla after 2.55 hours flight went straight to our airbnb. Tips: If you know you would arrive on Saturday night to anticipate some supplies (because a lot of stores closed on Saturday and Sunday). We brought rices and snacks from the Netherlands.  The next day on Sunday, we had breakfast and utilize our supplies, because as we assumed, all the stores were closed. We started the day at around 10.00. I was telling myself that no matter what happened, we needed to just enjoy the ride. Because the family time was more important. As a lot of places closed on Sunday, we just walked through the neighborhood and went to the city. The weather was perfect, 23 degrees, we went along the street with the help of the map then we continued with Sightseeing Bus. It was my first time going with hop on hop off bus, pretty remarkable 😀

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Day 3 – SEVILLA- CORDOBA
This is long awaited day. We would officially start the Muslim trail journey with Yasin, the man of Eren Tour. Yasin picked us up in the big square nearby our place called Plaza del Salvador. First thing Yasin asked was if we already did went to Alcazar and Plaza de Spana. We were looking at each other, and said ‘we think so, but we did not stop‘. He said hysterically, “No, you have to go inside to have more insights“. Thus we ended up going there first before we drove to Cordoba. They said, Alcazar is the Chinese version of Alhambra. That is pretty funny. It indeed looks exactly like Alhambra, only much smaller. So many arabic carving on the walls, that I am proud of. I am amazed by the famous beauty of Andalusia in which actually created and built by muslim in the 7th century.
In the afternoon, I started feeling sick and weak since the morning, and got worse in the evening. Could not really enjoy the journey anymore, although I was still excited but my body turned exhausted really quickly. At night I decided to just be dropped home and stayed to get some rests hoping the next day I could start fresh.

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Alcazar – royal palace in Seville, Spain, originally developed by Moorish Muslim kings. The palace is renowned as one of the most beautiful in Spain, being regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of mudéjar architecture found on the Iberian Peninsula.[1] The upper levels of the Alcázar are still used by the royal family as the official Seville residence and are administered by the Patrimonio Nacional. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe, and was registered in 1987 by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site ( source: Wikipedia)

 

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Mozaic pattern with arabic words in Alcazar

 

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Looks like Alhambra patio, but smaller
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Plaza de Espana: plaza located in the Parque de María Luisa (Maria Luisa Park), in Seville, Spain built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It is a landmark example of the Renaissance Revival style in Spanish architecture
We continued driving to Cordoba and went inside the Cordoba mosque

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Mosque/ Cathedral of Cordoba –
It originally was a Catholic church built by the Visigoths.When Muslims conquered Spain in 711, the church was first divided into Muslim and Christian halves. This sharing arrangement of the site lasted until 784, when the Christian half was purchased by the Emir ‘Abd al-Rahman I, who then proceeded to demolish the entire structure and build the grand mosque of Cordoba on its ground.After the Reconquista, it was converted to a Roman Catholic church, culminating in the insertion of a Renaissance cathedral nave in the 16th century.
Since the early 2000s, Spanish Muslims have lobbied the Roman Catholic Church to allow them to pray in the cathedral. This Muslim campaign has been rejected on multiple occasions, both by the church authorities in Spain and by the Vatican. (source: wikipedia)

 

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Cordoba – Hamam

 

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Where we had lunch in Cordoba, Yasin took us to the 1st halal restaurant in the neighborhood after islam was demolished.

 

Day 4 – Medinat Azzahra – Granada (Albayzin Village)

I woke up feeling much better after being sick for the past days. I think my body tumbled waiting for the right timing (read: when my parents and my sister around, so that they can take care of me) *winkwink* After all, I am the baby in the family. We left the memories in Cordoba and moved on to Madina Azzahra before going to Granada.

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We arrived in Granada in the afternoon and went straight to the airbnb. Our stay this time was pretty remarkable and authentic, the owner said the place was built 300 years ago. It’s petite and looks super old indeed, my sister and I got a bit of bed bug bites LOL, fortunately she got her allergic paste so the feeling could have been worse.

