Saturday, January 23, 2010

Backpack to Ujung Genteng

Ujung Genteng is one of the beautiful places in the southern part of Java, which can be called as southern nirvana, offers beaches and waterfall. As the initiative of some pals, we decide to make travel in the next schedule for Ujung Genteng. Yeah, from Cikarang, it took much time to get there and we must transit at some terminals and continued again the journey just like we did as a real backpacking survivor :D

Our journey was started from Cikarang, got on the bus heading to Kampung Rambutan Jakarta. And then we continued the tour by getting on the economy bus from Kampung Rambutan to Sukabumi frop about 2 hours, got off Degung bus terminal. The journey wasn't over yet. We must continue by getting on the angkot (public transportation, like elf) heading to Lembur Situ. It's not really far, it took for about 30 minutes. I guess we almost there, but the tour must be continued. God, i felt dizzy and tired that time. Yeah, then we got on the elf (public transportation) again from Lembur Situ to Surade for 4 hours non-stop without resting. And seeing the road is really bad to pass and how uncomfortable the elf we got on, it makes me dead inside. We were like riding in the roller coaster or just like rafting but in the harsh road, for 4 hours. Can you imagine that? To avoid the dizziness, i just took some pils and try to sleep.

Four hours later, we were there. The driver took us until Curug Cikaso, our first destination. It's almost 3 AM. God, people were still sleeping under their blanket. Yeah, but it's fun. Unforgettable moment of our adventure ^^


The next destination was Curug Cigangsa. We reached Curug Cigangsa by renting pick-up car and its driver, of course :) You know, it's really fun getting on the back of pick-up car. Wind was fanning hardly, and we enjoyed the harsh road we passed. I called us as Bolang, Bocah Petualang (Adventurous Kids). But unfortunately, when we reached Curug Cigangsa, we didn't find much water there, some people told that it was drought season which caused the curug lost the water. Different from the first curug we've just visited, now we were walking on Curug Cigangsa in the upper side. Gosh, it's so high to take a look at the bottom of it. I thought Curug Cigangsa is more huge than Curug Cikaso, but just dry as drought season.


Next destination is Ujung Genteng beach. We decided to stay at the hostel near the beach. It was Pondok Adi. We took a rest there, having talk in the terrace while waiting for the sunset. You know, when it happened, it's really cool. Take a look at the picture below.


In the night, we did the barbecue thing. Not really barbecue, we just bbq some fishes for the dinner. Yeah, we are just amateur to do that, Although we didn't succeed to burn whole the fish, we really enjoy the meal under the blurred light, makes it so romantic. But when we finished the meal and brought back the dishes to the owner, i realized that the fishes weren't still all ripped yet. I saw pink flesh under their skins and surrounding the bone. OMG, i just pray that I will be OK, no stomachache or anything like that.

Note:

Cikarang - Kampung Rambutan, get on Agramas bus : Rp 6000
Kampung Rambutan - Sukabumi (Degung Terminal) : Rp. 16.000
Degung Terminal - Lembur Situ : Rp. 10.000
Lembur Situ - Surade : R. 23.000
Surade - Curug Cikaso : Rp. 7.300
Pick Up Curug Cikaso - Curug Cigangsa and Ujung Genteng : Rp. 20.000


The next day, we hunted the sunrise in the east beach. We woke up at 4 o'clock. It takes about 5 minutes to reach east beach from our hostel. Yeah, it's the coolest sunset i have ever seen in this life.


After going back to the hostel, some of us decided to swim in the beach, not far from hostel.

The next destination is Ombak Tujuh. Ombak Tujuh is popular for the huge waves, one of the beaches which is used to do surfing. To get there, there are two ways. By motorcycle or by water boat. Because it takes so long time when we go there by motorcycle and harsh road, so we decided to get on the water boat. Some of us felt scary to get on it because they weren't able to swim well. But, the rest of us make sure that it's safe enough to ride, and then we just went without worrying anymore.

When the night had come, we took a meal and continued the tour to the virgin beach which has some turtles to go nesting. The beach is called Pangumbahan Beach. Usually the turtle's babies should have been released in the 5 PM that day, we missed it. So we just saw the turtle nesting in the white sand.