By far, this is my favorite city, it’s like no others. It’s located in the mountain area, hence it’s hilly. The road is made of stones, the street is super small so it requires somebody’s expertise to drive there. And coincidentally, Granada is where Yasin lives, so he’s trained for it really well.
Unlike all of us, my mom had some difficulties climbing up, but all paid off every time she saw some places to shop. There was this Maroccon bazar alley that got her all excited. After arriving, we took a rest for couple of hours and then went out to the city center and caught some sunsets from Albayzin ( the village where we stay ) to look over Alhambra with its redness with the spot light from the sunset.

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Day 5 – Granada (Alhambra)
Yasin arranged a guide in Alhambra because it was not allowed to bring guide from outside. Our guide named Tariq, he’s as old as my dad. I can see a fatherly figure on him. He explained the story properly. Alhambra is a royal house (not palace), total is 7km and without even realizing it, my mom made it from the beginning till the end. The power of mind and not knowing!

Alhambra (/ælˈhæmbrə/; Spanish: [aˈlambɾa]; Arabic: الْحَمْرَاء‎, [ʔælħæmˈɾˠɑːʔ], Al-Ḥamrā’, lit. “the red one”),[a] the complete form of which was Calat Alhamra,[b] is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was originally constructed as a small fortress in 889 and then largely ignored until its ruins were renovated and rebuilt in the mid-11th century by the Moorish emir Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar of the Emirate of Granada, who built its current palace and walls. It was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.[1]
Alhambra’s Islamic palaces, as we know them today, were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain and the court of the Nasrid dynasty. The decoration consists, as a rule, of Arabic inscriptions that are manipulated into geometrical patterns wrought into arabesques. Painted tiles are largely used as panelling for the walls.[4] The palace complex is designed in the Mudéjar style, which is characteristic of western elements reinterpreted into Islamic forms and widely popular during the Reconquista, the reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula from the Muslims by the Christian kingdoms.

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Another highlight of that day, WE FINALLY FOUND FLAMENCO PERFORMANCE anddd for free!!! I trusted on my guts!

Day 6 – Orgiva – Alpujjara Mountain – Slobrenia – Malaga
Sacrifice day! We were lucky we could celebrate it here, in a total different environment. Yasin kindly promised to bring us to pray and celebrate eid in his village. I was so excited to see another culture of sacrificing day as well as to meet new people. I did not really know what to expect, yet turned out it was a small remote village. The people were super warm and welcoming. My dad and I used to watch a Canadian Serie called ‘The little mosque in the prairie‘ and it’s a total reality life in front of me.  Everybody knows everybody. I met a woman, which apparently a SWEDISH. I was a little surprised wondering what she was doing in that small village. It is not a place that random people would prefer to stop and stay. We had a little conversation, this woman moved there because she achieves peace, she feels the love around her, so she wants to have another form of life surrounded by those local people. I saluted her, it is a brave decision.
After praying, we went to another village that looks like Greece with the white houses. A village that’s never been changed since first was built hundred years ago. Furthermore continue to eat fish in the beach side of the mountain. It’s another city called Slobrenia, not so many people go here except locals. So it was peacefully quite during our visit.

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At 4pm, Yasin dropped us off in Malaga, our last stop in this trip. It’s sad that it comes the time to say goodbye to him. Not only that we will miss his smiles and stories, but also his capability of Spanish since no one speaks english properly in South of Spain hehe.

After arriving, we just went to the beach in the evening, had home-cooked meal for dinner, and took a good rest for the next day.

Day 7 – Malaga – Alcazaba and beach day
Malaga is a port city, very modern and surrounded by oceans. However, it still has some leftovers from the old Moorish times like some follows.

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Day 8 – Sevilla airport

Total journey was a rip off to my pocket, but it is all worth it! Time to say see you later to this beautiful lowland with its histories. ¡Hasta luego!