Note:

Water boat to Ombak Tujuh : Rp. 400.000 / boat (4-5 persons)
Rent Car to go seeing turtle : Rp. 200.000 / car

*the photos were taken by Dina, Chocky, and Sindu.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Traveling to Ciwidey

The vacation in this time is very very colorful. Why could i say that? Because Ciwidey is I am talking about. Yeah, first of all we headed to Kawah Putih (White Crater) which is very blue, and then on the way of the journey we stopped the car to make a rest-time in Tea Garden of Walini which is very green. After felt satisfied and fresh, we continued heading to the Situpatengan Lake which is so brown and green and foggy. And finally we reached Kampung Daun as the final destination which like a village in the center of forest, with full of green and traditional cabin, makes the place harmoniously chic. That's why I say that my vacation is really colorful.

We departed from Cikarang on 8 o'clock by rental car, luckily we didn't get traffic jam on the way. As reaching Bandung, we exited to the highway gate of Kopo, then we continued going along the road, through Soreang and Ciwidey for about 1 hour. Thanks God, we didn't find any crowded jam. We passed several strawberry gardens at Ciwidey, which we can pick the strawberry by ourselves, directly from their stems. We didn't get off the car to do that because we think it will be worthy if we chase the time to visit our main destination. We just worried that we weren't be able to make it. Yeah, some of us felt dissapointed for a while, but it's OK ^^

Not much time we need to arrive in the first destination, Kawah Putih (White Crater). Kawah Putih is the southeast crater of the Mount Patuha which has greenish-white crater lake. Mount Patuha itself is a twin stratovolcano in the southwest of Bandung in West Java, Indonesia. There's sulfur mine in the Kawah Putih. When we get there, actually we didn't endure the stinky odor of sulfur, but we just forget it by taking many pictures :D

Here we go the pictures of us.


Located at an altitude of about 1600 m above sea level, Situ Patenggang is an enchanting panorama. Green carpet like tea gardens of nature, coupled with the cold air and clean and warm sun, giving the impression of peace and tranquility itself for visitors. From the side of the road to a quiet location, appears to be a lake behind the tea plantations of trees face the sky. The location which crosses the lake is quite interesting that is called Batu Cinta (Stone of Love). Batu Cinta is said to believe will provide the continuity of love for the couple who came to visit there.

When the sun went down, we planned to having dinner at Kampung Daun. It was far from the site we have visited before. Kampung Daun is located in the north of Bandung. Even it is quite far from center of Bandung, but it is amazing place. Since we went there after dark, we can feel different ambient. There were so many threes and small waterfalls along the street. The foods were quite expensive but were worthy enough with the panorama it has given and you didn't have to wait so long because they served well, each location has their own kitchen.

* the photos were taken by Dina and Chocky

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

What-The-Hell Estafet Short-Story

I want to come back in time, when it feels like don't need anything to make serious, just fun we did. Yeah, one of them is our little project. Very undefined project, it is an estafet short story which I and my pals wrote when we're less of job that time ...

We followed the rule as we agreed here. So, this work is dedicated to you, Elly, Rizka, Dina, and Mpit.

I'm sorry if any of you don't know the meaning since we used our language here.
It leaves memory until now, make me ROFL (Rolling On Floor Laughing or anything :D). Thank you guys, for making me laugh until this time.

Here we go ...


1.30 AM
13 oktober 2006,
SARITEM, Bandung.

Aku terbangun dari tidurku, terkejut. Bayangan itu masih berdiri di beranda kamarku. Seekor kecoa berlarian di bawah kolong tempat tidurku. Kepalaku menoleh ke samping, klienku masih tertidur lelap. Langkahku gontai menuju wastafel, membasahi mukaku.

Buliran keringat membasahi baju piyamaku, Dingin tapi panas. Kulihat bayanganku sendiri di cermin, basah, kusut, berantakan. Tiba-tiba ada sekelebat bayangan melintas di belakang pintu. Aku berbalik cepat, tubuhku merapat pada wastafel, mataku membelalak mencari sumber bayangan itu.

"Daniel..." suara lembut itu memecah keheningan, Fyyuuh... client cantikku itu ternyata. Tante Sri, yang masih terlihat cantik di usia kepala empatnya mulai berjalan...mendekatiku dengan manja.

Tante Sri memeluk pinggangku mesra lalu memasukkan beberapa lembar uang ke dalam celana dalamku, "Ini bayaranmu untuk malam ini." Aku menuju kamar mandi, meninggalkan wanita paruh baya yang masih di ranjang dan berbenah sendirian.

Di kamar mandi, aku berfikir... mengapa aku bodoh sekali membuat kamar yang wastafelnya beda tempat dengan kamar mandi... aku heran!. Keherananku tidak berlangsung lama, karena sejurus kemudian terdengar ketukan di pintu kamar mandi. Aku berani menebak bahwa itu adalah Tante Sri yang menyuruhku untuk segera keluar dari kamar mandi karena memang jam-jam segini jadwal dia untuk nyetor ke WC sekaligus mandi besar.

Aku berlama-lama di kamar mandi, jijik akan diriku sendiri. Daniel..apa yang telah kau perbuat??... Setelah Om Doni, sekarang Tante Sri? Bukankah kau dulu yang menjadi saksi pernikahan mereka berdua..setelah pernikahan pertama Om Doni dan pernikahan keempat Tante Sri yang gagal. Tetapi kenapa kau lebih menikmatinya bila melakukannya bersama Om Doni? Aku mengingat kembali wajah dan pesan ibuku, ajaran-ajarannya, argggh aku sungguh..sungguh hina.

"Daniel sayang.. aku harus pulang... sedang apa sih kamu di dalam, Hon?" Teriak manja Tante Sri membuyarkan lamunanku. Aku menggerutu di dalam hati, aku masih ingin berlama-lama di kamar mandi..tak kuhiraukan teriakan Tante Sri. Aku ingin kabur dari tempat di mana kenistaan ini tumbuh tak berakhir. Aku mengambil pistol yang sengaja aku simpan di dalam penampungan air toilet. Oh iya... pistol ini sudah lama aku simpan dengan dibungkus plastik, biar gak karatan. Kulihat pistol itu lamat-lamat, masih terukir inisial DB di pelatuknya.

DB, aku tak tahu apa itu? Apakah mungkin itu adalah merknya? Kutarik pelatuknya.

"Desssinnng...." kulihat tante Sri dihadapanku, berdiri terpaku seperti menahan sakit, Darah membasahi selimut lorengku yang ia kenakan. Aku terkejut, kenapa tiba-tiba ada tante Sri disitu, padahal pintu kamar mandi sudah aku kunci dari dalam? Mungkinkah....

Dalam seketika aku langsung pingsan karena aku tahu semua kejadian itu tak masuk akal bagiku, masih mistis, dan susah dijelaskan oleh logika. Aku berusaha membuka mataku, ku lihat samar-samar bayangan orang duduk di samping kiriku.

"Niel..daniel.. bangun lw!!...Heh!! jam 7 Bro!! katanya suruh bangunin..., gwe mo cabut nih" samar-samar kulihat sosok itu... si pengkor... teman sekamarku. Si Pengkor menggoyang-goyang tubuhku dengan semangat "Bangun woi...ato elo mau ketinggalan mata kuliah Bu Sri yang tuwir tapi bahenol ituh??"

Tiba-tiba aku terbangun dengan mata masih belum fokus, lalu berpikir dalam hati "Sejak kapan Bu Sri jadi bahenol?" sampai kusadari bahwa aku masih berada di toilet, lalu ke mana tadi si Pengkor?

Aaarrghh.... masa iya aku juga tertarik sama si pengkor?? God..dammit!! terkutuk sekali aku.. si pengkor?? Febri?? pria gay itu... Ya tuhan ada apa dengan aku??.. Tapi sedetik tadi aku merasa bahwa Febri terlihat ganteng sekali..aaaarrrrggghhh,,sepertinya hari ini aku harus berkonsultasi mengenai kemungkinan aku tertular kelainan seksual karena tinggal sekamar bersama pria gay.

"Heeeeeey, gue masih normal kaleeeee," jeritku lantang, "Tante Sriiiiiii, katakanlah kalau kau sangat menikmati permainan ranjangku beberapa saat lalu!"

Tiba-tiba Pengkor A.K.A Febri masuk... dari sosoknya yang tegap dan tampan tiba..tiba... "Hey..hey... knp kau meneriakkan namaku.. Tante Sri itu nama malamku niel... Tentu sayang..aku sangat ingat permainanmu... begitu..menggoda... EEeerrrr..." Febri alias Pengkor menggeliat2 dihadapanku... tidaaaakkkkkkk

--- T A M A T ---

Friday, October 30, 2009

11:11

What's exactly happening on that 11:11?
For the first time, I didn't realize that it came up a couple times, say hi to me as if it is human being make a greeting to me. Almost everyday, my eyes often crawl intuitively the digital clock in the right below corner of my computer desktop, and it displays 11:11. It makes me creepy at once. But, it's just a number, hell yeah I was into silly imagination which I shouldn't have taken care of.

After that, I didn't really care about it until I got no purpose watching my friend's status in her messenger. She said "my life is fullfilled by 11:11". Then I remember my last concern and let me to say inside my feeling, "Il Signo Dio, There's something ..."