Recommended tour: http://erentour.com/

Family Finance Self growth Thoughts

Becoming minimalist day by day

6th April 2015 - 7 min read

It’s ironic how human tends to waste money for something unnecessary, by human it is certainly including me.
Start from last year after getting a job, simultaneously I am more considerate about how people are living on the other side of the world. It just happenned to me after I have witnessed lots of things in my 20 yrs of existence and Unfairness still predominently filling my mind seeing those who suffer somewhere else. I feel guilty to have all the glitz and glam while other people are in challenged and having a difficult time. I am glad that my surroundings keep me grounded because the actual testing for human is not when they are poor and suffer, but when they are high and happy – a saying by someone famous. It’s literally the real ordeal when we have everything. I m not saying at all that I am rich, in fact I am hardly saving up for my future plans. But after all, I am earning some amount of money monthly which were something new for me, that thankfully relatively more than what my age earns, especially in my own country. And that transition period normally creates more demand and consumpiton in humany daily behaviour. And that is true..

I thank God that from my childhood, my dad has been very discipline about conducting considerably great parenting to be invested in all of his children. He’s never spoiled any of his kids, well according to my siblings, I have always been the one he has spoiled and yet I have never felt so. Therefore, i can imagine what my siblings were feeling growing up. He’s the most headstrong man and knows exactly where to stand, which at the end creates the best example for four of us. He has planted a mindset to be always live moderately and share fully. 

He is the best philantrophic whom I can always look up to. I remember when I was kid, I cried asking for a cellphone just because all of my friends had them. As a teenager, I felt life was unfair, or well he was unfair because I know he had the money. I could not understand the whole concept of being modest, and the reasoning of it. …. It’s because my family is adequate financially. I always got jealous watching other kids in junior high school running around with their branded stuff, while I barely got new pair of shoes after the other one broken. My dad always says, wear till it’s torn apart and can’t be worn anymore. Otherwise it’s a waste because there are people who can’t even think of buying new shoes, because they are busy thinking how to live and what to eat tomorrow. Little did I know, he has been responsible in some people’s college tuition fee.

Tracing back, I actually have been a compassionate person from when I was a kid in which I think that’s the result of my dad ‘s lesson, by compassionate I mean I can’t stand seeing people in front of me suferring. However, I still buy a lot of unnecessary things with my pocket money or money I earned from working part time. Although it may seem that the whole concept of being modest and minimalist are not acquired so well by me, but it recorded in my brain so well that subconciously that lesson has always stayed. I noticed when I walked in to 20th period of my existence on this planet… when my eyes are wider-open and when I start carefully listening to my inner core. I feel guilty to spend too much money on something. I want to live modest like my dad and share some to other people, yet i didn’t have money that time because I was still a student.

Now that I have a job, I practice of what my dad taught me and understand why he’s never easy in
giving me something. Because all those things require hardwork. And because everything I acquired up to this point involved hardwork, I’ve never been an impulsive spender. I start to understand the value of things.. I try my best to spend things wisely. Too many of my friends older than me have no savings in their 30s and I dont want that to happen to me. Instead, I would love to be able to be a philantrophic by then, meaning that I can already build an empire of my own, before helping others……

The way of keeping my financial running and be minimalist is as following:

1. Invest in any kind of investement instrument: Reksadana.. I am still learning, and got opinion from here and there not to play stocks or trading just yet until I am confident and have the time to. Keep the money running and not stay in place.
2. It’s okay to buy things, at the end life should be balance, but also give up something.
3. Give away extra stuff you have, I cannot really define extras, because you will never get enough. Think about it, thesedays, people have too much stuff that when things lost in between (got stuck in the laundry machine or borrowed by someone), you don’t even notice. So give away, it may end up in someones in need. There is redcross bin in particular locations in the Netherlands, so everything is well maintained and distrubuted. I usually throw my wearable textiles or shoes there.
4. Donate your money to clean up your financial account. I personally believe that sharing your income to people in need will even give you more blessings (It’s something taught in my faith/religion). It feels great to give back to society.
5. Target secondary expenditure every month, allocate to travel, concert, living life basically.