All of a sudden, I search anything about 11:11. I think it's a fascinating stuff to discuss and criticize. Here is what I found about the 11:11 ...

You're supposed to make a wish a 11:11 & it's supposed to come true. Every time we see 11:11 on the clock that it's the universes way of letting you know that you're on the right path, in other words, it is some sort of a message from a higher power. It's just like when you see a shooting star you see it and make a wish .. it sometimes comes true and sometimes doesn't.

There's (maybe) a superstitious thing inside 11:11. I'm not exactly sure but I want to share this article. Click Spoiler to see it.







So, what will you believe????

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Is it healthy to never cry?

Is it healthy to never cry?
Is it obvious if we didn't cry for a long time makes our eyes feelin' bad or just the emotion inside won't come up a whole like we burden ourselves with something depressed? Yeah, that's what I feel right now. I don't know why, suddenly I'm about to feel blue, love to be intimated by someone who cares me, and love to be loved in the distinctive way which I never have before. So, to cope with it by myself, I just search the song which makes me -maybe- wanna cry a river. And the winner goes to ... the song performed by Josh Kelley, titled Just Say The Word.

This song succeeded to make me feeling blue, hux hux ...
But, note that .... I haven't cried yet, even by listening this sad song and comprehend deeply the lyrics, aaaarrrrgghhh ...

The tears don't fall down thou, I still feeling blue while listening this song. My heart was crying but my eyes weren't.

Just check out the song and the lyrics below. Would you like to cry for this song? If it isn't, please recommend me to another song. I wanna cryyyyyyyyyy ...







"Just Say The Word"

I'm holdin' on
To pictures on my telephone
And I know that I should let you go
But it's hard to break away.
I ask around
And I wonder what you're doing now
But I hear that you've been going out
A little more these days.

Well, I can't lie that I think from time to time
How you're doing
But don't hang up cause
What I really meant to say is

Everything's wrong, nothing's going right
Just know that I'm not hard to find.
So just say the word and I'll race to you tonight
And I'll be right there by your side...holding on.

Remember when
We were further than you'd ever been
And I think about it now and then;
It takes me to that place.
When I pretend
That I'm better than I've ever been
Well at least that's what I tell my friends
Cause I can't show my face

Well, I can't lie that I think from time to time
How you're doing.
But don't hang up cause
What I really meant to say

Everything's wrong and nothing's going right
Just know that I'm not hard to find.
So just say the word and I'll race to you tonight
And I'll be right there by your side

It's hard enough to believe in something
More than just pretend.
And just because we both know it's over
We could still be friends.

Everything's wrong and nothing's going right
Just know that I'm not hard to find.
So just say the word and I'll race to you tonight
And I'll be right there by your side

And I'll be right there by your side
[repeat]

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

The Original Indonesian Ghost

1. Kuntilanak

Kuntilanak figure is depicted in the form of a beautiful woman. Kuntilanak is described as a creepy ghost who'd like to threaten the villagers for revenge. When she appears, she is always accompanied by fragrant flowers from frangipani. It is said that men who are not being carefully, could be killed after kuntilanak transformed into the blood sucker. Kuntilanak also loves to eat babies and harm pregnant women. In the scary stories and horror movies on TV Malaysia, kuntilanak is described to who kill prey by sucking their blood in the neck, such a vampire always did. However, based on Sundanese tradition, kuntilanak does not have a hole in her back and only interfere with the appearance alone. The kind of ghost who has a hole in the back as described above is called Sundel Bolong. Kuntilanak reportedly also loves to live in a certain tree as a place to reside.

2. Sundel Bolong

Sundel bolong in the myth of a Indonesian ghost is depicted as a woman whose long hair and white long-dressed. There's also described about the formation of holes in the back of a slightly closed her long hair so that the organs in the abdomen could've been seen. It is said that Sundel Bolong died because of being raped and gave birth to her son from the grave. Usually Sundel Bolong is also described loves to take the babies who had just been born.


3. Tuyul

Toyol (Javanese: thuyul) in the mythology of the archipelago, especially in Java, is a ghost intangible child or a runt with a shaved head. Other depictions that people don't deal was a silvery skin, socialize (it means that toyol has communities and leaders), and their voice is like a chicken. Toyol be employed by a human employer for certain reasons, mainly stealing (money). To counteract tuyul, people put crab in the corner of the house because tuyul likes crab so he will forget all the main errands. Tuyul is believed comes from people who miscarried fetuses or infants who died at birth. Because it comes from the baby, tuyul has the same characters withchildren: likes to play (at midnight).