I sure will teach my kids not to buy things but to learn a value of something and to be modest. Again, this is me.. On the other hands, my dad also always says “we can believe what we have believe in is right, but there’s always chance that what other people believe is also right”

Events Family Hidup di Belanda Milestone Netherlands

Quality weekend with Mom Dad

30th March 2014 - 7 min read
Minggu, 22.57 malam
Seperti biasa, weekend rasanya cepat sekali berlalu.. Sebodohnya ini terdengar, tapi saya pengen begadang sampai besok pagi demi memiliki quality time dengan saya sendiri dan demi punya waktu lebih panjang untuk berwiken. Nggak mau hari seninn.. hikshiks but hey reality strikes and will never experience what I have experienced this week if there is no Monday. *Cheering myself up
Anyway, it has been a good productive week for me and I should be really grateful for that. Hari Selasa, saya dan sahabat-sahabat dekat datang ke konser YUNA. Gosh, it was totally magical as I have been admiring her ever since I discovered her existence in this planet, back on 2010 if I am not mistaken. She has such a pure incredible voice, I guess she was born with such talent. She sings genuinely and what is more important for me is that she speaks her soul out. I consider one to be very lucky to be able to sing out her feeling beautifully.
It is such a great night that I will always remember. Especially, I got the chance to have a little conversation after concert with the star whom I fell in love deeper to due to her humbleness. I am very luckyy!!! Oh, and I got to take a picture together with her.. 🙂 Alhamdulillah
Left to right: Nadya (whom by accident I bumped into), Prita (it was her bday that day), YUNA, me, Alda

ps I held my tears when I was with those people, but when we said goodbye, I cried my heart out like a baby calling my ‘bestfriend’ to tell him how bad I miss him. It is wonderful how such a star could give an influence.

And this weekend is the last weekend my mom and dad will stay. I do not have the time to be sad as I merely want to focus on how to make them enjoy their last days, at least I wanted to take them to places they have never been. Moreover, these last 2 days, the weather has been amazing, temperature is very warm. I am very much grateful for that as it really determines their enjoyment and excitement of them in wandering around hihihihihi
I took them to a petite city nearby the city where I live. It is called Leiden. It is one of the oldest cities in The Netherlands, it is located on the Old Rhine. Back at the 18th century the won the first place as ‘superlative, I forgot what it is’ and offered a huge amount of money, however they were more focused on educating their local people, that’s why they bargained to build the Leiden University instead of having the money, which has become as top 50 university worldwide and took part on creating the first map for colonializing Indonesia. What an ironic story.
It was 20 degrees that day! super amazing.. bought an ice cream for Aqila 🙂 we are all happy nevertheless, although not everything we got to see as we were there already late that the cruise we wanted to ride was already gone. On Sunday, I took them to Amsterdam visiting Rijksmuseum, the first National Historical museum in the Netherlands. It is fulled by paintings of amazing artists, mainly Dutch, Van Gogh, Rembrandt, etc. Surprising thing acquired from this visit is that now I know a lot of arts movement particularly in the Netherlands, was inspired by the Art Nouveau (new art) from France, which was influenced by Japanese, which mainly got an effect from INDONESIAN ART. We’re steps forward back then!
But hey even though nothing is perfect and not everything came as expected, the most essential thing is, we enjoyed and cherish the moment. What’s the meaning of a vacation if we’re rushed by the time, is the journey and the enjoyment that matters.. Every time passes is permanent, why not seize it instead 🙂 Carpe diem.
Dad and Aqila are using the binocular in the middle of a impeccable view between lake and mill

 

In front of a Dutch typical home, yet it was decorated more in an artsy and colorful way

 

Spring has sprung.. Such a beautiful color

 

Me standing with my javanese face among lots of Nias islanders’ faces during colonial period 🙁

 

My kind of painting, me with Aqila who wanted to stick with her Tante that day
With mommy on NS train towards Amsterdam. Will miss this ‘bawel’ lady 🙁
Us on top of the windmill De Valk, Leiden. Awesome place!
Again, me and Aqila (who keeps being a photobomb in any of the selfies I tried to take that day hehe), this one is inside an old windmill (de Valk) who was built in 1611. The stairs were terrifying, but we (a 4 year old and a pair of 60s people) gratefully made it hihi deg2an pisan euy

Currently enjoying days with loved ones… counting the days before their departure. 
Love them! I am happy that I could bring smiles upon their face although just a little 🙂