4. Pocong

Pocong is depicted in many version. It is said, Pocong has a green face with empty eyes. The other portrayal stated, Pocong has flat-face and has a hole or hollow eyes covered by cotton with pale faces. Those who believe in ghosts assumes, Pocong is a form of protest from the dead who had forgotten to open the head bond prior to his grave. Although Pocong is often portrayed in the movie that he'd moved his body by jumping, but the myths stated Pocong moved by floating. This may be because it's just the movie - Pocong cast could not move his legs so that they just able to move by jumping up and down. Belief in the existence of Pocong is only came up in Indonesia, especially in Java and Sumatra. Although the description based on Muslim tradition, people of other faiths also were able to recognize existence of this ghost.

5. Genderuwo

Genderuwo is a type of the genie or spirits of a big-body and reddish black colored-skin ape-like human, his body is covered with dense hair growing in the entire body. Genderuwo is especially known in the community from Java (Sundanese called "gandaruwo" and the Javanese called it "gendruwo"). Their favorite habitats are watery stone, old buildings, large trees or shady corners of the quiet and dark valley. The domicile center of this creature is believed to be in Donoloyo Teak Forest, Sloghimo district, about 60 km to the east side of Wonogiri, and in Lemah Putih, Purwosari, Girimulyo, Kulon Progo about 6 km to the west of Yogyakarta.


6. Wewe Gombel

Wewe Gombel is a term in Javanese tradition, which means evil spirit or ghost that likes stealing the children, but did not harm them. It is said that the stolen children are children who abandoned and neglected by her parents. Wewe Gombel will usually scare parents of the child upon their attitude and treatment to their children until they are realized. After the parents of child had realized, Wewe Gombel will return their son/daughter.

According to the story, Wewe Gombel is the spirit of a woman who died committed suicide because being pursued by the community for having killed her husband. The incident occurred after the husband of the woman was having an affair with another woman. The husband did it because his wife could not give him children. Finally, she was shunned and hated her husband and then excluded until she became mad and homeless.

Wewe Gombel called because the incident occurred in the area in Gombel, Semarang. If we drive from Jatingaleh toward Banyumanik, it will show the former beer ads. That's the location where Wewe Gombel usually lives. Some people mentioned that the location is a kingdom of ghosts. According to the story, it caused a hotel located on the hillside location Gombel become bankrupt.


7. Leak

In Balinese mythology, Leak was the wicked witch. Le means witches and ak means evil. Leak can only be seen at night by shamans of leak hunters. In the afternoon he looked like ordinary people, while at night he was in the cemetery to find the internal organs of human body which are used to make magic potions. Magic potion that can transform leak shape into a tiger, monkey, pig or the like Rangda. If necessary, he can also take the organs from living people.


8. Rangda

Rangda is the queen of the leak in the mythology of Bali. This fearsome creature is to be said often kidnap and eat children and lead the wicked witch army against Barong, which is a symbol of good strength. Told that the queen Rangda most likely comes from Manendradatta who lived on the island of Java in the 11th century. She was exiled by king Dharmodayana because she was accused doing witchcraft against two queens of his own. According to the legend she had his revenge by killing half people in the kingdom, which later would be owned by her and Dharmodayana's son, Erlangga. Then he was replaced by wise man. The name of Rangda is coming from the meaning of a widow. Rangda is very important for Balinese mythology. Battle against Barong or against Erlangga are often exhibited in the dance. This dance is very popular and an important legacy in the tradition of Bali. Rangda described as a woman with along disheveled hair and long nails, scary face and teeth sharp.


9. Kuyang

Kuyang an intangible phantom human head with the organs of the body without the skin attached and limbs that can fly to find the baby's blood. This creature is popular in Kalimantan. Kuyang is actually a man (woman) that executes the teaching of black magic to achieve eternal life.

At noon, a kuyang will behave as an ordinary person, but he usually wore robes. In the night, kuyang will fly to find the baby's blood or parturition blood to be sucked as a means of increasing his power. People usually see kuyang fly like a giant bird. To deal with it, the victims need to use a broom or banged house furniture like a pot or pan.



10. Palasik

According to stories, legends or beliefs of the Minangkabau, Palasik is a kind of supernatural beings. Palasik is not a ghost but human beings who have high-level black magic. Palasik terribly feared by mothers of Minangkabau who has a toddler because palasik likes to eat infants / toddlers, both still in the womb or the dead (buried), depending on the type of the palasik. Palasik power is hereditary. If the parents are a palasik then her son is going to be palasik. In general, palasik do works by detaching their head. There was a body that runs for ate and there was also the head hovering foraging.